CHAPTER 24: SOFIA'S CONDO

When Chelsea finished getting dressed, she immediately went to the living room and found Madame Buenavista and Red.

"Is there anything you can do to speed it up? We're going to be late!" Annoyed Madame Buenavista said.

Red immediately looked at his mother, "Late for what? I thought we're going to eat in a restaurant." Red asked in surprise.

Madame Buenavista did not answer and immediately left the mansion. Chelsea and Red followed her. When they got out, the car was ready and Kuya Roy was waiting for them.

"Are we leaving?" Kuya Roy asked and Red nodded in agreement.

When they got in the car, the tension between Madame Buenavista and Chelsea are getting intense. Chelsea wondered why the old woman could look at her like that. It seems that she doesn't want to include Chelsea in their agenda for today.

Kuya Roy started the engine and drove away. Chelsea was just looking out the window while watching the cars pass by and go by.

When she got fed up, she straightened up and looked at Red. He was sleeping. It seems like he’s very tired because of how busy he is in the office. Chelsea immediately felt pity for her husband. She fixed the strand of his hair that fell over Red's eye. When she fixed it, she was immediately surprised by Red's sudden hand before he opened his eyes.

"What are you doing?" a serious question for Chelsea.

"Uhm... I'm just fixing your hair. It's messy..." She reasoned and looked away.

"Can you lend me your shoulder?" Red asked Chelsea who immediately turned red without any definite reason.

"Huh?" Chelsea asked in shock while trying to talk calmly.

"I asked if you can lend me your shoulder. I'll just rest for a bit..." He asked with a blank expression on his face.

"O-okay. Go ahead and lie down..." Chelsea responded weakly.

Red immediately laid down on Chelsea's shoulder, "Just wake me up when you're sleepy." He said and Chelsea answered with a nod.

An hour passed and they still did not reach their destination. Chelsea's butt is starting to hurt and her shoulder is starting to ache but she doesn't want to wake Red because it looks like he's sleeping soundly.

After a few minutes, Madame Buenavista spoke, "That building. There it is." She points to a condominium.

CHELSEA

I thought we would just eat at the restaurant and join Madame Buenavista to go shopping... Why is he making Kuya Roy stop here? I looked at Red and it looked like he was still asleep so I immediately patted him on the face softly to wake him up.

"Red... Psst... Wake up... We're here..." I said while shaking him moderately.

Fortunately, it was not difficult to wake him up and he immediately woke up and straightened himself up.

Red's attention was immediately focused on the building we entered.

"I thought we're eating at a restaurant?" He asked his mother.

Madame Buenavista shrugged, "Let's pass by my friend’s place first before we eat." It was a short answer before getting out of the car followed by the two.

…

When they arrived at the elevator, Red and Chelsea started to look at each other and it was as if they both felt a bad feeling. Red ignored it and held Chelsea's hand.

When they arrived at the 5th floor and the elevator suddenly stopped. The two continued to follow until they reached a door and Madame Buenavista rang the doorbell.

The door immediately opened and Madame Buenavista entered. They heard a woman's voice when they entered.

"Auntie, Red, you're both here!" Sofia said.

She immediately stopped when she saw that Chelsea was behind Red.

"You—what are you doing here?" Sofia asked in surprise.

"The shameless one came along. Be patient, hija. Don't pay attention to that one. Today is your birthday, and I don't want you to be sad. That's why let’s just pretend that she’s not here. " Madame Buenavista said as she approached Sofia.

She nodded and gave a smile to Madame Buenavista. "I know, thank you, auntie," she replied.

Red's face immediately became serious, and he started walking out of Sofia's condo.

"Red, wait. Where are you going?" she asked worriedly as she chased after Red.

"Did you really have to lie, mom, just to make me come here?" he asked his mother. She kept quiet and looked away.

"My wife and I will eat somewhere else. I will not let her share a table with the two of you!" he said angrily.

He pulled Chelsea and started to leave.

"If you dare to walk out that door, then you can forget about calling me mother!" Madame Buenavista shouted, which immediately stunned Red, who stopped walking.

Chelsea stared at him and looked at him as if she were forcing Red not to continue with what he was planning to do.

"Auntie, don't be angry. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry," Sofia said while calming Madame Buenavista.

Madame Buenavista looked at her and held her hand, saying, "Why are you saying sorry? It was that woman's fault!" She pointed at Chelsea while her eyes were glaring at her.

"I didn't expect that Chelsea would come too; that's why I couldn't help but be surprised when I saw her with you. I'm so sorry, auntie," she said sadly.

"Don't be sorry, hija; it's not your fault," Madame Buenavista said.

Red just glared at them and started to walk away when Sofia suddenly grabbed his hand.

"Auntie is just trying to protect me. Don't be angry, Red. Today is my birthday; how about you stay over for a while?" she said while still holding Red's hand.

Red immediately removed her hand and said, "Can you stop being like that, Sofia? I hate it." Red's serious tone surprised Sofia.

"Okay fine, I–I will apologize to Chelsea..." she shouted and immediately approached Chelsea.

"I'm sorry, I was rude just now. I originally thought that it would be just Auntie and Red, so...."

"No, don't be sorry; I was presumptuous. I didn't know today was your birthday. I'm sorry for destroying your mood. I shouldn't have come in the first place," Chelsea said and looked at Red. "Is it okay if I just leave?" she asked Red.

When Red abruptly pulled her aside and said to Chelsea, "Nice acting, well, then you'd better put on a better show for me, unless... you no longer want my support for your studies," she was taken aback.

"Sofia, come over here; don't be sad. My son won't leave, right, Red?" Madame Buenavista asked, and Red didn't care.

"Well then, go to Red Ribbon next door and get a cake for Sofia." Madame Buenavista ordered.

"Mother, if you have something to say, say it; if I go out this door, I'm not coming back in," Red stated solemnly to Madame Buenavista.

Madame took a deep breath. "Fine! Then today I'll lay everything out in the open; you better divorce quickly and marry Sofia as soon as possible; she waited for you for so many years; you can't embarrass her by just dumping her!" Madame Buenavista said angrily.

Red's expression didn't change at all and remained serious. "Love, we're leaving," he said while looking at Chelsea.

Chelsea's face could not be painted when he suddenly called her "love." She thinks that Red only brought him here to use her and make her a pawn for his mother. He then started walking while pulling Chelsea.

"Red Chandler! I have already left you with some dignity. Do you really think I don't know why you two are together?" A question that stopped Red.

He stopped leaving and looked at his mother. "What are you saying?"

"What I'm saying? Do you really think that I don't know your plans? Do you really think like that just to disobey me? You have chosen a woman who is greedy for money and whose family style is not proper, just to act together with you, and you are not afraid of getting burned! What do you think people will say, that my son is easily seduced by any woman? Are you even thinking?" she screamed with great anger. "Son, it's not that I'm stopping you from choosing someone you like and marrying her, but even if you don't consider my decisions for you, couldn't you at least choose a more qualified woman? When people find out about this... what only what people tell us?" she added.

"Shut up! Can you stop acting like you're a saint? You've also done things you don't want the public to know. Why don't you start thinking about those evil shits you've done in the past? I am not the one you were protecting, it is your name, mom. You are protecting your name," Red said. "Mom, as I already said before, you can do whatever you want; I don't mind. If you really like Sofia... then make her your daughter-in-law."

"What do you mean, son? You agree?" Madame Buenavista asked in surprise.

Sofia had hope. The joy is visible in her eyes after hearing what Red said. Her eyes shine as if she has won the lottery.

Chelsea's face started to become serious.

"Of course, I agree; why wouldn't I agree?" Red smiled and said to his mother.

"Great! That's probably the best decision you'll ever make, son. Wait a minute, I'll choose a good day!" she said happily.

"As long as she is willing to be a widow, why am I not willing?" said Red.

Everyone was caught off guard by what Red said. They stared at Red in shock and seemed unable to believe what he said.

"You! You—disobedient son!" Madame Buenavista shouted angrily.

Sofia's tears began to fall. She couldn't help herself and immediately hugged Madame Buenavista. "Auntie, am I not good enough? What have I done wrong for Red to insult me like this?" she sobbed.

"You haven't done anything wrong, hija... It's all that slut's fault. She used my son, and now she's twisted her brain and made it obey her wishes. You have to be strong. Don't panic. I'll do anything just to separate those two," Madame Buenavista said, evilly looking at Chelsea.

Madame Buenavista has not even finished speaking when Red suddenly pulls Chelsea and leaves Sofia's condo. He took his phone from his pocket and called someone.

When they got out of the condominium, a taxi was waiting for them. Red helps Chelsea get on before he gets on and sits beside her in the passenger seat.

When Red told the driver their destination, the driver immediately drove away. While on the road, Chelsea was just looking at Red as if she wanted to say something.

"If you want to look, then look freely; if you have something to say, then say it outright!" Red said, annoyed.

Chelsea immediately got worried. "Is it okay for you to answer your mother like that? After all, she's still your mother."

Red's face turned red as he scowled at Chelsea, "Shut up! What qualifications do you have to question me?!"