"Choose Clark. Choose so that I'll not be having a headache anymore in arguing with you about that woman."
"Choosing her or wealth is just like you are choosing her or me," my mom added which makes me gulp in dilemma.
Choosing between the two is so hard.
I held my head with both hands and brushed my hair out of frustration. I had a problem and it is the condition of Angela then now, this? It added to my stress.
My eyes were teary as I looked at my mom. I didn't want to do this but I know she will understand whatever I am going to answer in the long run.
I breathed deeply and released the air in my lungs slowly just to make me calm. I remembered Bel said that if you are calm, you can think straight.
"Once you choose that woman over me, never step on my property. I am completely disowning you in case you choose her. But when you choose wealth, you will not talk to her anymore and you'll marry Natasha. I'll send you back to States to run our business there together with your wife-to-be and your dad so you can no longer see that prostitute," she added.
I stared blankly in the air. Remembering what happened to Angela makes me feel more worried about her. If she faced these kinds of unfortunate things, she filed resignation, got gang-rape at the hands of the devil, endure the pain, and chose to take a risk just to save our relationship, if I am going to choose wealth, as if I am going to tell Angela that all the sacrifices she had made are useless. And she may be going to break down completely. And if that happens, it will break my heart big time.
Tears started to roll onto my cheeks. The thoughts running inside my head make me more emotional. I had decided but it was hard for me to speak my thoughts to my mother. Even though she's strict, she's still my mother.
I wiped away my tears and glanced at my mom. She was wearing her signature autocratic face but I knew inside there, her heart was soft. At the end of the day, I'm still her son. One and only son. One and only child.
I took a step forward and hugged my mother. She hugged me back and even rubbed my back just to make me calm.
"You chose a great decision, sweetie," she uttered, which made me break into tears. Seeing her acting this way makes me vulnerable. I am going to miss being called sweetie by her.
"I-I'm sorry mum," I whispered in a sad voice.
She automatically let go of our hug and looked at me in disbelief. In a matter of seconds, her eyes welled up tears. She was looking at me and pain drew on her eyes. Even though she was showing me her strong face, her eyes cannot lie.
I shut my eyes. I couldn’t stand to see it.
"Is that what you want?" she asked, which makes me look back at her.
I cried instead of answering her. There was a single tear rolled down her left eye and she quickly wiped it away.
I cried even more. She never cried in front of me. This was the first time. I crushed my mom's heart. I made her cry. How dare I did that?
She turned her back to me.
"Leave," she uttered with pain and anger before she went upstairs. She didn't waste any single of her time taking a glance with me again.
I wiped away my tears as I walked to approach my room. I pack all my things.
I was about to leave my room but stopped after I saw a picture frame. I held it and looked at it just to see my picture after I graduated from college. I was happily smiling together with my mom and dad. Seeing this picture made me have a hard time leaving this house.
I took the picture and put it inside my bag. I left my room and went straight to my mom's room. When I am at her front door, I knock three times.
"Mom..." I called. After a minute passed, she didn't answer back. I lowered my gaze and wiped my tears again.
"Mom, I'm sorry..." I talked to her behind the closed door.
"I'm sorry to fail you..." I added and sobbed.
"I hope you understand. I'm sorry if my heart is finally beating with someone else."
"Even if you are a strict mother to me, I can't deny the fact that you are a good mom and you are doing all those things just to put me on the right path. I love you, mom," I bid my final goodbye before walking away to her room.
I walked downstairs with a heavy heart.
I saw the maids looking in my direction. Maybe they knew what was happening right now. Our confrontation earlier was a big mess.
When I finally got out of my mom's property, I took a taxi to send me back to the hospital.
I glanced back into our house.
"I'm going to miss you, mom."
****
"Clark!" Bel called. She quickly stood up and approached my direction. She was still here in the waiting area.
"How's Angela?" I asked. But instead of answering me, she lingered her gaze on the small bag and baggage I am currently holding. She averted her gaze back to me. She looked at me with worried eyes.
"What happened?" she asked.
I sighed and glanced in another direction. Reminiscing what happened between mom and me makes me even sadder.
"Just..." I cut my words in the air and a sad smile crept on my lips.
"I got kicked out..." I uttered and chuckled just to ease the sadness enveloping my heart but Bel didn't smile or laugh. She got more worried and tapped my shoulder.
"Clark. You didn't need to—"
"I want to. I want it, Bel. I want it," I stopped her.
She looked at my eyes intently then, later on, she heaved a sigh. Now, she got a hint of what is currently happening to me.
"How's Angela?" I asked again just to leave the previous topic.
"She's out of danger now but...she doesn't talk. She's just staring blankly in the air. I talked to her many times but it seems she can't recognize me. The doctor said it is possible she got traumatized due to what happened," Bel uttered with sadness.
I shut my eyes after hearing it. I wanted to be the one who killed those bastards. I wanted to kill them with my own hands because of what they did to Angela but her boss already died.
I puffed out of breath and gulped.
"Can I go inside?" I asked and pointed to the door of Angela's room. Bel nodded at me with a sad smile on her face.
I entered Angela's room and closed the door. I saw she was lying on the hospital bed while her eyes were open.
"Angela..." I called when I was finally in front of her. I sat on the chair near her bed and held her right hand.
"Angela, I chose you..."
"I chose you because I love you..."
"I love you so much. I love you..." I broke into tears as I repeatedly uttered those words. She didn't bother to look in my direction. She was still staring blankly in the air.
Choosing her above my mother is the biggest decision I ever made so far in my life. This ain't a joke. It was a serious matter. I hurt someone's heart. I hurt my mother.
I held her right hand and placed it on my cheek.
I cried even more in her hand. Crying just to let out the frustration and pain I felt inside my chest.
"A-Angela...." I whispered and shut my eyes in pain.