The video cut off before they could find out what happened and June’s face appeared again. This time, it was a live feed.
“Hello, Sister.” She said with a smile, “I hope you enjoyed my little gift.”
“What is this? Are you trying to get back at me for having brother Ethan?” April spoke in hysterics. “I already apologized! He chose me! Why are you trying to ruin me?”
“I am not trying to ruin you, my dear. I think you manage that properly on your own.” A small smirk. “I just need to know that nurse’s identity. I am sorry I had to take drastic measures, but I figured with such an important event being televised to all South City, you could help my vice president a bit in finding out who killed her father.”
“Didn’t you say you would assist your former employee in any way you could at the burial? I think this the best way to frighten the culprit out of hiding, as this nurse is still unable to be found.”
“And you use her wedding?!” Evelyn stepped into the conversation. “How wicked can you be?!”
“Mother, mother.” She tuts, “I was only cashing in on the offer she gave us the last time we saw.” June turned around. “Since I am shameless, I would go ahead and invite you all to join us on the grand opening of JL Constructions, I’d be too wicked to stream the show live to you all, happy married life, April.”
“I hope it lasts longer than mine.”
The screen went off and April was shaking in anger. Not only was the reception hall filled with the murmurings of people talking about the footage, but some even threw accusatory glances at April. Judging from afar.
A lot of questions filled the air on the revelation, and some reporters went as far as exiting the hall in search of June and Lucy, who had become a hot topic of conversation in South City overnight.
The search for the mystery nurse began. Netizens took the revelation personally and came together in mass to identify the nurse who was said to have performed the evil act.
April was not spared from the eyes of people, so much so she couldn’t bear it anymore and left her wedding earlier than expected. As usual, June managed to ruin her big day without even showing up to the darned event.
The urge to end her became stronger than ever.
“Calm down, April,” Ethan said as she paced about their hotel room in anger.
“I should calm down? Is that all you have to say? Are you blind or are you just dumb?! Can’t you see that things are going wrong?”
“I know you feel bad but just calm down. okay? If you did nothing wrong then there is no cause for alarm.” Ethan couldn’t hide the bite and accusation in his tone.
“Are you in any way insinuating that I had a hand in what that nurse did? Are you suspecting me, Ethan?!” She roared, ready to tear him to pieces if he spoke a wrong word.
“Can you blame me? You never told me you visited Lucy. Hell, you don’t tell me anything. You have me looking like a fool every darn time!”
April sported an incredulous look on her face. “Did you say I have you looking like a fool? That is because you are nothing but a fool!”
“Look at you, why would I tell you anything when you are so feather-brained? Controlled by his mother. I can never understand what my sister saw in you to choose you as her husband.”
“Perhaps the same thing you saw to get married to me-”
Before the words could leave his mouth, April shut him up with a deafening slap.
“You will regret your words. I promise you. Welcome to hell.”
April was distracted from her fury by the ringing of her phone. It was her mother. She was instantly notified of her presence outside the room. Soon enough, Evelyn joined the couple with a small file in her hand.
“Did you get everything ready?” April asked as soon as her mother came in.
“Yes. All you have to do is sign the papers and get him to sign too.” She replied, and April took the file, briefly skimming through its content until she was sure it was exactly what she was looking for.
When she was certain, she immediately turned to Ethan and placed the paper on a table in front of him. “Sign it.”
Ethan who was still angry from the slap did not move from his spot. “Why would I do that? The last time I did it, you ended up stripping me of my shares.”
“If you don’t sign these papers, I do a lot more damage to the company. Trust me, this could get a lot worse.” April threatened, handing him a pen. “Do not waste my time, Ethan.”
Ethan picked up the paper to look it over but April stopped him.
“I don’t remember granting you permission to read the paperwork.”
“If you could tell me what it is I am signing and be fucking honest about it, then I wouldn’t have to check.” He replied frustratedly.
“You are signing a merger.” She said after a while. “Rivera stores and Lontoc Constructions will become one.”
Ethan shook his head, “I don’t think mother would like that. They are-”
“Look at you. A man without a mind of his own. I never asked your opinion, Ethan, sign the darned paper and let’s get this done with.”
“I can’t…” Ethan stepped away, then said in a more firm tone. “I won’t.”
A small laugh. “Who said you have a choice?” She asked, and her mother wore a smirk.
“I will not do it. Lontoc Constructions is already suffering from the result of my carelessness. I will not make the same mistake.”
Evelyn and April shared a knowing look and together burst out laughing. Ethan looked like a joke to them but he was determined not to break. A merger? Over his dead body.
“Have you forgotten who calls the shot over here?” April asked, her face void of any traces of laughter. “Pick up that pen and sign the darned papers.”
“I already told you I won’t. Do not push this, April.”
“Then you leave me no choice.” She said with a resigned look.
Ethan’s ears shot up, ready to hear what the repercussions would be.
“If you don’t sign these papers. The Lontoc mansion would be locked up and I would take over your position as CEO.” She said without missing a beat.
“Do you think you are ready to have your parents become homeless?”
Ethan swallowed at her words. His throat constricted in pain and his countenance wavered.
“Now let’s try that again shall we?” She cleared her throat. “Sign the darned papers.”
Ethan looked between his wife and her mother. There and then, he knew he was doomed. There was no going back, no salvation and no future for him. He had lost everything and there was nothing he could do about it.
“I don’t have all day, Ethan.” April reminded harshly, forcing Ethan to take action and immediately pick up the pen on the table. “Good boy. Now sign it.”
Ethan signed the dotted lines, not bothering to read the content. Either way, his family was in danger. And it was all because of him. All traces of love he previously held for April were replaced with hate.
Hate for the woman who ruined his life in the most evil ways. Moving forward, he would live his life regretting his decision to cheat on his wife and with a heart that burned for revenge against the mother of his unborn baby.
Once the papers were signed, a smile returned to April’s face. “Now that wasn’t so hard now, was it?” She tutted, checked the papers, and then handed them over to her mother for safekeeping.
Ethan remained standing, lips shut in silence.
April plopped on the bed with a calculative look. She faced her husband and said, “I had big plans for us Ethan. I wanted you to have the best life together with me but it’s clear you have rejected that.”
Silence.
“I had to threaten my husband to get him to support me, maybe you are not fit to be my equal.” She looked up at him. “I never wanted us to end this way but you gave me no choice.”
“Starting tomorrow, you will be removed from your position as CEO and your parents have seventy-two hours to leave that house. We shall be moving into the mansion as the new owners.”
Ethan almost lost his senses, “W-What do you mean? You can’t do that.”
“You leave me no choice. You have not only failed me but your family, yourself and my unborn baby. While you fix yourself up, I will be taking over your duties.”
Ethan shook his head, “No! You can’t just do that! You can’t do this!”
“I just did.”