Lola Ezperanza, known as Ms. ER, grew up alongside a determined man with clear ambitions for territorial expansion. Despite their shared history, Ms. ER understands that love and marriage are secondary to his goals. She bluntly tells Kara that her worth is tied to his ambitions, and if she doesn't fit into his plans, she will be discarded. Ms. ER stresses that even pregnancy won't shield Kara from his ruthless decisions, underscoring the harsh reality of their social hierarchy. As Ms. ER's words strike Kara deeply, she realizes that her hopes of keeping the child and staying with Marlo are in vain. Ms. ER's calculated emotional attack is designed to make Kara relinquish any illusions about a future with Marlo, demonstrating that sometimes emotional cruelty is more effective than physical harm.
View MoreDanielle’s POV
It was Christmas Eve, and I was home, alone.
The snowstorm raged outside, fierce winds whipping through the air and carrying snowflakes that blanketed the ground in white. It was freezing cold, despite the warm air that the air conditioner emitted. I shivered slightly, keeping my eyes glued on the screen before me.
"On the road leading to the Newton network, a major accident has just occurred." My eyes fluttered slightly the moment I heard those words from the newscaster. My husband was somewhere around there.
"One person whose identity is yet to be known died in the unfortunate event, while two others were severely injured." I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as I peered keenly at the screen hoping to catch a glimpse of the car of whoever was involved.
Even though the accident happened right outside his office, I prayed that Jayden wasn't one of the victims.
"I mean… He's Jayden. If anything happened, the news would say so." I calmed myself down with that thought, relaxing on the sofa and shutting my eyes.
Being alone in Jayden's huge mansion felt like hell. Even on Christmas Eve, I ate dinner alone. If you ask me if I like this mansion, I’d say of course I do, but I would like it more if my husband was sitting beside me. If not him, at least someone else.
His father and sister weren't going to arrive until tomorrow. And despite how much I pleaded, no member of my family was willing to come over for Christmas because they never said yes to our marriage.
Damn! It’s so hard to distract my attention.
I quickly grabbed my phone to text Jayden. "Hey, are you okay? Just saw the news about the accident and I'm getting worried. Please respond ASAP."
I sat on the edge of my seat, my fingers tapping nervously against the armrest. The minutes ticked by with no reply. I mindlessly scrolled through I*******m, hoping to calm my frayed nerves. A short while later, I checked again, hoping that Jayden might have responded but there was nothing.
"The snowstorm has worsened and there are likely to be more accidents that have occurred or will occur. Please stay inside your house where it's safer. At least for now." The lady on the news was making me so nervous, my palms grew sweaty. I managed to reach out for the remote and quickly turned the news off.
"Daddy will be home soon," I was speaking to my unborn baby. "He's fine. Maybe he's stuck at work. Maybe he's having issues with Fred. But I'm sure he's fine."
“That snow is so freakin’ crazy!”I heard a voice and footsteps in the living room. Relief washed over me.
Finally, he was home.
I quickly stood from the sofa and walked towards him with one of my hands on my belly.
Smiling, I retrieved his bag and clothes. "How was your day?"
He was unbuttoning his suit, not even looking at me, "Danielle, I'm starving."
"Right away," I retorted, hurrying to the kitchen.
Minutes later, I sat opposite him on a dining seat. Watching him eat the meal with a grim expression on his face.
“Why does this taste so..." He took a moment to choose his words, "So shitty. Did you make this?”
“The cook prepared it before leaving for vacation,” I explained. “I just reheated the turkey. I couldn’t do much… with the pregnancy.”
Jayden looked up at me slowly. It was the first time he was looking at me since he walked in half an hour ago. I could see the coldness in his eyes. "I work fifteen hours a day, Danielle. Yet you can't fix a proper meal.”
He stood from the chair, barely touching his meal. “You’re not a good wife,” he said, his cold eyes meeting mine. “You never were. You played your tricks to get me into this marriage. And now, you're playing them to keep me here. Seriously, Danielle, I’m sick of this.”
I said nothing. Even though I was exhausted, I sauntered to the kitchen to fix something for him.
As I chopped the chicken into smaller chunks with the big kitchen knife, I cut myself by accident and immediately let out a scream, "Ouch!" I fell to the floor because the pain was excruciating. My finger was bleeding heavily.
"Are you okay?" Jayden asked, rushing into the kitchen. I could swear there was a little bit of concern in his voice.
I looked up at him, his broad bare chest, muscular arms and abs revealed. All he had on was a boxer that firmly clung to his member, I found myself gazing at him for a while, my heart began pounding in my chest.
Gosh, I hated myself.
I lowered my head to avoid his sea blue eyes so I could control myself, "I'm fine." I said with a voice that was lower than a whisper.
I didn’t hear his reply immediately but I knew he was still here. We had some band-aids right inside the cupboard near him, so…
"Good." He turned around and left, not caring for my injured finger. Then he disappeared from my sight.
It was so stupid of me to think that he was going to help me with the wound.
It was so obvious that he didn't give a fuck about me, he only checked on me because of the baby.
I was done cooking and had set the meal on the dining table.
I then went to the bedroom to fetch him. stood at the entrance, watching him grin. Whatever it was on his phone's screen made him a happy man, I couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as my stomach churned. "Where were you this evening? You came home so late, Jayden. This is Christmas for God's sake."
He just stared into his screen like I didn't exist. I took a deep breath, and heard myself asking, "Is she back?"
His finger froze for a sec.
I braced myself for the worst, swallowing hard and watching him intently.
I watched as the smile on his face disappeared and his face hardened. He took a moment to ponder without saying a word to me.
Moments later, he grabbed a document from the table and handed it to me, “Danielle,”
"What's this?" I asked, taking it from him. My curiosity was instantly aroused as I tore it open. But seconds later, I felt my blood running cold and my hands shivering.
“I married you because of my mom,” He said flatly. “Now that she’s late, and the woman I truly love has come back, it’s time we part ways. I want a divorce.”
Umupo si Marlo sa sulok ng couch ng kanilang pwesto sa bar, pinaiikot ang kanyang whisky. Sinundan ng kanyang mga mata maliligalig na kumapay ng mga tao sa labas ng silid nagdudulot sa kaniya ng kayamotan, katulad ng huling pasensya niya kay Kara. Si Kara, ang pangunahing rason ng kanyang pagkairita, natitisod sa paanan ng mesa habang hawak ang isang bote ng champagne na nakataas sa itaas ng kanyang ulo na parang isang tropeo. Ang kanyang tawa ay nanggigilid sa kanyang mga ugat. Siya ay walang kahihiyang nagaaliw sa harap ng kanyang kaibigan, ang boses nito ay tumataas sa bawat hagikgik, na parang isang gamu-gamo sa apoy ang atensyon ng iba pang mga parokyano. Alam ni Marlo na kailangan niyang umalis doon bago siya gumawa ng bagay na pagsisisihan niya. Inihagis niya ang ilang perang papel sa mesa, hindi nag-abalang bilangin ang mga iyon, at tumayo na may balak na umalis. Ngunit habang siya akmang paalis matulin na pagkapit ng babae sa kanyang pulso na parang bisyo. "Hindi ka mak
Pinagmasdan siyang mabuti ni Marlo habang nagsasalin ng alak. Sinundan ng kanyang mga mata ang hubog ng kanyang braso, ang paraan ng paghawak ng kanyang mga daliri sa bote, at ang biyayang ginamit niya sa paghahatid nito. Gusto niyang humingi ng tawad, ngunit nanatiling nakabara sa kanyang lalamunan ang mga salita. Habang lumalalim ang gabi, mas tumitindi ang panunukso. Masyado nang marami ang nainom ni Gio at nagiging palahaplos na ito, inabot niya ang braso ni Kara. Pumikit siya ngunit nanatiling pinasulay ang kanyang ngiti, pinipilit na huwag ipakita ang takot. Lalong lumaki ang pagkayamot ni Marlo habang pinagmamasdan niya ang kaibigan na tinatrato siya na parang laruan. Medyo naiinis siya sa puntong ito. Sa isang maling hakbang na ikinagulat ng lahat, nabadtrip si Gio kay Kara. Nasagi niya ang baso ng alak sa bagong designer suit ni Marlo. Napalitan ng kilabot ang tawa ng kanyang kaibigan nang tumagos ang alak sa tela. "Tingnan mo ang ginawa mo!" Sigaw ni Gio, pero hindi um
Naiinis si Kara sa pagtrato sa kanya kanina. Paano matitiis ng tao na sirain ang reputasyon ng isang tao nang ganoon kadali? Hindi niya inaasahan na nagmumula ito sa isang respetadong opisyal ng unibersidad. Sinubukan niyang maglakad kahit na iniisip niya ang mga pinagdaanan niya. Hanggang sa wakas ay narating niya ang kanyang santuwaryo, ang field ng paaralan. Ang mga bleachers ay nag-aalok ng tanawin ng papalubog na araw. Habang siya ay nakaupo, ang malamig na metal ay nanunuot sa kanyang manipis na paldang uniporme, hindi na niya napigilang padaluyin ang mga luha sa kanyang pisngi, nanlalabo ang kanyang paningin at naghahalo sa pawis ng takot at galit na dumidikit sa kanyang balat. Kumakabog ang dibdib niya sa bawat hikbi na pilit niyang pinipigilan. Ang mundo sa paligid niya ay lumabo nang tuluyang tumago ang liwanag ng araw. Dito, sa tahimik na sulok na ito ng paaralan, natagpuan siya ni Xia. Bakas sa mukha niya ang pag-aalala, maingat na lumapit si Xia, ang kaniyang rooma
Naglakad-lakad si Kara sa hallway ng kanilang paaralan nang maramdaman niya ang bigat ng mga nakaraang araw na tuluyang naalis sa kanyang mga balikat. Ang kanina'y malabo niyang mga mata ay kumikinang sa pananabik nang tumunog ang huling bell, hudyat ng pagtatapos ng araw ng pasukan.Ang mga pasilyo ng kanilang paaralan ay umugong sa daldalan ng mga estudyanteng sabik na makauwi. Inaasahan niya na ang mga problema nila ni Edgar ay natapos sa huling semestre, ngunit hindi niya alam na ang kanyang tahimik na kapayapaan ay patikim lamang bago ang delubyo.Naputol ang kanyang pag-iisip nang marinig ang isang tinig na nagpalamig sa kanyang katawan. "Miss Tisoy, pumarito ka," tawag ng Dean ng Paaralan, si Ginoong Sobastos, mula sa pintuan ng kanyang opisina. Natigilan siya, ang bilis ng tibok ng puso niya habang pasulyap-sulyap sa paligid, umaasang makakatagpo siya ng magiliw na mukha. Nakakatakot na ka’y bilis mawalan ng tao ang koridor.Huminga siya ng malalim, tumalikod siya at lumapit
"Ang fiancée mo ay pinsan ni Marlo, diba?" tanong ni Kara na panay ang boses sa kabila ng pagtibok ng puso. "Sigurado akong gusto niyang marinig ang tungkol sa kung paano mo ginugugol ang iyong oras sa paglilibang." Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Edgar sa pagbanggit sa lalaki, at lumuwag ang pagkakahawak nito. Alam niyang kung maibabalik ang balita kay Marlo, matindi ang kahihinatnan nito. "You wouldn't," angil niya, nililibot ang mga mata sa paligid dahil sa kaba. Itinulak ni Kara ang sarili palayo sa dingding, tumayo nang matangkad sa kabila ng kanyang takot. "Kung hindi mo ako iiwan, sisiguraduhin kong alam niya ang bawat kasuklam-suklam na detalye." Namumutla si Edgar, halatang humihina ang kanyang kumpiyansa. "Walang maniniwala sa iyo, nakakaawa ka. Hence, she's also pathetic! I'll just go to that marriage and save my family's wealth" ulit niya na ngayon ay pabulong na ang boses. "Hindi mo ako maloloko sa mga palihim mong pananakot" Ngunit nauuna ng isang hakbang si Kara. Itinaa
Huminto ang sasakyan ni Marlo sa desyerto na tulay, tahimik na umuugong ang makina nito sa katahimikan ng gabi. Bumukas ang pinto ng driver at lumabas siya, ang malamig na hangin ay agad na kumagat sa kanyang balat. "Kunin mo siya," tahol niya, parang pagputok ng baril sa tikas ang boses niya na bumabasag sa katahimikan. Lumabas ang driver at kinaladkad si Kara palabas ng back seat. Nakasalampak siya sa lupa, nanlalaki ang mga matang lumingon kay Marlo sa takot. Bumaba ang tingin ni Marlo sa kanya, ang mukha nito ay may malamig na maskara ng galit dahil siya’y napagtaksilan. "Sa tingin mo kaya mo akong paglaruan, Kara?" dumura siya. Kinapitan ang leeg ng dalaga habang nagtitimpi ng naguumapaw na inis. "Sa tingin mo hahayaan na lang kitang sumingit sa buhay ng lola ko at kunin lahat ng pinaghirapan niya?" Humigpit ang hawak nito sa leeg niya habang hinihila siya patungo sa railing ng tulay. Ang bakal ay malamig at hindi mapagpatawad sa ilalim ng kanyang nanginginig na mga kamay.
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