Episode 8

Andrei observed the photo of his great-grandmother in the album and then the family photo on his desk, placing them next to each other. There was no doubt that both women were related, but Ivana's lover did not belong to her family.

"If I really made a mistake, Keyza will never forgive me," he said to himself horrified.

Andrei entered Keyza's room and found everything representing her gone. He felt empty. He entered the bathroom and noticed that her toothbrush was still there. On impulse, he took it and kept it.

"I just hope to get the same result this time," he said to himself as a form of comfort.

Antonio drove for a couple of hours, receiving calls from Kenya, Ivana, and his mother the whole time.

"Where are you, Antonio?" Angela, Antonio's mother, asked.

"Mom, I need to clear my head," Antonio responded.

"Don't you even dare to look for that weird ex of yours," Angela warned him.

Antonio didn't plan on doing it at that moment because he knew she would reject him. He wanted to give her space because she was his, even though he couldn't give her the role of a wife. He wanted to win her back.

"I'm not planning on it, Mom," Antonio said with a cold tone.

"Remember, she's not only weird, but also..."

"That's enough insulting her, Mom! It's not her fault," Antonio shouted before angrily hanging up the phone.

Antonio took a deep breath because every time he thought about the reason he ended things with her, he felt miserable. He called a private investigator he knew through his law firm because he wanted to locate her as soon as possible. He was worried that she might be in danger.

"Antonio, give me a couple of days to find your ex's whereabouts," the investigator assured him.

"Please don't scare her, as all I want to know is where she is," Antonio said.

Rafael was an expert in his field as a public accountant. After several years in the workforce at the best accounting firm in the country, his colleagues talked about his promising future. However, one day, much to everyone's surprise, he had a breakdown and decided to retire, opening a pub and dedicating himself to teaching. This represented a significant setback in his professional career.

"Rafael, there's a lot you don't know about me. It's not that I know nothing about finances, I'm simply not interested," Keyza said.

Rafael shook his head, finding her comment very amusing. It was also true that there was a lot he didn't know about her, despite the time he spent with Kenya. The person in front of him was a complete stranger.

"Do you realize that as a historian, you'll often have financial problems?" Rafael asked impertinently.

"I'm aware of that, and that's why I've taken measures to guarantee my retirement," Keyza said, smiling triumphantly.

"Then why do you let your family judge you as useless?" Rafael asked in disbelief.

"Because I simply want to do what I love and be free from the Bagirovas."

"Kenya is right about you being a basic person without aspirations in life."

At that moment, Keyza looked at Rafael with disdain. Part of her bad reputation in the entire city was due to her sister, and Susie had warned her about it on many occasions.

"Don't mention that bitch in my presence. If succeeding in life means I have to behave in a way devoid of values, then I'd rather be simple and without aspirations," Keyza told Rafael angrily.

Rafael was surprised by the deep resentment he saw in her expression. He never imagined that this woman, whom he always saw as Kenya's lapdog, could be filled with so much hatred at this moment. Although he understood her because he felt the same.

"I'm sorry, Keyza. You're right, and my comment was very inconsiderate," Rafael said, ashamed.

Keyza observed Rafael and remembered how his face lit up when he talked about Kenya. This made her angry because she always knew he wasn't a bad man and didn't deserve to be betrayed in such a way by her sister.

"Did you know that Kenya is pregnant with Antonio's child?"

Rafael shook his head and felt a mixture of anger and sadness because they were supposed to start preparing for their wedding soon, but the magnitude of Kenya's betrayal was enormous.

"Her betrayal keeps getting worse, I have no idea when she started doing this," said Rafael.

"I don't think that's important, Rafael," said Keyza, shrugging.

"I don't know if it's better to stop investigating, but I hate it when I'm lied to," said Rafael with a terrifying expression.

"I don't know how I'll be able to overcome all the anger I feel inside," Rafael continued.

Rafael felt that the deep love he felt for Kenya turned into contempt in the blink of an eye.

"The only way to overcome it is by seeking revenge on those who have hurt you so much," said Rafael with conviction.

Keyza was astonished to see Rafael's severe expression because he was speaking with great conviction.

"Rafael, revenge is never good, it kills the soul and poisons it," said Keyza.

Rafael smiled mischievously because, unlike Keyza, he was a man who did not hesitate to seek revenge when he was offended. He came from a different social class and had to work hard to be on equal footing. The humiliation he received from Kenya, particularly when she disdained his mother's ring, which was precious to him, was something he would never forget and filled him with anger.

"Keyza, I believe in the Mosaic law that says, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth; whatever injury they inflicted upon you should be inflicted upon them,'" said Rafael.

Keyza was impressed by Rafael's attitude, although, to be honest, a part of her agreed with him, but the other part felt a lot of fear.

"A part of me is filled with hatred because of what they did to me, but the other part understands the reason why Antonio chose her," said Keyza, holding back tears.

Rafael was stunned because the woman in front of him, who always appeared so proud to others, was broken in that moment. He believed that no woman should be treated in such a disrespectful manner.

"Keyza, please stop saying nonsense and just drink your beer," Rafael irritably told her.

Rafael approached Keyza, and despite not liking this unfriendly woman, he realized she needed comfort. That's why he hugged her, despite her reluctance. After a couple of minutes, he heard her crying as she rested her head on his chest, wetting his shirt with her tears.

"She has always been loved by everyone, Antonio was the only one who chose me," said Keyza.

For the first time since he met her, Rafael understood that Keyza's attitude was due to feeling unappreciated. He remembered how Kenya would badmouth her sister in front of others.

"What if you and I joined forces to seek revenge?" Rafael asked.

"Stop saying nonsensical things, Rafael," Keyza responded.

"I'm serious, Keyza. Think about it carefully. We have the means, the knowledge, and the willingness to make them pay for everything they have done to us," Rafael said.

For the next two hours, Rafael talked about his master plan to seek revenge on the two adulterers and their shameless families. As the night fell and they drank more beer, the conversation flowed between them. To Keyza, Rafael's proposition started to seem very tempting. That's why she knew she had to distance herself to calm down. She clumsily got up and walked towards the side door of the residence.

"I want to see the beach!" exclaimed Keyza with excitement.

"Keyza, you're drunk, and it's very dangerous for you to be near the sea," Rafael shouted.

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