MasukRenata quietly left with the policemen while Domingo watched helplessly from a distance. She was right all along… she knew something was wrong the very moment he stood outside her door.The engine of the police car ignited, she could feel his eyes on her but she didn’t turn to look at him. She couldn’t.“Fuck!” He picked up the glass of whiskey he was drinking from that early morning before the policemen came and smashed it on the wall.“Arrrggggh!” He pushed down the plates on the dining table till they shattered on the floor.His breath rasped as he stared down at the mess, his breath heaving with anger raging inside him. He staggered backward till he leaned back against the cabinet and slid down slowly till he sat on the floor.He buried his face in his hands for a while then he slowly ran his hands down his face, lost in thought as he thought about the next step to take.“I need to get the lawyer on the phone,” he quickly stood up to head to the living room where he kept his phone
“I’ve been at the Hidalgo estate and I had no idea,” she tore her gaze from the window and spun around to look at the room properly.The room wasn’t one she was familiar with; she had never been in this part of the mansion before, but all that didn’t matter anymore. She was going to find an exit and look for help before Constanza and her men came back for her.“Stay right there. Don’t move an inch, I’m sending the ambulance over,” Domingo said. Renata simply stared at the phone in her trembling hands, not only were her hands trembling, but they were also bloody.She had forgotten for a minute that she was on a call with Domingo. “Okay… I’ll be here… with him,” she tilted her head to look at Santiago who was still lifeless.She ran back to where he lay. She sat on the floor, one hand on her stomach as she winced in pain and the other trying to raise Santiago’s head to her lap.The estate was very quiet. No one walked through the halls of the corridor, she stared at the door of the roo
“Oh my God!”“What have I done?”The pistol slipped through Constanza’s hands as her weak legs gave way and she fell to the floor which was now covered in blood.“What… what did you do?”“What have you done?” Renata let out a shrill cry from where she was on the floor, battling to free herself from the ropes, which were now loose and coming free.Constanza trembled and her lips quivered as she stared at the unmoving body of her son drenched in his blood.“Mo… mother…” Santiago raised his hand weakly, reaching out to his mother.“No… no,” Constanza sniffed back her tears as she shook her head. “This isn’t true.” “This didn't happen,” she tugged at her hair, biting down on her lips till she could taste blood. Renata who had now managed to set herself free from the ropes ran and crawled to where Santiago lay clutching his stomach as the blood continued to flow.“Tiago?” She whispered, her trembling hands reaching for his face.“Tiago, can you hear me?” She asked amidst tears.“Am I… a
“You filthy swine!” Renata yelled, struggling to pull free from the ropes that had her bound to the chair.A slap landed right on her face before she could form more words. Her head tilted to the side while she writhed in pain, wishing she could touch her face where the impact had landed.“You don’t talk to me like that, Renata. You should know better,” Constanza pulled out a chair and sat directly opposite her, with her leg crossed on the other.“What do you want from me this time?” She raised her head to look at Constanza, fury fueled in her eyes.“If I asked for your life… would you hand it over to me?” Constanza let her leg down and leaned forward.Renata fumed, she knew where all this talk was heading. Constanza was ready to take every given opportunity to say anything about her parents’ death to spite her.“Fuck you!” Renata spat. But that didn’t go well, it angered Constanza more, and she didn’t hesitate to land more slaps on Renata.“Wrong answer, bitch,” she growled.“Okay th
Renata stepped out of the doctor’s office with the envelope still clutched tightly in her hand.The hallway smelled faintly of antiseptic and some reassurance that everything would be fine, the kind that she had felt before as a young child who had lost her parents. But her mind wasn’t on any of that. It was somewhere else, half on the words the doctor had just said, half on the man who had been waiting for her.Her eyes immediately went to the chair where Domingo had been sitting just minutes ago.But it was empty, she slowed her steps, her brows pulling together in confusion.“Domingo?” she called softly, glancing around.There was no response, she had her gaze lingering on any man who looked like him.Slowly, her gaze shifted toward the exit, and that was when she saw him.He was standing outside, just beyond the glass doors, his back partially turned, phone pressed to his ear.Even from where she stood, she could tell something wasn’t right.
“What are you talking about?”Santiago’s voice came out controlled, like he was trying to mask and play dumb with what was going on, but there was a crack beneath it, one he couldn’t quite hide.Constanza didn’t say a word, but she made sure not to bat an eye.She walked forward slowly, her heels echoing across the conference room, each step deliberate, the heaving of her chest obvious. The room had gone completely silent. Eyes shifted between them, tension coiling tighter with every second that passed.She reached the large conference table and dropped her bag onto it with a dull thud.Still staring at him, until she was standing right in front of him, for a brief second, Santiago thought, or rather, hoped that she would speak.She didn’t utter a word. Her hand came up and then came down with a loud smack across his face.The sound cracked through the room like a gunshot. Santiago staggered slightly to the side, his hand instinctively flying to his cheek
Domingo lifted her to his arms. As he was about to leave the room, one of the servants ran in, fear etched across his face.He had heard the noise from outside.“Is she okay?” He asked, trying to take a glimpse of Renata’s face.“Get the doctor,” Domingo said, leaving the room with Renata in his ar
“Are you fucking my father?” Santiago roared… his eyes blazing with fury and rage. His hands were knotted into fists beside him as he stared at Renata whose eyes were clouded with tears.Without a word, she sent a series of slaps across his face. “Don’t you dare.”“You slut… You had to go that low?
“You want to get married to me?” Renata adjusted, using her elbow to support her balance so she could look him in the eyes.Domingo paused as he adjusted as well. “You don’t want to marry me?”She frowned, her lips quivered in uncertainty. “What…?”“No… no…” she cleared her throat stylishly.“Is it
The storm was calmer; two weeks had passed since Santiago finally signed the divorce papers. The long battle with Santiago had drained her, but when the final signatures hit the last page, it felt as if the air in her lungs had changed. She felt lighter and freer. For the first time in years, she







