“Congratulations, you’re pregnant!” I shook my hands, hugging the pregnancy test result to myself, the doctor’s words still echoing in my head. Three years of trying finally paid off. The thought of holding our child one day filled me with excitement, even as an old ache lingered. Frank’s emotional distance had been a constant, unspoken presence in our lives, but tonight, I hoped things would change. Maybe a child could be the bond that brought us closer together. Frank’s voice pulled me back to reality. “What’re you thinking about?” he asked, his hands busy unbuttoning his shirt. I stared at his chest, my cheeks flushing. Three years of marriage, and his looks still took my breath away—but not in the way they once did. Before I could respond, he stepped into the shower. The water hissed to life, and I waited until the steam blurred the bathroom door before pulling out the report. My smile faded. How would Frank react to this news? The shower turned off, and Frank emerged, water dripping from his hair. “Frank, I have to tell you something,” I said, taking a step forward. My heart raced. “After all these years, I’m finally—” His phone shrilled, cutting me off. He glanced at the screen, his jaw tightening. “Hold that thought,” he growled, stepping out onto the balcony. I lingered in the doorway, listening to his low, agitated voice. When he returned, his usually calm expression was gone, replaced by a tense set line on his face. “I gotta go,” he said, grabbing his keys. “Wait—Frank! It’s midnight. Can’t this wait?” I pleaded, the report crumpling in my hand. He didn’t look back. “Something came up,” he said, and the door shut behind him. I collapsed onto the couch, the paper slipping from my grip. Another “emergency” that didn’t involve me. My throat burned. How many nights had I stayed up waiting for him, only to be met with silence? How many times had I pushed aside my doubts, clinging to the hope that one day, he’d truly see me—not just his secretary or a convenience—but his wife? A vibration startled me. Bianca’s name flashed on my screen. “Hey, Lisa,” she said, her voice teasing. “You in a wheelchair now?” My brow furrowed. “What?” “I just saw Frank pushing some woman in a wheelchair into that fancy restaurant downtown. Thought you two were together.” The line went quiet. My stomach twisted. “Are you sure it was him?” “Pretty sure. But maybe I’m—” The call cut off before she finished. My thumb hovered over the home button as a news alert beeped. Dera Pete returns with mystery billionaire companion.* Dera Pete. The name hit me like a punch. The photo was fuzzy, but there he was—Frank, grinning as he walked alongside a wheelchair-bound woman in a diamond-studded gown. The caption called them “the city’s most elegant couple.” Comments flooded the screen: “Her fiancé’s face is heavenly!” “When’s the wedding?” My vision blurred. So this was where he’d rushed off to—not for work, not for an emergency, but for her. The woman who’d hurt him years ago, the one he’d sworn he’d never speak of again. The pregnancy report lay forgotten on the floor. My baby, our future, meant nothing compared to the ghost of his past. A tear slid down my cheek. How long had this been going on? Dera’s laughter echoed from the screen, and Frank’s possessive hand rested on her shoulder. The knife in my chest twisted deeper. In the morning, I forced myself to get up and head to the company, even though I hadn’t slept a wink. The night’s events replayed in my mind, each detail sharper than the last. “Have you seen the news? Dera Pete has returned!” Manda kol, one of the employees at the Lanka group, remarked. She was talking to her friend while they waited for the elevator. Behind them, I stood quietly as they continued to talk about me as though I was invisible. “You mean that jewelry designer?” Lili Samuel asked. “Yeah, she’s not just an ordinary jewelry designer. She’s also the only girlfriend our boss has ever admitted to dating publicly. I heard she’s his first love.” “Wow, but isn’t it rumored that our boss and Ruth have some—?” “Of course not! She was just his mistress!” Tatiana said with a laugh. “Haha! What a failure. She thought sleeping her way to the top would make the boss fall in love with her. Now that the woman he loves has returned, I’m sure she’s not only going to lose her position as the mistress but also her job.” My hands clenched into fists. I gritted my teeth but stayed silent. After all, our marriage was a secret known only to Frank and his family. I was Frank’s personal assistant, but everyone assumed we were just close colleagues. Frank never corrected them, and I had no right to either. He made me promise to keep our marriage a secret. The elevator doors opened, and we all stepped inside. Tatiana and Lili exchanged a glance before continuing their conversation. “If I were her, I would resign. It’s clear the boss has someone he loves. It’s so degrading to cling to him like a desperate person,” Manda said, her words full of mockery. “Hey… chill. She can hear you,” Lili whispered, though she laughed as she said it. They seemed to be having a field day at my expense. They were among the many women who were jealous of my closeness with Frank. Now that his real woman had returned, they found an opportunity to ridicule me. “I’m just stating the truth. She’s a mistress who’s about to be abandoned now that the future Mrs. Lanka has returned to the city,” Manda declared. My hands tightened into fists at her words. Mistress? I was his legal wife! And yet, I couldn’t even declare that out loud. I pursed my lips, my heart aching. Frank hadn’t come home last night. He didn’t even have the decency to call and let me know where he was. I concluded he must have spent the night with his ex-girlfriend. The thought made my heart feel like it was being clawed by a cat. My colleagues’ mocking words echoed in my ears, and my throat went dry. I was his legal wife, but I couldn’t even defend my position. Could I even defend something that wasn’t truly mine to begin with? It didn’t take long for me to arrive at the CEO’s office. However, I wasn’t in the mood to work that day. So, I went to Frank’s office to ask for a day off. Sure enough, when I knocked and entered, I found him seated in his swivel chair, wearing different clothes from the ones he’d had on the previous night. “You’re late,” Frank said in a cold, deep voice. “Yes… I slept late. I’ve come to ask for a one-day leave,” I requested, trying hard to hold back my tears. He didn’t seem bothered by his absence. “Why? Are you sick?” Frank asked nonchalantly, his gray eyes studying me. “I’m not feeling well,” I replied, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. The truth was, I wanted to ask him where he’d spent the night, but I didn’t want to hear that he’d been with another woman. Knowing it and hearing it from him were two very different things. “Okay,” Frank said, and when I didn’t move, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “Anything else?” I shook my head. I couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Frank didn’t even attempt to explain where he’d been. He acted as if what he’d done was perfectly normal. With a heavy heart, I left the company and went to the parking lot. However, I bumped into someone in the underground parking area. It was none other than Dera Pete—the woman of Frank’s dreams. In her wheelchair, she looked incredibly vulnerable, evoking a protective instinct in everyone around her. She maneuvered her smart wheelchair and stopped in front of me, blocking my path. “So, you’re Ruth, Frank’s wife? I’m Dera. Nice to meet you,” Dera said. I turned pale. I hadn’t expected to meet Dera so soon. “Thank you for taking care of Frank these past three years,” Dera added with a smile. I internally scoffed! She made it sound like I was just a caretaker! Was she indirectly asking me to back off now that the owner had returned? “You don’t need to thank me for doing my duty as his wife,” I replied through gritted teeth. I felt sorry for her because she was in a wheelchair, but her words felt like a mockery of the real state of my relationship with Frank. Dera smiled gently. “Of course. See you around,” she said before beginning to wheel herself away. Just as she was leaving, her phone slipped from her lap and fell to the ground. Looking at me, she asked, “Can you help me pick up my phone? I can’t reach it as you can see.” I nodded and approached her. However, as I crouched down to pick up the phone, Dera suddenly fell to the ground and screamed. “What happened—” “Ouch! That hurt!” Dera cried, blood trickling down her face, horrifying me. “What the—” “DERA!” Frank’s deep voice boomed as he rushed toward us. My heart skipped a beat when I heard his familiar voice. It was my husband, and I’d never heard him sound so worried before. He hurried over and held Dera in his arms. Seeing the blood dripping from her forehead, his eyebrows furrowed in anger. He glared at me coldly, sending chills down my spine. Did he think I did this? My eyes widened in shock as I realized what was happening. I was being framed! “Frank! I swear, I didn’t push her—” “Get lost!” Frank yelled and pushed me, causing me to fall onto my backside. He carried Dera in a bridal style, his eyes filled with worry. He looked at her and whispered gently, “Don’t worry, I’ll take you to the hospital.”
“Yes, she’s no regular jewelry designer. She’s also the only girlfriend our boss ever publicly acknowledged dating. I heard that she’s his first love.” “Gosh, but isn’t it heard that our boss and Ruth have some—?” “Certainly not! She was only a mistress!” “Haha! What an idiot. She thought sleeping her way to success would get the boss’s heart.” I clenched my fists. My nails pressed into my palms, but I didn’t say a word. My marriage was known to Frank’s family and him only. No one had guessed the truth; everyone had assumed I was Frank’s mistress because we worked together so intimately. Frank never denied the rumors, and I never tried to refute them. When he insisted on having me promise we’d never confess our marriage, I complied without hesitation. The elevator doors opened, and we all entered. Manda and Lili glanced at each other before they went on talking. “If I were her, I would quit on my own. It looks like the boss has someone he likes. It is so shameful to hang around him like a starving chick,” Manda sneered. “Shh, be quiet. She can hear you,” Lili whispered, although her tone was playful. They reveled in my misery. For years, they’d envied my closeness to Frank Lanka. Now that his ex, Dera Pete, was back in town, they relished the chance to tear me down. “I’m just saying the truth. She’s a mistress who’s about to be abandoned now that the future Mrs. Lanka has returned to the city,” Manda declared. Mistress? I was his lawfully wedded wife. But the words stuck in my throat. Frank did not come home last night. He did not call. I imagined him with Dera, and the vision ate away at my heart like a saw-edged knife. When I got to Frank’s office, I couldn’t focus. I knocked and entered, and he was sitting behind his swivel chair in a suit I had never seen. “You’re late,” he snapped, his voice cold. “Yes. I overslept. I’m here to ask for a one-day leave,” I said, pushing the lump from my throat down. “Why? Are you sick?” he snarled, his gray eyes scanning me as if I was an annoyance. I’d rather have asked where he’d stayed. But it would shatter me to find out. To not know. “I’m awful,” I whispered. “Good,” he snapped. I stood there uncertainly, then he raised one eyebrow. “Anything else?” I nodded, my heart as heavy as lead. He did not care where he’d spent the night. To him, it was insignificant. I exited the office and out into the parking lot, vision blurry. Then I rounded a corner and bumped into somebody. It was Dera Pete. She curled in a glimmering wheelchair, her gaunt body framed by a taut smile. “So, you’re Frank’s wife, Ruth? I’m Dera. Nice to meet you,” she oozed, voice sugar-sweet with goodness. My blood froze. “Thanks for taking care of Frank the past three years,” she told me. I snorted in my mind. Taking care of him? Me, a professional nurse? Was that how she was attempting to threaten me away? “You don’t have to thank me for doing my duty as his wife,” I growled, the words trembling out of me. Dera’s smile grew wider. “See you around.” She wheeled off, but her phone fell off her lap. “Will you pick it up? I can’t reach it like you,” she said, dripping with condescension. I moved forward, but before I could crouch, she lunged forward, screamed, and fell on the concrete. “Ack! That hurts!” I yelled, a trickle of blood running from my cheek. “DERA!” Frank’s yell shook the garage. He rushed towards us, his face pale with rage. He scooped Dera up in his arms, his eyes blazing at me. “What did you do?!” “I didn’t push her!” I yelled, terror rising. But he shoved me aside, and I fell on the hard ground. He cradled Dera in his arms, his voice softening. “Don’t worry. I’ll take you to the hospital.” His words were to her, not to me. And as I saw their receding backs, I knew the truth: Frank Lanka had already chosen his past over his secret wife.
“What in the name of the devil is happening?” Frank demanded from Dera when the doctor had examined her. Guilt welled up as he gazed at the bandage on her forehead. “I’m sorry. I have no idea why Ruth changed. She was once so kind to me.” When he’d crashed into the parking lot, he’d been convinced he’d seen Ruth dragging Dera from the wheelchair. Fear had muddied his reasoning. But Dera’s legs—her strength already weakened due to her illness—had collapsed beneath him. He’d been the one to bring her down. “I hope you can forgive her. She doesn’t get angry very often,” Frank added, his tone grating. We were in a VIP hospital room, Dera sitting on the edge of the bed without her wheelchair. She smiled and grasped Frank’s hand. “Hey, don’t get this wrong. This isn’t Ruth’s fault. I fell on my own. My wheelchair must’ve had a malfunction.” Frank’s eyes opened wide. “Are you saying Ruth didn’t push you?” Dera shook her head, her lips trembling. “No, she didn’t push me. Don’t blame her for this. I don’t want the two of you fighting because of me.” Frank’s chest tightened. He remembered pushing me away carelessly, assuming the worst. How could he have been so blind? “I had no idea,” he whispered. Dera squeezed his hand. “You should go to her and clear things up.” Frank nodded, his face filled with guilt. “I’ll take you home first. I’ve already put an order in for a new wheelchair to replace the broken one.” “Okay. Don’t leave Ruth alone long enough,” Dera said in a low voice. “Don’t worry. I’ll talk to her,” Frank replied. Later, I bumped into my best friend Bianca at a cafe on my way back home. “What? Pregnant?” Bianca’s eyes popped open. “That’s great news!” A bitter smile twisted at my lips. “I don’t think so. You were right last night. That was Frank I saw. And the woman he’s been loving? The woman he always wanted to love? That was Dera.” Bianca’s jaw dropped. “Is he cheating on you with his ex?” “I don’t know. But it hurts to finally know the truth. Perhaps I should do what I’ve been resisting all along,” I said, my voice hollow. “Are you insane? Why would you leave your marriage—especially since you’re pregnant now? Being a single mother is pure hell, Ruth. You’re his lawful wife! If you can’t stand up to her, I will.” “And then what, Bee?” I shook my head. “You should have seen how fast he shoved me away when he believed I hurt her. He did not even hesitate. He did not inquire if I was okay. How am I to remain with a person who shelters her more than me?” Bianca’s fists were tight. “Try telling him about the baby. Perhaps that will wake him up from his insanity.” I rubbed my belly gently. “He pushed me without hesitation. He didn’t call to see how I was. Maybe he doesn’t want this child. Maybe he’d rather I just disappeared so he can be with Dera.” Bianca sighed. “If that’s what you’ve set your mind on, I’ll be with you. Just promise me you’ll do what will make you happy.” When Frank arrived, I sat in the lounge. As soon as he entered, guilt flickered across his face. “Ruth, about that back there, I’m—” “I have something to say to you,” I told him quietly. I handed him the papers I’d lugged all day. Frank frowned as he read the documents. “What’s this? Work? Can’t it wait until tomorrow morning? I wanted to talk—” “Those are divorce and resignation papers,” I told him. “Let’s end this, Frank. It’s been long enough.” Frank’s eyes sprang up, shock taking the place of guilt. “Ruth, wait—” “Let’s divorce,” I said again. “I’m no longer standing in the path of your happiness.”
Frank was taken aback. Hearing those words from my mouth wasn’t something he’d anticipated. He glanced down at the papers in his hands—yes, they were a divorce petition and my resignation notice. He glared at me and demanded, “You’re throwing a tantrum over what happened a while ago. That’s why you’re giving me these papers?” I shook my head. “It’s not that. I’ve been wanting to divorce for a long time now. Now that Dera’s back, you can openly be with the woman you love.” Frank laughed, a bitter, bitter laugh. He tore the papers in two, and I shrieked. “Why did you do that? You don’t love me, why won’t you divorce me?” I screamed. My voice was desperation-tinged, my heart thudded painfully in my chest. During the three years we were married, Frank never loved me. He’d held me at arm’s length, never once being affectionate. I’d loved him, thinking that if I dedicated myself to him and loved him unconditionally, he’d come to love me. But three years had passed, and Frank’s heart remained as cold as ice. As much as I tried, I couldn’t make him love me. “Frank, please. Let me go so you can be happy,” I pleaded, tears welling up in my eyes. “Never. Divorce? You think you can just wake up and ask me to divorce you? In your dreams, Ruth,” Frank taunted. “Why? Don’t you want to be with Dera? Isn’t that why you slept with her last night?” I couldn’t help but yell. “Ah, so this is what all this is about? No time for unnecessary jealousy, Ruth. I did nothing with her. Dera fell sick after her welcome party and I had to stay with her at the hospital. She was okay in the morning,” Frank explained. I clenched my fists. “I don’t want to listen to your excuses. There’s no love here. It’s better to dissolve this marriage.” Frank stepped closer and grabbed my chin, forcing my head backward to glare into my hazel eyes. “I’m the one who gets to decide when this marriage is over. I don’t ever want to hear you speak of divorce, do you understand?” “The woman you love is back and clearly, you will never love me. Why not a quick ending instead of dragging it out?” I begged, crying profusely. My heart ached, as though there was something cold and hard squeezing it. Frank didn’t love me, but he didn’t wish to lose me either. It was hard to say what he truly wanted. He wanted to be with Dera, didn’t he? That’s why he’d rush to her the moment she returned. Frank’s face relaxed when he noticed my tears. He cupped my face in his hands and wiped away the tears on my cheeks with his thumbs. “Nobody’s getting divorced. Nana loves you. Let’s not disturb him with petty problems.” I was about to respond when I caught a whiff of a powerful scent from Frank’s jacket. It was a woman’s perfume, one I recognized as belonging to Dera. The smell was overpowering, and I vomited, covering my face with my hand. I moved away from Frank and ran to the kitchen, which was the nearest place. Frank frowned and followed me, reaching my side as I vomited into the sink. “Are you alright?” he questioned, holding my hair back from my face as I retched. When I was done and had water splashed across my face, my heart was racing. I had no idea whether Frank suspected I was pregnant or not. “What is it? Why suddenly vomiting?” Frank asked again. “Uh, I ate some bad food today,” I fabricated. Frank watched me. “You’re always so mindful of what you eat, Ruth. Are you hiding something from me?” My heart was racing frantically, and my stomach was twisting with knots. Has he found out? I asked myself. Frank gazed at me for a few seconds. I knew he noticed that I was pale and gained a bit of weight. His eyebrows furrowed. “Wait, are you—” I sighed in relief as Frank’s phone rang, cutting off his sentence. Frank grunted and answered. “Hello—” “Mr. Lanka, Miss Pete is gone!” the voice on the other end said. Frank’s eyes widened in surprise. “What? I’m coming!” He did not even glance my way before rushing out the door, his face strained. I laughed at myself. And here I thought he wasn’t divorcing me because he had feelings for me. Turns out that was wishful thinking. When Frank found out something was wrong with Dera, he’d all but vanished from the mansion to go look for her. I couldn’t help but speculate about what Frank would have done if I were the one who was missing. I had walked out of the kitchen and was going upstairs to the master bedroom when I felt a burning pain at the back of my head. I was enveloped in darkness.
I awoke to find myself tied to a chair. The cold of the damp air in the old warehouse seeped into my bones and I shivered helplessly. I could sense my heart pounding as I remembered the blow to the head and loss of consciousness. Was I kidnapped? I screamed, “Where am I? Help! Help me!” “Relax, Ruth. Shouting isn’t going to benefit you. I tried it myself, I swear,” a voice I recognized rang in my ears. I glanced to the right and noticed Dera bound into a chair similar to mine. My eyes bulged with horror. “What is it? Why were both of us kidnapped?” I asked, my chest pounding in terror. At the very back of my mind, I feared for the welfare of the child I carried within me. In case anything should happen to me, I would lose my baby.”. “Good question,” a low male voice boomed somewhere in the warehouse. I spun back toward the voice and my heart ran wild when I saw four goons coming our way. The leader of the group, a bald man with yellow-stained teeth, had a pungent smell of alcohol on him. “Don’t worry, Ruth. Frank will rescue us,” Dera said with determination. I felt a glimmer of hope. Frank, my husband. But then I remembered how he had rushed out the instant Dera disappeared. He would rescue Dera. I mean nothing to him compared to her. It did not take long before Frank arrived at the warehouse. He walked in and did not move when he saw the two of us tied up. He clenched his fists and glared at the goons. “Untie them! It is I who have an issue with. Leave the women alone.” “Rapido. These two ladies are obviously very close to you,” said the leader, spinning a knife around his fingers. “Let them go immediately,” Frank commanded again. “No can do. Because they are so special to you, they are in this trouble,” the thug replied. “I’ll let you keep one of them. The other one will remain with us as a hostage.” “You’re kidding, right?” Frank growled. “You save one or none at all,” the thug sneered. “Oh, Frank Lanka, I should like to see whom you will choose. I had just come to a mind to have a little sport, but now I have a wish to know whom you love most of the two.” Frank’s fists were clenched. He ground his teeth as he glanced at the two of us, both frightened and helpless. “Frank, choose Ruth. She is your wife! Do not listen to me,” Dera looked up at Frank with watery eyes. She was pale and weak, but so kind, treating me with every care. Frank’s conscience was overwhelmed with shame. His fists were clenched, ready to spill blood on his hands. “Go, Frank. You can save one woman. The time is escaping.” Frank snarled, his eyes darting back and forth between the two of us. My heart pounded in my chest when I saw his eyes darting back and forth between Dera and me. Frank looked at me only once before he spoke to the thug, “Let Dera go.” My heart fell. He had picked her. I should have realized this was the inevitable, but I had hoped secretly that Frank would pick me. I was his rightful wife, for goodness’ sake. It hurt me to see him pick another woman and leave me to be the thug’s hostage more than I ever thought I would. Frank. Was I not important to you? I wept like an idiot. “Frank, you look as cold as is rumored,” the thug snarled with a revulsion-filled smile. “Are you at ease leaving the other woman in our hands?” “Let Dera go,” Frank commanded icily. The thug grinned wickedly and undid the rope from Dera’s waist. Frank stepped up and wrapped his arms around Dera, holding her against his chest as if she were one of those delicate porcelain dolls that would break if set down. “Frank, you must take Ruth. I’m a cripple and will be in a wheelchair for the remainder of my life. I’m of no use to you,” Dera breathed. “Don’t worry, I’ll rescue you from here,” Frank promised while pulling her out of the warehouse. I couldn’t utter anything. My heart was broken into a million pieces. The only thing that frightened me was my innocent child, who would be killed because of my stupid love for Frank. If I were to go back in time, I would never give my heart to such a heartless man. “Because Frank has made a choice, I have no use for you to live,” the thug declared, playing with his knife as he glared at me. “Proceed. What are you waiting for?” I spat back as I glared at the thug. “I was waiting for you to beg for your life. I would not have let you go either,” the thug laughed. He ordered his henchmen to fill the place with gasoline. “But boss, is this to be done?” one of them asked. “She wants her out,” the thug answered. I heard that but could not even begin to take in what he was saying. My heart ached. To the very last, I never came first for Frank. Why was I doing this? Why was I allowing Frank to treat me so poorly? I knew I was having my last moments and there were just so many things that I was regretting. “Hey, Miss, last words?” the thug grinned at me. My eyes were closed, accepting fate. Boom! A huge explosion rocked the ground. Frank, who had run back to the warehouse, was blown back by the explosion. He looked in terror at the warehouse, now engulfed in flames, burning the whole building to the ground. I, his wife, stayed in the warehouse. “Ruth!!” “NO!!!” Frank’s anguished cry filled the air.
years later The top-class events facility in Charles State buzzed with activity. Josephs & Co, owners of the biggest jewelry company, had returned to the country to introduce their long-lost daughter to the world. Jack Josephs, a renowned jewelry craftsman, was a force to be reckoned with who had taken his family’s jewelry company and made himself wealthy. He had always been at the front of the fashion parade in the jewelry industry. Everyone was always complimenting the jewels he made. But he left the country with his wife several years ago. All of them wished that they never had the chance to develop relations with the Josephs family. The Josephs family eventually came back. Most of the number one men and women in Charles State yearned to greet their hands with Jack Josephs, MD of Josephs & Co. They arrived in limousines and brought expensive gifts in an attempt to capture the hearts of the family. A reporter from KB Entertainment made a live appearance on television as they covered the event live. “Ladies and gentlemen, we have come to the largest event of the year where Josephs & Co.’s MD is going to present his only daughter to the world. Everyone is waiting with bated breath to see Miss Josephs, including Charles State’s most eligible bachelor, Frank Lanka, who has also brought with him his fiancée, Dera Pete. It appears that the dignified MD also wants to meet the missing daughter of the Josephs family.” Continuing repeating himself, a handsome tall man strode by the door wearing a suit made to measure and proceeded into the hallway. The reporter’s remark angered him and provoked him to jest. He was not ‘interested’ in greeting the missing daughter. He only wished to put forth an offer of union with Jack Josephs in behalf of his impending jewelry venture. The guy was none other than Lanka CULT CEO Frank Lanka. Tall dark-haired guy with a sharp angular jaw that could cut through a diamond. He had a trimmed, well-groomed beard that made him a hunky, macho-looking dude. “Frank, over here!” A voice barely above a whisper whispered on one side of the hall. Frank turned his head to glance at Dera Pete. He smiled and approached her, inquiring, “Have you talked to Mr. Josephs yet?” Dera laughed nervously. She had tried to venture out earlier to see Mr. Josephs but was driven away by his security guards. Anyone who wished to see the man would have to wait until the event. The fact that she knew him from her father did not work in her favor. “I just sat here waiting for him. Don’t you worry, Frank. I will get you a partnership with Mr. Josephs. He is my father’s friend, so he owes me some face,” Dera said. Frank shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded. He had no other choice but to turn to Dera since his own efforts to reach Jack Josephs were an exercise in futility. It seems the man is deliberately avoiding him for one reason or another. Before long, the MC had called out that Mr. Josephs had arrived and all were standing by the door waiting. One minute went by, and in walked a man in his late fifties with a gorgeous woman. He was his wife, Freya Josephs, a famous jewelry designer. “There he is, let’s go and meet him. I’ll introduce him to you,” Dera declared in confidence. Frank nodded and rolled Dera’s wheelchair forward. They inched up to Jack Josephs and his wife when they stopped to greet some other partygoers. Dera smiled and said, “Uncle Josephs!” Jack Josephs turned at the sound of his name. He frowned when he saw it was Dera. “Remember me? I’m the daughter of—” “Good evening,” Jack Josephs brushed Dera aside with a greeting and moved on without glancing back at Frank. Dera’s face turned red like a tomato. She did not expect Jack Josephs to cold-shoulder her in front of all these people. “I thought you said you were family friends?” Frank asked, surprised that Jack cold-shouldered Dera who claimed to know him on a personal level. “Perhaps he does not know me. Because I’m a cripple now,” Dera gasped, and Frank scowled at her statement. “Let him be. I’ll take care of him afterwards,” Frank had said softly. “Ladies and gentlemen,” Jack Josephs stood up on the platform and grasped the microphone. “Welcome.” The party crowd were immediately hushed and all of them looked over at the Josephs couple on stage. “Thank you for your support. Josephs LIFTX is moving its business centre back out to the countryside today,” Jack announced. The crowd applauded thunderously. Everyone was aware of the news once they received the invitation, but no one was hesitant to show their happiness. “Alright, let me introduce to you my long-lost daughter. Welcome on stage, Lydia Josephs!” There was a commotion at the entrance. A lady walked in and everyone’s attention was focused towards her at once. She was wearing a fashionably dressed outfit. Her complexion was light and she wore her dark brown hair in an up styled updo. She had on an open back, sapphire blue formal dress with light makeup on her face accentuating her stunning features. Frank also turned to see what everybody else was staring at. But when he saw the woman entering the room, his jaw dropped and eyes widened. “Ruth?” he thought to himself. Was he dreaming? The woman looked so much like his deceased wife, Ruth. Frank was also shocked, just like Dera. She looked pale and whispered, “Is it Ruth? How is this possible? She died!” But Frank didn’t utter a single word. He was staring at the goddess-like lady who was similar to his wife. The heart of Dera sank when she realized that Frank’s eyes were diverted to the mysterious lady. She clinched her fists into tight balls as fear started creeping onto her. Who was the lady and why did she look so much like Ruth? The crowd lost it as Lydia Josephs descended onto the stage elegantly. She proceeded to her dad with a smile on her face. She took the microphone from her hand and smiled at the audience and proclaimed, “Hello everyone, I am Lydia Josephs. I’m back and I will be occupying the office of the MD of Josephs & Co. Jewelry Company from here on.”
I was stunned. There was the woman on stage who looked like my late wife. Her face, her shape, her voice—there was a striking similarity between the two women. I scowled as I listened to Lydia Josephs give her speech. “Ruth, is that you?” I asked myself, a look of confusion on my face. Lydia Josephs finished speaking and stepped down from the podium. The MC then told her that she would have to share the dance floor with her partner, Dean Anderson, a new mysterious young man who appeared to be a debonair new face in Charles State. He was tall and lean and had sandy brown hair and brown eyes. The guy, in a three-piece gray suit, grinned at Lydia and walked up to her. In front of everyone, he took Lydia’s hand and asked, “May I have this dance, Lydia?” Lydia smiled and took his hand. They stepped onto the dance floor and moved to the beat. Dean glanced at Lydia as they danced. He grinned and said, “Congratulations, boss lady.” Lydia grinned and said, “Thank you, Dean.” “I’m the happiest man in the room now, and I bet the men who are looking on are jealous of me,” Dean explained, staring into Lydia’s eyes. “Oh Dean, you’ll always be so flirtatious,” Lydia pleasantly said. “As the youngest female MD of Charles State and the mysterious daughter of the Josephs clan, it’s all enough to make all the men go crazy about you,” Dean continued. “Dean, you’re on stage as well. You’re the mysterious new MD who’s just moved to Charles State. Honestly, I’ve known you for so many years now, and you’re still as mysterious,” Lydia teased her friend. My teeth were locked into a scowl of frustration. Witnessing the woman who so closely resembled Ruth dance so intimately with another man kindled an unidentifiable spark of jealousy in my heart. I knew that she would not be my wife. So why was I so angry and disturbed noticing this unfamiliar woman with another guy? My eyes constricted and I felt as if someone was squeezing my heart. I could only try to stop myself from walking out onto that dance floor and tearing them apart. From the corner of my eye, Dera happened to catch a glimpse at my face when I gazed at Lydia Josephs. She clenched her fists into tight balls as bitterness crept into the corners of her heart. “Do you still carry that bitch in your heart?” she asked herself. Eight years had passed and I still hadn’t married her. Was it perhaps because I couldn’t let go of Ruth? Dera glared at Lydia Josephs with ill will in her heart. No one was going to steal me from her! I belonged to her and her alone! “Frank. Do you actually think she resembles Ruth?” Dera surprised me by telling me to hear her. “I’ve thought of her every waking moment of all those eight years and blamed myself the entire time. If not for you rescuing me, Ruth would have been killed. But how can Lydia Josephs be Ruth? She’s not that one. How can she be from a wealthy family?” I came to my senses when I heard that. Of course, Ruth was an orphan and had no relatives. There was no chance she was Jack Josephs’ daughter. I glanced at the woman dancing on the dance floor and saw how she danced gracefully. Ruth could not dance and she did not enjoy attending such gatherings. “Right. There’s no chance that she’s Ruth. I saw her body myself,” I told myself. “Yes. Ruth is dead,” I grumbled, but I sounded as though I was trying to convince myself. But I could not shake the tightening in my chest. I felt like I was something short. Within a few minutes, Lydia had just greeted and been introduced to most of the older guests. Dean departed Lydia alone after offering an apology for leaving to answer a call. Noticing that she was by herself, I got up from beside Dera to greet her. “Good evening, Miss Josephs,” I replied softly with a velvety voice. Lydia swiveled around to catch sight of me since she heard the sound of the man’s voice. My heart skipped a beat as eyes met. Those hazel eyes. Up close, she was more Ruth Bennett-like. Wasn’t she her? “Good evening,” Lydia’s soft voice came to my ears. She was being courteous, but I could sense there was no recognition in her response to me. I raised an eyebrow. I smiled and said to her, “I’ve wanted to get a chance to talk to you. I’d like to make an offer of partnership— “Neither is it the time nor the place, Sir. First of all, shouldn’t you introduce yourself? You can’t skip introducing yourself to talk business,” Lydia said. My heart fell like a stone as reality hit me. This lady was not my wife. My wife would have recognized me. How could someone resemble a dead individual so much? Even their eyes were the same. “Sir?” I shouted, my face twisted in confusion. “I’m Frank Lanka, Managing Director of the Lanka CULT,” I stated, though bitter on my tongue. Why was it so inappropriate to be strangers with the lady before me? “Alright, Mr. Lanka. You can have your assistant deal with whatever business-related things,” Lydia said. She smiled and went on, “Excuse me.” “Hold on.” I couldn’t help but hold her back. I looked into Lydia’s eyes and I had this feeling of an unspeakable emotion coursing through me at the moment. Although I was aware that the woman standing in front of me was not Ruth, it was great to look into the face of a woman who bore some resemblance to her. It had been eight years since my wife passed away and yet, I couldn’t help but think of her. “Mr. Lanka, what’s that? And why do you stare at me like you do?” Lydia replied, not even a wisp of emotion on her face. Racing heart. I swallowed the suddenly formed lump in my throat and then said, “Lydia Josephs, you’re so familiar. Are you Ruth?”
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