Drain the Billionaire's Wealth

They say life is a loop. A never ending cycle.

A cycle where there are times you will feel like you're on top of the world, everything you dreamed of is there, and there are also times that you will feel like you're at the bottom of the world, being crushed by reality.

You will walk to an endless path—where you kept walking until you drain yourself. But it's not a reason to feel like you have nowhere to go because there is hope as long as you're breathing. It's okay to be weak, to be someone who needs help instead of being the one who gives help.

Weakness is not a reason to lose hope—it's not a reason to think that your life ended the moment you're at the bottom. There's always another chapter, another page, and another book for you to keep starting over again.

Even if you already lose yourself in the process, life will always give you a reason to exist.

I felt my tears soaked my cheeks as I watched the news about him. The man who would gently touch my face as if touching me would fix every shattered part of him.

The man who said he would never love anyone but me.

“My wife is the woman I vowed to—I will never love anyone but her.” he said as he place a soft kiss on her forehead “No one can ever make me stop loving her.”

The gentle way he kissed her forehead—similar how he would kiss me. The tightly closed lips of mine slowly released uncontrollable sobs.

The words he said are like ghosts that haunted me—a ghost that will keep haunting me for eternity.

He carried a ten years old girl—giggling in his arms. If my baby was alive, would he also give her these much of attention or will he disregard the child like how he disregard me?

The woman who was recognized as his wife swiftly lean beside them—she wiped both of their sweats using a handkerchief.

“I am honored to be here standing with my family.” she said as she kissed her daughter that he's carrying.

They look like a complete happy family—it's painful to watch...

The way they laugh, their smile to each other—the warmth, it was too bright that I can't help but think that he finally moved on from me, from our family—if there was a family to begin with. Watching them made me realize what exactly I am in his life. I was just a replacement, and now that she's back—the original wife is back, I have to leave.

I closed the television as I buried my face to my closed legs. This apartment feels too huge for me, it feels so lonely.

Why does it feel like everyone is moving forward while I'm here stranded at the same groud. At the same ground I promised myself that I will escape on. It feels like wherever I go, this life haunts me like a nightmare.

“Are you going to keep doing this to yourself, mommy?” my eyes shifted to the soft voice I heard from the closed window

I immediately stand up as I looked at the small figure looking at me. The room was dark but I will never be wrong—It was a child with beautiful blue eyes, just like her father. I felt my throat dry as I look at the baby I lose.

Then, slowly, a tear fell down my cheek

“When are you going to forgive yourself?” she whispered in a soft voice “This is not the life you dreamed for the both of us.”

“I-I'm sorry...Honey....” I stuttered, covering my lips “Mommy is such a disappointment.”

The child looked down and faintly smile “My mommy is not a disappointment. You're the best mommy I can ever have.”

I choked in my tears especially when she approached me and gave me a tight hug “I understand you, so please also understand yourself.”

“Mommy didn't want to do that. I have no choice.” I tried explaining, touching her cheek but her ghostly body didn't allow me

“I'm always here,” she said as she pointed my heart “This is the only place I will exist. This heart will always beat for me, right? You will keep existing so I can also exist?”

I nodded, still crying. She pulled away and I tried reaching for her but as I attempt to—the distance keeps growing

“Because, you're the only one who knows my existence...” she said as she slowly fade away

I didn't shout, I didn't throw a tantrum. I just watched her—watched the child that I could've had but lose her. She smiled so brightly—as if she's telling me my choice was not a sin. It was a gift.

I woke up from the buzzing of my phone. I slowly sit upright. I fell asleep on the couch with my laptop still open.

20 missed calls

Someone was calling me—it was a familiar number but I chose to ignore it—no one should be associated with me, or they will be marked as a criminal. I just walked towards my kitchen to grab a beer.

Even the fridge looks empty, despite being filled with foods from my dirty work.

I had a vivid dream, a very vivid one. My daughter was alive. She's comforting me that my choice was right—even if I know it wasn't. I kept fooling myself that what I did was the best thing.

I bite my lower lip as I walk back to my dirty couch. My apartment is a mess—dirty dishes on the sink, discarded clothes on the floor, and piles of trashes around the room. No lights, only the soft flickering of the opened laptop was the source of light.

It was a nest for a wanted criminal like me.

I sighed and open my laptop. The first thing that greeted my face was a text message from my recent victim. He was texting me about how my life has been.

If he only knew

I replied like what I usually reply to my victims, a systematic and boring reply to survive another day. I remained as a love scammer while everyone escaped this fate. Some of my friends got married, hired to a proper company, or live their life silently in a countryside.

My face is already scattered around the streets—with a whopping million reward. It's important to be cautious or I will be spending my night in jail.

How did I end up here?

It started when my ex-contract husband reported me to the police about the scamming agency I'm in. My fucking boss accused me of being the founder of that goddamn scamming agency—that's why I'm here, hiding like a criminal—which I am anyway.

I decided to grab dinner to the nearest convenience store.

I walked down the streets and was already close to the convenience store, near my apartment when I notice the police looking around. I calmed myself as I walked passed them—they warily run towards my apartment.

Shit, they discovered me!

“That woman is Aileen Sandoval! Catch her!” someone shouted and I run as fast as I can

I run around the subdivions and streets—when I thought that I had finally lure them away from me, it was dead end. I just decided to use violence when a hand grab my wrist and pull me somewhere dark.

“Finally found you,” he whispered in a dark voice “I've been looking for you everywhere.”

I glance at him and my whole world collapsed when I saw his familiar raging blue eyes. His hand covered my mouth with a handkerchief.

“I'll make you pay for aborting our baby.”

It was too late—when I smelled the weird scent of the handkerchief, I slowly fell asleep. My body feels heavy and all I can feel is how I'm being lifted from the ground. He carried me somewhere—tightly gripping me.

When I woke up, I was already on bed. In an unfamiliar luxurious room. My eyes fell to the sliding door of the restroom—when it suddenly opened. He was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. I observed the dragon tattoo on his body—his body is still muscular.

He coldly walk over me and I just instantly lean back—seeing my action, he frowned. His ocean-like eyes bored to me as if drowning me. He was more handsome than the last time I saw him.

“What's with this attitude?" he said in a voice devoid of warmth  "Do you want to stay outside? Go ahead. You're wanted with a huge bounty on your head, they will catch you.”

I kept my eyes on my hands, why is he doing this? I thought he finally move on.

With  no words he roughly grab my arm and pulled me close to him “Stop, acting like you're a victim. It pisses me off. For someone who did nothing but manipulate and run away, why are you acting like you're a victim? Between us, you know who was the victim."

Then, he aggressively throw my hand back to me. An action that the man I have loved would never do to me. The man who promised the world to me was now offering hell. I should hate him, it's all his fault but my heart ached for him. My heart wants him, it's frustrating.

“Starting now, you will be living here with me.” he answered and I didn't respond

I stayed silent as I observe him—that action broke the last string of his patience and he roughly grab my jaw.

“You dare ignore me?” he glared

Why is he doing this? He already have a family—why does he have to pull me back to him again. Why do I always have to come back to him? Is this my punishment?

“A-Aren't you a married man?” I asked and he laugh

A laugh of disbelief, as if what I asked was something stupid. His brows creased as he gritted his teeth as if he was frustrated.

“What now if I'm a married man? Isn't that what you like? To hit on men like me? Come on, don't act proper. Do your job, seduce me like how you seduced every man that you manipulated.” he said in a serious voice

I felt my chest tighten, of all the insults he could have said. He chose to insult me with the words I despise.

“Let's say I'm indeed offering you to be my mistress. Don't worry, it's not like you will do it for free. I'll fill your bank account everytime I use your body.” he said in a cold voice

“You should even be thankful that I'm even accepting you as a mistress, who knows how many men have already touched you. You're disgusting yet I still allow you to stay with me.” he said

“Y-You think that lowly of me?” I said my voice stuttered

I saw it—I saw how his eyes soften and looked at me with regret, but he quickly masked his expression with indifference.

“Yes, I think that lowly of you. In my eyes, you're just a prostitute waiting to be laid. Nothing like my wife, who had stay loyal to me her whole life.”

I felt my throat went dry to what he said, he never spoke so dirty like this.

“Let's do it secretly, until I get tired of your body. Don't worry, this time I won't waste a fucking single sperm in your womb. Since you were never fitting to be a mother.”​