Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Aireen and I were both speechless when we got to her apartment. My mind was still confused, which is why I didn't drop off at Nanay Victoria's house first. Besides that, I also plan to take the car and some of my things that she brought home after I called her before. I reviewed Zachary's laptop again to uncover further documents that would shed light on the situation, but I've gone through all of them one by one, and even with his lesson plans that were saved, I still didn't find anything in the end.

I massaged my senses and completely gave up. I tiredly leaned my back on the sofa and involuntarily looked up at the ceiling, hoping that an idea would enter my mind. I was in that position for almost a few minutes until I turned to Aireen when she came out of the kitchen. She was carrying a glass of lemonade juice and then placed it on the center table in front of me.

"What's your next plan?" she asked while sitting next to me.

I let out a deep breath before sitting properly. "Still the same as before, Zachary's license as a doctor is what I will make sure to lose next."

"In the few weeks or almost months you stayed there, your decision didn't really change," Aireen exclaimed.

I laughed and looked at her stupidly. "Do I look like a fool?" I rolled my eyes, then took the lemonade she prepared.

She laughed at my answer and shook her head. We were both silent for the next few seconds. I started drinking the juice while staring into nothingness, thinking back to the times Zachary and I were together at Aunt Victoria's house.

"But I admit—" I started. "He messed with my mind because that's not the kind of treatment I expected from him. It made me question his real intention."

"Maybe he's really plotting something," Aireen mumbled.

I just shrugged and put down the glass I was holding. "I don't know. Sometimes if he hadn't fooled me before, I would think his actions were sincere. It's not that I'm being soft like you think, but there's really something off with his behavior."

"How do you say that?" Aireen asked curiously, noticing the challenge in her tone.

I merely shook my head because I couldn't think of the perfect words to express what was bothering me.

"Do you still love him?" Aireen suddenly asked, frowning.

I looked at her in disbelief. "What kind of question is that? After he cheated on me and killed my baby, I will still be a fool to him?"

"During the days you were with him in the province, didn't you once think about some what-ifs?" she challenged again.

I didn't answer right away. Maybe because it's true that sometimes there are questions that come to mind every time I see Zachary. Not in the way that Aireen thinks, but every time I see Zachary taking care of my pet kitten, it often makes me think.

What if he lets my child live?

What if he accepts our child despite having a relationship with my sister?

What if Angelei is alive? Will he treat his child the way he cares for Angel?

I smiled bitterly and silently picked up the juice that was only half full. I put it on Zachary's laptop and then gently poured it. I heard Aireen's gasp, but I just kept staring at what I was doing, emotionless.

"If I can think of anything about him, it's how to make him kneel while crying in front of me," I said coldly as I turned to Aireen. I only gave her a blank smile. "Love? That's bullshit. I can't keep loving a murderer."

I slowly stood up. Aireen just watched me with a trace of calm on her face, maybe because she knew nothing could bring me down now. In the end, she relented and gave me the keys to my car.

"Visit them first before going home," she said.

I rolled my eyes and took the key. "Of course. I need to see how they all get along."

In front of me, Aireen clapped slowly while grinning. Being pleased. I simply rolled my eyes once more and grabbed my things. I waved goodbye with a hasty hand lift before finally stepping outside the apartment.

When I got to the mansion, I noticed the door was open, and neither a maid nor a guard were present. It seemed like they all rushed into the house and forgot to close the door. I simply disregarded it and moved in its direction, but I stopped when I heard Daddy's high-pitched voice, just as I was about to enter. My lips curled when I realized they were all arguing in the living room.

I didn't go in right away and secretly looked at them from my place. Apart from the fact that I was far away, they were too focused on the conversation, which is why they didn't notice me. I smiled when I saw Daddy's face filled with anger. He was standing while Zachary and Eunice were sitting next to each other, and Aunt Ayna was separated on the one-seater couch.

"If you had made it an accident before, this wouldn't have happened!" Daddy shouted at Eunice.

I frowned involuntarily.

"Javier, nothing will happen if you keep blaming your daughter," Tita Ayna interjected.

"No! I don't understand why you even informed Atasha that you aborted the child. I said before to make it look like an accident, that she miscarried because the child was weak. You just messed up our lives!"

Hearing that left me feeling exhausted. As tears began to form in the corners of my eyes, I grasped the door's edge for support. I stared in their direction, unable to blink.

No. This is not true.

"She wouldn't have chased us now if you had just followed me. I was the one who devised a way to get a pill for you, yet I was the one who's facing this problem now!" my father screamed in anger.

I laughed weakly while shaking my head repeatedly. I feel like my brain is going to explode right now. I didn't want to believe everything I heard; I was going crazy. I couldn't help sobbing softly while clutching my chest; it seemed like my heart was breaking into pieces at this time.

They all fooled me.

"Come on, Dad. Are we going to blame each other now? We all want the baby to die. Whether it was an accident or on purpose, it will be known when she undergoes the test," said Eunice as if it were all very simple.

What sin have I done to them for them to do this to me? What is my baby's fault for them to corner him like this?

Dad messed up his hair frustratingly. "We can pay them! You really put your madness first, Eunice!"

"Javier!" Aunt Ayna immediately responded, obviously not liking what Daddy said. "What the hell? Stop it! Why don't you just accept that Atasha is really a headache? Stop fighting with your daughter!"

I am at my wits' end. I'm devastated. I've heard enough to be aware of how everyone got to work on the plan. I compelled myself to leave the mansion with the little strength I had left. I tripped several times before I even got to the car; my knee was all scratched, but I didn't feel any pain there. I don't know if the sky is sympathizing with me or punishing me because it suddenly started to rain heavily.

I feel like I'm going crazy. What they said kept coming back to my mind. I don't even know how I manage to drive now. My eyes were filled with tears, and they fell down my cheeks without stopping.

Why do they have to do that?

"Ahhh!" I couldn't stop screaming, and at the same time as I hit the brakes hard, I started crying. "Why? Why? Why?" I said repeatedly and hit the steering wheel in front of me.

My chest hurts so much. I'm almost numb and can't breathe. I don't know if I can even be called alive because, for the second time, they killed me again.

"Fvck you all!" I screamed loudly at the same time as I was crying hard when I got out of the car. "You're so cruel! Fvck you motherfvckers! Ahhh!" I fell to my knees on the road due to extreme pain and weakness, the cold rain flowing over my whole body.

I can't count how many minutes I spent in that situation. I almost lost my voice from screaming and crying, but I didn't care. I want to get rid of the pain in my chest. I want it to disappear, even if it's just for a few seconds. I don't know how to cope with this situation.

"Fvck! Atasha!" A warm arm wrapped around my body and carefully stood me up. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Let go of me, Zachary!" I pushed him away hard.

"Is there a problem? Come on, let's go home. We'll talk about it there. You're already wet from the rain." He tried to hold my hand, but I slapped him hard.

I looked at him darkly as my tears continued to flow. "Is it fun? Is it fun to make my life a living hell?! Fvck you, Zachary. Fvck you all!"

Even though it was raining hard, I saw the fake pain in his eyes. "What did I do that made you so angry? Is this about me marrying your sister?"

"Quit the act, Zachary! Just please! I'm sick of your tricks!" I shouted.

"I don't understand you anymore, Atasha. I don't understand your anger at me anymore," he said hoarsely as if it were really hard.

I laughed in disbelief. The pain in my chest doubled because I felt that my baby's death meant nothing to him. As if that was just a superficial reason to be angry.

"You fvcking cheated on me, and you expect to be happy?"

His jaw tightened. "I never cheated on you, Atasha. You're the one who cheated with another man," he said with his bloodshot eyes.

I couldn't help but slap him again—not just once, not just twice, but three times.

"You fvcked my sister. You fooled me. You fvcking killed my child, and now you're telling me that I'm the one who cheated?" I laughed out loud at the same time as my new tears fell. "How long will you make me look bad? How long will you heap all the blame on me? How long will you play with me?" I was full of resentment.

I turned my back on him and palmed my face. Even though I don't want to show weakness in front of him, I can't help it because of what I learned today. I want to hurt him more and more, but my body just gets more and more tired.

I was shocked when Zachary pulled my arm to make me face him. We were both wet from the rain, but that didn't affect our conversation. He stared at me seriously; his jaw tensed, and his eyes were redder now because of the impending tears.

"You . . . left me two years ago . . . for another man, right?" I don't know, but his question seems hopeful, as if he could accept that more than anything else.