PART 3

Part 3

My mother-in-law, Camila, said that Roby was free to use my parents' inheritance because he is my husband.

How ridiculous!

Where did she get such an idea that she could say something like that?

Of course it's wrong!

My parents' inheritance clearly belongs to me. It is meant for my descendants in the future, not for Roby's family or his mistress.

Before marrying me, Roby was just a low-ranking employee. He has no right to my father's assets.

**

"This jewelry is mine!" Natasya snapped with a satisfied smile after successfully snatching the diamond from Larisa's neck.

Roby's mistress had been careless, allowing Natasya to take the diamond with ease.

Quickly, Natasya slipped the diamond into her pocket.

There was only one diamond left that she hadn't taken yet—the one currently worn by her mother-in-law, Camila.

Meanwhile, Silva, Edgar's wife, was not wearing any jewelry at all.

Apparently, there was still at least one sensible person in this place.

"Roby gave it to me. It's mine, Natasya!" Larisa protested, refusing to back down.

She tried to snatch it back.

"Give it back!"

**

Natasya managed to dodge.

Larisa turned to Roby with a pleading look.

"Why are you just standing there, Roby? Take my jewelry back! Didn't you give that jewelry to me yourself? Why are you staying silent while Natasya snatches it from me?" Larisa demanded.

What Natasya had taken was the diamond Larisa had always dreamed of owning.

A very expensive diamond.

Its price nearly reached sixty thousand dollars!

An absolutely astonishing price.

Larisa could not accept that Natasya had taken it so easily.

"Natasya, please?" Roby shook his head.

He seemed to have no strength to fulfill Larisa's request.

Natasya folded her arms across her chest.

Arrogantly, she said,

"Roby would never dare take it from my hands, Larisa. Because he knows all of this belongs to me."

Natasya smiled in triumph.

"Roby?" Larisa called.

Seeing Larisa's eyes well up with tears, Roby couldn't bring himself to be heartless.

He tried to speak gently to Natasya.

After all, Larisa was a woman he loved just as much as he loved Natasya.

"Please, Natasya. I gave that jewelry to Larisa because she took good care of Erik, our son. Its value is nothing compared to the wealth we have. Please give it back to her."

Erik?

Suddenly, Natasya remembered her son.

Her heart began to race.

She had forgotten about her child.

"Where is Erik? Where is my son?"

Natasya's eyes darted around every corner of the house.

"Erik! Where are you? Mommy's home, sweetheart!" Natasya shouted.

She missed her son, Erik, terribly.

"Erik is still at school. He'll be home soon," Roby said.

For a moment, Roby felt sorry for Natasya.

After all, she was his wife—

the woman who had given birth to Erik, his son.

But Roby couldn't choose if forced to pick between Natasya and Larisa.

He loved them both.

"Give the jewelry back to Larisa, Natasya. I'm begging you," Roby pleaded.

"On what basis should I obey your orders, Roby?"

Natasya stepped closer to her husband and smiled coldly.

"You are my wife, and a wife should obey her husband," Roby replied.

"Which husband am I supposed to respect, Roby? Do you really think you deserve my respect? A husband who chose to betray me? Even when his beloved wife was struggling between life and death?"

"We are still husband and wife, Natasya. So you must follow my orders. Return the jewelry to Larisa, before—"

"Before what?" Natasya challenged him.

She stood quite close to Camila.

She was clearly looking for an opening while her mother-in-law was off guard.

"Let me remind you, Roby! Everything in this house belongs to me. This jewelry, and this—"

"Natasya!"

This time, Camila's scream rang out hysterically.

**

The jewelry that had been hanging around Roby's mother's neck was now in Natasya's hands.

"Don't be insolent, Natasya! Give my jewelry back!" Camila shouted.

Roby growled in anger.

Natasya hadn't even returned Larisa's jewelry yet, and now she had snatched the jewelry Camila was wearing as well.

Today, Natasya looked like a criminal in the eyes of Roby and his family.

"No, no, no!"

Natasya wagged her index finger in front of Camila, signaling for her not to come any closer.

"My dear mother-in-law, since when have you been wearing jewelry this expensive?" Natasya mocked.

She stared closely at the necklace she had taken from Camila's neck.

"I'm sure this one is more expensive than the first piece, isn't it?" Natasya probed.

Camila glared at her with burning rage.

"Oh, I see now!" Natasya nodded,

as if she had just reached an understanding.

"So while the owner of this house wasn't here, you partied every day? Used my wealth without permission? Is that it? Or were you hoping I would die?"

"NO, NATASYA!"

Roby shouted.

His breathing grew heavy, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

His eyes welled up with tears.

It felt as though he was facing a severe punishment.

Natasya's sudden return had shocked him deeply

and left him completely shaken.

"Darling." Roby swallowed hard, his throat painfully dry.

"I never wished for you to die. I was devastated when I found you in the swimming pool. I called your name until my voice was gone. Erik and I cried endlessly."

Natasya smiled mockingly.

"Don't tell jokes, Roby."

"I'm not lying, Natasya. Any husband in the world would be heartbroken and desperate seeing his wife lying helpless in a hospital bed."

"But what I see now is that you're not heartbroken, Roby. You're actually enjoying my absence from this house."

Hearing that, Camila became furious.

She had been cursing in her heart all this time—why did Natasya have to come back and ruin her happiness?

"Then what do you expect, Natasya? Do you want my son to keep mourning you? My grandchild to cry every day until they become sick or go crazy?"

Camila's anger was no less intense than Natasya's.

"You should be grateful that Larisa was willing to take care of Roby and Erik. Besides, the wealth you own would eventually belong to Roby anyway, since you are husband and wife!" Camila yelled.

"Nonsense!"

Natasya's eyes widened sharply.

"This wealth is my parents' inheritance! Have you forgotten, Camila? Your son was just a low-ranking employee at my father's company!"

"My son helped develop your company, Natasya! Don't turn a blind eye to that!"

"Roby became a leader in my father's company because he married me, not because of his work performance, Camila. Don't believe me? Ask him yourself!"

Roby lowered his head.

"Then Roby has the right to his salary!" Camila snapped.

"Have you forgotten, Camila, how much money you received every month after Roby married me? That was all Roby's salary!"

"Roby is only entitled to his salary! He has no right to my father's inheritance in its entirety. And he has no right to give my wealth to anyone he pleases. Do you understand?" Natasya said firmly.

"Then return our jewelry!" Camila protested again.

"This jewelry doesn't suit you," Natasya sneered.

"Natasya, sweetheart! You can be angry at me, you can even hit me for being unfaithful. But please, don't hurt my mother and Larisa," Roby begged.

"Tell me if I'm wrong, but... have you truly given your heart to someone else, Roby?"

"I swear I was truly faithful to you until the doctors gave up on treating you. They said I was too late bringing you to the hospital. Water had filled your lungs, and there was bleeding in your head from falling into the swimming pool," Roby explained.

"Falling into the swimming pool?"

"Yes. Two years ago, when I came home from work, I found you unconscious in the pool. I was terrified of losing you. I tried to give you first aid, but it didn't work, so I rushed you to the hospital."

Natasya remembered the incident.

"Someone hit my head, Roby."

Roby shook his head.

"That's impossible. You slipped because the pool was slippery and fell into it."

"The medical report from the doctor who treated Natasya shows there was a severe impact to her head. That's why she fell into a coma," Danil spoke up.

"That's ridiculous, Mr. Danil. Who would have the heart to do that to Natasya? The house was empty at the time. I'm sure Natasya slipped!"

"What if I tell you that I remember what happened, Roby?"

"What do you mean?"

"I remember that day."

"You remember?"

Then Natasya turned to Camila and Larisa.

"No! It wasn't me! I wasn't the one who hurt you, Natasya!"

"Hey, whose voice is that?"