Rhezi has been very agitated, pacing back and forth inside her room. Her hands trembled a little and her heart was beating fast. The young lady felt as if she just finished running from a race, feeling restless even though she’s been trying to convince herself.
“Are you ready?”
The door opened and revealed Jericho’s face. Rhezi instantly shifted her gaze and looked at the man. He was all smiles while holding a travelling bag in his right hand, obviously ready to go to their destination.
“I don’t know.” Rhezi shook her head. “I-I am not sure of this, Dada. Dos is sick and-”
“Dos is not sick, Momma. You’re just overreacting.” He rolled his eyes, walking inside to carry Rhezi’s and the kids’ luggage. “Let’s go, or else we’re gonna get stuck in a traffic.”
Jericho went out of the room first, rolling his eyes at the woman once more before getting out. He left Rhezi dumbfounded with everything happening so fast. She wanted to tell him that she was unwell too, but Jericho looked very determined. It seems like no one could ever revoke his decision. The woman ended up sighing before following him.
Wearing her usual skinny jeans and white top, Rhezi walked lazily. She was greeted by her children obviously waiting for her in the living room. Just like Jericho, they wore their khaki denim shorts and cotton striped polo shirts. Their long hair were braided on the back part of their head and finished their look with Crocs beach slippers worn to protect their feet.
The three boys immediately got up from their seats and embraced Rhezi tightly on her waist. The young woman kissed their heads and slightly ruffled their braided hair. Her kids were cute but Rhezi couldn’t stop smiling everytime she saw them frowning.
“Good morning, Momma,” Roscoe greeted.
“Good morning, Love.” Rhezi caressed his small and innocent face. “Is Dos really alright?” she asked, eyes glancing towards Dos’ direction.
“I’m fine, Momma,” the latter answered.
Rhezi nodded and continued to walk towards the parked car with her kids, sighting Jericho being busy putting thier luggages in the car. It wasn’t much, the man was just moving a little to slow. Rhezi shook her head before telling the kids to enter the car.
When Jericho finally finished putting everything in, he quickly went inside the driver’s seat. He glanced at Rhezi before asking, “Are you okay now, Momma?”
The lady only nodded her head as a response to his question. She looked at him and smiled lightly. “I guess I am,” she mumbled.
Jericho smiled back after hearing her answer. “‘Don’t worry too much. Let’s enjoy this day, okay?” he said, trying to convince her more as he maneuvered the car towards their destination.
It was a long ride. Rhezi was silently assessing her emotions. The kids, too, were sitting in quietude. Sometimes, they would ask about what they see along the way with genuine curiosity, especially the narrow alleys and the slow movement of the traffic. They were obviously in awe as they rarely go out back in Dubai, often only going out to go to Burj Khalifa which somehow served as their little hangout place.
“Momma, we’re here!”
Rhezi’s thoughts were put on an abrupt halt when she felt Roscoe’s little hands tapping her shoulders. Her mind was brought back into reality and she lightly smiled at her son. She looked outside of the window and saw the beautiful sand of Tamarind Cove in Laiya, Batangas. She also sighted the long parade of vehicles were parked beside the sand.
The lady didn’t waste any time and got out of the car, embracing the calming breeze of the wind. Even the smell of the sea was inviting, especially its gradient colors and the satisfying sound of the waves kissing the shore. She immediately regretted wearing skinny jeans.
“Isn’t it beautiful?!” Jericho asked the kids while smiling.
“Beautiful!” the three exclaimed in chorus, faces painted with utter happiness.
Jericho laughed at the sigh, so as Rhezi. The man shook her head and guided them towards the cottage that he rented. Behind them were the bodyguards carrying their luggages and all the things that they needed for the vacation. Even the kids’ maid was there with them.
Rhezi sighed heavily watching them leave. She continued breathe in and out to calm herself. She desperately wanted to shrug her thoughts and just enjoy the moment, desperate to be fine despite of being uncertain-desperate to have a peaceful mind after that certain encounter with Kraius.
Yes! Kraius had been inside her head for the longest of time. After that incident at her parents’ party, they never had a serendipitous encounter again. She was determined to hide from him, that’s why albeit she didn’t want to let go of her work and profession, she had to. She filed her resignation the day after.
“You’re spacing out. You’re swirling in your own world.” Jericho rested her arms onto Rhezi’s shoulder. He decided to go back to her when she noticed that she was pre-occupied while walking on the sand.
Rhezi sighed once more. “I just couldn’t stop it. I don’t know. This day has been so odd for me. It feels different,” she muttered, almost a whisper.
Jericho stopped from walking, also preventing Rhezi and pulling her to face him. He looked at her with raised eyebrows. It made him look like a strict mother which made the woman laugh.
“You’re having a mood swing again. There are a lot of girls around. You’re such a turn off,” Rhezi said while giggling.
“Hmp! I’m just trying to make you laugh.” He looked around. “I prefer to hunt for boy, though,” he mumbled in a very masculine voice.
“Crazy! Adultery is a sin!” Rhezi shrieked. She smiled at Jericho but it instantly faded. Her mind suddenly remembered the image of the man who said those words to her.
Rhezi blinked. She shook her head and looked down. She felt ashamed of her own self for betraying her own words. It’s pathetic to be someone like her, someone who kept on deceiving herself for a certain feeling she’s trying hard to ignore. She was confused as fuck, as confused as her eyes which seemed to have a hallucination of Kraius from afar.
“Mr. Handsome!” Dos shouted.
“What the fuck!” Rhezi whispered. She looked at Jericho’s face and found him staring at the same direction she was looking a while ago. She looked back to it and saw Kraius smile upon seeing her son, as the latter catched the man’s attention.
“What is he doing here?” the lady muttered to herself after calming down.
“Oh! Where are you going?” Jericho asked when he saw her starting to walk.
“I will get my son!” Rhezi shouted, looking irritated when Jericho held her shoulder tightly. The woman tried to remove his hold from her but he didn’t budge.
Rhezi wasn’t actually mad, rather she was afraid that Kraius would realize everything that’s obvious. He may have been to blinded by his anger that even if the cards were all laid on the table, he still failed to notice it. It was an advantage for her, but she also felt guilty about it.
When Jericho finally let go of Rhezi, she didn’t waste a second of her time. Her strides were as she almost ran towards the direction of Kraius and her son. She immediately grabbed Dos’ shoulder and pulled him close to her. Subsequently, she turned to Kraius with a creased foreheard, even if her knees were actually trembling and her heart was in chaos because of nervousness.
Kraius was in his glorious physique. His torso was exposed, only clad in his board shorts. His eight-packed abs were protruding, tracing along his V line which looked like it was carved by a renowned sculptor. His veiny arms and hairy chest defined his god-like body. He has the perfect body, indeed. It can seduce anyone who’d take a glimpse of it.
“Hi!” Kraius greeted her with a smug look on his face. “Am I satisfying your sight?”
‘Fuck!’
Rhezi cursed inside her head. She scolded herself for scanning him and his body. She was obviously caught off guard and was embarrassed by her own actions. The lady was unconsciously drooling at the man and it didn’t escape the latter’s eyes.
She eventually gulped and cleared her throat just to shrug off the embarrassment she felt. “Go to your Dada, Dos,” Rhezi commanded. She squatted and looked at her son’s face. “Take a rest, Love. You look pale,” she added.
“Yes, Momma,” her son nodded obediently.
Rhezi nodded, too. She released Dos from her grip and let him walk back to the cottage. However, before the little boy walked away, he waddled towards Kraius who was smiling as Dos bid his goodbye to him. The woman only shook her head at the sight. She was surely having a headache of Dos being a friend to the man.
“Your son is a good kid. You raised them well, Chubz,” Kraius began. His eyes were lingering onto the fading silhouette of the boy walking away, as if there was a magnet that made the man stare at him.
“We’ve already talked about it, Mr. Montreal. I am not okay seeing you with my son,” Rhezi voiced out.
Kraius’ eyes bore onto her. His face contorted into a frown as he shook his head. “Your son approached me first. What do you want me to do?” he asked sarcastically.
Rhezi didn’t know how to answer his question, either. She knew she was out of logic for asking him to stay away from her kids without giving a valid reason. She couldn’t just blurt out that she’s scared that the man would find out about them having children. It wasn’t as easy as that. As much as possible, she didn’t want her kids to be involved with the man, but what was happening now was inevitable.
“Hi! Looks like you’re having a serious talk here.”
A woman appeared out of nowhere, and what Rhezi immediately noticed was the woman’s arms snaking on Kraius’. Her eyebrow rose and her attention shifted in an instant, especially when she raked her gaze on her.
The woman was wearing a sexy red two piece that fitted her body prefectly. She was gorgeous that even from a far, the boys were still drooling at her. Meanwhile, she was smiling at Rhezi while having a playful look in her eyes.
“Ready for me, Kraius?” the woman said teasingly.
“I’m sorry but I can’t join you now, Arruba.” Kraius looked at the woman. “Talk to Andrius about your sentiments first. I am dealing with mine here,” he added.
Arruba Dietrich rolled her eyes. “Fine! Fuck you, Montreal,” she snarled. “Love fools, huh!” she sarcastically muttered. She quickly removed her arms from the man and stormed away, with Rhezi following the woman’s movements with her eyes.
“Im sorry-”
“No need,” Rhezi immediately cut of Kraius’ words. “I am done here. Please, I want to be out and live in peace. We’re done a long time ago, Mr. Montreal.”
Kraius creased his forehead. Rhezi’s words hit him hard but he still managed to stand up for himself. “How could you say that?” he asked in disbelief.
“It’s for the better, Kraius-”
“Fuck!” the man cursed. He couldn’t contain himself anymore. His eyes changed its emotions in an instant and anger was evident in it. “How could you say that when you just slept with me?”
“It was a mistake!” Rhezi yelled out. Kraius grabbed her arm subsequently. It hurt her but what hurt more was the anger blazing in his eyes. But she needed to endure all the pain alone. Just like before.
“You and me will never be a mistake, Rhezi,” Kraius firmly stated. “I can always trace your marriage record and burn it into ashes. Remember that.”
“You can’t-”
“Momma! Momma!”
Rhezi’s words was put into an abrupt halt when she heard the voice of her son, even the tight grip Kraius had on her loosened up. They both turned to the direction where the voice came from, and what greeted their eyes was Roscoe crying while walking closer to them.
Kraius’ heart hurt from the sight. He moved fast to meet the kid. “What happened? Why are you crying?” he instantly asked.
“D-Dos f-fainted,” the little boy answered while trying to catch his breath.
“Shit!” Kraius cursed.
Rhezi snapped back to reality after hearing what his son uttered. She ran as fast as she could to the cottage they were in. From afar, she could already see the commotion within Jericho’s men, and when she arrived at the cottage, the tears she was trying to hold back finally broke out into rivers.
“Fuck! Send him to the hospital!” Kraius shouted. He was behind the woman when he saw Dos lying on the bench of the cottage and getting fanned, and he never thought twice when he found his way through and carried the boy himself. “You! Fucker!” he shouted at Jericho before going out of the cottage and running towards the car that was parked not far from their area.
His heart was beating so fast, feeling like he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if something bad happens to the boy he’s carrying in his arms.