DANICA can't force herself to sleep. Rita, who was next to her, was already asleep while she was still bothered by worries. She has sacrificed a lot and will not let all her hard work go away. She suddenly remembered the agreement between her and Steven's grandmother.
"You have a year to give what I want. Before that time is over, you have to give me a grandchild from Steven. Once you're pregnant, it's easy to arrange your marriage."
"Fuck that old woman!" she cursed in her mind. Her closeness to Rita was not enough for everything she wanted to happen. The old woman is cunning and Steven inherited it.
"Ah!" Danica wanted to scream loudly, but it got stuck in her throat because she didn't want to make any noise that might wake Rita. She pulled her own hair out of frustration.
Just a month ago, she found out that her ovary had a problem so she could not get pregnant. Aside from the fact that she still has to get Steven drunk before he can touch her, her chance of getting pregnant is low. If only the old woman hadn't been pressuring her, this thing wouldn't have been her problem up until now. She decided to make Nicole her bait against Rita's family.
"This is all your fault, you deserve to suffer!" she spoke to herself and glared at nowhere. As if Nicole was there, looking at her mockingly, Danica's grudge grew even more.
Since she was a child, she envied Nicole even though she considered her a friend. She looks perfect, even her family is, and she is just like a leech clinging to her. She didn't want her life to be like that forever. She is even disgusted with her parents because they do not dream to be rich. Fortunately, she was the favorite of Nicole's mother because she is more intelligent than Nicole. That was her advantage over her. She does everything to get the attention of the person she wants.
Danica grinned as she remembered the past. She was a kind and exemplary daughter in the eyes of every person who knew her. But she did not want to be pitied. She hated those feelings! Nicole never did anything bad to her, but she despised her in the depth of her heart because she has the things she lacks. And now, she hates her even more because she has to use her again to fulfill her biggest ambition.
Nicole woke up with a severe headache. It's like it's being torn apart. The pain in her body increased as she moved. "Argh! What happened?" she asked herself, feeling so confused, as her eyes remained closed.
She has no memory of why she is feeling head and body aches now. She slowly opened her eyes to look around. She frowned because the room was unfamiliar to her. She slowly got up but was also immediately stunned when she noticed the figure of a man next to her.
Nicole covered her own mouth with her palm to prevent herself from letting out a loud sigh when she recognized the man next to her. She was too shocked to see herself naked, too. She quickly tried to remember what had happened last night, why she was now in bed with her friend’s boyfriend.
"Oh, my God! What have I done?" she whispered to herself, as tears began to fall from her eyes. Even though she had not accepted everything yet, the door suddenly opened and it revealed Danica.
"What does this mean?!" Danica's eyes widened and she looked at Nicole with so much contempt.
Nicole didn't know what to say to her. She trembled with fear and embarrassment. She was confused and still couldn’t believe why she was there in Steven’s room. She was unable to move her body. She tightened her grip on the blanket that hung over her chest because she was not wearing anything.
"You bitch! Traitor!" Danica tries to kick Nicole, but Steven wakes up.
"What's wrong with you?" Steven asked Danica angrily because he was woken up by her noise.
"I'm the one who should ask you that!" Danica cried and scolded the young man.
Steven watched her cry in a daze. When he heard another woman sobbing, that's when he figured it out. He aggressively looked at the woman beside him who looks miserable.
"Why you're still here?" his voice was cold and emotionless and it only added to the weight Nicole was feeling.
Though her body is aching, Nicole forced herself to move and put on her clothes that were scattered on the floor. But before she could compose herself, Danica rushed at her. She slapped her on both cheeks followed by pulling her hair. She was almost deafened by the force of the slap on both her cheeks. She growled because of pain but did not fight back because she knew she made a sin. She felt her hatred for her, Steven just watched them.
"What the hell is happening here?!" Rita asked in shock when she reached the scene in the room. She woke up to find that Danica was no longer around, so she thought of going to her brother's room.
Steven quickly got dressed and stopped Danica, otherwise, her friend might end up dead. "Enough, Danica. Let's talk about it properly." He spoke calmly to her.
Danica angrily shook her boyfriend's hand and her sobs grew louder.
"You're a bitch! I knew you had the intention of snatching my brother from Danica!" Rita angrily went after Nicole when she recovered from the shock.
Steven didn't know if he should feel sorry for Nicole when he saw that the two had hurt her altogether. He could do nothing but pull her and hide her behind his back to stop his sister from hurting her.
"Don't say you side with that gold digger?" Rita angrily pointed at Nicole who kept her head bowed and looked like a wet chick hiding behind her brother.
"Enough!"
Rita became silent as her brother yelled. He looks angry and she knew he was still holding his bad temper in.
"Believe me, I also don't know how I got here. All I remember is you brought me here, Danica." She almost pleads for her friend's help and looks at her like she was begging. But she only became even angrier.
"Are you saying that I brought you to this room? Do you think I'm so stupid, Nicole, to take you to my boyfriend's room?" Danica's eyes were full of anger and attempts to reach Nicole's hair again, but Steven blocked her way.
"I said, enough!" Steven yelled before turning to the woman in the back. "And you!"
Nicole trembled and suddenly stepped back from him when he faced her.
"You succeeded in your plan today. But remember this, something happened to us only because of the drug you gave me!"
Rita and Danica covered their own mouths with the discovery. They are disgusted and angry at Nicole.
"You're the worst woman that I've ever met and don't dream that I'm responsible for what happened to us. You don't deserve to be the mother of my child, so leave my sight before I can drag you out!"
Every word Steven uttered was like thunder and lightning that hit Nicole's heart. Out of embarrassment and fear of him, she quickly complied. But before she could get past Danica, she saw a strange smile form on her lips.
As she walked out of the hotel, her mind was chaotic. She was quite grateful because she was able to carry her small bag. She kept her head bowed and was unable to meet the questioning looks of the people passing by in the hallway.
Why would they not look at her? Her hair was messy and she knew the make-up was also spread on her face because she cried. Even her dress was not worn properly.
Nicole went to the comfort room first and composed herself. She didn’t want to look miserable and be seen by her mother like that.
When the woman was gone, Steven sat down on the bed. He frowned, now he felt the effect of what happened last night. He just let Danica cry quietly while Rita comforted her. He had nothing to explain, he was Steven Scout, and he didn’t care about the feelings of any woman other than his grandmother and sister.
Rita felt sorry for her friend, she felt sympathetic, knowing her brother's behavior. Knowing her brother's attitude, she knew he had no intention of consoling Danica or apologizing for what he had done. Besides, her brother seems to be just another victim of that woman.
"I want to be alone for now."
The pain in Danica's eyes was evident when she locked eyes with Steven. She asked for an explanation from him, but he just keeps on showing coldness.
"Danica, let's go home first. Don't worry, you will surely make up with my brother."
Danica nodded understandingly at her. Rita knew her brother well, so she knew it would be better not to force the young man to speak. He might push her away from his life if she insists on what she wants now.
"Rita, I'll die if Steven disappears from my life!" Danica cried again when they were in Rita's car.
"Don't think about that because I won't let that happen! You're the only one I want to become a member of my family and I'll do everything to keep that ambitious woman from succeeding!"
Danica's heart secretly rejoiced at what she heard. She just kept crying on her shoulder until she got to her own condo unit.
"I want to be alone now." She stopped Rita when she tried to accompany her inside.
"Promise me you won't do anything bad to yourself!" Rita's face was serious, she was still really worried about her. If she was in her situation, she might have killed that woman.
She smiled at Rita to assure her. "I love myself," she joked, but a bitter smile flashed on her lips. "And besides, I don't want to see you sad when I'm gone."
Rita tearfully hugged Danica again. She recalled what happened when they were little and they were both trapped somewhere far from the houses.
"Please take care of yourself. If you need anything, just call me." Rita instructed her friend before letting her get out of the car alone.
Rita watched her friend's back until she entered the condominium building.
Nicole's mind is a mess, she took a taxi to go to her parent's house. She doesn't know how and where to start to make all the things that happened in the hotel clearly. She's also a victim, but no one believes it. She herself can't explain how she got into Steven's room. Particularly, the thing that happened between them.Her heart wants to explode now because of the stirred emotions. She's the biggest loser, actually, because she lost her virginity that way. To make matters worse, the person who took her first was not her husband nor boyfriend.She buried her face in her palms. She's thankful because the driver was kind. He even lent her a jacket when he noticed she was getting cold."We're already here, Ma'am." The driver said to his passenger when they arrived at the address she gave."Thank you." She handed the money to the driver and did not make the change.After getting out of the car, she entered the gate of their house with heavy steps. She thought she would be able to rest h
More than a month passed and Nicole's life has become quiet. She became the secretary of Kanor who she now calls Father. He also stopped driving the taxi because he had already accomplished his mission, to save someone whose life is almost ruined. She was that person, and he also considered her as his daughter. She kept nothing secret from him except who she slept with."You look pale, haven't you had breakfast?" Kanor asked Nicole worriedly.Nicole was unable to answer the gentleman because she felt cold in her hands and feet. She was sweating even though it wasn't hot."I should bring you to the hospital to have your condition checked."When Kanor approached her, Nicole suddenly felt nauseous. She didn't like the perfume he used even though she's been smelling it even before. Covering her own mouth, she ran into the bathroom.Kanor watched her with a worried expression. He was sure why she was acting like that. His wife was like that when she became pregnant with their first child.
"I KNOW you're looking for my friend." Danica's voice sounded both calm and angry as she talked to Steven.Steven stared at his girlfriend intently. Somehow, he felt a conscience for her as her boyfriend. She did nothing but love him and his sister. He didn't have time for her too, and now she even finds out that he is looking for that woman.He felt guilty, she stayed by his side despite what happened between him and her best friend. She was right, he was searching for Nicole. He just wanted to make sure she didn’t get pregnant. If she gets pregnant, he will not be able to allow the child to be a bastard and grow up without knowing him as the father."I know you didn't like what happened between you two because she confessed to me." Danica referred to Nicole."Where is she?" Steven asked quickly. According to his assistant, the woman has not entered the company since the day something happened between them."She didn't want to let me know and her parents had kicked her out of their h
A bitter smile flashed on Nicole's lips upon hearing the conversation between her parents and Danica. She, then, laughed out loud, which surprised Soledad. She thought she was losing her mind."Are you like that with your own child?" Nicole asked Soledad sarcastically."I don't have children so don't ask me." Soledad replied, annoyed.Nicole laughed at her again. "That's why you and Danica got along. Maybe you also stole someone else's child so you lost your job?" she continued to tease the lady.Nicole feels anger and dissapointment to her parents. They did not even worry about her, or even for their future grandchild. They do not value her feelings. They pity Danica more than they worry about her and didn’t think she might need them as well in her current situation.Instead of getting angry, Soledad smiled teasingly at the pitiful woman. She was offended by what she said, but she would not fight back. Danica strictly instructed not to hurt her because it might cause harm to the baby
"WHAT the hell? You're really old and you've become forgetful!" Gardo scorned. "Why don't you just shut your mouth and help me find it?" Soledad glared at him and looked around for the cell phone. She can't remember where she placed it because she was panicking earlier. "Look for it later, use this!" Gardo handed his cellphone to his companion. Nicole kept her eyes closed, but she knew that Soledad was taking a video of her. "Please, take good care of my children. I know I won't last longer…" Soledad quickly cut off the video recording before Nicole could say everything she wanted. "But I hope you let my three children live." Nicole continued to plead with the two while crying. But she got no response from them. "I'll take the child, you don't know how to drive anyway. Find your phone and call Ma'am Danica to let her know that the child is not well." Gardo hurriedly took the baby from Soledad. After Gardo left, Soledad left Nicole without a care. She felt a tingling sensation in
Danica hurriedly got changed and called Gardo again when she remembered something."The babies, how are they?" Danica asked as she prepared to leave."The baby is in the incubator, Ma'am. The other one is being taken care of by Soledad. Both of them are girls." Gardo replied to her."Why didn't she answer my call last night?" Danica was still intrigued by this."Oh, Ma'am. Please be patient, Soledad is already old, that's why she is prone to nervousness. She was panicking last night and can't remember where her phone was placed. Plus, she chased after Nicole, so she didn't have time to think of calling you."Danica believed Gardo's story. Soledad allegedly became confident that Nicole could no longer stand because she was so weak after giving birth. She used the bathroom and after that, Nicole was gone. Danica smirked, she admired Nicole's courage. She was able to fight until her last breath."After you bury her, clean the house there. I'm giving you that house. Also, expect someone w
"They're heartless!" Kanor gritted his teeth when he heard the news from Tony. He instructed him to find out what Nicole's real family is doing."All they know is that it was Nicole's ash that they sprinkled into the sea. A powerful person must be behind all this, Sir. I saw Mr. Steven Scout and his grandmother.""If that's it, it's just right to hide Nicole from them. Whoever is the real culprit in what happened to her, only she can tell." Kanor's feelings were replaced by sadness when his attention returned to the sleeping young lady. Her skin color has returned to normal. But she hasn't woken up since they found her."I heard the woman with Mr. Scout is called Danica." Tony continued the story.Kanor's eyes narrowed and his fists clenched when he heard the name of the person Nicole last mentioned. "Don't leave my children in Danica's hands.""Children?" Kanor said softly, remembering the last word she said when they were talking on the cell phone."Maybe the child that Danica was c
"I'M so happy for you!" Rita ran to Danica and hugged her tightly."Thank you!" Danica tearfully hugged her back. Then, she looked at the old woman and thanked her."From now on, you can call me, Grandma." Although she was not smiling, Danica could feel her sincerity."Yehey! Will I have a baby brother when you and Mommy are married, Daddy?" Daniela asked innocently.Danica and Rita slowly lose their smile when they heard what the child had asked Steven.Daniela confusedly looks at her father when he cleared his throat. When her father acts like that, she knew that he didn't want to answer her question. She exchanged gazes with her mother, she was glaring at her. She quickly squeezed herself in her father's arms and hid her face there. She gets scared when her mother gets mad at her. She hurts her and tells her she will give her to someone else if she wasn't obedient. She couldn't complain to her great-grandmother and father because she did not want them to fight with her mother.Eve