The Wicked Mrs. Gastrell (English version)

“Don’t continue what you’re planning, Karina. If you continue to do that, what will be the difference between you and the clan you hate?”

I wiped off the tears on my face before glancing at the man beside me who barged into the mausoleum silently.

“Why do you care, Maverick? It’s not like you’ll be affected.”

I reached for my son’s frame in the wall and caressed it with my fingers.

“It’s not like you experienced the kind of loss that I have experienced for you to say that.”

The man frowned and looked at me darkly.

“Cholo is my best friend, Karina.”

“And your beloved wife is my cousin.” I put the picture back on the wall and faced the man who was one of those who saved me before. “A metal can only be fought with a metal, Maverick. Whatever I’m planning on the Asturians, you’re out of that but I can’t make a promise if the same would happen to your investment in Gastrell Global Conglomerate. I warned you already never to meddle with my plans but you still get yourself acquainted. I won’t back out just because you told me so. My years of keeping myself sane would not be wasted because of your mere opinion. I wasn’t built like that.”

Our eyes clashed. I read the pity on his face again just like the time when he found me inside my small house in Sta. Barbara taking my own life.

“I was also like you. I was also revengeful against my father’s murderers. Who wouldn’t when they killed the very important figure of my life whom I dearly love. Like you, I am willing to do everything to give him justice. But I realized that it’s not my duty to give him one. Let nature take its course, Karina. Submit it to authorities.”

“You can only say that because you still have a mother and a sister. You have Femella and your kids by your side. Me? I don’t even have one left. This is it Maverick. This is nature taking its own course through me.”

He gulped and looked around the place I had filled with family photos.

“Your family loves you, Karina. Zen would do everything for you. Femella loves you so much. Every night, she doesn’t fail to mention to me how hard she’s praying for each one of your clan to be free from all the bondages of your past. She was able to be happy despite everything and she wants you to feel the same. She wants you to experience authentic happiness.”

A bitter smile escaped my lips. Why is it so easy to hear these hopeful words from others other than myself?

“Seeing them suffer is my happiness, Mr. Fuentebella. You don’t know how many nights I’ve imagined them kneeling and kissing my feet. Those months I spent in the facility will not go to waste. Even if you tell them about it, my plans will still proceed. Nothing can stop me. Even if the devil blocks my path, I will not be moved.” I stepped forward and looked up at the man who’s still wearing that pity in his eyes while looking at me. “I won’t step aside even if it means going against you if you try to interfere with my plans.”

“You know I can’t, Karina. I am compromised, you know that. You are related to Femella. It means that you are now part of the family. I can put aside all my wife’s bad experiences at the hands of her own relatives because that is exactly what she asked me to do. I’ll do everything for her. I’ll do everything my wife wishes. Pero kaibigan ko rin si Cholo. No matter where all of this will end up, I’m sure a number of people around us will still choose to do the right thing.”

I didn’t say anything. I just kept my mouth closed while mincing his words in my head trying to deduce what he meant.

“Mab? Mab? Where are you?” Femella’s voice called from outside the mausoleum.

After a while, her beautiful face appeared at the door and approached us with a smile. Maverick rushed to meet her and support her.

My cousin looks exceptionally beautiful with her flushed cheeks and red maternity dress while smiling at her husband. My eyes were focused on her big belly and the corners of my eyes couldn’t help but warm up.

I was once pregnant. I was once like her. I gave birth to Errol only for Eliza to take him away from me.

“What are you doing here without Abby? I told her to keep an eye on you. The weather is hot. You don’t even have an umbrella with you. Please take care of yourself and the babies,” Maverick scolded her softly and wrapped his arms around his wife.

Femella laughed and rolled her eyes. “You are overreacting! I’m with Trisha. I just left her with mom and dad. I need to pee. And Maverick, did you forget that this is our private cemetery and you brought your private guards with us? They’re just scattered outside. I’m just pregnant, not invalid.”

Maverick was silent and just gently stroked his wife’s arm. Femella then looked at me and smiled.

“Kar, don’t forget to come to our baby gender reveal party this weekend okay? You promised me, remember? You can’t take back your words. You should be there. You’re one of the future godmothers of our little ones. I’ll sulk if you don’t go.”

I nodded and smiled lightly. “I will. Don’t worry.”

I looked down at her stomach again and let out a sad smile. Femella stepped towards me and hugged me to my surprise. Yes, I am civil to all my relatives, but none of them have shown such a warm welcome except for my brother, Zen. And now, Femella.

“You’ll be alright, Kar. You’ll be okay. Just keep pushing forward. It’s the only way,” she whispered before patting my back. She went back beside Maverick and gave me a big smile.

“We’ll be expecting you. And before I forget to remind you. Please no black clothes okay? Wear something light in color.”

I smirked and shrugged my shoulders. “I’ll try.”

She frowned and stroked her stomach. “They will not like to see their godmother in black.”

That’s when I smiled. “Ah, they haven’t even come out yet but they’re already demanding. It’s a no no.”

“They got it from their mom. I’m sure of that,” Maverick commented with a smile.

The smile on Femella’s face grew even bigger. “I will not try to appeal because that’s the truth. Mab, I’m peeing again. Kar, we will go now. This weekend, okay. I’ll wait at the door front for you,” she added when they were at the door.

I couldn’t do anything but nod at my cousin. I just smiled and followed the couple with a happy gaze. They were holding hands while still exchanging banters.

What a lucky woman you are, Femella.

I admired her for being so forgiving towards her past. She didn’t live through it. She lived past it.

She didn’t let the past become the defining moment of her entire life. Not like me who used the past as inspiration to live in the present.

I stayed at the mausoleum for an hour before deciding to go home. When I opened my cellphone, I immediately received a series of missed calls and texts from Cholo.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

Instead of answering, I turned off my phone again and put on my sunglasses. Celeste and Vishen were waiting for me in front of the car. Vishen opened the door for me to get in.

“Where to now, Miss?” Celeste asked after sitting next to me.

I flicked my fingers in the air and stared at the two shining rings occupying almost half of my ring finger.

“To Cerro Roca. I need to visit an old friend.”

“Copy that, Miss Karina.”

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The place we’ve arrived into is a far cry from the progress of the city of Cerro Roca. Gone are the familiar tall buildings and smartly dressed citizens. What took its place were the ramshackle houses on top of a polluted part of the sea. A slum area in the face of one of the most progressive cities in the country. What a shame how the gap between the rich and poor demographics continues to widen each year.

“Ms. Karina, it’ll be best if you stay in the car,” Vishen stopped me from going out.

I raised my hand to him and shook my head. “You must be forgetting that I came from this kind of living, Vishen. This place is not new to me.”

I got out of the car and started walking toward the line of skeletal houses. Celeste is on my side instructing me about the directions. The necks of the shirtless men hanging on the sidewalks and some ladies who stopped talking to each other stretched to our direction as they looked at us. The road was narrow and the surrounding smell was pungent because of the scattered garbage and animal excrement but I just shrugged it off. I’m more than disgusted with the people responsible for the pitiful conditions in the area.

We reached the end of the alley where a patchwork house made of tin and cardboard stood. The tarpaulin door was open and I saw an malnourished old woman lying on a mat on the floor.

Vishen took the initiative to call out if there’s anyone in the house. Later, a gay came out from behind and asked what we needed. The excitement on his face was obvious when he glanced at Vishen and the bodyguards behind him. That’s the time when I came forward and spoke to him.

Rolling off my sunglasses, I smiled at my all time acquaintance who is unrecognizable anymore. The Missy I know is far from the man in front of me now. He’s skinnier now, almost bald with the lines of hardship on his face.

“Good day, Missy. Long time no see.”

The man just frowned and watched me intently. “Who are you?”

“It doesn’t matter who I am. I’m here to offer you a job. Let’s talk inside.”

Missy’s face hardened and pushed us away with his bony hands.

“I told you a week ago that I left that job a long time ago! I’ve changed. I don’t want to be part of the syndicate anymore. I gave up selling girls a long time ago!”

I glanced at the shack where an old woman was still sleeping inside.

“It’s a good thing you’re not a human trafficker now. I’m glad to know you’ve changed gradually. Missy, I’m not looking for girls. I’m here to give you a job you can never refuse. A million. I’ll give you a million including a new house and land. I will hospitalize your mother as well. I will lift you out of the swamp you are in now. Just serve me and give me the loyalty I demand.”

My old friend stared at me for a long time, unable to believe what he was hearing.

“W-Who are you? Why do you seem to know me?”

I smirked at this before shrugging. “I will never be able to forget people like you, especially the friends who showed me even a little bit of kindness before. Even if you put me in bad situations before, that will not change what you have done for me. Tomorrow, one of my men will be here to pick you up so you can pack now. Accept my offer while I’m still being nice.” I glanced at the old woman we heard coughing. “For the only family member you have left.”

I turned my back on my old friend, whose face was still full of confusion. Even though he betrayed me the last time we met because he lied that Cholo was looking for me which caused me to be put in situations I never thought I would be able to handle, that is not enough reason for me not to feel indebted to him.

His actions don’t erase the fact that he’s one of the few people who had given me some assistance in the past.

When we were halfway out the small way out, we heard someone yelling.

“Karina! Karina Versoza! I accept it! I accept it, you idiot! That’s a million bucks! I’m accepting it!”

I just grinned as I put the glasses back on. I couldn’t help but inhale the pungent smell of the surrounding waste. The hidden garbage of the Asturians still stinks more than this.