Perfect Mysterious Husband (Maddox and Kimberly)

Freddy took it out and saw that it was indeed broken.

He wondered if he could fix it.

The moment Freddy laid eyes on the hairpin, he thought it was beautiful and would look good on her, but never would he have predicted her reaction to rain on his expectant parade.

As Mashauva returned to him after her jog, Freddy handed her a tissue to wipe off as he forced a smile.

"You tired? Here, drink swater." He handed her a vacuum flask.

Mashauva took a sip, and the temperature was just right. Then she smiled and said, "Thank you, Freddy." "Anytime. You hold on to it. You've worked up quite a sweat. Rehydrate yourself." "Okay." As a thought cto mind out of the blue, Mashauva asked, "Freddy, is Bruno still overstretched?" "Not really. I wouldn't use overstretch." Oh." That was all she said in reply.

"What's wrong? You two haven't seen each other for a long time, have you?" "Yeah." "Well, since it's Saturday tomorrow, how about we take you hiking?" "No, no." Mashauva shook her head and quickly refused. "No thanks." "Why not? Is it because of me?" He assumed he was the reason she rejected so immediately. "Are you still doubting the sincerity of my words?" "No, I believe you, I just..." She didn't want to see Bruno yet, not before her weight loss plan worked wonders.

"Anyhow, it's good that Bruno isn't too busy. Freddy, I'm done with my jogging. You should head back." She waved goodbye and ran off.

Gazing at her retreating figure, Freddie stood rooted to the spot until the dark skies enveloped him.

It felt as if centuries had passed when he finally got up and left.

Bruno had spent the whole day studying. He was well aware Freddy had been hanging out with Mashauva lately, but he didn't say a thing about it because they had made a deal before. However, looking at the time, he thought it was strange for Freddy to still have not returned.

Frowning, he wondered where Freddy was and if he brought Mashauva out to fool around.

Her innocent face appeared in his mind, and after sthought, Bruno dropped his work and headed out, holding his phone in his hand.

Just as he reached the door, it was pushed open.

The smell of alcohol wafted in, preceding the drinker.

Taken aback by the smell, Bruno took a few reflexive steps back, far away from the person behind the door. "Ugh!" Freddy stumbled in, reeking alcohol. He staggered and almost fell to the ground.

Seeing that, Bruno grabbed him by the collar and asked, infuriated, "Where have you been?" "F-F*ck off." Dead drunk and being grabbed by the collar, he hit the roof and pushed Bruno away.

However, his attempt was futile as Bruno was usually strong while he was currently intoxicated.

"You went to Mashauva's school today, didn't you?" Triggered by her name, he went wild. "Yes, I went looking for her. But so what? I was still rejected, hah!" Rejected? Bruno narrowed his eyes, danger within them. "What do you mean?" What did you say to her? Freddy, did you forget what you promised me?" "I haven't forgotten, of course, I haven't!" "Then why were you rejected?" The only thing he was worried about now was that Freddy might have said something he shouldn't have to Mashauva and ended up scaring her.

With that thought in mind, he lashed out as he fist, walled his free hand into a fist, wanting to wake him up with punch. "Don't tellyou've forgotten she still hasn't reached legal age. What the hell were you doing?" However, he fought back the impulse.

Freddy slumped against the wall, looking dejected. "Of course I remember. That's why... I didn't have the guts to say anything. I foolishly thought... everything would go according to plan if I watched over her from the sides a shift guess that girl might have sensed what, something." She had sensed something? "She askedif I liked her." "And what did you say?" Inexplicably anxious, a wild thought cto Bruno. "He didn't admit to it, did he?"

"What can I say? What can I f*cking say? She's still a minor. Do you think I dare say yes?" Freddy slammed his fist on the ground, bloodying his knuckles, but he couldn't care less. "What did I do wrong? Why should I suffer like this? I didn't say a single thing, yet this is what I get in return." Bruno was relieved. "You were right in not admitting anything. You would have scared her." "It's exactly that that I didn't say I like her. But Bruno, if I don't admit it this time, I may never have the chance to say it again." Bruno looked at Freddy for stbefore he sat down next to him, hands on his knees and indifference on his face. "So be it then." "But what am I to do if I can't tell her my feelings? Am I supposed to be single forever?" Single forever? Bruno turned and looked at Freddy, helplessness in his tone, "Must it be her?"

Freddy drooped his eyelids and chuckled bitterly. "It's not that. But I don't feel anything for anyone apart from her, It's her. It's been like this for many years, so what do you say to that?" What was terrifying was that Freddy's feelings for Mashauva only deepened as he watched her grow up, changing into who she was day by day. Freddy had fallen deeper and deeper in love, but his heart ached for her lately.

He'd wanted to wait till she was an adult before disclosing his love for her.

But never had he foreseen that happening at all.

"Say, are my actions too obvious? But I've held myself back so much. Why was she still able to pick up the signs?" Bruno frowned, surprised to learn Mashauva was able to see through Freddy's feelings for her. Would it entail that she was beginning to understand what love was? Mixed emotions surged within him as he pursed his lips, not answering.

"Half a year. If she asked half a year later, I would've f*cking admitted it. But why did it have to be now? Bruno, what do you say I do?" Bruno glanced at him and said, his voice leveled, "What do you want to do? If you really like her, what's a little bit of thick skin." "Thick skin?" "Be on a dogged pursuit. Look, just because you can't confess now doesn't mean you can't do it in the future. Feelings change." His parents were the perfect

example. They didn't start off with a happy marriage, but it only got better fath as years passed: His father clung to his mother like a limpet still after all these years. Freddy was stumped by his words.

"Does it work that way?" Bruno faced away as he said, "Why not? As long as your feelings don't change, it'll never be too late." X