So Regina took Meri back to the old apartment, and Regina could see that everywhere was still clearly a mess. Meri felt guilty and started gesturing to her mom, like she was trying to say she had tried to clean, but her hands were tiny. Regina laughed softly, saying, "It's okay. Everything is fine."
So they spent hours cleaning the entire house, and then Regina started packing their things. Meri didn't understand why they were leaving. When Meri looked at her mom with questions in her eyes, all Regina could say was, "My past is finally catching up to me, and I need to go as far away as possible. If not, I'm going to hurt a lot of people."
Meri didn't understand, but she still trusted her mom.
They packed their things, got into a car, and went to the bus park, ready to leave the city.
That was when King Lutheral intercepted them.
A black car pulled in front of the bus they were about to enter, and King Lutheral stepped out. He told one of his men to go get them.
The bodyguard came over and said, "Greetings, ma'am. My boss has asked you to step out of the bus, please."
Meri suddenly remembered who he was. Meri saw him from far away and felt scared. She hugged her mom so tightly that Regina could barely move.
Regina had never met King Lutheral officially before, but she still stood up. She carried Meri in her arms and stepped out of the bus. Their luggage was taken out too.
Regina walked toward him and said, "Good morning, my name is Regina. How can I help you? And why did you tell us to leave our bus? I already paid for the ticket."
King Lutheral said, "I'll pay for every ticket. I'll even buy the whole bus. I told you to get off because I don't want you leaving."
Regina felt the hostility in his voice. She could also feel how scared her daughter was.
King Lutheral looked at Meri and said, "Is this your daughter? We meet again, little one."
Regina quickly pulled Meri behind her.
"What do you want with my daughter?"
"Nothing," he said.
"Then what do you want with us?" Regina asked.
King Lutheral looked at her. "Don't you remember me?"
Regina shook her head. "I don't remember you. I don't know who you are. Please stop following us. You already made us get off the bus. Why are you asking me all these questions?"
That was when King Lutheral realized she truly didn't know him.
He said, "I am the man who you ruined his life six years ago."
Regina didn't understand. The only people she remembered, ruining their lifes were her mother, Felicia, and the man she was accused of killing.
"I'm sorry," Regina said. "I don't know you. I'm sorry if I hurt you, but I can't remember."
Then King Lutheral said, "I am the man you had a one-night stand with on October 5th,
Regina froze.
She remembered.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But it was just one night."
"That one night ruined my entire life," King Lutheral said. "My fiancée left me because of you. You drugged me and raped me."
"We were both drugged!" Regina cried. "We were both not in our right minds."
"You were more aware than I was," King Lutheral said coldly. "You could have stopped it."
In that moment, Regina realized the truth.
If he was that man…
then he was Meri's father.
Fear filled her.
If he knew, he could take Meri away.
So Regina lowered her head and said she was sorry.
Then King Lutheral said something that shocked her.
"I want you to work for me."
Regina had planned to leave the city, but now King Lutheral wanted to take her with him.
She was too afraid to say no.
Afraid he would take her daughter.
So she nodded.
And they were taken to the Lutheral house.
When they were taking her to the little house on the way, Meri couldn't help but feel scared. And Regina was also scared because she was scared they were going to take her daughter away from her. So Regina held Meri so tight, as if she was trying to cage her. King noticed this, but he didn't make any reaction to it, because King was already aware that Meri is his daughter. Before King went to intercept them, he did a background check on them, and what normal people couldn't find, he has his ways. But King is not intending on keeping Meri because he just wants to get back to his girlfriend, because he loves his girlfriend, which is his first love, so much.
So when they got to the place, Meri was already familiarized with the place, so she didn't find much excitement in it. The doors were opened and Nanali, who hadn't seen Meri in a long while, couldn't help but say, "Meri, where have you been?" Meri nodded and greeted them, acknowledging that she knew them, and then went back to her mom. So her mom greeted them and said, "Good morning, my name is Regina. I'm Meri's mother." And they all were like, "Oh, how are you? You're very pretty." "Thank you." And then King said, "Stop talking to them." So they stopped.
So they all entered, remembering that in the presence of their boss, they had to behave normal. They followed King and King showed them to a room. The room was bigger than Meri's former room. His men told them that they would be staying there from now on, to get dressed, change, and come downstairs.
So they went in.
Well, Meri couldn't help but think, Mommy, you're also an adult, Mom. You can just tell him no. I'm just a child. I'm afraid of him. But you're not. Oh, Mommy, why do you have to be like this? You also need to act like an adult. But all she could do was mumble it in her mind because Meri still couldn't talk.
So Regina was scared and didn't want to be there, but she did as she was instructed.
King went back downstairs and then he met his brother. The third brother asked him, "Why did you bring Regina to this house?" And he said, "I'm going to make her pay."
"Well, can you give it a rest?"
"I will not give it a rest. Can you still find her? Have you seen Stella lately? It's been five years."
"Yes, it has been five years."
"In those five years, I have not seen the love of my life. It's all because of a stupid game. If she had not played with me that time, my life would not be like this. Now she brings this child in front of me, thinking I'm going to let her go in peace."
"What child? Meri is your daughter?"
"Yes, oh is Meri your my daughter?"
"My God."
"Don't tell anybody. Nobody will know. Mom must not find out, because if she finds out, she'll force me to marry Regina. I'm only bringing her here to make her my assistant and make sure she finds Stella. She must find Stella."
"What makes you think Regina knows Stella?"
"Because Regina and Stella were in the same class before. She definitely knows where Stella went. I tried looking for Stella, but I can't find her. Regina will know."
"Okay… I've never seen you this possessive before."
"I hate losing what's mine. I lost the love of my life, and now I need to get it back."
Then Regina dressed Meri up and carried her, they both went downstairs. Sitting on the edge of the chair, King presented a contract to Regina.
Regina asked, "What is this?"
"This is a contract," King said.
"A contract for what?"
"From now on, you're going to be my assistant."
"Why do I have to be your assistant? Has your company run out of workers?"
"No. You are my assistant. I want to keep a close eye on you."
"Why do you want to keep a close eye on me?"
"Like you said, I ruined your life. Why wouldn't you want the person who ruined your life to be your assistant?"
"or are you going to kill me "
"No. You're going to fix it."
"How am I supposed to fix your life?"
"You ruined it, so you fix it."
"You have to be kidding me."
"I am not kidding. You will fix it, and when you do, you and your daughter can go."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. So better sign the documents, or you don't want to see the other side of my wrath."
Meri was trembling on the chair, holding her mom tightly because she was extremely scared of King. King was aware of that.
So Regina did not take it twice. She signed.
"And once your life is back on track, once you meet the woman you love, you're going to let me and my daughter go, right?"
"Yes. But I have one condition."
"What?"
"I don't want to see the Gabriel's, you can make that happen, right?"
"Yes."
"I have another assistant who will handle the business. All you have to do is focus on getting Stella back to me."
"Who?"
"Stella. Your childhood friend."
"Wait… you were the one Stella was dating?"
"Yes. And because of you, Stella left me. So you better find Stella."
"How am I supposed to find Stella?"
"I don't know, but you better find her. That is your number one task."
Meri thought:
Mom, who is Stella? Didn't Mommy say Stella went to Hong Kong?