Chapter 37 Almari

<Mia>

"He knows," I lied again, "I'll just be outside to get some fresh air." I said, turning my back on her.

There was a bench in front of the house with a mini garden.

"Ma'am! I'll tell sir about this!" She shouted, but I ignored her. They're just overreacting.

"Try it, and I'll kick you!" I couldn't resist snapping at her.

"Ma'am! It's not allowed to go out! We'll get scolded again by sir. Have mercy, madam."

Ugh! She really followed me all the way here.

"Get out of here! Just get me some food, maybe that will make me happy," I shooed her away.

She hesitated, unsure whether to follow my command or to keep an eye on me. "I'm not going to run away, and I don't have my cellphone!" I glared at her, trying to intimidate her.

"Just a moment, ma'am," she said, seeking my permission.

I looked up at the moon. There were no stars tonight.

"I love you from the ground to the moon and back," I whispered.

Taking a deep breath, I heard the commotion between the two and decided to play a little game of hide and seek. I suppressed a giggle as I hid behind a large plant with thick leaves, confident that they wouldn't spot me immediately.

"Ma'am? Madam?" Rose called out, noticing my absence.

"Madam?!" Her voice grew louder.

I grinned, holding back my laughter as she looked anxious and started to pale.

"Pina! Madam is missing! Find her!" She shouted and hurried back inside the house, placing the tray on the wooden table before running off.

"Sir! I can't find Madam!" She snitched.

I closed my eyes as I heard Ethan's booming voice. They were at the door, and I couldn't see him clearly. I could only make out his face.

"Sir, she was sitting here just a while ago," Rose nervously replied.

"Call the guards! She can't leave!" He cursed loudly.

He got his phone from his pocket.

He stormed out of the house, and that's when I noticed he wasn't wearing a shirt, only a towel hanging over his shoulder. I gulped, feeling a bit mesmerized by how sexy he looked.

He tightly gripped his cellphone as he paced back and forth.

"My wife is missing! Close all the entrances and exits of this subdivision!" He shouted in anger, his voice trembling with fury.

"Don't let anyone in or out... I know she hasn't gone far!"

He received a response from the other end, and by his reaction, it was clear he wasn't pleased.

"What?!" His brow furrowed deeper, "the hell! Stop saying bullshit, Almari!" He cursed at the person on the line before abruptly ending the call.

"Sir!"

Two guards approached him, visibly afraid of the current situation.

"Where the hell is my wife!? Why did you let her escape?!"

Ethan's veins bulged on his neck, head, and arms as he yelled.

"S-sir... w-we really didn't see her..."

"And where the fuck is she?! Tell me, moron!"

Ethan seemed ready to explode.

"Sir, w-we truly didn't see her... maybe she's still here," one of the guards nervously responded.

"She's not in the fucking house! All of you are fired!" Ethan shouted angrily and massaged his forehead.

Ethan looked frustrated, devastated, stressed, and on the verge of losing control.

He couldn't stay still and kept walking back and forth.

The two guards were about to explain themselves when Ethan glared at them, forcing them to leave without a word.

I felt guilty now. Someone got caught up in my prank. I only wanted to mess with Rose, not knowing that others would be affected. I had no idea that Ethan would fire the guards because of me.

Should I go out now? But he looks terrifying in his current state.

"Pina! Call the police! Report to them that my wife is missing!"

"Sir, it's not even been a day since she's gone missing," Rose interjected.

"I'm not talking to you! When will you be responsible, huh?! It's just a fucking simple task! I told you to watch over my wife, but what did you do? You let her escape! Find her!"

He kept shouting, and it was evident that nothing could calm him down... not even me.

I scratched my arm when a mosquito bit me. I thought I'd rather get bitten by mosquitoes than deal with him right now.

I looked at him again, and my heart skipped a beat as he stared at my hiding spot for quite some time.

"Rose, call Almari and tell him he can resume the operation. He can open the entrances and exits," he said while never taking his eyes off me, and then he walked towards me.

"O-okay, sir..." Rose replied nervously.

I let out a yelp when he suddenly dragged me out of my hiding place.

"Let me go!" I screamed, struggling to break free.

"Let me go, Elsa! I wanna build a snowman!" I shouted in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood.

"What the hell, Mia?!" He yelled in anger while holding onto my arm with such force that it felt like he could snap my bones, and his eyes were shooting daggers at me.

"Why are you hiding from me, huh?!" He said, raising his voice even more.

"You always push my patience to the limit!" He ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"Are you trying to escape from me, huh?!" He tightened his grip on my arm, making me wince in pain. He was still looking at me with such intensity that it felt like he could kill me with his gaze.

"Ethan! What the hell! Let me go... I'm in pain!" I continued struggling, and we were still in the living room.

"I don't know what to do with you anymore. I've always given in to you, why can't you just follow me, huh?!"

"Because I don't love you!... I don't want you! I don't want to see you or be with you! I want to go back home! I don't want you!"

He paused for a moment after I said that, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Do you think I'll let that happen? Even if I have to face the devil himself, I won't let you go that easily!"

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

"I don't care! Whether you like it or not, you'll stay with me!" He said forcefully, raising his voice.

It's the same scene all over again. We're shouting at each other, and no one wants to back down.

"Take me back home! I don't want you! Your attitude is despicable! I thought you were kind, but you're not! You're hiding your true nature!"

I don't even know where these words are coming from.

He looked hurt. "Please, don't say that," he said weakly, as if my words drained him of his strength.

"The truth hurts! You're forcing me too much! I don't love you, and I will never love you! You're not the one I want to spend my life with! I don't want a demon like you!"

His eyes reddened, and he seemed to hold back tears. "You're lying. I know you love me... you'll learn to love me... not now but soon," he said hopefully.

"I hate you, Ethan Lee Chanx Mendoza! I fucking hate you! You've ruined my life!"

After uttering those words, I turned away and headed to our room. As soon as I faced away from him, my tears continued to flow. I couldn't pinpoint the exact reason for my tears. Maybe it was because I yearned to go out and move freely without him constantly monitoring me. Even if I just wanted to buy something from the mall, he was right there, tailing me, even inside our home! Wherever I went, he was there, attached to me like a shadow. I felt suffocated, with no freedom both inside and outside our house. There was always someone keeping an eye on me.

I forcefully wiped away my tears. At least here at home, I could still go out sometimes, even in such a restrictive environment.

The only times I could venture outside were during family gatherings and events.

What should I do now? He had no intention of setting me free. He had no plans of allowing me to pursue what I wanted. He had me tightly under his control.

*

<Third Person>

“YOW men!”

Ethan let out an exasperated sigh as he tried to tolerate Moon's loud presence. Moon was their close friend, but his booming voice and gossipy nature sometimes got on Ethan's nerves.

"Hey there! We have a visitor!" Moon exclaimed in surprise as he noticed Ethan.

Ethan was at the bar counter, drinking alone for some time now.

Moon grinned widely and extended his fist for a bump. Ethan lazily reciprocated the gesture.

"Bro, did you have a fight with your babe?" Moon asked, getting right into the gossip.

"Tor, get out of here! Our dear Ethan is heartbroken!" Moon shouted again, calling for their other friend Tor.

Now, he was with Tor.

"Why are you drinking alone, huh?" Moon grabbed a glass and filled it with alcohol for himself. "You should invite us to a bar, we'll lend you our ears."

"Tsk!" Ethan clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"Just treat us!" Moon added, expecting Ethan to pay for their drinks.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Ethan asked in a slightly irritated tone. He didn't appreciate the noisy company, especially when he preferred peace and quiet. Sometimes, he even considered living in a forest to avoid his loud and meddlesome friends, including his twin brother.

"Oh, it's your house? Your house?" Moonraker raised an eyebrow. "You're just here to drink, huh!"

Ethan rolled his eyes at Moon's teasing.

"What are you doing, bro? Why did you fight? You two are always fighting. Just break up already!" Moonraker said in a bored tone.

"Fuck you!" Ethan snapped at him, tightening his grip on the glass.

"Just kidding! Hay, being single is really great, no problems," Moonraker said, leaning back in his high chair and taking a sip of his drink.

"What's going on here?" Nathan asked, furrowing his brow. He was wearing a white long-sleeved shirt folded up to his elbows. He was accompanied by Tor, who was wearing a plain shirt, jeans, and a coat. They both wore the same brand of shoes.

Nathan's frown deepened when he saw his twin brother drinking. Ethan usually visited Nathan's house when he had problems.

"Bro, let's just sleep here," Moonraker suggested to Ethan, who still held the glass tightly.

"True! Let's crash at Nathan's place so we won't have to pay for electricity and everything!" Tor seconded the idea.

Nathan is kind and generous, always helping his friends with their business ventures.

"I'm going to go to my wife," Ethan said in a low voice.

"There you go! Ever since he got married, he forgot about us! He always spends his time with his wife!" Tor pretended to be annoyed.

"Looks like it's just the two of us left as single guys, bro. One of them already has a wife," Moonraker said playfully.

"True, huhu," Tor melodramatically said as he hugged Moon. The two of them embraced while Tor pretended to cry.

"You two are crazy," Nathan commented, shaking his head as he sat beside his twin. He poured himself a drink as well.

"You're just jealous, babe. Do you want us to hug you too?" Moonraker teased.

Nathan responded by showing them his middle finger.

"I'll sit beside my babe for now. He's getting jealous, you know," Tor said in a playful, effeminate voice.

"I'll miss you, babe! Give me a kiss!" Moon jumped on Tor, "Tonight, you're mine, okay? Roar!"

"Sure, babe," Tor giggled, and they pretended to kiss each other on the lips before bursting into laughter.

The twins looked disgusted watching the two. They were not used to the act of pretending to be gay.

"You guys are disgusting," Nathan said, repulsed. He couldn't stand the two when they acted that way, so he often left them behind.

"Divorce her, Ethan," Nathan redirected the conversation to his twin.

Ethan clenched his fist, his gaze sharpening on the wine glass.

"She's no good for you," Nathan added.

"I don't care," Ethan replied firmly.

"Ha! And what if you break them up? Do you want our friend to go crazy? He's already head over heels for him," Tor chimed in mischievously.