Beloved Woman Beyond The Billionaire

She stood in the doorway. Her arms crossed over her chest. Glancing toward me in disappointment.

Even so, she remained a mother who was willing to take me to live with her even though she didn't love me.

The reason she treated me like this was because I always refused to help her take down Eliana in secret.

I refused to cooperate with my mother to frame Eliana, to drive Eliana out of Johan's house.

In return, she let me live being tortured by Eliana, to see how long I could endure without yielding to her desires.

"Get up! Go home!" Grandma grabbed a handful of my hair. "Dirty plates are piling up everywhere!" I struggled hard to hold her hand back.

Pain.

Aching.

"You're just like your mother. Shameless. A bastard mistress's child."

My mother didn't react, even after she was insulted right along with me.

She remained indifferent.

She didn't care.

Never minding the insults as long as she lived in wealth.

As usual, it was impossible for her to defend me. Never.

She only watched as I wiped away my tears with trembling hands.

"Oh my god, what is going on here?!" A nurse burst in. "Take your hands off our patient!"

Eliana's grandmother didn't care.

"If you defend her, I won't pay a single penny of the hospital bill!" she threatened the nurse.

I glanced to the side, looking back toward the nightstand. My eyes weakened, then widened. I was done being weak. The one who just stayed silent while being oppressed.

I didn't want it anymore.

I smiled. A smile filled with pride.

Proud because I could finally be free.

Free...

And it wasn't a dream.

That ATM card was real.

The 2 million were right there.

My initial salary, they called it.

If I didn't die and managed to survive, I'd get paid again, wouldn't I?

I was free from Eliana, who could always catch me whenever I tried to run away.

Because if I worked for Amon Nicholas Sergio, Eliana certainly wouldn't be able to touch me.

I could definitely escape from that hell.

No longer needing to have my heart break when Mother pretended to care about Eliana.

"W-what?" Eliana's grandmother startled, her eyes widening as she saw my smile. "How dare you mock me now?!" Grandma screeched. "How can you smile like a fool?" She stepped back a few paces.

Her hand let go of my hair. Staring at me as if I were insane.

"Hawisa..." my mother's voice sounded soft, yet full of mockery. "Don't rebel anymore!" she said, still standing by the door.

I still kept wondering to this very day.

Was she really my biological mother?

"Ever since Eliana married Nolan, why has your attitude changed?"

I never changed, Mom.

It was just that you never looked my way. Refused to feel the pain of being me simply because I refused to do evil alongside you.

"Teach this daughter of yours some manners, you useless woman!" Grandma snorted.

Then Eliana appeared.

Stepping into the room.

The epitome of graceful perfection.

Rich, beautiful, cherished.

Her only flaw was that her mother was already gone.

I remembered, she didn't even cry when her mother passed away.

With affection piled so high for her, losing one person didn't matter all that much to her.

Her father, her grandmother, Nolan, the guys at school, her classmates, all her relatives.

Give just one person to me, Eliana.

Just one person who cares about me. Just one.

You have everything, at least don't hate me just because your father married my mother and you needed a maid you could boss around.

"I-I'm going to leave the house," I said.

"What?" Eliana's voice sounded surprised.

"I... won't live in your house anymore," I lifted my head.

End your suffering, Wisa.

Now go.

Eliana's eyes, which had been glaring, suddenly shifted into a look of contempt.

Her arms folded over her chest.

Her chin lifted up.

She stood right in front of me.

Our gazes locked.

"You think you can get away from me?" she said. Her voice was quiet, yet full of disdain.

My smile grew wider. "

I can," I answered, defying her.

Slap!

My head involuntarily tilted sideways as a hard blow struck my face.

Eliana's grandmother was the one who hit me.

"Ungrateful brat," she sneered.

"I..." My voice was soft, choked back. I raised my head. Enough is enough, Wisa. "I don't want to take your money anymore. Not a single cent!" My voice rose, my eyes turning red. "I told you I was leaving, why did you slap me instead?" My sobs broke loose.

Slap!

I was slapped again.

Yet I felt a sense of satisfaction for managing to scream right in front of them.

Extremely satisfying.

This time the one who slapped me was Johan, Eliana's father.

I had no idea when he had entered this hospital room of mine.

Silence.

Hush.

Not a sound could be heard.

Only ragged breaths.

The breath of fury.

Mother, look!

Your daughter is being slapped, right in front of your eyes.

Yet why do you always stay silent?

My tears kept falling even though no sound of crying escaped me.

Mother, for the very last time.

Before I leave that house.

Before we part ways.

Please, defend this daughter of yours, Mother!

"Wisa, that's enough! Stop fighting back, pack your things, let's go home."

Mother's voice.

That was my mother's voice.

Why? Why won't she defend me?

Am I her daughter or not?

"I'm the one who pays for your school, your clothes, your food!" Johan snapped. "You're just a burden left behind by that dead father of yours. Pay... pay off your debt if you want to leave!"

"I'll pay it," I cut in fast. My voice grew louder... harder. "I'll pay for everything... everything... quickly calculate how much my total debt is? Count my labor working at your house too... count it all," I screamed.

My eyes glared at Johan.

My jaw tightened.

My tears kept flowing until even Johan's face wasn't very clear anymore.

"How arrogant!" Grandma grabbed my hair again. I pushed her away. Hard.

She almost fell if Eliana hadn't caught her right away.

I stood up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Johan gripped my arm. I shook it off quickly.

"Wisa," Mother stood straight. Her arms hung stiffly at her sides. She looked at me with pure disappointment.

I'm far more disappointed in you, Mother.

I am your daughter.

I am your child.

Born from your womb.

Yet you just let me get ganged up on by this family of yours?

I walked toward the nightstand, picking up the black ATM card.

My chest heaved up and down.

My teeth gritted visibly.

"I'll pay," I tossed the ATM card at Johan. The card struck Johan's chest before finally dropping to the floor.

"2 Million!" I screamed. "Every single plate I washed, every floor I mopped, every insult-remember those too!" I wiped my tears away quickly with my palm, but the tears still poured heavily.

"We're even." My voice dropped low.

"Even!" Then loud... piercing. "Even... even... even... Eveeeen!" I screamed at the top of my lungs until my throat hurt. All the veins in my neck bulged out.

I collapsed down onto the floor.

Crying hysterically with my head bowed.

"What do you mean, Wisa? Stop talking nonsense-"

"Oh," That voice...

Slowly, my head turned toward the door.

Amon was there.

My boss.

Mother's eyes widened to their limits.

Eliana's body instantly froze, tensing up.

I didn't have the strength to stand up and welcome you, Amon.

Too weak.

Please don't make me work just yet, Sir.

"My employee has woken up, huh?"

The sound of Amon's shoes tapping against the floor.

Echoing in the silence.

"Who are you?" Johan's voice rang out.

"Dad, don't get close," Eliana's voice trembled.

"Don't get close, Dad..."

"Ughh,"

My eyes widened.

My crying instantly stopped.

Johan's body flew into the air.

"Make way!"

A man behind Amon punched Johan in the stomach and drove the sole of his boot straight into Johan's chest, sending Johan flying backward, vomiting blood.

Eliana's grandmother was startled. Her body trembled, clutching Eliana's arm.

Eliana instinctively lowered her head.

Mother stared closely at Amon, then shifted her gaze toward me a second later.

I lowered my head.

My legs trembled.

I wanted to stand, but I was already too terrified.

"Why is my employee treated like a dog? Is the money I gave her still not enough?" he asked the middle-aged man beside him.

He didn't wait for an answer. His eyes remained locked on me, as if I completely belonged to him.

"Miss Hawisa, you are such a mess!"