EPISODE TWO: Pain

Rigella's POV

Roxanne and I were in her car in the parking lot. We'd been here before and it's going to be night but we're still not leaving because I didn't want to tell her what happened and I was still crying.

He's right, I was just his wife in papers. But why was that? Even after seven years, he still didn't change his treatment of me. was he disgusted with me so much that he was already hurting me physically?

It's really my fault. I told his parents that he got me pregnant so we got married immediately even though I was only eighteen and he was only nineteen. And during those times, they were Lara... the woman he loved.

Very painful. It hurts even more that I knew he could never love me and he loved someone else than when he hurt me physically.

"Rigella, we're not leaving here until you tell me what happened." Roxanne said seriously as she stared at me. She called me by my name when she’s serious.

I wiped away my tears and faced her. I would say that she had the truth. She was the only one I could lean on because my older brother didn't care about me and my parents were in the States. She's the only one, Roxanne was the only one there for me.

I sniffed before speaking. 'that... Ivan was also at the restaurant earlier. He pulled me into the comfort room and he hit me... He hurt me physically. He's with Lara and he didn't want me to see his g-girlfriend... ”I confessed while sobbing.

I saw her blink hard and hit  the steering wheel. When she woke up I saw pity in her eyes.

'tell me, was that why your right cheek was red because he slapped you?" She asked emphatically.

I nodded slowly while crying. Roxanne sighed and I saw a tear in her left eye. She hugged me and patted my hair and back.

My sobs got louder because of what she did. Fortunately, I still had one ally. Without Roxanne I wouldn’t know what I would do. Maybe I would rather just end my life.

But Ice, my son. I couldn't lose him. I didn't want him to lose his mother. So no matter how many times I tried to end my life I couldn’t go on because I was thinking about him. I could only imagine that my son was crying because I was gone and it was as if my heart was being torn apart.

Roxanne, Ice and my parents were my strengths. They give me the courage to live and endure all the pain that Ivan caused.

"Shh... stay. Don't cry anymore. He's not worth your precious tears..." Roxanne's voice was soft and calm like before.

After we finished crying I invited Roxanne to come home. She told me that I would stay in the condo first so I couldn't stop. I also didn't want to see Ivan first. I also needed to rest from the pain I felt. It's too much, too much.

I wanted to give up but I couldn't. Even though I loved Ivan, I could afford to leave him whenever I wanted. But I missed my son. I didn't want him to grow up without a whole family because I once experienced that when Mom and I left Dad because of her femininity. Fortunately, they got back together when I was in high school.

I wanted to give Ice a complete family. Even if I caught all the pain, just don’t let him. he was my only child so I loved him very much.

When we arrived at Roxanne's condo I couldn't help but worry about Ice so I called his nanny  with the landline phone here in Roxanne's unit.

His nanny answered just a few more rings.

"Hello?"She answered from the other line.

I sighed before speaking. 'this was Rigella..."

I heard Nanny sigh. "Rigella,  Where were you? It's late. Ice was looking for you. We're worried about you..."

I was so bitten on my lip. "I'm here in Roxanne's condo unit first. I'm not going home now..." I replied.

"Daughter, it's better that you go home. Ivan was already at home and he's very angry because you didn't pick up Ice and he picked up your son..." the concern in her voice was obvious. She knew that Ivan had hurt me and that it might happen again.

"But Nanny, we talked before. I don't want to go home now..." my tears were already welling up.

I heard Nanny gasp in the air before she answered. "Oh he's fine, If that's what you want. But you also go home tomorrow huh? You know Ice, he won't go to school without seeing you..."

I smiled sparingly. "Yes, Nanny. I'll be home early tomorrow. Please tell Ice that I love him very much. Then read him a story before going to sleep." I ordered.

"All right, daughter. I'll take it down first. I'll prepare dinner for your husband and son." She said goodbye.

"All right, Nanny. Bye."

When the call ended, Roxanne called me to help her cook our dinner.

After we cooked we ate immediately. I actually laughed when she said that crying made me hungry earlier. When we finished eating we went to the living room and watched a Romance Movie, just like at the old times.

Some time later we heard a knock on the door. Roxanne stood up because she was the one who presented to open the door. While I'm nervous because maybe that's what it was. It wasn't just a knock because it looked like the door would be broken by the force of the rattle.

I was surprised when Roxanne came back immediately and I could see the nervousness on her face so I frowned at her.

She seemed to understand my expression so she answered immediately. "It's  I-Ivan was the one outside..." she sighed after she said that made my chest throb.

To be continued...