Chris' POV
Tonight, I was at a bar in the city center, enjoying my drink alone. I poured my bottle, which was half empty, into a round glass and gulped it down. I poured it again until the liquid in the bottle was gone entirely. It didn't matter if I was drunk.
The frenetic sound of the DJ's music was pounding so loudly that my ears were almost ringing. I cast my eyes around the bar, which tonight seemed to be very crowded with revelers.
I let out a long breath. I was suffering because of Nicole Martinez. The woman I thought I loved. I've done everything for her, and now I don't want to care about her anymore after I know what she's like.
My head was already very dizzy from all the drinking and the loud music. I felt very bored and intended to leave here.
I feel like I'm not drunk even though I've finished a bottle. My brain still seemed to be functioning very well. It was just that my head felt dizzy, and the effect of the music was very annoying. I got off the barstool and almost fell, and someone held me up.
"Christian! Chris, I'm so glad to see you here." The girl smiled happily at me. Her face lit up when she saw me like she had just hit the jackpot.
That's Adeline, Nicole's sister. How did we meet here? I didn't respond to her words and intended to leave this place. But Adeline followed me, and very sassily she slipped a hand on my arm.
"Christian, how about we have fun together?" she asks. Her voice still sounded very happy.
I winced at her invitation and pushed her body slightly to get my hand off her. "Don't touch me! If you want a drink, drink it yourself!" I said coldly.
"That's not fun. It's better if we drink together, isn't that more fun, Chris?" Adeline said again. Her face still looked bright, like she had no life burdens and problems.
Again, I ignored her words and returned to the bar's exit. I had to get out of here right now. However, Adeline stubbornly followed me out of the bar.
"You know, Chris. It's good that we're spending more time together." Adeline continued to babble behind me. "I'm glad you're not marrying Nicole because that woman is a total bitch. You know the talks between our families have been going on. We might be getting married soon."
What did she say? Me and her are getting married? Is she just making this up?
I kept walking until I reached the parking lot where my car was, and she was still rambling about marriage. Honestly, I'm a little sick of weddings.
"That's right, Chris. We will get married soon because that's what the two families have agreed on."
I stopped my steps and then looked sharply at the woman. "Will you shut up?!" I said with emphasis. She seemed to fall silent in surprise at my very emphatic words. I finally chose to get into the car. While the girl was still standing in her place, looking intently at me, who had just started the car engine.
Suddenly, my head felt very painful, and somehow, Nicole's images began to roam in my mind. It was so annoying. Why was she the one who appeared in my mind? I don't like her at all.
The following day, I still had a terrible headache. However, I still forced myself to go to the office. I went downstairs for breakfast, drinking only my black coffee. My mom was already at the dining table enjoying her breakfast.
"You didn't have breakfast, Chris?" she asked.
I took a small sip of my black coffee. "This will do," I said as I drained the vital liquid and placed the empty cup on the table. "I'm off."
Without waiting for Mom's reply, I passed from the dining table to the main door, where there was already a driver to take me to the office. I was still a bit drunk from last night and wasn't sure whether or not I could drive a car right now. The driver drove the vehicle at a moderate speed on the protocol road, which was quite busy this morning.
Arriving at the office, I began to busy myself with the work waiting for me. I stopped to think about what was giving me a headache, yes, about Nicole who was putting me in a bad mood. I hated her so much.
After lunchtime, I felt uncomfortable with my body. It looked like I would have a fever, so I left early to rest at home. Maybe it's the effect of last night I drank too much.
"Mr. Grant, are you leaving?" My secretary, Kelly Clarkson, asked when I had just left my room. And it looked like she was about to knock on the door.
"Yes, Ms. Clarkson, I'm not feeling well," I told her.
"Oh, you'd better get some rest, Mr. Grant. I'll reschedule your work for tomorrow."
"Thank you, Ms. Clarkson." She smiled sweetly at me, but I didn't reciprocate and chose to walk towards the elevator and get out of there.
By now, I was already on my way home, and my head was throbbing with pain.
Arriving home, I bumped into Mom in the living room. She seemed surprised to see me leaving early.
"Chris, are you home?" she asked. Mom's face seemed to be beaming at the moment. It looked like she'd gotten something good.
"Yes," I replied flatly.
"Chris, I have some good news for you. Do you want to hear it?"
I remembered what Adeline had said last night about the two families talking about marriage. Is that what Mom was going to say?
"Chris, did you hear me?" Mom asked with a narrowed gaze at me.
"Yes, mom. What's the good news?" I finally asked.
Mom smiled faintly at me before telling me the news she brought. I frowned, waiting for her words.
"You know, Chris. Nicole, that damn woman is dead." Mom's information made my heart instantly stop beating.
"What?" My voice sounded very weak. I hate Nicole, and it was just that it took me by surprise.
"Yes, Nicole, that woman is dead. Isn't that excellent news?" Mom's face looked very happy after saying the news was good. However, I was not. At the moment, my tongue feels numb, and I'm struggling to get my words out. It was as if all the words were stuck in my throat.
"Nicole is dead?" I muttered softly. Finally, only those two words managed to escape my lips. Nicole was the woman I once loved with all my soul.
Chris’ POVOne month had passed since Nicole's accident. Investigators said that Nicole's body could not be found. They assumed that Nicole's body was burnt up in the accident, as well as the taxi driver's, since the car exploded, leaving only the skeleton of the car behind. Others say that wild animals ate the bodies in the area, as the rescue team arrived too late. All are assumptions, and no one knows what happened to them. But what is certain is that they are dead.I don't understand how I feel right now. I don't want to think about what happened before and try to forget about it. And, now, I've been faced with something I can't avoid because what Adeline Martinez said the other day about the wedding happened—the marriage of the two Grant-Martinez families.I don't know what to say because, at this moment I'm already at the altar to perform the marriage blessing. I have stood here before, but this time, I will be the groom of Adeline Martinez, who is none other than Nicole's step-
Nicole's POVI stared at the sky from my porch, feeling the breeze with my eyes closed. It had been eight years since the most horrific event of my life, but I was still alive.My life felt more peaceful, especially with the various good things that started coming my way after something else arrived at me and accompanied me all this time. All the hardships I had experienced before felt like a dream, but they never really went away in this life that I thought of as my second time around.I still vividly remember the terrifying incident I experienced, just like yesterday. I felt goosebumps, not believing how I could get out of those times of suffering, but here I am now. Still breathing and looking at the sky above my head.Suddenly, I could hear the voice of a boy whispering in my ear with his cute voice. "Mom, what are you thinking about?" I immediately held my chest as a reflex."Richard... you surprised mom." I turned my head, looking at the boy I gave birth to already standing next
Nicole's POVI was ready with my makeup and clothes. The reflection of my face in the mirror looked elegant, but I did not forget the stern impression that I also wanted to show myself that I was different from the old me.Back then, I was shy and lacked confidence, affecting my self-confidence. I didn't realize it then, but as time passed in this new life of mine, I changed it so as not to return to the unfortunate fate that I had felt before.After everything I've been through, the change in the way I carry myself now is nothing compared to the line of death I've crossed. I took a breath and let it out, then felt my hand grabbed by my son.My son smiled sweetly. He was also ready and looked handsome in his tailor-made suit. Richard seemed to be more impatient than I. "Come, let's go, Mother.""Yes, my son," I answered and led him into the living room.There, Edwin was already waiting and looking at us intently, making sure nothing was lacking in our appearance with just a glance of
Nicole's POVI held Richard's hand tightly, staring at the simple grave and my name on the tombstone. Key also accompanied us, silently staring at the supposedly empty grave with a cold gaze.I snorted softly, already expecting that they would easily carry out my funeral when my death was uncertain. Looking at the appearance of my grave, the people who took care of my death must have only given a simple order to the cemetery caretaker so that the resting place with my name was maintained.There were no decorations or wreaths, just the grass that naturally grew from the ground rather prominently to mark the existence of one's grave, in addition to the wooden headstone with my name."They must be very happy about my death," I said coldly, but I also felt a mixture of feelings that words could not express when looking at the grave in front of us.Richard sighed. "Mom's grave is too simple. The headstone is made of worn wood, not polished stone like other graves."I also noticed that diff
Nicole's POVWe finally arrived at our home in Mekana City, a place I had left long ago after my past life had been so threatened and unsafe. I left everything behind, but I didn't expect to end up back here in the house Edwin gave me.Richard looked excited next to me, staring at the house in front of us, looking so spacious and magnificent. The garden with the fountain between the entrance and the fence was well-maintained and lovely with its distinctive stone carvings.This place isn't as big as Edwin's house, which has a one-acre yard, but my son can still play freely in the yard just like there. Key explained to Richard and me that there was a small playground in the backyard with a sandbox, slides, and swings."Can I play after this, Mom?" Richard asked after hearing Key's explanation.I nodded, smiling at the look of joy on his face.I smiled as Richard ran in and jumped up and down when a maid greeted us. "Come on, come in, Mom!"There weren't many people around the house, jus
Chris's POV"Get out of my room!" I shooed away Adeline, who was trying to get closer and cling to me on the bed, not caring even though she staggered from my push and had to hold on to the dresser to keep from falling.Adeline was angry, giving me a look of annoyance at my treatment. "Why do you keep doing this to me, Chris? "We're married! Why do we sleep in separate rooms when we've been husband and wife for so long?""I'm not comfortable sleeping with someone else," I said, not looking at Adeline, who was still by the closet and staring at me sharply.That woman is very stubborn about the same issue, not giving up even though I've said this repeatedly. I couldn't understand what Adeline was thinking all this time that she kept insisting on sleeping with me even though I always refused."Oh my God, Chris. I'm your wife!" Adeline was getting desperate. "We've been married for eight years, but in all that time, you've only touched me with lip kisses, never more! And that just once. I
Chris' POVI had breakfast in the dining room, and so did Adeline. The woman sat beside me, eating her food noisily and occasionally glancing at my silence.I wanted to quickly finish my breakfast and return to my room, avoiding any interruptions the woman might have planned."Chris, do you want to be fed? It looks like you're having trouble cutting that steak." Adeline said, coming closer to me, who could easily cut the meat for one bite, unlike that woman's words.I ignored her, knowing she had already planned to bother me again. Usually, she would tease me in a petty way, but maybe she had a little thought to turn it into this.Still, I wanted to eat faster so I could get out of the dining room, but chewing the steak so that it was easier to swallow was a priority for me. I didn't want to digest food that wasn't appropriately consumed and then get sick. I finally tried to be patient.Adeline grabbed my hand that was still holding the dinner knife, pressing down on top of my hand ha
Chris's POVSomeone knocked on my office door before walking in. He seemed to walk hurriedly before approaching my desk and bowing. I didn't look at him but strained my ears to listen to the man's report."I'm sorry, sir. We were unable to reach an agreement with the Duncan family." Nathan said, catching the attention of me, who was working earlier.It's been a few days, and the deal we sent should have been approved soon, like our other business deals. Not only were they late, but they also gave a rejection that I did not expect at all."Proposal?" I asked, confirming the integrity of my secretary's report that I disliked."They've read the proposal and rejected it, sir."Nathan opened the tab and showed me the contents of the email, which was neatly written and structured. In one look, I could tell they were giving me an honest answer with an apparent reason. There was no gap in their rejection, which read subtle but firm."We tried to convince the Duncan Family again by discussing