It comes to a certain point in life when you are too intoxicated with everything. That point when you can't even recognize who or what you are anymore. That point where everything and everyone sucks. That time when you can't even explain when or how things got this far. That point where you are certain that things will never be like before again.

That is where I am right now, I, Tessa Angeline! Damn! It slipped my mind that I now have something I never had - a surname! I'm now Tessa Angeline McCall!

I don't know what anyone in my shoes would choose to do in my situation, but I have chosen to end this toxic relationship between me and this woman who I call mother. She doesn't want me, and I don't need her either. It's not like any of us needed the other from the start anyway. Oh, wait, I know. She needed me to feed out her anger and frustrations on, and to be her breadwinner. But that is over now!

Call me bitchy. Call me stupid. Call me childish. Or an ungrateful witch like she calls me, anything, but I am so done with her. I coped with all her insults, I made peace with all her yelling, scolding and unreasonable beatings all my life. I understood all her shortcomings as a mother, because I knew nobody is perfect. But she never cared from the beginning.

I wasn't looking for perfection in her, no. I just wanted her to treat me like her own child. Like her only child that I am. But for twenty years now, I am far from earning her affection as her daughter. I have failed to be the daughter she probably wanted. Not only doesn't she care about me, but she despises me. I am like a devil to her. Why that is, I don't know and I don't care anymore. I am done!

I'm after nothing now but my own peace, and my peace is being as far away from her as possible. I am closing this chapter with her, and starting another one as Jerol's wife, thanks to my so thoughtful mother.

This thing she did to me just now surpasses every other crazy thing she has ever done, and I can't forgive her for this. I will always remember her with this last act of hers. After these five months, I will start another chapter all alone. At least, I will not need to be a hawker anymore. I will be filthy rich then, and I will have a comfortable and happy life.

"Shall we?" My husband asks, coming from the bathroom, dazzling like a diamond in his expensive three-piece navy blue suit.

If there is something I have noticed for these past two days I have been with him, it is that he is a troubled soul. I'm not a physician, but I have sailed in this boat all my life. I would recognize one right away when I spot it. It's there in his eyes.

He is doing his best at hiding it, but it's evident anyways. If not so, then he must be a temperamental devil. I don't know which is which, but I am a temporary wife after all, I shouldn't overstep the boundaries. I should mind my own business and not meddle in his. I will deal with my problems, and him his demons. As long as we don't crush, I am okay.

"Do you really have to come?" I ask him, just to make sure because I don't see the point of him accompanying me to my mother's house. That place is not for rich tycoons like him.

"I need to. You are my wife, remember? I have to accompany you everywhere, and the vice versa applies too."

"Why such charades? Trying to make someone jealous?" I ask, but I regret opening my mouth because of the outburst I receive as a response.

"Can you stop asking silly questions? We are wasting time unnecessarily. Let's go."

Whoa! What a temper! I said it. Maybe this is why women can't stay by his side, and he has to result in buying himself a fake one.

I grab the envelope on the bed and walk out without saying a word, but he catches up with me just two stairs away downstairs. He wraps his hand around my waist, and I don't dare say a thing.

We walk past the huge sitting room which equals a hall, with servants doing one or two things here and there. I haven't had my time to explore this house, one, because I was on bed rest, but I am glad since I can now walk slowly with ease. In two or three days, I will have my bandages removed, and I will be perfectly okay. The second reason is that I know this is temporary. I don't want to make memories here, or get attached to things around here.

Walking out of the door, he guides me and we walk to the black limousine waiting for us near the gate. He holds the door still for me to get in, and after slamming it shut after making sure I have settled in, he walks to the other side and settles in beside me.

Why the trouble, huh? He should have told to me to make some space for him instead of going through all that unnecessary trouble. All the same, the black tilted mirror separating us from the driver goes up, meaning it is just me and my husband at the back of this comfortable limousine. The rich really have a different lifestyle. Even the air they breathe is different from what people like us breathe.

The drive is silent. We are both lost in our own thoughts, me looking at the envelope I am carrying and thinking of how my mother is going to react, and this husband of mine here staring at nothing but space.

I steal a glance at him through the corner of my eyes.

Aside from his cold demeanor and not-so-bearable temper, he is the epitome of beauty. These cold bottomless orbs, I wonder what they would look like brimming with joy. They sure must be the most beautiful ones. These lips, I would love to see what form they take when they curve up in a smile, something I haven't seen in him. I doubt the word smile even exists in his dictionary.

"We are here, I suppose." He says, snapping me out of my short secret exploration of him. I look at how he opens the door on his side, and I do the same to mine. When did I ever ride in a private car? Tsk!

Stepping out, he walks to my side, locking my hand in his again, and we walk side by side towards the house.

As always, there are always people indoors every single time of the day. Seeing such an expensive car might have demonically called the attention of everyone, because now everybody is out, looking at us in bewilderment like we are aliens. I can see some murmuring to each other, and others their jaws are rolling on the sandy ground, their mouths will probably never be able to close again.

I can understand their shock and dismay, I myself feel like this is a dream, you know. I lost my shop and everything that kept me sane just two days ago. I was left with nothing. I almost lost my life too. But now, I am a totally different person.

Apart from having this rich tycoon as my husband, I have a whole fifty million lying in my bank. I have been checking through my phone almost every one hour since Jerol transferred the cash to my account, just to make sure it's still there. The anxiety it's giving me though, lol! I still can't believe it. Life is surely a total turn of events. Today you are poor, tomorrow you might wake up rich. Don't call it a mockery or an expensive joke. I am a walking testimony.

Don't criticize people because of who they are today.

I knock lightly on what used to be my house, and wait for the owner to open. This isn't my house anymore. This is the last time I am setting my feet in it. This house and everything in it, we are paying ways today. Funny how I don't feel any emotion even after the decision I have made. It's like I never belonged here, presumably because my existence was never valued at all. I will never miss this misery of a home.

I push the door slowly, since no one seems to bother to get it.

I hope she was decent enough not to keep a man in this house up to this hour, because Jerol notified her that we will be coming today. The embarrassment will be too much.

I open the door, and since Jerol does not show any sign of waiting for me outside, we walk in together, to the suffocating scene of my mother chewing a man's lips on the pathetic loose and torn couch. It's even producing some screeching sounds as her butt is grinding the man's thighs. Oh, well, I guess I was too late to make a wish.

Isn't this one of the uses of a bedroom which is just two strands away from where they are fornicating at? Jeez! I mean, gosh!

She stops, after noticing our arrival, and smiles at Jerol as she hovers off the man, straightening her dress. The word shame has never been in her vocabulary ever.

I should bow down with shame because of what greeted Jerol the first time I bring him to my house, but I keep my head high, and a straight face. If there is one thing I am ashamed of, it is being called this immoral woman's daughter, and since I can't change that, I will not beat myself over it. It doesn't matter where one comes from, but what matters is what we become without having to be defined by the people we grew up with or the places we grew up in. This despicable woman here is not going to define who I am or who I will become, and whoever wants to judge me because she can go to hell for all I care.

It's said that you should not judge a book by its cover, and I believe in that saying. Fuck the one that says that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I have nothing in common with this woman. I am nothing like her, and I will never be.

"Hi, son-in-law! I hope you brought good news. Have a seat please." She opens her stinky mouth.

See her hatred? She doesn't care about me. She does not even care to hide it. No greetings, no welcome, no how have you been, no nothing! What a great mother, right?

"Nobody is sitting down!" I burst out, because I can sense Jerol's discomfort, and also because I don't intend to stay here for more than ten minutes. I hate the choking stinking smell of immorality in this room. "I just came down here to give you your hard-earned share of the deal, and ask you just one thing." She moves her gaze to me, and I look her in the eyes. I have never confronted her before.

Never have I ever questioned her. Never did I dare talk back at her neither raise my voice at her. Despite all the wrongs she did to me, I was always a respectful child. Honor thy mother and father, right, they say? I followed that to the letter, but it all ends now, because life has taught me that respect is earned, and if you can not respect yourself, then no one ever will respect you. This woman here has never even tried to earn that respect. How can she, if she doesn't even respect herself?

"I hope you were not greedy enough to take out even a single cent from it, Angeline. I hope you brought the full amount that we agreed upon." She fires.

"First tell me, mother. What do you deserve? What do you think you deserve for being a parent, a mother to be precise, huh? An award?"

"Watch your tongue, young lady! Just because your husband is here with you does not give you the right to disrespect me. I am still your mother!"

Mother my foot! If only she knows the meaning of being just a parent not to talk of a mother!

"And that gave you the right to trade me off to a stranger like I am garbage, huh, mother? Selling me off like trash? You could have asked me to leave your house if you did not want me here anymore. Not like you ever wanted me anyway. But this, mother? Who gave you that right? What gave you the audacity to do this despicable act? Tell me? Is it money? Wasn't I the one who has been feeding you ever since..."

"Shut your trump, you who're!" She hollers, cutting me off. Whore? She must be referring to herself, not me. Her face is burning with anger. Truth hurts, huh? That is just great to know because I intend to pour all that she has made me feel throughout the years. Nothing will be left unsaid. We are lying it all here. She points a finger to my face. If it was before now, I would be cowering, trembling with fear, but not today. Today my guards are all on. "What am I to you, little witch? A child that you can scold however you want? Better shut up before I do it for you. You are right, I don't want you. I never did. Now hand me my money and get out of my sight."

"Is that why you tried so hard to starve me to death when I was just a baby, until I had to learn the means of survival when I was barely four years? Is that what mothers do? And you ask me what you are? You want to know what you really are? You are everything they say you are, Gracia! Every single name they call you outside, you are exactly that, even worse than that. Thank God I respect myself, else I would have called you all those names right now. And you know what, there is something else very important that nobody has dared to tell you, but I will do the honors. I want you to hear it directly from your own daughter's mouth, because I believe I am the right person to tell you this. You don't deserve the title of a mother, Gracia! You are a disgrace to both parenthood and motherhood."

I close my eyes, waiting for the well-launched slap to land on my cheek, but her hand must have been hooked somewhere in the air by some kind of magic, because her palm has not come into contact with my cheek. I open my eyes, to see Jerol holding my mother's hand. Oh, wow! Husband defending the wife? Saviour of the oppressed? I don't know which one to call him.

"You don't get to hurt my wife in my presence! It's unacceptable!"

Whoa!

His voice is calm, but cold and commanding. It holds such authority that nobody would want to dare defy or question, well, except this woman.

"Then tell your wife to show some respect to her mother! Don't tell me you like how she is talking to me? Or worse, do you believe what she is saying?" She finishes fuming, and Jerol lets go of her hand, his eyes on her. He might be thinking this is a live soap opera, little does he know, this has been my life.

"What I believe doesn't matter. As she said, I am a total stranger to both of you. Maybe you can clarify if there is any truth in what she is saying."

"I have nothing to clarify. This girl is a snake, a dog that bites the hand that feeds her. Don't say I didn't warn you. You better be strict with her if you don't want her disrespecting you like this." She never lacks something to bark about. Is making me look so bad her hobby?

"Until you can confidently prove that all she is saying are nothing but lies, don't waste your time telling me how to handle my wife."

"It's your call." She murmurs.

"You and I know that you don't deserve even a single cent from me, because you have done absolutely nothing for me aside from bringing me to this world. For that reason alone, I have tried to be as much generous as possible. Here," I hand her the envelope which she grabs roughly, "five hundred thousand, as compensation for giving birth to me and torturing me all my life."

"I knew it." She laughs sarcastically, then she turns cold at once. "Your greediness couldn't let you give me a considerable amount. You are such an ungrateful bitch! And you," she turns to Jerol who sneaked his hand around my waist without my knowledge until now. "Didn't you make a promise to me that I will get the full amount? What is this? What happened to your promise? All you wanted was for the deal to go through, huh? You fooled me!"

"Don't blame this on my husband. He made sure to give me your full amount, but it's only me who knows your worth. Thank God I didn't bring that envelope with nothing inside but your pathetic ID, because that is what you deserved - absolutely nothing!"

She rolls her eyes, looking at the scumbag sitting comfortably on the sofa. If she thought she will automatically become rich by trading my life, she better think and think again. I can be fucking bitchy if I am pushed to the wall, which is exactly what this woman did.

"What exactly do you expect me to do with this change?"

The nerve of this arrogant unappreciative brat of a woman! Forgive me if I go overboard with words to this woman today. Did she say, change? She opens her mouth and regard a whopping five hundred thousand as mare change! May thunder fire her mouth! May she break her tongue if she ever repeats that! IMAO! Has selling her body earned her that much all her entire life?

"I don't care whether it does something or nothing for you. Make a life with it or waste it in alcohol as you have always done. Better still, buy yourself a sex toy of a presentable man and stop disgracing yourself being fucked up by penniless ugly street dogs like the one behind you! All the same, whatever you choose to do with that change is none of my freaking business. It does not matter to me anymore. What I want is for us to part ways. I am giving you what you have always wanted - to get rid of me. You never wanted me, you still don't want me. Then I don't need you, Gracia Motero. There is no need for me to stick around anymore and force myself on you. There is no need for us to continue hurting each other anymore. This is where things end between us. I don't ever want to see you in my life again. Thank you, for nothing, and goodbye forever!"

I look at her, and for the first time in my entire life, I think I saw her eyes soften, but I can not fall for that deceit. She knows I have money now. She might try to deceive me with a few fake crocodile tears.

Before that happens, I pull my husband, and we walk out, his hand holding me by the waist.

I don't know what he makes out of all this insanity, but someday, if I will get a chance, I will explain. "But he is your temporal husband, Angeline! Why do you need to explain anything?" My mind screams at me, and I mentally smirk at myself.

We pass by the people again.

They haven't returned back into their houses, and I know some even eavesdropped on us, but I don't care.

I rummage through them as we pass by. For those that treated me like a street dog, I don't look at them twice. For the ones that helped me once or twice or countless times, I can still manage to spare them a smile despite my heavy heart for what happened back inside.

I said I don't care, that is why I haven't shed even a single drop of tear despite all that. And this lamp stuck in my throat, I will keep pushing it until it goes down my syndrome without spending even a drop of tear.

We get back to the car, and the car turns around, speeding off, leaving this place and all its memories behind.

Goodbye to the old, and hi to the new!

Walking in through the entrance of The Great Westview mall feels like walking through the gate of heaven. Deep inside I feel so cheap walking on the sparkling tiles, and clinging to this rich god beside me isn't lessening the feeling. I don't remember the year I lastly walked into a mini supermarket, and I have never set my feet in a mall, not to talk of a classic one like this one.

I hold on tight to the arm of Jerol, and we make our way in, to shop for the event of the day after tomorrow.

I am yet to know what kind of an event it will be, because Jerol said he would tell me all about it tomorrow and what I have to do. Considering his temper or anger or whatever his reaction can be called, I opted not to insist. I respected his decision, just like he respected mine when he asked what the deal between me and my mother is, or rather, was, and I told him I didn't want to talk about that subject, and he understood. He didn't push it. If we are going to understand and respect each other like this, then the five months will pass smoothly, and we will part ways in peace at the end of it. I would love that.

Going through the clothes section inside the mall, the admirable dresses Jerol is suggesting are everything that beauty defines. All of them are extremely beautiful, but there is one thing heartbreaking about them. It's even said that the most gorgeous people are the best and most heartless heartbreakers in the world. In this case, it's the prices. Jeez! What are we buying, some piece of the plot? Goodness! He is showing all that he thinks will go well with the theme of his event, I suppose, and I love them all, but because of the figures, I keep shaking my head at every one of them that he shows to me. The prizes are even giving migraine for crying out loud!

"We are going around in circles. What's wrong with the dresses?" Jerol asks, frustration and boredom in his voice.

"Have you checked the prices? This is daylight robbery, Jerol! It's too..." he covers my mouth with his hand, preventing me from uttering another word that will diminish his lifestyle.

He pulls me to him, whispering in my ear.

"Look around us." I do as he asks, while he drops his hand from my mouth.

Well, I made a good job at embarrassing him with that outburst about prices, because now everybody is looking at us. Some are even mocking me with sarcastic smiles.

I feel bad, not for me, because I can't pay all these notes just for a single dress, but for this man with me. He perfectly fits well in this class of the rich and famous, but not me. I don't belong here. Don't ask me what he is famous for, because I am yet to know. But given the way, people look at us as we pass by, and the kind of people I have seen him shake hands with, not to mention the kind of thousand calls he makes in a day, he is most definitely a something guru. Call me nosy or a busybody, but that one I have to find out. I need to at least know who I am married to, of all the things.

"I'm sorry for embarrassing you like this. I don't think this place is for me." I say to Jerol, looking away, shame washing my face.

Out of the blue, and without a clue, I feel his arms wrapping around my shoulder, pulling me for a hug.

Huh? Why?

Before I can be turned into ice by the warmth of his sweet cologne scent, my sixth sense kicks in - the charade is on for five months. Damn me!

"A wife should be wrapping her loving arms around her husband too right now." He reminds me in a whisper behind my ear, and before I can meltdown because of his hot breath that's tickling my bare skin, I move my hands under his armpits and wrap them around him.

I can win the award for the best winning actress because I am even closing my eyes, and my hands are moving slowly in a soothing motion on his fine back. I must show my worth of all the millions I am being paid for this job, right? That means this charade has to look as real as it can ever be.

I didn't know it was that easy to fake feelings though! I mean, it's always this simple?

We pull away, dropping my arms fully from his masculine body, but his remain on my shoulders.

I can feel the redness on my cheeks as he stares deep into my eyes, and my adrenaline rush due to his touch.

"What now?" He asks, but I am so not ready to waste a dime on this dress, so, I shake my head. "Come." Wrapping his hand around my waist, he pulls me to an area that looks like a fitting area.

We walk through them, him knocking on each door to know if there are people inside, until we come to an empty one. He guides me inside the clean and huge room, making me a seat on the black leather seat, while he stands in front of me.

He runs his hands from his chin up to his hair. He must be really pissed off with me. Maybe he is regretting choosing me as his fake wife. I can't blame him, because I too am regretting agreeing to this madness. He and I are from two different worlds that have nothing in common. How can we make this work?

"Maybe we should go somewhere else?" I state, breaking the silence and his cold stare before he slaps the hell outta me. He looks like he has mentally slapped me like ten times, and I don't want to wait for him to go physical. I am beginning to get afraid now.

"I want to understand you. So, the problem with those dresses we have seen is just the price?" He asks, shoving his both hands in his pocket, and standing straight. His height is every man's dream. I nod my head. "But I am the one who is paying, not you. So what's the deal?" He fumes.

"It doesn't matter who is paying, Jerol. The prices are madly exaggerated. One hundred nonsense for a single dress? I'm sure we can get the same dresses somewhere else at a thousand per cent lower price." I rant, my cool evaporating from me.

Okay! I don't know what's so funny with my suggestion that got the icy Jerol to smile.

I like his beautiful icy smile, no, I love it!

So this is how he looks while smiling, huh? Damn! He looks damn steamy hot but still with a cold aura. Ooh dear, I better stop thinking about this smile because it's messing with my mind.

Why is he smiling again?

It's enough that he brought me to this damn place of the high and mighty where I don't fit at all. It's also enough that I made a total fool out of myself back there when I complained about the prices. I have suffered enough embarrassment as it is. He doesn't have to add more to it by laughing at my suggestion, which is good by the way, well, according to me only, because his smile says I am uttering nothing but pure shit. I am just being honest and realistic here, for fucks sake! "What's so funny?" I ask with an irritated voice.

"The fact that I don't know how we are going to cope like this for five months."

I knew it! He is tired already, and I understand. We are just so different. We have nothing in common. We are the opposite poles that can't attract each other.

If it ends here, at least I got to live with a rich beautiful god for five days.

Shit! Why... is that pain I am feeling inside my heart? No.. I think I am paranoid!

I push the lump that is forming in my throat, and force words out of my mouth, looking down.

"I am not fit for this, Jerol. There is still time for you to find someone who will match your standards." I utter albeit with a heavy heart.

"It's too late for that." He says, kneeling on one knee in front of me, resting his hands on my thighs. His touch on my bare skin is giving me a feeling that I can't explain. What do I know about men and feelings anyway? Nothing! I presume this is how it feels when any man touches you. "We can easily settle this. I will ask you two questions, and you will reply with a yes or no. Nothing more, okay?" I nod my head in agreement. "Do you like the dresses?"

Well, of course, I do. I mean, who wouldn't? They are freaking awesome. I am confident everybody would look great in them. But..

"Angel?"

"Angel?" I repeat after him. Nobody ever called me Angel, and I didn't expect that from him. Angel? What am I? A teenager?

"Angeline is too long for me. And Tessa? Tessa, Tessa! Not bad, but I prefer Angel, for some reasons that I will not say. But for the formalities, I will use Tessa McCall. So, Tessa McCall, do you love the dresses?"

"Yes."

"And the only problem is the prices, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay. Wait here." He stands up, making his way to the door.

"Wait." I call. He turns around, while I stand up. "Where are you going?"

"To do something about the price tags." With the smile replaced by his cold looks again, he slams the door behind him. I can feel his heavy steps on the floor as he makes his way to the section of the dresses.

That means it's the same dresses he is going to get? No way!

I hurry to the door. I have to stop him because there is no way we are spending that much on clothes.

I try twisting the lock, but, my bad! The jerk locked it from the outside.

Wow! Brilliant, Jerol!

How dare he lock me in here? Is he a psycho or something? So, we will be arguing in the bedroom and then he looks at me in the bathroom? Oh, my goodness! I knock on the door, but no one comes to my rescue. If he is a psycho, I better remain sane and not join him in his insanity. I defeatedly walk back to the seat, making myself as comfortable as I can.

Comfortable on my foot! That... what should I call him? He is an insane moron!

After about ten minutes, the door opens, and he stands outside, calms like a cucumber and not like someone who just acted so insane a while ago. How many dresses did he just choose? And wait, I thought you only get the shopping bags after paying for whatever you are buying. It seems like things here work vice versa - just like the rich is vice versa for the poor.

"Let's go." He says, still holding the door ajar.

Go?

"Am I not fitting the dresses?"

"You'll do it in the house." His response is a no freaking cold one, as if daring you to challenge him, which I do.

"In the house? What if..."

"Tessa?" Whoa! That made even the people passing by to shiver, and they pass a distance from him. "I said, let's go. Please?" Mister paranoia is about to go hysterical.

Thank God, his anger can't allow him to look at me, because I don't want to imagine the look in his eyes. He is better off as a wolf or a vampire than a human. His reactions are close to what I read about how those creatures behave when they are enraged. Damn you, Jerol!

I raise my hands in surrender, and I walk out, him following suit, and of course, his arms going to my waist, annoying the hell out of me.

Welcome to the world of Jerol, the weirdo psycho! Cold hysterical moron! Dominant jerk!