Leon POV
At first I was very mad. How dare she say she forgot me? This must be one of her tactics to avoid getting a divorce.
Initially, we had already made an agreement to divorce after 4 years. It was part of the contract we secretly made to each other when both of our families were forcing us to get married. Even though I say it was a contract. It was more of a verbal contract. We were great friends, with the same goals and it was this reason that I trusted her and agreed to this arrangement.
We both did not like each other romantically but if we had rejected the marriage, I would have suffered the consequences of not being able to inherit the business and Carlita, being oldest, would have been force to take over her family business instead of being able to freely do her dream of being an actress.
When we realized that if we married each other, we could still get the things we wanted; her being free from the clutches of her family and me being able to inherit the business, we both agreed that after 4 years, we would separate.
Unfortunately, life never goes as plan. On the night of our wedding day, we both got tricked into drinking a drug. And when we both woke up the next day, we realized we had slept with each other without protection.
At first Carlita was distraught. She cried every day and had blamed me for the whole night even though I also was tricked. After our family found us in bed that very morning, they were very happy. Carlita then threw a tantrum and quickly try to buy those pills that stop you from getting pregnant. When her family found out what she tried to do, they forcefully locked her up and isolated her for over a month. When they found out that she was pregnant, they guarded her even more strongly. For 8 months, she was not able to go anywhere without anyone knowing.
Seeing how both our families treated her, I tried my best to spend more time with her and make her happy. I could of helped her abort it, but I secretly hoped to have this child as well. And the idea that she was having my child made me slightly excited for the future.
As for Carlita, I could tell that this incident had really effected her. Whenever she saw me, she would look at me with so much hate as if it was my fault that she was in this situation. She become more bitchy and withdrawn. She ended up avoiding me and her family. And whenever she would talk to me, she would always be irritated or angry.
I don't think I remember a day when we actually had a good conversation as husband and wife. Before we were married, we actually got along very well. Now, just being in the same room with her was like living with a devil. Everyday, it would always just her bitching.
I tried to be understanding since I knew she was mad that she was force to delay her career because of this child. A child she did not want.
So when the time came that she had given birth to the child and she started going back to acting, I made sure I gave her my full support. I even agreed to hide the child since she had said it would affect her image.
She wanted a female lead in a movie? I invested in the movie just so she had the biggest advantage of getting picked as the female lead. She wanted to act in a commercial? I bought the commercial building for her. Someone bullied her on set? I sent bodyguards to help her beat up those people and made sure they were thrown out of the entertainment scene. When people noticed how much I doted on her, they thought we were so in love with each other.
However, after years of trying to make her happy, I realized it was futile. Every night, she would sleep in a different bed. She sometimes would not be home for days. Our child ended up growing up never seeing his mom. I started to think that maybe...agreeing to this marriage was a mistake.
Even though we both agreed to separate after 4 years, that all changed for me that night I got drugged and slept with her. I had initially thought we would be married but only in name. But now that we had a child, I had hoped to change her mind so that we could stay together for the child's sake.
One night, I had taken an initiative to be intimate with her and she actually screamed at me and left home quickly. She didn't come back until a month later. Soon after, I found out why she had avoided me. Someone had told me that she actually had a lover. And that she spend the entire month with him. At first I was heartbroken. I realized I actually cared about her. And then I was mad at myself and at her. I now know why she had hated the fact she had a child with me. She probably hates me even more so since I took her virginity and also forced her to have my child.
In the end, I was so depressed everyday. One day at the office, the secretary name Maria Letti who would always stay back to finish work with me, had invited me for a drink. That day, I really was not eager to go back home so soon so I had agreed to go with her. Maria and I have worked together for almost 5 years. We were really good as a team. I never thought of her more than a really good employee of mine. However, one drink lead to another and before I knew it, I woke up and found myself in bed with her.
I seriously need to stop drinking I thought. For a moment, I felt an immense amount of guilt. After all, I just slept with my secretary while I'm still married.
Maria was completely alright with it though. She said to just treat it like a one night stand and that it was her way of helping my physical needs. She knew I had conflicts with my wife and how we never slept together. But after remembering how Carlita has been seeing her lover all this time, those guilts were washed away. I justified my action that if she can sleep with someone, then so can I.
For months I had an affair with my secretary. It's not like I loved her or anything. It was purely lust. She also helped me a lot in forgetting my feelings for Carlita. And compared to my own wife, Maria would make me feel like I was actually someone important.
Until that night, the night she had that accident. As usual, I was staying back to work more and as my secretary, so was Maria.
Maria was suddenly all over me, trying to get intimate and distracting me from work. As a man, how could I ignore a women throwing herself at me? As I grabbed her waist, and pulled her face towards me. I kissed her hard on the lips and slowly guided her on top of the office desk. I lifted her legs over my shoulder, moved her skirt up over her knees and moved my hand up her legs, and all the way to her core.
As I pressed my fingers to her heat, she moaned and started grinding herself on my fingers, as I kissed her mouth. Slowly...I was getting hard thinking about fucking her.
Suddenly, I heard a loud bang and as I looked over the women's shoulder, towards the now open door, I saw Carlita standing with a face so enrage, it was as if she couldn't wait to kill me. I was so surprised that I stood in my position in shock for a minute. At that moment, I regretted it. Regretted my relationship with the women in my arms. Regretted causing her to look at me in such a hateful way.
Before I could react, she turned around and quickly walked away. She didn't cry or yell at me or anything. It was then, that I realized she never truly felt anything for me. She had no reaction aside from showing me an angry face.
I was afraid that she'd asked for a divorced now. I suddenly felt it was unfair. Shes the one who was cheating all this time so why was she getting mad at me? My pride as a man did not want to see her telling me to get a divorce. I thought it would the best if I'm the one who said it first, that way it wouldn't hurt as much and maybe... She would finally show me her emotion and tell me not to. (I secretly hoped she would beg me to not get a divorce) As the saying goes, "the victory goes to the one who makes the first move".
I quickly called her on her phone and she surprisingly picked up. For a moment, I didn't know what to say. And then, I said the words I thought I would never have to say to her.
"Look, Carlita. I think we should get a divorce. "
(silence) Hmmm... Did she hear what I said?
"And... what if I....said I don't want to."
When I heard her reply, I had a mixed of surprise and relief and wonder.
"You and I don't love each other" I reasoned. I don't know why I'm trying to convince her to leave me but a part of me wanted to see her beg to want to stay with me no matter what I said.
"Even if I don't love you, there is no way I'm letting that scheming bitch have you!" She yelled through the phone.
"Carlita, don't say that about her. It's not Maria's fault, its mine. She did not scheme or anything. I am the one who was fully at fault."
"The more you defend her, the more I don't want to get a divorce so unless you make her kneel on the ground and beg me to divorce you, don't even think of making me agree."
"Carlita your being unreasonable! There is nothing in our relationship. We don't love each other! Why are you being so difficult!"
"It's because Leon... I hate you so much that I hope you can never be a happy. So... if divorcing me is something that will make you happy, then I'll never divorce you!"
"Carlita, you -- " I started to say before she suddenly hung up on me. I never knew she hated me that much I thought as I looked at my phone.
The words she said hurt me deeply. I decided that this time, it was really the best that we got a divorce. This relationship has become very toxic. I told myself that as soon as I got home, I'll talk to her about this.
However, before I could even leave my office. The security called me and said a women just fell down the escalator of the company. I hurriedly went to the scene to try and resolve the situation. I hope that the women is not dead or else, if news got out that such an accident occurred under my company, many people will start to think that my company is a bad omen.
When I found out that the women who was injured was my wife, I suddenly couldn't breathe. No...I can't lose her. I just can't. I thought. When they brought her to the hospital, I had to force myself to stay and deal with the aftermath. I had to make sure that all the employees that worked that day were made to keep the incident a secret.
After all, the person injured was my wife. The amount of publicity would be incredible and this was definitely not something I wanted the public to know about. If they were to dig up what happened tonight and found the affair I had with my secretary, not only would it be a bad image for the company but also for Carlita. Imagine the headline saying "Carlita's husband cheats on him with his secretary" "CEO of S Company fools around with employees" etc...
I had no choice but to instruct my butler to keep an eye on her and let me know of the result of the surgery. When I found out she made it through and was safe, I quickly finished my task and rushed to the hospital to check on her.
When I saw her lying there, nearly dead and pale, I knew that if she were to wake up again, I would never let her go.
Soon after, during our board meeting, one of my board members had implemented a plan to lay off the people from that night. They had reasoned that If those people that night spread the news that Mrs.Rhiandos nearly killed herself at her husband company, who knows what rumors or stories the press would stir up and what they would find. All those in the upper management knew how bad my relationship was with my wife and the fact I was secretly involved with my secretary. However, as long as I ran the company well, no one would say anything about it. So they said, for the sake of the company and Carlita, it would be best if we find a way to sweep this under the rug.
As I had told the world that Carlita would be taking a break from entertainment and would be going abroad to spend time with her family. I had to act the part. So instead of seeing her everyday at the hospital, I had to pretend to travel the world and visit different places as to lead people to think that she was actually spending time with her family aka "me". I knew how much she treasured her career, image and reputation. And to make sure no one disturbed her, I made sure that no one knew she got injured.
They told me that there is a high chance she would be in a coma forever. So I got the butler to let them know to contact me as soon as any changes occur.
When the day came where they called me and excitedly informed me that she woke up, I was so surprised and happy. And then I remembered the last conversation I had with her. I suddenly felt nervous to see her again. What if because of this incident, she realized that she actually wants a divorce now. What if going there to see her would only anger her? As I contemplated going to see her or not, I made up my mind that I would come and check on her.
And then, I learned of a scary truth. Her accident was actually an attempted murder. I found out this information from the police who informed me that one of the cleaners that night who got laid off was the one who provided this testimony. As I tried to figure out who could possibly want to murder her.
The truth that I discovered lead me to realize that divorcing her right now would be the best course of action. If the reason she was in state was because of me, then being with her would only endanger her. Since I didn't know who the real mastermind was, then the idea that an unknown enemy could still be lurking around us made me afraid for my family.
I decided that I would pretend to divorce her, get her to go away while I destroy my enemy and then chase after her and prove that I am the man for her. At this point, I didn't care if she loved another man, I will make her fall in love with me.
----
Back to the present.
As I watch her talk to our son and look sweet and adorable, I realized it was the first time I ever saw her gentle face.
When I found out that she had lost her memory, I was half disappointed that she forgot about me and her son. Then I realized that if she forgot her memory, then does that mean she forgot about the man she loved? I was silently delighted with that thought.
If she forgot all our history, then maybe... after I deal with that matter, I would have a second chance to get her to love me.