65: Left with no choice…

Khana wasted no time, she ran to the telephone, her fingers trembling while dialing Serina's number. Her heart beats crazy when she tells her friend about Richard's threat.

"You need to find a way to warn Henry. Richard left the house, saying he'd kill him."

The line crackled for a moment, and then a familiar voice answered.

"Hello?"

"H-Henry?"

Khana was surprised when a familiar voice reached her ears. She was puzzled. Why did the priest have Serina's cell phone?

"Are you with Serina right now?" Khana asked.

"No. She left this phone to me and returned to the city with you."

"Listen to me. Richard might be heading there, or he might hire people to harm you. Take care of yourself."

"W-What's going on? Are you okay?" Henry asked after realizing the lady's voice was unsteady. Concern is evident in his voice. He could sense the urgency in Khana's tone as if she were teetering on the edge of something dangerous.

Before Khana could reply, a loud bang of the door interrupted. She clutched the phone tightly and unconsciously murmured, "Sh*t! He's here."

Khana ran to Kharl's room and locked the door. Shortly after, she heard loud footsteps. It stopped probably in front of the child's room.

"You dare lock the door?" Richard yelled, echoing through the hallway.

"Bring me the key, yaya!" Richard demanded.

The baby, startled by the commotion, wailed from the crib, adding to Khana's panic. She tried desperately to quiet Kharl, but the sound of Richard jiggling the lock made her nerves fray. A clicking sound of the door made the lady anxious.

Richard stormed in, eyes burning with fury. Khana braced herself, fearing he would hit her again like last time. She stood frozen, holding her baby tightly in her arms.

"Richard, are you going to hit me again?" Khana asked, still holding the baby in her hand.

Richard intended to caress his wife's hair and try to soothe her again. He just went out to vent his frustration, but he never intended to be a murderer.

He was hoping Khana would crawl back to him fearing he'd truly harm the priest. He's trying to threaten Khana to make her stay in marriage.

He wasn’t a murderer, but he wanted Khana to believe he could be. The threat was meant to control her, to trap her in this crumbling marriage.

"Can't you just sign the paper and let go of me? I beg you..." Khana pleaded, staring directly into her husband's glare. She shed a tear and added, "If there's anything you wish to revise in the conditions. Let's hear it out. Just sign it, please."

Richard's expression hardened. He turned and punched the nearby mirror, the sound of shattering glass piercing the air. He only returned his senses when Kharl cried harder. He left the room and smashed things in the master's bedroom. Khana could hear it, only choosing not to do anything but spend her night in Kharl's room.

The next morning, Richard left early. Even though Khana wished to leave the house with her baby, she didn't leave at all. She wants to finish her business with Richard. She needed closure— Richard must sign the papers. Anxiety gnawed at her as she thought, What if he never signs?

Later, she attempted to leave for a stroll with Kharl, only to be stopped by several men in black suits standing by the gate.

"Mr. Santillan told us to guard the house and not let you step outside," one of the men said firmly.

"Am I a prisoner now?" Khana spat, her frustration boiling over as she argued with the guards. But they wouldn’t budge. Her anger flared. She kept on bickering with four personnel, but couldn't get through. The commotion only stopped when Richard appeared.

"I told you. You can only leave this place after I put you sinners behind bars," says Richard, walking past his wife. He took the baby from its stroller and carried Kharl in his arms.

Khana stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded by the surreal scene. It was as though she’d walked into a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from. Feeling defeated, she headed back inside. Left with no choice, the lady returned to the house and found Richard playing peek-a-boo with Kharl.

The telephone rang and Khana answered it. Upon hearing a lady's voice, Khana immediately recognized the unregistered number was none other than Serina.

"Richard won't allow me to enter your house. How are you? Did he sign the paper already?"

Khana vents out and weeps, "He's filing adultery and will use it to get Kharl's custody. I swear I never 

cheated throughout the marriage... I just want to start my new life without him."

She heard a heavy sigh on the other line and shortly after, Serina uttered, "If there’s no proof of infidelity, then it has nothing to use against you. All you need to do is prove your innocence and put the blame on him for rejecting divorce even though you sought it for a long time."

"How am I supposed to defend myself? He knows his way to cheat the dirty justice system," Khana replied.

Before Serina could respond, the line went dead. Khana stood there, staring at the phone, when a shadow fell over her.

"Khana," a voice said from the doorway.

She turned slowly, her blood running cold. Richard stood there, holding Kharl... her husband was grinning from ear to ear.

"I won't allow you to be in contact with someone else. I just disconnected the service."

"Even if you trap me here! I will insist, and fight for my freedom. Let's see who gets the last laugh," Khana replied with a determined face, but honestly, she had no idea how to battle against her husband to win Kharl's divorce and dissolve the marriage.

Richard succumbed to a fit of anger, but before he got out of control, a doorbell interrupted, and shortly after, a lady entered.

"Richard, I hope I didn't come at the wrong time?"

"You just came at the right time, Chloe. Have you contacted the lawyer you recommend? I need to file adultery as soon as possible."

Khana almost lost her balance upon hearing Richard's statement.