Vivian’s POV
“I don’t understand what you are talking about,” I insisted.
I did not smell any form of alcohol on Syrus, and besides, he was hardly the drinking type, so I could not understand why he would show up at my door sounding weird and funny, and talking like someone who was drunk. After the divorce, I have hardly even been anywhere else aside the hospital.
“You like to play games of pretense, don’t you?” Syrus sounded bitter and very pissed.
“I honestly have no clue what you are on about, and frankly you are going to piss me off with such silly accusations!” I told Syrus. Yes, I swallowed and digested every ill treatment I got from both Syrus and his mother, not to mention his sister, Bonnie, but what I would not take was Syrus extending that rudeness and bullying to the place I call home.
“If you have nothing to say, please leave,” I ordered him. It was a good thing that he had decided not to step into the living room today. Right now, I just wanted him to leave me alone.
“If you are truly oblivious of what I am talking about, then why aren’t you looking at the paper?” Syrus asked with a smirk on his face.
I opened my mouth to defend myself, but nothing came out. Syrus was right; the paper he had shoved into my face was right in front of me, but somehow, I did not concern myself with it. All I wanted was for Syrus to disappear with his drama so that I could enjoy some peace and quiet, at least, before my world would come crashing down again.
After realizing that there was no escaping this, I snatched the paper from Syrus and glanced through. My eyes widened in utter shock.
“What the heck is this?” I raised my head and asked Syrus. “Who did this?”
Syrus looked at me as though I had gone bananas. The paper clearly had my name and signature on it, so asking such a question made me look really stupid.
“One thousand dollars?!” I gaped at Syrus. “This is ridiculous!”
“You must think I am a child whom you could put up an act for and I would buy it blindly, right? What damages are you asking me to pay for? It was you who requested for a divorce, right?” Syrus asked angrily.
“I have nothing to do with this, Syrus, you have to believe me,” I said still staring at the paper in my hands.
“Not only have you collected everything my family ever gained from you, but you have now chosen to rip me off financially as well? Fine, you win this one!” Syrus said and in the blink of an eye, he punched some numbers on his phone.
My phone beeped, and when I checked, Syrus had transferred the money to me.
“I already promised to support you financially with the babies, and I meant every word of that promise I made right here days ago, but you see this? Writing and demanding for money for emotional damages simply because you cannot stand to see me happy with Georgia is below the belt, even for you. Honestly, I am disappointed, Vivian,” Syrus said.
His words pierced into my heart, and I could literally feel myself bleeding out. One of the things I abhorred deeply was being accused of what I had no hand in.
“My mother was damn right about you,” Syrus said coldly and stalked off.
While the harsh words of Syrus hit me badly, I did not need to rack my head to know who was responsible for this stunt.
Belinda.
And as though she knew she was being thought of, she strolled in.
“Is it that jerk again? I think you need to get a restraining order against him, Vivian. He should not be strolling here as though you two are still together,” Belinda said as she followed me into the living room. She still hadn’t noticed that I was mad as hell.
“He really needs to stop showing up here, for real,” Belinda plopped herself casually on the sofa. “If he doesn’t, then I am certain that one of these days, Manny would treat him exactly the way he ought to be treated; unwelcome. You are too soft for him, and he takes full advantage of you,” Belinda rambled on.
It was not until she looked at me that she saw the anger in my face.
“Vivian, did he upset you?” Belinda was beside me like a mother hen in an instant.
Instead of answering that question, I gave Belinda the court paper. “Care to explain this to me?” I asked Belinda coldly.
She did not even have the decency to deny it or pretend to be clueless about it. “I had to!” she said defensively.
“You what?!” I asked as my voice went over the roof instantly.
“This was your pound of flesh,” Belinda said.
I could not believe what I was hearing. “So this was what you meant when you said you would take care of it? Jesus, Belinda, you freaking embarrassed me!” Tears brimmed in my eyes as I yelled at an unrepentant Belinda who did not understand how ashamed I had been in front of Syrus.
“How could you say that, Vivian?” Belinda sounded hurt, which only pissed me off even more. “This man treated you like crap, made you cut off from your family like they meant nothing, and right after the divorce, he begins an affair with that godforsaken rising star? It wasn’t fair, Vivian.” Belinda blew hot. “I genuinely hope he paid the money in full.”
“And it was none of your business!” I yelled without thinking about the impact of my words. I saw raw pain and hurt flash through Belinda’s eyes, but I was also extremely pissed off myself that her feelings were secondary to mine. “Just because you know my signature and how this whole thing works doesn’t mean that you would constitute nuisance with it,” I sternly berated Belinda.
“You are so ungrateful Vivian, and I know now that I should never have taken you seriously because we all know that you are only here because your life with Syrus did not work out,” Belinda said painfully and stormed out of my house.
The tears then flowed freely onto my cheeks.
Vivian’s POVI sat cuddled up on the couch like a lonely kitten. Aside the fight Belinda and I had when I turned my back on all of them and married Syrus, we hadn’t fought. Then, I hadn’t felt the impact of the fight, because things between Syrus and I were still very good, and I had him around me almost all the time, so there was barely time to dwell on the fact that my best friend and I were not on speaking terms.But now, the weight of it was gradually killing me.Ever since I divorced Syrus and came back home, Belinda had been by my side the entire time. Even when I felt she was doing too much, she remained consistent in her care and love. Belinda helped me find the job at my workplace, and she always stopped by to either check up on me, or drag me out for lunch.Gosh, it was only twenty-four hours and I already miss her this deeply.“Are you going to just sit here and sulk all day or actually go and talk things out with her,” Manny said as he sat close to me. He pulled me closer
Vivian’s POVI stood there, shocked to my bones, and frozen as ice. I literally could not believe what just happened. Well, maybe Manny was wrong for thinking that Belinda was not cold-hearted.In all honesty, I knew Belinda as a soft-hearted person, which was why when Manny said what he said, I just took the initiative and came here. Manny was wrong, and so was I. A bitter reality that I might have to get accustomed to now is that in my absence, a lot of things might have changed, including the attitude of people I once knew.My heart was shattered into a million pieces.Losing Syrus was one thing, but losing my best friend was another thing entirely. Belinda had been the closest female in my life, and just now that I needed her right beside me, I had gone and messed things up between us. I stood there like a log for a few more seconds before deciding to leave. My legs felt too heavy, and my heart bled, but standing there was not going to solve anything.So I turned around and manage
Vivian’s POVI don’t know why, but I allowed Belinda drag me all the way across town all in the name of shopping.“We really shouldn’t be doing this,” I told Belinda who took out her purse and began to apply some makeup on her face. “Gosh, Bel, in a taxi?” I said and laughed.Belinda would never cease to surprise me. She was always doing weird things, and when confronted about it, she would call it spontaneity. “A girl has to look pretty all the time,” Belinda said defensively.I watched her apply mascara on her eye lashes and shook my head in bewilderment. I also noticed that the driver was throwing us, Belinda especially, glances from time to time, but I said nothing. Belinda was never worried about how she was seen or perceived, and I stopped doing the worrying for her a long time ago.“You had your makeup done before we left your apartment, Belinda, and you spent an hour on it!” I said.“Yes, but that was some minutes ago. If I could retouch my makeup every passing second, trust
Georgia’s POVGeorgia tossed her purse on the couch; more like flung it as she and Bonnie entered the house.“Did you hear the things that unruly lowlife girl said to me?” Georgia was burning with rage.“She was so nasty,” Bonnie said.But Georgia could not shake the words off her system. For some reason, she was very upset that Bonnie could not even stand up for her and defend her just the way Vivian’s friend did for her. If Bonnie had been sharp witted just like her, then it would not have been a lost battle. Not only was Vivian shopping in the exact store that she shopped, she also had the nerve to set her up with her friend.“And we just stood there and did nothing,” Georgia said as she flopped on the chair. She did not want to specifically point all the accusing fingers towards Bonnie, because now that she was doing everything possible to get into this family, she should not be found pushing blames around.But at the same time, she refused to be a pushover like they did to Vivian
Vivian’s POVIt was a new week, and I was starting it off with a good spirit at work. I had decided before getting to work that I would be happy regardless. Belinda had forced me into picking out more clothes than I had anticipated to buy. Apparently, she wanted me to have more than enough clothes.“I really don’t care for myself, Vivian. You know I have more than enough clothes,” Belinda had said in her defense.“I know, but you should pick some for yourself, after all, you dragged me all the way out here,” I had countered her claim.“No, thank you. You know I want absolutely nothing to do with that jerk’s money,” Belinda had said.Her words sort of stung, but I let it slide. She knew I didn’t also want any of Syrus’s money especially now that we are no longer married, yet she forced his money into my bank account. Another thing that had stung was the way she had flippantly said it, without recalling that it had been this very issue that had almost caused a rift between us.Belinda
Vivian’s POVGeorgia’s announcement sent my nervous system reeling. I almost passed out when she said it, and I knew deep down that if Syrus wasn’t in on it, she wouldn’t be making such a public announcement.Hours later, when the TV had eventually come on, I had to listen to those exact words of Georgia all over again without being able to take my eyes away from the smile on her face, and the glint in her eyes. Somehow I felt that she was looking straight into my eyes and taunting me.I couldn’t stand it, so I excused myself and dashed off to the restroom. No one would suspect that it was the “fast rising star’s” announcement that had turned my mood upside down.When I got to the restroom, I cried my eyes out. Here I was thinking that I had gotten over Syrus completely, so whatever he did, or whoever he was with would not affect my emotions in anyway, but I had been totally wrong. What made it even more heart-wrenching was the fact that it was the same Georgia who had been responsibl
Vivian’s POV My stomach churned in annoyance. I had hoped that Syrus would fail, so that I would have an excuse not to get him involved, but it seems that he took the whole thing more seriously than I anticipated.“Welcome, Syrus,” Doctor Pedro greeted Syrus with a grin.I gritted my teeth to prevent me from screaming in anger. It was just painful to see that everyone else adored and liked Syrus without knowing how hurtful he could be. Syrus wore one of his suits that suited him well like it was made personally for him. The first time I saw Syrus in that pair of suit, it was as though he had fallen off from a magazine. I took my eyes away to avoid looking at him, or even catching me staring.“Why would I not make it?” Syrus deliberately turned to me with a quizzical gaze.“Well, you are almost late,” I said defensively.“Almost, but not late. According to my wristwatch,” Syrus said glancing at his expensive watch, “I am right on time,” Syrus said, his voice reeking of arrogance and pr
Vivian’s POV The moment I got out of the hospital, I walked so fast that even if Syrus intended to catch up with me, it would not be easy for him. I ensured that I came out first and fortunately, found a cab waiting. The last thing I wanted was Syrus following me out of the hospital and blaming me for ruining our first appointment.I knew that it was my fault, but I would rather swallow a frog than admit that it was my fault.I described Belinda’s address to the cab driver and he sped off immediately. Instinctively, I turned to check if Syrus had attempted to catch up with me to explain things, or even ask me how I was faring, but I caught sight of him leisurely walking out of the hospital and walking straight to his parked car without even looking around.More than I would like to admit, it hurt me deeply that Syrus was being so nonchalant about my feelings and emotions. By tomorrow, I would have to see him in that office again, and there was nothing I could do about it. I placed my
Georgia’s POVThe shock on everyone’s faces gave Georgia more joy than she ever anticipated.“What…what are you talking about?” Syrus stuttered, utterly stunned.All Syrus’s pomposity and pride deflated, and it was evident in his voice. Georgia absolutely liked that, because it also gave her the chance to walk through all of them into the living room. While they looked at her in shock, she glanced around the living room. Georgia could not deny that it was cozy and luxurious.“So this is the place Syrus got for Vivian,” Georgia said to herself spitefully. Hatred, anger, and bitterness towards Vivian bubbled to the surface, and Georgia had to force herself not to scream. Every time she tried to make Vivian pay, things ended up being in her favor. Syrus had not spent a dime on Georgia ever since she met him; well, aside the first time when they had that wild and abrupt affair, and she only money she got from Syrus was giving her money when he wanted to leave the hotel, which Georgia had
Syrus’s POVSyrus and Davis arrived at the apartment he rented for her. The apartment was not just empty, but it was locked, so Syrus and Davis had to stand outside, which Syrus felt extremely embarrassed as he kept muttering under his breath. Davis kept checking his wristwatch and stomping his foot, waiting impatiently.“Did you call her to ensure that she was home?” Davis asked Syrus, trying not to sound as impatient as he was actually feeling.Syrus threw Davis a warning look. “I am just asking, Mr. Vale, because I do have a court case in less than two hours that I actually need to prepare for,” Davis said.He knew that he was standing on thin ice with Syrus, and his best job was actually on the line, so he needed to act accordingly, but at the same time, he had a very important court case to attend to. When he had taken the contract to Syrus, he had expected that Syrus would just collect the contract, take it to Vivian, have her sign it and bring it back to him, but instead, Syr
Vivian’s POVI continued to ponder about where I had seen his face, because there was no doubt that I knew him. More so, I realized that he also knew me, because while he spoke before disappearing, he gave me a cold look. When he spoke, his eyes were on me, and there was a silent message I think he passed across, but I did not quite catch before he was gone. “Where do I know him from?” I pondered deep inside, knowing that I had seen his face, at least twice or three times before, but the memory was just a bit foggy.“Are you ready to go?” Manny’s voice cut through my reverie.I jumped a little and turned towards him. He had already put Ted in the front seat, and they were ready to leave. I didn’t even know that Manny and Ted had gotten into the car; after the man talked and left, I just got lost in thought.“Yes, yes, I am,” I said.Then I opened the back door and slipped into the car as Manny drove out of the premises. I expected that now that Ted was back and alive, the air would
Vivian’s POVManny and I turned abruptly, scared and agitated. For a moment, I thought we were being ambushed, The rustling stopped, and everywhere was still and quiet again.“What the heck was that?” I asked Manny, panting rapidly as though I had run a marathon, and so was Manny.It dawned on me that Manny wasn’t as strong and brave as he had always shown himself to be, and it made me recall that just before we left the house, Manny had been insistent on me not coming. Well, he might not feel that way, but I am very grateful that I stubbornly came with him, because the fact that we were going through this together just made it a little less scarier, otherwise, maybe I would have passed out or peed in my pants.“How would I know? Weren’t we both standing here?” Manny asked harshly.I understood that he was tense and agitated, so I decided to not let the tone of his voice get to me.Then we both fell into silence, our eyes darting about, and seeking, looking, searching. The clock was
Vivian’s POV“I don’t think you should come along,” Manny told me as he got dressed to go to the location the man on the phone had texted to him.We had had to wait for about an hour or two to receive the text, and we were both scared to our bones. There were thoughts running through our minds that we couldn’t exactly voice out. They might have already killed Ted, because since they took Ted, Manny attested that they hadn’t been able to speak with him, and now, they were waiting blindly for a location. The thought that Ted might already be dead shook me to my very core, and just like Manny, I shivered visibly. There was no need for either of us to pretend about how we felt. Anyway, when the text finally came, Manny immediately took dad back to his bedroom and laid him to sleep, so that he would not have to worry about anything. Somehow, Manny and I had been able to keep details of what was going on away from dad, as we both stayed at the dining table the entire time while he rested i
Georgia’s POVGeorgia spent a couple of seconds trying to calm Bonnie down. As she held Bonnie together, she could feel the young girl literally shaking with fright. “Let me see what he has been sending to you,” Georgia said as she untangled herself from Bonnie.Georgia went through Bonnie’s phone and appeared shocked, as though she wasn’t the one who sent the pictures and threat messages attached with the pictures.“Oh my goodness! Bonnie, how on earth did he get your cell number?” Georgia asked, pretending to be utterly stunned.Bonnie sniffed, trying to comport herself. “He asked me for my contact…actually, I willingly gave him mine…I can’t exactly remember if he was him who asked first or if it was me who just gave me…everything about that moment is blurry to me right now,” Bonnie said hysterically.She was beginning to sound like someone who was having a mental breakdown, but whatever the case may be, it was certainly playing in Georgia’s favor. Not only had she been able to sto
Georgia’s POV“Take me to the most expensive hotels in the city,” Georgia instructed her driver when her plane landed at the airport. She had just touched down from her tours, and Georgia could hardly believe that anyone could have that much fun.“So this is what those big stars enjoy, and more?” Georgia thought to herself.Well, shame on her mother for ever thinking that she, Georgia, would be as poor and rickety, or as a failure as she was. Georgia could not wait to see her mother so that she could gloat to her face. This was just the beginning of her career, and she would get to the top.“And no one would ever be able to stop me,” Georgia vowed to herself.She would crush anyone that ever got into my way to getting what she wanted, regardless of who they were. One of the reasons Georgia had to even get back was to put Belinda in place. It was she who enlisted Brenda in the first place to try to sabotage her. “Anyway, by the time I am done with both of them, they would know never
Vivian’s POV“Are you going to let me in now?” I asked Manny, and without wasting any more time, Manny stepped aside, and I entered the living room.“What is she doing here?” Dad’s weak, but angry voice stopped me right on my tracks.His sight made my heart break.The last time I was here, I only watched him sleeping, but now that he was seated in the living room, he looked more frail than I even thought, and it broke my heart to realize that it was because of me that he was in this situation. It was because of me everything changed completely in my family.“I am here to correct the mistakes I made, Dad,” said.He could barely look at me, and Manny went over to him and gave him some water. I wanted desperately to also go over to him and hold his hand, but I knew that that was the last thing he would want. “Where is Ted?” Dad asked after managing to suck in a few sips of water.His voice still sounded croaky and cracked, and it was obvious that he was in severe pains, but aside from
Vivian’s POVAfter Syrus sent the money to me, every other thing he said that made me feel entrapped just disappeared. Without wasting time, I got dressed and proceeded to go over to the house.Manny opened the door, his expression hard and firm.“Are you going to let me in?” I asked Marcus, looking at him.This exact moment reminded me of years ago, about the first time that I had sneaked out of home on a weekend trip out of town with Syrus. Also Belinda hadn’t supported it; she never did when it came to Syrus, but as sworn best friends for life, she grudgingly accepted to cover for me. I had the most blissful time, but when I returned to Belinda’s house first to gather my things, she had a look of dread on her face.“What is it, Bel?” I had asked Belinda, my heart beating, because I knew that that expression meant that something had gone wrong.“Your family knows that you weren’t here the entire weekend,” Belinda broke the news to me sadly.The first instinct that came to me was the