Contract And Marriage

Sarina

“Are you ready, Mrs. Lardizabal?” Dr. Miraez asked, and I nodded in response. Even though Jason scared me a bit, I couldn’t delay this any longer. I needed to remember anything about my past, like what Maximus told me.

I straightened up on the couch and looked again at Dr. Miraez, signaling I was ready for our session. I wasn’t sure if it was my desperation to remember. Still, I pushed myself harder, squeezing out every hidden memory. Minutes passed, and though it was difficult, something Jason had said earlier flashed in my mind.

“No, Sarina!”

“You’re mine!”

After that, memories started to flood back. It began with Maximus and me walking hand-in-hand to the airport restroom.

The restroom was clean and nice to use. I had just finished and walked out of the stall when I noticed a utility worker cleaning the mirrors. The worker was wearing a face mask, so I didn’t think much of it-it seemed normal.

I went to the sink, set my handbag down, and used my fingers to comb through my hair. I didn’t usually look in mirrors much. Still, since becoming Maximus’s wife-and knowing how much he desired me-I wanted to ensure I always looked good for him so he wouldn’t be tempted to look at someone else.

I briefly made eye contact with the utility worker, but I couldn’t tell if he was a man or a woman. His hair was short, and with the mask on, it was hard to tell. I smiled politely, and the worker nodded back.

I looked at myself in the mirror again, checking my appearance. My dress was simple but nice. Satisfied that I still looked fine, I reached for my handbag-when suddenly, something covered my nose.

I looked into the mirror and saw the utility worker holding a cloth over my nose and mouth. I fought back, but I couldn’t resist the growing heaviness in my eyelids. I realized the cloth was soaked with something to knock me out. “Maximus…” I called out to my husband in my thoughts before everything went black.

I woke up in a moving car or something; I don’t know since I’m still feeling dizzy. I struggled to open my eyes, figuring out where I was and who had taken me. I couldn’t believe something like this was happening to me. I wasn’t even from Las Vegas.

Despite the weakness, I forced my eyes open and looked around. I was in a moving vehicle, meaning we hadn’t arrived wherever they were taking me.

It looked like a van-the kind that celebrities use, with a small bed inside. I tried to sit up, noticing I was alone. This was my chance to escape.

Even though I was dizzy, I knew I had to stay strong to return to my husband. Slowly, I approached what looked like a door on my right. Yes, that should be the door. The doors of the vans are usually on the right side. Just as I was about to reach it, a man suddenly appeared from behind and pulled me back to the seat where I had been lying, which I now realized was just a reclined chair.

“Nooo!” I screamed as he pushed me down when I tried to stand up again. I wasn’t used to standing in a moving car and got dizzy easily. Plus, there was still the effect of whatever I had inhaled earlier.

“Stay seated, or my boss will have to see you dead.” The man’s words scared me into silence. He spoke English, so I was sure his boss was from Las Vegas.

Why? What did I do to his boss? Then, I suddenly remembered the men who had harassed me at the hotel. Could it be them?

I didn’t realize I had closed my eyes, and when I opened them, I saw Dr. Miraez’s face again. I was full of worry because I was already crying. “Are you alright?” she asked, but I kept on crying, so she gave me time to calm down.

I couldn’t stop thinking about who that man was talking about when he mentioned his boss and why or what I did wrong to them. And who were the people who harassed me at the hotel? What happened at the hotel that suddenly came to my mind?

“I think we can stop for now and schedule another session next week.” I suddenly looked at Dr. Miraez when she said that.

“No!” I exclaimed. “I mean, I think I was almost there. I feel like I’m about to find out something important.”

“But it seems like you won’t be able to handle it when it happens. I think you need your husband here when it does.” I couldn’t say anything in response. Honestly, I was scared, but I was trying to fight it. I wanted all of this to end because I felt like I was going crazy from thinking about what really happened.

“Sarina, you have to trust me, okay?” Dr. Miraez said calmly. Our eyes met, and I felt calmer when I saw her smiling-I think it was a genuine smile. “Next time, you have to bring Mr. Lardizabal. I have a feeling you’ll need him by your side.”

I didn’t argue with her anymore. She’s the doctor, and I’m the patient, so I need to follow her advice if I want to get better. I didn’t want Maximus to see me when I finally learned the truth because, as Dr. Miraez said, it could hurt me greatly, and I think it would be too much for me. I’m sure my husband would worry again.

“Will I be able to handle it, Doc?” I couldn’t help but ask. She smiled at me and nodded before speaking.

“As I told you and Mr. Lardizabal, you will make it. But we can’t deny that everything will be too heavy for you to carry. That’s why I want your husband here to support you.” I couldn’t respond to what she said and nervously played with my fingers.

Dr. Miraez held my hands on my lap and continued, “I can see that you draw strength from Mr. Lardizabal, and he does the same with you, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

Her words made me feel a bit lighter. It’s true; I feel I can handle anything whenever my husband is around. That’s why I decided to bring Maximus to my next session.

Unlike what Dr. Miraez wanted, I requested the next three-day session. I couldn’t wait to find out what happened to me after I disappeared from the airport, and I knew it would happen soon.

Sancho picked me up from Dr. Miraez’s office, as she suggested. She thought it would be better if I wasn’t alone when I left her office.

When I got home and Maximus arrived, I told him what happened. He was in his mini-office at home, in front of his laptop, when I talked to him.

“Is it okay with you?” I asked.

“Why do you need to ask that? You know I always want to be with you wherever you go.” He stood up from his chair and walked towards me. I was standing in front of his desk like a secretary reporting something.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

I looked up at him, and our eyes met as he got closer. He held my face with both hands, gently brushing my cheeks with his thumbs.

“No matter where you go, my wife, I will go with you. I always want to be by your side, especially when you’re struggling. I love you so much, my wife.” I smiled, then pulled his head down to kiss him, which he quickly deepened. It felt so good to be loved by someone like Maximus Lardizabal.