CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE

Leah visited the old man lying on his bed. She gazed at the man who had caused her to lose the child she was carrying, her eyes blazing with anger as her rage toward the person who had made her a good daughter-in-law once again surfaced.

She smirked. Let's see if he still remembers me. She thought to herself.

She dressed up and became a nurse to add some thrill to what she was about to do. She silently entered the room. That's why he woke up.

"You know the old man is sleeping here." Even in his old age, he still holds himself in high regard.

"Sorry, sir." She ended up saying sorry to him. He looked at her, wondering what she was doing, as if she would make her pay a huge price if she made a mistake.

Leah immediately turned around. The old man thought she had left; she was just looking at the tall building then.

"Damn it, if you're not going to do anything here, just leave." She heard the old man's voice, annoyed to see her.

She started to cry, noticing that Raymundo was taken aback, fear overtaking him as something strange was happening that he couldn't explain.

She knew he was calling for a nurse to get her out of there. She was still crying then.

"W—Who are you? I'm not afraid of you." Raymundo stated that he needs to calm down his nerves.

Daddy, Daddy, she called out to him. He saw fear and shock on his face, and he started to panic.

Why? Why, Dad? She asked this with a chilling scream, and his face turned pale. 

"C—Carmela." This is what he called her. Leah only smirked at that. She pretended to be Carmela and would change into Leah.

"C—Carmela, please refrain from doing that. We will be meeting soon; it is almost time. Please do not disturb your father currently." He swallowed hard.

D—Daddy, why, why? She couldn't help but ask. 

She got closer, and her foot floated in the air; she heard it gasp.

"C—Carmela." He even said that he was still doing everything to get the nurse's attention. 

"Nurse! Nurse! Help! "Child, I will explain." He couldn't help but say.

Why did you kill me?! What did you do to my child!? What have I done to you!? She described the pitiful state of Carmela after her passing. 

Raymundo's scream echoed inside the room, but no matter how loud he shouted, no one could hear him.

"Nurse!" "Nurse!" he called out again. 

Her two hands were getting closer and closer, reaching for Raymundo's neck; she immediately grabbed his neck with her hand. Leah only smirked, gradually tightening her grip on the neck.

I will kill you little by little. She thought to herself. Raymundo was trying to gently pry her hands off his neck.

"C—Carmela." He mentioned the name of his daughter.

I'm not Carmela. Too bad your child doesn't want to see you, Dad. She whispered to him, and as she saw the disbelief on his face and the fear in his eyes, his expression slowly changed.

Surprise, she whispered it into his ear, and he saw Raymundo's reaction; he fought back because he was already choking the man. 

"L—Leah." This is how she recognized him.

Yeah, it's me, Raymundo, the woman you buried alive. I've returned from the depths of the earth to take you with me. Leah even laughed.

He shook his head, indicating that he wouldn't go with her. 

"H—Help," it whispered, calling out to anyone who might hear.

She kept laughing, losing his breath; maybe he was having a nervous breakdown.

Do you remember what you did to me? What did you do to my family? Well, in death, you're not safe, Raymundo; you're not safe! Leah's rage is uncontrollable.

She heard footsteps approaching. The man in front of her was making his way. The nurse was surprised by his actions.

"Don Raymundo, Don Raymundo." The nurse called out, alarmed by what was happening.

She observed what was happening.

"Help! Help!" The nurse panics at what she sees. Leah is thoroughly entertained by what she is watching now. 

There was a commotion in her room. 

"Help! Don Raymundo is choking himself! He's so strong! We need to loosen his grip around his neck." That's what Leah hears as she leaves, raising her eyebrows, her smile strange, laughing softly until it becomes louder and louder.

She plunged back into darkness as the hospital gradually faded away. Suddenly, Carmela appeared before her.

Carmela just stared at her, no longer crying as she searched for her child. 

"Leah," he called her.

She looked at her; she opened her palm. "Come on, we're going to the light, Leah." Carmela said to her.

"That's where you belong; don't linger in the darkness, and don't let your anger consume you." Carmela's response to her was sad.

"I'm not going to the light; I know the consequence of the desire for revenge even in this world." Leah only replied, and she didn't reach out her hand to Carmela.

"How long will you be like this, Leah?" She inquired, her voice filled with concern.

"Until my anger runs out." She replied tersely. "You've found and seen what you were looking for, Carmela; you can rest now," she simply said to her.

"I will come for you one last time, Leah. If you don't come with me again, you'll be imprisoned here for life." It spoke, then turned into a dazzling light.

Leah knew that within herself, and she could only sigh. She watched her second self, and it suddenly vanished from her sight.

She returned to visit her child and the household staff, who had not received a simple wake. 

If you are seen and dug up, you will also see the light. She thought to herself.

Child, have you seen the light? Have you been there already? Sorry if I can't accompany you there; Mommy has something to do. Just rest there, dear. She thought to herself that the grave without a name was while she was touching the grave of her unborn child.

Someone had placed flowers there, which surprised her. 

Does Sharlene already know about this? She wondered in her mind. 

She returned to the palace she had built in the darkness, gently stroking the imprisoned child. A pair of eyes watched her intently.

She immediately met Manuel's gaze. He didn't speak to her. 

"What should I do to get Ashley out of there?" Manuel suddenly asked her.

The two individuals accompanying him were taken aback; she remained silent, eager to hear their complaints. 

"Ask Felicia about that." She answered tersely.

"You know the answer, Leah." Felicia couldn't help but say.

"You just absorb that curse and reverse it, Manuel." Leah just said it. "Can you do that?" she asked, challenging Manuel.

"Let the child out." He even told him.

She just sighed, slowly letting the child out. 

"Reverse the curse, Manuel." He said.

"Free Ashley, and in exchange, my soul will rot here for eternity." He said. "Ashley, take care of your mommy for me; I will rot in this darkness." It even smiled.

She noticed that it had indeed succeeded. Ashley was no longer affected by Felicia's curse.

They walked into the darkness; she would take the child to its rightful destination.

"Uncle, thank you. I know Mom will come back here." Ashley expressed her gratitude towards Manuel.

The man just smiled at the child. 

"I'm happy to see you again, Ellena." Manuel even said. "The little version of Sharlene Ellena and Carmela." Manuel even smiled.

They were slowly drifting away and walking into the endless darkness.