"Am I cursed? Are you kidding? That finger should be pointing at your own face!" Liz snapped.
It was a startling outburst, but Ed wasn't too surprised after remembering how Liz had also been brave enough to confront Mia in the warehouse where Pedro was held captive yesterday.
"You dare to fight me now?! This bitch finally reveals her true face!" Mia, of course, was immediately furious.
"Bitch? Funny. You're the one married to a rapist, which means you're the bitch! You're such a slut that you willingly accepted that disgusting man as your husband. You want love so badly, you don't care what kind of man he is!" Liz knew what had happened in detail because Esli had asked Ruby about the incident that put her in the hospital. But the barrage of insults was shocking. No one expected Liz to say such things.
The living room fell silent. Tita, Ed, and even Mia were stunned, staring at Liz.
"You... you..." Mia was red with anger but too shocked to respond.<
In the dim light, Ed gazed at Liz and slowly lay back down."Well, good night." Ed pulled Liz's body close and hugged her.He didn't close his eyes immediately, unable to wipe the odd feeling from his lips.The kiss shouldn't have been wrong or strange. It should have been normal, as usual, but for some reason, it didn't feel right to Ed. There was something different.A small difference. The way Liz breathed or moved her lips was different. After that, Ed usually understood what Liz wanted. Liz would hold her breath, or if she wanted more, her breathing would become more rapid.Liz was serene at this moment. Like an undisturbed surface of water."It was just a kiss," Ed thought as he closed his eyes.He was fussing over something unnecessary. Liz might just be tired, or maybe he was too tired, making a big deal out of something trivial.Ed decided to let go of the odd feeling. There is no need to overthink it; a kiss is just a
Esli chose to take Liz to a modern clinic instead of a large hospital, but by that time, Ed had already lost all concern and was completely unaware of the situation. His mind seemed to stop functioning when he saw the blood.Ed didn't even react—he was unable to comment when the doctor explained Liz's condition. He just stared as the doctor expressed condolences in a hoarse voice, mentioning that Liz's pregnancy couldn't be saved.He also didn't turn to look at Esli, who was grieving beside him, crying with her face in her hands."Where's Liz?" After the doctor finished, Ed was able to function slightly, and he waited to see if there were any other questions."Please, go ahead. We've moved her to the ward." The doctor indicated the room where Liz was."You go first. I'll follow later; I can't bear it yet." Esli shook her head, turning away. Ed would have entered without any prompting.And as soon as the door closed, Esli smiled with sa
"Where are you going?" As he saw Liz leaving the house wearing a long coat and high heels, Ed asked. Ed had just come home, and they met at the front door.Liz glanced, her eyes already adorned with glitter. "None of your business!"Liz retorted harshly, then turned away, but Ed grabbed her hand."Liz, stop this! Haven't you punished me enough? It's been almost six months. Come back to me." Ed pulled Liz's hand away, trying to hold her close.Ed restrained himself, letting Liz do whatever she wanted. He never forbade her. The only thing Ed did was have his men keep an eye on her to make sure nothing bad happened.Ed could be patient, but six months should be enough. He wanted, at least, for Liz to stay and talk to him.But Liz was completely untouched; she pushed Ed away, rejecting his comforting gesture with anger."Enough? Even now, you're still trying to stop me. Will you only be satisfied if I fall down again?! Do you want m
Ed wiped away the dust that covered Javier's name. The rainy season made the tombstone look dirty, especially since Javier's was black.“I’ll arrange for it to be cleaned,” said Otiz. He had been standing behind Ed all this time, and now he handed over the bouquet of flowers he was carrying. His hands were full. He also had an umbrella for Ed, because it was indeed cloudy that day.Ed placed the predominantly yellow bouquet on the grave. Javier never mentioned what kind of flowers he liked, but Ed brought yellow ones, a bright and cheerful color. Because that was what Javier was. Bright and happy.Ed then wiped Javier's name again, but not because of the dirt. He was just trying to find something to touch. Something that wasn’t a shadow that could disappear.“It’s hard... not fun without you,” Ed muttered. He didn’t want to complain. Usually, he never talks about heavy stuff when visiting Javier, but today w
"AJ! Don't read while eating! You'll be late!"Ruby scolded him a second time because her only son had not yet finished his breakfast, even though it was just bread with peanut butter.AJ, who had sneaked one of his books onto the table, slowly set it aside. He didn't argue and immediately started chewing the rest of his breakfast."I am aware of your ability to read and your love for it. That's not a terrible thing, but it shouldn't happen right before you leave for school. If you eat like a snail, we'll be late."Ruby, of course, felt awful after scolding him, and she gently comforted AJ while stroking his small, curly-haired head. She also gave him a kiss on the forehead, not wanting her son to pout all day.AJ was generally cheerful, but when he got upset, he would be very quiet. Ruby would panic because she had no one else to talk to at home until AJ felt better."Come on, hurry up." Ruby hurriedly locked the door, then zipped up the th
"I'm getting married today." Ruby muttered to herself, while pinching her thigh hidden beneath the billowing skirt of her white wedding dress. Making sure she wasn't dreaming.She was indeed getting married today, even though just two days ago she didn't have a boyfriend."Remember, if you want your mother to receive care and that money, you must not withdraw or annul the agreement between us."Ruby, who had just held her breath—calming the nausea in her stomach—turned to look at the bald-headed old man who was currently holding her arm. The words were only whispers, but they were clear enough amidst the buzz of the guests in front of the altar."I have promised; I will not break it." Ruby whispered back, affirming that she would fulfill her part of the deal they had agreed upon.Ruby agreed to marry a stranger she had only seen in a photo in exchange for money. That was the essence of her role. Ruby was aware of all the risks, and she believed they were worth it."Remember it for the
"Stupid girl!"Ruby, who had just lost consciousness, opened her eyes after receiving an insult and a slap on her cheek.Ruby rubbed her sore cheek, and instantly her blurry vision cleared. She realized she was now lying on a large bed after her body went limp upon seeing her husband's hideous face."Do you want to get us all killed or what? You just needed to kiss him! You're a fool!" Esli, Liz's father, said so. He appeared furious, occasionally glancing toward the door, concerned that someone might overhear.Ruby was too shocked to respond to the insult from the father of a woman who should be in her position. She hadn't expected to receive such harsh anger. After all, it wasn't her intention to faint. Who would've thought that the man who became her spouse would look like a monster?"You screamed in his face and fainted? You just insulted him, fool! Why didn't you just throw shit in his face?!" Esli rubbed his face in panic.Ruby's fainting after seeing Eduardo Rosas' face could c
"Don't expect you can run or try to escape, because this face will always haunt you in your nightmares!" Ruby jerked as Eduardo pinned her against the wall behind her. Ruby bit her lip hard, closing her eyes tightly to hold back the sobs of fear. Unfortunately, no matter how hard Ruby tried to hold back, tears still managed to escape from her chocolate orbs. How could they not? The intense gaze of her lawful husband seemed to pierce her heart. "Wipe those tears away and do your duty as a wife properly! Don't let them think I'm mistreating you!" Eduardo barked, tossing a box of tissue toward Ruby. Esli picked up the tissue, pretending to help Ruby clean her face to appear good in front of Eduardo. Just as the man made sure Eduardo had left the room, Esli leaned in close to Ruby's ear and said, "If you still want to see your mother, make sure you do everything right."Ruby nodded, steeling herself. She had to endure for her mother. She didn't need to take to heart all the insults s