Chapter 2 abandoned wife

Chapre 2 "His name suits him perfectly, 'Khallib'. Isn't it beautiful? But he's colder than this ice candy in my hand, huh!" Shu complained before taking a bite of her ice candy.

They were in the canteen, watching Khallib, who was on the ground with other men and Dhark, who was always by his side.

"Hey, stop your flirtation. Aren't you married?" Pao said, snapping her back to reality.

She let out a deep sigh. "That's just it. I'm married, but I'm an abandoned wife. That demon general! He took me to his house but never comes home!" she said, frowning, making her two friends smile.

"Oh, why are you smiling?"

"Well, girl, you sound like you miss your 'demon husband'," Pao teased, raising two fingers to quote what she had just said.

"Miss? I haven't even seen him, so how could I miss him?"

"Asus! There you go again. You can still miss him. Of course, he's part of your life even if you haven't seen him yet."

"Correct! Besides, we know you're excited to finally see him so you can put a face to your imagination!"

She paused before responding.

"Well, I don't know either. You see, during our pre-wedding, I was only 15, so I was very scared to see him. But after two years, and since I'm about to turn 18, I feel like I've matured a bit and yes, I found myself wanting to meet him. Who wouldn't be curious?"

"We're excited for you too, friend! We hope he's handsome, young, and dashing so fak na fak!" Pao exclaimed, making her smile.

"Huh, don't get your hopes up. He's old." She grinned before taking another bite of her ice candy.

"Old? Maybe not, maybe you're just saying he's old." Ivon interjected.

"Trust me! The fact that he's had two wives before me and I'm the third proves he's old. Is there a 20-year-old who's had three wives? And besides, he's a general! Like, a literal general, and not just any general, he's the first-ranked General of the palace! It requires legendary merits and years of experience to reach that far, nu! Just the fact that he's a General means he's been in service for many years to get there. Let's say 15 or 20 years."

As the two began to count, she spoke again.

"Don't, don't count! I've already computed it. Let's say he graduated from college at 20. Two years of training and exams. Then 15 to 20 years of experience to reach where he is now."

"OMG! So that means, that means he's in his 40s?"

"OMG! You're correct!" Pao agreed but smiled after a few minutes.

"Hmm, oh my! Lee Min Ho, Lee Dong Wook, Gong Yoo! Who else! Even if he's 40, if he's a fafa! Keri boom boom!" Pao said flirtatiously, making her laugh.

"Sigh, don't get your hopes up! He's not Korean!" she responded negatively, but the two remained positive.

"Hmm, I'm excited to see your General Demon! When will he show up? Is he hiding in the palace?"

She just shrugged. Because every time she tried to sneak a peek into the palace, she was always blocked.

"But haven't you been visiting the palace? Haven't you gotten any information yet?" Ivon asked with a frown, causing her to scowl even more.

"Huh! Nothing! It's because I always get blocked. If not by his Lieutenant, then by the young master!"

"Y-Young master?"

"Yes. I always see him walking around outside the palace. Sometimes he's talking to Lieutenant Carber. Of course, I don't proceed. If they see me there, they might imprison me for trespassing. Besides, you know how grumpy Khallid is. I've never seen him happy. Whether at school or in the palace, he's always serious."

"You have a point. That's why no one talks to him except his cousin Dhark. For all of Khallid's seriousness, Dhark matches it with his playfulness," Pao added with a smile.

"Speaking of Dhark, don't you see him there?" Ivon interjected with a smile, clearly having a crush on the person.

"Hmm, no. I only ever see Khallid with the Lieutenant."

"Ah, maybe he's fulfilling his duties as the young master of the palace. You know, he's the future. He might be learning the ropes."

"Hmm, you have a point," she said with a sigh.

"So are you going back there today? It's Friday, right? You usually go there on Fridays or Saturdays," Ivon asked after a while.

"Hmm..." she just sighed while thinking.

Shu exclaimed involuntarily in shock when someone spoke behind her.

She was peeking into the private part of the palace from the fence surrounding the mansion vicinity. She was leaning over a plant box she was standing on, so she immediately climbed down.

"Miss Torres, you're here again," Lieutenant Carber said seriously when she turned to look at him, so she forced a fake smile.

"Ah, eheee...umm, b-because I just wanted to see General Griffin even from a distance. I-is he here? Last time you said he wasn't at the palace. Maybe he's here now."

Lieutenant Carber smiled before responding, "Miss Torres, the General is busy. Besides, if he wanted to see you, he would come home to the mansion."

"Eihh, I know that! But it seems like he has no plans to come home, so I'll just go to him. Please, I'll just take a peek, I promise. I won't show myself," she pleaded, smiling sweetly at the Lieutenant, causing the General, who was watching from a distance, to smirk.

"Please! Please! I'll just take a peek," Shu pleaded again, rubbing her palms together and acting cute, causing the Lieutenant to swallow and glance at the General's location.

Seeing the General still looking at them seriously with his hands in his pockets, the Lieutenant swallowed again.

He immediately distanced himself after making eye contact with the General and became serious once more.

"Miss Torres, I repeat, the General is busy. He will come home if he wants to, so go back to the mansion and wait there."

"Hah? Again? Lieutenant, you're being mean again!" Shu tried to guilt-trip him, pouting a little, but it had no effect on the Lieutenant, who once again secretly glanced at the General.

"The palace gate is about to close. Go home, Miss Torres," he firmly responded and turned away, ordering the gate to be closed. Shu had no choice but to march out of the Palace gate, which was for public use.

She looked back at the Lieutenant, but he had already entered the private part of the palace, so she couldn't do anything more.

"Hays bad trip! Even his right-hand man has been tainted by his demon-like nature? So annoying! Why don't you want to show yourself, even just a shadow! Huh! I better leave!" she said, pouting before walking away from the palace. "General," Lieutenant Carber greeted General Griffin as he approached the Gazebo where the General was.

"Did she leave?"

"Yes, General."

"What about her escort?"

"Don't worry, Sergeant Guillier is always secretly following her."

The General just nodded before loosening his necktie.

"And the mansion. Any update?" he asked, still staring into space.

"Ah, about that, I bought it this morning and sent the item Nanay Tacy mentioned to the mansion."

"Okay, good," the General responded briefly and coldly. As usual, that was him. He always spoke few words, but each one was meaningful and intimidating. His serious look could literally kill.

"Ah, G-General," Lieutenant Carber stammered, causing the General to frown.

"Yes? Anything else?"

Lieutenant Carber gathered his courage before responding.

"Ah, a-about Miss Shu. I can't count how many times she has come back here in the past two years just to-- just to see you. W-when do you plan to introduce yourself to her?" he asked cautiously, but the General showed no expression.

The General just pocketed his hands and looked at him. "You don't need to tell me. I'm aware of everything," he said seriously before patting the Lieutenant on the shoulder and speaking again.

"I'll attend a briefing tonight for the upcoming delegation from Indonesia. You take care of the security."

"Understood, General."

The General just nodded and turned away after adjusting his General uniform.

Lieutenant Carber shook his head and grinned. "Well, To Be Continued...