Elijah's POV
I never thought my mom had left such a video. She looks pale, sickly, and thin in this video. If my calculation was right, she recorded this two weeks before she died.
I feel like she's looking right into my soul. "Son, I know you hate us for pressuring you to marry the only girl we want to be our daughter-in-law. I know you hate me and your dad because of that. But I hope, one day, you'll see the truth yourself."
Her sad smile says it all. "We always love you. Don't forget that. Claudine might be the head of the Riego family and control everything that you should be handling, but I know… you'll understand someday. If not?" She paused again.
She held her palm together. "Please… I hope you will. Open your eyes, son. Don't be stubborn, okay? You will continue to live a wealthy life if you follow your wife's words. Be happy, son," she says.
There's a true meaning to the words she says. "Be truly happy. I wished you all the best. I hope you'll see what we saw. We love you. Your mommy loves you the most," she continues.
Her smile was brighter and full of love. "Claudine, my lovely daughter-in-law, I'm leaving the rest to you. I love you too. Both of you. Goodbye, my lovely children…" she says.
Mom waves her hands, and after ten seconds, the video ended. I close my eyes and massage the middle of my forehead. I heard a cough. I saw one of the lawyers handing me a folder.
I opened it. I saw my mom's last will and testament. I read them slowly. She really handed everything to Claudine. I have no choice but to stay in this mansion and follow her order.
I don't know what will happen next, but I am not losing everything. It's not because of my greed, but… these businesses and everything the Riego family had was a legacy of Sartoni and the Riegos. I want to continue what they started.
"As you can see, Mr. Riego, all the decisions about your family's wealth as well as your well-being will be controlled by Mrs. Riego. You can't divorce her or else you'll lose your chance of inheritance or allowances that your wife might give to you," one of them explains.
I look at Claudine. Her eyes were lifeless and cold. It's like a void that you can't see anything.
"Your cards, money, and everything you own will also be managed by her. If you ever abuse and try to hurt Mrs. Riego, you and your mistress will be in jail right away. The two of you will only be the suspects just in case your wife will be abused or die," the other one added.
Claudine isn't a meek and timid woman. She was the opposite! She's cunning and scary. Maybe she's right. I turned her into a monster that I can't even handle.
"The chairmanship position for the Sartoni and Riego businesses will remain with you, Mr. Riego. Your wife will track the financial and managing aspect of your family's businesses," the third one says.
I just listen to them. I have no choice. My cousin already warned me. I can't leave, and if I tried to work in other companies, Claudine would make sure that I wouldn't be hired. She plans everything before she comes home.
The next day, I went to Samantha's condo unit but saw a huge notice on the door. I dialed my cousin's number, and she answered.
"What is the meaning of this?!" I roared. She sighed and explained.
"Well, that condo unit was technically a property of the Riego family. Thus, your mistress isn't allowed to use or leave any properties that your family owns. I don't make the rules, cousin," she replied.
Jin-ah drops my call, but when I dial her number again, she keeps on cancelling my call! Damn it! I turned around when I heard footsteps.
It's Samantha. She smiled when she saw me. She embraced and kissed me torridly. "I knew it. You can't take a day not to see me," she says.
I sighed and looked at her door. She notices my reaction, and her eyes dilate. She tried to use her key card, but it's not working.
"My wife did this. I'm sure the car that I gave to you is being retrieved as well. Her men must have been guarding this place," I remarked.
"What?! This is ridiculous, babe! Do something!" she roars.
I turned around when I heard the elevator open. My wife and four men were walking toward us. "Take the car key from her," she says.
I glared at her men when they tried to touch her. "Then take it and give it to me! Gosh!" she says, rolling her eyes.
She grabs the key card in Samantha's hand and stands in front of the door. I heard the clicking sound, and the door opened.
"The two of you, come inside. Throw away that mistress's belongings outside. The other two will stay and make sure none of them will be able to get inside."
She turned around and glared at us. "If they insisted, then use your guns or tasers," she added. The other two get inside.
"Elijah!" Samantha roars. I dragged her into a corner.
"I will try to do something, but she's got all the good cards. My hands are tied, Samantha," I remarked. Her eyes were furious as if she wanted to get inside and kill Claudine.
"Then kill her! I don't fucking care how! She can't do this to us, Elijah!" she exclaimed in a controlled tone.
I was just thinking of it, and she really did say it! "Do something! If you have to poison her or hire a killer, I don't care how you will do it. I want her dead!" she added, roaring in a low tone. She was afraid that my wife's men would hear her.
"Samantha! How can you say that as if killing someone was like killing an ant?" I ask. She grabs my palm.
"Then how about us, huh? Can't you see it?! She's the thorn that we need to burn! Do it!" she exclaimed. She was about to leave when I grabbed her arms.
"Give me the car keys. I'm sure the car was already towed. I know that Claudine isn't lying. It's better to listen to her," I stated.
"Are you serious?! That is mine!" Samantha roars. I sighed, showing my palm to her.
She throws the key in my face. I touched my cheeks and saw blood on them. "Damn it!" she says, leaving me here even if she saw the blood on my face because she throws the car key that strongly.
"She was really mad," I whispered.
What should I do?! I need to do something! "You bitch! Come out!" Samantha roars.
She was getting closer to the door when her luggage bag and clothes were thrown out of the door. "What the fuck!" Samantha exclaimed in horror.