and she went out for drinks at a bar while he was away on business. He hurried back the same day to check on her, then quickly returned to work afterward.
“Didn’t you sleep well?” he asked.
“It’s not that. I might have caught a cold,” she replied.
His health had suffered because he often took cold showers during winter. Serenity scolded him, “You better bundle up and eat your meals on time. I was fine. I just went out for a few drinks to unwind.”
Zachary stared at her for a moment before saying, “I’m sorry, Seren. This was all my fault. I was overly sensitive and self-centered, without considering your feelings. You’re an independent woman; I’ve known that from the beginning. Yet, I kept trying to make you depend on me completely to satisfy my pride as a man. That was my mistake.”
“I was being petty and narrow-minded. You should yell at me if I make the same mistake again, but please don’t go drinking at a bar, okay? You can’t handle your liquor well. You threw up and cried after getting drunk. I felt terrible and sorry that you were upset.”
“I’ve experienced the pain of a splitting headache after a night of drinking. It was so bad that I never want you to go through it.”
Serenity looked at him quietly through the video call. His apologies and reflections reminded her of their earlier phone call. Her voice softened. “Zachary, I thought I didn’t need to tell you everything since I could handle it myself, but your strong reaction shows that you care about me.”
“We can be a bit more patient and understanding with each other. We got married without truly knowing or loving one another. I can’t promise we won’t fight again, but I can assure you that we can take a few days to cool off and calmly discuss any issues when they arise.”
The fight had left the couple feeling mentally drained.
Scars and bruises. Marriage was intended to last a lifetime. The journey was lengthy, and along the way, conflicts, silent treatments, and misunderstandings often crept in.