Ingrid moaned loudly and then she sobs.

"aaaHuuummmpppphhhhffff" She gasps for some air as she rapidly panting to breath.

But the voice just laughed endlessly in a spiteful tone.

"You cannot get away from me… I know that for sure…" the hand on her neck loosened the grip to let her gasps for some air again.

"Who… are… you…??" she asks in between her panting.

"Well, you know me for sure… and one more thing... I'll hurt your family one by one… bwahahahahahahahahaha"

"Please… don't… don't hurt my family… I beg you please…" Ingrid pleaded in between her sobs.

She's so weak and helpless that she couldn't bear to move an inch..

"Cliff… help me.. where are you when I needed you the most?" she said and wailed in her thoughts.

Ingrid shed tears when she felt like it's her last.

"Cliff…"

♥…♥…♥

Clifford immediately woke up from his slumber when he heard Ingrid's loud moan and then she screamed.

"INGRID...! INGRID...! INGRID...! WAKE UP!!!! WAKE UP...! I'm here." he shook his wife slightly on her shoulders.

But his wife's eyes are still shut, her breathing is unsteady and she's sweating all over. Tears run down to her cheeks and then she struggled again to be freed.

"Hush now, love… you're safe, no one's gonna hurt you here…" Clifford hugged his wife dearly and caressed her back to comfort her.

Ingrid's eyes, little by little, open.

"Cliff…?"

"Oh, Thank G.o.d you're awake my love… you had a nightmare. Calm down now… my heart aches seeing you like this…"

"I'm alive?" she looked so helpless like a child.

"Of course, love. You'll live a hundred more years…" Clifford tried to coax her with some tease.

Ingrid then faintly smiled. And because of exhaustion due to the nightmare she fell asleep again.

Clifford positioned himself to sleep beside his wife so that she will not feel alone. He wiped the sweat on her face and then combed her hair. After that, he stared at her with much longing and affection.

Clifford traces Ingrid's nose then down to her lips and then he stopped there. He planted a kiss on his wife's forehead, tracing it then down to her lips…

"I miss your berating, wife… your cooked meal. We haven't started on our own yet and this happens… I miss our time with our son, so much…" he gritted his jaw when he remembered the incident.

"I swear! I'm gonna smash that person who put you in this situation…"

The husband and wife slept together that night for the first time, in an unlikely place, the hospital bed. Good thing that the bed is wide enough for the two of them.

Ingrid looked so peaceful now in her sleep. When she felt that there's 'something' beside her, she snuggled herself to it to find protection. She unconsciously sniffed Clifford's neck.

"Hmm this smells nice…" she mumbled in her sleep.

Clifford chuckled upon hearing his wife's words.

"Oh, I love you my sweet little wife…" once again he stole a kiss on her lips and just that fondle alone, he slept peacefully.

♥…♥…♥

As the days pa.s.s by, Ingrid's wounds slowly healed because Clifford asked the doctors if it's possible that Ingrid's scars could be healed easily. The doctors agreed to his request and they instructed the nurses a.s.signed to them to apply medicines and creams for scar treatment.

Clifford is so pleased to look at Ingrid's skin which gradually turned to its natural glow. Though, Ingrid still needs a.s.sistance in everything, especially everytime she would eat and go to the bathroom.

"Love, could you a.s.sist me?" her voice is close to whisper but Clifford could still hear it.

"Yes, always… where do you wanna go?"

Ingrid's face reddens before she answered. She first pursed her lips before answering and uncertainty is written all over her face.

"Wife?" Clifford called her attention again.

"I-I need to take a bbath now… would you like to co-come to a.s.sist me?" Ingrid lowered her gaze to hide her embarra.s.sment.

Ever since they're in hospital, she hasn't properly taken a bath because of her condition. She just settled herself for some sponge bath by her husband. Now that she feels okay, she decided to take a bath which could mean that she needed her husband to take a bath with her.

The thought of taking a bath with Clifford in an intimate manner gives her some uneasy feeling and her thoughts are in constant battle.

'He's my husband now, why should I be ashamed?' but the other thought argued.

'You're right, but can you bear to be naked before him? Ha! No one ever had seen your body…'

Clifford interrupted her.

"You mean we'll both take a bath?" Clifford grinned as he imagined the intimacy they'll share in the bathroom.

'Hmmm… being in this situation really had some advantage…' he thought to himself and he felt overjoyed at the thought.

"Oh! But I think… you already had taken a bath, just a.s.sist me there then leave once I'm settled."

"Oh snap!" he wanted to whine at the sudden s.h.i.+ft of his wife. "No, don't torture me, my love."

He went to her side and then holds her hands with much pleading and said,

"You know I haven't taken my second bath. I would gladly a.s.sist you from bathing to dressing. Hihihihi"

Clifford's naughtiness started to show up which makes his wife redden in embarra.s.sment.

"Pervert!" Ingrid said chuckling.

"Only for you, my love. So can we start now our little adventure?"