Ashford Series 1: Loveless Vows

Chapter 13

Sabrinna POV

"Ano ba ang pinaglalaban mo?" She said.

Rafael stood firm, her suitcase at her side, her gaze unyielding. I wasn’t about to back down either. I had to stand my ground; after all, I was the wife.

“If Prime truly loved you,” Rafael continued, her tone dripping with disdain, “he would have been with you when you came back to the Philippines. He wasn’t even there for a whole month. He chose to stay away.”

Her words stung, but I wasn’t going to let her see how deeply they affected me.

“Prime’s choices are his own, and his decision to marry me wasn’t taken lightly. If he wanted to be with you, he would have been. His actions show that he made a commitment to me.”

Rafael’s expression was one of thinly veiled contempt. “Is that what you think? That just because he married you, it means he’s completely over me? His absence when you came here speaks volumes. It’s clear where his heart was.”

I stood my ground, feeling the weight of her accusations. “You’re only making this harder than it needs to be. If Prime had wanted to be with you, he would have made that clear long before now. He chose this path with me. It’s not my fault that he wasn’t with you.”

Rafael’s eyes flashed with frustration. “Maybe he’s trying to make things work with you because it’s convenient. But don’t think that means he’s forgotten about me. The truth is, he didn’t want to be there for you when you needed him. And that says a lot.”

I took a deep breath, maintaining my composure. “You’re here now, trying to stir things up, but that doesn’t change the fact that Prime’s decisions are his own. You may want to challenge our marriage, but it doesn’t change the commitment he made. I’m not going to let you undermine that.”

Her gaze was hard as we faced each other, the tension palpable. I knew I had to remain strong and assertive. The last thing I needed was to let her sense any weakness.

Rafael’s smirk widened as she continued, her voice dripping with satisfaction. “You know, Prime wasn’t just missing during that month. When you came back to the Philippines alone, he was with me. He spent that time with me while you were here.”

Her words struck me like a cold shock. I stood there, stunned, trying to process what she had just said. The idea that Prime had been with Rafael during that period was both unexpected and deeply unsettling.

“I don’t know if what you’re saying is true,” I said, struggling to maintain my composure. “But I’m not going to take your word for it without asking Prime directly.”

Rafael’s eyes gleamed with triumph. “You should ask him. You might find out more than you’re prepared for.”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. The revelation left me confused and anxious, but I knew I had to remain calm and address this matter properly. “I will. I need to hear it from him.”

Rafael’s smirk remained as she prepared to leave. “I’m going to stay in the unit next to Prime’s condo,” she said, her tone dripping with a mix of triumph and challenge. “I’m sure he’ll be happy to see me. And who knows? Maybe you’ll get your answers sooner than you think.”

I watched her as she made her way to the door, feeling a surge of unease. “Fine,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I’ll talk to Prime and find out what’s really going on.

Rafael gave me one last, satisfied look before stepping out. The door closed behind her with a soft click, leaving me alone in the condo. My mind was racing. The shock of her revelation still lingered, but I knew I had to stay focused.