The Wicked Mrs. Gastrell (English version)

“Miss Karina, I suggest we go back to the hotel. It’s getting late and everybody went home already.”

I just continued staring into the void while Celeste sorted through all my things on the luggage. We have been sitting outside Cholo’s mansion for several hours now, just leaning against the closed giant door of my husband’s house. I was surprised when I couldn’t see the luggage after I came out of the bathroom. It turned out that Cholo ordered it to be taken outside of his home. He was not satisfied and dragged me out with the rest of my belongings.

I’m not surprised by his actions at all. In fact, even before coming home, I know that I’ll be having my biggest problem dealing with him. And I also know that once I get my hands wrapped around him, everything will be smooth sailing from then on.

“Celeste, do you think it will rain?”

She looked above at the skies.

“I think it will rain, Ms. Karina. The sky is dark.”

I adjusted my back and did some stretching.

“You’re right. And the bones in my knee ache. That means it will rain. Leave before it pours. Use my car.”

“I will not leave you alone here, Ms. Karina. If I leave, I have to take you with me.”

I chuckled.

“Silly girl. Do you think I will shrink away just because of this? I’m not that kind of woman, Celeste.”

She took out a handkerchief and placed it on the pavement and helped me sit on it.

“No, Ms. Karina. I’ve known for a long time that you are a very strong girl. If not, you would have run away from the Chairman.”

I smiled at the memory of the person she mentioned.

“Oh, that beast of a man. He knows how to crush a man’s spirit.”

I looked at the time on my cellphone. It’s almost five o’clock but Cholo hasn’t come home. Before he left today he kicked me out, he made sure to drill into my head that I should be gone when he comes back.

made sure to drill into my head that I should be gone when he comes back.

As if I am that easy to get rid of.

“Celeste.”

She immediately stood up and took out her cell phone.

“I’m hungry and bored. I need you to get me a buffet here with all the caterers and all the other stuff. And I also need some lounge chairs and a generator to fuel this all up. Maybe add some bands. Yeah! I like that and wines! Lots of wines. I need some good drinks for today.”

While I was enumerating the things I wanted to happen, Celeste was already calling the people who should be called one by one. The way she works is admirable. The very reason why I wanted her.

“Anddon’t forget the clowns, darling. The scarier they are, the better!”

“Copy, Ms. Karina.”

After an hour, the band arrived followed by the entire staff of a famous catering service. Next came the generator, my chair, and finally the clowns dressed all in black.

In a matter of minutes, the front of Cholo’s mansion transformed into a little weird party. The band started playing while I lay in the lounge chair drinking my favorite wine.

I stopped the staff and clowns from what they were doing and ordered them to join in on my little fun. Most of them were still reluctant but I scared them so they didn’t have a choice but to drink and watch the band. I requested another song then stood on the table and started dancing. Celeste who was on the side was constantly begging me to go down but I didn’t listen to her.

Suddenly, a car parked violently on the driveway and out came Cholo who was raging in anger based on the color of his face and the clenching of his jaws.

The grin on my lips widened when he shot me a sharp look before looking around what has become of his place.

“Everyone! Let me introduce to you my husband, Cholo Gastrell. Come on, hubby. Let’s dance.”

Everyone cheered and they even encouraged Cholo to accompany me but he gently smiled and shook his head. He walked closer to the table where I was standing and held out his palm to me.

“I want to talk to you,”he saidin a voice that held back his anger.

“Why? I’m still having fun. Do you like my party? It’s colorful. See that black clown there? That’s the most colorful clown I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

Cholo took a deep breath and smiled. I can clearly see the frustration and anger on his face. That’s why every fiber of my body is really celebrating.

“Karina, are you enjoying this?” he asked impatiently.

I sat at the table and played with the glass in my hand.

“Of course. The party was great. How about you? Are you enjoying too? Come on husband. Indulge your wife. Have fun with us! Look at all of them. They’re so happy! Come on!”

Without warning, Cholo carried me down to the table and ushered me into the mansion door which was opened by a uniformed servant. The people shouted at the scene. They must have mistaken it for a romantic one.

I raised my hand to them and waved. Cholo brought me into the living room of the mansion and dropped me on the sofa. The glass I was holding broke when he flicked it away.

“You wasted my good glass,” I said regretfully while staring at the shards on the floor.

“To hell with that glass! What were you doing?! I told you to get off my house not to have a party here!”

“”Why? Did I agree to leave? I just enjoyed myself in the yard and now you’re going to hold a grudge against me? I’m your wife, remember?”

Cholo took a few steps between us and grabbed me by the shoulders forcing me to stand up.

“I’m not joking, Karina. Get your ass off my house and out of my life. Don’t make me repeat my words. I’m not a patient man, Karina.”

I met his burning eyes. He wasn’t joking because I could clearly see the anger in his eyes.

“I can see that you’re not joking. I can clearly see that so why can’t you see that I’m also serious with getting back with you, Cholo. Don’t make me repeat my words. I. Want. You. Back. Got it, hubby? Hmm?” I smiled at him before I got out of his grip. He let me go without hesitation.

“Why are you doing this, Karina? Why do you want to mess up with our lives?”

I sat down on the couch and crossed my legs.

“Mess with your lives? Oh come on, Cholo. Since when is living with your own husband’s house a nuisance? Tell me, Cholo.”

He stared at me from where he was standing before he grimaced and shook his head.

“You will never get my money, woman.”

I smiled bitterly. “I don’t need your money, Cholo. I only wanted to live in this house with you. Is that bad? I’m your wife so I don’t understand why you’re driving me away.”

Cholo laughed mockingly. I was caught off guard for a moment while staring at him to tell myself that he really looks so good despite the years. In fact, he aged like a fine wine. He looks more mature now, his eyes are no longer that of a rebellious bad boy but a confident stalwart man of power.

His jet black long hair reminds me of the time when I would cling to it while he lapped me ferociously. And then after I’m done, he’ll look at me hungrily like a lion to his innocent prey. I still remembered how his gray eyes looked like dead stars under that dim light. I watched him then with astonishment and put him on the pedestal of my dreams.

“I don’t want you in my life at all. Expect the papers tomorrow for the annulment. And I want the people outside out in a minute or else…”

“Or else what?” I challenged him to finish his words. “You’ll drag me away in front of them? Can you really do that, Cholo? You can’t even publicly humiliate me because it’s scattered all over Cerro Roca that I’m back, your wife is back. You can’t afford to taint your reputation especially now that your cousin is running in the election.”

I crossed my arms.

“And I don’t like what you did with my luggages. They’re precious to me! You do that again and I’ll make a scandal. Earlier? That was just a sample. I’m just giving you a glimpse of what I can do, Cholo. I could do more atrocious things than that. So, you better treat your wife better this time.”

I stood up and smiled at him. “For crying out loud, will you please get rid of that grin on your face?”

Cholo’s face got darker. He crossed his arms and leaned on the sofa.Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.

“You must have forgotten, woman, the dirt you left behind. And need I say more who you are talking to now? I can always turn that up against you,” he warned.

I was momentarily stunned by the edge of his voice as if he was really hurt by whatever I did before.

“Cholo, you must be forgetting that you are talking to a new Karina in front of you. Don’t make unintelligible remarks.”

I gave him my biggest smile but he didn’t even flinch.

“Then it’s time to dig it up again, woman. You’re right. My hands are tied because of the situation but a scandal is a scandal. I don’t have to dig that deep to get something. I’m quite sure you also have skeletons in your closet in the last years.”

“Well, I say keep digging diligently but just as a precautionary measure, guard your heart. You really wanna go there? Maybe when you find out, you’ll just cry.”

I walked in front of him while looking around the huge living room.

“My, my, my. This house badly needs the touch and warmth of a woman. Good thing I’m here.”

I point at furniture that I don’t think fits the ambiance I envision for our home.

“Your furniture looks old and draped! Seriously? Your interior designer needs to be fired immediately!”

I just continued insulting at any flaw I could spot while Cholo’s gaze was busy following me. I heard him take a deep breath before he spoke.

“What do you really need, Karina? You have a reason why you came back. What do you really want?”

I stopped from looking around and shrugged.

“Can you really give me what I wanted?”

He didn’t say anything.

“I want you again. I want to be your wife again,” I pouted.

“I don’t believe you. There has always been something different about you. I was just unlucky that I was the first man to fall into your shoes. I will find out soon why, Karina.”

He stood up and went for the stairs.

‘One more thing. You will not touch anything in my house. Elizabeth is the only one I have given the right to change anything in this house.”

I blinked at what he said. I felt a little pain but I didn’t show it. Instead, I glared back at Cholo and raised my hands.

‘Correction, Cholo. Our house. And Elizabeth will have nothing to change in this house because she will never be your wife because I’m not letting you go. Never in your wildest dreams. Let her wait in vain because you are the last thing I wanted to lose in this lifetime.”

He grinned and put his hands in his pockets. He gave me a mocking look before he spoke. “Said the woman who broke our marriage first.”

He continued to climb the stairs while I was left stunned and confused by the last words he uttered.

“No one broke our marriage, Cholo. It was already broken to begin with” I whispered while biting my lower lip and falling into a time years ago.