Chapter 20 Lock

<Mia>

I couldn't help but let out the words that had been in my heart for so long, "I wish you weren't my father!"

He was about to lunge at me to hurt me when Ethan intervened and faced him.

"Maids! Call the guards!" Ethan ordered the maids who had been eavesdropping.

Thanks to Ethan's efficient staff, the guards were already here.

"Get him out of here," Ethan coldly commanded the guards.

"You better control that woman, Ethan," pops warned, "if she doesn't straighten up, I'll take her from you and personally teach her a lesson." He said it seriously. He was just repeating what he used to say when I was a child. His threats were repetitive. I bet that if we meet again and he's angry, he'll repeat his threats to me.

"Sir, let's go," the guards politely said to him.

He's going to take me away from Ethan? I looked at Ethan, hoping he wouldn't give me to pops because he'll just hurt me again until he gets what he wants. I might die in his hands.

When Ethan came into my life, he backed off a bit, but I didn't expect him to barge into the house like this because he found out about my relationship with Yunnie again.

"Wife, are you okay?" Ethan asked me, worried. I realized I was staring blankly.

"Does he always treat you like that?" He asked me gently.

"Don't give me to him." I pleaded fearfully to this tall man.

I looked up to see him.

"Hey, no! I won't do that. Stop crying." He said irritably. He wiped my cheeks. I didn't even realize I was crying in front of him.

"Get a glass of water!" Ethan ordered the curious household help, "and the two of you, get out!" He ordered sternly to the household help who were still not leaving and were still looking at me.

He guided me into the room. Ethan doesn't want anyone else around; he's a very private person. He's not comfortable when someone is around, that's what I noticed about him.

"Damn it! Stop crying!" He said in frustration.

He made me sit on the bed and sat beside me. He turned my face towards him and gently wiped my tears.

"Wife, calm down. You are shaking." He became more worried, and his concern was evident on his perfect face.

Ethan got up and went to the door to retrieve the water from the maid. He didn't allow her to come in. He then came back to me and helped me drink the water.

"Drink this," he ordered, still supporting me.

"Don't give me away," I pleaded, clutching onto his clothes tightly.

"Don't think that way. I'll never do that. I have you now, and I don't have any plans to return you, even if you don't take a bath every day," he reassured me.

I didn't respond. Silence filled the space between us, with only the sound of my crying breaking the stillness. Ethan seemed pained seeing me like this.

"You really have affairs," he said in a low voice. I looked at him.

"With a woman," he added. "It's okay, as long as it's a woman and not a man," he said in a softer tone and smiled slightly at me.

"I don't want you!" I shouted at him.

"I don't want any of you!" I threw the pillows that I grabbed.

I heard him swear under his breath, "Mia!" he yelled in anger.

"Maybe it was you who told pops that Yunnie and I are still together!" I accused him with a spiteful gaze.

"What!?" He asked in disbelief. His face looked innocent, showing no indication that he had any knowledge.

"I don't have any idea about your identity, Mia. I don't have any idea that you cheated on me while I trusted you so much," he said calmly but with a hint of bitterness.

"Get out of here! I don't want you! I was only forced to marry you so pops wouldn't separate me from Yunnie!" I angrily declared as I hit his chest.

"What!?" He asked, unable to believe it. Once again, anger ignited in his eyes.

"The fck! Stop, Mia!" He yelled angrily, grabbing my hands to prevent me from hitting his firm and broad chest. The veins in his neck were visible.

This is all their fault.

"I hate you, bastard!" I said weakly, no longer resisting. He held onto me tightly.

I looked at him and swallowed. His jaw clenched, anger filled his eyes, and his breaths were deep.

"We haven't even resolved your cheating issue, and now you're blaming it on me!? Mia, huh!?"

I felt fear creeping in as he yelled loudly, and his grip on me tightened even more.

"Let go of me! You are hurting me!"

"Don't try my patience, Mia Zoey! I have thin patience," he threatened.

My sobs grew louder. He was scaring me with his cold gaze.

"Let go of me, asshole! I don't want you! Let's separate!" I no longer knew what was coming out of my mouth. I just wanted him to hurt too because it was his fault for all of this. I hate him! He is like my father! I hate everyone! I hate my family for doing this to me! Because of him, Yunnie left me!

"No one is separating!" he said firmly, his jaw still clenched and his eyes growing darker.

"I don't want you! I don't love you!" I shouted in his face.

"Shut the fck up!" he yelled back. It seemed he didn't like what I said.

"You'll stay here until you aren't in your right mind," he coldly said before letting go of me and angrily leaving the room.

I remained hunched over, crying while massaging my wrists that he had tightly held onto. He was hurting me physically. His true nature was starting to reveal itself. He was only kind at first.

"Tell me!" Ethan confronted the old man who had his back turned.

"Tell me the fcking truth why you arranged your daughter's marriage to me!"

His anger caused his chest to rise and fall.

The old man calmly faced him.

"Sit down, Mr. Mclean," he pointed to the swivel chair in front of him.

"After you sent me away to your house, you barged into my home," the old man taunted him.

"Why don't you tell me the truth!" Ethan demanded angrily, slamming his hand on the working table of the old man.

Ethan was hurting because he could see in his wife how much she still loved her previous female partner, Yunnie. Mia loves Yunnie so much.

"You're right," the old man admitted, "no father wants anything but a good life for his child. I don't want my daughter to end up with just anyone. I have an image and reputation to uphold. And because of that woman, she ruined the good reputation of our family," the old man explained.

"That's not enough reason. Don't you see how hurt she is?! You're controlling her life!" Ethan fought back.

"You're not a father, that's why you don't understand how I feel." The old man calmly responded to the young man in front of him.

"Then, tell me everything." Ethan slightly calmed down and unbuttoned one button of his shirt.

"I don't have a daughter who is a lesbian, there's no lesbian in our family." The old man stated firmly.

"Mia is not a lesbian!" Ethan said, annoyed, not allowing the old man to finish his sentence.

"What do you call what that woman is doing, huh?! It would have been fine if she had fallen for a man! But that woman, she doesn't have a high social status, and what kind of life will my child have with her, huh?!"

"Now, they have already broken up, and stop shouting at my wife! If you offend her again, I'm the one you'll be faced with," Ethan warns him.

"Don't be fooled by that woman! They may seem separated, but it's all just a show... I entrusted my daughter to you, and I hope you don't disappoint me," the old man pleads to the departing young man.

"What the hell! Release me from here!" I shout and bang loudly on the door. That damn man locked me up for real! He just intensifies my anger towards him.

"For goodness' sake, Rose! If you don't release me, I'll have you fired!" I threaten him, still trying to open the door.

"Ma'am, if you don't stop, I'll call Sir!" he responds.

His words infuriate me even more.

"You son of a b*tch!" I curse at him with frustration. I'm not a nice woman. "Are you trying to scare me?!" I shout in irritation.

He leaves my food and locks me in again.

"Release me from here!" I cry, "if you let me go, I promise I won't report you to Ethan. If he fires you, I'll help you find another job!" I try to persuade him. I need to reach Yunnie because Lorena texted me saying she's with Yunnie. I need to talk to her.

"Well, ma'am, you yourself don't have a stable job, how can you help me find one?" he nervously responds to me.

"Rose! What is it? Just give me a moment, and I won't let anything happen to you if you let me out!" I plead desperately.

"Ma'am, I don't want Sir to get angry at me. He's terrifying when he's angry. I still have a lot to do, bye, madam!" And I hear his fast footsteps moving away.

I completely lose my strength. I sit on the floor and cry. I'm losing hope.

Why is this happening to me?

I repeatedly choose to be happy, but happiness seems to elude me.

I tried to ask for help from Lorena, but she refused, saying she's afraid of that man.

"WHERE'S my wife?" Ethan asks when he sees one of the household staff. He doesn't let them leave yet because there would be no one to watch over his wife. She has no one with her in the house, and he definitely won't allow her to leave.

"Sir, she's in her room and she doesn't want to come out." The staff member responds with concern, "she refuses to eat." They add.

He doesn't say anything and heads to their bedroom. He lets out a deep sigh.

He opens the door and sees his wife silently crying. She's facing away from him, and he can hear her sobs from the doorway.

He quietly approaches her.

"Mia..."

I freeze when I hear his voice. I face him with tears streaming down my face.

"Ethan..." I weakly say his name, "help me." I plead and start crying again. My eyes won't stop shedding tears.

"Yunnie went to Lorena's house, and I want to see her." I beg, holding his hand.

Lorena hasn't texted me anymore, and I don't know if Yunnie is still there. Her last text to me was that Yunnie was in a hurry and had luggage with her. It's already late in the evening, but I still hope that she's there.

Annoyance fills Ethan's eyes.

“Why you didn't tell me about it?” Matapang na tanong niya sa akin.

I paused at his question.

"Because you'll judge me, and you're just like Pops, wanting to separate us."