A
DIAMOND
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HEART

Episode 60

The playlist for this chapter is 'Lewis Capaldi - Before you go' do enjoy🎶🎶🎶

Micaela's POV Cont'd

Antonio drove me back to Ferd's mansion which was meant to be my home if not that I'm an unfortunate being. Nothing good comes to me and even if it does, it doesn't last, that's how my life is right from my childhood. Some things never change you know.

"Thank you, Antonio, I'll take it from here" I unbuckle the seatbelt and grabbed my purse.

"Are you sure you'll be fine alone or do you need me to accompany you inside?"

"No, there's no need for that, I can take care of myself. The least that could happen to me is death, and I'm not afraid of it".

"Oh Micaela, you shouldn't utter such a word as death. Nothing is going to happen to you, you'll be fine you'd see. Fernando's mom is a good woman, she won't hurt you and I don't think she'll allow her son to hurt you either".

"I hope so, thanks for everything. I'll keep in touch with you before I return to Seoul".

"You can count on me for anything" he touched my hand and I nodded slightly.

I opened the car door and stepped out of the car. "What's going to happen to your luggage at the hotel?" he asks as I was about to shut the door closed.

"I'll pick it up when I'm done here" I replied and shut the door closed. He waved at me as I walked into Ferd's mansion and I waved back.

Despite all the heartaches I'm going through, there's only one thing I'm happy about...and that is the fact that the press I've not found out about our divorce. Because if they had, the whole world must have known about it. May God not let that happen to me because I won't be able to breathe fine if it happens.

"Micaela!" Ferd's mom squeals from the doorstep with arms wide open and I could see a smile on her face. Is she really happy to see me? I approached her and she hugged me so close. I didn't know what else to do but to hug her back.

"I've missed you so much. How are you doing, my girl? I don't want to imagine what you must have been going through. Being divorced isn't a child's play, it triggers insomnia, loss of appetite, depression, and much more bad stuff".

"I... I'm fine" I stuttered with my gaze staring down to my feet.

"No, you are not fine. Don't lie to me, I'm like a mother to you, so you should open up to me. I've been through divorce and the experience isn't funny" she held my hands and tilt my chin up.

By now tears have blurred my vision "I can't take it anymore, mom". I broke down into sobs and hugged her for comfort. "I'm so tired of life mom, I just want to die so everyone will be happy" I muffled.

"Shhh, don't say that again. You are not dying, no one is dying. I'll help you get through this, I promise" she comforted me but I knew those were empty promises. I pulled away from her and shook my head.

"There's absolutely nothing you can do, your son wants me to go to jail even when he knows I'm carrying his child!" I yelled and she gasps with wide eyes.

Silence, deafening silence erupted in between us. Wait, what did I just say? I gape at her and shook my head trying to denounce what I just said.

"I...sorry that's not true I'm not carrying his child".

"You...you are carrying my grandchild?" she asks with a beaming smile and I shook my head for the umpteenth time.

"No, no. No child, I was just...."

"Don't you lie to me again, Micaela? You are carrying my grandchild and you are trying to deny it? What kind of lady are you?"

I glance away with so many thoughts dancing into my mind. I returned my gaze to her and asks "What's the point to accept I'm carrying your son's child when my marriage with him is over? What's there to be happy about when the child will end up being born in jail? Why should you accept a child of a woman who raped your son and ruined his life? What is your plan against me? To kill me thereafter I give you a grandchild?!"

"How dare you!" She snarls and threw a hard slap on my face. I staggered backward with my hands on my cheeks.

My gaze travels back to her awestruck at the slap I just received from my mother-in-law...I mean ex-mother-in-law. I stared blankly in alter disbelief. Her hands reached for her face and she covered it in embarrassment.

"Micaela, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that I swear it" she apologized and slowly dropped her hands down. "I lost control because of what you were wrongly accusing me of. I'm deeply sorry, I didn't mean to slap you. I thought that's the only way I could stop you from saying nonsense".

I didn't know what to say, I'm confused right now. I don't know if I should believe her or not.

"Micaela, I know you to be a good person right from the day I met you. My son told me about the rape incident that happened years ago, not like I don't believe that you did it, but I don't believe you carried out the rape plan all alone. I feel there's a hidden truth behind you raping my son. Please, tell me the truth, was it truly obsession that drives you into raping my son or where you threatened to do it?"

My eyebrow lifted more than 1 millimeter. Did I hear this woman correctly? She doesn't believe I raped her son at my own will? But how is that even possible?

My eyes flickered and glance intently at her. Did she tell her son the same thing? Could that be the reason Ferd left her because she was defending me? She took a step forward and stood in front of me.

"Please I need to know the truth, I know it sounds crazy to be defending you in front of my son even when I don't know the real story, that should convince you how much I love you and believe in you, Micaela. Talk to me, daughter, I'm ready to listen to you. It'll help you gain my son back only if you open up to me" she took my hands and squeeze them with warmth.

Do we still have reasonable mothers-in-law like her in this generation?

I let out a breath I've been holding and said "Thank you for not judging me and giving me a chance to tell you my part of the story. Can we go in please?".

"Of course! Forgive my manners" she snickered and led me inside.

**~~~**

Fernando's POV

I thought there was only one person that is going to stand by me when everyone else that I care about turned their back on me, but to my greatest detriment, my mother chooses to support that beautiful devil over me.

Right now, I just want to disappear to a place where I won't hear from anyone for a very long time before I'll come out of my hiding. My adopted father was the one driving, he insisted on driving me to anywhere I wanted after he saw how agitated I was back at home.

Initially, when we left my home I didn't know where I was going, but as he kept driving me around the city the thought of leaving Madrid to a small island where I can have my peace even though is for a limited time came to mind.

"Take me to the airport" I announced and he squint at me briefly.

"Are you traveling, son?"

"Obviously yes!"

"Are you with your passport?"

"Passport?" I returned his question with a deep frown.

"Of course, passport. You need a passport to travel, son. Where is your mind?"

It's only then I realized what he meant. Damnit! I left my passport behind and here I am thinking of traveling out of the country. Until now I didn't have it in mind that I'll travel out of Madrid.

"You don't need to travel, Fernando. I know is all my fault I told your mom about your divorce...."

"So, it was you all along?!" I exclaimed cutting him off mid-sentence. "Here I was thinking my brother Suarez let the cat out of the bag not knowing you did it without my permission!"

"I'm sorry, I just had to let your mom know because she deserves to know the truth. The poor woman was so excited about your marriage to Micaela that she couldn't stop talking about it on phone and everywhere else".

"That shouldn't have driven you into telling her of my divorce, damnit! Now, look at how things turn around for bad. My mom is taking side with that woman instead of me her son!"

"What do you mean?"

"My mom believes Micaela is innocent of the crime she committed!"

I heard him heave a sigh. "Even though you didn't trust me enough to have told me what she did, your brother told me" he stated and my gaze narrowed to him. "And do you want to know the truth?" he added.

"What?" I demanded.

"I think I share your mother's view of that young woman. I don't think she's capable of what you are accusing her of" he replied.

I furrowed and doubts beset me. I raised a brow at him and snorted in disbelief.

"Even you? Wow, this is quite interesting!"

You've got to be kidding me now, my whole family is turning their back against me because of one woman.

"I don't know what happened years ago but I think you should just let go of the past and enjoy the present, son".

"Of course, it's easy to say, isn't it?" I responded and silence was all I got from him.

"You know what? This conversation is over, in fact, I don't need your services anymore. I want to be alone. Do me a favor and get a cab that will take you home or never mind, you can take the car to wherever you want to. I'll take a cab to somewhere I can have my peace because I don't want to go back to that house".

"If you still want to travel, I can help you get your passport while you wait for me at the airport" he suggested.

"Ha! So that you can betray me again, isn't it? Do you want to use that opportunity to tell my mom I'm traveling so she can come with you to the airport to persuade me not to go? You can't fool me, Sir Pedro, I've got everything figured out".

"You are wrong this time around, I wouldn't do that to you".

"And you want me to believe that? Enough of all these long talks, just stop the car so I can find my way from here" I insisted and he slow down the car and pulled over.

My phone ringtone came alive causing me to groan. Whoever is calling chooses the wrong time to do that because I'm not in the mood to pick up anyone's calls.

"You should pick up your call maybe it's a very urgent call".

"That's not your business, it's my phone and I have the right to pick up or leave it to ring for eternity!" I snapped at him and he became mute.

His phone began ringing and he squint at me before he grabbed the phone and placed it on his ear, "Pedro speaking" he answered and waited for a response on the other end. "Hi Araceli, is there a problem?"

That's my hotel manager, Araceli, the same lady I'm planning on firing soon. Why is she calling Pedro?

"Yes, he is with me, hold on I'll give him the phone now" he glances up at me and extended the phone to me.

"What is it? What does that lady want?" I ask scowling at the phone in his hand.

"She said the press is surrounding the front of the company for almost 30 minutes now that she needs to speak with you".

"The press? Why will the press be at my company at this hour of the day? I'm no president or governor, so what are they possibly looking for?"

"Speak with her and find out what they want" he suggested and I snatched the phone from his hand and placed it on my ear.

"It's me, Fernando, what do you say is happening at the company?"

"Boss, we've got the press at the hotel premises waiting to speak with you" she answered. From her voice, I could tell she was in a panic.

"Over what? What do they say I did wrong or right that requires them to interrogate me like some celebrity or president?"

"I don't know Sir. All I know is they are here to see you and I've tried to discharge them from here but they don't want to leave. You know you are a top billionaire, so situations with paparazzi happen sometimes".

"Stop talking nonsense and go ahead and ask them what exactly they want from me".

"Right away boss" she answered and placed the call on hold.

My father and I stared at each other in silence. I know he is as desperate to know the reason behind the sudden appearance of the press at my company just as I am. A few minutes later the call was retrieved. "So, what do they say they want from me?"

"Sir, I wished I had not asked, you are not going to like this" she replied and I furrowed confusedly at my father.

"What rubbish are you saying, Araceli? I'm not here to have a long conversation with you, so cut to the chase already".

"It's about your divorce. According to them, they said you divorced your wife a week ago and they'll like to know what happened. Is it true you are no longer married to that beautiful woman I'm so envious of?"

Time froze and a somber and breathless calm hung over the car. I glance at my father and his eyes were begging for an explanation. I just can't believe it.

*slide for the next interesting episode.*