A 1999 model black Mercedes-Benz was waiting for them in the airport parking area. A man in a brown barong opened the car door for them.
Fiona cast a worried glance at Hendrick. His expression was still terrifying. He looked calm, but she sensed that any moment, his anger could erupt.
How had he tracked her down? And who were the others with him, looking like followers or subordinates?
Could they possibly be Hendrick's accomplices?
"Where to, Sir?" the driver in the barong asked.
He called Hendrick "Sir"!
"To Corinthian Garden." Hendrick's voice was heavy, like a military officer giving commands during a coup d'état.
Corinthian Garden? This only deepened Fiona's confusion. Why were they going there?
"W-where are you taking me, Hendrick?" She couldn't help but ask, feeling dizzy with uncertainty.
"Where do you think? You married me. Shouldn't I take you to my home?" he replied sharply.
To Hendrick's home? That meant he lived in Greenhills?
"W-what does all this mean, Hendrick? I don't understand..."
"Am I the one who needs to explain things to you, or do you have a lot of explaining to do?" he countered, his anger palpable.
Fiona couldn't ask another question, seeing the fury written on his face.
"With what you did, Fiona, you've shown me just how little you think of me."
"It's not like that, Hendrick. I have my own ambitions that were thwarted because of your actions. That's why I was angry at you. And—"
"And you married me just for revenge?" Hendrick interrupted angrily.
Fiona felt a lump form in her throat, leaving her speechless.
"You underestimated my ability to find you! You thought you could escape me that easily and never see me again." A corner of his mouth twisted into a mocking smile.
"How did you track me down?" she asked, gathering her courage.
"Nothing is impossible for me, Fiona. Ah, you don't really know me, do you? Because if you did, you wouldn't even attempt to escape from me."
"I had a strong reason for doing that."
"Whatever reason you have, it doesn't justify your deceit and abandonment," he said, his voice full of contempt. "I married you in good faith, Fiona. Offering you what I haven't offered to any other woman. But you betrayed me. And you will pay for this!"
Fiona felt herself pale. Hendrick's threat was frightening. What did he mean by she would pay?
"This is your fault too, Hendrick. If you hadn't caused chaos, if you hadn't taken me away before my wedding to Julian, none of this would have happened. We should be married by now."
"And you're angry with me because you think I can't provide the luxurious life you believe only Julian can offer you?"
Fiona bit her lip and lowered her gaze.
She couldn't meet Hendrick's accusatory and furious eyes.
"I shouldn't have even bothered looking for you, Fiona. Why should I pursue a wife who deceived me and insulted my manhood? A woman as shallow as a diamond and a trip to Paris. But I told myself you're still my wife. And I must teach you a lesson!"
Her heart raced even more. She looked back at Hendrick.
"Now I know I made a mistake marrying you. But damn this feeling! I still want you. That's why I had my men and private detectives track you down. Because I won't allow you to laugh at me or at anyone who knows we're married."
Men? Private detectives? This only added to the puzzle that had been clouding Fiona's mind.
"Hendrick, is there something I don't know?"
"Don't change the subject, Fiona. Later, you'll find out."
"Why don't you just let me go if you really hate me?"
"No woman leaves me like that without consequences. That's why I tracked you down. I want to give you a taste of your own medicine. As I said, you have to face the consequences of what you did!" Hendrick's eyes were sharp as he spoke.
Fiona remained silent for the rest of the ride.
It felt like the longest journey of her life. She knew she had to confront the anger of this man who was now her husband.
As the Mercedes-Benz entered the gates of Corinthian Garden, she recalled Vikki's words during their last conversation.
Could it be that Hendrick was the son of the millionaire Don Rufus Moreno?
---
Fiona was left speechless as the car pulled into the driveway of a stunning mansion.
The house was set in the middle of a vast lawn with exquisite landscaping. Hendrick stepped out first and then helped her out of the car.
"Take my wife's luggage upstairs, Bino," he ordered the man, who Fiona was now certain she recognized.
Bino! She couldn't be mistaken. This was the flamboyant Bino who had introduced her to the exclusive beach at Villa Royale.
Gradually, everything started to make sense. Hendrick and Bino had played her!
"W-whose house is this?" she asked as Hendrick guided her toward the main door of the mansion.
"Whose do you think it is?"
"Your godfather's?" she asked, still probing for answers.
Before Hendrick could respond, two uniformed maids greeted them.
"Sir, where's your father?" the older maid immediately asked Hendrick.
"He's at Manila Hotel. He received an invitation from Malacañang for a business summit called by the President. He instructed that he should be back before dinner."
"Oh, by the way, Fiona, these are the household staff here. This is Aling Maya, the housekeeper, and this is Azon, the cook," Hendrick introduced the two maids.
Fiona smiled at them, though it was difficult to do so given her current situation.
"This is my wife, Fiona," Hendrick announced proudly.
"You made no mistake in your choice, Sir. Your wife is beautiful," Aling Maya remarked. Fiona managed a small smile, even as it became increasingly clear that Hendrick was one of the masters of this house. At that moment, she wanted to confront him.
Why hadn't he told her the truth?
"If you need anything, Ma'am, just call us. There are four of us working here, along with King, the boy, and Pilo, the gardener," Aling Maya said politely.
All Fiona could do was glance, smile, nod, and look at Hendrick.
He led her up to the second floor of the house. "What does all this mean, Hendrick?" she asked as they reached the staircase.
"What do you mean?" His tone was still sharp.
"All of this. You owe me a lot of explanations. Why have you kept so much hidden from me?"
"Don't be impatient. I'll tell you everything you need to know."
Hendrick held her firmly by the arm. Upon reaching the second floor, he opened a door at the end of a long hallway. Inside was a large room. There was a dressing room, a bathroom, and a toilet. The thick carpet was white, and the walls were decorated with designs of birds in a lavender shade. The wide bed had a quilted velvet headboard matching the walls.
Fiona couldn't believe it. This was a room fit for a king.
"Who are you really, Hendrick Moreno?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"You really have a habit of marrying men you barely know, huh?" Hendrick replied sarcastically.
"At first, you accepted the marriage proposal from a man whose only offer was money. Now you've married another man you don't really know."
"Don't twist things around, Hendrick! Who are you really?" she demanded.
"Lower your voice! I'm not used to being shouted at, especially by a woman," he scolded, stepping closer to her.
She took a step back.
"I'm Hendrick Moreno, the son of Don Rufus Moreno."
"The multimillionaire shipping and tobacco magnate?"
"For sure, you'll be pleased to hear... yes, you married a millionaire." There was no bragging in Hendrick's tone, only the intention to reveal his true self to Fiona.
Fiona felt shaken, even though she had suspected something was off for a while.
"Why did you deceive me, Hendrick?" she accused.
"Look who's talking? Who deceived whom?"
"You hid your true identity from me! You disguised yourself. Isn't that a form of cheating?!"
"I said lower your voice. Don't shout at me! I didn't deceive you. Keeping things hidden is not the same as lying."
"It's the same thing. You didn't tell me the truth. You made me believe you were just a taxi driver." Fiona couldn't finish her thought. It felt as if a bomb had exploded in her head. All along, Hendrick had been playing her. And to think she had been trying to resist her attraction to him because she believed Julian was the one who could fulfill her dreams.
So that was why...
She had so many questions about Hendrick before. But why, even after they married, hadn't she learned the truth?
Because she had focused her mind on Julian... and the dreams she wanted to achieve once she married him.
"You want to know why I didn't introduce myself sooner?" Hendrick said as he removed his gray coat. "I didn't want to meet an opportunistic woman. A woman like Lalaine, whom my father adored. He gave her everything, thinking she loved him. But in truth, she only wanted his money."
Hendrick walked into the walk-in closet and returned wearing shorts.
"Do you know what happened to my father? He was kidnapped and nearly died. Ask who orchestrated his kidnapping. It was Lalaine, along with her lover and their gang. My father survived, but not without paying a ten-million peso ransom. The betrayal nearly killed him. He underwent several surgeries in America before he recovered. Now, he's not as lively as before. He can still ride horses, play golf, and jet ski, but he can't walk without a cane and assistance."
Fiona felt her heart sink. Especially when she thought that she had been acting like the Lalaine Hendrick described—choosing Julian for wealth and status.
Her husband believed she was just as shallow as Lalaine. An opportunist.
She needed to clarify that she was different from Lalaine.
"I'm not an opportunist like the Lalaine you mentioned."
Hendrick laughed, filled with scorn.
"Oh? So that's why you almost cursed me out for the wedding with Julian not happening. That's why you asked for a diamond ring as a condition for marrying me."
"Hendrick, you don't understand the reason—"
"You know what? I swore to myself I wouldn't get involved with someone like Lalaine. So when I saw you at the private beach in Villa Royale, I thought I wouldn't introduce myself. Because I wanted to be loved by a woman not because I'm Don Rufus Moreno's son, but as Hendrick, the simple but loving man." He let out a sigh. "But unfortunately, the very type of woman I avoided is the one I fell in love with, and I hate myself for it."
"I'm not an opportunist, believe me—"
"That's why, even if you don't love Julian, you'd still marry him?"
"I did love Julian..." But why couldn't she look Hendrick in the eye when she said that?
"Liar! Every time I kiss you, I can feel that you want it. And you responded, which only means one thing: you want me. But because you think you can gain more from Julian, you chose him, didn't you?"
Fiona was left speechless. Could she still deny it?
"If you think I'm just an opportunist, then why did you even marry me?"
"Damn! Do you know how many times I've asked myself that silly question? I should have hated you because you're just like Lalaine. But I hate to admit that I can't kill the feelings I have for you. I told myself I would still marry you to teach you a lesson."
To teach her a lesson? It felt like a bomb had detonated in front of her at Hendrick's words.