III. LIES AFTER A LIE

From then on, Raphael and I became close friends, and I even introduced him to Betty. But our friendship deepened into something more than just friends.

"I like you, Delilah. I know you like me too, don't you?" That was the first time he confessed his feelings to me, and since it was my first love, I couldn't bring myself to reject him or hide my true feelings from him. It feels great to be in love, especially when the person you've been dreaming of likes you back. It's as if my life suddenly became more colorful, with a permanent smile on my face, like I'm walking on clouds, and a romantic song whispering in my ears.

However, I kept our relationship a secret from Betty. Even though we didn't know each other that well, or what his true personality was, I accepted him because I loved him that much. I had no idea about his background, his past, or his family, but all I knew was that he was the guy I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.

I couldn't think of anyone else, and wherever I looked, all I saw was him. I fell deeply in love with him, and I trusted him with my life. I gave him everything - my trust, my love, and even my body. Yes, I didn't just give him sweet kisses, but I also risked my future for him because I thought he was the one I would marry and build a family with.

Many things happened between us, and he often took me to a motel. Because of that, I loved him even more, and I became more comfortable around him. But fears started creeping into my mind - what if one day he just disappears on me after taking everything from me? So, even though I knew it wasn't the right thing to do as a woman, I went to a jewelry store and bought our wedding rings using the money I saved for ten years for my tuition f*e. I wanted to give it to him and prove my love for him. So, despite f*eling embarrassed, I knelt down in front of him and proposed.

"Will you marry me, Raphael?" I asked, and he was taken aback, especially when he saw me kneeling down with a ring box in my hand. But then, he suddenly froze, and I saw an unexpected reaction on his face. I thought he would be happy and laugh at my gesture, but instead, he turned around and walked away, leaving me alone. It was like I hit a wall, and time stood still for a moment. I looked around and saw people staring at me, laughing and pitying me because the man I loved rejected my proposal.

Was what I did wrong? Was it wrong to shout out my feelings for him in front of many people? Can't a woman be the one to confess her love to a man? Or should I be ashamed of the love I poured out for him? It's been a week now, and I haven't heard anything from Raphael. I haven't seen him since that day, and he just disappeared without a word or goodbye. I feel like a wolf that was suddenly abandoned and left to fend for itself. I wasn't even able to talk to him that day, and I don't know why he was so angry with what I did when all I wanted was to be true to my feelings for him. Maybe he just wasn't ready, and I caught him off guard that day. I shouldn't have forced him to love someone like me; I should have just waited for the right timing. But for now, I'll just let him be, maybe he's just confused or wants some time alone, and I know he'll come back to me.

So even if two days, three weeks, or a month pass, I'll still wait for his return, and I won't get tired of loving him every day, even if we don't see each other or are far apart. My love for him won't change, and he's the only man I'll choose over and over again, even in another lifetime.

"Delilah, are you okay?" Betty asked me with concern. I didn't answer her right away; instead, I sat down on the floor for a moment, and then she handed me a glass of water.

For five days now, I've been feeling dizzy and nauseous, but I don't have a fever; it's just like my emotions are weighing me down.

"You should get checked by a doctor to see what's wrong with you," she added, but I ignored her and stood up again. However, I stopped in my tracks when I felt like my vision was spinning, and unexpectedly, I fell to the floor and lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes again, Betty was the first person I saw, sitting beside me and holding my hand tightly. "Betty," I weakly called out to her, and she immediately helped me sit up. That's when I realized I was in the hospital, and I saw the deep concern in her eyes.

"Are you feeling okay now?" Betty asked, and I nodded.

"What did the doctor say? What's wrong with me?" I asked, and she suddenly looked away, lowering her head. She took a while to respond, and when she did, she placed her hand on top of mine and looked at me with a serious expression.

"You're not sick, Delilah. The truth is, you're pregnant. You're two months pregnant. Why did you hide your relationship with that man from me? Didn't I tell you to be careful around him because he looks untrustworthy and someone like him must have ulterior motives?" When I heard her, I was stunned. I was surprised, but I didn't feel fear; instead, I felt overwhelming joy in my heart because finally, our love had borne fruit, and I felt like he would come back to me.

I couldn't wait to tell him the good news. "Betty, we need to go back to the mansion now," I said, and she must have seen the smile on my face.

"What are you saying, Delilah? Aren't you afraid that your grandmother will find out? Aren't you worried about the child inside you who will grow up without a known father? What do you plan to do?" she asked, but I set aside her concerns because I wanted Raphael to know about the pregnancy right away, and I couldn't wait to see his reaction. So, even though Betty was confused about my actions, I insisted that we return to work so I could meet with Raphael.

When we got back to the mansion, I immediately went to the garden where we usually met. I waited there for one night, two days, one week, and over a month. I kept going back, hoping to find him standing there, but he didn't even send me a letter.

So, I had no idea if he was still alive or where he was now. It's been almost three months, and I've been pregnant for three months. I'm slowly losing hope that he'll come back to me. I don't know what to think about him anymore because he just disappeared without a word.

One evening, an unexpected event occurred at the mansion, where Mr. and Mrs. Montenegro would be arriving, along with their two sons for the first time. Everyone was excited to meet our expected guests. As we were setting the table, Raphael was still on my mind. I didn't know how to find him or contact him since all I knew was his name and face; I didn't know anything else about him. Then I realized I made a mistake; I should have learned more about him so I wouldn't be going crazy with worry.

"Delilah, what's on your mind? Focus on your work, and if you cause any embarrassment in front of our employers, I won't hesitate to fire you. Do you understand? Everyone needs to focus on their jobs." Mrs. Karen, our head housekeeper, scolded me. I just nodded and tried to forget about Raphael for now because I didn't want to lose my job, especially since I needed to save up for the future of the child in my womb. At 7 pm, Mrs. Karen told us to get ready because the Montenegro family had arrived. We lined up beside the door to welcome them. As soon as the door opened, we bowed our heads to show respect as they walked towards the dining table. They headed straight there because they had a long journey to get here.

"Your recipe, Mrs. Karen, remains unchanged and still delicious. Since I arrived at this mansion and married my husband, your cooking has remained consistent. You're still an excellent cook, and I'm sure the other chefs have learned a lot from your secret recipe." Madam Gloria praised Mrs. Karen, who was delighted by the compliment.

"By the way, you all know that we consider you part of our family, and I've long wanted to meet our two handsome sons," Don said jokingly. Then, Mrs. Karen approached me and whispered in my ear. "Delilah, please get the dessert I placed in the refrigerator and put it on the table near Madam Gloria and Don. Do you understand? Go get it now."

When she finished speaking, I nodded and hurried to the kitchen to follow her instructions. When I opened the refrigerator, I saw a chocolate cake Mrs. Karen had prepared for them. It looked appetizing and must have tasted great. After all, everything she cooked was delicious.

After going to the kitchen, I slowly approached their table to place the cake I was holding. "Anyway, our guests have arrived. I'd like to introduce our eldest son, Raphael, and our second son, Claus," Don said, and I didn't care, keeping my head down. But when I heard one of them speak, I paused for a moment and looked up in their direction.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. I'm Raphael," he said, looking in my direction. I was so shocked by what I had learned that I accidentally dropped the cake I was holding, causing it to break and fall to the floor, drawing everyone's attention. "This can't be..." I whispered to myself, staring at him with tears welling up in the corners of my eyes.

"What are you doing, Delilah?" Mrs. Karen angrily approached me and grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the kitchen. There, she scolded me and slapped me on the cheek to snap me out of my trance. "What's wrong with you? If you're tired of your job, it's better to resign. I don't need a clumsy and lazy person like you in this mansion."

Those were her last words to me before she turned her back, but I quickly followed her and stopped her before she could leave the kitchen. "Please don't fire me. I have nowhere else to go, and I need this job. I'm begging you, forgive me." I pleaded, tears streaming down my face.

"If you want me to forgive you, apologize first for the embarrassment you caused in front of the Montenegro family. You don't know that you ruined their lovely evening with your carelessness." She said in a cold voice. Since I started working as a maid in this mansion, Mrs. Karen has been strict with all of us. She doesn't show favoritism or pity. That's why everyone fears and avoids her.

But for me, it doesn't matter, and I believe there's a story behind her attitude. However, at that moment, I couldn't understand her. Why do I need to apologize to that family just because of a broken cake, which they can easily buy and replace with something more elegant? Why does my mistake seem so grave? Why do I always have to be the one to understand? I haven't done anything wrong to them.

To be honest, I'm a proud person, despite being treated poorly by others. But at that moment, I prioritized my own well-being and that of my unborn child, so I swallowed my pride. As Mrs. Karen said, I returned to the living room to apologize to the Montenegro family. I kept my head down, but I could sense Raphael staring at me, and I'm sure he's laughing at me in his mind. I'll never forgive him.

How could he play with my love for him? I never expected him to be that kind of person. I'll make sure he never finds out about the child in my womb. I'll make him pay, Raphael.

As I stood before them, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. I was still trying to process the fact that Raphael, the man I had fallen deeply in love with, was actually the son of the wealthy Montenegro family. I felt betrayed, hurt, and confused.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, trying to keep my composure. "I'm really sorry for what happened."

Don Montenegro smiled kindly at me. "It's okay, Delilah. Accidents happen. Please, don't worry about it."

But I could sense Raphael's eyes on me, boring into my skin. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I wondered what he was thinking.

As I turned to leave, Mrs. Karen called out to me. "Delilah, wait."

I turned back to her, wondering what she wanted.

"Please, make sure to clean up the mess you made," she said, her voice firm but controlled.

I nodded, feeling a surge of anger at her tone. But I bit back my retort, knowing that I had to keep my job.

As I turned to leave again, I caught Raphael's eye. For a moment, we just stared at each other, the tension between us palpable.

Then, he looked away, and I felt a pang of hurt.

I knew that I had to be strong, for myself and for my unborn child. I couldn't let Raphael's betrayal break me.

I took a deep breath and began to clean up the mess, trying to push aside my emotions and focus on the task at hand.