The Wicked Mrs. Gastrell (English version)

There were loud murmurings in the air. Everybody is asking who I am, that it’s the first time they see me in town. I can’t blame them if they don’t know me. After all, I was never in this level before nor did Cholo wanted me to introduce into his world.

I was always the unwanted one, the untouchable chick because whoever touches me will turn into a laughingstock in their elite circle.

I have always been waiting for the time when he will have the courage to introduce me to his family not as a charity case that he needs to cling to in order to warm up to my kind but as a wife who will be his partner for life.

But I guess now that I am on his level, everything will change. He can proudly parade me into every nook of his class without feeling embarrassed that only a lowly uneducated employee like me has become his wife.

“Karina…” he murmured while blinking countless times.

It was as if he needed to do that several times so that I wouldn’t disappear from his sight, as if in an instant I would disappear like a bubble in front of him.

A drop of tear fell as I ran towards him. I hugged him tightly while sobbing.

“Yes I am, Cholo. I’m alive, Cholo. I’m alive. Your wife is alive.”

But the warmth of welcome I was waiting for all my life did not happen. He didn’t even respond to my embrace. He just stood there like a log. I was stunned and removed my arms around him. I looked at him in pain.

“Why? Why are you like that? Aren’t you happy to see me? A-Aren’t you happy to know that I’m alive? That I came back safe and alive?”

I heard the whispers growing louder around me but I didn’t react. I have far more important stuff to deal with right in front of me and that is to know why my own husband is not happy to see his wife come back to him.

“Karina, it’s not what you think,” he said after recovering from the shock.

“It’s… I am shocked to see you. I thought you’re dead. It’s what the police reports are saying. I saw your lifeless body so how can you…”

“I’m alive, Cholo. I’m here in front of you. Touch me for you to believe me. I’m real, Cholo. And I’m back for you. I’m back, husband.”

He stared at me then let out a breath. He placed the glass of wine on a table, then with a darkened face, took my hand and pulled me away. Vishen and Celeste were about to follow us but I shook my head so they could do nothing but stay in place.

He led me to a garden decorated with fancy lights hanging from various trees and flowers around. Cholo let go of my hand then turned around and violently blew out air. I took the time to study his physical appearance. He’s not lanky anymore.

He has morphed into a tall, big muscled gentleman who looks every inch a dangerously handsome man, the kind that pierces you with daggers while making your heart beat faster like a broken record.

When he looks back at me, the smile on my face is already prepared for him but it fades when I see how dark his eyes are.

He looked at me from head to toe before he spoke.

“Karina, why did you come here?”

His words left me speechless. Really? Is this really what he’s going to say? We didn’t see each other for many years and then he will ask me the same question Ymir threw at me?

“What kind of question is that? Of course I came to you because I’m alive. I came back for you.”

“I don’t believe you. What are you planning this time around? Whatever it is, drop it and go back to the place where you came from. You shouldn’t have come back here.”

I smiled bitterly.

“Are you hearing yourself? Are you hearing what you’re saying now? Are you seriously asking me to leave my hometown and leave you? How cruel can you get, Cholo? I just came back and you’ll treat me like this? Don’t you think it’s a bit too much?”

“Too much?” he relented. “You faked your death just to avoid your scandal here! That’s what you call too much.”

My tongue twitches in distress.

“What did you say? I fake what?” I muttered.

He gritted his teeth and put his hands inside his pocket.

“On that night you disappeared, I saw the CCTV. I saw you running away that night. Days after, a police report was sent to me stating that a woman’s body was recovered on a creek. Her face is unrecognizable but her clothes and all the other items in her belongings are all yours. But she wasn’t you when we ran some tests so what can I assume at that time, Karina?”

I wiped the tears from my face as everything slowly sank in on me.

“Is that what they told you? That I orchestrated my own death?”

I stifled an outburst of emotion because of the overwhelming memory of that night.

If only he knew.

“An Asturia’s word is worthier than yours, Karina.”

“And you believe them?” I asked in disbelief. “They have a long history of deceiving people and you still believe in them?”

He grabbed the glass of wine I was still holding and drank it straight down. His forehead was furrowed and anger was reflected in his pursed lips. His gray eyes are flaming in anger and another emotion I can’t read while he is inspecting me as if I’m a microbe he’s studying under a high-graded microscope.

Is that longing? Or pure hatred?

“I saw it with my own two eyes. No one can deceive me, Karina. Not even you.”

I looked down to calm myself. I knew our meeting would lead to this. Even though I dreamed that he would welcome me peacefully, I still didn’t lose sight of the likely possibility that he would be hostile to me after I was forced to leave without being able to explain everything to him.

I expected an unwelcome arrival but I never expected Cholo to be this rude and cruel.

“I never fooled you, Cholo. Yes, I admit that I’ve made excuses and alibis but I just did them because of my social status. You know how condescending your family can be!”

“There you go again. You are using that card again against me and my family. My family didn’t do anything to you, Karina. Leave them out of your mess!”

And it was beginning to get blown out of proportion. I need to calm myself down so the fight won’t escalate.

“Stop please… Cholo, I didn’t mean to come here to pick a fight.”

I looked at him with all my heart then held his hand.

“I came here as your doting wife. I came here for reconciliation with a little bit of hope that we could start off where we left off. Can we go back to that night, Cholo? Can you love me again?”

“Can you hear yourself Karina? I never knew you could look like the most expensive woman in a moment and speak like a true-bloodied delusional being the next second after.”

He gave me a scornful look from head to toe.

“I see that you have come a long way. You have garbed yourself with designer clothes but you forgot to cleanse your pathetic soul. I won’t fall for your trap again, Karina. Leave this place or I’ll drag you out of Cerro Roca by myself.”

His face was full of hatred as he uttered those words. His eyes are hurling out knives towards my direction which left me in a state of confusion.

Did I miss something? How can Cholo be this furious?

Why do I seem to be at fault here? I am the victim!

“You can’t do that. I’m your wife and you are my husband!” I just said for the lack of words.

“Stop calling me your husband. We were never married. Get your filthy face away from here, Karina. I don’t want to see you ever again.”

He turned to go back to the gathering but I quickly grabbed his hand to stop him.

“You got a reputation with women for being nice and gentle to them. I’m taking that back.”

He sharply yanked away my hand and gave me a sharp look.

“No one cares about what Karina Versoza thinks. Go home, woman.”

I stood my ground and raised my hand towards him. His eyes stared at the ring he gave me years ago.

“Correction. I’m no longer just Karina Versoza. I’m now Karina Versoza Gastrell. I’m Mrs. Gastrell. I’m your wife, Cholo. You have an obligation to me.”

For a moment, he wasn’t able to say a word. He just gazed longingly at the ring he first gave me together with his promise.

“Our marriage was not registered. It was void to begin with.”

I shook my head and smiled.

“It is legal and binding. You can check it,” I challenged him. “You are legally married to me, Cholo.”

He fell silent. He remained silent for a few minutes and was only looking at the cheap ring on my finger. As if on cue, a loud sound of a broken glass filled the uncomfortable silence.

We both turned to see where the sound was coming from.

There, on a brightly lit corner stood a woman in her majestic silver gown covering her mouth with her dainty hand while crying.

“Ely…” Cholo muttered, fear is evident in his voice.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

I turned to my husband who was looking with concern full at the woman who is now biting her lip and looking at both of us. Her eyes went to me and then to the ring in my finger. The woman turned and ran into the hall.

“Ely!” Cholo shouted and was about to chase the woman but I quickly stopped him.

“Stay, Cholo. Stay here with me,” I begged him.

He shot me a fierce look causing me to let go of his hand and back away in fear.

“Stop ruining our lives, Karina. I might not spare you this time especially if you plan on laying a hand on my woman,” he warned then took big steps to go after the woman.

My world was shaken by his words.

Why? The Cholo I know is not capable of loving. What did that effin’ woman do for him to feel the very thing I wanted to get from him from the very start?

I held my wet face and looked at the tears in my hands. It was like I was stabbed repeatedly in the chest with what I heard from him earlier. I don’t want to admit it but I was very affected. I expect it will be a bit difficult for me to get back with him. What I didn’t expect is the undoubtedly towering presence of the woman in Cholo’s life.

A smile of victory gradually appeared on my lips as I wiped my face.

“You’re just making everything easier for me, Elizabeth,” I said softly while looking at the bright hall inside.

“Ms. Karina! Are you okay?”

I ignored Celeste and Vishen who hurriedly came to assistance. The assistant immediately came to me and wiped my wet face with a tissue.

“Celeste, do you know why I’m crying?”

She looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “You are hurt, Ms. Karina. You waited for this moment but your husband just mistreated you. He’s acting like you’re not his wife.”

I chuckled to dismiss it but then I think that she’s right. Cholo is everything but happy to see me alive and kicking and very much back in his life.

“You’re right, Celeste. And I hate every jiffy of it.”

That night ended with me writhing in anger while repeatedly swearing to myself that I would get my husband back.

I’m just getting started, Cholo. You will always be mine. In the end, you will end up and come back to me, too.