Charlene's POV
Happy? Yes.
More than happy.
The change in the house was impossible to ignore. Once, it had felt like a cage to me. Now, somehow, it had begun to feel like home.
Today was Kerill's birthday, and I had promised myself that I would do everything I could to make him happy. I bought him a gift and hid it in my room. It wasn't anything extravagant—just something simple. I only hoped he would like it.
I stepped out of my room to check if everything was ready.
"Wow. Love really does change people, huh?"
Black's voice came from behind me as he looked around at the decorations and preparations I had made for the party.
"You know he hates big celebrations like this," he added, shaking his head with a small smile. "But then again… this is you we're talking about."
Not long after, the party began.
It wasn't crowded. Only people close to us had been invited—family members and some of Kerill's business partners.
I greeted the guests as they arrived. Kerill still wasn't there, and I had no idea where he had disappeared to this time.
"You look beautiful, Ate," Lander said as he walked in with his fake girlfriend.
"Thank you," I replied with a smile.
"Where's kuya? You're the only one I see entertaining the guests."
"I don't know either," I admitted. "Let me go look for him."
I excused myself and began searching for Kerill in all the places he usually went, but he wasn't anywhere to be found.
Where could that man possibly be?
"Mr. Wang, happy birthday!"
I turned toward the voice of one of the guests.
That was when I saw him—Kerill had just arrived. He was holding a glass of wine and adjusting his necktie as he walked in.
I immediately approached him.
"Kerill, I've been looking for you everywhere," I said.
He looked startled when he saw me. He swallowed nervously.
"I'm sorry. I had to take care of something," he replied, placing a hand on my waist while continuing to greet the guests.
But my attention had already shifted.
My eyes were fixed on his neck.
A strange uneasiness crept into my chest.
His skin looked slightly red.
Like… lipstick.
The collar of his shirt also looked damp, as if it had been scrubbed in a hurry.
"Let's go greet the others," he said, pulling me back to reality.
Questions flooded my mind, but none of them made it past my lips.
We continued greeting the guests, making sure everyone—including the children, the house staff, and his bodyguards—had eaten.
"I'm going to the bathroom," he told me.
But after an hour had passed and he still hadn't returned, I began to worry.
So I went to look for him.
I eventually found him near the pool—but he wasn't alone.
As I got closer, I froze.
The woman standing in front of him was Monica.
She was crying, clearly furious, while Kerill stood there listening. Her back was turned to me, so she hadn't noticed my presence.
"Tell me you never loved that woman!" she cried. "Tell me it's still me, Kerill! Isn't it?"
"Stop this. Go home. I'll have someone take you—"
"No. This is my home. Our home!" she snapped. "I'm still your wife. Me—only me! Do you really think I don't know you still have feelings for me? I know you, Kerill. Deep inside that heart of yours… you still love me. I want you back. Please… I still love you."
I stood there, frozen.
Fear crept through my entire body as I waited for Kerill's response.
What if she was right?
What if he still loved her?
What if he agreed to take her back?
Then where would that leave me?
"I still love you, Hon."
Before I could process what was happening, Monica suddenly grabbed him and kissed him.
My tears began to fall.
Kerill didn't stop her.
He didn't push her away.
He just… let it happen.
I stared at them in disbelief.
The pain was unbearable. It felt as if everything between us had been nothing more than a cruel joke. As if he had only made me feel loved because I happened to be the one beside him at the time.
And now that Monica had returned, everything he had said to me suddenly meant nothing.
Where were all those promises now?
How could he forget them so easily?
Why wasn't he doing anything?
Did he want this?
Did he want to go back to her?
Then what was I now?
What place did I have left in his heart?
"Tell me you still love me."
I held my breath, waiting for his answer.
I needed to hear it.
Right here.
Right now.
"I love—"
That was enough.
I didn't stay to hear the rest.
I turned and ran.
DAMN HIM.
DAMN HIM!
I WAS SUCH AN IDIOT!
Damn it! He had played me like a fool!
Why did it hurt so much?
The pain in my chest was unbearable. I could barely breathe.
I rushed to my room and began packing my things while tears streamed down my face. I didn't even know if I was putting the right items in my bag.
All I knew was that I needed to leave.
I couldn't stay here anymore.
"Charlene."
His voice came from behind me.
I straightened my back.
"Charlene—"
"Damn you."
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
He froze.
"Damn you both!" I shouted, turning toward him and throwing whatever I could grab.
"Let me explain—"
"Explain what?!" I cried. "What did I ever do to deserve this? Why did you make me look like a fool?! Do you have any idea how much this hurts, Kerill?!"
He tried to grab my arm, but I shoved him away.
"Don't touch me! I never asked you to enter my life! But why did it have to end like this? Why me?! If you still loved her, you should've told me! You shouldn't have used another person just to forget her!"
My voice broke.
"I'm not something you can use! I have feelings too!"
"Calm down. You misunderstood everything—"
"No! I heard you, Kerill! I heard everything! And don't think I didn't notice the lipstick on your collar! What were you doing with her, huh? Were you kissing? Did you sleep together while I was downstairs entertaining your guests like a complete idiot?!"
"Charlene! Calm down! Everything you're thinking is wrong!"
He suddenly pulled me into a tight embrace.
I struggled against him, hitting his chest, pushing him away—but he refused to let go.
Saviel and Black had come into the room, but Kerill immediately told them to leave and shut the door.
"Please, Charlene… just listen to me. Please," he begged softly.
My strength gave out.
My body felt heavy, exhausted.
I collapsed onto the floor, still crying, gasping for breath.
He knelt beside me, holding me close and kissing my forehead.
"I don't want this anymore," I whispered weakly. "I want to leave."
"No… please."
"I'm leaving. I'm leaving right now, Kerill—"
"No," he said firmly, tightening his arms around me. "You're not leaving. You're not walking away from me, Charlene. I won't let you go."
"Please… just let me explain."
When I didn't respond, he continued.
"I told her I loved her… in the past. That was before, Charlene. You didn't even let me finish answering her. Yes, I loved her once—you already know that. But now… I know in my heart that those feelings are gone. It's you I love now. I love you so much that the thought of losing you terrifies me."
He took a shaky breath.
"And if you think something happened between us because of the lipstick on my shirt—nothing did. She forced herself on me. I panicked when I thought you might see it, so I tried to wipe it off. But you still noticed."
His voice trembled.
"I was scared, Charlene. Scared that you'd doubt how I feel about you. Please… trust me."
"She kissed you," I said quietly. "I'm not stupid. And you didn't stop her."
He fell silent for a moment.
Then he gently turned my face toward him.
"I'm sorry you saw that," he admitted. "Yes… I'll be honest. For a few seconds, I froze. I was confused. But the moment I saw you there… the only thing I felt was fear—fear of hurting you."
He looked straight into my eyes.
"I'm sorry I hesitated. But right now, I'm sure of my feelings. I love you. I truly love you, Charlene."
He kissed me.
Deeply. Desperately.
As if he wanted me to feel every word he had just said.
"Please… believe me," he whispered.
He held me again, and this time I felt his shoulders shaking.
He was crying against me.
"Please… please believe me."