Chapter 7 Crazy
Helena stopped texting and started calling Antonio’s phone
non–stop.
Antonio’s phone vibrated like crazy.
The two little ones were vying for attention, lining up to wait for Antonio to give them kisses, hugs, and lift them high up.
Antonio bit back his anger, put the kids down, and stepped aside to take the call.
He was fuming. At first, he shouted so loud that I could hear some of what he said, “Calm down! Know your place! Don’t cross the line!”
But as the call went on, his voice dropped to a whisper, and his lips softened into a gentle curve as he began to coax and calm Helena.
I stood not far away, holding the kids by their hands.
It reminded me of many years ago when he talked to me so patiently and lovingly.
“Mommy, is Daddy going away again?”
“Mommy, does Daddy not want us anymore?”
The word “again” made me realize that kids could be as aware as adults, sometimes even more so. They might notice things before I did.
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Chapter 7 Crazy
Looking at their worried and sad faces, I squatted down and hugged them, my nose stinging.
“Your daddy is busy with work. He doesn’t want to leave you,” I said with a forced smile. “If he has to go later, don’t cry or make a fuss, okay? I will stay with you.”
At that moment, I felt a lot of emotions.
The kids would not have their daddy around anymore in the years to come.
“Who says I’m leaving?”
Antonio’s black shoes showed up right in front of us.
I looked up at him.
The sunset light was shining from behind him, and it hurt my eyes. I blinked slowly.
My eyes got watery.
There was a look of shock and worry in Antonio’s eyes.
He knelt on one knee in panic and asked, “Grace, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
I shook my head and said there was some sand in my eyes. Still kneeling, he smiled and blew the “sand” out of my eyes.
I didn’t know what Antonio figured out, but I did get him to
stay.
I said “stay” because I saw him text Helena: “I’m not going over there,” and then turn off his phone.
Chapter 7 Crazy
I also saw the messages Helena sent me, one after another, all full of insults.
“How shameless! You couldn’t keep Antonio yourself, so you
used the kids!”
“The kids might keep him with you for now, but do you really think they can keep him for good?”
“Just you wait. Once he gets to the company tomorrow, I’ve got many ways to make sure he doesn’t come back home!”
I didn’t respond to Helena.
The more I ignored her, the crazier she got.
To ruin her, I first had to drive her mad.
If she didn’t lose her mind, Antonio wouldn’t get dragged into
- it.
And if Antonio didn’t lose it, how was I supposed to stab him with the knife I had been sharpening for so long?
That night, we had a happy family evening. Antonio kept saying how much he loved me and the kids and how he wanted to give us the best of everything.
I looked at him with a loving and indulgent smile.
He tried to say something a few times but stopped himself. He looked guilty and finally just sighed softly.
“I promise, I only love you,” he said.
“Alright, let’s live a good life together from now on.”
He nodded, hugged me, and held me tight for a long time.
In the middle of the night, Antonio got up, went to the balcony, and called Helena against the night breeze, telling her it was over between them.
I hadn’t fallen asleep and heard everything.
He said being together with Helena was a mistake, but it wasn’t too late to fix it.
He said when he saw me cry, it felt like the whole world was falling apart.
He said he had a feeling that if they kept messing around, he would lose me for sure. He couldn’t bear to lose me, so he had to let go of Helena.
That night, I admitted I hesitated.
I wondered whether to continue with the fake–death plan, but soon, someone else made the decision for me.
The next morning, Antonio and I took the kids to kindergarten. The kids told us to pick them up in the afternoon, and Antonio said he would.
But at 4:30 p.m., when the kindergarten got out, he didn’t show up, and his phone went unanswered.
Instead, it was Helena who sent me a WhatsApp message with a short video.
The video was taken in Antonio’s office. Helena was wearing my dress. Her face was all red, and she was sweating on her
Chapter 7 Crazy
forehead and neck. The camera was shaking, and it was obvious what was going on.
A familiar voice said, “Stop filming.”
Then I saw a quick flash of Antonio’s long fingers in the video.
The screen went dark, and the video ended.
Antonio’s office was on the 32nd floor.
I rushed straight up there with the kids.
On the first floor, there was a receptionist and security guards. The lobby and elevators were full of company employees. At the elevator entrance on the 32nd floor was the office of Antonio’s secretaries.
Everyone showed me respect and called me “Mrs. Kaufman.” But none of them told Antonio that I was there.
Instead, I saw sympathy and anticipation in their eyes.
Some even pointed me in the right direction.
“Mrs. Kaufman, Mr. Kaufman is in his office with Helena.”
Antonio didn’t just have Helena as his secretary. The other secretaries ran out.
I thought they’d at least try to hold me back and shout, “Mrs. Kaufman is here!” to give Antonio some time.
But-
D
Chapter 7 Crazy
“Mrs. Kaufman, how about you leave the kids with us in the office? We just got some new toys.
“Mr. Kaufman is over there. I’ll take you to him,” one secretary
said.
She stood at the door of Antonio’s office, knocked softly, and said, “Mr. Kaufman, Mrs. Kaufman is here.”
Then, she handed me the key to the office.
Chapter The Thrill
Chapter 8 The Thrill
