Altezza glanced at her phone. An unknown number was calling. "Hello?" she asked without taking her eyes off her work.
"Is this Mr. Altezza?" a voice on the other end replied.
"Who is this?" she asked coldly.
"It's me. Cindy. Jovanka's assistant," the voice stuttered.
"What is it? Didn't I say not to contact me again?" he said harshly.
There was a rustling sound from the other end. "Um. It's. Jovanka," the woman sounded panicked.
"She's not my concern anymore. So don't contact me again," Altezza then abruptly hung up the phone.
Shortly after the call ended, her office door swung open. The woman who had been the subject of the phone call appeared. She looked stunning in an expensive and sexy outfit.
"Honey," she greeted. Her gaze seemed unfocused.
"What are you doing here?" Altezza asked rudely. Her secretary hurried in behind her.
"S-Sir. I'm sorry. She came in while I was in the bathroom," her secretary said fearfully.
"It's okay, just go back to your room," Altezza commanded flatly. "What else do you want now, Jovanka?" she turned to the approaching woman.
"I miss you," she said coyly. Her hand reached out, caressing Altezza's chest provocatively.
"Stop it, Jovanka!" Altezza slapped Jovanka's hand away roughly. "You're acting like a cheap woman," she said coldly. The woman stood frozen.
"Why are you like this? How can you call me a cheap woman? Do you forget that you were the one who chased after me? You were the one who asked me to accept you? You were the one who forced me to be your lover? You were the one who begged me to marry you!" she exploded with emotion.
"Why are you like this, Altezza? What's so great about that woman compared to me? She's not even prettier than me. Just because she's younger, is that why you left me?" Jovanka approached again.
Both of Jovanka's hands caressed Altezza's neck sensually. Her body pressed against Altezza's in a seductive manner. It would be a lie if Altezza wasn't tempted. "Look, even your body still longs for me," Jovanka whispered in his ear. Her lips kissed Altezza's neck and even nibbled on his earlobe, knowing it was his sensitive spot. But soon Altezza pulled away from her body. "No cat will refuse fish, Jovanka. But no matter how tempted my body is by yours, I still have faith.
"There is still a lawful woman for me whom I can embrace freely. If you've forgotten, my reason for marrying you first was to avoid falling into sin.
"And what did you say earlier? She's less beautiful than you? Maybe according to you, yes. She's not as beautiful as you. But to me, she's more beautiful.
"She's the perfect wife. And as you know, she's carrying my child.
"Weren't you the one who bothered to send chocolate gifts to her office?" Jovanka fell silent.
"She's better than you in every way," Altezza concluded his statement. Jovanka's face paled. "Go, Jovanka. Please. I've let you pursue your dreams. Now let me pursue mine. Let me and my little family live in peace and happiness." Jovanka froze in place. Her head shook slowly.
"No, Altezza. You won't be happy with her. You can only be happy with me.
"Have you forgotten? You want a child from me! And I will give it to you.
"I will give you that child!" Jovanka moved with a quickness that Altezza couldn't predict. Suddenly, she threw herself at Altezza and kissed him fiercely. Altezza tried to pull away, but the woman seemed to gain strength from somewhere, making it difficult to break free.
"Joe, stop!" Just as Altezza managed to push the woman away, the door to his office opened.
"Oh my God...!" A stifled scream escaped from his mother's mouth. "What are you two doing?"
"Mamma..?!" Altezza exclaimed. "Mamma, this isn't what you think." Altezza tried to defend herself. Her hands still attempted to keep her body away from Jovanka's.
"Do you even know what I think?" Mrs. Delila glared at Altezza sternly. Jovanka took a step back and began fixing her hair. A smile crept onto her beautiful face.
"Mamma." The woman approached and extended her hand, intending to shake Delila's hand. However, Delila only stared at the slender hand without any intention of reciprocating.
"Since when did I become 'Mamma' to you?" Mrs. Delila asked coldly. "I only have one daughter who has the right to call me 'Mamma.' And that's not you." Delila walked to the sofa. She sat down casually while the two people in front of her stood frozen.
She never expected her visit to the hotel where her daughter took over her husband's business to turn into such a spectacle.
"I'm your future daughter-in-law," Jovanka insisted.
Delila Quirino looked back at the young woman before her. In her eyes, the woman's appearance was far from graceful. Instead, she seemed more like a cheap woman.
"Daughter-in-law? Since when? I never proposed to you in front of your parents. I also never sent engagement gifts. And I haven't even held a reception for you."
"So, when exactly did you become my daughter-in-law?" Delila raised an eyebrow. Her hands folded in front of her chest, trying to appear intimidating.
"I married Altezza six years ago," the woman replied.
"Really? All this time?" Delila acted surprised.
Jovanka smiled wider and nodded. "How could I not know?" She asked disappointedly. "I only have one child, and she got married six years ago without me knowing. Do I still deserve to be called a mother?" Delila looked at her only child. Altezza paled.
"It's because I asked Altezza to keep our marriage a secret," Jovanka tried to defend herself.
"Is that so?" Delila snorted. "Then why are you now calling yourself my daughter-in-law when before you never considered me your mother-in-law?" This time it was Jovanka who paled.
The door opened again, and Benjamin Quirino appeared. Delila had indeed visited her husband's room, but he was entertaining a guest. And it seemed the guest had already left by the time her husband followed her here.
"Darling, I heard you..." His words stopped when he saw Altezza and a woman standing frozen. Altezza with her pale face and the woman with suddenly sparkling eyes. "What's going on here?" The elderly man asked. His eyes glanced at the three people alternately.
"My love, come here," Delila requested her husband. She reached out her hand to her husband, who then accepted it, albeit with a raised eyebrow. Delila led her husband to sit down, ignoring the other two who remained standing in their places.
"Darling, could you have been a witness to our son's wedding?" Delila asked after her husband sat down beside her.
"Of course, a few months ago," Benjamin replied flatly. The two of them chatted as if they were alone in the room.
"Not that one, but six years ago. Were you ever a witness to our child's wedding?"
Benjamin Quirino chuckled mockingly. "My dear, are you dreaming? Our child just got married a few months ago. How many children do we have anyway?"
"Did you give birth to another child behind my back?" Mr. Benjamin narrowed his eyes at his wife.
Delila furrowed her brow. "As far as I remember, I only gave birth once. Because after Altezza was born, you forbade me from having any more children." Delila glared at her son. "Or perhaps you got married again to another woman behind my back? And had another son from that marriage?" Delila looked sharply at her husband.
"For God's sake, what kind of accusation is that? There's no other woman besides you. And there never will be." Benjamin Quirino reached for his wife's hand and kissed it. "I wouldn't want to repeat the past. I suffered enough losing you once, don't torture me again," the elderly man said.
"Are you sure you don't have another child?" Delila asked suspiciously. Benjamin shook his head. "Have you never adopted another son?" Delila asked again, to which her husband shook his head. "Then why is there suddenly someone claiming to be our daughter-in-law, Darling?" Delila's gaze shifted to Jovanka.
"Daughter-in-law?" Benjamin also looked at Jovanka. "Who are you, young lady?" Benjamin asked with a raised eyebrow.
"I'm Jovanka Lawrence," Jovanka replied weakly. She felt her confidence waver as Benjamin's gaze fell upon her.
"Hmm... My wife said you claimed to be our daughter-in-law?" Jovanka nodded. "Since when have you been our daughter-in-law?"
"I married Altezza six years ago," Jovanka muttered.
"Six years ago?" Benjamin Quirino looked at his only son. "Son, this woman claims that she married you six years ago. How could your father not know, son? Or do you not consider me your father anymore just because you're grown up?" Benjamin's flat tone sent shivers down Altezza's spine.
"Padre..." Altezza felt her tongue tied.
"It's because I asked him to keep our marriage a secret. I..." Jovanka spoke softly, trying to defend herself again.
"Are you ashamed to have a husband like my son?" Benjamin asked again.
Jovanka shook her head vigorously.
"Then are you ashamed to have in-laws like us?" Jovanka shook her head again. "Then?"
"I-I... At that time, I still had a contract not to get married."
"Oh..." Benjamin replied. "So the contract was more valuable than my son." Jovanka's eyes widened. Once again, she had answered wrongly. "Then why did you appear after six years?"
"It's because I love Altezza."
"Love? You said you love my son?" Jovanka nodded. "So for the past six years, you didn't love my son?" Benjamin asked again. Jovanka couldn't find words to say.
"Padre.. we have separated," Altezza replied.
"You got married without us knowing. Then why should we know when you're separating?" Benjamin asked sharply.
"If you want to keep a secret, then keep it until you die. There's no need to parade it around. Married for six years? What kind of marriage is that?" Benjamin sneered. "For us, Altezza's lawful wife is only one. And that's not you, Miss Lawrence.
"And I must emphasize. My family does not adhere to polygamous beliefs. So, sorry, no matter how much you want us to acknowledge you, we can't do it." Benjamin stood up and reached for his wife's hand. "Come on, Darling. Didn't you promise to have lunch with the mother of our future grandchild?" He casually invited her.
Delila nodded and took her husband's hand. They left Altezza behind them without saying a word.