Hidden Mask of a betrayed son-in-law

Chapter 4.

 Everyone glared at him like he said the weirdest thing ever. 

“What? Don't I have the right to say a piece of my mind? Of course, the divorce is on hold and not terminated. So which means I'm more of a caregiver than a husband?” He questioned, staring at them one by one but none of them spoke up. 

“I guess I'm right…” 

“Can you stop being so unreasonable and….” Maureen interrupted him but she was cut short immediately by Derek. 

“Don't interrupt me! I'm still talking,” he muttered to Maureen quietly. He didn't shout but his words carried a kind of authority and energy that they had never heard before. 

Maureen was surprised, she had never seen this side of him before. He had never interrupted her before. 

“For the next nine months, Nicole or whatever his name is, should never visit you at home, he is free anywhere else. And till you give birth I will follow you to anywhere you go!” He stated plainly without stammering on his words. Those words sounded like an awakening trumpet to their ears. 

Maureen bursted out laughing, she raised her eyebrows in amusement. “Poor men and making orders! I thought you have something meaningful to say,” she said sarcastically, leaning back on the bed. 

“It might sound like a joke to you but I said it in front of your parents because of what might happen if you go against this,” he muttered carefully but with a stern voice. 

Maureen raised her eyebrows, seeing he was serious and sat up again. 

“What are you even going to do? Beat her up or make her lose her baby? You should be ashamed of yourself, you are so poor yet dumb,” Elena, Maureen's mom, fired at him, but Derek ignored her. 

“Enough!” Mr Alexander yelled at them and looked up to Derek. 

“Young Man! Since when did you become a security personnel to follow her about? Are you by any chance threatening her freedom of movement because of a nine month grace?” Mr Alexander said to him, not calmly but he wasn't shouting as well. 

“I'm not against her freedom, she is free to move about the way she likes but then, I will always be there,” he explained confidently. 

“Or what? What will you do? What can you do even if I refuse your condition?” Maureen flared up angrily. 

“Nothing much, I will just finalize the divorce right here and leave. It's as simple as that!” Derek retorted calmly and their jaws dropped. 

“I have always known that you are so shameless and arrogant! How dare you say something like that,” Maureen's mom fired at him. 

Maureen was surprised at his words, she saw an unusual kind of emotion in Derek's eyes that she had never seen before. She knew he meant every word he said. 

“That's not all, I can't possibly leave my child like that! I will come back when you least expect me,” he said to them nonchalantly, pressing his fingers on his forehead. 

“Are you threatening my daughter!” Mr Alexander shouted at him, taking a few steps close to him. 

“Dad! Just leave him, let him do whatever he wants.” Maureen said to her father and then turned to Derek. 

“Let's see how far you can go,” she said to him with a smirk. 

Maureen was discharged from the hospital and they came home. Derek messaged Jaden, “I will meet you later, something came up.” 

Maureen's phone rang and it was Nicole, she glared at Derek before picking up the call. She just listened without saying a word. 

“Okay, I will be there with you guys shortly,” she muttered and sprang up immediately. 

“Uhm, I'm heading out,” she said and walked out. 

“Hey! The Doctor said you need rest but clearly you won't listen,” he said to her but she ignored him and was already out in the car. 

“You can't possibly expect me to drive while you sit comfortably back there!” She murmured angrily, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. 

Derek exhaled deeply, “she had never let him touch her car before so why now all of a sudden,” he scoffed and opened the backseat for her to enter. He entered the driver's seat and zoomed off. 

“where are you headed?” He asked calmly, looking through the car mirror. 

“Just drive, I will tell you when to stop,” she answered nonchalantly, scrolling through her phone. 

“U can drive into that parking slot, in front of that restaurant,” she said as they reached a giant hotel which has a restaurant in front. 

Before Derek could say a word, Maureen was already out of the car. Derek came out of the car and rested his body in the car front, watching Maureen head inside the restaurant. His eyes followed her and he saw where she sat, visible to the window. 

There sat Ella, Maureen's best friend and one guy. “That must be the Nicole guy,” he muttered to himself, glaring at him dangerously while Nicole glared back whispering something into Maureen's ears. 

“That's her business, I just have to put up with this shit for my damn baby, I already tolerated her for four years already,” he thought to himself and continued staring at them. 

Meanwhile inside the restaurant, Ella was seen pointing at Derek. “Has he become your body guard? What is he doing there, standing like a helpless beggar?" Ella mocked and they all bursted out laughing. 

“But seriously! What is he doing here? I thought he should be out there looking for a way to survive his ex-husband era?” Nicole asked, his eyes fixed weirdly on Derek. 

“True, Maureen, what happened?” Ella teased, looking at Maureen. Maureen exhaled heavily, not knowing how to put her words carefully. To her, Ella and Nicole are the two people she can trust fully. 

“Uhm, I think he probably has some time left!” Maureen said, drawing the attention of Nicole, who looked at her curiously. 

“I'm pregnant!” Maureen finally said, leaving Nicole and Ella’s eyes wide open.