Chapter 2 Family

Isabella grew up in Anji Village outside Silvana City. Her mom owned a two-bedroom house with a large courtyard in front and at the back. Vegetable patches are full and hibiscus flowers surrounding the wall. There’s a small pathway of pebbles from the entrance to the house, so when it rains, mud won't get on shoes.

It was on this day their lives changed. She was five years old. Her mother Alexandria Liu was feeding the chickens in the backyard while she was sitting on the porch holding a handmade doll. A shiny car parked outside the gate. Two men exited the car and one of them opened the door at the back. A tall, black-haired man got out. His eyes were black, had a pointy nose and thin pale lips.

"Mom! there's someone at the gate!"

"What did you say, baby?" her mom shouted.

"Uncles are standing outside!" She walks in front of the house. Before reaching the gate, she drops the basket filled with corn feed.

"Mom?"

"Benedict!"

"Hello, Alexy..."

Frowning. "Why are you here?..."

"To take you back, both of you."

"Why?"

"Because I said so..."

Alexandria was trembling. In the end, they were kidna 'ehem' taken to Allegra City. The villa was huge, a large garden in front, it had a pool, a tennis court, a man-made lake at the back, and a greenhouse.

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Before Isabella was born, he and Alexandria were university sweethearts. When they graduated, he started the company from the money borrowed from his grandparents. Benedict grew up with them because his parents died in a car accident when he was ten years old.

He then asked for her hand in marriage. When they found out about their relationship, they refused because of Alexandria's unknown origins. Until now, Bella hasn't met any relatives from her mom's side. Benedict was in love with her, so he still prepared for the wedding. What he didn't know was that Grandma Chen had something in mind....

Alexandria tried her best to please them, but nothing changed. They treated her like an outsider but continued to work as a secretary in his company. She was very talented. Upfront it seems ordinary, but the truth, she was the backbone of it. Everything from problem-solving issues, organizing, planning, to meetings, she can do it perfectly. She loves him so much and didn't want him to feel inferior, so she remained in her position.

One afternoon she came home from work and in the garden was a lady in a white sleeveless dress sitting beside Grandma Chen. On her back, you can see her slim waist and her long wavy hair.

"Grandma, I'm back." said Alexandria.

"You're here, meet Monique, my niece. Monique, she's Alexandria, Benedict's secretary." said the 'witch ehem' Grandma Chen.

Alexandria clenched her fist for a moment. "Hi, I'm Alexandria Liu, Benedict's FIANCÉE'."

"Hello, Monique Chu." She turns to Grandma." Wow, Benedict found a hard-working secretary. It's after working hours and she's still working." said mockingly.

Before Grandma replied, "Yes, of course, I think it's my duty as a fiancée to help him even at home."

"Hah!" Grandma exclaimed.

"Oh, really..." while she tried to hide her twitching smile.

Grandma continued, "Monique stay here while working at the company. I already called Benedict."

She felt a pang in her chest but didn't know why at that time.

"Grandma, Benedict will come home later. Please excuse me." She went upstairs to change.

"Hmph!" said Grandma.

In the next few days, Grandma continued to show her hate and tried to tell Benedict about it, even the tiniest complaint. Alexy never told him about her grandma's harassm ‘ehem' dissatisfaction because as a daughter-in-law, she must endure. Her love for him was the only thing that matters. She will tolerate anything for him.

Monique stayed at the villa and worked at the Human Resource Department. While she continued to work with Benedict.

"Alexy, I will be late tonight. I have a high school reunion and Monique is coming with me since we had the same school."

"Oh, do you want me to come with you?"

"No need, I know you're tired, I won't stay long. I need to come here early tomorrow."

"Sure, have fun!" She kissed him before leaving. Monique passed her, smiling brightly. She ignored her and went home.

It was midnight, but couldn't sleep. She went out of her room and made her way into the kitchen to drink water. They had separate rooms because her grandparents said so. Returning to her room, she peeked at his room and checked if he's home. It was still empty, and he hasn't come back. Took her phone and tries to call him three times until it's picked up.

"Honey, are you coming back?" Silence on the other end. She waits until she hears sounds like sheets rubbing. Then heard voices that shattered her heart....

"Oh yeah Benedict there baby right there, oh ah ah you're amazing!...ohh ahh..."

"Ah..uh.." male voice.

Alexy trembles, drops the phone, and on her knees. All strength left her body and started crying while covering her mouth. Stood up and ran to her room and continued crying till dawn. Wishing the pain would fade away. Flashes of memories came to her mind, dates, kisses, sweet words, and happy moments. All the hardships endured for him stabbed her heart even more. She thought she could tolerate everything for him. No, this time, she can't. She won't accept this. Crying her heart out until she fell asleep.

Benedict didn't return home. She went to the company like a normal day. Walked calmly to his office while holding a bunch of papers like the usual routine. Without knocking, there she saw him sitting while looking at the documents, and Monique was close to him like deliberately showing her busty cleavage.

As the door opened, they were startled like they were caught doing something they shouldn't.

"Honey." looked very guilty.

"Hm."

"Oh my, good morning Miss Liu." Monique smirking.

"Miss Chu, will you give us a moment?"

"Alright." glancing flirtily at Benedict. Then closes the door.

"So how was the reunion?"

"It was fine" saying while evading her probing gaze.

"When did you come home?" while clenching her fist, ready to slam.

"I got back, I think 3:00 am then I came here early. I know you were tired, so I didn't wake you up."

'F**** y** lying to my face, I was awake till 5 b*****rd'

"I called you..." eyeing all his movements like a hawk ready to pounce.

"What? I didn't see it." he picks up his phone hurriedly and looks at his calls and messages.

"There's none." nervously sweating like a pig.

"You know why???...." while grinding her teeth.

"I….I don't know...."

"Because someone read it and maybe erased them as well!" Then she threw her phone. Unguarded, it hit his cheeks and the phone fell. He picks up the phone on the floor while holding his face. He saw the call minutes on the phone cracked screen. 'F****...i'm dead..'

"Honey...I..."

She started crying. He just stared at her with his mouth open, seemed to talk, but nothing came out.

"I'm so sorry.... I was drunk last night. When I woke up, I was in a hotel."

"With who?"

"....."

"When did it start?" while sobbing.

"I swear to God it was the first time!"

"WHEN.DID.IT.START..?!!!"

"....."

"I love you, you know that..." still sobbing while holding her heart.

"I know…. I love you too, but it was a mistake and I'm sorry...."

She wipes her tears with her sleeves.  "Who?"

"....."

"YOU OWE ME BENEDICT!!!!!"

"MONIQUE!!!! It's her, I shouldn't have, I'm sorry, please forgive me, I won't do it again!" He walks closer to her attempting to embrace her.

'Oh no, you won't f*** sh**'

"Don't touch me you filthy pig!!!!!" She reached for the large stapler on the table.

"Bam!"

"!!!!...." holding his red cheeks and ringing head. He felt so dizzy he fell on his knees.

"Well, now your grandparents will be happy."  She turns around then runs away, headed for the HR Department.

He was dazed for a while, and when he regained his strength. "Alexy! No! Please come back!" He chased her.

When running, she almost tripped because of the heels, so she threw them on the way. Reaching the department while breathing heavily, she took the scissors from one of the desks and stormed to Monique's office. Opened the door with a bang while shouting at the top of her lungs.

"YOU B****!!!!!"

Monique was so surprised she froze. Alexy grabbed her hair and yanked it. Using the scissors, she started cutting her hair. "You slutty seducing b***y wh***!!! I'm going to kill you!"

Well, she was heartbroken, but that doesn't mean she’s stupid. Killing her was not worth her life in jail. She was an athlete while in university, so she had a lot of force on her body.  The other was like a princess who never experienced hardships in her life. 

She yanked and cut, yanked, and cut. Alexy slaps her many times with all her might then pulls her on top of the table throwing all the things on the floor. Monique, whose beauty was nowhere to be seen, shouted while crying, but nobody came close. They were afraid and because they knew she was the real boss.

Monique was almost bald and her face looked like a swollen pig. There was also blood on some parts of her scalp, but it was not finished yet. She continued and cut her dress. Monique tried to resist but failed. Alexy was like one of those Amazonian warriors so what can she do? She pierced everything until her body was naked for all to see. She didn't try to cover her body, because she already lost all her strength from resisting. After that, Alexandria went out of the building, walking like a barefoot queen. Glanced at the building one more time and then she disappeared into the crowd.

Well, if you're wondering about her ex-fiancé, he's still stuck inside the elevator... Apparently, the door on the stairs was blocked, ‘ehem’ well, Alexandria was able to grab the ax from the emergency box. She entered the elevator and smacked the buttons then hurriedly got out. Then went to the stairs and used the ax to block the door. So he had no choice but to take the elevator. While it was going down, the power inside turned off....

Isabella reminisced and still remembers when her mom was narrating, it was funny she rolled on the floor. Alexandria used her whole body when she was telling the story like really reliving what had happened. She didn't accept the role of the second wife, but they recognized Bella as their granddaughter, so they took them in. She was 16 years old when it was revealed to her. Pity, who knew after that she would disappear...