Tempting Fate

Reed went back to the room where the woman was weeping on their terrace.

“You know, what you did was wrong,” Reed said.

It surprised the woman when Reed stood next to her. She paled in fear from the intense shock. She didn’t respond at first, instead of staring at Reed. The woman remembered seeing him previously in a building where she had followed her husband.

“You. How did you get here?” the woman, who turned around.

Reed turned to face the woman and leaned against the patio rails. He folded his arms and looked at the woman.

“You seek vengeance on your spouse, don’t you?” Reed asked.

The woman’s tears ran down her cheeks, but she quickly brushed them away. “You’re mad at your husband because he has a mistress. Despite everything you did, he continued to look for someone else. ”

“What do you know about my husband and me? Is it true that I assume your female employee is my husband’s mistress?” the woman’s voice was venomous.

.....

Reed laughed. “Do you believe my wife will exchange me for your husband?” ”

“Is that woman your wife?” the woman was surprised.

“Are you aware of good vengeance?” Reed asked. “Suffer him for the rest of his life.”

The woman remained silent and only listened to what Reed said. “You’re going to kill yourself,” Reed said.

“W-what?” The woman asked.

“Well, being overly guilty is dangerous. You want vengeance, don’t you?” Reed asked. “Perhaps you simply want to murder him? Stab him and bury the knife deep in his heart. Or strangle him till his neck snaps and his head falls off? But when you do that, it is you who will be held responsible, not him.”

Reed could feel the women’s hearts pounding. “It’s also your fault that he searched for someone else,” Reed said as he approached the woman. “At first, you didn’t trust him in everything. Why did you marry him? ”

“You’ve stopped,” the woman said as she sat down on the chair and covered her ears with both hands. “You don’t know what happened...”

“Didn’t you marry him, thinking he’d worship you for the rest of his life?” Reed asked. “You married him because he was handsome and all the girls liked him in college.”

Reed’s words drew a wide-open mouth from the woman. She didn’t think he’d find out about her.

“You stole him from his fiancée, who is your rival in everything. So you grabbed him by the neck when you turned him around to get married,” Reed said.

“What you’re saying is not true,” the woman said.

“Not true? Are you certain?” Reed asked.

Reed sat in the opposite chair, close across the table. He crosses his legs and rests against the backrest.

“It’s only that because you’re cunning...” Reed said. “And since I’m in the mood, I’ll make you a wish.”

Reed caught the woman’s eye. “Wish? ”

Reed nodded. “A wish, yes. Just tell me I’ll do it. ”

“Who are you?” the woman asked.

Reed locked his gaze on the woman. “Say what’s on your mind, Alice...”

It surprised the woman when Reed said her name. She became even more frightened of the man.

“I can’t just ignore the trauma you caused my wife, so I will not stay quiet until I get my revenge,” Reed said. “I gave you the chance to wish, and I also gave you a proposal for what you should do, but it seems that you will not choose one of those.” Reed stood up. “I’ve been here for much too long.” You’re simply wearing out my patience.” Reed walked away.

——

Emy awoke to find someone squeezing her hand. When she opened her eyes, he spotted her brother Mark. He was seated on the edge of her bed.

“Ate!”Mark said.

Marcus, Ethan, and Elijah rushed to her side, followed by her father. As she looked at her family, she frowned.

“What are you doing here?” Emy asked. “And where am I? ”

Emy sat down right away, and her sister supported her. Reed took her once she found out she was in the hospital. Reed soon followed. When the door opened, their gazes locked. Reed smiled as he walked up to her.

“How are you feeling? Are you still awake?” Reed asked.

Emy’s brothers and father left the bed to allow Reed to get near to her.

“I just woke up,” Emy said.

They were watching a teleserye when they were interrupted by breaking news on TV. The couple’s fight, which was captured on social media, made headlines that night. The woman hung herself with their curtain. Her daughter noticed her mother’s hanging leg on the terrace, which she loudly held up. They found she had depression and needed to return to the doctor for treatment, but the investigation showed that the woman did not attend the planned session and did not take her medicine. It was also revealed that they suspected the husband of having a woman, but his daughter proved her father did not have a woman.

“Are you still thinking about what happened?” Reed asked.

Emy is still looking at the television after the news has ended. She turned to Reed.

“Thank you for helping me earlier,” Emy said.

“Tell me, what happened to you before?” Reed asked.

“Do you want to know?” Emy asked. “I could find it much more difficult to persuade you to love me.”

Reed remained silent, only staring at Emy. “When I got hired at the factory for the first time, I was overjoyed because Lorie helped me. Everyone on our team became my friends. A few months later, I received flowers, chocolates, and an unknown present.” Emy said. “I simply let it go since I didn’t know who to approach until one day I caught the man giving those things. He’s our team’s leader. He was always friendly to me and helpful, so I didn’t have any negative feelings against him. But the day I caught him, he told me how he felt. But it was when my family and I were in such much suffering that I refused his love, but he held my hand.... ”

Emy began to cry. “Don’t go any farther if you’re not at ease sharing the story,” Reed said.

“I shall continue,” Emy said. “Just listen because no one knows except Lorie. You listen...”

“All right, I’ll listen,” Reed said.

“He grabbed my hand and thrust himself on me, then a woman appeared.” She claims to be the wife. She abruptly yanked my hair, struck me in the face, and kicked me till I was on the floor. The wife was still unsatisfied, and she became even more enraged when her husband dragged her away. He fetched a pipe and hit me in the head with it until I passed out.” Emy said. “I slept for a few days...” Emy sobbed again. “Lorie lied to Tatay, so he wouldn’t be worried. He said that the company had sent me elsewhere with her. I was in the hospital for over two months before my bruises and scars healed entirely. ”

Reed’s hand was clasped. If he had met Emy before everything happened, he would have made sure that the woman and man who caused everything would pay.

“What happened to them?” asked Reed.

Emy shifted her gaze to Reed. His voice was serious as she fixed her gaze on him. “What happened to the woman who harmed you and her husband?”

“According to L-Lorie, the woman was imprisoned, and they fired our team leader,” Emy said. “I apologize for my reaction when the couple fought in our office. Everything came flooding back to me, and I was afraid. ”

Reed grasped Emy’s hand. “Would you like me to wipe your memory?” Reed asked Emy. “Just tell me, and I’ll do it.”

Emy gave a nod. “There isn’t any reason.”

“But,” Reed said.

“I’m OK. I’m safe because you’re there to protect me.” Emy said. Reed gave a little smile. “It’s fine if you don’t love me. Because I think I love you. ”

Reed looked at Emy, shocked for a second. “I told you that...” Reed couldn’t finish her sentence because Emy’s finger was blocking his lips from opening.

“Do not speak anymore,” Emy said. “What you say will continue to hurt me. Perhaps I’ll avoid you forever and... ”

“That’s not what you should do,” Reed said. “Keep in mind that you are my wife, and we have a contract.”

She shook her head and covered his cheeks with her hand before hastily kissing him. Emy’s actions astonished him. Emy chuckled at his reaction.

“Haist, that was fast,” Reed said. He was ready to kiss Emy more violently when Emy shoved him.

“I want to go home. I’m fine,” Emy said.

Reed smiled. “All right, you will leave here now.”

——

Reed took a seat next to Emy’s bed. He’d taken Emy home, and she was comfortably resting on their enormous bed. Emy’s hospital test results were all negative, therefore there was no reason for her to stay any longer.

A cloud of smoke emerged from his side and took the form of Maria. Reed looked at Maria.

“I’ll have you do something,” Reed said.

“What is it, my King?” Maria asked.

“Find the two humans responsible for my queen’s trauma. I want you to kill them.” Reed stated. “Go visit her friend Lorie, who lives near their former house. You can get information with her.”

“I’ll take care of it, my King,” Maria said.

“You may go now,” Reed said.

Maria vanished instantly, leaving only smoke to show that she had been there before. Reed lay down next to Emy and held her warmly.