Kali wiped her face hard, using her palm and the back of her hand until every tear was gone. She needed to get her head right if she wanted to be standing at the end of the day. She waited in her car until she got her composure. Kali got down when she felt relatively ready and rang the bell on the gate.

"Richard. It's me." She spoke into the microphone, keeping herself in view of the cameras.

The gate unlocked, and she walked in. She couldn't bring herself to go in and didn't answer the phone when Richard called. She remained on the lawn, looking at the mansion and waiting for him to come out. There was nothing that would make her enter that house again. If not for her dignity, then out of courtesy.

If she entered his home, her anger would lead her to behave irrationally. There were too many things she could grab and destroy. Out here, all she had was herself.

"Kali." Richard smiled when he came out to meet her. "I am surprised to see you here."

"I am surprised to be here."

He was happy to see her, and she was ready to pour everything at his feet, but there was one thing she wanted to clear up before she did. She steeled herself when he touched her shoulder. And she didn't flounder when he kissed her cheeks.

"I am happy to see you."

"I don't know why. I have been so rude and unfair. Well, not unfair because you deserved my anger."

"You are right. I wasn't honest with you. You have no idea how much I missed you. Come in."

"No. No."

"I thought you came here to talk."

"Yes, but I want to talk out here first. There is something I want to get out of my chest."

"Sure. What is it."

She shrugged his hand off her shoulder and hugged herself. "I slept with him. Samuel. He and I...we started a relationship of some sort. I trust him, and he makes me feel safe."

"Why are you telling me this."

"Because I don't know anymore. You, him, and the thing with Ysabel. I am tired. I have tried to start anew, and I am still stuck."

"You love me still, right? That's why this is bothering you so much." He touched her cheek, his fingers almost featherlike as they moved over her skin. "Your anger has faded. Hasn't it?"

"I don't know. I am confused."

"Then take my hand. I promised you I'd help with Ysabel. You don't have to worry. I'll always be here to protect you."

"How?"

"We'll figure something out. I promise you."

She swallowed her outrage, closing her eyes from the frustration. "And Samuel? Do you hate me for..."

"No. Of course not. We'll figure everything out."

"He and I are...together...you understand that?"

"I do. But your marriage isn't real. It's Ysabel's construct. She was doing it to get back at me, and you went along to spite me."

"How does she get back at you?"

"To make you hate me. But it didn't work. Now we are together, and I'll be here for you. Samuel is also in love with his other girlfriend. Once this whole thing is over, you'll see your feelings for him are not real. Not like what we had. What we have."

"So you want us to be together, still?"

"It's all I have wanted. To be with you and keep you safe. I've missed you."

He tried to kiss her, and she turned her head. "I meant it when I said I am not sure." She looked him in the eye as she set her final trap. "What if I am not ready for things with him to end?"

"It will. We've been apart too long. Since your anger is clearing, you'll see how much you still love me."

"And there is nothing more you are keeping from me?"

She held back her revulsion when he drew her to him, lifting her face up by her chin. "Nothing. You know me as much as I know you."

"And Samuel."

"What about him? Put him out of your head. Right now is all about you and me."

"He is your son." She whispered when his lips were nearly on hers.

He looked at her, realising what she said. Kali didn't waste a second to peel his hands off her and shove him hard. He staggered back while she marched forward and him again.

"Bastard." She screamed hysterically, pounding on his chest. "You are such a bastard."

"When did you find out? Did he tell you?"

"No. Your lover did?"

"Ysabel? Why?"

"She found out about my relationship with Samuel." Kali struggled to get her wrists free, but he held fast. "She wanted to destroy it by linking it with you. You cruel, lying, despicable bastard. She wanted me to see you each time I was with him. That's why she freaking said it."

"And so what was all this? Were you trying to set a trap for me?"

"Not a trap. A test. One to see if you are as pathetic as I have come to understand that you are. You knew Samuel was your son. You knew, not only before I married him, but long before that. You kept quiet. You watched me marry him and then came a month later to offer that we'd be lovers."

"I was trying to help you." He shouted, and she threw his hold off.

"You are a shameful coward. You stayed away when you had a month before the wedding and only showed your shameless face after the honeymoon. Do you know why? Because you were scared. You knew how Samuel was. You were trusting in his character. I am sure you knew there would be nothing between us during that honeymoon. But somehow, you got worried. Maybe you realised that if the marriage dragged on for too long, he might not remain as faithful to his girlfriend as you hoped. You were afraid you'd lose to your son."

"I knew you loved me. That's the only reason I offered that we didn't let your fake marriage keep us apart. It had nothing to do with him."

"Oh, please. It had everything to do with him. You had the audacity to show up and want to maintain a relationship with me without telling me the truth. You didn't even care that the man I was married to was your son."

"Because I don't consider him mine. He doesn't consider himself my son. The only time I ever heard him call me dad was the day he came to threaten me to stay away from you."

"Threaten you."

The news came as a shock to her. Kali had no idea that Samuel had done such a thing. It must have been after she told him Richard kept pestering her with his presence.

"But you didn't stay away."

"I love you, and I was trying to help you. It's why I kept telling you we should get back together. I knew you'd be embarrassed if you went further, and look, I was right."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. I knew you wouldn't look at him while we were still together. I wanted to protect you, but your anger blinded you. Now you come here to test me. You are the one that rejected me all those times, and you can't put your shame on me."

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

"Let's say I didn't know he was your son. I came to offer you a relationship after telling you I also feel something strong for him, and you were ready to accept it."

"I wasn't thinking." He defended poorly. "I was just happy to have you back. I didn't think you were being petty and trying to salve your wounds by coming here to blame me for your problems."

Kali laughed. "The biggest favour Samuel ever received was being raised by Timothy. Left to the two of you, I am not sure he would have understood the concept of morals."

"Morals?" He seethed. He grabbed her arm roughly and jerked her to him. "Does he have any?"

"Millions. He has millions."

"And where were they when he slept with you? He knew, too. He knew who you were, didn't he? He knew our history and still rolled in the sheets with you."

Kali tried to get free, holding back fresh tears. "Let go."

"No! Do you want to praise your little husband? Praise him. Praise the man who deceived you for months, stringing you along and using you as a second pathetic replacement for the woman he really wanted to be with."

"Let go!"

"No. You know it's true. You'd always be a replacement for Flora. And even worse, anytime he looks at you, he'd know I was also in your life." She tugged harder, and he grabbed her left arm, not caring that she was drumming on his chest. "Every kiss he gives you, he'd wonder if I was better."

"No."

"Every time he spends time with you or takes you somewhere, he'd wonder if I knew you better, understood you better."

"Apparently not." She screamed.

"I will always be there now that you know. You'd always remember that you were mine first. Be ashamed then, since you hate me that much. Be as indignant as your self-loathing will allow you. It won't change the truth."

"Let me go."

"You love me, even if you deny it. Maybe that's why you were so attracted to him. Have you thought about that? Despite your indignation, you saw a lot of me in him."

Kali shrieked when he grabbed her by the neck, yanking her roughly until she was plastered against him. She pinched her lips shut, growling and struggling to get away.

As soon as she was able to push him off, she winded her hand back and slapped him hard across the face.

"I have never compared the both of you! And I never will. I will tell you something I see clearly. Samuel is a better person than you. Yes. He lied to me and kept his biggest secret. Yes, he didn't have the courage to tell me things to my face. But when I confronted him, he begged. He apologised, admitted his fault and begged for forgiveness. You? All I have heard from you are excuses."

She suddenly felt out of breath. There was not enough air for her around, and breathing became difficult. She sucked in a rough and long breath, with a hand against her stomach so she could feel the rhythm of her heartbeat.

"Kali?"

"Don't touch." She swatted his hand away.

"Neither you," she inhaled deeply, still trying to push through her final thoughts. "Nor that woman will separate me from Samuel."

"You will only disappoint yourself with these delusions you have of him."

"How would you know, Jim." Kali scoffed when surprise, instead of confusion, crossed his face.

Weeks of wondering were over. From his response, she clearly knew it was he behind all the gifts she received from her unknown lover. He had been trying to sabotage her relationship and cause a drift to keep her and Samuel apart.

"I knew the gifts were either from you or one of Ysabel's dirty tricks to make me look bad."

"It's not what you think. It was a way to help you."

"Spare me!" She was hyperventilating, and finding her footing was growing difficult. "It didn't work. You know why? Samuel knows me. He believes me, and I believe in him, in us. Send as many gifts as you want, and insinuate all the love stories you want. Nothing will separate us."

When she turned to stumble away, she lost her footing and landed on her knees. She groaned, sluggishly trying to get herself to her feet when Richard hunched by her side to help her up.

"Don't touch me." She pulled away, nearly falling back, but quickly finding her footing.

"Let me help you. What's happening?"

"None of your business. What I need to do is get as far from you as I can. You are poison."

"You can't drive like this. Let me take you wherever you want to go."

"I would rather die than let you near me again." She shoved him back. "Stay away."

She managed to make it to her car, but she didn't bother starting it. Her trembling fingers wouldn't let her. She contemplated staying in the car, but it was too stifling. She checked to make sure Richard hadn't followed her out before she opened the door and collapsed against her car seat.

It took forever to catch her breath, but as soon as she was able to speak again. She called Ember.