Taming A Billionaire

The third point of view:

"Mom, I'll be taking my leave," Kimberly announced to her mother solemnly. Though she hated to leave her side, she had a lot of things to take care of. Moreover, it was getting suffocating already, she needed some air to think and breathe. 

Angela glanced up at her daughter and smiled wryly, she could see the stress around Kim's eyes, her daughter needed a break; she has been the one taking care of her. 

 "It's alright, you can leave. I'll be fine," 

"Are you sure?" Kim was hesitant to leave although weary, "I can call the caretaker to come over if you like?" 

"No, don't. I'll rather prefer to be alone than have the woman over," Angela didn't want the woman to come. She was a chatterbox and loved making sympathetic gestures and words about her condition which greatly irritated her. It was one thing to pity her but rubbing it all over her face was irritating. 

"If you say so, then," Kim nodded, and was about to leave when she turned and went over to wrap her arms around her mother's now frail body. 

"Please don't leave me, mom," She cried on her shoulder, "At least not now," Angela was everything she had left now; she would be alone or she died. 

The woman had gladly accompanied her to African where Sakuzi banished them to. The thought of it made her angry but then, this was her fault. If she hadn't been stupid, jealous, and bloodthirsty for power, this wouldn't have happened. It pained her the most that her mother was battling this disease all along and she didn't even know - the thought broke her heart. 

"Don't worry," Angela patted her shoulder tenderly, "I'll live long enough to see Tommy grow up," she promised through her teeth. Angela could feel it, death was knocking on her door - it would be a huge miracle if she survived this week. 

Tommy was Kimberly's kid which she had conceived for a man she had fallen in love with back there. However, it seemed that the bad luck streak was activated the moment Sakuzi chased them off because the man had died in a ghastly motor accident. Having lost her husband, she now had a four-year-old son to raise by herself and Kim didn't think she could take it if her mother died too - everybody was leaving her. 

"Of course, you'd love to see Tommy grow into a huge, strong, and good man," Kim said even though she knew deep down that it was an impossible dream, but she just wanted to assure herself - this was too much to bear. 

"Of course," Angela concurred by nodding her head, "Now you should leave," She pulled away, "Take care of my grandson for me," 

"It's okay mom," Kimberly hugged her one final time and left. 

A sigh escaped Angela's lips the moment Kim went through the door. She closed her eyes, reflecting on her current situation.

She hated being a liability to her kid but what could she do, it was not like the sickness would go away just because she wished so - if only she had seen it on time. 

Angela had Pancreatic cancer which is seldom detected at its early stages when it's most curable because it often doesn't display symptoms until after it has spread to other organs. The cancer was incurable since it was found late and has spread to other parts of the body. 

Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, she was undergoing all three cancer treatment options, but then, it was to control cancer not to cure it. Although continuing the operation might do more harm than good but a smaller operation had to be done to relieve her bile duct blockage.

Looking back at her life was quite funny. Angela was a shadow of herself; the smart, brave, beautiful, and strong woman was gone. She scoffed, all her struggles for wealth and power had been for nothing. Not even her money could save her from the hands of death now; everything was vanity upon vanity!

After Valentino had banished Kim from the city, Angela had no choice but to confess the truth to Alfred her husband, and let's just say, his response was not encouraging. It was quite funny, to be honest, if Alfred hadn't gotten in trouble, she wouldn't have gone to Sakuzi in the first place. But then, the man had forgotten all about her sacrifice! In conclusion, she and Alfred separated and the rest was history. 

But it was heartbreaking though, the man she had lived with for almost fifty years hadn't bothered to visit her even for once after hearing of her illness. Maybe, this was her karma for all the horrible things she did to Maya. 

Thinking about Maya brought tears to Angela's eyes, what had she been thinking then maltreating her? She was her daughter for Christ's sake! If only there was a way to turn back the hands of the clock, she would have done it. But then, all that remains was regret. 

Though she doubted Maya would speak to her but coming to the wedding that day had been her way of making peace before she left this world. Angela knew inwardly that she would never have peace in the underworld if she doesn't make peace with that child. She just needed a second chance with her daughter, Lia before she leaves this world. 

Angela couldn't tell how long she was lost in her world of thoughts, but when she came around, she felt bored like never before. Though she was in a VIP room, the environment reeked of loneliness which sent chills deep to her bones. She didn't like the feeling one bit which made her pick up her phone to call Sakuzi. 

Valentino? She chuckled, life was indeed funny. Though he had been the one who banished her daughter, he had been the first person to seek her out and inevitably found out about her sickness-he even helped her try to unite with her daughter. She just couldn't know what kind of person he was? 

She had done nothing but use him crudely and break his heart over and over again, yet he never bore any grudge against her, Why? Why couldn't he hate her as Alfred and Maya did? She just couldn't him at all. 

Angela bit her lips nervously and then called him. She was lonely right now and needed company. One must imagine how happy and relieved she was when the man answered. 

"H-Hello Valentino," She said, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. Angela knew it was wrong of her to call him after everything she has done to him - she was supposed to let him go - but she needed a companion. She wouldn't mind his face being the last thing she would see before she dies. 

"Hello Angela," He answered. 

"I know I don't deserve your attention but can you please come over… " she took a deep breath, " I need someone by my side so much," she told him the truth. 

Angela was not a fool to deceive herself into starting something with him, especially not now she was dying - her chance was over. The man had loved her so much to the point of divorcing his wife just so they could be together, but what had she done? Used him and tossed him away like a bag of dirt. 

The whole world viewed Valentino as a cruel businessman but only people close to him knew the man never joked with his loved ones - a knowledge she had known and abused. 

"Valentino, I just want - huh? " confusion crossed her features when the call disconnected suddenly. 

What happened? Could it be the network? Hence she tried his line once again, but there was no connection which was strange, Valentino would never hang up on her. Or would he? It finally dawned on Angela, she was truly alone. 

After a while of waiting for Valentino with no success, Angela began to contemplate suicide, what was the point of living like this? Living with pancreatic cancer was not easy at all; she was half her normal weight due to the weight loss nor did she have much appetite for food; abdominal pain that radiates to her back; fatigue and a hell load of others. 

Why go through all these pains, why not just end it all? She knew Kimberly would be hurt by her death - if not devastated - but she had to stop being a burden to the poor daughter - The girl had a lot on her plate. 

Having made up her mind, she picked up the knife that her daughter Kim has used to slice the apples earlier. If she slit her wrist, it would be less gruesome since she would bleed to death before help comes. 

It seems that she wouldn't be able to earn the forgiveness she needs from Maya. But she had to do this. Having made up her mind, Angela was about to slit her hands when the door to her room was opened and someone asked, 

"What the hell do you're doing?"