I nod. I look directly into her eyes to assure her that I'm saying this sincerely. "I've already told you that I won't let Altezza choose. And I'm still standing by my word.""I won't hold him back. You can keep my promise.""So you don't need to worry. If he truly loves you, he'll stay by your side.""Of course, he loves me. Do you still need proof for that?" She asks challengingly, reaching into her pocket. She hands me her phone. I know this probably won't be pleasant, but I still press the play button.I see the six-inch screen and I can confirm that the background in this video is part of the hospital roof."Say you love me. You can't live without me," I hear Jovanka's voice clearly, despite the loud wind."Yes, Jovanka. I love you and I can't live without you," Altezza answers. Even though I can't see him clearly, I can recognize the back of my own husband. The back I often see every morning.Tears well up in my eyes. My heart feels so painful. I can only bite the inside of my l
On the first day of Adaline's treatment, her room was so crowded. Emma, Violet, and Delila faithfully waited for her. But when quitting time arrived, Gian, Antony, Claire, Sir Benjamin, Duncan, and Tessa came to visit. Even Joanna, who had just returned from abroad, truly came bearing so many milk pies and pastries as Adaline had requested earlier."Finish them all. Not a single one should be left," she said, placing her package on Adaline's lap.Tessa protested loudly because Joanna didn't give her any souvenirs. So Joanna opened a package and gave Tessa one piece of milk pie."Just one, I don't want to see your saliva dripping," she said mockingly. "That's why ask your lover to buy you souvenirs. Aren't you ashamed to ask for souvenirs when your lover is very rich?" Joanna taunted Duncan. Duncan frowned, but the others laughed.They even had dinner in Adaline's room, although the nurse repeatedly reprimanded them for being too noisy. But what can you do? The atmosphere can't be calm
Altezza returned to his parents' house with an unsettled feeling that had persisted since he woke up this morning. He kept thinking about his wife, but he couldn't reach her because Jovanka wouldn't let go of him.He had to wait for Jovanka to fall asleep so he could free himself and leave. Strangely, the house was quiet. Both of his parents were not there, and their housekeeper said they were out of town.Altezza also didn't see his mother-in-law and his wife's aunt. Could they be somewhere else?Altezza then walked towards his room. When he opened the door, the room felt cold. Not as warm as yesterday when Altezza returned. Altezza smiled, recalling the moment when he hugged Adaline and felt their baby's kicks for the first time.If only this problem hadn't arisen. Altezza was sure he wouldn't be late to know about that important moment. But what can he do now? He couldn't turn back time, could he?Altezza sat on the bed and rubbed his chest. Why wouldn't this uneasiness go away?Ad
"They all left the house this morning, Sir," one of the household staff answered. "Mrs. Violet said they had been away from home for too long. They wanted to check on the house because they were afraid the house would become a spider's nest. That's what Mrs. Emma said, Sir," he continued.Hurriedly, Altezza returned to his car. He drove his car quickly, regardless of whether he would be fined for speeding or not later. All he knew was that he had to get to Adaline's residence as soon as possible.Ten minutes later, he arrived in front of a two-story house with low fences. The house was quiet, showing no signs of life. Even the iron gate was still securely locked.He tried calling his in-laws' names, but there was no answer. One of the neighbors, perhaps feeling disturbed by his approach, spoke up."Hey, aren't you Mrs. Scott's son-in-law?" the woman asked, puzzled."Did my mother-in-law come here?"The woman shook her head, her forehead furrowed, looking surprised. "Hasn't Mrs. Scott
Altezza returned home feeling distressed. Antony clearly threw his hands up, openly stating he wouldn't help. Gian did the same. Even Tessa claimed she truly didn't know Adaline's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Joanna, the woman, only stared at him with disgust when Altezza approached her residence."I thought you were a good man. But it turns out, you and that woman are just the same," she replied coldly. She didn't even allow Altezza to enter her apartment. "I don't know where she is. In case you forgot, both Adaline and her mother are orphans. So they have nowhere to go.""As for Aunt Emma, I don't know where she's from. We're not close enough to chat. But even if I knew where Adaline is right now, I have no obligation to tell you," Joanna replied again. The woman stood casually at her apartment door with her arms folded in front of her chest."Please, Joan. Help me," Altezza pleaded."For what? What's in it for me? Didn't I tell you before, asking you to make her happy? I told you that A
"Let me tell you a story that happened forty years ago," Altezza said quietly, listening."I came to America at your uncle's request. Arthur had already set foot in this country."Your uncle fled because he didn't want to be arranged in marriage by our late father. And because he couldn't return to Italy, he asked me to come and bring all the wealth he had been saving. He did it to start a business so he could live here with your aunt, Brianna."I didn't know that Arthur's cancelled engagement would force me to take his place. But I thought, I would accept the engagement because I didn't have someone I loved as much as your uncle loved your aunt."But before getting married, I thought I'd spend my bachelor days having fun first."Then, someone invited me to go somewhere. A place where I could hire women for a certain period of time. The man said I could practice being a great husband in bed before spending time being the husband of your grandfather's chosen woman."At that time, I was
Altezza slumped dejectedly. He leaned his back against the edge of the bed, hugged his knees, and rested his forehead between them. His chest felt tight, his tears unstoppable now. Never in his life had he felt such pain. Even when Jovanka left him and chose her career over him, Altezza didn't feel as miserable as this. They were both abandoned, but why did this feeling now hurt so much? Guilt dominated his thoughts, while longing squeezed his chest. The image of Adaline's smile filled his mind's eye. Just yesterday he felt his wife's belly and felt the movement of their twin babies. And now he couldn't see any of them anymore.His phone kept vibrating, Jovanka's name displayed on the screen. Altezza didn't know how many times she had tried to reach him. He didn't want to know. That woman had ruined everything. She had shattered everything until Altezza felt there was nothing left for him.Was Jovanka's love for him as she claimed?Then what kind of love did she have for him, who even
Jovanka was searching for Altezza. She visited the hotel owned by the man's family. However, her presence was vehemently rejected by the owner of the hotel himself. Who else but Sir Benjamin Quirino.The elderly man approached her after the commotion she caused in the hotel lobby. Not wanting to deal with the police, the former father-in-law of Jovanka finally came down and met Jovanka face-to-face."What are you doing in my place?" He asked coldly. Benjamin Quirino was someone who always yielded to his wife's desires. But when it came to matters outside his family, he was a firm and often cold man.Now, the man, still standing tall at sixty-two, was staring at Jovanka with a cynical look. If only this gaze were directed at his business associates, it wouldn't be the gaze they desired. But this time, he was facing Jovanka, a woman he considered to have lost her sanity. So, she wouldn't be disturbed at all."Padre..." Jovanka uttered pleadingly."Who are you calling Padre?" The man ask