"I didn't need you there," I said, a little doubtful of my own words.Percival chuckled—bitterly, as if he expected my response but still hoped to be wrong. He kept quiet for a minute before he heaved a sigh."What are you doing?" I asked when he pulled my hand toward him and began to examine my arm."I can't trust your words about not getting hurt. I heard a crash earlier. Did you drop your phone?" He asked, his eyes still busy with my arm. "They even yelled at you.""Stop that." I tried to pull away, but he was determined to check if I had any scratch on me.I sighed in defeat."They just threw words at me, and that's nothing. The crash you heard was because of Minty's mother. She pushed me once. That was it." I did not have the energy to engage in another argument, so I was willing to give him what he wanted."She pushed you? Was it hard?" His eyes immediately went up to mine."A little." I looked away. "But, I'm fine.

"You don't know who I am?" He dramatically held his chest using his free hand as if I had hurt him there. "Wow, I'm really disappointed."He wants to play games huh? I tilted my head then smirked back at him.I gestured for my bodyguard to step in. He immediately stepped forward so, the guy in front of us backed up and raised his hand toward the guard."Whoa! There's no need for that. I'm Percival's brother. I live in this building too, just a couple of  floors below this one." His eyes kept switching from my bodyguard to me.My bodyguard looked at me as if waiting for a signal. Using my head, I gestured for him to step back before I spoke to the guy that claimed he's Percival's brother."Percival never told me about you.""But, I know that he's your lover." He moved his eyebrows playfully.I frowned at him. I can see the resemblance, and I know how secure this place is. I'm sure they won't let some kind of lunatic in. Still, he

"You read the comments, didn't you?" Percival asked, breaking the silence that enveloped us since dinner began.The side of my lips raised as my gaze went up to him. I didn't think it was obvious. Perhaps, I was just not aware."I did," I admitted.I heard him sigh before he spoke, "you seemed to be less curious now. So, I thought you finally had an answer."He was worried, I could see that. But there was no need for him to be. So, I thought I'd let him know that."To be honest, if the situation was a little different or problems weren't coming one after another. Those comments won't affect me at all--they won't make me ponder longer than they have today." Percival continued to eat with a frown. But I knew he was listening."But since that's not the case. It affected more than it should have. I thought about it deeply. But in the end, I still come to realize that they're nothing. Those people don't hold the truth. I do."

What?" I asked, standing up from my seat. Cadmus is already making his move?"Ex-husband," Percival corrected. "Where did you see that?"Percy's brother handed a phone to him. Percival walked around the table to show the phone to me too. The live interview was playing on the screen."Yes, there's an ongoing annulment between Katalina and me," Cadmus said. He kept a straight face as his eyes darted toward the camera.I felt my heart sink. I looked at Cadmus as if he was only talking to me."It was not because of a third party. Our marriage just fell apart. It was simply not working anymore. The years we spent together were proof that we tried, but a day came that our reason for staying was no longer enough.""We tried?" I scoffed.He broke my heart even before we could."So, are you saying that nothing is going on between you and Miss Hernandez? Isn't she, your ex-girlfriend?" the reporter questioned.

Percival did not waste a second. He pulled Cadmus' collar the moment he got near. He did not even hesitate to punch him straight in the face.Cadmus dropped to the floor. However, Percy wasn't done. He kneeled in front of Cadmus and punched him again and again. Until Cadmus fought back. He was able to get Percival off him. Percival's eyes grew dark. His punches became more violent.The two of them continued to fight, only for Percival to pin Cadmus on the wall, almost choking him with his arm pressed on Cadmus' throat.My mind was far from processing what was happening in front of me. I wasn't thinking straight anymore. Tears streamed down my face as I remembered what the nurse had told me. I got so scared of the thought of losing my mother. It made my whole body tremble. My body was heavy, and my knees were weak. I fell to the ground, hands pressing against the cold floor. I stared straight ahead as the f