"Let me show you the true colors of this seemingly good wife of yours, Alvaro."
"What do you mean?" Alvaro eyed Renata with a startled look on his face.
Renata reached into the pocket of her blazer to retrieve a white handkerchief with lace at the edges.
Then she stepped closer to Sanaya.
"W-what's going on?" Sanaya stammered awkwardly.
Renata flashed a sweet smile. "I'm just going to clean that dirty face of yours," she replied.
"No need," Sanaya tried to dodge, but Renata grasped her cheek.
"Renata, what are you about to do to Sanaya?" Alvaro's voice still carried a note of sharpness.
Ignoring Alvaro, Renata wiped Sanaya's face with the handkerchief, erasing the girl's tear streaks and the bruise makeup that was there.
"See, your wife is perfectly fine," Renata said, patting Sanaya's cheek lightly.
Sanaya quickly looked down and bit her lower lip hard, caught in her lie.
"Sanaya, you..." A look of disbelief crossed Alvaro's face.
Sanaya had been lying all along. The wife he thought had the heart of an angel had slandered an innocent person. The truth shook both Alvaro and the onlookers, prompting head-shakes all around.
The seemingly naïve and pure girl was capable of such deception.
"So, stop blaming me, blame your own wife here," Renata declared, pushing gently against Alvaro's chest with her index finger, causing him to stagger back.
Speechless with disappointment in Sanaya, Alvaro felt a sting of embarrassment. He wanted to reproach Sanaya but refrained to avoid further shame. His provisional role as Head Manager was at stake. If his image were tarnished in the eyes of the staff, it could jeopardize the position he'd worked so hard to attain.
Alvaro then grabbed Sanaya's wrist, intent on leading her away.
"Let's go," he said to Sanaya, his tone icy.
"Wait, esteemed Mr. Alvaro Tjong!" Renata called out, halting Alvaro and Sanaya's departure.
"What is it?" Alvaro turned to face Renata.
"You're just going to leave? Without an apology?"
Alvaro's grip on Sanaya's wrist tightened, making her whimper in pain, though he seemed indifferent to it.
"Sorry," Alvaro blurted out, his face flushed with humiliation.
Embarrassed because the employees had started whispering about Sanaya. Indeed, a spouse reflects on their partner. Whatever Sanaya did would affect Alvaro as well. As her husband, he'd appear incapable of guiding her.
"Why can't you be more genuine?" Renata said with a hint of disappointment. "After nearly tarnishing my reputation with your beloved wife's actions."
"Renata, you're exaggeratin..."
"Shut your mouth, Sanaya," Alvaro snapped at her attempt to worsen the situation.
Sanaya silenced immediately, frightened by the tone her husband used for the first time. Until now, Alvaro had always spoken gently to her.
"Renata, I apologize on my behalf and on my wife's. Sorry for having accused you," Alvaro said with earnest sincerity.
Renata nodded, "Alright."
Turning, Alvaro led Sanaya away by the wrist.
But it wasn't over yet.
Renata approached the still helpless, kneeling man.
"Speak up, who paid you?" she demanded.
This affair had to be resolved. Renata knew there was another party involved.
"It wasn't Sanaya who paid you? Why ask again?" Anya suddenly clutched Renata's arm.
Renata smirked at Anya's panic. Of course, she had realized all along.
"Anya, why so flustered? Unless you're..." Renata covered her mouth with her hand, feigning shock.
"W-what are you talking about? What's wrong with me?" Anya denied, her nervousness painfully obvious.
In the novel's storyline, it was Anya who spurred Angel to hire a man to assault Sanaya and even helped Angel find the man.
The narrative hadn't changed. But the character's traits had. The female lead had joined forces with the secondary antagonist, plotting her downfall.
How utterly amusing.
But was that really the case? Could Angel, seemingly innocent, have been the villain from the start? People don't change overnight.
Renata clenched her fist. If the latter were true, then Angel had been wronged all along, slandered by Anya and Sanaya.
This couldn't stand; Renata needed to uncover the truth obscured by the novel's narrative, limited only to Sanaya's perspective.
Shrugging, Renata said, "Who knows? You certainly seem to."
Anya's heart throbbed with panic.
"I..."
"Enough, Anya. Don't hinder my search for the truth behind this man's payment," Renata said, unwilling to hear Anya's futile denials.
"Right, Anya. Why stop her from interrogating this man?" a spectator employee inquired.
"We're curious too about who that person is," chimed another.
"Why do you seem so panicked, Anya?"
"Anya, you..."
"Stop! I'm not interrupting her!" Anya protested forcefully.
Now she was the one cornered.
"Why are you angry?" an employee questioned, sensing Anya's strangeness.
Anya swallowed hard, "I-I'm not angry, really," she said with a forced smile.
Renata watched Anya's disarray with a tilt of her lips, "Then let me continue my inquiry."
"Y-yes," Anya responded stiffly.
Renata faced the hired man once more, "So, who is paying you to slander me?" she pressed.
The man glanced at Anya, who was shaking her head in a silent warning.
"The woman there sa..."
"What's going on here?"
A commanding voice interrupted the hired man's speech.
All gathered employees bowed respectfully upon recognizing the voice's owner.
Jefra Tjong, followed by Arvin and some bodyguards, made his presence known.
*Thump*
Renata's heart beat faster at the sight of the man resembling her husband. She, too, bowed respectfully.
"The company didn't hire you to gather here. Return to your respective places," commanded Mr. J with a formidable air.
The staff dispersed obediently, knowing better than to challenge the CEO of Tj Corp.
"Anya, now you'll have your chance to escape. If you continue to bother me, I won't let you off next time," Renata whispered as Anya passed by, her face whitening with fear.
"Miss Angelica."
Renata halted, surprised to be singled out among the employees. "Come to my office and explain this situation."
Why had she been invited to the CEO's room again?
To Be Continued
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Comments
Mue
why do the all keep stoping him when ever he is JUST about to say the name!??
2024-01-30
4