Chapter 3 - Could Wake Up One Day

"That's crazy. I'm married to your best friend, Lucasio." She faked a laugh.

"Married on paper, Ffiona."

She sighed. Lucas was right; they were only married on paper. She knew her place in Audric's heart. 

"D-do I need to end the call, huh? W-well then, goodbye, Lucas." Without waiting for him to respond, she hung up and sadly gazed at the covered window.

She put her cellphone in the pocket of her comfy cotton shorts and went to the window. She pulled the thick curtain aside, allowing the bright and beautiful view outside, along with a cool, refreshing breeze, to come in when she opened it.

She felt like a window hidden behind a thick curtain. But was it her fault for loving Audric so much? She was head over heels for him, even though he only saw her as a friend. Despite him saying he loved someone else, she couldn't help but feel foolishly in love with him. So foolish that sometimes she wished she could wake up one day with no memories, just to forget him...

"ADI! I like you— no, I love you! When will you feel the same?" she asked Audric with tears in her eyes. At that time, she was fifteen, while Adi was twenty and studying Business Administration in America.

She wanted to follow Audric to the University he attended, but her mother wouldn't allow her, and she knows why. The cost of living there is high and her family is not that well off like Audric.  He belonged to the Villanueva family, who were far from ordinary—they were incredibly wealthy billionaires, often described as "walking diamonds."

His father was excellent at managing businesses, that's why they have a lot of company branches and their name was well-known. Everyone knew that Audric would be the next to take over the family business once he finished his studies.

"Come on, Ffion, you're too young to be talking so seriously about love," he chuckled on the video call, letting her see his handsome face.

"But it's real! I love you, Adi. Truly, deeply love you! Can't you see that? I've been showing you every day how much I care."

"Listen, Ffion. You're like a little sister to me." He smiled and playfully pretended to pinch her cheek.

She pouted. "Oh, whatever! I love you. I'll wait for you to come home. You're the one I want to be with until we both have white hair. No arguments, Mr. Audric Villanueva!"

"You're silly." He laughed even more.

"Hmp!"

It's true. She wanted to stay with him until they were old, even if he didn't feel the same. She didn't care about other admirers trying to win her over. All she wanted was Audric, and that's final. End of story.

Actually, she studied really hard so that when he returned, she could impress him with her achievements. He used to tease her about not being smart and not getting top marks on her exams.

"Adi—"

She was about to feel upset  when a girl approached Audric from behind, angrily questioning him, "Who is she, babe?!"

"Babe?" She felt her heart pounding when she saw the girl's face.

Who was she, and why was she calling Audric 'babe'? She knew, of course , that she's the future wife of Audric and seeing him with another girl is surprising. 

As she tried to ask Audric about the girl, he quickly ended the call, leaving her in shock. When she called back, she hoped for an explanation, but her heart sank upon hearing the unfamiliar voice of the girl on the other end.

"Stop calling my boyfriend, bitch!" Then, the call ended.

"Boyfriend...?" Tears streamed down her face without control. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. It was the first time Audric had made her cry, and she felt utterly shattered.

Audric used to bring her joy and laughter, especially when things were tough with her step-brothers and step-father. He always made an effort to keep her happy. But now, he was the one causing her heartache.

FFION came back to reality when the telephone in the living room near the staircase rang. She hurriedly went to answer it. There were only two callers, either Audric's parents or his two siblings.

"Ffion." It was a formal voice from Mrs. Vilma Villanueva.

"Auntie..." Her voice caught as if something was stuck in her throat.  She knew Audric's mom never liked her, even from the start. Every time she was with Audric, his mom would scold her, saying she shouldn't be friends with her son because her mom was a mistress.

"How's my son? You didn't bother keeping me in the loop about what's going on with him at the Villa!"

She bit her lip. If only she could end the call, she would have done it. But because she's Audric's mother, she would still give her respect.

"A-audric is in the art room."

"Has my precious son bothered to eat?  I hope you haven't messed things up there! 'Coz I can see how excited and thrilled you are that my son chose you, Ffion. But don't you dare get too cozy, darling, because mark my words, I'll uncover whoever's responsible for my son's plight. And once we find eyes for Audric, you'll also be out of my dear son's life."

She didn't bother to respond. What's the use? She smiled bitterly and took a deep breath.

"Don't worry, Tita. I'll take care of Audric. I'll be his eyes here..."

"Of course! He's the heir, a Villanueva! A billionaire. Swimming in money, so you'll surely manage taking care of a billionaire, won't you, dear? I know you're a gold digger. Don't bother denying it! So make sure to babysit my son until he can see again, got it?" She slammed the phone down on the other line.

She didn't care about Villanueva's money; it wasn't what she cared about. But Audric's mother saw her that way, and she couldn't change how she thought. The only thing she could do was to care for and love Audric every day, hoping his family would realize she wasn't after his wealth.

When will they see that I just loved you, Adi? That I just loved you...