Just To Have You

Chapter 3

She dreamt about everything that happened before she turned 19. The memories that she thought she had lost returned to her.

.....

Right at the moment, Anton and Carmen were still in the road, and Anton couldn't help but think about his ex wife. He knew more than anyone else that he should stop thinking about that wrench but he can't stop but wonder.

He remembered leaving the woman a sizeable amount of alimony after their divorce. The amount should be more than enough for her to live the rest of her life in luxury, so why had he found her in such a situation?

This question had been clogging his mind ever since they left the hospital.

"Anton, what’s on your mind?" Carmen asked curiously, to which Anton answered drily, "Nothing serious."

"You’re thinking about Luisa, aren’t you?" Carmen sighed, "Even I couldn’t believe that was the same Luisa we saw up there. Why did she choose to live like this when she has the resources for a better life? Why is she so dense?"

Dense... that was not how Anton pictured that woman. Luisa is so scheming that even him will be more guarded against her. Carmen is just an innocent woman and know nothing about the world.

"Let's stop talking about that woman. Surely it's her problem that she had become stupid. More than anything, our marriage was what's important right now..."

Anton was nonchalantly speaking while looking straight ahead, that's why he didn't saw the wicked gleam in the depths of Carmen's eyes.

Within the deepest part of her mind, Carmen couldn't help but gloat. Luisa might have been the woman chosen by the old man of Salvatore’s family as Anton's first wife but in the end, she'll still the woman he'd chosen.

Luisa Ortega had lose and she, Carmen Reyes is the winner!

........

Meanwhile, in Luisa's hospital room.

Luisa is still has her eyes closed. Her body writhing as if she's in pain. And then all of a sudden Luisa abruptly sat up in her bed, her heart hammering against her ribcage.

She ran a shaky hand through her hair and squeezed her eyes shut. Her lips wobbled as tears pooled behind her eyelids. No matter how much she tried to brush the haunting past away, the pain would always catch up.

Soon, droplets of salty tears fell from her eyes. She struggled to properly breathe, hiccuping for gasps of air.

In the cold, dark, and lonely room, she broke down. She wished it had been just a nightmare and not a memory from the past.

Her heart ached with the painful memories from two and a half years ago. Surrounded by the country's top socialites, she was utterly humiliated and embarrassed. Her heart was torn into pieces, stomped on, and thrown into the ocean like disposable trash.

Luisa still remembered the pain of watching the love of her life choose a woman he's always refer as his best friend. While they're stood lovingly together, she he's so called fiancé and later on wife had stood by his side for twenty-one years, wasting her youth futilely chasing after a man who never spared her a glance.

When he was too fatigued to bother with work, she took a position as Vice President of his company and worked her body to the ground. She expanded the company to its fullest potential.

Luisa did everything she could to support him, and he repaid her by cheating and ripping their marriage certificate.

She had naively fallen in love with Anton Salvatore and dedicated her entire life to him. She was willing to run to the opposite side of the world for him, but he wasn't willing to. She was willing to sacrifice her limbs, health, and womb for him, but he would sacrifice everything for someone else.

Collapsing onto her bed, Luisa stared at the bleak and endless darkness.

She had sworn she would forget the past and move on. To some extent, she did. But nightmares, like the one she just experienced, forced her to become aware of the painful past that would forever haunt her.

Looking at the dark room, she suddenly remembered what happened. She was in an accident.

That's right. She remembered. By strings of fate, she met once more with Anton. And that wretched woman Carmen..

Luisa grit her teeth. And in anger removed all the needles stuck in her hand. Without care of her body she step out of the bed and wobbled to the bathroom.

When she opened the light and saw her face in the reflection, she was shocked to the core she almost cry from anguished.

Why had she become wretched like this?!

Before, she lived a life full of ease. Even without her family's heritage, she would have survived quite well with her own talent and capability. In the game of life, she once stood tall and proud.

But fate struck her down.

Divorced, disowned and left with nothing besides her name. The once proud Eldest daughter of the Ortega was no more. She's just a shadow of her past self..

Due to extreme feelings she's experiencing right now, something snapped within her. And in the deepest part of her dull and lifeless eyes something ignited. A fire, of hatred and vengeance..

She might have nothing now. But she believes with her talent and hardwork she can reclaim her place. She was going to reclaim what she had lost!

Her life would no longer be in fate's hands!

.........

Luisa groaned to herself when she groggily woke up the next morning, her bruises still felt sore. She doesn't have any recollection of how and when she arrived at her house. She just knew that she didn't want to remain at the hospital.

Looking around, she amazed to realized that she didn't even got herself to sleep in her bed. "I need to stop this bad habit of sleeping on random surfaces." She sighed after realizing she had fallen asleep on her small dining table.

Standing up, she stretched her body, feeling the stiffness in her joints residing the more she stretched. Her soreness slowly fading, she can still feel some pains and aches but it was manageable. After brushing her teeth and taking a morning shower, she prepped a light breakfast for herself. She sat on the table counter that faced the living room and window. Swinging her legs, she sipped her morning coffee and read the daily newspaper.

A light knock suddenly startle her from her deep musings. And when she didn't answer immediately, it became harsher and louder. It echoed throughout the hollow, empty room. One knock turned into two, then three, then four, until it became excruciatingly rapid. And then without warning, the door slammed open.

A beautiful woman strutted into the room, her hips naturally swaying side to side. Long, slender legs, seductive eyes, perfect body, it wasn't hard to see she was a world-renowned supermodel.

Dina Choi stopped in front of Luisa's dining table with a scowl. She crossed her arms and glared down at her like a mother scolding her daughter. "I've been knocking for a while now but you didn't open the door! You didn't even answered! What the heck Luisa?! Are three years still not enough! When are you going to snap out of yourself and live your life!!"

"Dina..." Luisa mumbled, rubbing her temples to ease the headache that she knew will come.

It's not that she was annoyed with this woman. To be honest, she's the only friend that stood by Luisa's side when Anton practically blacklisted her since they'd gotten divorced.

Because when Luisa's so called "friends" discovered she had no more power, benefits or the title as the Salvatore’s Madam, everyone abandoned her. After many of the socialites realized Carmen's importance to Anton Salvatore, they immediately flocked to her side.

Luisa wasn't surprised when her friends left her for Carmen. Aside from her status as a Reyes, she's also the woman Anton choose. And two years ago, she was supposed to be the woman that tried to frame Carmen for cheating and the horrible person that tried to force the loving couple apart.

Luisa will not deny the fact that she used to be a horrible woman whose very name was supposed to be a sin. She couldn't change the past, but she knew she could change her future, which was why she worked so hard to become a better person.

"Are you daydreaming again? Did you hear what I just said?" Dina fumed when Luisa didn't respond back to her. "And what the hell are you eating? That's why your skin and bones! Have some meat at least!!!"

Groaning at her incessant yapping, Luisa buried her head into her hands. She refused to get annoyed by her friend, but she knew Dina was just concerned about her. Almost three years and she still can't function properly. "Can't you leave me here to wallow in my sorrow?" Her voice came out muffled.

"A high-class lady such as yourself should stop wallowing in self pity.. It's almost three years Luisa.. Isn't it time for you to stop thinking about that asshole and just move on with your life!"

"A high-class lady without friends, a good reputation, and amazing connections is just a simple woman. And it still doesn't change the fact that I don't have—" Luisa grumbled. Her eyes started getting wet.

Damn it! Doesn't she already vow to herself to change for the better! To reclaim her life! To take her fate in her hands and fight for the things she had lost! So why she's still too weak to voice that out. Why her body still wouldn't work?!

Dina sighed and grew quiet. She took the seat opposite of her friend and gently took her shaking hands. "Did you have the same dream again?" She softly asked.

After a few seconds of silence, Luisa said a meek "Yes."

Dina's expression grew soft. "Just so you know, I didn't like Anton Salvatore in the first place; he was utter trash."

Luisa had a small smile on her face. "You only disliked him at first because he stole your pudding on the first day of Kindergarten, as what you always tell me."

"I have a billion more reasons for hating him. He was such a jerk." Dina retorted. "And for the record, I still hold him accountable for that!" She pouted, crossing her arms like a stubborn child.

Luisa let out a peal of light laughter, the pain in her heart momentarily gone.

"Thank you, Dina... I don't know what I would do without you." Luisa softly whispered. Her voice was quiet and broken, like a lonely child abandoned by the world.

Dina's face became gentle. She reached down and pulled her best friend into a very tight hug. Together, they've experienced so much hardship in this world, there was nothing that could push them apart.

"My dear, I should be saying that, not you." Dina mumbled into Luisa's shoulders.

When Dina was faced with any crisis, the formidable Luisa was always there for her. From taking the blame of punching a boy in Kindergarten to the days of high school where Luisa consistently covered for Dina's mischievous deeds. They had seen each other at their worsts, their bests, and everything in between.

"We're reminiscing too much into the past when we should focus on the present and future. Now come on, eat more." Dina patted Luisa's hand and watched her finally took a mouthful of eggs, bacon and some toast.

"Hurry up and get dressed, so that we can go out. It's time for you to have some change of clothes..." Dina hurried Luisa, and the latter almost choke her milk..

"Clothes. But I have a lot in my wardrobe." Luisa, the pessimist, grumbled to her friend who laughed.

"Really? And what Era your apparels had came from? Just admit it you have zero skills in fashion and you clearly need my help." Dina mused, pushing Luisa into the bathroom.

"But...you know I don’t have any—" Luisa wanted to argue but when she saw her friend's face she just sighed, nod her head and took a shower.

Meanwhile, Dina who was standing in front of the bathroom door smiled a little and almost swoon.

Something had change to Luisa. Her past self almost back. Almost jumping with joy, she called a number. With a whisper, she cried. "Finally, finally, Luisa Ortega is ready to come back!!"

..............