Drip. Drop. Drip. Drop.
Tears streamed down her cheeks endlessly as she looked at the dark screen, a mocking smile plastered on her face as she scolded herself inwardly.
'I should have known! How didn't I notice that?'
'I am the fool! I was the fool! I have always been the stupid one!'
Crack.
Shatter
The phone in her hand cracked and shattered with too much pressure from the hand she was clutching the phone tightly with.
It was like a dream. One she wished desperately wasn't true.
When she started watching the video, at first, she thought that it was a joke and that Xander was playing his games once again. But when she saw the people in the video appearing in front of her, standing like a happy family with only her being in the dark.
Gloria was at a loss and didn't know how to react, to be honest.
She didn't know when Xander had his people tail Simon and her family. She didn't know how he knew about all these secrets she knew nothing of. But all she knew was that just like Iris had said earlier, it was worth it, but the cost was very high.
When she saw how harmonious the five of them looked and listened to how happy they were. How her beloved sister, the one she pampered endlessly with everything she had, was sleeping with Simon for so many years and the whole freaking clan knew. Gloria nearly had another episode. Luckily, Cassy was prepared and helped her before she could suffer another attack.
However, that didn't stop her from continuing to watch. Since she had already started, she wanted to know where it would end. So, she called them, trying to see for herself how shameless they could be and surely, they didn't let her down.
Thinking about how Simon disdained her calling him and how he mocked her in front of Sia and her parents, Gloria felt very hurt.
Her heart was broken, no, in fact, it was shattered by those five. When she talked with her mother, it died.
One thing was for certain when she finished the call. She was the only one in the dark. These five people knew what was happening. They all contributed to selling her and yet they still expected her to work for the clan. Who were they fooling?
"Madam, the samples you want are here!" suddenly Cassy's voice jolted her out of her thoughts.
Gloria turned her head to look at Cassy, who had been very concerned about her health and well-being despite being part of the cause, and forced a smile when she thought about the last instruction she gave after the call.
"Let's have it tested when we go back home!" Gloria tiredly said, a fake smile on her face and didn't even hear her own words when talking about home.
Unknown to her, that answer made the three have mixed emotions and certain seeds started sprouting in them.
After making that command, Gloria closed her eyes, her head throbbing and her heart feeling as if it was being squashed despite being dead in her mind.
When the three saw that, they knew that they couldn't say a single word. Since their job was done, the car was started and began being driven back to the private airstrip where the plane crew were ready and waiting.
Meanwhile, on the road, Cassy sent a message to Xander's secretary and summarized everything that happened in one message.
On the other side, as soon as the secretary got the message, he told Xander straight away.
"Sir, it's done!"
On Xander's frost face, a smile appeared, and his dark eyes seemed to be hiding a calculative move.
"That's good. Prepare for the flight back home. I think that it's time to meet with my future wife, don't you think?" a chuckle escaped his thin lips, as he raised his head to look at the secretary.
The secretary smiled knowingly as he pushed his glasses on the nose bridge, fully aware of his leader's tricks.
"I will have everything ready."
"Um. Also, tell the etiquette teacher to be ready. We have a week remaining before the gala. We can't have the future matriarch go blank, can we?" Xander amusingly said, as he tapped the desk, the smile on his face never leaving.
If Gloria had seen all that, she would have made a fuss. Unfortunately, the cold reality she faced was too exhausting for her. As soon as she got on the plane, she fell into a deep slumber and was tortured by an endless nightmare. It drove her crazy.
As if she was in a night terror, she couldn't force herself awake no matter how much she tried. It was only when Cassy's soft voice rang in her voice, informing her that they had arrived, that her eyes snapped open forcefully.
Her back was drenched in cold sweat, and her body was shivering from the content of the nightmare.
As she was driven back to the clan, she had left earlier that morning. She was silent, praying piously to the deity that what she saw wasn't real but her mind trying to play games on her.
Because if it was true, then wasn't she so unlucky?
Thinking about what she saw, Gloria clasped her hands together and continued with her prayer.
Iris, Ian and Cassy seeing all that, couldn't help but wonder if that scene stimulated their madam to this extent. Anyway, regardless of what was happening, they didn't dare be curious or ask. After all, they could tell that Gloria needed no such comfort but wanted to be alone.
And she remained like that until the following day, when Cassy woke her up, seeming a bit giddy. It made Gloria suspicious of what new games Cassy and her higher-ups were playing this time.
However, as Cassy pushed Gloria to the bathroom for her morning shower. She cheerfully shared the news, or rather, the scheme.
"Madam, the clan leader is back, and he wants to have breakfast with you. So, hurry up and make yourself presentable!"
It was then that Gloria finally realized what was happening and her mind began to form an unlikely scheme. One she had vowed never to think about just a few days ago and yet, on this beautiful morning, she felt compelled to follow through.
If that nightmare ended up being real, this scheme might just save her life and change the dynamics of her unlucky and unfortunate life.
Without giving it a try, how could she easily give up?
So, Gloria was very obedient and didn't make things difficult for Cassy at all.
She wore the clothes Cassy picked, and let the other doll her up for a moment before she was taken out of her bedroom, which she had spent more time in rather than elsewhere.
She was taken downstairs to the familiar dining room. However, there was no one in sight, which made her heave a sigh of relief.
If she was going to see Xander, she needed to be prepared, at least.
"Good morning, madam!" the servants respectfully greeted her, and Gloria smiled back at them as she answered, "A good morning to you as well!"
When it comes to servants, Gloria wasn't the prideful type. Rather than seeing them as servants, she always preferred to treat them as family. Perhaps that's why she was treated like a fool in the Willow Clan.
There was no way Sia and Simon could have an affair under her nose, and no one knew about it. They should have laughed behind her back all this time.
Gloria couldn't help but clench her fists furiously when she thought about it.
'I will make you pay for every single thing you did to me. The humiliation, mocking and everything. Just wait for me! You will pay!'
"Please take a seat. The clan leader will be here in a moment," Cassy respectfully said as she helped Gloria to her seat.
Gloria smiled faintly at Cassy, feeling grateful for her attention despite how she treated the other. "Thank you!"
Cassy gave a shallow smile as she answered to that. "I am just doing my job!" before leaving Gloria on her own and standing against the wall with the others.
Gloria was somewhat used to that, although it made her feel uneasy.
Having people waiting on her didn't seem to be a very good idea. Unfortunately, it wasn't her clan and she couldn't just change how things were running. That wasn't how things work.
So, she could only adapt to the new environment. After all, from what she had seen, this was going to be her new home for a very, very long time.
Ding!
As she was thinking about that, she heard the elevator door opening and she suddenly sat straight, her heart beating in her ears. She was feeling nervous at seeing Xander. He was already a handsome man, way much better than Simon. Though at the time she saw the other, she only had Simon in her eyes.
But now, that needed a bit of twerking.
After all, Xander held her life in his hands.