Samantha called the next morning. Even though I don't want to answer her call, I can't do anything because I wonder what else that woman can think of doing. Her mind is unreadable. "Sam?""Theron, I'm confused. I want to die, Theron," she cried. I looked up and stroked the nape of my neck gently. "Samantha, what's going on with you again? Are you taking your medicine?" I asked. She just cried. I didn't think Samantha had an anxiety disorder. I used to think that it was because of that tragedy that he had anxiety, but it turned out not to be the case. Behind our relationship before, being good friends, she hid from me the fact that her anxiety disorder started when she was just a teenager. We were always together before but I couldn't even once notice that she had symptoms of anxiety disorder. "Theron, I'm disgusted with myself. I feel useless. We lost our child because of both of us," she said. "I am disgusted with the world because it did not let me be a mother to the child tha
I am almost there. I can't wait to see Athara again. I never thought the day would come when I would find myself looking for her. Who is she to me? She's a total stranger to me. She was only at my house then so that someone could suffer as a payment for the sins of her parents to me. She is the replacement for the life of my lost child and a large amount of money they owed me that has not been paid. I didn't let her rest even just a couple of hours. There is no day and night that I do not hurt her. I also rape her when she doesn't want to have sex with me. I feel bad for her, realising that I am too cruel to do that. The actions I show Athara are not fair. I was so annoyed with her then. The money her family owed me should have been for my charities. My child would be a big one now if that tragedy hadn't happened that night. When I see her face my blood boils with anger. She reminds me of her bullshit parents. Now, when I stare everywhere, all I see is her. Even in the office, a
Richmond baid goodbye and told me to see me here after the next two days. I agreed with him. I roamed around and still haven't found where Athara is. I blew out air. I thought about what Richmond said. I was impressed with that boy. Even at such a young age, his opinion on things is so deep. He even had a great view of life. He is such an amazing kid.A child like him shouldn't think or say that. He should just play and enjoy his youth. I have a loose grip on the steering wheel now. I turned on the stereo but immediately turned it off because the song was too sad. I don't want to break down here.It's late. I'm leaning against my car right now with my arms folded. One of my hands was holding the canned beer. I'm tired of looking. I almost went all over Syracuse just to see my husband but I never saw him. I straightened up when I saw Richmond approaching me. He has taken a shower and changed his clothes. "Sir Idol, how are you? Have you seen your wife? I haven't started looking fo
I woke up early because my back hurt. I'm also not used to sleeping in a small bed. I stretched before I stood up. I took out my wallet and pulled out a few pages of money. I folded the blanket and put it on the pillow. After that I put the money I took from my wallet under the pillow. I hope the money I left at Richmond will be able to help him and his mother. I got out and immediately went to my car. I decided to roam around early and maybe I could see my wife walking on the street at this early hour. As I was driving I thought of calling my friend Keigan. "Yes? It's too early to call, Theron. What now? What do you want?""I almost circled Syracuse but I didn't find my wife here. Are you sure she's here?"My friend gasped. He doesn't want to wake up too early. He's always partying even when he's alone. Partying is his life so he is always up. When he's not partying, he's busy taking care of children at his charity. "Dude, look for it thoroughly.""Keigan, look, I've been to all
140 Westbrook Hills Dr. #34-5. I saw an advertising poster and that's the address I saw on it. I have never been to that apartment. Now, I am hoping to see Athara there because that's the last place I never search. I immediately drove to the location of the apartment. It took me a while to get there because I was hungry so I ate for a while. When I was in the apartment I immediately looked for the owner. An old man came out with a cane in his hand. I went to his way. "Good afternoon, sir. I just wanted to ask a question.""If you're asking if there's a vacant apartment here, I'll tell you yes. The woman who rented here just left. She's only been here for a few days but she left just before dawn," he told me. I have a hunch that Athara is the woman who rented here. I immediately took out my phone and looked for Athara's photo. When I saw her photo, I immediately put my phone in front of the old man. He fixed his eyeglasses and came closer to my phone screen. "Sir, is she the wom
I didn't feel like going out of the apartment that Athara had rented but I have to. I was carrying her clothes slung over my lower arm while her letter was in my left hand. I knocked on the door of the old man's room. After a while, the door opened and old man looked at me straight to the eyes. "Come in, sir," he invited me. I smiled a little and immediately entered. "Take a seat," he said. I nodded and sat down on the soft sofa. I looked around and noticed that the apartments had the same design. It's small but comfortable inside. I even tried to spy to find out if the old man was with someone inside his apartment. "I know you are wondering why my home is so peaceful, sir," he said. I cleared my throat before I spoke. "I'm sorry," I said. He placed on the small table the tray he brought with a pitcher with only juice and two transparent glasses. "You don't need to be sorry. We just buried my beloved wife three days ago, so I will am alone now. Our children are in another c
The morning came. I opened my eyes and just sighed after realizing that I am still above the sofa where I rested last night. I closed my eyes tightly again. I took a deep breath and immediately stretched after I opened my eyes. I sat properly. I bowed because my head hurt. My palms immediately supported my head. I gently massaged the side of my head. Nothing has changed yet. Instead of the pain going away, the pain got even more worse. I raised my gaze. I'm looking for something but I don't know what it is or who it is I'm looking for. "Athara, prepare me a soup," I said, closing my eyes and massaging the side of my head again. "Fuck, Athara, I said— Shit, Theron! Don't you know she's gone? Don't you know she's out of this house because of you? Fuck you, Theron! Fuck your shits! Fuck your dumb ass, Theron," I said to myself. I gasped. I slapped myself because I was annoyed with it. I forgot that she is no longer here. I forgot that she left me. She left me because of my own doin
A few months passed when I started to have my skilled men search for Athara. I am now sitting in my swivel chair in my office. I was constantly thinking about their search for Athara. I hope I don't hear bad news from my men. My men have been almost all over the Asian countries but they still haven't found my wife. The trepidation I felt became even more intense because my men left two countries to search over.The telephone rang on the table but I couldn't pick it up. I was nervous and I just looked at the phone dumbfounded. The telephone stopped ringing for a moment but within a minute it rang again. My hand was shaking and I reached for the phone and immediately brought it to my ear. "Hello," I said on the phone. "Good evening, boss. We're in Taiwan right now and my colleagues are currently circling every corner of the country," said Mark, who was the leader of the group I paid to find Athara in that country. I closed my eyes. This was not the news I wanted to hear from him.
Two years had come and gone since the untimely passing of my beloved husband, Theron. The pain of his absence still reverberated within me, but life went on, as it always does. I found solace in the comforting arms of our three children, Wisdom, Triumph, and Athro. Together, we stood strong, leaning on one another as we navigated the unpredictable journey of grief.In this time of sorrow, there was one constant source of support that held us all together: Mother Tanna. She had been my rock throughout this tumultuous period, offering her unwavering love and guidance when I needed it the most. Tanna had known Theron since we were young, and her bond with our family was unbreakable.On a sunny afternoon, as rays of golden light filtered through a canopy of trees, I found myself standing before Theron's grave. The marble headstone, etched with his name and the dates that bookended his life, stood as a somber reminder of our loss. I gently traced his name with my fingertips, a bittersweet
My heart was beating even faster than before. Earlier, the police with Theron were shooting against Herod's men. "Athara, are you still there?""Y-Yes, Theron. Are there more enemies?""Ugh...damn," Theron moaned weakly but surely in pain, making me stand up without thinking that an enemy might see me."Theron? What happened to you? Are you hurt?!" I asked him worriedly. "I-I am not," he said even though it was obvious that he was hurt. I held tightly to the end of the cement beds. Now I realize where I am. I was inside the morgue of this abandoned hospital. "Theron, do not lie! Are you hurt? Don't hide anything from me, Theron! What's happening to you?!""N-Nothing! Don't worry because I'm fine. The best thing you can do is to stay there and not come out!"I walked out of the morgue, my heart pounding in my chest. The sound of gunshots still echoed through the empty halls of the abandoned hospital, but my thoughts were solely focused on Theron. I knew deep down that he had been s
My right hand trembled as it swam inside my bag. I pulled my hand back when I caught the object I intended to pick up from it. It was my phone. I let out a sigh when my phone was in front of my face. "Love, we can not go ahead with the plan if you hesitate. We'll just find another way to catch Herodotus," Theron said to me as he grabbed my left hand that had fallen to the side of my body. I looked at him and smiled. "Theron, I don't hesitate. I just can't help but feel nervous and scared."He positioned himself behind me. He hugged me while his chin rested on my shoulder. "We can talk to Officer Lucas," he continued. I shook my head before facing him. I know that he was full of concern for me. The worries in his eyes were readable."I can't back down, Theron. It's here. We're here. If Herodotus doesn't put an end to his evil, I ... we will."He just smiled and pulled me closer to him. He gave me a tight hug. My nervousness and fear gradually disappeared because of my husband's hu
It was noticeable that my husband was not very energetic. I didn't talk to him and I didn't apologize after I slapped him. I'm tired of the setup of our life. It's tiring to hide. I think it's better to live like other people, that's why I've made up my mind to coordinate with the police to make Herodotus' greed over. I informed Mother Tanna of my plan. We are now sitting on a sofa. We are next to each other. My right hand was locked between her two palms. We stared at each other at this time. "Have you really made up your mind to do this thing, child?""Mother Tanna, I'm not backing down anymore. This is for my family. This is for all of us. I know it's scary but it's not right that we'll be afraid forever. I've always wanted all of this to end," I said. You can see the fear in Mother Tanna's eyes. He pressed holding my hand. "Child, how about your husband?"I pressed my lips together. I breathed deeply. "He's against my decision, mother. We haven't spoken for a few days after I
I kept staring at Lucas. I just saw his mouth open but what he was saying didn't sink into my mind. "What?"He adjusted his seat. "What I said is let's make your wife a bait. Athara is what he wanted to get from you, right? If he agrees to meet Athara, then surely that will be our chance to catch him completely."I stood up and immediately shook my head. His way of arresting Herodotus was wrong. My wife will be destroyed the way he wants. There's nonway I would let Athara be in that unsecured plan! "I'm sorry, Lucas. I won't bet my wife on this. What if my wife gets hurt? No way. I can't afford to lose Athara."Lucas gave me a blank look. I know he wants to go ahead with the plan. It was obvious to him that he wanted to convince me. "Look, Theron. Athara is the only way we can catch Herodotus. Security is tight at his house and I'm sure it will be difficult for us to get close to him because he is cunning.""I don't want Athara to be involved—""I will allow myself to be the bait
The sun was beginning its descent, casting a warm golden glow across the city streets. It had been a long day, and I was eager to head home and find solace in the sanctuary of my humble abode. I stepped out of the office building, briefcase in hand, ready to leave this chaotic world behind.As I made my way towards the parking lot, a familiar unease nestled in the pit of my stomach. Glancing in the side mirror of my car, I caught a glimpse of a sleek, black sedan parked a few meters away. A chill ran down my spine as I recognized the license plate – it was Herodotus' car.Herodotus. The name alone sent shivers down my spine and evoked memories of a painful past. He was a man filled with darkness, an insidious force who sought to claim what was rightfully mine. And now, it seemed that he was lurking in the shadows once again, like a wolf patiently stalking its prey.I knew I couldn't afford to be complacent. Herodotus was relentless, a force to be reckoned with. He wouldn't stop until
I glanced over at Athara as she fastened her seatbelt. The worry etched on her face was plain to see. Herodotus's relentless pursuit had reached a dangerous level, and it was imperative that we stay together, even on a simple trip to the store. With a deep breath, I mustered up the courage to voice my concerns."Athara," I began softly, "we need to stick together. I don't want to alarm you, but Herodotus is looking for you. He's become obsessed, and I fear he might try to take you away."Athara's eyes widened, and I could see fear creeping into her gaze. I reached out and placed a reassuring hand on her arm, hoping to convey some semblance of comfort."I will, Theron. Don't worry" she whispered, her voice trembling. "What does he want with me anymore? He got your company and the trust of the board."I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond. The truth was too complicated, too painful. Herodotus's motives remained shrouded in mystery, his obsession with Athara unfathomable."S
The water kissed my skin as I was under the shower. Tears were sprouting in the corner of my eyes and slowly forming transparent balls before they were rolling down my face. I knew that it would come to happen. I already accepted the fact that I couldn't please the board and they would wish me to leave my position, but I am not used to it. I remembered the moment that Mommy Thaira and Daddy Rondelle gave me the power to take care of the company. I poured my whole being into the company to improve it and achieve goals. I was the reason why the company was on top now. There are many things I want to happen and achieve as the CEO of the company, but I know they will never happen. I no longer have the right to decide what is good for the company because I am no longer in charge of it. I don't know why the board didn't want daddy to be the CEO again. What they really wanted was Herodotus. They chose Herodotus who was greedy and a traitor to lead the company. After I finished taking a
As the sun stretched its golden rays across the room, casting a warm glow over the embrace between Mommy Thaira, Daddy Rondelle, and our children, my heart swelled with a mixture of joy and apprehension. It had been days since their visit, and I had been eagerly awaiting this moment, longing to be in the presence of the ones who had showered me with love and affection. Little did I know that their visit would bring unsuspected turns, unraveling a tangled web of emotions.The laughter of our children echoed in the air as they clung tightly to their grandparents, their innocent faces filled with pure delight. "We miss you so much, kiddos!""We miss you too, granny and grappa!"It was a beautiful sight, one that filled my soul with immense gratitude that they had found such unconditional love in Mommy and Daddy. But beneath the joyous reunion, an underlying tension pulsed, making my heart race with anticipation.After the initial flurry of affectionate greetings, Mommy and Daddy asked f