CHAPTER 71

“I need to get back to the office because I need to find a replacement for Marcus. The movie cannot be delayed this year,” I heard Levi said to someone on his phone.

I turned my attention to Ria when she touched me. "Why, baby?"

"Are you going to work, mommy?" She asked while sipping on her milk.

We were having breakfast together. Some people are no longer at Casa because they also have their own jobs and others are in the hospital to watch. The doctor said he would stay there for a few more weeks until his memory returned. It’s been a rough week for all mostly to Auntie Criselda especially since she thinks her husband is a different person. Even I can't do that either.

“I’m not, just daddy. Why?” I asked my daughter again.

She just smiled and then nodded.

“I want to go to his office, mommy. Can we go with him?” She asked again so I laughed.

I still heard Levi talking on the phone so I just ignored it. Ria suddenly sit on my lap and hugged me tightly.

“Please, mommy. I miss you and daddy,” she also added.

My heart almost melted because of what she said. I immediately responded to her hug and even kissed her on the head.

“Alright. We will surprise him later after we visit your Grandpa Saldy, okay? Don’t tell him,” I whispered to her.

She nodded repeatedly until Levi was back at the table. His forehead was already furrowed and he seemed to have a problem.

"I told them that only Marcus will be replaced, but even the leading lady has been replaced," he insisted but kept his voice from rising because Ria was in front of us.

My forehead furrowed because of what he said.

“What? Why was Megan even replaced?” I asked him in surprise.

He looked at our daughter who was eating quietly for a moment before turning to me again.

“Let’s just talk about it later. I’d like to have lunch with you but Ria will be alone here,” he said sullenly to me so I almost laughed.

I've only just seen him look like this so I'm not really used to it. I feel like another Levi is in front of me now.

“You can just order outside. Just go home early,” I told him with a laugh.

He looked at me intently for a moment and even raised an eyebrow at me. I just slapped him on the arm when I understood what he was referring to. Levi just laughed and continued to eat.

After that breakfast, Levi sailed to the office while Ria and I were left in this huge mansion. I feel like I’m going to get lost here because it’s too wide and I haven’t quite memorized the corners yet.

I just bathed and dressed Ria for a while and then she fell asleep. I decided to cook something for lunch so I can take it later when we go to Acuzar Empire. I still smile as I cut out the ingredients to use when I remember what happened last night. That man is really naughty sometimes.

When I finished cooking, Yerim called right away so I answered right away.

"How are you? How is Levi's dad? I heard what happened,” she stated as I was blow drying my hair.

She went home to South Korea with her boyfriend Lucas so we haven't seen each other much these past few days. Rafa, on the other hand, is busy taking care of her new project at Royale. Her book won in the TV series adaptation promoted by the company, so like me, it will also have a live project. It’s just a movie for me and for her it’s a series so she does a lot of things.

When I finished blow dry my hair, I sat there to fix the heels I was wearing. I even looked in the mirror before I turned to Yerim again on the other line.

"He is fine, he has amnesia but the doctor said that such a case is really common especially since head surgery was done on him," I explained to her while taking off the make up that I will use.

I just wore a white v-neck lace dress and pumps. We will just visit the hospital and then Levi's office.

“Really? What happened was terrible,” I heard her say.

"How are you? You're not coming back yet?” I asked her while applying lipstick.

When that was over, I put away the ones I had used and rested there for a while while Yerim was still talking.

“I'm fine. I was called because I heard something from Rafa. Did you know that Megan will also be replaced as leading lady?” She asked which made me focus my whole attention to her.

I was waiting for her to answer so I put it on the loud speaker. Gaga, it really takes too long to reply. It's even better for us to talk in person so I just have no choice because she's far away now.

“Yes, I just heard it from Levi earlier, I think he talked to the manager and director. What's up?" I asked her in surprise.

I heard the clinking of something in her background so I turned up my speaker volume even more. It’s so noisy where this ‘girl’ is!

“Guess who the replacement is. It’s Hestia, Levi’s ex-girlfriend. They were both headlines because I was a big fan of that woman,” Yerim told me.

My forehead furrowed when I heard that. Hestia? Who the hell is Hestia? Why did I only now recognize it? And ex-girlfriend? How many exes does that man have and our world seems to be shrinking so much the same.

“Headline? Why the headline?” I couldn’t help but ask Yerim because that’s really what got my attention.

“They have a scandal before. Hestia spread it. Alas, Rae, that woman is crazy at Levi so if I were you, start watching her because she might do everything to take Levi from you."

That was the last thing Yerim said before we could discuss other things. When we finished talking, I quickly woke Ria up because we were leaving. Fortunately, it woke up quickly so I dressed it right away.

We made our trip to the hospital quickly. When we got there, Acel and Zick greeted me immediately, so my daughter was very happy.

“Where’s Levi?” Acel asked me as we were walking towards the elevator.

“He needs to go to work. There is an important meeting so we will visit him later, ”I casually replied to her.

I held Ria's hand while she held the hand of her son Eizickiel. It’s fun to look at these two because they’re exactly the same eye color. I suddenly remembered about Zick's daddy so I couldn't help but ask her that.

"He knows and he's trying to take us back," she answered to me.

I automatically smiled when she said that. I also saw the strange twinkle in her eyes but there was still a trace of concern there.

I gently tapped her shoulder.

“You deserve the world, AJ,” I uttered as the lift opened.

She just smiled at me before we left. Before we could get to Uncle Saldy's room, Zick suddenly called in the hospital pantry so Acel accompanied him there first. I was even embarrassed when he also took Ria because he didn't want to leave her.

“I’ll take care of her. We’ll be there for a while,” she said goodbye to me so I just nodded.

When they left, I went straight to Uncle Saldy's room. I had already entered there but I was shocked when I heard Aunt Criselda sobbing and it seemed like she was talking to someone so I first stayed on the side where they could not see me.

“Amalia is a big threat to me even before. To this day, even without her, she is still a big obstacle to Saldy and me. She is still the one he is looking for especially now that he doesn't remember me,” she said in pain to whoever she was talking to.

I cringed when I heard that. Forced to calm herself.

“No! You don't need her in your life, Levi. Do you know what I’ve been through because of that woman’s family? She can’t be an Acuzar! I will not allow it,” she said firmly and full of anger.

She’s talking to Levi on the phone. I can feel her agonizing words and it makes me want to just go back where I came from.

“You aren’t even sure if she’s your daughter — no! I will say it and no one can stop me even you. That woman is an opportunist just like her mother so it is unlikely that she has encountered many men and one of them is the real father of that child!”

My jaw dropped when I heard that. I leaned forward as I felt the weakness of my knee. I don’t know how else I feel but I know anger is more prevalent in me now because I hear it especially when it mentions my daughter.

Is that really how they look at poor people just like us? That when their son likes lying on a lot of money is this really the only thing we’re after? She even mentioned Ria here! Her own granddaughter! I can't believe there really are people like this.

I could almost catch my breath because of the suppression of my growl. I could feel my heart heating up with so much anger. Even before I could cry any more, I hurried out. I saw Acel and the two kids approaching me so I did everything just to hide everything.

“Rae, what happened? What— ”

“Can you check Ria for me, please? I'll get her back right away. I just need to take this to Levi,” I said goodbye to her and lifted the bag I was carrying with only food for her cousin.

Surprisingly, she just nodded so I kissed Ria. Then I sailed to Levi's office.

I kept wiping away my tears as I drove but it also kept falling. I suddenly shrank when I heard that. I feel like his family has trampled on my whole being just because of their past and my state in life. I still can’t believe how they discriminated my status and even my daughter they didn’t miss.

When I got to the Acuzar Empire building, I arranged myself first before I entered. I saw the swelling of my eyes in the mirror earlier so I put a little eye shadow on it just so it wouldn't be noticeable.

While I was walking towards Levi's office, I noticed a lot of people so my forehead furrowed. They seem to be looking forward to something coming out or something. I went straight to Kat’s table to ask her boss but it wasn’t there. I just shrugged my shoulder and went inside the office.

"Miss me?" The woman with such a fashion sense has said to Levi.

My eyes widened when she suddenly anchored her arm around the latter's neck.

“I missed you, Emmanuel. You’re still hot, huh,” she also added and continued what she did.

Instead of chasing them both, I just stood on the side there, waiting for them to look at me so they would die instantly especially this flirtation.

“Hestia, stop it. I have a child-"

“Oh, same old story, huh. What if I say we have a child too. That’s why I came back because that is the reason why. What are you gonna do? Who will you choose?" Its continuous utterance.

Child? Why would they have Hestia. She is the one that Yerim has been pursuing lately. What's happening? Why are some children affected?