WIFE SERIES: THE BATTERED WIFE (ENGLISH VERSION)

I'm tired and I want to go home to rest. But my fear outweighs the tiredness I feel. I had already finished taking a bath but I just stayed here in the bathroom while sitting on the cold floor tiles. I don't have any clothes yet and my only defense against the cold is myself. I hugged my knee as my chin rested on my knee.

I wondered what I would say to Tranz. I was thinking about how I could explain to him that for the second time it happened again. I woke up in another room, but this time, I had another man with me.

I closed my eyes tightly and let myself release all my resentment by crying.

Why has my life been like this? Where am I lacking so I am being punished like this? What wrong with me?

In an instant, my happy married life suddenly collapsed because of my negligence.

Am I really careless, or is there just someone behind my misfortune?

I was aroused by what I thought and tried to remember in my mind what happened when I first woke up next to another man.

I was with Lele at the mall then, but that time it wasn't just the two of us because she was with her boyfriend. I was with them from morning until her boyfriend writhed in stomach ache. They left me at the restaurant for Lele to take her boyfriend to the hospital.

When they left, I was about to leave the restaurant too when Lily came. She was with someone. Even when I suspected the two of them, I didn't harbor any resentment towards Lily, especially since Tranz and I moved to Manila. Lily and I talked for a while, then her companion agreed to have a dessert. I declined but Lily insisted that's why I ordered ice cream. But before the ice cream arrived, they left because of an urgent matter.

When I tasted the ice cream I suddenly felt dizzy and just like what happened yesterday, I fainted.

But at first I just woke up alone. I thought then there would be no problem but when Tranz changed and his dealings with me grew cold I talked to him. That was the first time I saw him get angry. But we also got along well. The situation only got really worse when I got pregnant and he had an accident.

But my husband is too kind to fogive me. Because for the second time he forgave me.

But the past keeps repeating itself. And this time my sin became worse. It was a big mistake to trust that nothing would happen to me.

Hopefully, when I saw Lily at the mall yesterday, I didn't neglect her appearance.

I wish I had just told Lele that I saw Lily at the mall.

If I only knew you were like this when fighting, Lily, I would have been even smarter. What am I against a cunning like you?!

But I will not allow myself to be defeated without even resisting. I will not allow myself not to tell Tranz everything.

Are you stupid, Mina? Do you think Tranz will believe you? Do you think your husband will listen to you?

Maybe you forgot that Tranz wanted to divorce you and be with Lily?

I was almost depressed at the last thought. Because I couldn't help but think that maybe Tranz was also one of the one who set-up me especially that I saw him yesterday at the mall.

All I had to do now was talk to Tranz, then Lily. If talking to my husband's mistress would be the cause of my family's security I would do everything to get us back to normal.

Because of that thought I had hope. I hurriedly got dressed and got out of the bath. But I was shocked at what I had saw.

"Lily ordered that to me..."

Seth held the man's hand as the latter lay on the floor. The man looked pitiful because his lip and eyebrows were cracked. The blood had dried up because of Seth did to him. Most of all, Seth's foot was on the cheek of the man I didn't know until now.

"Don't lie! Who ?! Who ordered you to treat Mr. Ratcliffe's wife like this ?!" Seth asked the man angrily but he just smiled and didn't speak so when Seth kicked him hard in the face his teeth erupted and he lost consciousness.

I ran over to Seth and pulled him by the arm.

"Stop that, Seth. I think you killed that person," I gasped in surprise.

When Seth looked at me, I saw an emotion that I could not name.

"You're too naive, Mina. You are not aware of the intention of those who around you. There are people who wants to hurt you. They're just around you, but because you are so kind and trusting, you are doomed!" he shouted at the last thing he said.

"But I don't like what you're doing! Instead of us handing him over to the police, look what you did! We might even get caught because of what you did!"

"Do you think, your husband will allow that?" he sarcastically asked me so I fell silent. "What d-do you mean?"

He grabbed my chin and lifted. "Your husband is keeping his name clean as clear water, Mrs. Ratcliffe, so he would rather have that man salvaged than be caught by the police and make a noise that will tarnish his name." "M-my husband isn't like that," I stuttered defending Tranz. When the way he smirked made a sound, all my negative emotions were turned to him. "Oh, you! Do you think that you are very smart? What do you think of yourself? Crap! And why are you here, ha? It's just amazing that you're here and you know where I am and you know my situation ?! And why are you like that? You have no right to think my husband so badly! Have you meet him?!" annoyed, I shouted at him. "Whoa, Mina. I can't believe you're telling me that nonsense now. Is that how you thank the person who helped you?"

Out of frustration I slapped him. "Maybe you know Lily! Maybe you are his accomplice so that my husband and I can break up!" He did not speak. And for a moment I saw in him the shock. "Yeah, that's right! I am right, right? Lily is on your side! With the number of men in het life back then, I wouldn't be surprised if you were one of his men! And because Lily likes Tranz and you like me, you two and Lily planned to ruined us! Shame on you!"

I almost had a difficulty on breathing because of the speed of my speech, but to my dismay he just laughed so I slapped him hard in the face before I hurried out of that room.

It's not like I'm easy to judge people especially that I'm indebted to Seth, but that's the only reason I can think of. I could suspect nothing but Lily. I also knew that Lily could not do her plan alone, so I knew she had an accomplice. I know that the questions in my mind will be answered soon.