~Gunther~[Flashback, twenty minutes earlier]"You are scheduled for a lunch meeting with Mr. Dupont, a contract signing with Mr. Thompson, and a wine-tasting event with your father, Sir Clermont.”“Lastly, the head engineer has requested your final approval on the latest construction project of S.G.C., and you will be visiting the site for that.”I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the extensive list of tasks I had to accomplish today, all thanks to my new secretary, Wesley.I stood there, hands in the pockets of my slacks, watching the elevator buttons blink one by one. "So, when can I finally head home?”We are currently heading to the ground floor because, as Wesley mentioned, I still have fucking lunch meetings, wine tasting, and site visits to do.God damn it. I can't wait to return home and see Agathe and my daughter.I could tell that Wesley was taken aback by my question, as he seemed to lose his composure and even stuttered a bit. "Um, it should be around seven in the evenin
~Agathe~"Are you alright, Agathe?” Thaddeus asked after a long period of silence between us. We just got into his car a few minutes ago, and I was seated in the passenger seat next to him.“You know, you could follow Gunther to that bar right now and stop him from whatever nonsense he wants to do. I can deliver the teacup to Dr. Wright by myself. I will inform you when the results are ready."He must have noticed the tears that kept threatening to fall from my eyes.It took me a while before I let out a sigh and shook my head in response. “No, I have to see this through. Besides, I was the one who asked for your help. I need to finish it with you.”Thaddeus sincerely smiled and nodded at me. "Alright. Then, I will make sure to bring you back to Gunther's mansion as quickly as possible." He assured me.A sense of relief washed over me, grateful that Thaddeus seemed to understand my desire to talk to Gunther later and offer my apologies once this was over.He finally started the engine
~Agathe~I felt a lump in my throat as I witnessed him become vulnerable in front of me. But, why should I apologize for something I don't even understand?"I swear, Gunther. I have no idea what you're talking about. I can't remember anything. The last memory I have is having breakfast with you and Carlyle at the breakfast nook." I explained and gasped, desperately pleading for him to understand and trust me.“I can't remember anything.” I repeated, making sure to emphasize my words in case he failed to hear them the first time. “I can't remember anything!”Tears welled up in my eyes once again, but I fought hard to prevent them from cascading down my cheeks.I locked my gaze with him, refusing to blink, hoping that he would see and understand the sincerity in my eyes, knowing that I was speaking the truth.After a few seconds, Gunther seemed to finally calm down. He was able to prevent his tears from cascading down his cheeks as well, although he still wiped the corners of his eyes.
~Agathe~I just finished eating dinner with Gunther and Carlyle when Yesenia unexpectedly tugged me to the side, catching me off guard.“What’s the matter, Yen?” I asked her, a bit annoyed at the sudden pulling.However, as I caught sight of the urgency in her eyes, any trace of annoyance I had felt instantly dissipated in the air.Yesenia motioned for me to be quiet and glanced around discreetly. She patiently waited until Gunther and Carlyle ascended the stairs, heading towards the entertainment room.We all planned to watch a movie together that night.“I need to tell you something, young lady. This won't take long, or else the young master might notice and become suspicious.” She whispered.Afterward, when nobody was looking, Yesenia discreetly guided me into the maid's quarters.I squinted my eyes, a slight throbbing sensation pulsating in my head. It felt as though I had already entered those quarters before, but I can't remember when or how.Once we entered the quarters, Yeseni
~Agathe~"I was wondering what took you so long, love.” Gunther's voice was cold and threatening, sending an instant shiver down my spine.“Carlyle and I were waiting for you in the entertainment room. She had already fallen asleep while waiting. While here you are, talking with some motherfucking bastard behind my back once again.”Gunther stressed the final words, his tone clearly laced with sarcasm. I noticed Thaddeus let out a deep sigh as if he was growing weary of his cousin's drama."You mentioned it yourself, dear cousin. We were just talking. When did having a conversation with someone become a criminal offense?”I turned to Thaddeus, feeling the urge to scold him. "Goodness gracious, don't provoke him. He might end up hitting you again." I whispered, recalling the incident that occurred at his boutique.However, Thaddeus smirked at me, showing no signs of being affected in the slightest. I clenched my teeth in pure annoyance towards him.I suddenly gasped so loud as I felt G
~Agathe~It was lunchtime when I noticed something peculiar. I was having lunch with Carlyle as Gunther had left for the office earlier in the morning."Belv." I called Belvedere's name, who was standing beside the dining table.I had invited them to join me and Carlyle on the table, but as usual, they strongly declined. I had already given up on persuading them, as they are deeply committed to their job."Where is Yesenia? I don't recall seeing her all morning." I remarked, even noticing Carlyle furrowing her eyebrows at me."I checked her room, Mommy. Yennie is still fast asleep." Carlyle mentioned casually and then continued to devour her food.I noticed something on the corner of her lips and gently wiped it away with my finger. "Be careful, sweetheart."Afterward, I turned to Belvedere with a worried expression in my eyes. "Is she still sleeping, Belv? In all the days I've been here, I've never known Yesenia to sleep in. Is everything alright? Could she be unwell?”"I'll have a h
~Agathe~Being in Stonewood City for almost a week has made me realize that I can also love this kind of life, with Gunther and Carlyle.And, when I finally accepted that Gunther had managed to sneak into my heart, I never anticipated the pain of repeatedly witnessing his mother's disdain towards me.Seeing her eyes full of disgust and hatred directed towards me made me feel hurt, beyond my understanding.Deep within my heart, I longed for her acceptance of me, perhaps echoing the desire of every daughter-in-law out there.I was about to turn around and walked away from there as quietly as possible but I was taken aback to see both Peter and Calixto standing behind me.As if it wasn't enough, both of them moved and stood on my left and right side. It was as if they were silently telling everyone that they are going to protect me no matter what.And, it didn't matter to them that it was their boss's mother they might have to confront. I was even astonished by how quickly Calixto had fo
~Agathe~I could hear Gunther's screams ripping through the air. He sounded so desperate and nearly begging.It was so heartbreaking to hear him like that. I wanted to open my eyes and comfort him, but I couldn't.Then, out of nowhere, I felt powerful hands gently lift my body onto something. Afterwards, I was hoisted into the air and was transported somewhere.I could hear the sirens of the ambulance nearby. I could hear everyone shouting and barking commands.But, Gunther's desperate voice stood out to me the most.I knew that I was fighting for my dear life. But, somehow, everything felt surreal that I felt like I was merely dreaming.Then, from the absolute darkness that surrounded me, I heard a faint voice. "Agathe.”It sounded so familiar and soothing, I suddenly yearned to hear it again. I looked around the darkness that surrounded me, but I saw nothing.As I wandered around, tears began to form in my eyes. “Who is that?” I asked in a loud voice, without opening my mouth."Swee
~Agathe~“Baby, can you forgive me too?” Gunther asked our daughter when she had calmed down a little. “I’m so sorry for failing to be your father for the past four years. I’m so sorry that I tried to push you away and rejected you so many times that I lost count.”“I understand, Daddy. Yennie would always tell me that you were just hurting because of Mommy's disappearance.” We were both silent after that, but Carlyle went on.“I love you so much, mommy. I love you so much, daddy. I forgive both of you.” Carlyle told us, intertwining her hands with mine and Gunther's. “Please, mommy, don't ever leave us again. Don't ever leave me and Daddy again. Daddy and I need you here. We need you.” I nodded at her.I know it will take her a lifetime to truly forgive me, but I am still willing to do anything just to make up for the time I spent without her and Gunther.“I love you so much, too, my sweetheart.” When Gunther's gaze met mine, I whispered to him as well. “I love you so much, too, Gunt
~Agathe~[Present Time]I opened my eyes in haste and furrowed my eyebrows when I heard something inside the house. The flashbacks playing in my mind had stopped but I couldn't care less since I suddenly got worried.The sound seemed to be a commotion, and the only people left inside the house were Graziella and Thaddeus.I quickly stood up and ran towards the house, not looking back at my parents’ graves. I opened the kitchen’s backdoor and entered the house, desperately searching for Graziella and Thaddeus.What if Gunther had followed us and hurt Grazie and Thad because he couldn't find me inside the house? “Grazie? Thad?”I gasped and felt as if my soul had been ripped away from my body when I noticed Gunther and Thaddeus brawling on the floor. My heart tightened in pain when I also noticed Gunther's handsome face was covered in bruises and scratches.“Where is my wife, Thaddeus!” Gunther punched Thaddeus in the face, sending him flying into the wooden coffee table.The coffee tab
~Agathe~I remembered growing up with a lot of hatred engraved in my heart.Despite being surrounded by good people, I never forgot the promise I made to myself when I was five years old.[Flashback, five years ago]“You're late again, Miss Capucine.” Our English teacher said as soon as I entered the classroom.“I'm sorry, Miss Kim.” I apologized and went to my seat. I opened my literature book to page fifty three as instructed on the board.As expected, my classmates began whispering about me. “Goodness. I cannot stand her. She is so pitiful. She makes our village look cheap with her cheap clothes.”“Her beauty means nothing if his father is already dead. Who dies in an avalanche anyway?” Then everyone laughed, and Miss Kim did nothing to stop them.“Everyone knows you have a sick mother and work in a restaurant. But, do you really have to be late to my class every day, Miss Capucine?” Miss Kim replied angrily to me, her nostrils flaring.“I'm sorry.” That was all I could say again.
~Agathe~“You should take a shower first, Agathe, and change into clean clothes.” Graziella reminded me as we finally entered the house.I gasped, and tears nearly welled up in my eyes again. Everything inside my house was immaculately clean and organized.Graziella patted my back. “I come back here every day to clean and water your plants, hoping that one day you will return home. I know you were only gone for a few weeks, but the thought of not seeing you again tormented me.”Graziella quickly put some shoes on my feet. “I figured you would want to visit your mother and father first, so you should wear these. God, your feet are so cold.”She wiped away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks and stood up again. She guided me to the kitchen, where the backyard door is located.Thaddeus was quietly following behind us as we opened the door to the backyard, and my mouth opened wide in amazement once more.“How on earth. .” That was all I could say as I stared at everything in front o
~Agathe~This definitely changes everything.How am I going to look at Carlyle now that I have killed her own grandparents?I was shocked when Graziella snatched the papers from my hand and threw them back on Thaddeus’ lap.“She is not going back to that mansion. Drive us straight to Snowflake Village, Silvestri. I'm going to hide her so that no one can hurt Agathe again.”A tear fell from my eye until I could no longer stop it. I suddenly burst into tears and broke down.How is this possible? How did Carlyle become my daughter?How did someone so cute and adorable come out of me?How will she forgive me now that there's a possibility she saw me unaliving her own grandparents?“Grazie. Carlyle is my daughter.” I said with a hint of happiness in my voice. But, I know they can sense the utter devastation deep inside me as well.Graziella adjusted her body to stare at me from the passenger’s seat, and her eyes welled up with tears as she spoke to me.“I know, pookie. And, I am really sor
~Agathe~I was astonished when Yesenia gave me a weird look. Her eyes reflected a faint hint of disappointment.My heart fell when she gave me that look.I expected her to be the first person to understand that I did not intend for any of this to happen.I thought she would defend me and assure me that everything would be fine.“Arghhh. .” I heard someone groan behind me and when I glanced, I saw Calixto slowly sitting up.His eyes remained closed as he gently held the back of his head, even though it was still bleeding a bit. I wanted so badly to show how grateful I was that he woke up and even wanted to ask him if he was feeling alright.However, as I turned my attention back to Gunther, I noticed that his gaze never wavered. He continued to look at me with the same, even colder eyes.I felt like my whole world had turned upside down. I do not want to live any longer after everything I am experiencing right now.My eyes widened when he tried to take a step toward me while still hold
~Agathe~I felt Gunther straighten his body after seeing the gun being pointed at me. He dropped my arm that was holding him and shielded me with his body.“You have the audacity to point a gun at my wife, father? Seriously, where is all of this confidence coming from?”“You are full of debts, your life is hanging by a thread, and the only thing keeping you alive is me. And, yet you have the audacity to point a gun at my wife!”I tried to look at Gunther's father, but Gunther would not let me. He held me in place by placing his arm in front of me.“You caused me to be in so much debt, you fucking piece of shit!”“And, whose fault is that, father? You are the one who gambled away all of your money! You weren't forced to do that! I only set the trap for you! It was still your decision to do such a thing!”Before anyone could say anything else, I noticed how quickly Calixto walked towards Gunther's father and snatched the gun from the devil’s hand.Then he kicked Gunther's father in the
~Agathe~I scoffed when Gunther ignored my question as if I was not there. He didn't even flinch, and kept doing whatever the hell he was doing.The nerve of this guy. Am I a joke to him?He bent down a little to sign some documents on the coffee table, holding a pen in his hand. When he was finished, he stood up and casually slipped his hands into his pockets.Afterward, I saw Atty. Schneider gathered the papers and carefully placed them inside his attaché case. Then, he stood up as well and casually shook Gunther's hand as if I had not just threatened his client.“Congratulations, Gunther. You are now the rightful owner to all of Madame Hester's three hundred fifty billion dollars worth of wealth, assets and properties.”Atty. Schneider was smiling from ear to ear. He seemed genuinely happy for Gunther.“Thank you very much for all of your help, Attorney Schneider. I owe it all to you. Without your assistance, I would be unable to claim what is rightfully mine.” Gunther said in his
~Agathe~[Present Time]I could hear faint voices talking around me. I looked around the darkness that surrounded me but saw no one.I felt like I was floating, but my feet remained on the ground. I felt hopeless.I want to go back to my mother because she still needs me. My father just died, and I am the only one she has left.“Her finger moved, Doctor Wright!” I heard someone say something beside me, but when I looked to my side, I saw no one.“Hello? Who are you? Where exactly am I? Where is my mother?" I asked in a loud voice, without even opening my mouth.“She's regaining consciousness. Quickly, call Gunther.”“But, Doctor. He is downstairs, discussing something important with his family. What are we supposed to do?”“Check her pulse. Check everything.” Before I could respond, I felt something powerful catapult me through the air.“Arghhhhhhhhh!”Before I knew it, I opened my eyes again to see a bright light aimed directly at my eyes. “She is awake! The patient is awake, doctor!