Camila

It's been two days since my last encounter with Antonio. If you were to ask me how I feel about it, I'd say I feel nothing but normal. At least I don't have to see his face or have him exert control over me. I don't even care if he won't show up at all. From what the maid had told me, he leaves the house very early. I wonder what he's up to, but I don't want to know and don't care to know.

I had told him my mind the other night. If only he'd be a bit nicer, maybe I won't harbor such hatred towards him. And maybe, just maybe, I could give him a chance. However, I don't see myself and Antonio as a couple. It would be something I won't wish to happen, even though we are married. It's only on paper, but the reality is, Antonio and I can never be a real couple.

My attention was diverted by the ringing of my phone. Since it was the weekend, I didn't go anywhere. I decided to stay indoors and go through some paperwork. And yes, I was still looking for a way to sort out the building Antonio had bought. I know all my findings are pointing at him. I needed to confront him. My eyes lingered on the screen, seeing Raiden's name.

I raked my hands through my hair before sliding my finger across the accept button and placed the phone to my ear. I didn't utter a word. "Camila, can we meet?" Came his sharp voice from the other end. He has the same voice as my father. Always sharp, whether they are angry or not.

"Okay."

"I will text you the address," he said again, and the line went silent. I stared at the phone for a moment before dropping it and rose up to my feet. I took my laptop and my papers to my room. I didn't change out of my outfit since I was already dressed in my usual weekend attire. I grabbed my phone from the couch and headed to the kitchen. "Hey Nelly, I'm stepping out," I announced, getting the young girl's attention.

"Alright, Ma'am. Do you want me to inform Master Antonio when he comes back?" She asked just as I was about to leave.

"That's not necessary," I answered. It's not like it is a must for him to always know about my whereabouts, and he doesn't seem to care anyway.

I pulled open my car door, hopped in, and drove out of the house. Raiden had texted me the address of where we would meet, a nearby coffee shop. I couldn't help but smile as I made my way inside and spotted my brother seated in a corner of the place, legs crossed elegantly. I'm not trying to brag; elegance runs in our family. My brother is one handsome man. I wonder why he's not dating anyone, or maybe he chose not to share those details with me.

"Hi," I greeted, sliding into the empty seat facing him.

"Camila," he replied, lifting his face from his phone. "How have you been?" I had expected him to ask me that question. I didn't fail to notice how he was assessing my body. Maybe, he had seen the marks on my neck because his brows creased.

"You don't look good," he added.

I waved at the waiter before answering him. "I don't know what you mean by 'good,' but as you can see, I'm still very much alive." I cracked a smile, although it was a forced one. Raiden didn't smile back. I could sense the awkwardness.

"One Cappuccino and one Mocha," I said to the waiter. He took a note and walked away.

"Don't tell me you don't take coffee anymore?" I started a conversation, which earned a smile from him.

"Coffee is a normal thing. And you know coffee keeps me sane with the company's workload." The smile that had once occupied his face faded. He realized he had touched on a sensitive topic. The silence that had engulfed us was soon disrupted by our coffee arriving.

"The cappuccino is for him," I gestured to the waiter who was skeptical about where to place the coffee.

"So..." Raiden leaned forward after taking a sip of his coffee. "This coffee tastes good." He said, instead pointing at his cup.

Well, it doesn't taste bad. Although every coffee is the same to me, maybe because I drink it a lot, especially during working hours.

"So..." I repeated his earlier word. He still hadn't informed me of the reason for our meeting. Although my instincts were telling me it would be a family matter.

"Is he treating you well?" The question caught me off guard, but I was quick to respond.

"Do you think he would?" I asked in return. We locked eyes.

"Antonio is not a caring man, so don't expect him to be good to me. We all know the reason I am married to him." I didn't know how I got the courage to explain that to Raiden. Initially, I had wanted to tell him to drop the topic and talk about something else. But at some point, I felt the need to tell him how I felt regarding my life in Antonio's house.

Raiden nodded his head. "I thought as much," he spoke. The next thing I felt was his hand reaching over mine. "Camila, I know you did this for the family, but trust me, if there was a way-"

I quickly interrupted him, knowing what he was about to say. Rina had said the exact same thing. No one can save me from Antonio. "You don't have to worry about it, Raiden. I can handle it. I've been handling him."

You've been handling him by putting yourself in trouble, right? My inner voice chided, which I discarded immediately.

"Father and mother are worried, especially father," Raiden continued. A smile broke on my lips.

"Father?" I repeated with a hint of sarcasm. "I thought he was busy signing off new deals?" I had seen the news earlier about the new deal my father was signing. Father only cared about winning. No one could tell me otherwise.

Raiden heaved a sharp breath. "Don't tell me you resent father for all this?"

Resent? Do I resent my father, or much to say my family for pushing me into this dangerous world? I don't actually resent them, but I'm mad at them for not trying harder to find a solution.

"No," I confessed. "I don't resent father, mother, or you. I just need some time to figure out my life."

Raiden finally let go of my hand and leaned back in his seat. "I'm relieved. I was worried the reason why you didn't come home was because of that."

"None of that. I will when I'm ready."

"Take your time. You're always welcome. It's your home after all." I flashed him a smile. We sat in silence while drinking our coffee.

**

After the meeting with Raiden, I stopped by the supermarket and did some grocery shopping. As funny as I found it, it was my fate to get entangled with Antonio. Since there wasn't any way out, I should accept my fate and live my life under his control. However, I would set some boundaries. I will start by living as a single person but in his house. I would be the one to feed myself and take care of myself. I will make sure I make that clear to him when I see him next, probably whenever he decides to show his face.

"What's all this?" My heart literally dropped, and the bags on my hand fell to the floor. The way the voice penetrated my skull made my body weak.

Standing a few feet away from me was Antonio, arms folded across his chest. My eyes didn't fail to notice how his shirt clung tightly to his arms. I gulped down my saliva as he bore his dangerous eyes on me. I thought he was in hiding.

"I thought I asked you a question," he said again in that same strong voice, which undoubtedly didn't improve my situation.

I managed to compose myself by taking a deep breath. "I went for grocery shopping," I said, bending down to pick up the bags. Some of the contents had already spilled out, like the tomatoes and the lettuce. What an embarrassment, Camila.

"Isn't there enough at home?" He asked again. I didn't know what had gotten into him today. He hadn't shown his face for two days, and now he's asking me all sorts of questions. What kind of inconsiderate man is he? I bit my bottom lip to stop myself from saying something I would regret later, something that would also get me in trouble.

"Yes, there is," was the only answer I gave before making my way into the kitchen. Nelly was already at work, preparing dinner, I supposed. It was close to dinnertime.

"Nelly, can you help me with something?" I spoke.

"Sure, Ma'am." She turned to me.

"Can you help me arrange all these in the refrigerator? You should arrange them separately, please." Her brows creased in confusion.

"I don't want them near Antonio's," I exclaimed, patting Nelly on her shoulder before proceeding to walk away, only to come face to face with Antonio by the door. He startled me for the second time. Is he a ghost?

I cleared my throat and walked past him, careful not to bump into his chest or shoulder. "Mind telling me what that was about?"

God! Why does he keep asking me questions upon questions? I closed my eyes and opened them before turning around to face him. "Can we talk?" I said instead.

"Answer my question first."

"I can only answer if you stop throwing questions at me." I replied. I didn't realize my voice came out loud. I saw the way his eyes slightly widened at my answer. The urge to roll my eyes grew in me. I walked to the living room and sat on the sofa. After a while, Antonio joined me. He interlaced his hands together and fixed those captivating eyes on me, igniting a strange feeling inside me. That wasn't good for me. Not one bit good.

"So... I have decided to do things my way here," I started.

"Meaning?" His question came almost immediately.

"Meaning, I live my life the way I have been living before. I will take care of my meals and other necessities. You don't have to worry about that. You go on about your life, I'll do mine." I explained with a tight-lipped smile.

Antonio's gaze didn't waver from mine. "And I want you to give my building back in my name." I added. That was it. A smirk curved up his lips.

"I see where this is heading to. What I want to understand here is, on whose permission did you decide all this for yourself?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Mine, of course. Don't I have the right to?"

His smirk grew wider. I wondered why he was smirking, though. It indicated a red flag. Antonio always had a new bad side to discover. "As the wife or the husband?" My mouth opened and closed. I wasn't expecting him to throw me such a question.

"Wife, I think? Or the husband?" I said confusedly. I closed my eyes and inhaled a sharp breath before opening them again. His eyes were still on me.

This time around, I couldn't put a finger on what was going on in his mind with the way he was looking at me.

"Okay, I'm doing this because there's no point in acting all hot-headed when in the end, I would still be the one to suffer. You like to be in control, and I don't like it when someone orders me around. Which is why I came up with this plan. I won't meddle in your affairs, and you won't in mine. That way, I won't have to run my mouth for you to get angry and punish me." I didn't realize I hadn't paused until the end of my statement.

"Is that what you want?" Antonio asked. I blinked my eyes. That wasn't the reaction I had expected. I thought he would charge towards me and grip my cheeks in anger like he always does. There was definitely something fishy about his behavior today.

I gulped down my saliva before answering him. "Yes."

"Do what you like then. And regarding your building, it's still under my possession. It will be transferred under your name when I deem it fit." His last words weren't what made my eyes widen; it was how easily he agreed for me to do whatever I liked. Does that mean he won't exert his control over me anymore?

I was in the process of registering his words in my brain when his next words shook my whole body, making me jolt up from my seat. "From tomorrow, you'd be assigned a bodyguard."

"What!"