Chapter 6

"Siguro nga. It wasn't the same without you back then. Na miss ka talaga namin." Nakayukong tugon niya. Guilt started to invade my existence. I wish I was here at that time. But destiny decided for me.

Nagpatuloy pa ang usapan namin. Medyo may naiipon na naman daw siya. Kaya pagta-trabahuan nalang daw niya ang kulang. Okay pa naman daw ang kapatid niya. Sila nalang ng kapatid nila ang natira. Dahil namatay sa car accident ang parents nila. So she really needed to work for them.

Honestly I wanted to help her. But she kept declining my offer. Nag-usap kami hanggang sa nakarating ako sa office ko. Olivia bid farewell. Kaya wala na akong nagawa kundi pumasok. It's been five years since I last saw my office. It didn't change a bit.

Ganun pa rin ang pagkakalagay ng mga gamit. I smiled when I saw my picture with my officemates. Unfortunately, may mga nag retire na pala sa company. Most of their reasons are they got married. Others were happily living abroad. The rest reasons were unknown but whatever it was I hope it was a good one.

I'm happy for my former officemates. That they already had what they wished for. They've accomplished their goals. They got what they wanted. While I was still stuck on my past. Maybe. Just maybe I could move on with the future.

Go on with the flow. Carry on with my life with my kids. Perhaps it was my time to continue what I've started.

Even though I've been through hell. I still managed to survive, barely. I should not care about anything else. Other than my children. I need to work for them to provide and secure their future.

Maybe it was time to get out of my comfort zone and time to face my fears. The problems that I left unsolved. Perhaps I should pursue what I didn't do back then in the past.

And with many possibilities and doubts in my mind, I wasn't sure if I could. But like what my Mom tells me. You'll never know unless you try. And I will give it a go. I will fight for myself and my kids.

And with that, I began to work. I checked the list of works that Mommy Rom's secretary mailed earlier. Hades should know his schedule by now. So I should arrange another schedule for tomorrow and the next few days. There were also unfinished business papers that needed to be done.

But as his secretary again I needed to check them to make sure. I walked towards his office door, hesitatingly staring at the door. I can feel my body starting to tremble. And my breathing started to labor. I let out a sigh, trying to calm myself down.

'Kaya ko 'to. I just hope I won't mess this up.' I silently think. Praying that I won't look weak in front of the person who destroyed me years ago.

I was about to knock when suddenly I heard a voice behind me.

"Look who's here." A baritone voice said mockingly.

Hesitating, I turned my body towards him. My body trembled more. It was like I couldn't breathe because my heart was pounding hard against my ribcage. I looked up slowly. Seeing the last person that I wanted to see on my last day on earth, and that was him—Hades Draxues Madrigal. Smirking wickedly while looking at me.

"Aren't you glad to see me, gold-digger?" He insulted. He hovered a disgusted look over me. "Oh, are you here because you want money? Well sad to say bitch you need to kneel. Would you do that? Ah, I forgot you were a stubborn slut weren't you?" He scoffed.

I tightly closed my fist and gritted my teeth. How dare he! Who the hell was he to tell me that?! He was not a god! Nor a saint!

"Oh, insulted aren't we? Too bad you're too poor. My poor little bitch. Did you miss me so much?" He took a step forward making me step back. "Afraid?" He let out an evil chuckle, cocking his head to the side, pretending to think. "Oh yeah didn't I make your life a living hell? Didn't I destroy you and your reputation? Didn't I impregnate you with my child? Didn't you run off with the money you stole from my company? You want more?" I could feel his outrage. My anger started to resurface. I tried taking deep breaths to calm myself and not burst out. I closed my eyes, refusing to take a look at the devil who destroyed me. The devil who made my life a living hell. The devil that gave me my little angels. And that was the only thing that he had done good to me. He gave me Eros and Aphrodite.

I didn't notice how near he was. He held my jaw, making me look up at him. I didn't open my eyes. I could feel my anxiety bursting out, taking control of me. My whole body uncontrollably trembles at his touch. Fighting against the horrible memories invading my mind.

"Open your eyes." He commanded, starting to grope my jaw.

I refuse to open them. I tried to struggle beyond his grip but he was stronger than me. So slowly I began to open my eyes meeting his emerald green orbs. The trembling intensified. Terrible memories started to play inside my mind. Gradually losing my sanity. As tears of fear began to flow.

"Mr. Madrigal it hurts. Please let go." I begged unconsciously. Trying to get his hands to let go of my jaw using both of my hands. Instead of loosening his grip, it tightened even more. Moving towards my throat he began to choke me. He hovered a dark look over me. My lungs began to lose air. My grip tightened on his wrist, forcing him to let me go.

I was like I was living my nightmare. Facing Hades again. He choked me to death. The memories I tried forgetting resurfaced. My anxiety intensified. The trembling of my body becomes more uncontrollable. My grip on his wrist slowly loosened. The air is almost leaving my lungs. Darkness slowly dragged me. My consciousness began to dissipate. I heard voices before I was completely taken by the darkness.

"Quira! Wake up! No! No! What the hell did you do to her Hades? Call an ambulance, Claire! We need to bring her to the hospital?!" A familiar voice said. Holding the back of my neck supporting my head.