The Bride Under Her Facade

02

Chapter 02

3rd Person's POV

"I think—it's better if we just get a divorce. I can't stand your face anymore, and besides, Vladimir is already afraid of you. I'm sorry, Sonia—but I also don't want my family to get angrier at me and possibly remove the company from me. I need the company for Vladimir," Victor Valencia uttered those words. Sonia's first husband and the person who promised in front of God that they would be together through thick and thin—that he wouldn't leave her nor hurt her.

"W-What? Divorce? Victor! You can't do this to me," Sonia said tearfully.

Sonia hadn't seen her husband's face for years after he locked her in their room and treated her like a prisoner. When they finally met again, this was what Victor said to her.

Victor held a document and ordered her to sign it. Sonia immediately said she didn't want to. She approached Victor and knelt in front of him.

"I'm begging you, Victor. Don't leave me. I need you more than ever now," Sonia said while crying and holding onto the man's pants. Victor quickly stepped back and looked at Sonia coldly.

That look of disgust. Victor asked himself how far Sonia could degrade herself.

"Don't you see yourself now, Sonia?" Victor asked. Sonia knelt there, looking up at Victor.

"You, Victor, why are you like this? Even though my appearance has changed, I'm still your wife, and you promised to love me. Why—why do you have to do this, Victor?" Sonia asked. Tears continued to stream down Sonia's face.

"You promised me, Victor. You promised not to hurt me and not to leave me. Victor, why?" Sonia asked. Victor's demeanor changed slightly, and he avoided eye contact.

"I only liked you because you were beautiful. Whenever I was with you, many men envied me," Victor said. Victor clenched his fist and looked at Sonia.

"But look at yourself now! If I want a divorce now, it's because of you!" Victor shouted. Sonia's body trembled after hearing all of that.

During their years together, how could she have loved the person standing in front of her now?

"Is it my fault? Are you saying this is my fault? I didn't want any of this to happen to me, Victor. Are you saying I should have just stayed in the car and left our son inside! Victor! You know why I ended up like this! I saved our son!" Sonia shouted. Victor clenched his fist. Victor remained silent. Sonia couldn't believe it.

"I'll sign the divorce papers, but you have to give me back our son," Sonia said, trying to stand up. Sonia knew that no matter how much she begged there, Victor's mind wouldn't change. Furthermore, she now knew that their relationship was just a big lie—she wouldn't last there anymore.

"Who told you that you can make decisions? You're not taking my grandson. Sign that, and leave," the elder said. Victor's mother followed, along with Themarie.

Themarie acted shocked when she saw her. She asked if Sonia was okay.

"You b***h. You're even trying to steal Victor. You really can't stop your promiscuity," Sonia said with a dark expression. Victor quickly intervened.

"Stop it with Themarie, Sonia. This is between us—your only task is to sign that. Once you sign that, Sonia, I'll pay you— it'll be enough for you to sustain yourself until you want," Victor said. It was as if Sonia had been slapped after hearing that.

"I'm not your employee, Victor. I'm your wife. I won't sign until I'm sure you'll give me back our son!" Sonia shouted.

The madam got angry. She dragged Sonia out of the mansion, saying Sonia wouldn't bring anything with her. She was the only one leaving, and she was not to come back. She closed the gate behind her. Sonia screamed there and called her son's name.

Eight-year-old Vladimir came out. He looked at her with a puzzled expression, then Victor led him inside with Themarie.

"You animals! Give me back Vlad! Bring me back my son!" Sonia cried while holding onto the gate. The child looked at her.

"Mommy?" Vladimir called. He faced her and was about to approach her when Victor pulled him back and said she wasn't his mommy.

"You beast, Victor! Bring back my son! Vlad!" Sonia shouted. Vladimir burst into tears. The man took him into the mansion.

---

Sonia couldn't understand why her husband and the person she trusted wholeheartedly would do such a thing. Sonia stood in front of the fountain in the middle of the park.

She looked at her face covered with bandages. Tears continued to fall from the woman's eyes.

"You beast, Victor. Bring back my son," Sonia cried and sat on the ground while holding onto the edge of the fountain.

Sonia continued to mourn while sitting on the ground. Not only did her former husband refuse to give her child back, but the Valencias also kicked her out of the mansion with nowhere to go and no place to stay.

She didn't know where she would go now or where to start. Sonia couldn't help but sob out of sheer frustration.

"Are you sick?"

Sonia stopped and turned around. She saw a child about six years old. The other children with the child backed away.

"France! Run! She's a monster!" the other kids shouted. The child ran away, so the boy turned to Sonia. Sonia stood up and stepped back.

The child looked at her and held out his white handkerchief. Sonia didn't take it, afraid the child might run away if she approached.

"Mommy, I've been waiting for you for so long. You're here after all. Let's go home. Daddy and I miss you," the child said. Sonia was shocked. She was about to leave when the child chased her and grabbed the hem of her jacket.

"France! What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you not to leave school without me picking you up?" Sonia turned around. She saw a handsome man approaching, seemingly not noticing her. She remembered he was a famous celebrity and often saw him on billboards.

The man stopped after hearing what the child said. "Daddy, I saw mommy."

Their eyes met. The man immediately took the child and carried him.

"She's not your mommy," the man said and turned away. The child suddenly went wild and screamed "Mommy." He kept hitting his father, who cursed. Sonia thought the child had serious anger management issues. The man let go of him. The child ran towards Sonia and hugged her.

"Mommy, don't leave me again. Promise, I will be a good boy. I will behave. Mommy, please, don't leave me."

In an instant, Sonia became a mother again, and the child recognized her as his mommy.

"Can you come with us now? I'll pay you a large amount. I just need to take my son home," the man said. They were attracting attention, and the man covered her face.

It would be chaotic if reporters came, and more people noticed her. In Sonia's mind, how could she refuse when she saw two pairs of blue eyes now fixated to her.