CLAUDE
“Don’t you have any idea of my wife’s exact address in Hawaii?” I asked.
It had been a week since I last saw my wife and my son, and I was struggling. Not only was my work affected, but my personal life was in shambles too. I felt like a living dead-alive because I was breathing and moving, but my heart and emotions were dead. I couldn’t sleep or eat properly. It felt like I had reverted to my old self from when Sia first left the mansion, but this time it was even more painful and difficult because Adrian was now involved.
But it was all my fault. I acted impulsively. I didn’t even think about the words I said to Sia back then. I didn’t believe her. It only proved that I didn’t fully trust my wife, while she had trusted me completely. Sia had come back to me, even though it was my fault in the first place.
I hadn’t learned my lesson. I repeated my mistakes. And now, this was the result. She left me again and took our son. She left nothing behind except for her wedding ring, which Ramiro had given back to me. I had tried to return it to her, but she refused to take it. So I kept it along with a few photos of us when we were still a whole family.
Those were the only memories I had of my wife and my son. But even though they weren’t with me, they were alive in my mind and in my heart. If only I could go back in time, I would return to the moment when Sia insisted she wasn’t the one in the video. I wanted to change my decision back then so we wouldn’t have separated. I wished I had believed her so our family would still be whole. Now I was all alone.
Sure, I still had my parents and my siblings. I also had nieces and nephews to turn to when I missed my child. But it wasn’t enough to fill the void left by my wife and son. Even though I was surrounded by people, I felt alone. A part of my being and my life is missing, and only my wife and son could complete me.
“I’m sorry, bro. But I promised Sia that I wouldn’t tell anyone where they are now. I’m really sorry,” Ramiro said.
My heart sank. “I understand, Ramiro. I appreciate your honesty. But if there’s any way you could at least let her know how much I miss her and Adrian, I would be grateful.”
Ramiro nodded sympathetically. “I’ll pass the message along, Claude. Take care of yourself.”
I just nodded. “I understand, bro. It’s okay if you can’t tell me. I won’t force you. Just please tell Sia to take care of herself and make sure she takes care of our son too. I love them very much, even if she doesn’t believe it. If she needs any help, just let me know. I’ll do anything for her, for our son.”
Ramiro tapped my back. “You’re not alone in your problem, bro. I feel the same way. At least you have an idea of where your wife and son are. Me, I don’t even know where mine are. I don’t even know if our child is a boy or a girl, or what they look like. So if you’re feeling down, we’re in the same boat. Maybe it’s easier for me because I didn’t realize I thatreally loved Lia until she left. It only got to me when she was already gone.”
I stayed silent, understanding what Ramiro was implying. His feelings now mirrored what I felt the first time Sia left. I had managed to handle our separation somehow, enduring five years of solitude. But our situation now was different. This separation hurt me more. Besides having a child together, I knew deep down that I loved my wife dearly. I didn’t know how much more I could bear, or how long I could live far from both my wife and my son. I feared I might lose my sanity in the coming days due to extreme depression.
“But I have good news, bro. The police have arrested Haven. She’s in jail now. I’ve also made sure she can’t post bail. The hearing will proceed smoothly now that she’s in custody.”
“Can I see her? I just want to understand why she keeps bothering both Sia and me.”
“Of course! We can visit her in jail. But we need to bring the lawyer with us. She might not want to talk later.”
“Alright. Let’s bring Attorney Hernandez.”
The next day, Ramiro, along with Attorney Hernandez, and I visited Haven in jail. As soon as Haven saw us, she gasped and knelt, clinging to my legs.
“I’m sorry, Claude. Please forgive me! I only did it because I love you so much. I don’t want to lose you. Why couldn’t you just love me? Why Sia?”
I forcefully removed Haven’s hands clinging to me.
“Let go of me, you bitch! I haven’t done anything to you to treat my wife like this! Face the consequences of your actions! Remember, I will never like you, ever!”
But Haven wouldn’t be deterred. She held onto me tightly and cried harder. “Claude, please! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!”
I was on the brink of kicking her. Luckily, I managed to restrain myself. After all, she still was a woman and a former friend. She wasn’t a friend anymore because of what she did. Her actions almost cost my wife’s life. How could I ever want to be friends with someone who had ill intentions toward my beloved wife?
“Get your hands off me, Haven,” I said, my voice dangerously low. My patience is running thin.
But Haven seemed deaf to my words. She continued to cling to me, crying even louder. In anger, I pulled Haven’s hair upwards.
“If you’re not going to take your hands off from me, then I’m going to choke you to death!” I threatened.
Haven seemed to come to her senses. She let go of me but remained seated on the floor.
“You didn’t just hurt me, Haven. You deceived Ramiro too. If Sia hadn’t properly introduced herself, he wouldn’t have known the truth that she wasn’t Cali. I almost got into an accident because of you. So it’s only right that you rot in jail. If I could, I would’ve ended your life myself. I’ll leave your punishment to the law,” I said calmly but firmly.
Haven remained silent, staring at us as if she suddenly lost herself. I signaled the police to escort Haven back to her detention cell. They quickly approached and took her. She struggled and screamed, asking for help.
Ramiro shook his head. “I think she’s gone crazy in love with you, Claude.”
“I only see her as a friend. I didn’t even give her any hope but she still thinks that something is going on between us. There’s only one woman I loved and will continue to love. That’s Sia. Even if we never see each other again, she’s the one my heart desires,” I clarified.
Ramiro patted me on the back. “Same here, bro. There’s only one woman I loved more than my life. That’s Lia.”
I sighed. My chest hurt again. I remembered my wife once more.
“Do you have any idea who leaked the scandal video?” I changed the topic as we walked out of the prison.
“Haven orchestrated the video. She helped Cali and Luther escape from me. In return, she asked for a video of the two of them having an intercourse. Then she spread it on social media. When you watched it, you thought your wife was the one in the video. It turns out she just looks like Cali,” Ramiro explained.
“After she abducted Sia and brought her to you, she introduced her as Cali,” I added. “And you believed her right away?”
“Of course! She looked exactly like Cali. We were both fooled by Haven,” Ramiro concluded.
I fell silent. Ramiro’s words, especially the last part, rang true. I had also been deceived by Haven. She wasn’t a true friend because she endangered others for her selfish desires and whims. It was my fault for befriending her in the first place.
I sure had my ways of finding where Sia at. Hawaii was not that big after all. If I had to go there and search every corner of it, I sure would. My chopper could not take me there, but I was sure a private jet could.
And if I had to get one just to be close to where my wife and my son at, I would not even entertain a second thought. Zeke’s aviation company could provide it for me, and while I was waiting for my own, I was sure that Zeke would lend me his. Not to mention that Maven was worrying about Sia too.