Chapter 385 - Three Hundred And Eighty-five: Trouble In Paradise
The third point of view:
"No, Reina listen," Niklaus went after his wife who was hell-bent on avoiding him.
"No, don't say it!" She lifted her hand to signal the end of the discussion.
"Seriously, listen to me for once!" he yelled at her.
Niklaus couldn't even believe that they were having a fight on their honeymoon.
"No, just shut it, okay?" Reina said quite harshly, not that she cared anyway at that moment. She was so furious her body was vibrating with emotion.
"Why are you so damn stubborn! Listen to me for once for Christ's sake!"
"If you're going to ramble on and on about the need for me to return home, then save it! I will not abandon my honeymoon to see her period!" She finalized.
After they had watched that video of Sakuzi confessing to the fact that her so-called mother had cancer, Niklaus had, of course, automatically taken Angela's side.
"Your mother is dying! "
"She is not my mother!" Reina gave Niklaus a warning growl. There was trouble in paradise already.
"Oh yes, she is!" Niklaus stood his ground.
"Say that again Niklaus and I'll punch you right in the face!"
"Even if you deny it a million times, there's no denying that Angela is your mother -" Niklaus was still saying when she cut him off with a punch to his face. He really didn't know she would do that.
"Don't. Call. Her. My. Mother!" she spat out, "Because she is not! Niklaus, you of all people know what I went through in her hand! You of all people should understand my pain! You saw it all! Then you should understand me! You should be on my side, not hers!" She yelled at him.
"I am on your side!"
"No, you're not!" She told him, "If you're really on my side, you wouldn't be taking her side!"
"Reina, stop being childish here! I know what your mother did to you over the years is unacceptable and abusive, but she's trying to make peace with you before she dies. I would have even forgiven my father Adam if he had such a change of heart, Reina!"
"No, she doesn't have a change of heart, Angela just doesn't want to go to hell,"
"What?" Niklaus was confused.
"Angela was brought up in a strict Christian home by my grandmother and though she hardly goes to church anymore - thanks to her work - she still believes their doctrines and I bet right now, she's reviewing her life choices and checking for sins that might drag her to the fiery pit of hell, "
Reina recalled Grandma had been a strict churchgoer when she had been alive since the old woman normally took her there when she was a kid and though Angela had forgotten all about the church, the teachings still stayed with her.
"Doesn't this mean she's dead serious about gaining your forgiveness then?" Niklaus said to her.
"I can't believe you," Reina spoke through gritted teeth and with a warning gaze, headed for the door.
"Where are you going?" Niklaus followed after her.
"Don't follow me!" She turned and hissed at him, "Trust me, you're going to regret it,"
Niklaus' gaze softened, "Maya… " He called her by that name and that did it. She slammed the door at his face and strode away.
"God damn it!" Niklaus cursed out loud kicking the air before threading his hand through his hair, pulling his scalp hard.
He knew Angela was a sensitive topic for his wife but then this was a life and death issue. Angela did her wrong, yes, but in the end, blood was blood, and the fact the woman had already reached out first was enough reason for Reina to listen.
If his own father Adam had atoned for his sins in the end, though it would be hard but not impossible, Niklaus was sure he would forgive him - especially if he had a few days to live.
"She doesn't understand what would happen if Angela dies without them reconciling," Niklaus muttered to an empty room.
The guilt would plunge her for a long time. He knew Reina like the back of his hand, she might appear to be tough, but in reality, her heart was as soft as jelly, however, that doesn't mean she would allow anyone to step over her without retaliation.
As far as she's the same Maya he knew, she would surely regret it. One can only make changes while they're still alive and he had to reconcile both mother and daughter - it was time to end the feud.
Niklaus didn't go in search of his wife immediately, he gave her time to cool off - that blow she gave him was still fresh in his memory - and only went for her after two hours. Finding out about her location wasn't hard since he was able to track her down effortlessly.
Well, Reina doesn't know this but Niklaus planted a tracker in her wedding ring. Yes, he knew it was completely wrong but then, his wife had a knack for attracting trouble so he had to make sure she was within his watchful range.
He could have bugged her phone but it felt completely wrong and there were ninety percent higher chances of her finding out. Also, once a phone was switched off, the tracker wouldn't work efficiently so this was much better.
Niklaus was honestly surprised when he tracked her down to the hotel's rooftop; he had expected her to be in a bar or something. But as usual, she had a bottle by her side and was drinking from it.
He came to stand beside her and when she made no effort to yell at him like earlier, he took that as a signal that she had calmed down and sat on the floor cross-legged.
"How did you find me? This is the last place you'd thought of me coming,"
Niklaus gulped, he couldn't possibly tell her he bugged her in this tense atmosphere, so he lied as usual.
"I went through the hotel's footage,"
"I avoided them," Reina said, turning to look at him this time, "How did you find me then?"
"You didn't avoid one well enough," He replied with an expressionless face knowing she could read him well.
As expected, Reina raised a skeptical brow.
"Are you doubting my skills?" He asked.
"Whatever," She rolled her eyes and was just about to take a swing from the bottle when Niklaus snatched it from her.
"That's enough," He kept it far away from her.
"Why don't you leave me alone if you're going to be a party pooper," Reina groaned.
"You can't keep drowning out your problems with drinks,"
"Trust me, that woman is hardly my problem,"
"Liar,"
"You keep annoying me, don't make me divorce you," She threatened.
"Ha!" Niklaus scoffed, throwing back his head in sheer mockery, "Why don't you try? I'll just keep you locked up in my bedroom,"
Reina gave him a dirty look, "That's the only way you can think of keeping me by your side?" she added, "I'll simply kill you in your sleep,"
Niklaus chortled, saying suggestively, "As if we'd be doing any sleeping,"
At that comment, their eyes met and held, the sexual tension between them crackling like lightning in the sky.
"Of course, that's all you're able to think about, pervert," She teased him and a grin stretched his lips.
However, after that, a weird silence fell upon them once again, and both chose to remain silent until Niklaus gave out an exasperated sigh and turned to her.
"You can punch me all you want but that would not stop me from telling you to go visit your mother, Reina," He said boldly.
"Don't ruin this moment, Niklaus," she sighed, exhausted.
However, Niklaus didn't give up. He took his wife's face in his palm, "I didn't say you should forgive her, just pay her a visit please," He begged her.
Reina took a huge gulp and he saw how difficult it was for her to make that decision, he couldn't blame her. His wife never had a happy childhood which was no surprise she spoiled her kids, the twins; she wanted them to have the best childhood memory.
Angela had taken away the most precious gift she could ever give to a child and Reina had looked forward to seeing her getting punished for that. Sadly, life doesn't always give us what we want.
"Fine, I'll do that but don't have high expectations. Also, I'm not leaving here today," she stated with all manner of seriousness.
"Alright, we would do as you said," Niklaus said, flashing her one of his world's sexiest smiles that made her heart rate increase.
However, Reina felt a tight constriction in her throat when she saw the slight bruising on his face caused by her blow earlier.
"And I'm sorry for hurting you," She apologized, "I don't know what came over me and I -"
"It's okay," Niklaus assured her, but she didn't accept that.
"No, it's not alright. I have no right to hurt you and I promise never to do so again no matter what happens as long as I live," She swore.
Niklaus huffed, why was she so serious? However, the man already had an idea forming in his head.
"Fine, if you feel so sorry then you can kiss it better,"
"What?" Reina was startled by the sudden request.
"You heard me right, kiss it better," He had a smirk on.
"Fine," Reina acquiesced even though she knew this was one of his plans.
Without hesitation, she leaned closer and bent her head to kiss him there, already having a feeling he would turn his head and the kiss would land on his lips. But alas, that was not the case which was strange.
But then, Niklaus showed his real color sooner.
"What?" Reina asked when she saw him pointing to his lips.
"There too," He tapped his pouty lips.
"But I didn't punch you there," She argued.
"Yes, you didn't but the pain transferred there and now I need a healing kiss," He claimed.
"Tsk, tsk," Reina clicked her tongue. How could a grown man behave so shamelessly? Yet she still kissed him there and her sly husband took advantage of the opportunity.
*Imagine the next scene, wink wink *