Chapter 25

Hearing a voice from behind, Vira and Miranda turned their heads. Miranda was surprised to see Gerald, while Vira didn't know who the man was. Miranda approached Gerald, followed by Vira behind her.

"Hi, Gerald. I didn't expect you to recover so quickly. You can already walk," said Miranda.

"Mama, who is this?" asked Vira, whispering.

"This is Gerald. Your husband," Miranda replied.

Vira did not expect it. Her husband-to-be had recovered and looked even more handsome. If it's like this, who can resist Gerald's charm?

"Mama? You're not my mama!" Gerald snapped.

"I am your mama too because you are my son-in-law," Miranda replied.

Gerald gave both of them a sharp look. "What do you want exactly?" Gerald didn't want to mince words because he had heard everything.

Miranda looked confused. "What does that mean?"

Gerald folded his arms across his chest. "You are claiming that my wife has lied."

"Yes, that's right. She is Kamila, my cousin. I am your real wife, Gerald. She claimed to be me to marry you for money. You should divorce Kamila right now." Vira explained.

"That's right, Gerald. You have to be careful with her. I hope you don't fall in love with her. Kamila is cunning and she can do anything." Miranda explained.

Gerald was silent. He couldn't believe their words.

"Who do you think I am? I am the head of the mafia. Anyone who displeases me, I can kill, no matter if it's a man or a woman, including you!"

Gerald's words shocked Miranda and Vira, even though Gerald was only threatening.

"I am more cunning than anything. So, you must be careful."

Gerald left. Lazy to see two two-faced women. Gerald's hunch told him that there was something to hide. Gerald didn't want to hear the story from only one side, he had to listen to Kamila's explanation.
Miranda and Vira looked at each other.

"Mama, what does Gerald mean?" asked Vira. She was starting to feel scared.

"Mama doesn't know. Already, you just calm down. Soon, you will become Mrs. Arven." Miranda stroked her favorite daughter's hair. Vira smiled.

As Gerald walked to his room, Griselda came to him.

"Gerald, I have something to talk to you about Miranda and Vira." Griselda looked serious. She wanted to talk about Miranda and Vira's arrival.

Gerald already knew but pretended not to know. "Let's talk in the room."

Griselda and Gerald, sat facing each other on the sofa. Their faces were both tense.

"Miranda and Vira come here," Griselda said.

"Vira's here? Do you mean Mama? Didn't I hide Vira in the basement?" Gerald asked.

Griselda took a breath. "It's not Vira, it's Kamila. Kamila is Vira's cousin. Vira and Miranda came here to explain that Kamila has been deceiving us, pretending to be Vira to gain control of your property. Vira was kidnapped by Kamila's people so she couldn't come on the wedding day."

Gerald was silent. He didn't know whether to believe it or not.

"They came crying. They also asked us to be careful and asked you to divorce Kamila. After I thought about it, if she's not your wife, why keep her? Although I doubt that Kamila is as evil as they say, if she has deceived our family then divorce her. I leave everything to you." Griselda explained.
Gerald couldn't decide anything yet. He thought he was in love with his wife, but he wasn't. Gerald already had love and affection.

"Let Gerald think first, Ma," Gerald said.

Griselda nodded. "For the time being, I don't want to tell our extended family. You know your papa is very emotional. He would be very angry if he knew the truth."

Gerald agreed. He got up and went to his room and sat on the bed. Gerald kept thinking until it made his head dizzy. Gerald got up and looked at the mirror, looking at his reflection.

Gerald screamed and punched the mirror until it broke. His right hand was so full of blood that it dripped onto the floor. Gerald was so emotional. His breathing was labored. His face was red and his jaw was hard.

"Vira, ah, Kamila, what's this lie again, huh? Aren't you satisfied with breaking my heart?" Gerald was so frustrated.

Gerald tried to control his emotions. The wound was left to dry on its own without treatment. The pain was not as painful as the wound in the heart. Gerald walked towards the basement, wanting to meet someone who wasn't his wife.

"Hey, who are you? Wake up!" Gerald tried to wake Kamila up. Kamila had been unconscious since Gerald sliced her chest with a knife.

"Wake up!" Gerald patted Kamila's cheek.

Gerald could still feel Kamila's breathing. It sounded weak. Gerald immediately picked Kamila up and took her to the private doctor in his house.

***

"How is she?" asked Gerald. He didn't allow anyone to see Kamila's chest, including the doctor and the nurses.

"She just lacks body fluids. She's very weak. She'll wake up soon. What's wrong? Why is your wife like this?" the doctor asked after examining Kamila.

"You don't need to know my matters!" Gerald didn't like people who were too curious.

The doctor understood. He left Gerald and Kamila alone in the room.

Gerald looked at Kamila. The face he had seen, not his real wife. When Gerald remembered Vira's face, the woman had a face that resembled Kamila. However, Gerald could tell the difference from the looks on their faces. Kamila was more calm and pleasant to look at for a long time, while Vira looked irritable and easily emotional. Gerald couldn't wait for Kamila to wake up, he had so many things to ask her.

Slowly, Kamila began to move her fingers until Gerald knew that Kamila was starting to wake up. Gerald patiently waited until Kamila was fully conscious.
Kamila began to open her eyes. She blinked, adjusting the light entering her eyes. She looked around, she was in a familiar room. Kamila saw Gerald beside her.

"Would you like something to eat or drink?" Gerald was being kind.

"I'll just have a drink." Kamila's voice sounded weak.

Gerald took a glass of water from the table and gave it to Kamila who was trying to sit down. Kamila was so thirsty that the glass of water was gone in no time.

"How are you doing now?" asked Gerald.

"Still not good," Kamila replied. Her body ached all over, especially in her chest. Kamila remembered how cruelly Gerald had painted his name with a knife on her chest. The pain was unimaginable.

Suddenly, Gerald took Kamila in his arms. Kamila was just silent. She didn't know where she was going. Kamila just surrendered to fate.
Kamila was brought to the room. Gerald placed Kamila on his lap. Gerald looked at the face of the person who was a stranger to him now. However, looking at the face of the woman in front of him, Gerald realized his love was so great. He missed this moment.

Kamila didn't know what Gerald wanted. She just accepted all of Gerald's treatment. Gerald stroked Kamila's hair, tucked the hair behind her ear, stroked her shoulder and then Gerald brought his face closer to Kamila. Kissing Kamila's face.