Part 20

20

The middle-aged woman seemed passionate. She conveyed her concerns about Margareth's behavior.

"Don't worry, let me handle everything. So, there's no need to worry, especially about doing things that could jeopardize your presence here because I know how my mother can easily twist the facts. As long as you know, my father died because of her actions and was falsely accused as if he was the one with bad behavior.

Playing around. When in fact, she's the one who changes lovers, and I swear I won't let her live in peace, let alone happiness, at the expense of my father's suffering. And don't worry, I won't need much time to do this... And..."

"What are you guys talking about? Why so serious in the middle of the day like this?" interrupted Vano, who didn't know when he had been standing behind Chelsea.

"Ah, nothing, Honey. We were just discussing the slightly neglected plants. As you know, Auntie is not very good with gardening."

"Oh, that's right. I'll let Daddy know to have the gardener who came yesterday come back to take care of it. It's been quite a while since this garden was last tended to. I think it's been two months, hasn't it?" Vano tried to remember when Carlos had sent the gardener to take care of his late mother's garden.

"No need, starting today, I'll be the one taking care of it," Chelsea stood up from her seat and grabbed Vano's hand. "Let's go to the room and discuss what you wanted to talk about. Don't waste time because my mother will be coming home soon." She dragged Vano, even though he still wanted to linger and gaze at the garden, which was the only memory of his mother.

"Where should we talk, in your room or mine?" Chelsea asked as they reached the second floor.

"Mine," Vano replied, pulling Chelsea along.

"Oh my... is this Celine?" Chelsea gasped as she saw who was lying on Vano's bed.

Vano nodded. "Yes, I had to give her sleeping pills to keep her from being restless and angry with me."

"You're crazy!" Chelsea widened her eyes.

"Yes, I am. She's the one who's driven me to this. I love her so much, Chelsea, but she threatened to leave me so easily. Two months, Chelsea, that's not a long time. How could I possibly get her approval in such a short time?"

"Van, but I've told you. Be patient. I'm trying to make it work for both of you. So why did you bring Celine here unconscious? Don't tell me..."

"You're standing at the door of my room. Check and stop anyone who enters. I'm going to execute Celine."

"N-no!" Chelsea shook her head. "That's a criminal act. You could be prosecuted and end up in jail."

"But I have no other way. Chelsea, I'm desperate and I really love Celine." Vano gazed blankly at Celine. He knew this was wrong, and he knew the consequences would be even worse and would also ruin his future.

However, this was the only way to ensure that Celine became pregnant, and no one could separate them if there was a child between them.

"Don't think so short-sighted. This is very risky, and it's a pity for Celine. She's a lecturer, and her life will be ruined if anyone finds out she's pregnant out of wedlock. It's better if she gets pregnant within these two months. If not, whoever becomes her future spouse will hate Celine because she's no longer a virgin."

Chelsea sighed. "Do you think a girl who has lost her honor can live a good life? Especially since Celine doesn't know that you've taken it away from her." Chelsea tried hard to prevent Vano from doing this, because she didn't want Celine's future to be ruined due to Carlos and Vano's selfishness.

"But, but..." Vano began.

Chelsea reached out and grabbed both of Vano's arms, squeezing them. "Listen to me, Van. I promise you, before these two months are up, I will be able to persuade my father to give his approval. And you should know, earlier I started doing something crazy to seduce him. But my father is too firm, so it's quite difficult to win him over. From now on, try to seduce me in front of my father, as if you're starting to be interested in me. So that his long-dead soul is resurrected. I will also wear even more revealing clothing, and of course, you'll have to provide it for me because I don't have such clothes.

After that, believe me, my father will start to be interested in me, and all of this will go according to what we want. Let me lose my future rather than having another girl lose her honor. So please, listen to what I'm saying so that you don't get involved in legal trouble later."

"Is what you're saying true?" Vano sighed, still not fully believing Chelsea's promise because his mind was completely overwhelmed and he couldn't think clearly due to Celine's demands.

"If I've made a promise, I'll never break it, even if it's just a small one. Even if I have to sacrifice my future," Chelsea reassured Vano once again that everything would be okay.

"So, what about Celine?" Vano looked at his unconscious girlfriend.

"Take her to the car and drive around the city until she wakes up. Later, you can just tell her she fell asleep in the car, simple, right?" Chelsea provided an idea to prevent Celine from getting angry when she woke up. "And I beg you, after this, don't make hasty decisions without telling me first. I know you love Celine so much, but this dirty way is not the right path."

Vano nodded and agreed to Chelsea's request. He immediately carried Celine and took her to the car as instructed by the girl.

Following Chelsea's plan, she would clean and tidy up the garden to make it look neat again. There were so many neglected flowers that, when properly cared for, would bloom and flourish like well-maintained ones.

Wearing long sleeves and a hat, she began to remove the weeds that had settled in the flower pots. So her petite figure disappeared into the flowers and small trees lining the garden.

So Margareth didn't know that Chelsea was not far from where she was sitting. So when the middle-aged woman spoke, Chelsea's hearing would catch her words clearly.

"I just got home, why are you calling again? Miss me, my dear Margareth?"

Chelsea stopped her hand, which was about to pull out a weed. She listened carefully to Margareth's conversation.

"Ah, you can be like that. I'm tired, dear. And I admit, you're so big and sturdy. To the point where I choked. Mine hurts now."

Chelsea widened her eyes. She felt like vomiting listening to Margareth's completely indecent conversation. The woman was talking about her intimate affairs with someone, just as she pleased. Chelsea didn't know with whom, but it certainly wasn't Carlos.

"Yes, dear. I'll transfer it later, and remember... tonight, don't go anywhere. Even though I can't touch you, just seeing you is enough. We'll meet at the hotel tomorrow."

"Don't worry... I'll pay. Just satisfy me."

"Well, okay then. I'll hang up now. When she comes home, she might find out I have a lover. Bye, Kevin."

Margareth kissed the screen of her phone, virtually giving it to her lover.

"Who were you talking to, Mom?" Chelsea asked, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She sat down in front of Margareth, taking a break. "It's tiring squatting while cleaning the grass."

"No one, just a friend of mine," Margareth replied, placing her phone on the table. She tried to act normal, even though she knew Chelsea must have heard her entire conversation with the man earlier.

"Oh, come on... be honest, Mom. I'm on your side, after all. I'm your daughter, so of course, I won't tell anyone, especially not Mr. Carlos. It would be suicidal if I leaked what Mom is doing behind everyone's backs."

Margareth stared into Chelsea's eyes, making sure that her daughter was really on her side. She certainly didn't want all her plans to fall apart just because she carelessly shared her story with someone else.

"Here's the thing," Margareth straightened her back. "The one I just talked to is Mom's lover, Kevin. His age is almost the same as yours."

"With me? Mom sure?" Chelsea pointed at herself, still not believing that her mother was having a relationship with a man, but he was the same age as her.

Margareth nodded quickly. "But he's more mature and understanding than Carlos." She rolled her eyes. "As you know, I want that, but Carlos doesn't want to give it to me. He has so many excuses. Even though I really want it, and you know, it's been so long since I've received any affection from your father."

"I understand. So, yeah, Mom, do whatever you want. Besides, my task here is just to seduce Vano. So whatever you want to do with Carlos, it's not my concern." Chelsea forced a smile, got up, and continued her task of tidying up the garden.

Chelsea continued to sharpen her hearing to catch every conversation between Margareth and her lover. Chelsea's heart burned as she heard how Margareth spoke softly and politely to the man, something she had never said to her father. Yet it was her father who had made Margareth happy all these years.

Unfortunately, their lives had changed, and it was Margareth's own doing. Still, her father had been made the scapegoat and mistreated until his death.

Chelsea had tried to ignore the pain, but it still lingered in her chest. She felt like she couldn't wait any longer, but by taking revenge today, Margareth would only experience a fraction of the pain Chelsea had endured.

It would be different if she managed to win over Carlos and gain power in that household. She would then be able to send Margareth far away. The pain Margareth would experience then would far surpass what she was feeling now. Chelsea had heard all along that Margareth had been the one providing money to the man she called Kevin, who was supposed to be her lover.

Chelsea couldn't help but wonder what Kevin looked like and why he was willing to have a serious relationship with Margareth, who was nearly fifty years old. If not money, what could he be seeking from Margareth?

"Why?" Chelsea hadn't even finished her work when Vano found her. He looked gloomy, unlike his usual self.

"It's nothing," he sighed, sitting at the edge of the terrace and staring at Chelsea, who was still cleaning the pots.

"If it's nothing, why do you look so down?"

"It's just, you know, the Celine issue from earlier."

"What happened with Celine?" Chelsea paused her work. She focused on listening to Vano's story. "Does she know you gave her sleeping pills?"

Vano shook his head. "No, she woke up, and I immediately stroked her head, telling her she had fallen asleep. She believed it, but Celine reminded me again that I have to make a decision within two months. When I heard the word 'two months,' it felt like my chest was tight because I can't imagine having to make a decision in such a short time."

"Don't worry. I've told you I'll handle everything. Before that... what about my request? Have you bought it?"

"Of course, I've bought everything, and now they're all in your room. You just need to try and enjoy them, then we'll execute the plan."

"Alright, in that case, go rest in your room now."

"What about you?" Vano asked.

"I'll follow you later after finishing this. Besides, isn't your dad still away for a while?"

"He's actually in the family room."

"Oh, really? Well, go ahead then." Chelsea clapped her hands, shaking off the dirt. "I'll continue tomorrow if that's the case. We'll do it today."

Vano followed Chelsea's lead as they went their separate ways to their respective rooms.