Rafael left the sitting room when Mrs Evelyn’s tears grew heavy.
June’s heart broke at the sight of her mother looking so distraught and grieved. “Mother…” Her eyes glassed with unshed tears.
“I don’t deserve your kindness,” Evelyn said and stood on your feet. “It’s preposterous of me to accept anything from you after all I did to you.”
“Mother..”
“No.” Evelyn shook her head and wiped her tears. “What I did is unforgivable. I maltreated and let you suffer because I couldn’t deal with my grief.”
Tears pooled June’s eyes as she listened to her mother.
“All these years, I blamed you. I blamed you for getting lost as a child in that hospital. I blamed you for putting our family through tough times, I blamed you for my husband’s death. Anytime something evil came to me, I found a way to blame you for it.”
“I hated the fact I lost you and couldn’t bear the guilt of losing you as a child in that hospital, so I decided to bring in someone who could replace you. I brought in the devil and helped her make your life miserable for no reason.”
“I’m sorry, June. I’m so sorry you were unlucky to have a mother like me. I’m sorry it took me this long to realise just how much of a coward I am.”
“I’m sorry for all the demeaning words, slanders, and wickedness I have done just because I refused to deal with my issues. You were the victim of my carelessness at the hospital where I lost you and I somehow made you the villain of my story.”
“I’m sorry my child. I’m sorry for everything.” Evelyn shook in tears as she made her way out of the house with blurry eyes.
She couldn’t bear the shame that overshadowed her from all her life choices and where it had ultimately led her. Alone and a step away from insanity. For the first time, she contemplated ending her life.
June held her but she shook away her hold.
“Do not walk away from me, mother!” She roared between tears and Evelyn was rooted to the spot.
Those were the exact words she’d said when she kicked her out of the Rivera home that cold night she was divorced. A wave of cold air entered the sitting room and goosebumps littered her skin.
“I can forgive you for everything you have done. We can start afresh. I can take this as a new beginning for us, Mother.” June closed the gap between them. “Just… please don’t walk away from me.”
Both women stared into each other’s eyes. Years of pain, rivalry, agony and grief shattered between them as they hugged and cried their hearts out. That night, Evelyn stayed up in June’s room and they discussed everything that had befallen them at length, their relationship moving forward and how to tackle their common enemy.
April Lontoc.
June invited her lawyer to the house with Lucy and others the following day. Rafael joined the meeting from the office as they planned their next step.
“I want her arrested and placed behind bars for the rest of her life!” June said when her mother recounted all she told her to the people.
Joel supported, “She needs to be apprehended and brought to book before she jets out of this country. How fast can she be arrested?”
Rafael spoke from the phone. “That woman cannot leave this country.”
His words were simple and powerful. June blushed at the thoughtfulness of her husband. Of course, he had taken time to block April from jetting out of the country.
He was always so pro-actionable when it came to matters that concerned her. She loved and appreciated him. The lawyer took it up from there.
“We can file for an arrest with the testimony of Mrs. Rivera but we also need more substantial evidence of her crimes to place her behind bars.”
June nodded in understanding. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of the last time when she cunningly devised a way to send her ex-husband into the net and finish him off in prison.
Everything needed to be done right.
“We need something that would prove she is the murderess.” The lawyer said, “For the meantime, I would go file in for her arrest.”
For the first time after she narrated the ordeal, Evelyn spoke. “Would a recorded confession of April admitting the crimes do the job?”
All attention shot towards Evelyn’s direction.
“Do you have it?” Rafael spoke from the speaker.
Evelyn swallowed. “Yes, I have a recording of her admitting to the crimes.”
June felt her heart leap with joy. She was finally going to get revenge for everything done against her.
“Where is it?” Rafael asked again and everyone’s attention piqued, waiting for Mrs Evelyn’s answer.
“I’ll make it available,” Evelyn said, biting her lip.
She couldn’t tell them she had forgotten it in a safe at the Rivera mansion. She didn’t want to look any more like a failure to her daughter. She would recover it and hand it over to her daughter if it was the last thing she did.
She owed it to her to help sort the mess she created from her refusal to handle her messes. That was the least she could do. Thankfully, she wasn’t probed further on it.
“That settles it then,” June said with a smile. “April wouldn’t know what hit her.”
They all agreed, shared a meal and headed on with the day’s business. June confided in the people around her about her marriage to Rafael after inviting them to the house and formally introducing her mother.
Joel Patel had a new level of respect for June who had such a powerful man in her corner yet held her own. It both awed and surprised them.
Evelyn planned to leave the house as soon as June left for work. She timed herself to arrive at the Rivera house during work hours. April would be at work and she could sneak into the house.
It would be a clean operation. Walk in and walk out. So she thought.
Meanwhile, April sat in her office with a frown on her face. Colton walked in with information that they couldn’t leave South City which worsened her mood.
“We need to do something fast. I have a bad feeling about that wench.”
“Then we should use door number two. Sell everything and let’s lay low for some time. We-”
“I cannot sell my properties, Colton! I would rather die than let that wench take what belongs to me. Do you understand?”
Colton walked up to her with a smirk. “No need to get all worked up, darling.” He trailed a finger down her nose. “It was only a suggestion. Take it or leave it.”
Although Colton sounded loving, April could tell that he was offended. She knew him enough to tell when he was upset and when things were the other way around.
A sigh left her lips. “I’m sorry. I’m just so tense with the current situation. Things seem to be getting out of hand, tongues are wagging and I am counting the minutes till something bad happens.”
“Maybe you need to relax. Take a break from all of this and just, let loose.” Colton placed his hands on her shoulders, massaging slowly. A content moan escaped her lips.
“I wish I could just let go.” She said, “I want you inside me.”
Colton smirked. Of course, she did. He knew how to bend this woman to his will. He always did. “I want to bury myself inside you too, baby.” He cooed, “Let’s go home, let me take care of you.”
“Tempting.” April sighed. She wanted to let go and let her man take care of her but she also needed to find a solution to the problems that confronted her.
She couldn’t forget the looks thrown her way by the employees of Rivera stores when she came in and presented Colton as the new CEO. Things were not going according to plan.
“I need to find a solution for us,” Her eyes fluttered close. “We should be on alert.”
“We don’t need to be.” Colton said, “No matter what that dumb woman says, it’s useless if there isn’t proof to back it up. Besides, if they had things figured out, we’d be in a police station, don’t you think?”
April was swayed. If June had figured things out, she would have wasted no time to come for them. Since she had yet to make a move, something must be wrong.
Her eyes opened and a smile clad her face, “You are a genius!”
Colton was happy to see her shaking off her worry. He was running out of time with his plans. “Let me take care of you.” He said with a smile,
April shook her head, “You will. But not here.” She seductively bit her lips. “We didn’t get to finish what we started at the Rivera house last time.”
“My dirty little girl.” Colton praised and placed a kiss on the nape of her neck. “I can’t wait,”
“Then let’s not waste any more time.”