CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE;Kai's Father--Althea wondered what is it that she did wrong that day. She wants to know and keeps on visiting her memories and she found that she did nothing bad to get bad karma.She was just having a peaceful morning; cooked their breakfast, watered their flowers, and opened the shop—so she directly assumed that this day, like the other days, would pass peacefully.Who could have thought that the woman, whom she met just a week ago, the one who shouted at Kai because of a very, very immature reason (she asked him what happened after they got home), would tell her that she, herself, do not wish for their paths to meet again, will have the guts to appear in front of her doorsteps?Althea can't help but question her rationality. She also can't help but shake her head because of disappointment.When they were still in high school, she viewed Sheryl as a righteous, decent woman. After all, she was raised in a wealthy household, where a female is raised to be decent t
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX;Anotherside--Augustine?Sheryl's heart thumped loudly against her chest.Her laid-back posture straightens and her eyes are looking fiercely at the boy.Kaid doesn't know the meaning behind her glare, but he also doesn't care. He calmly shifted his eyes away and looked outside the shop.Sheryl didn't have the time to scrutinize his action as her mind was running at a fast pace to the point that even she couldn't stop it.'Augustine?' She asked herself. 'Is it the Augustine I know? No, that's not possible. There are many Augustine in the world. It's impossible to be him.'But no matter how hard she tries to deny it, a big fat fact is presented in front of her; it isn't impossible no matter how hard she made it sound.Amidst the ruckus inside her mind, she managed to ask Kai. She was low-key panicking and when she was about to ask the kid, she almost dived in front of him and clamped his small shoulders. Good thing she wasn't planning on shaming herself and stopped
"By the way, Althea," Melanie said behind her. "Hmm?" Althea put back her son's ID on the counter and looked back. "What?" "Charlotte..." She hesitated. "Is your friend, right?" Althea laughed and pretended to think while leaning on the counter. "Hmm? Friends?" She turned to Kai and jokingly asked. "Are Mommy and Charlotte friends? What do you think, Kai?" Kai also turned to look at her and thought, his blue eyes were sinking in the depth of the ocean. Then he said truthfully. "No." "What?" Althea dragged on the question in amusement. "Why do you say so?" Kai said with a serious expression. "Charlotte said that you don't have friends. So, I think you're not friends with her too." "..." Both Melanie and Althea stared at him in silence before the former let out laughter that annoyed the latter. "What are you laughing at?" Althea yelled at Melanie in annoyance. Melanie just shook her head and didn't say anything about it. "Ah," Melanie suddenly had a realization that stopped her
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT; Party Night (2) -- A ding rang, indicating that Althea had already arrived. She raised her head and looked at the opening door of the elevator. No one was with her in the elevator, so she fluidly went out from the elevator shaft. After stepping out, the lights of the massive room of the hotel blinded her. She almost squinted her eyes. Soft and small murmurs entered her ears. There was also a clanging of plates and glasses. Althea surveyed the area and noticed that the place wasn't as crowded as she thought it would be. Maybe only selected ones are welcome here. Althea shrugged at the thought. An attendant approached her with a polite smile. "May I see your invitation, ma'am?" Althea halted and opened her purse, then handed the invitation to her. The attendant looked at it briefly before showing another smile. "Thank you. Please have a pleasant evening." Althea watched her walk away and attend to the other guest. No one noticed her arrival, since none of
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE; Party Night (3) -- The three watched them in silence until the lone woman talked. "Hey, you said she's wearing a party gown, right? Since she's not here, there's only one place she's in." "... Where?" Aaron asked. "On the floor directly below us," the woman laughed. "So, who's ready for the show?" 'Show? What show?' Dave asked himself. 'But whatever it is, I'm pretty sure it's not good since April's making it.' Aaron didn't say anything, he just silently watched the two who had just come in and instantly became the center of attraction. April ignored the two after saying that and looked at the two that were sticking together like a goddamn glue. No, it was Sheryl who was sticking at the other like gum. The sight of her clinging to him like how she used to do during their college times makes her blood slowly boil. To think that she saw her as a true friend during their college days, but when she saw her snatching Tyler when Althea and him were still togeth
CHAPTER FIFTY: A familiar face -- Dave leans on the table while looking at the dancing crowd in the center, casually sipping the alcohol he has in his hand. His head was bobbing along to the music that was airing on the air. His eyes caught Aaron who was walking towards him. He straightened his back and placed the glass of alcohol back on the table. He looked behind Aaron and saw that she was not there. He asked curiously asked. “Where is April?” She was with him just a while ago. She dragged Aaron to somewhere Dave knew nothing about and was excluded from the topic they were talking about. Aaron was silent for a moment before opening his mouth. “She ran off after saying she had to prepare for the surprise.” “What surprise?” Dave asked again. The feeling of being left out was suffocating. If only they included him in their discussion, too, he would not be asking questions. Aaron, aware of what was going on inside his mind, shook his head and replied with helplessness in his vo
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE:The Beginning--In this world, many people have similar features as others despite having no blood relation at all, so seeing someone familiar is not uncommon- but it is not common either. So, seeing a person that is oddly familiar to her, Althea was not even disturbed. What disturbs her is the way she looks at her and her smile. She was pretty, she cannot deny that. She has this milky white and as shiny and smooth as crystal ball skin that a renowned dermatologist tended, it even glows since she was wearing a red backless and sleeveless party dress. She had plumped her red lip, giving it a bouncy appearance, and her hair was gorgeously tied with loose strands. She screams the aura of a goddess with wealth.Yes, again, she is pretty. And she looks smart. And feisty. But then again, why is a beauty looking at her like she was a cow who was being guided towards the butchery? Althea had no clue at all.They were just staring at each other in silence until Althea coul
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO:All Eyes---Meanwhile…It was already evening, and the people in the shop were having dinner. It was only Becca, Jack, Kai, and Melanie. The shop was already closed for a while, but Jack did not go home. He decided to stay to eat with them.“Hmm!” He moaned in delight. “Your cooking is superb, Melanie! I would like to stay for dinner again next time.”Melanie almost choked on her food and looked at the guy who was still chowing down the food like a hungry wolf who had not eaten anything for the past few months. Then she shrugged her shoulders and said nonchalantly, “It is just mac and cheese, and some fried chicken, but thank you.”Jack shook his head. “No- don’t ever underestimate the power of cheese and chicken.” Becca nodded at his statement while stuffing herself with Melanie’s fried chicken wings. She just loves the tenderness of the meat and its aroma. Its hunger-inducing and its sweetness with a hint of spiciness was good. Melanie just nodded and said her th
---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