CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-THREE:
--
“He’s on the run,” Tyler asked immediately after stepping inside her office. Victoria didn’t turn to look at him and continued to peer outside through the window wall. It was night, the light of the buildings that stood tall was shining splendidly against the dimness. “As expected,”
He didn’t hear her reply but that doesn’t matter. He invited himself to sit on a single couch. “What do you want to do with him?”
Laughter echoed throughout the room. It was coming from Victoria. She laughed like she just heard something ridiculous. “You should ask yourself about that.”
She whipped her head to lock her gaze with him. “What do you want to do with him?”
Tyler perused Victoria’s expression, trying to find something off, but all he saw was a vacancy. It looks like she truly doesn’t care.
 
ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FOUR:-There was war.The ground shook as the soldier marched, on their hands were the guns that fires to kill the mortals. Missiles launch and eradicate buildings and houses. The battle cries of the soldiers were drowned by the pleas and begs of the civilians.“Quick, hurry!” There were two people in front of Emmanuel, extending their hands towards him with expression urgent.Emmanuel, with his seven-year-old body, attempted to get a handle on their hands. They took it and ran.They ran, and ran, and ran like a horse galloping on the solid ground. Their feet and their bodies were tired, sweats started to form on their foreheads. Their throats were hurting from its dryness, and their stomachs were boiling in hunger.Emmanuel wanted to stop, but his exhaustion was making his mouth shut.Suddenly—He fell on his knees, his hands slipped from their grasp. He grunted, h
-Years later.Marcos strode the walk side with his powerful feet and bypassed many people along his way. Many women who can’t help but be bewitched with his face turned their heads to look and drool at him.Despite these stares that were like pins and needles assaulting his very being, his steps were unwavering and he still confidently walked towards a certain flower shop.His boss had ordered him to buy flowers for Althea—who was currently inhabiting together with her son after that incident in the amusement park. She said that she wants to eliminate the gloominess in her heart by giving her what she likes.Marcos, as usual, carried out the order without a word.This flower shop is where he frequented it.After buying the specific flower, he turned to get back to Victoria’s office when his phone lit up.It was not strange, many people contact him before they can contact Victoria, but when he saw that i
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE:--“—Let’s get married.”“Sure.”A burst of crisp laughter broke out. Tyler's entire body shook with his laughs. “That was fast! At least hesitate for a little!”Althea thought about it and placed the spoon on the plate. They were in the middle of having their dinner when Tyler brought the topic up. Kai was sitting next to her as she feeds him. She hummed. “… Hmm… Sure….?”Tyler grinned. “Then it’s settled. I will make preparations soon.”Althea just nodded her head in agreement and they went back to eatin
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SIX:--The bells rang—Althea—who was clad in her white wedding dress—tossed the flower bouquet in her arms into the air. Cameras flashed and the sound of the clicking shutters echoes all throughout the venue. The handful of women who went to their wedding flocked to get the bouquet while laughing their hearts out.In the end, it was Emily who caught the bouquet.Althea saw that and laughed. “Sure enough, it’s your wedding next, Emily!”Emily likewise laughed and suddenly looked behind her shoulders. Meters away, Marjorie was sitting with a wine glass in her grasp. Marjorie never let her eyes wander away f
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN:—They were not allowed to think about it for too long. The next day after that, there were no honeymoons, no breaks, and no couple time for them. They immediately went back to work.Tyler made an unexpected announcement that made his whole company uproar. He transferred his shares to Althea’s, making her the CEO of his company.As expected, many were shocked, but none of the higher-ups opposed his decision. Aside from them, no one knows that Althea has been making the decisions on behalf of Tyler for almost four months, she had spoken with his secretary and been guided by the head of human resources.Although it is only occasionally, she already earned the respe
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT:—“Are you ready?” Althea asked.Tyler let out a breath, the white mist emerging from his mouth and disappearing in the air. He tugged his scarf on his neck and rubbed his palms together. “Yes.”Althea glanced at him from the corner of her eyes and saw that his usual smile was not there.Althea smiled sadly. She did not comment on this and just turned to lead the way. They trekked a path towards the mountain. The path was littered with tall grasses and massive trees, standing like a proud wall and shielding them with their leaves.Tyler was silently following behind Althea. His eyes swept around anxiously.The road seems endless.Later on, there seems to be a clearing. Tyler paused in his tracks, and Althea waited for him to move back on in silence."We're here." Althea voiced out after the long walk.They were in a
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-NINE:—They were shocked, appalled. Tyler took the blow the most and silently observed Althea from the corner of his eyes.She was calm, but he knew deep inside her that she was also in a state of bewilderment. Her undisturbed appearance made his panicking mind stop and reboot.‘That couldn’t be mine.’ He thought then his eyes went down to her belly. ‘I don’t know how many months her belly is, but I’m sure that it’s not mine. I can’t remember having physical contact with her in the past 10 months.’
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FORTY:—“You remembered something.” Althea went straight to the point, she looked at her husband sternly with both of her arms crossed against her chest. “Tell me, is it yours?”It was the day when Tyler received a message from the cops that they found the hideout where Althea and Kai were. He remembered waking up in a hotel with a stranger in the bed, but because of that message, everything turned blurred and he disregarded everything.Now that this came up, everything came back rushing in like a tide in his mind.Memories from the night when he drowned himself in
---I did what I was ordered to, and when I finally got to the bottom of it…What the fuck?“I knew things would be interesting if I keep him by my side.” Startled, I looked at my sister who suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She was looking at the photo with interest in her eyes. She looked at me. “Erase every record the police had or anything within Victoria’s reach, we can’t have her figuring out everything before I can have my fun of them destroying each other.”“Hmmm,” I glanced at her. “Isn’t she your friend?”“Friend?” She smiled, appearing innocent. “I don’t have anything like that. Father banned that word to us, brother.”“... If that’s what you say.”“Good!” She turned and stretched her body. “Ahh, I can’t wait to see Sheryl get destroyed by the man she loves. Or maybe, it would be mutual destruct
—“Is that your fiance?” I asked as soon as I sneaked at her back, wanting to scare her.“Stop doing that!” She yelled at me. I laughed at her, telling her sorry. She clicked her tongue before nodding. “He is. Handsome, right?”“Hmm?” I pretended to think about it. “Not really.”She scoffed. “Really.”She turned her back on me and continued her work, facing the paper works that were piled on her table. She was 15.I stood behind her, looking at the man on her table.From the day I knew that all along, she was the leader, I decided to stay and look after her. When I told her about my decision, the pause she had was short but eye-catching. Before I could register the pause and understand the meaning behind it, she answered my words with a smile.‘I will be glad to have you under me.’ Her smile was pretty chilling, more bone-numbing than our father’s s
—I am older than her by 5 years, and I remember her looking at me from behind. Normally, one should feel happy to know that someone was looking at their back, admiring them, but that’s not the case with me.Every time I look back, turn to look at her over my shoulder, every time I caught her eyes, I can’t help but shudder:She feels the same as our father.We were only half-siblings. We have the same father, but that’s not the case with mothers.My mother died when I was four, then our father brought another woman into the house after that. That woman was Charlotte’s mother. She was warm and kind. I remember her talking to me a few times.‘Charles, even though you don’t have my blood, please think of me as your mother too.’ She said one time when I tried avoiding her in fear that she wanted me dead. That was what most people who wanted to seize my father’s power would do if they were in her position
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (10)“He is so cute…!”Days had passed since the birth of her son. Althea was peeking at him with a glass wall between them. She still has IVs in her hand, and she hasn’t recovered most of her energy yet, but she seems like she was overflowing with one.She had her palms against the glass, Althea feels like looking from where she was is not enough, she wanted to slip through the wall and hold him. But it was still not safe, so she held the urge in.A bracelet on her son, the letters were a little bit incomprehensible, but she can read them. It was the name of her son:Alexander Kai GrahamAlthea felt giddy, she can’t wait to hold him in her arms soon.“He’s your son?”“Yes,” Althea responded without thought. When she realized what she had
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (09)—Blood was trickling down.Plop, plop, plop.Bead-shaped blood fell from her private area continuously. It seems like someone pressed the pause button of the world; Althea felt everyone in the supermarket stopped moving.‘No.’ She thought to herself as she watched the blood slowly forming into a puddle beneath her feet. She can feel the hot liquid trailing down her legs. ‘This can’t be!’This day is supposedly like the normal days she had. Strolling around and buying things she thinks she wants. But in the middle of it, she just suddenly felt it come down.She’s only six months pregnant.“Oh my god!” A lady came to her, holding her shoulders in worry. Her eyes were on the blood, aghast. “You are bleeding!”
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (08)—She didn't think of it anymore and immediately set an appointment for the abortion.The next day, she went to the center and waited in line.Althea was all covered up, afraid that someone might recognize her in this hospital. She was pale, she had to deal with the morning sickness alone, and she had no idea what to do the whole time because, in her previous pregnancy, her mother was there.Now she was alone, dealing with everything she doesn’t want to.Althea wants to sob and to get everything over with. She can’t believe she committed a grievous sin to her friend. If only she didn’t get tempted with the money, things would not escalate like this.‘It’s all his fault,’ she galed at the entrance of the hospital where few people were going in and out. ‘He fooled me!’
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (07)—“A brothel?” Althea asked as soon as she entered the place. Her eyes wandered around and she felt overwhelmed by the red hue of the place. The lights, the atmosphere, the people. Everything here was new to her. She doesn’t know what to feel.“First time here?” The lady in heels asked. She gestured to someone far away by her hand and the other nodded before leaving their sight. “Don’t be nervous, you will only be entertaining guests… Why you don’t want to? It’s money, you know.”Selling myself. If it was her in the past, she would strongly disagree and storms off from here. But now, she has nothing but emptiness, she abandoned her pride and morals. She doesn’t have any desire to live anyway. This much won’t hurt her.“Anything’s fine,” Althea said, her
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (06)“What happened to you?” Altheaopened her eyes and saw a fuzzy scene. There were heads in front of her peeking at her from above. Althea could not recognize the features of the faces, but she knew they were medical workers because of their uniforms. It was the uniforms that the nurses and the doctors wear that she sees every time she goes to the hospital for check-ups and visits to her father.“You have been stabilized…” She heard muffled voices as if she was submerged in an ocean, waters entering her ear canals. She tried to move, but her body was too heavy like lead. She gave up and remained still, still unable to do anything, not even talk.“The man who found you and sent you here already paid for the medical bills…”‘What are they talking about?’ Althea had no clue. ‘It seems important.
SPECIAL CHAPTER ONE: A Victim of Jealousy (05)“Do you like it?” The man asked Althea who was silent with her head bowed. “Do you like it?”“...” She had no response.His eyebrows twitched. He dislikes being ignored despite ignoring people.He bends down and held her chin to look at him forcefully. “Hey, little mouse, I am asking you a question. Do you like it?”“...” She still had no response.With eyebrows raised, he stood up and stretched his arms. “Sigh! After all, we did to repaint the wall, that blood only amounted to that much. It wasn’t even able to cover one-fourth of the wall. So regrettable! Now, the little fierce rat is not fierce anymore…”He glanced down, his cold eyes looking at the woman who was sitting on the cold ground motionlessly. “She can’t even appreciate our