= DUSTINE DAVE's POV = "Hand me the tie," I commanded my wife, Lileth, who was standing by my side and watching me get dressed. "What color?" she asked. "The blue one." She quickly went to the necktie pouch and then took one and handed it to me. "Are you a color blind? Do you think this will match on my suit? " I slapped the necktie hard to her face and it hit on her cheek. "Stupid. You're reall a fucking stupid ever. I will strangle this around your neck so you can see what I am asking for," I said angily and was about to hit her but she moves and covered her face. "I'm sorry, I'll get another one," "No need. I will used this you moron. Just fix yourself so we can leave quickly. Don't be feel important special that they will wait for you. Hurry up!" I left her while she was fixing herself. Honestly, this is the necktie that I need. I just wanted to make an excuse so I can get angry that is why I said this is not the one. I'm looking for a reason to hurt her and insult her like I always did. I went to the living room and waited for her at the sofa. Lileth and I are married last year. I love her so damn much since the first time I saw her. She is an orphan and one of those who are brought home every Christmas to have a family during the holiday season so they can experience having a family. We adopted her for a month but her mom showed up and took her. But since my parent's like her because she's smart. We continue to support her. She's four years older than me but she entered college late because she got sick. I forgot her at that time I had a lot of girls instead and had my first girlfriend as well. But when I saw her again I couldn't help myself either. Especially when we met, my girlfriend and I had a misunderstanding. I grabbed the chance to court her and she said yes. When my girlfriend came back who is related to her and ask me to choose. I chose Lileth. Because I love her. God knows how I really love her. Our relationship is almost perfect. I respected her and never did anything to disappoint her. We only kiss and when I feel carried away I am the one who restrains myself. I promised myself that I would present her clean and pure at the altar. Because she deserves to be threats like a one. And I know she is. That's what I thought. Because it turns out that she cheated on me. And what hurts me the most was that she was pregnant when we got married. If she is no longer a virgin I can still accept that. I am not against it, men and women are the same. I want to be fair, but not in a way that others got her pregnant before we got married because it was clearly that she cheating on me as our wedding approached. She clearly cheated on me. And to cover up my embarrassment that my wife cheated on me I admitted her child. But I killed her baby without her realizing it. I give her abortion pills. I don't care if I am a criminal but I don't want to take care of someone else's child. It will remind me everyday of how she betrayed me, of how she slowly kill me. But if she thinks I can forgive her, now? Nah! Because up until now, I still punish her and I want to punish her more. I want her to be miserable as me. When she came out from the room I got up as well. I wasted no time talking to her. I drove and she didn't move so I looked at her. I started to drive until I broke the silence. "Dad will surely ask you why you are not pregnant again. He asks me during our dinner and I said you are not ready." I did not hear anything from her. "Are you listening?" "Yes." "Tell him that you are not ready. Don't blame me, and don't tell him that I am the one who doesn't want.. Do you understand me?" "Yeah." "Dad told me that there is a rumor spreading that I hurt you. That we are not ok. How did that come out? Did you tell anyone?" She has no friends. She has step-siblings but they are not close. "No." "Liar, honestly, I don't believe you anymore because you're a fucking liar." "I didn't go out of the house, Dustine. I don't even talk to our maids." "It should be because you are still a lower class than them. They are MY housemaids and I pay them. And you --- you are my fucking slave. But it doesn't mean I own you. Because I give you your freedom. You're the only one who still wants to stay with me." I did not hear any answers instead she give a loud sigh. "You hear me?" "Yeah." "Good, so know your place." We're going to the mansion for a family dinner. I hadn't brought her in a few weeks and I was running out of reason. I don't want them to feel that we really aren't ok. I don't want them to know that my wife cheated on me before the wedding. I will feel humiliated. I fought for her and yet this is what I get in return? When we arrived we went straight to the living room where everyone is waiting. Everyone is already here and it looks like they are only waiting on us. But we are not late because there are still 15 minutes before the dinner. We greeted everyone and so does they are to me. Mom was happy when she saw Lileth and hug her. So did Daze and Dane. Dale and Dylan just nod at her. "Good you are here." Mom said and cupped her face. "Come on let seat." "How are you?" Dylan asked her and smile sweetly to her. This asshole still hoping that someone would come back to him. "It's ok, I'm sick and I've always been weak lately that's why just now I came," she answered and smiled at Dylan. "Are you really ok?" Dylan asked her with concern. "Yes," she replied. "Is she really ok?" Dylan asked me. "Of course." But Dylan looks at me unconvinced. Here he goes again. When it comes to Lileth he goes crazy easily. Still thought that someone would come back to him even if he poured all his attention to my wife. "Let's go and it's time to eat," Dad said and stood up first and everyone follows him. And since Lileth is here, our position is different. Dad is on the head, on his right are Mom, Dane, Me, and Lileth. On his left are Dylan, Dale, and Daze. After Daze lead the prayer we started eating. Lileth prepares food on my plate but my attention is not on her but on Dylan who can't take his eyes off my wife. I don't like the way he stares at her. "Do you have any problems with my wife, Dylan?" I ask and put down my spoon. "You keep staring at her since we arrived." "Nothing, I just notice that she's not happy like the way she was. Since Lileth married you, she changed ------ a lot." I adjusted my seat because of what he said. I even look at Lileth beside me who also looks at me. "The happiness in her face is not the same as it was. It is like she's holding on something. I feel like she have a problem." "It's not like that, Damon," But Lileth answered him. "I still can't accept what happened to my baby so I'm not that ok, yet. But Dustine and I have a good relationship. He is the one who always adjusted to understand me." I clenched my fist. I also simply tightened my grip on her wrist under the table. "You said it," Dylan said. "I have no choice but to believe you." "Let's eat," Dad caught our attention so everyone continued eating. No one dares to talks not even dad. Everything is quite until we finish. When all is done we moved into the living room and there we talked. My wife seated next to me and we faced Dylan again who was still looking at Lileth. Dad opens the topic about business. One by one we were asked which is we answered correctly. "Excuse me." Lileth stood up and I ignored her. But Dylan stood also. "Where do you go?" I ask when I see him following Lileth. "Kitchen, I'll get juice, why is it forbidden?" "Dustine Dave," dad called me so my attention shifted to him. I also saw Dylan walking towards the kitchen. Dane even stands and asks permission to go to the comfort room. "Yes, dad?" "I have a meeting with Dylan and Wallace the next day. They will propose some business and if the board approves it I want you to handle it." "What about Dane?" I ask. "Dane is busy. I am planning to send her to Boracay to check the new resort. She will stay there for a week." I look at Dane who just came back. I was just shaken. After what dad told us about her and Wallace I can't still believe she can do that. I mean, amongst of us we have high expectations of her but she will just fall into being a bed warmer. And the embarrassing dad allows her. "Ok," I answer. "Good. By this year we will go to Lauren's family as well. " I look at Dale who is just sitting complacently. Another one who can't decide for himself. Just keep on saying yes to what daddy says. I mean, we all follow dad but this one is so literal that he doesn't know how to ask. What daddy said, directly his answer no. Even the dream of becoming a teacher was not fulfilled because daddy wanted him to be an architect to take the same as Dane. Only Dylan and Daze favored exactly what they wanted because Dylan's dream of becoming an engineer and architect was also what Daze really wanted. While I wanted to study criminology which I followed but I chose to enter the engineering field. Well, at least I allowed myself to study as much as I wanted. Well, we are a family of architects and engineers. And we do have our businesses aside from working for daddy. Dane owns a boutique, in addition to their business with friends and an added coffee shop. I own a furniture company that produces for our clients. Dale owns a shop that sells cat and dog stuff with five branches. Daze franchise the coffee code and she owns a salon recently. Dylan? TSS never mind. I can't name it all because of what business he enters. There's legal and illegal. He is even richer than daddy in fact but his wealth is also useless because the woman he loves never came back to him. So the wealth he accumulates he also gives to others. Literally, he is a sad boy because the woman he loves left him. "Are you really sure about Lauren, Dale?" Daze asked Dale. "Why?" "Nothing, I just hear a lot of negative about her." "Gosh, you're just both brats." Daze rolls her eyes and doesn't answer. "Don't judge a book by its cover, Daze." I looked at the kitchen. What took them so long? What were those two talking about? "Excuse me," I said and stand and walks through the kitchen. But I was just at the door when I could hear them talking. "Damon, please, maybe someone can hear you." "Why it's true, isn't it? Do you want me to call Dave?" My forehead frowned when I heard them. What is true and why is my name included? "Damon, there is no truth in what you are saying. I beg you to stop this." I even saw Lileth hold Dylan's hands which boils my blood. "Please. Stop it." This woman only makes my head heat up even more. "I'm watching you. Remember that, Lileth." Dylan removes her hands and took his glass. When he walked toward me, I greeted him as if I had heard nothing. The idiot just passed me as if he had never seen me. "What are you doing here?" I asked Lileth when I could get closer. "I can't relate to your conversation," she simply said. "So you and Dylan are talking here?" "Damon and I didn't talk anything." I held her face but it was also immediately removed when I remembered that someone might see us. "Get ready when we come home."