"What do I mean to you?"
Natasha's simple question made Adam's grip on her hand loosen slightly.
"What makes you ask something like that, sweetheart?" Adam asked, a hint of panic crossing his face.
"Please answer me first," Natasha insisted without a smile. For some reason, his reaction made her feel a little sad.
"You're my fiancée, the woman I'm going to marry in two months. You're the person I want beside me as I build my future. And you'll be the mother of my children," Adam answered quickly.
Natasha smiled at his answer. The uneasiness in her heart eased slightly. The doubts that had been troubling her for the past few weeks finally began to fade.
"Thank you, Adam. And my next question… What does Marissa mean to you?"
"Marissa? Why did she suddenly come up? Are you jealous of Marissa?" Adam asked in return, a teasing smile forming on his lips.
Adam's words were interrupted when a waiter arrived and filled the goblet glasses in front of them with cold water before placing a set of cutlery on the table.
A moment later, the same waiter served their pink lemonade and mojito mocktails.
"Sweetheart…"
Adam's gentle voice broke the silence between them. He reached across the table and warmly took Natasha's hand again.
Natasha smiled as she looked at him.
He was still the same Adam—the handsome man whose warmth felt like the morning sun, the warmth that had always brightened Natasha's busy days throughout her specialization.
Four years was not a short time to spend together. They had experienced everything side by side—happiness, sadness, tears, and laughter.
Yet Natasha had never felt anything like this before.
This overwhelming jealousy.
It wasn't the first or second time Natasha had seen other women around Adam behaving overly familiar with him. There were female nurses and doctors at his family's hospital, patients' relatives, and even female friends Adam knew outside the hospital.
But she had never felt jealous.
Perhaps it was because Adam had always been careful about how he behaved around other women.
But for some reason, everything felt different when it came to Marissa.
Natasha could see that Adam treated Marissa differently.
"Sweetheart… Marissa is just a friend. She's been my best friend since we were born. If anything, she's more like a little sister to me," Adam answered firmly.
But no matter how firmly Adam answered, his words still couldn't completely ease the uneasiness in Natasha's heart.
"Come on, tell me what's really going on. Why have you been so restless lately?" Adam asked, staring intently at Natasha.
"Do you realize that you've changed since Marissa came back? How many times have our plans been canceled because of her? Honestly, Adam, I'm jealous. I'm angry too. There have been several times when I had to go home with Noah because you were busy picking Marissa up from campus," Natasha said, staring directly into Adam's eyes, searching for even the slightest change in his expression.
"Is there something unfinished between you and Marissa from the past?"
Natasha's question made Adam's face turn pale.
"What could possibly be unfinished between us, sweetheart? Nothing ever started in the first place. Marissa has been madly in love with Noah for as long as I can remember," Adam replied quietly, though his expression suddenly grew gloomy.
"Was Marissa your first love?"
Natasha's pointed question caught Adam completely off guard.
His face grew even paler.
Seeing his expression, Natasha already knew the answer without needing to hear it.
Marissa had indeed been Adam's first love.
Unfortunately, his feelings had never been returned. Marissa had fallen in love with Noah while Noah had never felt the same way about her.
It was a complicated and tangled first love.
No wonder Noah refused to answer my question yesterday. He's involved in this complicated love triangle too, Natasha thought.
"You don't have to answer that question, Adam. I already know the answer."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"And this is my last question. How do you feel about Marissa now? Is it really over?"
"Sweetheart…"
"Wait, Adam. Don't answer yet. I'm going to give you three days to think about it," Natasha interrupted when Adam was about to respond.
Natasha knew that if she demanded an answer right then, Adam would probably deny everything without giving himself enough time to think.
That was why she deliberately gave him time to reflect on her question.
"Our food is here. Let's eat first," Natasha said when she saw the waiter approaching with their orders.
---
Adam's Thoughts
Is my closeness with Marissa really wrong?
Was Natasha right when she said that I still seem to be holding on to some hope concerning Marissa?
If I still have feelings for my first love, then what do I really feel for Natasha?
Could what I feel for Natasha not be love?
If it isn't love, then what is it?
The overwhelming desire to have her by my side. The longing I feel whenever we're apart. The happiness and comfort we've shared over the past four years.
I know what I feel for Natasha is love. There's no other word that can describe it.
And Marissa…
That definitely isn't love.
I'm not the kind of man who can divide his heart between two women.
That's right.
Natasha is the love of my life.
Marissa is simply someone from my past who has returned and become a test of our relationship. Perhaps before our wedding, this is a chance for me to prove how deeply I truly love Natasha.
To prove my loyalty, while Natasha is being tested by her jealousy.
I love Natasha.
Finally, I've found the answer to all of Natasha's questions.
I didn't even need three days to figure it out.
Wait until tomorrow, Nat. I'll answer all your questions.
---
"Are you satisfied with my answer, sweetheart?" Adam asked, holding Natasha's hand tightly.
The breakfast in front of them had already gone cold, untouched.
"Thank you, Adam. I'm happy to hear your answer. Honestly, I was afraid of losing you. I was afraid you would choose Marissa over me," Natasha admitted, her eyes glistening with tears.
Gently, Adam wiped away the tear that was about to fall from the corner of her eye.
"I'll always do my best to protect what we have. I'll also be careful with your feelings. I'm sorry, sweetheart. Lately, I've been spending too much of my time helping Marissa with one thing after another," Adam said softly.
"I'm sorry too, Adam. I was blinded by jealousy. I don't even know why I became this jealous," Natasha said with an embarrassed smile, her cheeks turning bright red.
"That only means you love me. That's why you get jealous when you see me paying attention to another woman. Thank you for loving me this much. Now, don't be sad anymore. I've barely seen that beautiful smile of yours these past few days," Adam said, gently bringing the fingers he was holding to his lips.
"Look at the engaged couple, being so open about their relationship in public. You two are really making all the single people feel miserable, Doctor," someone teased from behind them.
They turned around and saw Dr. Regina walking toward them with three pediatric nurses, each carrying a tray filled with breakfast.
Dr. Regina was Natasha's close friend at the hospital, a beautiful pediatrician with a cheerful personality.
"Sorry, Dr. Regina. Whenever I'm with my sweetheart, even the hospital cafeteria feels like our private restaurant," Adam replied with a playful grin.
The moment she heard him, Natasha immediately smacked him on the shoulder, her face turning as red as a tomato.
Dr. Regina and the nurses burst into laughter.
"Keep hitting him, Nat. Maybe Dr. Adam will finally learn his lesson. It's his own fault for being so affectionate in the hospital cafeteria. If you want romance, go to a Michelin-starred restaurant or something," Dr. Regina teased, laughing as she walked toward the empty chair beside their table.
---