Chapter 22: Surely, death is the only way out.
"After all, I didn't vow to spend the rest of my life with you, but to him. Isn't that right, Hubby?"
Dominic let out a hiss of astonishment as he closed his eyes, recalling Heaven's strange remarks. Axel stopped complaining at some point, and the rest of their meal was eaten in silence. Axel did not linger in the manor afterward. He left the minute he finished eating, leaving the two of them. Dominic let him leave, acting like nothing had happened.
'What a strange thing to say,' he thought, reopening his eyes. He cast a glance at the woman sitting in the back seat with him.
Heaven's elbow was resting on the window with the bottom of her palm propped against her chin. She was quietly looking out of the window, making him wonder what she was thinking.
'She's been acting really strange recently,' he told himself. Recalling her past actions for the past few days. It was out of character for her. 'What is she planning to do this time?'
It never occurred to Dominic's mind that his wife was sincerely determined to fix their broken marriage. All he could think about was her strange actions and what kind of plan she had up on her sleeve. A plan he was certain that would reach him soon enough.
'She isn't a patient person, after all,' he thought, looking out at the window on his side of the car. 'I just hope she sticks to her words and she'll be nice to Basti. He is also her son, after all.'
What Dominic didn't know was that while he had lost hope and expectations from his wife, Heaven's thoughts were rather different from what one would expect.
'Wow. I didn't appreciate it earlier, but now I could. We're driving without any worry that someone might ambush me,' Heaven thought, a slight smile turned up on her face. Who knew that this day would come? 'What a peaceful life, Heaven.'
Heaven's eyes fell on the button that controls the car's window. Her brows rose as an idea popped into her head. 'Is it okay to open the window?' she wondered, checking the cars outside.
'Well,' she mentally shrugged, excitement bubbling in her heart. 'I wouldn't live freely if I didn't take risks, right?'
As the only princess in the organization, the current Heaven didn't enjoy the simplest things in life. Her life was always in danger, not knowing when or how her family's enemies would attack her. Even in the comfort of her home, she had to be careful and alert in case a sniper was ready to pull the trigger to put a hole in her head.
The value of having a second life as someone who had zero connection in the world she came from was like a breath of fresh air. The problems the original Heaven passed on to her were simply a small price to pay in exchange for a comfortable, danger-free life.
Heaven stole a glance at Dominic and sneakily pressed the button of the window and let it slowly roll down. The man beside her noticed what she was doing and couldn't help but arch a brow and look in her direction.
The moment his eyes landed on her, a slight amazement showed up on his handsome face. 'She is smiling?' he couldn't help but ask himself.
Heaven breathed in the afternoon air with a smile. She could finally look outside in peace. She was actually tempted to stick her hand out. Her smile widened when she felt the air blowing past her. It gave Heaven the feeling she truly broke free from the prison she came from.
'Freedom,' she whispered. Her heart felt like it was about to burst with happiness. 'I've always known death is the only escape from that life, but I didn't know the escape would be as sweet as this.'
Heaven giggled like a schoolgirl. She never thought that she would be able to do simple things without getting killed. Alas, her senses were still sharp as ever, even in her new body, she knew the eyes of the man seated beside her were fixed on hers. She turned to face him, but her breath caught in her throat as a pair of tantalizing eyes caught hers.
Dominic was too handsome. She could feel her face heating up with the way he was looking at her. 'Can't you feel the temperature rising? Close that window right this instant,' she guessed of what could be in his head right now.
"Ah," Heaven cleared her throat, being caught doing such childish things. She pursed her lips as she moved her finger to the button so that the window would close.
"Keep it open if that is what you want," Dominic offhandedly said.
"Huh?"
"Open all the windows. I think she's dizzy," Dominic ordered the driver, and as ordered, all the windows wound down.
Heaven blinked several times, confused by his order. 'How the hell did he get to that conclusion?' she asked herself.
She cleared her throat once again and looked around the vehicle. Dominic had stopped looking at her, his expression back to its usual stoic look.
'Why do I suddenly feel bad?' her face twitched, scratching her temple with her pinky out of habit. A habit that only happens when she feels bad. Soon, she realized why she felt that way.
The air conditioner in the car gave them the comfort of traveling with ease. It was scorching outside and with all the windows open, she noticed the beads of sweat that gradually formed on Dominic's forehead. However, he didn't complain. Dominic simply wiped his sweat with a white handkerchief.
'This man,' Heaven thought, thinking of his gesture to her. She bit her inner bottom lip. 'He is so nice. My fragile heart can't! All the men I've met in my life were so — never mind. It's no use recalling those barbaric bastards.'
"I'm okay now. Please close the window. It's hot outside," Heaven politely said as she gazed at the window and nodded. "Thank you."
The driver glanced in the rear mirror as if to check if the person talking to him was his boss's wife. There was no mistaking it. It was her, but the way she spoke made him doubt if it was really her.
How strange.
The driver closed the windows and turned on the air conditioner without saying a word. Although, he was not the only person in the car to have trouble believing in his ears. Dominic gave her a quick glance, making sure that the person seated beside him was not a ghost or anything.
It wasn't her request that both of them find strange, but the fact that she spoke to them was. Even though the young madam and their boss had been married for five years, the people around them could only count the words she spoke to everyone in the house. No matter how uncomfortable she felt or even if these men asked her a few questions regarding her comfort, she would either ignore or only say, 'It's ok.'
'Why does the air suddenly feel awkward?' She asked when she noticed how silent it had become inside the car. 'Well, whatever. I'm probably just being sensitive.'
Heaven shrugged off the strange sensation and returned her attention to the road outside. She wanted to enjoy this moment and set aside the worry about her current problems later. Her divorce was postponed, after all. No pressure.
Her peaceful moments were cut short when she felt her small purse vibrate on her lap. Her brows rose, and she fished out her phone, only to see countless messages from her best friend, Paula.
[From: Paula
Heaven, where are you? I came to pick you up in the hospital, but you weren't there! Did something happen? Did you fight with Mister Zhu? Do you need my help? Tell me where you are and I will come to get you!]
'Right,' Heaven read the messages and skimmed through the rest of them. 'I told her I'd stay in her place to torment her, but plans changed.'
Heaven smacked her lips and faced Dominic. "Can you drop me off somewhere?"
"Hmm?"
"I forgot I made plans with Paula," Heaven said nonchalantly, looking bored and uninterested all of a sudden. "I'm not in the mood anymore, but I already gave my word to her. Is that okay?"