Chapter 4

Angela didn't scream.

She only smirked. A slow, dangerous smirk that made her lipstick look like blood. Then she pecked Kris on his cheek, softly, like she was kissing a child.

"Kris, I didn't mean to slap you. It was because you insisted on not letting me see the screen."

Kris touched his cheek. The slap was still burning. But her kiss was confusing him.

"But honey, no need to worry! My dad can help your company in no time."

Kris's face lit up instantly. His eyes became wide like a little boy who just got a toy.

"For real? Thank God." Excitement warmed his whole body. He forgot about the slap. He forgot about the phone. "That's so good. That's so good, Angela."

Angela spoke in a calm tone, almost dangerously calm. Too calm.

"Yeah, probably by tomorrow everything will be all set. The company's sales will be back again. All your debts will disappear. Just like magic."

She then catwalked out of the office. Her heels clicked on the marble floor. Click. Click. Click. Every click felt like a countdown.

That night, Kris came back home early. Earlier than ever before. He slammed the door and hugged his mother tightly from behind.

"Son, what are you doing? Don't you see that I am busy? I am cooking your daughter's favorite good-for-nothing bread tofu," Jude said, trying to push him away. Her hands were full of flour.

"Maria, come here!" Kris called, his voice full of energy. "We have good news!"

Maria didn't come. She was lying on the sofa, watching TV with her legs up.

She said without even looking at him, "Daddy, I am busy watching my favorite cartoon. Don't call me. Meet me in my free time, probably next week on Tuesday."

Kris shook his head but he was too happy to be angry. He sat there with his mother at the kitchen table.

"Son, what is with the blush? Why are you smiling like a fool?" Jude asked.

"Angela's dad is going to save us from the crisis. Her dad! The rich man!"

"Really? Didn't she yell when she noticed your company is failing?" Jude asked, raising her eyebrows. She knew Angela. Angela always yelled.

"Nah... she didn't! Only a smile played on her face. She is finally a good wife."

Kris did not talk about the slap. He would have been embarrassed to tell his own mother that his wife slapped him in his own office.

His mom heavily sighed and put her hand on her chest. "Now at least I can sleep without any worries tonight. Finally."

The next morning came so early that Kris didn't even notice it.

He woke up and looked beside him. Angela was not there. The bed was empty but warm. That was strange. Angela didn't get out of bed unless it was 10 AM. She loved sleeping.

It was 6 AM, but she was already up, and a letter lay by her side. It was written in red ink, as if it were blood. The paper smelled like her expensive perfume.

It said: 

_Darling, meet me downstairs. There is something you're going to sign. Actually, it will help with the company issues. My dad has sent it, honey. Hurry up. - Your Angela._

Kris jumped out of bed like a madman. He didn't even wear his slippers. He swung down the stairs like a circus clown yearning for love, his pajamas half-tucked.

Angela stood there in the living room, holding a cup of ordered coffee. She was wearing a red silk robe. She looked like a queen.

Kris said nervously, breathing hard, "Honey, I have come. I have come."

A fake smile appeared on Angela's face. Too perfect. Too white.

"Oh, honey, you've finally come," she giggled as she gave him the papers. A thick pile of papers. "Sign here, here and here. My daddy's lawyer said it's urgent."

Kris was so elated that he didn't even read the papers. His hands were shaking with hope. He stormed into signing them. One, two, three, four. His signature rested there calmly. He didn't see the small words at the top: DIVORCE AGREEMENT and PROPERTY TRANSFER.

Jude was already up. She lazily went to the kitchen to make Maria breakfast, humming a song.

As she was going, Angela stopped her in the middle of the hallway.

"Oh, Mother. Your job is done. You no longer need to do that anymore. You can rest forever."

Jude laughed inside. Her heart felt light. "Why has she changed overnight? Anyway, whatever the reason, it's cool! Maybe she finally respects me."

Angela then childishly clapped her hands. Twice.

They both looked at her at the same time. Kris and Jude.

Angela's smile disappeared. Like someone switched off a light.

"Kris, thank you for signing these divorce papers. You didn't bother me. Because you also signed the documents that allow me to have your company and this mansion, plus all your other things. Everything now belongs to me. Thank you, fool."

The room became silent. You could hear the clock ticking.

Kris frowned. His mouth became dry. "What do you mean, A-A-Angela? What divorce?"

His mother, standing behind him, dropped a glass. It shattered. Pieces everywhere.

"Ooh, don't forget your luggage is outside the gate. I packed it myself last night. Hahaha... It couldn't get any worse, right?" Angela laughed. She laughed so loud.

Maria went downstairs. She had heard the conversation. She was still holding her popcorn.

She looked at her father with cold eyes. "Daddy, you're not going to see me next Tuesday. Ooh, that's sad. But I have a positive feeling about it. So, bye."

Kris felt like crying and laughing at the same time. His chest was paining.

"What did I marry? What did I give birth to?" he screamed and yelled. His voice broke.

His mother, in shock, couldn't breathe. She fainted on the cold floor.

Kris ran to her. "Mom... Mom... can you hear me? Mom, wake up!"

He left her there and went to Angela, his hands in fists.

"Honey, your bags are getting wet. Better go now," she laughed and snapped her fingers.

He tried to slap her, but her new bodyguard, a huge man in black, appeared from nowhere and threw him away. Hard. Kris fell on the table.

The bodyguard then carried Jude in his arms like a sack of rice. He placed them near the luggage. Outside.

The gate was closed. Bang.

Rain was pouring heavily. So heavily.

He woke up his mother. "Mom, wake up. Please."

Jude coughed. She thought she had a bad dream, but when she opened her eyes, she saw the rain, the gate, and their bags. It was actually true.

She screamed louder than Kris — her tears mixed with the rain.

They remembered how they had thrown Suzan out of the house on a rainy day just like this. The same rain. The same gate.

They cried not because they were sorry, but because they were going to die like her, poor as rats of the church.

They hugged tightly as they carried their bags. No where to go.

Somewhere unknown, far from that gate, a good-looking woman picked up a phone call. She was looking out of a tall building.

"Miss, Kris and Jude have been thrown out of the house by Angela," the man spoke on the phone.

"Well, I am heading there to help them," she calmly said, wearing her black gloves.

"How can you forgive them that soon without revenge?" he asked, shocked.

The woman smirked in the dark.

"What makes you think that if I am going to help them, I will forgive them?" she said and hung up the phone.

A fancy black car parked in front of Jude and Kris.