Chapter 75

I stared blankly at the ceiling as I pulled the blanket up to my chest. I have been hearing my phone ringing for almost thirty minutes repeatedly, but I don't feel like answering it.

I don't want to talk to him, I'm still hurt by the words he said to me.

I almost rolled over in bed but still couldn't fall asleep. Every time I close my eyes, the only thing I remember are those words that keep echoing in my brain.

"I am Jaxson Madrigal, everybody knows me as the heir of Ruegold and you are just an ordinary girl."

He is such a jerk for saying that.

I felt the heat in my eyes again and the heat rising in my cheeks as I remembered those words more.

"I am Jaxson Madrigal, everybody knows me as the heir of Ruegold and you are just an ordinary girl."

I thought he loved me...

My phone rang again and this time I decided to pick up my phone that I threw on the bed earlier to check the phone screen.

[Jaxson, Calling….]

I didn't answer his call and instead just stared at his name on the screen.

"Jaxson..." I mumbled. “Jaxson Madrigal…”

How different would our situation be if he wasn't Jaxson Madrigal and he was just an ordinary person like me?

I didn't remove the face of the cell phone even after the call had died. Jaxson's face was revealed to me lying on the bed and not looking at the camera. This was the night I took a picture of him in his bed in the bedroom of the mansion.

i miss him...

This is how love is. Even though you are already hurting because of that person, you still want to see them. You still miss the days that you two are spending together.

[Jaxson, Calling…]

When his name flashed on the screen again, I let out a heavy, deep breath.

[“OH THANK GOD! FUCK, CATTLEYA! I AM GOING CRAZY RIGHT HERE! WHERE ARE YOU RIGHT NOW!?”]

I listened to his enraged voice on the other line but I am not planning to say anything.

The moment I heard Jaxson's voice, my tears just streamed down my face. I miss him, I know I miss his voice.

[“HELLO? ARE YOU THERE? CATTLEYA!?”]

He continued to shout on the other line as I tried to stop my moaning voice from escaping my mouth.

[“A-Are you listening to me..?”]

The tone of his voice dropped and this time, he doesn't sound enraged, he sounds worried.

[“Cattleya… Please… Talk to me...”]

I closed my eyes as I listened to his voice. I have no intention of speaking and talking to him. But if he wants to say something, I am ready to listen.

***

Finn insisted on taking me home first because I had to rest. No matter how much I pleaded with him to let me stay in the hospital, he hardly refused. I was even dragged into the car by someone he called.

I don't want to return to this place full of horrible people just yet. I want to calm down and gather my thoughts before facing them.

I took a deep breath and sighed loudly.

I was under the expectation that everything would be simple.

When I decided to take on the Madrigal family, I assumed it would be a piece of cake. That all I would have to do was to expose their family's hidden stench and exploit it to bring them down and humiliate them in front of the public.

I had not anticipated such a terrible situation.

How did we get to this point...

I took a moment to admire Jaxson's magnificent mansion when I arrived at his front door.

Is this what I always hoped for? Is this the life I had imagined for myself? My ideal life is completely contrary to the one I am currently living now. How much longer will I have to struggle before I succeed? I've had a wide range of tough experiences, yet I can't seem to taste the nectar of success.

I thought, when you have all the money to spend, you will never have any troubles.

I always thought that wealth can give me the happiness that I been longing for.

Guess, I underestimated the value of life.

“Cattleya.”

I was astonished to hear Jaxson's voice as I stepped through the door. I quickened my pace and pretended that I wasn't hearing him.

I heard him pleading as he hurried towards my direction. “Cattleya, please… We need to talk.”

My arm was grasped by his hand.

“Talk about what, Mr. Madrigal?” I fiercely confronted him, gasping for breath

“Y-You turned off the call when you heard Maddison's voice earlier. I… I just want to clarify that-”

“Jaxson Madrigal you have nothing to clarify.” I uttered as I stare intently to his eyes, and didn’t let any emotion show in my voice. ”I turned off the call, because Blade need me.

I am done with you Jaxson. I don’t want to make a fool of myself anymore. I can no longer pretend to be perfectly happy and pleased to everything you do.

Every minute that I pretend to be thrilled with you, I felt like my heart was about to explode in puke.

I noticed a grin came out on his lips. “You're lying. know that you turned off the call because you got jealous when you heard Maddison called me-”

A loud slap from my palm interrupted his words. The sound roared forth, and suddenly it was replaced by deafening silence.

Jaxson was stunned for a minute before moving his jaws as he averted his gaze.

I felt the slow relaxation of his firm grip, letting go of my arm.

He softly plastered a smile on his face, causing my brows to crumple.

“I'll see you in the morning.”

He run his fingers on my hand before walking out of my face.

What was that?

Is he the one pretending now? Or just he really have a thick skin and the nerve to even smile to me.

“Cattleya.”

I turned to see the voice who had called me from my side.

“I'm tired, Richard.” I muttered as I turn around to go up stairs.

My body starts to feel numb because of weariness.

“Can we talk?”

I shut my eyes in irritation.

My step came to a halt as I let out a rough sigh before facing him.

“Is it really that important? I’m too exhausted… I’m drained, Richard. Please... Can't I at least get some rest?”

“Please Cattleya? Even just for a moment?” Both his brows lifted as he made a plea, causing my forehead to crease.

What is it that we need to talk about, and why can we just save it for tomorrow drama?

I just want to lie myself down on bed and shut my eyes tight to rest.

***

Richard came here to the pool holding two glasses of hot chocolate. He extended his arm to hand me one.

“So… What should we talk about?” I peek down to the hot choco as I remembered Trina making this to me.

The edge of my lips lifted to a smile. I really like this as a body warmer.

“I want to talk about Jaxson.”

Hearing his name made my eyes rolled up. “No, thank you. If we're just going to talk about him, then I rather go up and rest-” He snatch my hand to stop me.

“Please, just stay here and listen to me until you finished your hot choco.” he mumbled.

I watched his eyes begged before I decided to crouch down and hear him. Maybe, I can just quickly swallow this down.

“Alright.” Richard took a deep breath as he rubbed his hands on his thigh. “When Jaxson was a child, he had suffer such a terrible incident. When he failed to save the youngest daughter of Mr. Dawson… He was extremely miserable and slumped himself in his room. Every day, I heard him sobbing… screaming, and harming himself because of guilt. Hearing him everyday in pain, I couldn't stand it. I can't look at my brother slowly ripping himself. That's why… The day when Dad kicked me out of this house, because of my gender, I immediately flew to another country.”

“Wait— Richard, what is this for?”

I don’t get why he's telling me all of this. Does he expects me to sympathize with Jaxson by hearing his struggles? Because that will never happen.

I had suffer way more than him.

“Just listen.”

I simply motioned him with my and to keep going, with scowl on my brows..

“When I decided to flew to another country, I made a promise to Jaxson that I would return with a gift for him. A gift that will put an end to the scars in his heart. My only then was a simple gift to make him happy. But I'm fortunate to meet someone, and I am confident, that person will make him glad.” He glimpsed at me as he smiled heartily. “I met the person he failed to save.”

My heartbeat dropped along with my hands. “W-What do you mean..? You met… Amara?”

He started intently to my eyes as he bobbed his head. “I met her in New Jersey.”

“New Jersey!?” I exclaimed. “T-That’s my hometown!” A smirk grew on his lips. “Can you just continue what you're saying? I feel like I'm about to go insane here!”

“I flew to another country and accidentally came across the girl that my brother failed to save that night at the Villareal’s party. But she didn't know anything at all. Not even a speck. I was stunned when she seemed to have nothing to do with her real life. Her real life as the youngest daughter of the Dawsons.” Richard averted his gaze landing it to the pool, while I peered my eyes to him. “I am certain that she is that girl. It's not common for every girl to have the Richarde blonde hair as her. And those eyes that she has... are special. I immediately recognized her because there's no second did I see Jaxson let go of her photo.” He shifted back his gape to me. “I knew from the very first time, it is her. But I didn't rush to tell her— because it seemed like it wasn't time for her to know the truth.”

I am puzzled. “Why? What was your reason for not telling her everything? If you had only told her right away, then she might have been here with Finn and his father until today.”

I noticed that Richard’s grin turned bitter.

“I don't think so,” he blurted. “Her life in New Jersey wasn't at its best. It's chaotic, and I don't want her to leave her mother at such a young age— and one more thing, I was scared. I was scared that the moment I reveal everything to her, she would be flabbergasted.”

“Why?” I implored confused.

“—I noticed how weak her body is that she collapsed and clutch her chest at almost every time she's out of breath, upset, or alarmed.”

I'm just like her. When I was young I was often taken to the clinic to impose a nebulizer in my mouth just to catch my breath.

“So I changed to another plan of letting her know the truth, slowly. I introduced Denmark to her and made sure that she would love our country, her own home country, and so that one day she would want to come here by herself. And when that happens, I will make a way for her to fall into the hands of my brother, and her brother.”

“W-Wait… Richard…” I'm perplex. Why is he starting to become familiar to me?

I felt my chest gradually tightened.

“—And I was right, my plan worked. I brought my greatest gift to my brother. Because she’s here with us now.” Richard backed away a little from me and stared into my eyes with a wide smile on his lips. “Who would ever thought that the person Jaxson failed to save, is the one who's saving him right now.”

My mouth fell open as my tears streamed down on my cheeks.

I clutched my chest scarcely as I felt an abrupt grow of pain when a massive emotion brewing inside had exploded. I catch my breath as my tears keep flowing down as if something is stuck in my throat.

My lids are getting heavier again.

“Welcome home, Amara.”

Richard's last words that I heard before everything gets completely dark.