Chapter Three

Raine knew he should stop obsessing over a woman he couldn’t have but no matter how he tried… it wasn’t good enough and oh he had tried to forget about Meira but it was hard.

He could remember the first time he met her, it was at the company’s Christmas party and she’d accompanied Richard who was her boyfriend at the time and he could remember thinking that she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.

She was dressed in a simple long sleeved knee length gown which had obviously seen better days but he didn’t mind. She looked beautiful in it even though her boyfriend had not thought so and then when she was finally introduced to him and he had to shake her hand, he didn’t want to let go until she tugged at her hand looking all shy and innocent.

“Nice to meet you Meira.” He’d finally found his voice at last. Richard told me a lot about you.”

“Good things I hope.” She chuckled nervously.

“Definitely.” He’d smiled at her and she’d smiled back.

After that fateful day he never forgot about her and that was the last time he ever saw her until her wedding day where she’d asked him to walk her down the aisle because she had no one to do that for her so he did.

He let the first woman he’d ever fallen in love with to marry another man, watched her pledge her undying love to him and then a year later became the godfather of her children.  How pathetic was he?.

Nine years later and he was still in love with Meira Gilbert.

~~~~

“Sir… The private investigator has arrived.” His housekeeper Hanna informed him.

“Let him in.” He said.

A minute later the private investigator walked into his home office, closed the door behind him and walked over to the desk.

“Please sit.” Raine said. Got all the information I asked for?”.

“Yes sir. Even the country he relocated to.” The man said and passed him the envelope.

Raine broke the seal of the envelope and took out the contents. There were pictures and papers – proof that Richard had been cheating on Meira for years.

“There’s one more thing you should know sir.” The man spoke up.

“What is it?”.

“I found out that Mr Gilbert’s marriage to Miss Meira is fake.”

“What?”. Raine looked shocked. "What do you mean?”.

“The whole thing… was a sham. The pastor who got them married wasn’t a real pastor and the marriage certificate was forged.” The man said. "The woman in the picture with him is his legal wife… Mrs Angela Gilbert.”

Raine’s heart began to thump wildly as if it’d burst out of his chest and fall to the floor.

“You mean… Meira’s children are illegitimate?”.

“Yes sir.”

“Why would he… do something like that to her?”. Raine wondered.

“For revenge.” The man said. "Meira’s father duped his father and ran away with the money they were supposed to use to start their business leaving them penniless and in the process of looking for her father, his parents died and he became an orphan.”

Raine’s brows furrowed. “The house they live in belongs to Meira.”

“He has sold the house. The new owners will move in at the end of this week.”

“Motherfucker.” Raine rasped. "He’s leaving her with nothing.”

“An eye for an eye and all that.” The man shrugged. "He was also responsible for the death of her parents and sister.”

“It was a home invasion.” Raine said.

“All set up by him.”

“I better not get my hands on him.” Raine fumed. "I’ll make his life a living hell.”

“Then it’s best you don’t know where he is.” The man suggested.

“Fuck.” Raine muttered. "Meira will be shattered.”

“I think you should tell her before the new owners arrive.” He said. "So she’ll be prepared.”

Raine still couldn’t wrap his head around the fact that Richard could be so callous towards a sweet woman like Meira which made him wonder how she’d take the news.

“He stole from me. One million.” Raine muttered. "Was I also part of his great plan?”.

“Who the hell knows?”. The man said. "Crazy people do things without thinking of the feelings of the people they're hurting."

“Um… Thank you very much for everything.” Raine shook hands with him. 

“Anytime sir.” The man said and left.

Raine leaned back in his chair staring at the papers and pictures in front of him with a frown on his face.

He felt guilty for not noticing what was going on with Richard, for abandoning Meira and now she was going to pay for a crime she knew nothing about. She and her innocent children.

“I’m so sorry Meira.” He whispered. "I’m sorry.”

~~~~~

Meira was surprised to see Raine at her doorstep on Thursday evening a few hours after he dropped them off.

“What do you want?”. She asked.

“Can I come in?”.

“Why?”.

Raine took a deep breath. “ I’m ready to tell you everything I know.”

“I’m no longer interested.” She said snippily. "You should leave.”

“It’s important Meira. It concerns you and your children.” He insisted. 

Meira wanted to shut the door in his face but decided against it when she saw the look on his face, in his blue eyes. He looked… sad.

“Come in.” She moved aside to let him in.

“Thank you.” He stepped into the foyer and she closed the door. "Where are the twins?”.

“Upstairs.” She said in a monotone voice as she led him to the living room. "What can I get you?”.

“I’m fine.”

“Please sit.” She sat down.

Raine sat on the single chair and dropped the envelope on the center table drawing her attention to it.

“What’s that?”. She questioned warily.

“Richard’s truth.”

“Meaning?”. She raised a brow.

“You should see it for yourself.” He gestured to the envelope. "The kind of man he is.”

Meira reached out and picked up the envelope but didn’t open it.

“For all I know this might be your handiwork.” She accused.

“It is but I did it for you.” He answered. "It’s something… I should have done years ago.”

“You’re freaking me out.” She muttered as she opened the envelope and poured out the contents on her lap. She frowned when she saw the pictures of her husband and her best friend with her best friend’s kids looking cozy on a boat.

“What’s this?”. She demanded pushing the pictures off her lap to the floor.

“Like I said; Richard’s truth.” Raine answered. "Your best friend is Richard’s legal wife Meira. You were never married to him.”

“Excuse me?!”. She shot to her feet. Who are you to…”

“It’s the gospel truth Meira.” He cut her off. "Everything that happened years ago was planned by Richard.”

“Why?”.

“Revenge.”

“What?”.

“Sit down so you don’t faint after I tell you this.” He said.

Meira did as he said seeing as she was already feeling dizzy.

Raine calmly and slowly told her the whole story of how her father duped Richard’s dad, ran away with the money and was the cause of his parents death and how Richard in turn staged the home invasion that got her parents and sister killed then the sham marriage etc.

Meira stared at Raine without blinking or breathing for a while which made him panic and go over to her.

“Meira? Breathe. Come on.” He said.

“You’re lying to me.” Meira breathed. "Richard loves me.”

“I’m sorry Meira.” He cupped her face. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t believe you.” Meira stood up and began to pace. "I want you to leave.”

“Meira…”

“Please leave Raine.” She ordered. "Get out!”.

“Fine. One more thing… The new owners of this house are moving in tomorrow. You should start packing.”

“What are you talking about?”. Her face was pale now.

“Richard sold your house. Go check to see if you’ll find the papers.” He told her.

Meira glared at him then lifted a hand telling him to stay where he is then she stormed upstairs to her bedroom.

Thirty minutes later Meira returned empty handed looking devastated and lost. She slumped down on the bottom of the stairs and began to cry.

“He stole from me as well and now he’s out of the country.” Raine said. "I know where he is.”

“Please just go Raine.” Meira sobbed. "This is what you have always wanted right? Now you’ve got it.”

“What are you talking about?”.

“Surely you must have had suspicions about him right? That was why you did all this.” She gestured to the papers on the floor. "Do you hate me so much that you’d do this to me?”.

“You think this is my fault?!.” He was stunned.

“Of course!”. She yelled at him. "You kept him away from me and my children on purpose which was why he had enough time to…”

“Listen to yourself Meira! You’re not making any sense.” He snapped. "I have never asked Richard to travel with me on any business trip.”

“What?”.

“You heard me.” He said. "I always travel alone. If I hated you Meira, I won’t be here telling you this. I’d let you find out on your own what kind of a monster you married. Forgive me… The monster you thought you married.”

“Mommy? What’s going on?”. Gabi asked from the stairs.

Meira whirled around to look at her daughter and saw her brother behind her with a frown on his face.

“Were you yelling at my mom Mr Cruz?”. He demanded.

“No.” Raine said. "I have to go. Good night.” He turned and walked out.

Meira followed him outside and placed her hand on his forearm to stop him before he went out of the gate but she didn’t expect him to flinch and glare at her.

“Don’t touch me.” He growled. "I’m very sorry to be the bearer of bad news and I came here thinking I was helping a friend but I was wrong.”

“I’m sorry.” She apologized. "I shouldn’t have lashed out.” Fresh tears streamed down her cheeks.

Raine’s gaze softened and he sighed then pulled her close.

“Everything is going to be fine Meira. I’m here and I’ll take care of you.” He whispered as he stroked her hair.

Five minutes later she quieted and pulled back looking embarrassed when she realized that she’d soaked his shirt with her tears.

“I’m sorry.” She apologized. "For ruining your shirt.”

“It’s fine.” He said. "You should go in.”

“I don’t know what to do.” She sighed dejectedly. "Where will we go?”.

“You can stay at my house.” He offered.

“What? We couldn’t possibly inconvenience you.”

“The house is lonely anyway. It’d be good to have children in it.” He smiled.

“I don’t know how to tell them.” She sighed.

“Want me to stay?”.

“Er… I’ll be fine.” She shook her head. "They deserve to know the truth.”

“Call me if you need anything.”

“I don’t have your number.” She said.

“I’ll call you then.” He grinned then he cupped her face and kissed her forehead. "You’re not alone Meira, I promise.” He released her.

“Thank you.” She sent him a teary smile.

“Good night Meira.”

“Good night Raine. Drive safe.”

“Sure.” He nodded and left.

Meira locked the gate then turned to look at the house where she’d grown up with a lot of memories in it but unfortunately it was all over.

She went inside to break the news to her children and hoped they won’t be too heartbroken. Her own heart had shattered into a million pieces.