Part 53

53

Carlos was extremely restless because office hours had passed several minutes ago, but his subordinates had yet to bring Revan and Kevin. So, he decided to meet Revan and his father at the university. Kevin, for the moment, wasn't as important since his connection was with Margareth, not Chelsea.

"I thought none of you would come," Carlos said, seating himself once he saw Kevin arrive with the two subordinates.

"What about Revan and his father?"

"It seems we haven't been able to bring them here because Revan's father is currently out of town, and Revan himself is in the hospital after attempting suicide due to frustration over losing Chelsea."

Carlos nodded. "Please, you can go. I'll handle the rest." It was a conversation that made Kevin nervous, as he was now in a room with a man who looked at him sternly and full of anger.

"Do you know who I am?" Carlos asked without preamble after Kevin had sat down.

Kevin shook his head.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that. What about Margareth? Do you know her?"

Kevin's eyes widened when he heard Carlos mention Margareth. Of course, he knew her.

"I used to have a special relationship with Margareth, but not anymore because I know she betrayed me by getting involved with you. Unfortunately, the money she got from me ended up in your hands for free. Do you understand where this conversation is going?"

Kevin's body, which had initially frozen, grew even more tense when he realized that this man was the one Margareth had been talking about all this time. This man was the one Margareth had extorted until he could afford to buy a new motorcycle. It was understandable that Kevin was terrified, as he realized that everything he had right now was a gift from Margareth, and she had acquired it all from this man.

"Don't be afraid if I ask for everything that Margareth has given you. In fact, I brought you here to..." Carlos opened a drawer of his desk and handed an envelope to Kevin. "Here's a sum of money you can use to enjoy yourself while helping me keep Margareth away from her daughter's life. Of course, you know who Margareth's daughter is, don't you?"

Kevin raised his eyebrows. His fear instantly dissipated when he saw the brown envelope filled with money. There was no need to ask; as a male escort, Kevin could estimate the amount of money inside quite accurately.

"There's no need to know why I'm insistent on keeping Margareth away from Chelsea. But I need you to do the job quietly so that Margareth won't suspect that you've been working with me. And as for payment, don't worry. There will be another payment after your task is completed. If you violate the agreement, one thing I can assure you: you will never be able to continue your studies at the university you're currently attending. Your parents will also find out about your activities in this city, and it's safe to say that when your parents discover your actions, they will disown you for being so despicable."

Kevin pressed his lips tightly together. He didn't need to guess who the man was anymore; he was revealing everything to him. All the words that this man was saying seemed to imply that he had control over Kevin's life.

"You don't need to guess or speculate who I am," Carlos said, leaning back in his chair, looking at Kevin. He could tell what was going through the young man's mind because he had faced many students who were in similar situations to Kevin.

So many students had come to him, begging for a chance even after receiving three warning letters.

"All I need now is your agreement. If you agree, we will create an agreement, and, of course, we'll sign it together. It will be legally binding and carry a hefty fine if either of us violates the agreement. So now you answer: are you willing to follow my path, or do you choose your own path?"

"I will follow the path you choose," Kevin said quickly. Instead of returning the money, it was better for him to comply with Carlos' wishes, which could lead to him getting even more money.

Money and only money was Kevin's current life goal. Being a follower of Carlos seemed like the best path compared to wandering aimlessly on his own.

"You are a smart student, but unfortunately, you've been influenced by your surroundings and have taken the wrong path," Carlos said, curling one corner of his lips. He had praised Kevin earlier, but now Carlos was disappointed.

The man took out a piece of paper and handed it over with a pen, waiting for Kevin to read the points written there and sign it.

"All the agreements between us are clear. Please take that envelope. Welcome to join me," Carlos extended his hand.

"Happy to work with you, Sir," Kevin exclaimed with joy in his heart, receiving a substantial amount of money as his reward.

Although the task Carlos had given was quite simple – to keep Margareth away from Chelsea and convince Revan that Chelsea was happy with someone else – Carlos sighed deeply. He was finally done for the day. Even though he hadn't been able to meet Revan and his father yet, at least some important tasks were completed. Now, it was just a matter of going home to see Chelsea and figuring out how to talk to Revan's father to ensure he could protect his son.

Moreover, Carlos couldn't ignore the fact that his assistant had mentioned Revan's suicide attempt. Clearly, the love Revan had for Chelsea was genuine. Revan's young age was undoubtedly an advantage for Carlos in winning Chelsea back.

"Why are you so flustered, Aunt? You don't usually greet me like this. What's going on?" Carlos asked his housekeeper, puzzled by her unusual behavior.

"Aunt has been trying to contact you, Sir, but couldn't. Your phone couldn't be reached, and you came home late. Aunt was very worried about the Young Mistress."

"My phone ran out of battery. I thought there was nothing important because Chelsea told me she was home and doing fine, so..."

"No, Sir. The Young Mistress is in her room right now, crying. Since she came home around two o'clock, she hasn't left her room. I even brought her lunch, but she refused to accept it. She also threw some things in her room. I've tidied up for her comfort."

"What's wrong with Chelsea?" Carlos mumbled, rushing up the stairs to find his wife. As far as he knew, this morning, their relationship was fine with no arguments or disputes. Chelsea had wanted him to have lunch with her, but Carlos wasn't sure if his refusal had caused her current state.

A smile appeared on Chelsea's lips as she looked at the many memories of her father on the phone. Chelsea didn't know that her father had kept his old phone from when their financial situation was still good. It explained why he often stayed in his room, as she had seen him observing people passing by from there.

In Chelsea's mind, she used to think that Tomas acted that way because he was ashamed of their situation, but it turned out to be wrong. For Tomas, Chelsea and Margareth were his whole world. So, by isolating himself and enjoying all the memories of the past, the middle-aged man found a bit of motivation to keep living.

However, all those smiles turned into sobs when Chelsea heard some recorded videos with a pitch-black background. Chelsea was certain her father had recorded them with his phone hidden in some secret place, possibly under the bed, as Mr. Sumari had mentioned earlier.

Chelsea's tears flowed as she listened to the conversation in the videos.

"Can't you grant my wish for a divorce, Carlos? It's so easy, but you act as if you want to keep me by your side while you're like this. You can't even provide for me financially, let alone emotionally. What can I be proud of in you?"

"But I'm like this because of you, Margareth. So, you shouldn't say that to me. How could I divorce the woman I love so much, the woman who has ruined my life?"

"That's what you say. If you truly loved me, you would let me go as long as I'm happy."

"What about me then? You have Chelsea to take care of you and watch over you. As for me, what, I can't leave behind my already luxurious life."

"So, because of luxury, you're leaving me and neglecting all your duties as a husband?"

"That's precisely why I'm demanding a divorce from you. I can't fulfill my obligations, and neither can you, so divorce is the right decision now."

"But Chelsea and I still need you!!"

"No, you both don't need me. You can both live because Chelsea can earn her own money now. If I stay here, I'll only be a burden to Chelsea."

"It's okay because that's why we raised Chelsea, to support our lives."

"That's true, but you shouldn't force Chelsea too much and make her work so hard like this. She deserves to be happy," Margareth said very clearly, and Chelsea listened intently.

Until now, Tomas had indeed showered Chelsea with love, but Chelsea didn't expect that his presence was more like a return on investment for raising her well. Chelsea would have to dedicate her entire life to taking care of him alongside Margareth. Here, Chelsea didn't know whether to feel disappointed or how to feel about her father figure. Because even without being asked, as a child, Chelsea would undoubtedly provide things that could make her parents happy, even though she now knew that Tomas wasn't her biological father.

Nevertheless, her love for him was still too strong. In the next video, the same argument was heard. It was somewhat similar, but this time, Margareth was much harsher and used profanity, asking for a divorce. Perhaps in this part, Margareth was truly financially desperate because she briefly mentioned credit card bills, and Tomas casually told Margareth to ask her lover out there for help.

Chelsea increasingly couldn't understand why her father had said such things to her mother. Even though Margareth frequently changed partners, Chelsea never suspected that her father was in such a dire state that he ended up asking Margareth to beg her lover for help.

The last video among those videos contained conversations and quarrels between Margareth and Tomas, all within the confines of their household. In these conversations, there was a clear affirmation that Chelsea was not their biological child. Chelsea's tears broke even further when she discovered this fact.

This meant that what Margareth had been saying all along was the truth. There was no longer anything to convince that Margareth's words were merely emotional outbursts because they had been revealed.

However, the most challenging issue for Chelsea was when she heard the threat made by Margareth. Judging from the time and date the video was recorded, it was right before Margareth called Chelsea and informed her that her father was unconscious. In the video, there were the usual arguments, but this time, Margareth issued a threat, saying she would end her husband's life right there.

The video ended in silence, and Chelsea was sure the phone had run out of power after recording the video. From the sounds she heard and Margareth's raucous laughter, it seemed like the woman was the one who had indeed ended her husband's life.

Chelsea was becoming increasingly unable to comprehend the dynamics of her parents' relationship. On one hand, she blamed her father for not being firm and allowing his wife to toy with other men. On the other hand, Margareth's selfishness for the sake of luxury had led her to neglect her husband, and the current turmoil they were in was the result of her carelessness.

As a child, Chelsea also felt disappointed because Tomas hadn't been as genuine as she had thought. It was a disappointment that was hard to accept because Chelsea had to face several painful truths at once in a short period.

"What's wrong, dear?" Carlos asked as he hugged Chelsea from behind, joining her on the bed. Chelsea didn't respond; she just remained silent, feeling her body being drawn into her husband's embrace.

"Has someone hurt you?" Carlos asked again, afraid that someone might be trying to influence and destroy their marriage with Chelsea.

Carlos had already fallen deeply in love with Chelsea and had placed great hope in her, so losing Chelsea was a bitter thought that often crossed his mind.

It wasn't because Chelsea didn't love him; she loved him very much. However, the issues happening outside their relationship had the potential to weaken the foundation of their not-so-sturdy marriage.

"Dear, can you hear me?" Carlos asked once more.

"I need some time alone, Dad, please," Chelsea whispered, not wanting to be disturbed right now. She did need Carlos to calm her, but at this moment, all she needed was a hug, not a barrage of questions from him.

"I won't leave you even if you push me away or even hit me. I don't care," Carlos tightened his embrace.

Chelsea turned to look at Carlos. "I'm sorry for making Daddy the target of my anger."

Carlos pulled up the corners of his lips, wiping away Chelsea's wet cheeks. "It's okay, as long as it eases the heaviness in your heart. I also understand if you want to hit me to lighten the burden you're carrying now." Carlos took Chelsea's hand and playfully tapped her cheek repeatedly. "Come on, hit Daddy so you can feel better, so you won't cry like earlier. So Daddy can feel the same pain as you when you cry, my love. And I promise I'll bring happiness and ensure there are no more tears on these beautiful cheeks of yours."

Chelsea reciprocated the embrace Carlos gave her. "I love you so much, Daddy, please don't hurt me like they did."

"I won't hurt you because you're my wife. But who hurt you?"

"My father and mother," Chelsea mumbled in Carlos's embrace.

"Your father and mother? What did they do to you that has made you like this? Does the fact that you're not Margareth's biological child hurt you like this?"

Chelsea shook her head. "No, there are many things that have happened behind me all this time, and I don't want to bring them up again. Let me be like this for now until this heartache subsides."

"Alright." Carlos tightened his embrace even more and planted a long kiss on Chelsea's forehead. Although in front of his wife he agreed to let her cry and drown in his embrace for a while, Carlos's mind was already planning something. He wanted to find out what had happened with Tomas and Margareth in the past.

This also included finding out the whereabouts of Chelsea's biological mother. With the resources he had, it wouldn't be difficult for him to uncover someone's identity and at the same time trace Chelsea's father. As fellow entrepreneurs, Tomas's identity would be relatively easy to discover. Carlos also intended to investigate the kind of investments Margareth had been involved in, leading to her being deceived, and her husband's company going bankrupt, forcing them to sell all their assets just to pay the employees. Margareth's fraud had truly drained all of Tomas's wealth and assets.