Nico entered the police station with firm steps. In his hand, he held the divorce papers he had just picked up from the registry office. All decisions had been made. All decisions about him and Ruby must come to an end. He stared at the door to the room that led to Ruby's cell, holding his breath for a moment before knocking."Come in," came the voice from inside.Nico opened the door and entered, greeted by the piercing gaze of Ruby sitting on the narrow cell chair. Ruby's eyes conveyed annoyance and hatred, while she was still wearing her prisoner's clothes. She seemed to be prepared for this encounter, but nothing could have prepared her for the words that would come out of Nico's mouth.Nico stepped in and placed the divorce papers on the table in front of Ruby. "Ruby, these are our divorce papers. Sign it, so that everything is finalized."Ruby looked at the letter, then looked at Nico with an angry gaze. "You think I'll just sign it, Nico?" Ruby snorted. "No, I'm not just going
Nicolas sat in the office of his appointed lawyer, his eyes fixed on the middle-aged man before him. The files on the table were neatly organized, but Nico knew that the process he was about to undergo would not be easy. "So, you want my client Ruby to be released?" the lawyer asked, his voice calm but inquisitive. Nico nodded firmly. "Yes, I want to mount a defense. No matter how difficult the process is, I want her to be free as soon as possible." The lawyer looked at Nico with a thoughtful gaze. "Mr. Nicolas, this case is quite complicated. Given the evidence and witnesses, the chances are not great. But if you are willing to pay the fees and involve me fully, I will do my best." "There is no problem with fees. Do whatever needs to be done," Nico replied without hesitation. The lawyer gave a small nod, then began to explain the strategy he would use. The process would take a few weeks, but Nico didn't care. As long as Ruby was willing to sign the divorce papers, he was wi
A month laterCeline sat in her elegant office, looking at the documents neatly arranged on the desk. A faint smile was etched on her face. Devano, the man she trusted to take over William's company, stood in front of her, handing her the latest report. "Everything is going according to plan, Celine. William's company is now fully under your control," Devano said as he looked at Celine with a satisfied look. Celine leaned her back on the chair and nodded slowly. "You did a great job, Devano. I'm satisfied with the result." "Thank you. If there's nothing else to discuss, I'll go back to the team," Devano said, signaling to say goodbye. Celine nodded again. "Okay. Make sure all the legal documents are taken care of perfectly. I don't want any loopholes." After Devano left, Celine looked at the large window behind him. Her gaze was cold, yet there was a sense of relief flowing through her. Now, she had full control over William's company-an accomplishment she had been chasing.
Nicolas' mansionNicolas walked into his mansion with heavy steps. His head felt full, like a boulder was pressing down on his mind. Every corner of the house now only reminded him of something that would soon be gone. In the living room, Mrs. Maria was sitting while knitting, her face immediately turning worried at the sight of her son's expression. "Nico, what's wrong? You look like a mess," she asked, placing her knitting tools on the table. Nico didn't answer right away. He took off his tie rudely, threw it on the sofa, and sat down with a slumped body. His eyes stared blankly at the floor before he finally spoke. "Mom, we need to vacate the house immediately." Maria's mother was silent for a moment, trying to digest the words. "What do you mean, Nico? Why should we vacate the mansion? It's your home." Nico took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "It's all over, ma'am. This mansion... my company... everything. It's not mine anymore." Maria looked at Nico with con
The sun was scorching overhead, but the atmosphere in front of Nico's mansion was much cooler. A luxury car pulled into the courtyard, and Celine got out with steady steps. Several of her men followed behind, their faces flat, emotionless. At the entrance of the mansion, Nico and Mrs. Maria were already standing, waiting for the arrival of these uninvited guests. Mrs. Maria looked worried, while Nico just stood there with a blank stare. "So, you're still here," Celine said sharply, folding her arms across her chest. "I've given you three days. Don't you know what an ultimatum is?" Mrs. Maria stepped forward, trying to speak. "Celine, please listen to me. This mansion is our family home. Can't you give us more time?" Celine looked at Mrs. Maria with a look full of indifference. "Mrs. Maria, I've been kind enough to give you three days. Don't force me to be more strict." "Mom, already," Nico cut in softly. He looked at Celine with a cold face, but without any intention of figh
Nico and Mrs. Maria now lived in a small apartment that was far from the luxury of their previous mansion. Mrs. Maria sat at the dining table, staring blankly out the window. "You can't live like this forever, Nico," she said finally. "You have to rise up. Not just for yourself, but for Calvin." Nico sat in front of her, his face looking tired. "I'm trying, Mom. But every step I take feels like a dead end." Mrs. Maria grasped her son's hand. "You're not alone. I'm here to help you. And I'm sure, one day, Celine will realize her mistake." Nico smiled a little, though his heart was still filled with doubts. "I just hope Calvin won't hate me." "He won't hate you," Mrs. Maria replied firmly. "He knows who his father is. You just need to prove that you can still be a strong man." Nico nodded, though in his heart he knew the struggle would not be easy. He stared at the suitcases still piled up in the corner of the room, realizing that his old life was truly gone. But one thing th
A month had passed, That night, Nicolas sat in the living room of his small apartment. Job application papers littered the table, and his cell phone wouldn't stop vibrating with messages from loan sharks collecting debts. He massaged his temples, frustrated with the way things were going. His parents, Maria, Nicolas's mother, sat not far from him. The woman's face is full of anxiety as she watches her once-successful son fall into a directionless slump. "I've tried talking to some friends to help you find a job, but everyone says Celine is blocking your chances, son," Maria said in a low voice. Nicolas looked up with a tired look. "She has every right, Mom. I did ruin her life. Maybe this is karma for me." "Don't talk like that, Nico. You did that because you wanted to protect her. She needs to know the truth!" Maria insisted. Nicolas shook his head weakly. "Celine won't care, Mom. Even if she knew, I would still have nothing to offer her. She has chosen her path, and I mus
On a quiet night, the atmosphere at Celine's mansion suddenly turned chaotic. Calvin, who had just overheard the servants talking about his mother's marriage to Gabriel Valerio, threw his toy on the floor with a bang. His little face reddened, his tears began to flow. "No! I don't want Mommy to marry Uncle Gabriel!" Calvin shouted hysterically, making the servants startle and stop working. Celine, who heard the commotion from the living room, immediately went into Calvin's room. Seeing her crying son, she approached cautiously, trying to calm the boy down. "Calvin, honey, what's wrong? Why are you screaming like this?" asked Celine softly, kneeling in front of him. Calvin looked up at his mother with eyes filled with anger and sadness. "I don't want Mommy to marry Uncle Gabriel! I want Mommy to remarry Daddy!" Celine was silent, feeling like she had been slapped by her son's words. She took a deep breath, trying to explain. "Calvin, Mommy knows you love Daddy, but Mommy and
That morning at the hospitalNico stood at the door of the hospital room with a face full of doubt. His suitcase was already in the car, the plane ticket was in his hand. It was only a matter of time before he left to leave everything behind, including Celine and Calvin. But there was something he had to do first. He knocked lightly on the door, then opened it. Inside, Calvin was drawing at a small table, while Celine sat leaning back on the bed, her face looking more refreshed although her gaze was still cold. "Can I come in?" Nico asked softly, his voice almost a whisper. Celine didn't answer, just gave him a glance before looking away again. Calvin, on the other hand, immediately smiled widely. "Daddy!" he exclaimed happily as he jumped up from his chair and ran towards Nico. Nico lifted the boy into his arms, kissing his forehead gently. "Hi, Calvin. Did you eat breakfast?" "I did, Daddy," Calvin replied excitedly. "But why has Daddy been absent for so long? I miss you!"
The sunlight coming through the window curtains slowly woke Celine's consciousness. Her eyelids moved slowly before finally opening. Her vision blurred for a moment, but then caught the shadow of Nico sitting beside her bed. "Celine?" Nico called out softly, noticing the change on her face. "You're awake?" Celine blinked a few times, adjusting her gaze. The first look she gave Nico was neither grateful nor relieved, but cold and full of tension. "What are you doing here?" her voice was hoarse, almost a whisper. Nico was silent for a moment, trying to swallow the pain that came with the question. "I... I just wanted to make sure you were okay." Before Nico could continue, Calvin's small voice broke the silence. "Mommy! Mommy's awake!" Calvin ran over to the bed, hugging his mother's arm tightly. His face was beaming with happiness. "Mommy, I really miss you! Daddy and I wait for Mommy to wake up every day." Celine looked at Calvin and smiled slightly. However, the smile f
Two days later, in the ICU roomNicolas sat on a plastic chair. His eyes were fixed on Celine's drooping hands by her bedside. Next to her, Calvin drew something in his little book, occasionally looking up at his mother with a hopeful face. "Daddy," Calvin broke the silence, pointing at the drawing he had just finished. "This is me, Mommy, and you. We're playing in the park." Nicolas smiled a little, though his heart was heavy. "Nice drawing, Calvin. Mommy will like it when she sees it." "But when will Mommy wake up?" Calvin asked, his voice hoarse as if he was holding back tears. Nicolas didn't answer right away. He grasped Calvin's small hand, trying to provide a sense of security. "We have to be patient, son. Mommy is struggling to wake up. You know, Mommy is a strong woman." Suddenly, the fingers of Celine's hand that Nicolas was holding moved. At first glance, he thought it was just his imagination, but the movement happened again, this time more clearly. "Calvin! Loo
Nicolas stood in front of a large board full of photos, notes, and maps. Next to him, Devano was busy talking to a detective. "Gabriel can't get away again," Nicolas said in a firm tone. "We have all the evidence we need. We just need to catch him." The detective nodded, indicating their plan. "We've deployed teams to the three locations we suspect. In the afternoon, Nicolas stood in front of the desk, his face tense. In his hand was the latest report on Gabriel's escape to the Philippines. Across from him, Devano looked equally agitated, pacing the room with his cell phone in hand. "So that's it? We let him escape?" Nicolas' voice was full of pressure. "We did our best," Devano replied, trying to calm him down, though he was also disappointed inside. "The police here are limited. Gabriel must have planned everything. He has connections, Nicolas." "But I can't accept this! Celine is still in a coma, Calvin cries every night for his mother, and that bastard is enjoying his
Devano sat in front of his laptop in the corner of the waiting room. His face was serious, his fingers dancing over the keyboard. He had collected some evidence, but not enough to ensure Gabriel could be arrested. On the other side, Nicolas stood up while watching Calvin who was drawing in his little book. "Devano, do we have enough evidence?" asked Nicolas, his tone anxious yet hopeful. Devano sighed, staring at the laptop screen with a tired look. "Not yet. Gabriel is cunning. Even though I have recordings of his conversations with his henchmen, it's still not strong enough in court." Nicolas clenched his fists, frustrated. "So, what else do we need? That man almost killed Celine. He can't get away with it." "I'm trying to trace the flow of money he used to rent that car. If we can prove that the transaction came from his account, then we have a stronger case," Devano explained. Nicolas nodded, though his mind was not at ease. "Hurry up. I don't want him to have a chance t
The afternoon sky was dark when Celine came out of her office. Her heart was still heavy after canceling her wedding to Gabriel. She walked towards her car parked on the side of the road, unaware that a black car was slowly approaching from behind. Nicolas, who happened to be passing by, saw the figure. He felt there was something strange about the black car. Its speed increased slowly, and it was heading straight towards Celine. "Celine! Be careful!" shouted Nicolas, running with all his might. Celine turned her head with a confused look, but it was too late. The car was speeding away, just a few meters away from her body. In an instant, Nicolas pushed Celine to the side of the sidewalk, his own body bouncing onto the road. Celine screamed, her body falling to the edge of the sidewalk. Her head hit hard, and her vision began to blur. The black car sped off without stopping. At the hospitalThe hospital room was silent except for the sound of the monitor that kept beeping,
In a Luxury RestaurantGabriel, the man who would become Celine's husband tomorrow, sat at a corner table with a young woman in a red dress. They were chuckling, talking in low voices, as if they were hiding something. Nicolas, who was delivering documents for an odd job in the same building, accidentally saw Gabriel from a distance. At first, Nicolas only intended to ignore, but when he saw Gabriel touching the woman's hand intimately, he felt something was wrong. Nicolas decided to come closer, hiding behind a large curtain. "Honey, are you sure she's not suspicious?" the woman asked, her voice soft but full of sarcasm. Gabriel chuckled. "Celine is too busy taking care of the kids and the family business. Besides, she trusts me. The important thing is that I marry her tomorrow, and everything will be fine after that." The woman squinted. "Smooth how do you mean?" Gabriel leaned in, speaking more softly. However, Nicolas could still hear clearly. "Once I have full access to
At Celine's MansionCalvin's cries echoed throughout the mansion. The boy rolled on the living room floor, beating the carpet with his hands while crying loudly. His face reddened, the tears continued to flow non-stop. "I want Daddy! Take me to Daddy!" cried Calvin, his voice hoarse from crying so much. Celine stood by the stairs, clutching her throbbing temples. Her eyes looked tired, her hair a little messy. She looked at her son with a mixture of anger, frustration, and... helplessness. "Calvin, Mommy told you. Daddy is not someone you can trust. He can't give you a good life!" Celine tried to calm herself down, though her tone remained firm. However, Calvin's crying grew louder. The boy looked at his mother with eyes full of anger and hurt. "Daddy loves me! Daddy never yells at me like Mommy!" The words were like a hard slap to Celine. Her breath caught. She tried to approach Calvin, kneeling before him carefully. "Honey... listen to Mommy. Daddy's not a bad person, but
At Celine's Mansion, moments after Devano left without CalvinCeline stood in the center of the large living room, her eyes burning with anger. Devano had just entered the house with a worried expression, and Celine immediately approached, her arms folded across her chest. "Why didn't you bring Calvin?" asked Celine, her voice flat yet full of pressure. Devano looked uncomfortable, he looked down for a moment before answering. "Sorry, Celine. Calvin refused to go home. I tried to persuade him, but... he didn't want to come." "Doesn't want to come? Do you think I'm going to let that happen? You should have been more assertive!" snapped Celine, her tone getting higher. "Don't make excuses, Devano. I told you, no matter what, Calvin has to come home today!" Devano humbled himself, distressed by Celine's anger. "I... will go back to Mr. Nicolas' apartment." However, Celine was no longer patient. Wordlessly, she picked up the phone and called someone. After a few seconds, her voi