Chapter 147

Of course, neither my brother nor I believed his words; we didn't dare let you go out recklessly. Today, when you asked, I told you. But Reynaldo is a very deep-thinking man, so we should still be cautious. What if you appear before him and he seeks retribution? You agree, right?

"Um," I whispered softly, recalling the text message Reynaldo had sent that night. He said that if I didn't appear before him again, there would be no need to in the future. He said it wasn't necessary for him to be with me; he wouldn't look for me anymore. What he said was true.

That's fine; before long, he'll definitely forget about me. It was obviously a good thing, but for some reason, an indescribable sense of melancholy and loss lingered in my heart. That night, I dreamt of Reynaldo again. I dreamt that he was his gentle and considerate self.

Chapter 47

In the dream, he wasn't the husband oppressed by me, but the man I loved. He would cuddle me to sleep every night, gently greet me in the morning, and considerately make breakfast. He would tenderly care for our baby and make it laugh. Everything in the dream was so beautiful, so addictive. I only woke when my alarm went off.

When I woke up, a smile touched my lips, and warmth filled my heart. That dream was so beautiful. I leaned against the headboard, full of melancholy doubts, wondering if that dream could be the happiness I longed for. Ah! What a pity. That gentle and virtuous husband of mine was finally lost to me, and I can never find him again.

I waved away the negative emotions and got up to wash my face with cold water, instantly feeling more awake. As I was getting ready for work, I ran into Trevin and Auntie. They both smiled and greeted me.

As we went downstairs, Trevin said, "Esmeralda, did you see the big boss overseeing our construction site yesterday?"

I shook my head. "Did you?"

Yesterday, I heard the big boss inspected the site; he arrived in a luxurious car. Many in the office went to see him, eager to catch a glimpse of his style—even the supervisor. I wasn't interested in the commotion; I was afraid of the crowd, so I didn't go. Yesterday, even in the cafeteria, the conversation centered on the big boss. But what's funny is that no one knew his name.

Trevin said, "I didn't see him, but my mom did." He bumped his mother's arm.

Auntie said, "We were free, so we saw him. I must say, that big boss was really beautiful, tall, with long legs. That face—oh my, more attractive than a celebrity!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her description of the construction site boss as "handsome."

Auntie glanced at me and shook her head disapprovingly. "Esmeralda, don't blame Auntie for being straightforward. Although you're young and quite good-looking, someone like you couldn't catch the big boss's attention."

I had a dumbfounded expression. How did I get involved in this for no reason?

Trevin added, "Yeah, he's so rich and good-looking. A man with money and good looks can have any woman he wants. He probably wouldn't even consider someone like you, who is only slightly attractive."

11

"So, you know…" Auntie said with a meaningful look, "We, the lower class, should stay grounded and not fantasize about unrealistic things."

"That's right, especially for girls," Trevin and his aunt chimed in, "be careful not to lose your virginity and end up with nothing; then it will be difficult to even marry a decent man."

Even though I was foolish, I understood their meaning. In their eyes, I was a materialistic gold digger. They didn't believe I was married; they thought the child in my belly was from a wealthy man who had merely played with me.