CLAUDE
As soon as I entered Ramiro’s mansion, I saw Sia sitting on the sofa, seemingly watching something. I quickly approached her.
“Sweetpea!” I called out to her.
Sia turned to look at me, narrowing her eyes when she saw me. She immediately stood up and stepped back before I could reach her.
“Why are you here? What are you doing here?” she asked with a frown.
I knelt before her, knowing she was angry with me. “I’m sorry, Sweetpea. It’s my fault that this happened to you. I hope you can forgive me.”
Sia scoffed. “Sorry? Forgive you? Why is it so easy for you to say those words? No matter how many times I forgive you, you just keep making the same mistakes. I don’t want this anymore, Claude. Enough. Leave me alone.”
“But, Sweetpea-”
“Enough, please! Just give me back my son. Then let’s separate. I don’t want to be with you anymore.”
I am stunned. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I stood up abruptly.
“Sweetpea, you’re just joking, right? You won’t leave me because you love me. And I love you very much.”
She shook her head violently. “You’re lying! Who are you fooling? You only think about yourself. You love to hurt others but can’t stand being hurt yourself. You’re so unfair!”
“I know I’ve done a lot of wrong to you, Sweetpea. But please, don’t do this. Let’s talk about it calmly. Don’t you feel sorry for Adrian? He’ll suffer if we separate again.”
Sia rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “He’ll suffer more if he continues living with a father like you. He won’t learn to stand up for himself and be a man because his father is spineless.”
I clutched my chest. If Sia’s words were knives, I’d be bleeding out on the floor by now. Her words cut deep, but I knew I deserved them. I had wronged her greatly. But I couldn’t bear the thought of living apart from her again. I had struggled for five years and couldn’t endure another separation.
“Please, Sweetpea, just give me another chance. I can’t bear to lose you. Have mercy on me.”
“Mercy? Did you have mercy on me when I told you the video you showed is a lie? Why should I show you mercy now? Just give me Adrian back, or we’ll settle this in court. Leave. I don’t want to talk to you anymore.” Sia turned her back on me. I wanted to follow her, but Ramiro stopped me.
“Let her be for now. She’s still very upset. It’s better if you go home for now. You can come back another day. You’re welcome here anytime.”
“Thank you very much, Ramiro. I’ll come back tomorrow. I’ll bring our son with me. Maybe my wife’s heart will soften.”
The next day, I left the house early with Adrian. We stopped by Quincy’s bakery to buy cupcakes and cookies as a present for Sia.
When we arrived at the mansion, we found Sia and Ramiro having breakfast.
“Mom!” Adrian shouted when he saw Sia.
Sia smiled broadly, stood up, and greeted our son. I almost cried seeing the two embrace. Adrian had been crying for days since his mother disappeared, not wanting to go to school and hardly eating or sleeping. Seeing his mother again eased my worries a little.
Ramiro invited us to join for breakfast, and I quickly agreed. Sia seated Adrian next to her while I sat across from my wife. Adrian’s appetite is noticeably good, eating enthusiastically and almost choking, but Sia quickly attended to him.
“Adrian, do you want to watch TV? We have a big TV here, as big as a door,” Ramiro said after we finished eating.
Adrian’s eyes widened. “Really? I want to see it. Where is it?”
“Come on, let’s go see it,” Ramiro extended his hand to Adrian.
Adrian looked at me and then at Sia.
“Go ahead, son. Go with Uncle Ramiro. Your mom and I will just talk,” I said.
Adrian clapped his hands, took Ramiro’s hand, and gave him a thumbs up before they left. As soon as Adrian and Ramiro were out of sight, I invited Sia to the living room.
“What do you want now? Why haven’t you gone home yet?” she asked, her tone sharp.
“We need to talk, Sweetpea. Let’s talk about our son.”
Sia glared at me. “There’s nothing more to discuss. Leave Adrian to me. I’ll take care of him. He doesn’t need a father like you. I can raise him on my own. We were fine without you before. You just disrupted our peaceful life. Leave and don’t ever come back.”
It felt like I’d been shot straight through the heart. Her words hurt more than any wounds I’d received while in the SEALs. I knew I had hurt her, but hearing this cut deeply.
“Please, Sweetpea, don’t talk like that. Adrian needs both of us. Don’t take him away from me. I know I’ve wronged you, but don’t punish me like this. I’m begging you.”
“I don’t care about you. Leave! I don’t want to see you anymore! Go away!” she shouted.
I stood there, frozen in shock.
“Are you leaving or not? I’ll have Ramiro’s men throw you out,” she threatened.
Still, I didn’t move. But when two of Ramiro’s men approached me, I had no choice but to go with them.
“I’ll be back, Sweetpea! I won’t let us be separated!” I shouted as I was escorted out the door.
I kept my promise. Every day, I went to Ramiro’s house to see Sia and Adrian. However, Sia remained firm and refused to come back with me. I didn’t force Adrian to come home either.
For the next three months, visiting Ramiro’s house became part of my routine. But one morning, I was surprised to find Sia and Adrian were no longer there. Even Ramiro was not there.
“Where did they go?” I asked the caretaker at the mansion.
“Oh, sir, Mr. Ramiro took Ma’am Sia and Adrian to the airport earlier today.”
“Airport? Why? Where are they going?”
“I’m not sure, sir. I just heard they are going to Hawaii.”
I almost shouted in disbelief and hurried to my car, speeding to the airport. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch up with Sia and Adrian. Only Ramiro was there when I arrived.
“Where did Sia go? Why didn’t you tell me about their departure?” I demanded.
Ramiro shook his head. “They went to Hawaii. She asked me not to tell you about her plans. Sorry, bro. We had an agreement, so I couldn’t warn you. If we hadn’t made that agreement, I would have sided with you because I know Sia’s decision is wrong. But I’m sorry, bro.” He patted my shoulder before walking past me.
“Ramiro, did Sia say when they would return?” I called after him.
He scratched his head. “Sorry but Sia said they wouldn’t be coming back.”
I clutched the nearest chair in despair. It felt like the sky had fallen on me. How could Sia leave me alone? What am I supposed to do now? I couldn’t bear living alone.
“Claude, are you okay?” Ramiro asked, concerned as he approached me.
“Ramiro, tell me how I can be okay now that my wife and my son are gone.”
He took a deep breath. “It’s okay, bro. You’re not alone. I don’t even know where to find my wife and myQ child.”