Raise the glass for a toast
She would have tripped face first if Alex hadn’t grabbed her arm. Jenica cursed in her mind. She turned to look at Robert, who was scratching his nape and laughing apologetically. “Sorry,” he said.
This guy!
Jenica huffed, blinked, and straightened up. She isn’t a weak lady, but when it comes to Alex, she loses her typical self, her poise. She grimaced and took a step back, her gaze drawn elsewhere.
“Bro! This is Laurel, my date!” Robert said as he drew her closer to him.
Jenica pursed her lips, irritably, and turned to face Alex, who was also frowning at her. “Date?” her husband inquired, smiling.
She had a horrible feeling when she saw Alex’s smile. Jenica leaned to Robert and murmured, “I want to go back.”
Someone grabbed her wrist and dragged her away from Robert before the latter could answer. Jenica’s eyes widened as she looked up at her husband, who was wearing a frown. “Is this your date?” Alex inquired, looking down at her. “An unusual woman who lacks self-disciple?”
“Bro, a little respect, ‘kay. That’s my date. Keep your hands off my woman,” Robert said as he snatched Jenica’s other hand and yanked her away from Alex’s embrace.
“Your woman?” Alex smirked as he drew her back. He pinched her cheeks softly and murmured in her ear. “So you’re now devoting yourself to your cousin-in-law? Wife, should I be happy?”
Jenica’s face darkened. “Why? You’re engaged. Is there a reason for me to still be faithful to you? I’m not a martyr if that’s what you’re thinking,” she smirked back.
Alex blinked. “So you’re doing this the hard way, huh?” he said, grabbing her nape and kissing her lips.
“Damn, bro! What are you doing!” cursed Robert, separating the two of them. “Are you crazy? You have a fiancee!”
“This is none of your business. Get lost!” Alex shouted back, pushing Robert away. He took Jenica’s hand in his and led her through a secret door.
“Alexander Fuego!” screamed Robert, huffing furiously. “She’s my girl!”
Alex paused for a moment, chuckling, before closing the door behind them.
As they looked at each other, silence enveloped them. The man squinted even more. “Explain yourself,” he said.
Jenica smirked, her arms crossed across her chest. “Why should I?”
Alex’s expression deepened, and he gripped both of her shoulders. “Don’t forget that you’re my wife, Jenica.”
She swatted his hands away and took a step back to avoid his hand. She scowled. “What a shameless man you are, Mr. Fuego! One woman isn’t enough for you, so you’re looking for another despite having a wife?” Jenica questioned. “I thought only your body was sick, I didn’t know your illness has gotten into your head.”
“Don’t accuse me without looking at what you’ve done, Jenica. You abandoned your husband when I needed you most.”
She remained silent for a few seconds before turning away. For a brief moment, silence descended upon them, before Jenica cleared her throat. “I have my reasons.”
“I also have mine,” Alex added. He tightened his fist. “Five years have passed since you left me, Jenica. That night was the last treatment session before I’ll finally get rid of my illness. I thought you’ll be by my side when I wake up only to find out that you ran away. You think marrying me is a child’s play that you made fun of me by doing that?”
She took a big breath and avoided looking Alex in the eyes. Alex’s eyes were filled with accusations against Jenica because of what happened five years ago. She sighed, her lips pursed. “I wanted freedom,” was the only response she could muster.
Alex laughed. He ruffled his hair and fixed his gaze on Jenica. “You think I’ll believe that excuse?”
“Whether you believe it or not, it doesn’t concern me,” she said with a sidelong glance at him. “I see that you’re well enough to taunt and threaten me. Since you’re engaged, it’s not good to let others see we’re alone in this room.”
Alex scowled. “You really love to lie. Do you think I’m naive to believe your words?”
Jenica smiled as she gazed at him this time. He understood why she let him drag her into that room.
For this very reason: The door opened with a bang and Gia entered with several boys and girls of the same age.
Jenica noticed Robert glaring at Alex from behind Gia. Jenica arched her brow and smirked. She knew Robert wouldn’t let her down bringing her husband’s fiancee over the room.
Well, she just wanted to see Gia’s face flushed in anger. Wew, what a sight it was. Gia’s possessiveness towards her husband was all a joke in her eyes because in the end of the day, Jenica’s the legal wife.
“You!” shouted Gia, pointing a finger at her. “What on earth are you doing with my fiance?”
Jenica turned to the left and smiled at the newcomer. “Me?” she said gently, pointing to herself. “Why don’t you ask your beloved fiance, huh?”
And walked by Gia, but the madwoman’s entourage suddenly blocked her route. Jenica smiled at them while squinting with clinched teeth. “Get lost!” she exclaimed.
“Your face is too thick to seduce Kuya Alex!” exclaimed the woman with spectacles. She was staring at her as if Jenica owed her a million dollars.
“Yes! That’s right! No matter what you do, you will never set foot in Fuego’s mansion. A b*tch like you doesn’t deserve cousin Alex!” Another voice cried out.
Jenica raised the corner of her mouth. “Isn’t it Fuego’s mansion?” she asked, looking at Gia, who was staring at her. Jenica let out a quiet laugh. “Just a small mansion not worth for my feet to step in.”
“You!”
She could hear people gasp in disbelief and shock, but she had finally walked out of that suffocating room. Her expression darkened as a flash of light flashed across her eyes. She went to the engagement celebration for one purpose only: to humiliate Antonete and Fuego’s family.
She wasn’t only dissatisfied with Alexander five years ago. Many huge families came to the Fuego mansion in the capital to congratulate the current lady of the Fuego clan, who is Alexander’s grandmother, after the doctor confirmed that Alex could walk after the last treatment.
Of course, Alex’s relatives couldn’t visit to his independent house in an exclusive subdivision, so they sent gifts through Alex’s assitant, who then delivered the goods to the house where she lived. And Alex’s grandmother would always summon him to the Fuego house to entertain his “guests,” whom Jenica recognized as the young maidens of the capital’s important families.
When she begged for a divorce, Alex refused to let her leave, but he continued to stand in front of those women, greeting them as guests in the Fuego mansion. Jenica couldn’t deny she was jealous, but she couldn’t do anything because she was supposed to be his “hidden wife,” a trophy against his clan’s hunger for his fortune, an insurance that his wealth wouldn’t go to his greedy relatives after his death.
But Alex would constantly console her, promising her that he wouldn’t get those bugs and that he was simply trying to keep the Fuego clan under control. Jenica believed him when she heard Alex telling his men to throw away the naked woman who stood in front of him one night.
She knew Alex didn’t like those young maidens, so when she found out her husband was marrying Gia Antonete, she was devastated. What more could she possibly do? She was embarrassed to point a finger in his face since she was the one who abandoned him first.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
But… She averted her gaze. After what happened five years ago, why would she allow them to be happy?
She chuckled as an unpleasant smile spread across her lips.
“Haah! What kind of woman is that? Miss Gia is this kind of woman?”
“Quick, quick! Take a picture!”
“I didn’t know Miss Gia is like this. What a pity. She’s my idol but why did she..?”
Jenica could hear the guests’ whispers as she slowly swirled the goblet in her hand, sipping wine. The projector was kept on, hoping to show the couple’s photos, but to everyone’s amazement, the huge screen displayed Gia’s naked photos.
“What are you waiting for? Take it down!” exclaimed Alex’s grandma, the lady of the Fuego clan. The old lady’s cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. It happened at her grandson’s engagement celebration, so Jenica understood her emotions. And she was delighted to be able to see the spectacle sight.
Gia’s face was pale, and her parents’ faces were unhappy. Even Alex’s face darkened as he stared at the n*de photos.
“Everyone, this is a misunderstanding,” said Gia’s father. “Someone framed my daughter. Wait for a second and we’ll figure it out!”
The room was filled with whispers once more. Jenica became aware of a dark stare following her. She looked around, and her gaze was drawn to Dante Antonete’s cruel expression. In that moment, the man appeared to recognize her as the woman in that night, Alex’s wife. So be it.
She raised her glass to him with a sneer on her lips, asking Dante to a toast. The man’s expression was enraged.