Chapter 8 The final blow
Roger's gaze was intense. "She's my wife, for crying out loud," he raged, suddenly sounding possessive.
To Karen, this was not a romantic gesture but rather a painful blow. He didn't want her, yet he refused to let her go, using her to satisfy his ego.
"And you promised to hand her over to me after she delivers the baby, which is now nonexistent," Hector reminded him, his voice rising slightly before quickly faltering under Roger's piercing glare.
It was an unexpected look from a bodyguard towards his supposed boss, but what was even more unsettling was the fear evident in Hector's eyes.
Karen struggled to understand the dynamic between Hector and Roger, as their interactions did not reflect a typical master-servant relationship.
Hector appeared to be the one in control, while Roger seemed to defer to him. "Well, I'm not granting her a divorce, so deal with it," Roger raged, leaving Karen feeling upset.
It wasn't enough that they trashed her in secret; they were shamelessly doing it right in front of her as if she didn't matter.
"You know what, Roger? I'm glad for the mistake because if not, I wouldn't have known how egocentric and toxic you are," Karen said bitterly and ran out of the door, feeling let down.
Roger yelled after her, "You are the reason I didn't have Tonia. You can leave after I get her back."
Hector quickly chased after Karen but was harshly pulled back by Roger, his expression masked by anger. "She's only going to see her parents."
Since he initiated the marriage, he was not going to let her go until he was back beside Tonia.
"And I have to be there for her," Hector said seriously, Roger's expression hardened. "What part of her being my wife do you not understand?"
He wasn’t moved when he found out Karen was the girl Hector had eyes on, but even after discovering this, all he wanted was the baby before letting Karen go. So why couldn’t he do so now?
His question confused Hector. “The part where you don’t love her,” Hector challenged, but Roger exposed him. “Neither do you.”
“But I still wanted her. You are the one who wants her sister,” Hector interjected. He was eight years younger than Roger, but they looked around the same age, except that Roger looked more mature and fiercer.
As for Hector, he never cared about love, only in fulfilling the promise he made to a late friend.
Roger’s tongue was tied as he sunk into the sofa, the food losing its appeal. “I’ve wrongly accused her, and I have to make it up to her. You know the rules.”
This was the only way to explain whatever he was feeling and everything that was going on inside of him in terms of emotions.
Indeed, they were trained to be just, but Hector knew it wasn’t just about the rules. If Roger truly wanted to make it up to Karen, all he had to do was pay her handsomely.
However, Roger was now realizing that he had wrongly accused her and said some mean things.
"You don't need to stay married to make it up to her," Hector hinted, asking, "Do you intend to reveal your identity?"
That was something Roger wanted to do only after falling in love. When the word love was mentioned, the only person he could think of was Tonia, but guilt prevented him from pursuing her as he desired.
His silence made Hector uncomfortable. "I should leave."
Roger didn't stop him, lost in thought. Perhaps he should call his mom. As he reached for the phone, it vibrated inside his breast pocket. “Roger, I need you," a panicked voice made him anxious. "Lexi, where are you?"
"I'm at the hospital. It's mom's asthma, and this time..."
"This time what?" Roger asked, concerned, but the line went dead. He tried calling back, but the number was switched off, so he rushed to the hospital, momentarily forgetting everything about Karen.
Karen opted not to use Roger's driver and took a cab to her parents' house. Upon arrival, her heart sank when security stopped her.
"I'm sorry, miss, but you are no longer welcome here."
For some reason, she had no tears left to shed. She tried calling her father, but the number was disconnected, and she was subsequently blocked.
A sad smile appeared on her face, but she stayed put, waiting until they arrived. Karen endured the cold, looking disheveled as her parents drove past her.
Her mother insisted they ignore her, and this time, Tonia didn't bother pretending to care. "What if she did something wrong? We could all be in trouble," she emphasized.
Karen had treated Tonia like an enemy after being disowned, neglecting to help her with her studies. As a result, Tonia was on the brink of being expelled from college due to her already poor academic record.
“I’m not letting her in. I’ll just hear her out at the gate,” Gordon said bitterly as he parked the car and got out.
His long strides to the gate resonated with annoyance. “What do you want?” he asked sharply.
Karen’s heart constricted in her chest, but she gathered her courage and pleaded her case. “Dad, I’m not pregnant,” she stated firmly, but her father remained skeptical.
“Who are you trying to fool? Just admit you had an abortion, but it’s too late. We already disowned you,” he retorted coldly.
The lack of belief in her words was painful. Despite her efforts to excel academically and make her family proud, she couldn’t fathom what she had done wrong other than falling in love with Roger.
Now that it was all over, she had expected her parents to welcome her with open arms, but instead, she was met with coldness.
Was it because of Hector? Would mentioning that Hector was willing to proceed with the marriage make a difference?
Upon reflection, she realized she didn't want to be trapped in a loveless marriage just to earn her parents' love.
What happened to love being unconditional? "Dad, can't you see? I've been deceived," Karen pleaded, but the man in front of her didn't resemble her father.
He looked as though he could harm her. "Liars don't change, Karen. You had your chance. Stay with your husband and never return here."
Her disheveled hair swayed in the cold wind as the harsh reality sank in. Were they even her real parents? Before her father crossed the iron gate, she decided to inform him.
"Dad, Tonia isn't who you think she is. She set everything up."
Even without concrete evidence, it was easy for her to connect the dots. Tonia had suggested the pregnancy test and provided the kit after Karen felt nauseous when Tonia offered her a cup of Mocha.
Karen had no idea how Tonia had manipulated the doctor, but given time, she was confident she could uncover more.
Her father turned to face her, sparking hope within Karen. She was prepared to explain her suspicions and buy time to gather evidence, but a harsh slap knocked her to the floor.
Gordon's words were the final blow that extinguished the hope within her.