Cesilia had meticulously planned the event, and it was filled with joy. The sound of music blended with the laughter of the invited guests, creating a vibrant atmosphere. The attendees included entrepreneurs, models, and even A-list celebrities, both as MCs and guests. The atmosphere was lively, brimming with happiness. Every guest who arrived continuously congratulated Alexander and Cesilia on their sixth wedding anniversary.
Amidst the well-wishes, prayers for the couple to have a child soon were also uttered. The most cherished gift desired by every married couple.
"If you have a son, I will arrange for him to marry my little girl. She's incredibly beautiful and adorable."
"We always pray for both of you to be blessed with a child."
"Don't lose hope. Keep trying and praying; we believe that you will be entrusted with that blessing someday."
Such additional prayers were commonly expressed by the guests. They sincerely hoped that Alexander and Cesilia would soon experience the same joy as them.
Cesilia, who was not yet ready to have a child, simply smiled. Occasionally, she chuckled lightly to hide her discomfort with the prayers that she considered might bring misfortune.
However, Alexander had a completely different reaction. He joined in the prayers offered by the guests for him and Cesilia, praying that Cesilia's heart would be touched and she would change her mind about having a child. How happy Alexander would be if Cesilia suddenly came to him and declared her readiness to embark on a pregnancy program so they could have a child soon.
Alexander smiled faintly as he gazed at his wife, who was engrossed in a conversation with a colleague. She laughed freely, seemingly unburdened. Yet, before the event started, they had argued. Cesilia had threatened divorce if Alexander's mother continued to bring up the topic of having a child in front of her.
The event had been going on for quite a while until the laughter that adorned the occasion was replaced with panic. The guests began asking what had happened, why, and who was involved when they saw one of the hosts' family members suddenly collapse. The ongoing event came to an immediate halt.
"Mama, please... don't leave me!" Alexander pleaded relentlessly, carrying his mother, who had suddenly fainted. Swiftly, he rushed her to the nearest hospital to seek help.
Alexander, who had grown desperate with his mother's desires, didn't know what else to do. His mother's wish to have a grandchild clashed with Cesilia, who was still occupied with her modeling career. If things continued like this, there would be no way out for them, as Alexander refused to marry again as a last resort to solve their problems.
"Lex...!" Meri exclaimed as she began to open her eyes. Her lips curled up into a smile, directed at Alexander, who had been anxiously waiting for her to regain consciousness.
"Mama scared me," Alexander responded quickly, reaching for his mother's hand and holding it tightly. "Don't get sick again, Ma. You're the only mother I have. After Cesilia, of course."
"Unfortunately, I don't want to be your mother anymore. After hearing the decision you made, even though Cesilia has given you an opportunity. But what is the reality? It's so difficult for you to give me a grandchild." Meri brushed off Alexander's hand, which was holding hers.
Meri felt hurt. Not having a child, not having a daughter-in-law, it was all the same. Stubborn and unwilling to comply with her requests. Which mother wouldn't feel heartbroken when she was being toyed with like this? At the beginning of their marriage, she had agreed to wait for one year until Cesilia's contract ended.
After the contract expired, instead of keeping her promise, Cesilia accepted a new contract for the sake of her career to shine even brighter. The climax was during their sixth wedding anniversary. Cesilia promised to give him the gift of a pregnancy program. But what was the reality? A new two-year contract turned out to be the real gift.
"I will never betray Cesilia, Ma," Alexander retorted, emphasizing each word he spoke. "I love her deeply, and I will remain faithful to her. So please, Mama, be patient once again. Waiting for another two years is not a long time, Ma."
Meri snorted. "I never asked you to betray her. But to marry Casandra so that you can have a child. You can do it without love and stop when Casandra becomes pregnant. I don't think it's difficult, and it won't divide your love for her."
Not willing to engage in further discussion or accept Alexander's reasoning, Meri raised one hand, causing Alexander to swallow his words.
"Now you answer, whether you want to marry Casandra or not. If not, never see me again, and don't be surprised when you hear that Mama has died by suicide..."
"Mom, please!" Alexander quickly interrupted, cutting off Meri before she finished her words that were pushing him further into a corner.
It was painful to be threatened by Cesilia with divorce, but it was even more agonizing when the woman who brought him into the world threatened to commit suicide.
"Isn't there any other way besides marrying Casandra?" Alexander whispered, struggling for breath. "What about IVF? Cesilia and I can simply rent a surrogate, without causing any harm to Casandra."
Meri shook her head. "IVF requires a significant amount of money." She stared sharply at Alexander. "Not just the cost, but also the time. Waiting for each step of the process can take a long time. Unlike marrying Casandra, you and she could have a child quickly. It's not unlikely that she would get pregnant soon after marriage."
Alexander smiled faintly, mocking the certainty expressed by Meri. "Do you think that if we marry, we will immediately have a child?" He shook his head. "No. I will continue to wait until God answers my prayers."
"It's the same thing. But this way, no money will be wasted." Meri narrowed her eyes. "Marry again, or I will commit suicide?"
"Mom..."
Meri waved her hand dismissively. "Just go! I don't have a disobedient child like you!"
"I beg you, please understand!"
"Just go!" She yanked the IV tube connected to the back of her hand, causing fresh blood to flow from the needle mark. "You're not my child anymore!"
Meri struggled as Alexander embraced her, trying to stop her from doing something drastic.
"Let me go, you disobedient child!" Meri shouted, pushing and hitting Alexander with the remaining strength she had.
"Let me go, Alexander!!" Meri cried. "My husband, come and get me. So I won't be hurt by our child and your spouse. Come and get me, my husband."
Meri's sobs broke out, accompanied by words that touched Alexander's heart. His mother kept calling out to his father, who had left them a long time ago.
"Don't you love me? So much so that you left and never came back? Leaving behind all the pain that I have to bear alone? You're cruel," she continued, her sobs filled with anguish.
Alexander was taken aback. This was the second time he had witnessed his mother sobbing uncontrollably, ever since they lost their other half years ago. His chest felt tight, but he couldn't bring himself to accept the offer to remarry.
"Let me go! I beg you, allow me to join my husband so that my suffering can finally end," Meri hoarsely pleaded, suppressing the bitter lump in her throat. "Let me go, so I won't be a burden to you." She gazed at Alexander, who still held her in his embrace, with a bewildered expression.
"Yes, Mama. Yes!" Alexander asserted firmly. His eyes, now red and teary, began to shed clear drops. "I-I will marry Casandra. I will give you a grandchild."
"Thank you." Meri immediately hugged Alexander, then cupped his cheeks, affectionately kissing them. It was as if she were a mother who knew her child had achieved top honors in class.
Alexander merely nodded, forcing a smile despite the pain he felt. He had to keep his promise to Cesilia, to remain faithful until death.
"Cesilia, forgive me," he whispered in his heart.
"Casandra, come here!" Meri requested, as Casandra suddenly stood at the threshold of her hospital room. Meri was puzzled by Casandra's presence because it should have been Cesilia who came, not Casandra.
The girl lowered her head, unable to meet Alexander's hardened gaze, filled with hatred towards her. Little did Casandra know that she herself was trapped in Cesilia's plan.
"Casandra...," Meri called again, waving her hand, urging Casandra to come closer to her.
However, Casandra's steps came to a halt because Alexander suddenly rose and approached her. He tightly gripped Casandra's arm, disregarding the pain she felt.
"Please just do as my mother says if you don't want your life to suffer!" Alexander whispered in Casandra's ear, emphasizing each word that escaped his lips.
Casandra was taken aback. Her face lifted, gazing at Alexander with a bewildered expression. From her melancholic gaze, Casandra wanted to convey that she had no intention of marrying an arrogant man like Alexander.
But what could she do? All control was in Cesilia's hands, as she had traded her for a sum of money.
"Why are you holding Casandra like that, Lex?" Meri asked, interrupting the gaze of hatred between Alexander and Casandra. "Instead of keeping her there, it's better to bring her here, because Mama wants to tell you something." She continued, a smile etched on her lips.
"No need, Mom. I'm sure she already knows about Cesilia's plan, as she herself sold her dignity for a sum of money," Alexander snorted, his grip on Casandra's arm tightening.
Casandra bit her lip, enduring the pain in her heart, which was far greater than Alexander's grip.
"Tsk, be careful with your words," Meri hissed. "Mama said to bring Casandra here, yes, here, so Mama can announce that tomorrow is your wedding. It doesn't matter if it's simple, as long as it happens."
"W-what, Mom?" Alexander turned to his mother. "Tomorrow?"
"Yes, I don't want you and Casandra to change your minds," Meri replied nonchalantly, paying no attention to Casandra, who was now growing more terrified as she saw Alexander's piercing gaze directed at her.
"Congratulations. You've successfully seduced my wife and my mother. Now you have to be prepared to face the hell in your life!" Alexander whispered, pressing Casandra further to deter her from Cesilia's insane plan.
Instead of refusing and begging for forgiveness from Alexander, Casandra lifted her face. She flashed a smile at Alexander. "I will never back down. If necessary, we will get married tonight!" she retorted fiercely.
Casandra, who challenged, and Meri, who took action. That very night, Meri sent her subordinate to handle all the preparations for Alexander's wedding to Casandra. Following all the regulations set by the government to ensure Casandra's position was as strong as Cesilia's, in order to make Alexander's current marriage the only one.Meri, who was fed up with Cesilia's behavior, planned to gradually remove her with Casandra's help. However, Meri had to pray a lot for Casandra to be willing to assist and truly become Alexander's wife forever.With an unknown source of strength, Meri, who was previously weak and lying in a hospital bed, was now sitting up. She arranged and prepared her hospital room to make it suitable for Casandra and Alexander to have their wedding ceremony. With enthusiasm, Meri contacted several people to pick up Casandra's family, especially her father, so that Alexander and Casandra's marriage could take place as soon as possible.Meri dispatched quite a few people,
A few hours ago...Cesilia, still angry, was forced to sign a declaration letter allowing Alexander to remarry. Now she was faced with a bitter reality."As a brand ambassador for our product, you must follow all the rules we have set according to the agreed-upon contract. And one of them is to be willing to wear costumes according to the theme." A man pointed to a rack filled with various clothes.Cesilia narrowed her eyes, observing the type of clothing displayed there."That? All of them?" She asked, unable to believe what she was seeing. "Those look like lingerie." Cesilia shook her head. It was impossible to wear such clothes for work. She couldn't imagine Alexander's reaction when he saw her body displayed on social media and magazines in revealing outfits."That's correct. You will wear them to promote lotion and soap. For skincare, you can choose costumes according to your preference," said the man, whom Cesilia recognized as her new superior's manager.To add to her misery, t
I don't know whether to feel sad or happy. When she found out that her father had been hospitalized and started preparing everything before the surgery. It was something Casandra had always dreamed of. To be able to bring her first love to the hospital, to regain his health as before.And today, everything became a reality after she agreed to marry her mother's employer. Becoming the second wife and giving birth to a baby from her own womb. It was extremely challenging, and Casandra never expected her destiny to be written like this. She had her own dreams, but she had to let them go for the sake of her father.Although it was difficult and she had initially resented her mother's decision, now Casandra would try to accept it all. Because her father's recovery was her ultimate dream, and it was about to come true. Not only that, Casandra was also very happy to see her three younger siblings able to live in a decent house. Although it was simple, there was no water dripping when it rain
"Grandchild? Children?" Casandra thought to herself. Those two words had been swirling in her head, causing her to lose focus on whatever she touched. When she tried to cook, Casandra only ended up staring at the ingredients in the fridge. She never went through with the execution because Meri forbade her from working, fearing that Casandra would tire herself out and fail to fulfill her duties as a wife. Even when it came to tidying up, Casandra would only dust the same spot, as her mind wandered elsewhere. She imagined Alexander sleeping next to her. A handsome man with thick hair, sharp eyes, tall stature, and a slight muscular build. It would be so comfortable to be in his embrace. However..."I'm not willing to marry him. Let alone have children!" Casandra shook her head, the words Alexander had uttered echoing in her ears. They emphasized that there would be no possibility for them to be together, let alone have a child. "Ck, Cas, be a bit more self-aware, can't you?" she whisper
"Alexander, how is it?" Meri hugged Casandra's shoulder as Alexander stood in front of them. Meri's smile widened, showcasing how proud she was of her daughter-in-law, who may not come from a wealthy family and has a significant age gap with Alexander, but Casandra's kind and polite personality and her way of speaking convinced Meri. It wasn't much, but Meri hoped that Casandra and Alexander would become a complete family with many successors. As for Cesilia... well, Meri didn't consider Cesilia much of a daughter-in-law, as the woman never considered Alexander her husband."How is what?" Alexander loosened his tie, which had felt suffocating around his neck as soon as he saw Casandra. "I'm tired, Mom. Don't make it weird.""Who's making it weird? Mama was just asking, how is Casandra? Is she beautiful?" Meri let go of Casandra and blocked Alexander's path as he tried to go upstairs.Before going to dinner with Robert, of course, Alexander would take a short rest and change his clothe
Upon arriving at the event venue, Alexander was immediately greeted by a middle-aged man who had just formed a partnership with him."Let's go inside," said the man, Tomas, as he often referred to himself. "Oh, wait, who is this girl? I already know this one, he's Robert. But who is this beautiful girl?"Alexander and Casandra exchanged glances."This is my girlfriend, sir!" Robert said before Alexander could respond. "Allow me to introduce her, sir. Her name is Casandra. Cas, this is Mr. Tomas."Casandra nodded, clasping her hands in front of her chest."Casandra, sir," she replied politely."Tomas, just call me Mr. Tomas," Tomas replied. "You are very beautiful and sweet. If only you weren't Robert's girlfriend, I would have matched you with my son Maxime."The man chuckled slightly. "Don't take my words to heart, Bert," he said, patting Robert's shoulder. "Alright, you two go straight to the backyard, where young couples relax. I'll take Alexander upstairs; there's something import
"Wait here, Miss. I'll go to the car first. Usually, there are spare clothes for Alexander in the car," Robert said as he was about to leave, but he stopped when Casandra grabbed the edge of his jacket."No need.""Huh, why not? You're wet. Soaked, in fact.""Don't worry about me. Everything will be fine.""But, Miss!"Robert clenched his fists, frustrated by Casandra's refusal. If he continued to let her stand by the edge of the swimming pool, soaking wet, there were only two possible outcomes: catching a cold or getting a fever."No need to give me extra attention. I don't deserve it.""Ugh, Miss, this is so strange. I'm treating you like a living being, not giving you special attention. If you were a chair or a table, I would just leave you alone. Whether it's raining or hot, wet or diving into a whale pond, I wouldn't care at all."Casandra took a deep breath. "Please help me to the car. I'll just sit there."Robert shook his head. "No. If you sit there in this wet condition, then
Alexander sat in the corner of the living room, observing the interaction between Casandra and her mother. The two of them looked more like mother and daughter rather than mother-in-law and daughter-in-law. They appeared familiar and engaged in a warm conversation, unlike when Meri spoke with Cesilia. The two of them seemed more like enemies than in-laws."Now, tell Mama what happened that made you come back home all soaked like this," Meri spoke to Casandra, but her gaze was directed at Alexander."I was just looking around the backyard. Accidentally, I fell into the swimming pool because I was too focused on the decorations there. I didn't realize my feet touched the pool water, and I fell," Casandra explained."Is that true?" Casandra nodded."Then where was Alexander when you fell?" Meri asked, her gaze sharpening. She clasped her hands together, trying to suppress the mix of nervousness and fear."Alexander..." Casandra paused. She squeezed her hands, trying to dispel the anxiety