Chapter 40

Chapter 40
Fernandez stormed into his luxurious suite, slamming the door behind him. "Unbelievable!" he muttered to himself, his anger simmering like a pot about to boil over. He had warned them, explicitly warned them, and yet...
He loosened his tie, the silk fabric feeling like a noose around his neck. He collapsed onto the plush couch, his earbud still lodged in his ear, a constant reminder of the chaos that was unfolding.
His laptop beeped, signaling an incoming video from his private investigator. He opened it, expecting another update on Anna and Reyna's antics. But what he saw made his jaw drop like a sledgehammer.
"Damn it!" he growled, his eyes scanning the screen with a mix of disgust and fascination. The video showed Anna and Reyna lounging by the pool, wearing bikinis that left little to the imagination. Reyna's was particularly revealing, and Fernandez's anger boiled over like a volcano.
"What is wrong with that girl?" he muttered to himself, his voice laced with venom. "Why did father adopt her? She's completely insane and she's a bad influence on Anna, a corrupting force. Anna couldn't do this on her own, Reyna must be the one giving her courage."
He watched in disgust as they laughed and took selfies together, completely carefree, completely oblivious to the consequences of their actions.
"Fools," he whispered, his eyes narrowing into slits. "They think they can defy me and get away with it?"
He got up and poured himself a glass of chilled water, the ice clinking against the crystal like a death knell. He took a sip, his eyes still fixed on the screen, his mind racing with thoughts of punishment.
As he sat back down, he took another sip, his gaze lingering on Anna's figure, her exposed cleavages and shining skin making his blood boil with a mix of anger and desire.
"She's mine," he whispered to himself, his voice low and menacing, his eyes darkening with possessiveness. "I own her, body and soul."
As he continued to watch, his lower member began to stir, and he felt a surge of excitement at the thought of punishing Anna, of teaching her a lesson she would never forget.
"I'll enjoy it," he whispered, his voice dripping with sadistic pleasure. "I'll enjoy it to my satisfaction."
As he picked up his phone to call Anna, an incoming call entered his phone.
Fernandez hesitated, his finger hovering over the answer button. He knew his father's calls always came with a side of lecturing, and he wasn't in the mood. But he finally picked up, and his father's deep, middle-aged voice chuckled on the other end.
"Ah, hesitating to pick up, son?" Mr. Antonio asked, his tone teasing.
Fernandez let out a low, disinterested hum. "Just busy, Father."
"I hope you're treating my daughter-in-law well," Mr. Antonio said, his voice dripping with sincerity.
Fernandez ruffled his hair, already bored with the conversation. "I'm on a business trip, Father. Reyna's with Anna."
Mr. Antonio chuckled again, his voice warm with amusement. "Reyna's a cheerful girl. She'll do well in cheering Anna up."
Fernandez sneered, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Yes, Reyna's doing a great job of cheering her up."
Mr. Antonio's voice turned serious. "Stop keeping tabs on them, son. Let the girls enjoy themselves. Let them enjoy your absence."
Fernandez's irritation grew. He knew where this was going. "Why did you call me, Father?"
"Jessica," Mr. Antonio said, his voice softening.
Fernandez's anger flared, his knuckles clenching. "What about her?"
Mr. Antonio sighed. "She's in the hospital. Her husband beat her again because she confronted him about his mistress."
Fernandez's laughter was cold, mirthless. "Karma's a bitch, isn't it? She's not being beaten well enough if she can still call you."
Mr. Antonio's voice was firm. "I've forgiven her, son. I've moved on. But I want you to check on her when you're back from your trip. She's in a hospital in Italy."
Fernandez's anger boiled over. "Why should I? She's nothing to me."
But Mr. Antonio had already disconnected the call, leaving Fernandez glaring at the glass cup on the table, his mind seething with resentment.
Fernandez's mind raced with bitter memories as he glared at the phone. How could his father be so big-hearted? Jessica, his mother, was the root of all their suffering. She had left his father for a rich man, shattering their happy family of three.
He remembered it like it was yesterday. He was only three years old, but the pain and betrayal still lingered. His mother had been pregnant, and they had all been overjoyed. But then she had dropped the bombshell: the baby wasn't Mr. Antonio's, but his boss's. She had been secretly dating him, and she couldn't take the poor life anymore.
"I'm tired of this life, Antonio," she had said, her voice cold and detached. "I deserve better. And this baby deserves better."
Fernandez's father had been devastated. He had pleaded with her to stay, but she had just laughed.
"You're just a poor man, Antonio. You can't give me what I want. But he can."
And with that, she had left. Left them alone, left them broken. Her lover had come to pick her up in the middle of the night, and Fernandez had watched from his window as they drove away.
"I'll never forgive her," Fernandez muttered to himself, his head burning with anger and frustration. "Never."
He needed to calm down, to clear his head. He decided to take a cold shower, hoping the icy water would wash away some of the bitterness.
As he stepped under the showerhead, the cold water hit him like a slap in the face. He gasped, but he welcomed the shock. He let the water cascade down his body, trying to wash away the memories, the pain, the anger.
But they lingered, refusing to be washed away.