Chasing my lovely wife.

Chapter 7.

Neli went home to her father's house at noon when they returned to the AA city, she decided to stay there for three days so that she could be with him before they returned to New York. She still has to attend dinner with the owner of the brand she is endorsing in their country and also has interviews in some local magazines to do before she leaves.

Her father's new wife Camille greeted her happily, she said how sad her father was that he couldn't greet her when she arrived because he had to do something in his office. She let them rest first and said they should go out later to have dinner.

When Neli woke up around five in the afternoon, she decided to go downstairs to go to the kitchen to get water but, she suddenly stopped when she heard a voice coming from the kitchen.

"You mean she's Caleb Shawn Valdez's ex-wife?"

"Yes and I heard that the reason she went to New York three years ago was because Caleb divorced her."

"Isn't that Caleb and the famous actress Hazel in a relationship?"

"What I heard is that they got divorce because of Hazel, and if I were Caleb, I would choose Hazel either."

"True! I saw that Neli earlier, she looks different than the magazine."

Neli smiled bitterly when she heard their laughter because that scene was not new to her anymore, the maids in the villa used to laugh at her like that as well for two years and even worse. She couldn't blame them either because when she arrived at the mansion she was only wearing an oversize gray t-shirt and leggings, adding the fact that she hadn't slept much in the past two. Even Mel complains and gets angry with her every time she wears such 'grubby looks', but she doesn't care because she was comfortable that way.

"Of course, it's edited already and has a filter."

She turned and planned to go back to her room, and will just ask Mel later to get her a water. But she had only taken two steps up the stairs when she suddenly heard her stepmother angry voice coming from the kitchen.

"How dare you talk to my daughter like that in her own house!"

Neli immediately went down the stairs again to go into the kitchen, she saw two maids kneeling in front of Camille while begging.

"M-Madam, f-forgive me--."

"I'm sorry Madam, it... it won't happen again."

Neli shook her head, why are there people who enjoyed talking about other people's lives then beg like meek sheep when they were caught. Why don't they always choose to be kind, rather than laughing at other people's misery.

"Of course, it won't happen again. I will prepare your last paycheck and leave the house immediately."

"Please I need this job Madam, I have a daughter to support."

"I need my job for my mother's treatment, Madam please."

"You should have thought about that before saying such words, Neli is my daughter and I am her mother now and I don't want to hear that someone is insulting and rude to my daughter, especially in her own home. Pack your things and leave."

Neli immediately entered the kitchen, their eyes widened in astoundment when they saw that she was there. At that moment she was touched by how Camille protected her, she felt that her concern for her is like a mother genuinely concern to her daughter.

She was fourteen years old when her mother died due to a car accident. A speeding car suddenly ran into their car causing her mother to die because she protected her. Since then she has never experienced a mother's love anymore, but her father did not fail to make her feel that she was not alone and show his immense love for her.

"We're sorry Ma'am Neli." the two maids apologized.

"It's fine." she forced herself to smile at them. "Because everything you guys said was true."

She saw the surprise and sadness in the maid's eyes as if they were guilty, no, they looked scared rather than guilty.

"I'm sorry Ma'am Neli, we only talked about that thing because we saw the news this afternoon about Sir Caleb and Hazel."

Her brow furrowed.

"...What news?"

After she talked to the maids, she immediately opened her phone to check about the said news. She doesn't like to look at the news and is not a fan of social media, but she can't stop herself from finding out if what the two maids told her is true and in the end the two couldn't change Camille's decision and still got fired.

Neli's entire body becomes cold when she saw the photo of Hazel and Caleb went viral while the two were going out of the hospital together in the morning, it is also stated in the caption of the photo that Hazel might be pregnant so they went to the hospital early in the morning together. There was also talk in the comment section that, of course, Caleb is the father of her child.

Tears immediately flowed down from her eyes, she felt a pain in her heart as if something suddenly squeezed it. That was probably the emergency he told her yesterday before he left their location, Hazel needed him so he returned immediately to the city.

Why does he have to tell her that they are not divorced yet, when he has a planned to build a new family? Didn't he think about how she would feel when she found out what happened to him and Hazel?

She hits her chest with her hand to get rid of the pain in her heart while her tears continue to fall.

Is he really planning to play with her feelings?

Neli locked herself in her room the whole night, and didn't even open the door for her father when he came back home. She wanted to be alone, to calm down until all she wanted was to finish all the schedule that she needs to do so she can go back to New York.

The next day, she saw her father in the living room with Camille and her two step-sisters, their faces looked anxious and restless as they sat as if they were waiting for someone. She was about to approach them when someone suddenly hugged her from behind.

"Madam!" she heard Mel say, she turned to her and saw her in tears. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have done that. I should have stayed quiet and left when I met that man, I'm really sorry Madam, let's go back to New York please."

"What's wrong?" she said with a laugh as she pulled her body away a bit without leaving her embrace, she wiped Mel's cheeks that was wet with tears. "What happened to you?"

"Madam Camille told us everything that happened to you and even saw the news yesterday." she said. "I'm so sorry, Madam. I'm sorry."

She smiled while stroking Mel's hair and hugged her to calm her down. She turned to Camille who was just standing quietly, and also saw her father who was now standing beside them.

"Are you alright now, honey?" he asked worriedly and pushed Mel slightly to remove her embrace. "Move Mel, let me hug my princess as well."

She chuckled at her father's joke and immediately accepted her father's hug and felt his soft pat on her back, she also saw her two step-sisters who came running to them to hug her as well and Camille stood by her side while patting her back.

"I'm sorry if I told them about what happened Neli, we were just worried about you." Camille said.

She smiled at her.

"It's fine, thank you for the concern and I'm sorry if I worried you guys."

Neli realized that she is not alone anymore, that she won't be hurt even if Caleb disappears from her life completely, because there are still people who will stay by her side.