Chapter 17 Face to Face
“Oh hi again nameless girl. We met again!”
I gave a wide smile to Cholo’s secretary, whose face was pale as she looked at me from her chair. I fixed my loose hair first before approaching the woman who was now squirming to stand up.
“G-good day, Mrs. Gastrell. What can I do for you, ma’am?”
She came around the table and was about to reach for my paper bags when I stopped her.
“Oh no, no. No need to do that. I can handle this perfectly. Go back to your work and just don’t mind my presence. Remember, we don’t have a dark past together.”
I winked at her then slammed the door.
“M-ma’am,” she stopped my attempt to push the door. I looked at the woman whose face was still pale.
“What?”
“Ms. Elizabeth Asturia is inside.”
My brows moved. A vicious smile appeared in the corner of my lips.
“The mistress is here?”
The secretary’s mouth fell open before bowing her head in surrender.
“Nameless girl, what do you expect me to call her? Mrs. Gastrell? No. That title will only belong to me forever.”
I pushed open the door and entered the office. Just as I closed it with my foot, Elizabeth Asturia’s angelic face appeared from the bathroom door.
Our eyes met. Hers so innocent and pure while mine is that of someone who has tasted every bitter pill in the world.
She is the first one to blink and look down.
“Y-you’re here,” she said in a very soft and kind voice. A mocking smile played on my lips.
“Of course. What do you expect from a wife like me who only wants to serve her beloved husband? Surely, you don’t believe the rumors that I am such a bad wife, do you?”
She sat on the sofa chair and carefully lifted one thigh to rest on the other thigh.
This woman right here screams elegance. Her white dress almost sticks to her skin like a shining stardust. Her hair is in a perfect bun with a pin that matches her pearl earrings and necklace.
The woman is such an air of beauty given that the Asturian clan is of Spanish descent. I am nothing compared to her beauty, intellect, and wealth.
That was then. Everything is different now. The world revolved too fast for the disguised angel in front of me.
I carefully put the paper bag I brought that contained the lunch I cooked for my husband on the table. After finishing, I sat in the opposite seat of Elizabeth and stared at her. No matter which angle you look at the woman, her beauty is really spotless. She is like a perfect glass. Clear, beautiful… but fragile.
“So? What are you doing here in my husband’s office while he is not here?”
I deliberately emphasized the word husband so that I could convey to her the message that my husband is only mine.
“I need to discuss business with him if you don’t mind,” she answered in a formal tone.
I smirked. “It’s good to know that you have changed now.”
She stopped from opening her bag to give me a quizzical look. “What do you mean by that?”
I shrugged and imitated her expression. I crossed my arms and leaned my body toward her direction.
“Forgetful aren’t we? But if you insist, I’ll help you remember some of the details. You remember the first time you learned that he married me? For the first time in history, you lost your composure there and acted like you owned him. I get it that you were so hurt back then. After all, you are his first love and you’re supposed to be the woman he’ll wed at the altar. But now, I can see that you already know your place in his life. I’m the one he married. I am the wife and you will remain a mistress in everyone’s eyes. You will be just a mere pitiful girl who waits for leftovers when I get tired of Cholo. But that won’t happen. I won’t make it happen. The only chance you will get with him is when I’m a cold corpse. You have to kill me first before you can have him, Ely.”
Her face turned ashen. She opened her bag with her trembling hands and picked out a tissue to dab on her perfect face.
“We did nothing wrong, Karina. We really thought you were dead that’s why I agreed when Cholo asked me for another chance. We were supposed to…”
She stopped and looked down at her clasped hands.
“You were supposed to get married. I know about it. You were engaged to be married already. You guys were supposed to marry each other and live happily ever after next month.”
I smiled at her.
“That’s why I went home right away in the arms of my one and only love before I lost the title. I realized that I am just as selfish when it comes to my happiness. My happiness is Cholo so I decided to come back to be happy again. I know my comeback ruined the chance for the two of you to be happy together but who cares, right? The only thing that’s significant is my happiness. That’s what matters.”
Her mouth is open while watching me narrate the events in my most cheerful voice. The look on her face is that of someone who is not quite certain about what she had just heard.
“I can’t believe I’m hearing this from you, Karina. We did nothing wrong to you. We were so kind to you back then. I don’t know why you are like this to us. What happened to you? Why are you happy to see us struggling? Why are you like this? We used to show you nothing but goodness. Why are you like this? Why… Why do I think that you’re just playing around?”
I pouted my lips. “Nothing. Nothing happened to me. I just got tired of being on the inferior side, of waiting for other people’s scraps so I promised myself that I would do everything to make myself happy. Because I believe in the saying that life is fair because it’s unfair to everybody. It was not fair for you to have all the happiness in the world so I’m coming in to be your equalizer. That sounds so impressive, right?”
I could see that she was still confused by what I was saying. She bit her lip and let out a deep breath.
“It’s obvious that Cholo loves me. Why are you forcing yourself into his life if you know there is no hope for you? Why did you come back now? Are you tired of the man you replaced Cholo with? Why now when our dream is within our reach? Why would you come back just to hurt people, Karina?”
Her voice was shaking with so much emotion but miraculously I couldn’t feel anything. I just sat there, staring at Elizabeth’s beautiful face holding back tears.
“Is that what he told you? Did he tell you about my secret lover being my reason for leaving Cerro Roca?”
“That’s what everyone in the town believes, Karina. That you went away with another who’s man richer than Cholo. You know how he loves you so much. Cholo fought for you against his entire clan. He begged his mother to accept you but you betrayed him. Now tell me, do you still deserve the kind of happiness you’re talking about if the person you say who can make you happy is the same person you hurt and left behind? How could you ask for something that you deliberately threw in the past?”
I was caught off guard for a second. Her words were like poisoned arrows that pierced right through my bone. The chill seeped into my bone right into my aching flesh.
“No matter what you say, I am still the wife in the eyes of everyone. I’m the legal wife.” I laughed derisively. “Who would have thought that the oh-so elegant and prim and proper princess of one of the most powerful and wealthy clans in the country will only end up as a mistress, a homewrecker, and a good-for-nothing sperm-catcher for my husband? What a demotion, Ms. Asturia. I’m not at all disappointed. After all, your clan is famous in that department.”
Her face turned bright pink. For a second, I thought she would come up to me and slap me real hard but she was able to hold her temper the last second I saw it slipping through.
What a waste.
I can see how she struggles to control herself. That was amazing. It takes a great amount of restraint to do that. If it happened to me, she could have been in the ground while I made her into a pulp.This material belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.
“I know you’re just provoking me but sorry to say this but I am not getting into your trap. I would not come down to your level, Karina. I still respect myself and Cholo.”
That’s when my laugh got hysterical. “Respect? Really? You’re talking now about respect? Tell me if you are still deserving of that kind when you’re happily riding my husband’s dick? Well, I tasted my husband’s dick but for a woman who preaches about chastity, you sure are enjoying my husband’s dick. Isn’t it delicious? Did your eyes dilate? It’s a shame you didn’t ask for permission. I’m willing to share him with you. I’m a kind person. I’m willing to share him with dogs like you.”
Her eyes went sharp. “I’m also a kind person, Karina. As much as possible I hold my temper but you’re drawing me to cross the line.”
I was about to answer when the door opened and Cholo entered followed by the nameless girl. His gaze immediately focused on Ely. His eyes became soft while looking at her. He smiled at Ely but that disappeared like a bubble when he caught my eye. A guarded and blank expression replaced his face.
“I’ll call you later when I need you,” he said to the nameless girl while not taking his eyes off me. The woman nodded, glancing slightly at the three of us.
“Yes, sir.”
Cholo sighed and closed the door behind him. He walked to his desk and sat on the swivel chair. I stood up and fixed the slightly ruffled hem of my Hepburn style black dress. I put a smile on my lips and took the contents out of the paper bag and proudly lined it up on his table.
“I brought you lunch. You didn’t have breakfast so I got worried. I know it’s not easy to run a gigantic company, hubby.”
I open the canisters and the appetizing smell fills the room.
“Wait here. I’ll just get some utensils.”
“Karina, stop this already,” Cholo stopped me. “You’re not really helping the situation now. Leave us. Ely and I have to go somewhere.”
He let out a breath and then washed his palm over his face. I stopped taking the spoon and fork from inside the bag upon hearing his strained voice.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” I smiled at Cholo before turning to Elizabeth who was just staring at the two of us.
“You didn’t tell me you have an important appointment with my husband. Go now. Hub, I’m really sorry for not knowing. Go now. I’ll just save this up for later.”
My smile faded. “Or not.”
I threw the contents of the canisters on the desk and floor of the office. The sauce splashed on Cholo’s clothes and face. His papers were stained and the whole place smelled of steak. I looked at him with narrowed eyes.
“Is that what you want to hear from me? You’re going somewhere? Where? To somewhere cold so you could fuck your brains out? Can I join? Let’s have a threesome.”
I looked at Elizabeth who was gaping and her eyes were wide. “You like that? What do you think?”
I approached Cholo and wiped the liquid from his face with my hand then put my fingers in my mouth one by one and sucked them.
“Ooh.. yum,” I mumbled.
I smirked before taking my tote bag from the sofa like a model and waved at Elizabeth who quickly went to Cholo and got a tissue to wipe his face.
I walked out of the room grinning but the moment I entered the elevator, tears started streaming down my face.