Chapter 17
“Remember, he likes it hot,” Munika reminded as they walked through the hallway together. “And do not forget to add all the powder too”
“But… Why do I have to add all of it? It will be too much for him”
Munika chuckled lightly. “Nothing can be too much for Sergio. But it will be enough to blow him out”Nôvel(D)rama.Org's content.
Rosana nodded and turned the corner, heading towards the kitchen. She was holding the small wrap in her hand, trembling. What if everything goes wrong? What will happen to her? What will Sergio’s reactions be? Nothing good, she concluded.
After Munika left her room the previous night, she had laid back, thinking everything through. If the plan worked, she’d be free. But if it didn’t… She’ll be so doomed. He would kill her this time without any mercy or second thoughts.
But she could still back away now it wasn’t too late. She could turn around, go back to Munika and return whatever she had given to her. Then she’d go back to her room and stay indoors like she always has since she arrived.
“Good morning, My Lady!” Viola greeted, jerking her out of her thoughts. “What can I do for you?”
Rosana looked around and saw all the workers bowing to her. It took her a few seconds before she finally realized where she was. When did she get here? She wondered, still looking around. And where is Munika? They had been walking side by side a few minutes ago.
She sighed when it finally dawned on her that they had gone their separate ways after their little discussion. Munika had walked away, leaving her to carry out the task all by herself.
“My Lady…”
“Um…” She took a deep breath and pressed her fingertips into her eye sockets. “Nothing. I am fine”
Viola didn’t ask any more questions but she was surprised. What was she doing in the kitchen, she wondered. And why was she looking all pale and stressed out very early in the morning? She should be resting after everything she has gone through.
Rosana kept looking around, not knowing where to start. How does she make the coffee? What if she doesn’t make it the way he likes it? Besides, people enjoy their coffee differently. What if he doesn’t even have a taste of the one she makes for him?
A single mistake could blow everything up and maybe this plan, to start with, was a mistake. She turned around and started walking out of the kitchen but then halted when she heard Carmencita giving out orders to one of the maids.
“Take it to the Don’s study, immediately. His flight is in thirty minutes”
Rosana turned and saw the maid carrying the coffee. She immediately walked out of the kitchen and waited for her to head out before she followed suit. Finally, the plan could now fall in place.
“Excuse me. Is that for the Don?”
The maid bowed. “Yes, My Lady”
“I will take that. You can return to your other duties” The maid hesitantly gave her the tray before she bowed and walked away.
Rosana smiled inwardly and started walking away. When she reached a corner and was sure no one was around, she poured the powder into the coffee pot and mixed it very well.
***
***
“I brought you coffee!” She announced walking into the study where Sergio sat, going through some documents.
When she looked up and caught him staring at her, her breath hitched in her throat. Her heart started pounding violently and her steady hands began to tremble.
“You can do this!” She assured herself as she hastily placed the coffee on the table. With the way her hands trembled, she knew she couldn’t hold it any longer.
Sergio looked at her, his metallic eyes boring into the depths of her soul. He noticed she was shivering and her hands were shaking but refused to comment on them.
“I am sorry for everything. For being such a disobedient wife and going against your orders” She paused and sucked in enough air. “The little boy… He is so young… So helpless, and I was wrong to think I could save him from paying for his father’s sins”
A tear slipped down her cheek and she sniffled. Why was she crying? She didn’t know. But she had to make this work no matter what. She had to make him forgive her and drink the coffee.
“But I have learned my lesson.” She continued, wiping off her tears. “Being in that cold room opened my eyes. I perceived death, I saw it. I regretted all my actions and swore that if I survived, I would never go against you no matter what.”
She finally looked up at him, expecting some warmth in his eyes but then, she saw nothing. They were still the same. Cold, dark, and purely evil, causing a shiver of trepidation along her spine. His impeccable poker face made it hard for her to see through it.
What kind of man was he?
She just apologized when she did nothing wrong. All she tried to do was save those poor people from him but it backfired. She was thrown into the freezing room for three hours and even when she was finally released, there were no words from him.
“So… I brought you your coffee” She stepped forward and poured him a cup. She couldn’t stand the sight of him anymore and wanted to get it over with.
With a grim look, Sergio stared at the cup of coffee and noticed her hands were trembling. When he finally got it from her after what seemed like forever, she released the breath she had been holding. Now, she had to ensure he drank it.
He looked at her and raised the cup to his mouth, his eyes never leaving hers for a second. He was going to drink it, she thought. But Instead of alleviating the tremor within her chest and along her throat, it was exacerbated. Her stomach couldn’t stop flipping either.
She wished she could read his mind and know what was running through it. Why wasn’t he drinking the coffee already? She wondered. What if he asked her to drink it instead?
Sergio took a deep breath, inhaling the aroma of the coffee. It had a different aroma but he drank it In one go, emptying the cup. Rosana gasped and stared at him in shock. She couldn’t believe he just emptied the cup. Besides, who the hell drank coffee in one go?
Her heartbeat ticked up a few notches and she forced a smile. It was done. Now, she had to wait and see the effects as instructed by Munika.
“So… Where are you going this time?” She asked, slipping into the seat in front of him. “You travel a lot”
No response.
She bit her lips and tried again. “Can I ask another question?” When he didn’t respond, she continued. “What about the… The boy? I have not been able to stop thinking about him”
Her breath hitched in her throat as she thought about the little boy. What were they doing to him? How was he paying for the so-called sin? He was so little. So young and fragile.
“What was his father’s offense? Maybe if you tell me, I might stop worrying about the boy”
Sergio adjusted his tie and pressed his fingertips into his eye sockets. Was that a sign that it was working? Rosana thought as she stared at him. He squeezed his eyes shut and forcefully opened it. He was trying to stay awake.
When he didn’t say anything for a couple of minutes, she gave up, knowing she wouldn’t get an answer from him. But it was working. The other plan was working and she knew this because he dropped his head on the table.
That was a good sign, whatever she added to the coffee had knocked him out!
Rosana stood up immediately and called out his name but didn’t get any response. She was now convinced that he had fallen unconscious and bolted towards the door.
“The Don is resting. He does not need any disturbance” She informed the men who stood outside the office and walked away.
“How did it go?” Munika asked anxiously. She could tell everything had gone as planned because of how Rosana was smiling.
“Fine. Where are the keys and money you promised?” She asked and Munika handed everything to her. “The red car, right?”
“Exactly, now go before he wakes up. If he does, I will tell him you went shopping”
Rosana turned on her heels and rushed outside to where all the cars were being parked. She couldn’t find the red car so she had to keep checking until she found it in another lot.
“Time to get the hell out of here!” She muttered as she revved the engine. She drove towards the gate and met more soldiers standing around it. “Open the gates!”
When they hesitated, she added. “I wanna go shopping. Who do you think gave me the keys and the permission as well? F*cking open the gates!!!”
She was trembling inside but managed to keep a calm facade. They didn’t have to know anything. They didn’t have to suspect she was running away.
The soldiers looked at each other and finally opened the gates. She was the Don’s wife and they couldn’t disobey her orders.
Once the gate was opened, Rosana drove out and encountered two more gates and more soldiers. When she was finally allowed to drive out of the villa, she hit the main road, speedily. She didn’t know where she was going but she kept driving.
*****
*****
Sergio groaned and woke up. His eyelids were heavy and his head was pounding heavily. He could hardly remember what happened before he passed out.
“Boss! You are awake!” Alfonso heaved in relief and rushed over to him. He was shocked when he got into the study to find him sleeping some minutes ago. It had never happened. Not when he had an important meeting to attend.
“What happened?”
“Your wife…”
His head snapped and he recollected everything. “Where is she?”
“She escaped. But some men are after her. They will return in no time” Sergio gritted his teeth and stared down at the coffee pot. She had drugged him and escaped. How very bold of her.
“Sta flirtando con la morte” He gruffed, his voice dark, and dangerous. [She is flirting with death]