Forbidden: Seductive Lullaby

MAGDALENA had fallen many times in her life, but this was her worst fall yet. As she stared blankly at her husband’s coffin, a sudden yank on her hair dragged her across the red carpet. Guests, housemaids, friends, and coworkers of her husband screamed as his mother violently pulled her out of the mansion. “GET OUT, YOU WH*R*! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO MOURN MY SON!” Magdalena sobbed, trying to kneel despite the pain in her scalp and body from the attack. “P-Please let me grieve, please! I love your son—” A harsh slap silenced her plea. It was more than painful. Something that didn’t only hurt her physically but hurt her pride and soul. She was never acknowledged by her mother-in-law, and it was not enough. She was also hated. “HOW SHAMELESS! LOVE? YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO LOVE! YOU’RE A WH*R*! ALL YOU KNOW IS HOW TO SPREAD YOUR LEGS AND SELL YOURSELF FOR MONEY!” Lena shook her head, crying uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face as she looked up at her mother-in-law. She didn’t care who could see. She didn’t care what others would say. The only thing she wanted now was to grieve her husband’s death. “N-No...” she barely whispered between sobs. Her chest ached with unbearable weight. Her husband was gone. Danilo was gone. Who would protect her now? Who would love her now? The only man who had truly loved her was now buried in silence. What was she supposed to do? “YOU LURED MY SON INTO MARRYING YOU! YOU SEDUCTRESS! YOU WH*R*! IF HE HADN’T MARRIED YOU, HE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE!” Lena bowed her head, sobbing continuously. Will there be a time she’d be heard? Even the world was deaf to her pleas and struggles. Danilo Mendoza was a well-respected businessman. She met him five years ago, and after a night together, she became pregnant. He was sweet, caring, gentle, and loving. That’s why she eventually fell for him, something she never expected. And now he had left her, just like her family once did. “GET OUT!” The madam shouted with rage. Lena’s eyes widened. “M-Ma’am...” She was slapped again, harder than before. “GET OUT! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE IN MY SON’S HOUSE.” Lena shook her head. “M-Ma’am, I can’t leave—” “YOU CAN’T LEAVE?” The woman became more aggressive. “WHY NOT, MAGDALENA? BECAUSE OF MY SON’S MONEY? DO YOU THINK YOU’LL GET A SHARE OF HIS WEALTH?” Lena kept shaking her head. “N-No... No, ma’am...” The woman gritted her teeth. “You’re worried about your child? Don’t worry. That b*st*rd will leave with you!” Lena’s eyes widened. “M-Ma’am, she’s Danilo’s child—” “SHUT UP! THAT CHILD ISN’T MY SON’S! YOU TRAPPED HIM! GET OUT! GET OUT, BOTH OF YOU!” Lena screamed when she saw her daughter being pulled roughly by Danilo’s younger sibling. The family patriarch stood silently on the side, also glaring at her. “MAMA!” the child screamed as she was pushed into Lena’s arms. Lena could only cry as she embraced her daughter, just five years old, and already experiencing cruelty at the hands of her own father’s family. “GET OUT! YOU’RE A CURSE!” It was more painful to hear because her daughter was listening. “M-Ma’am!” Lena continued to beg through her tears, but they were shoved out the door. Lena nearly stumbled down the porch steps, too weak to stand properly.She held her daughter’s hand and knocked desperately on the mansion’s large door. She could hear voices inside, but no one listened to her pleas. “MA’AM!” No one answered.Lena slumped in front of the door, clutching her chest in anguish as she wept uncontrollably. Her daughter stood beside her, crying as well. “Mama...” Lena sniffled and looked at her child, gently cupping her cheek. “A-Are you hurt, sweetie?” The girl nodded, showing her reddened arm. “M-Mama, I don’t want to stay here. Mama, let’s go... they’re angry at us...” Lena bowed her head, quietly sobbing. Her trembling hands held her daughter tightly. If only Danilo was still here...She stood up and forced herself to turn away from the mansion, taking her child by the hand and walking away. “Lena...” A gentle voice called. Lena turned toward the voice. Hurrying toward her was the 52-year-old nanny who had taken care of her daughter and Danilo as a child, according to her husband. “Aunt Beth...” Lena immediately hugged the older woman. The woman returned the hug and rubbed her back. “Dear God... I’m so sorry I couldn’t do anything.” Lena shook her head and looked at her. “Please, take care of Dan’s belongings. Let me know when and where he’ll be buried.” The woman shook her head. “Child, you should be the one handling that. You’re his wife. You have the right.” Lena closed her eyes and shook her head. “I-I don’t know what to do anymore...” “I’ll try to find out the Mendoza family’s plans. I won’t leave yet, even if I want to. I’ll help you. I’ll help you get back the rights they stole from you,” Aunt Beth said. Lena nodded, tears welling in her eyes again. “Thank you, Aunt Beth. P-Please take care.”The old woman sighed and discreetly wiped her tears. She took out a small bag. “I managed to sneak out some of Angel’s clothes. I couldn’t get into your bedroom. The señor was there earlier.” Lena took the small bag. “Thank you, Aunt. Please go back now. They might see you here.” The older woman nodded. Before leaving, she hugged Lena’s daughter tightly. The little girl cried, not wanting to let go. “Be a good girl, okay? Listen to your mama. I’ll come find you, I promise,” Aunt Beth said to the crying little girl. Once the nanny left, Lena broke down again. She held her child’s hand tightly as they walked away. The night was cold, and the streets were dangerous, especially with a child. Addicts were everywhere, and she feared they might get hurt. Lena looked at her child. She was no longer crying. She walked silently, eyes sleepy. Lena’s chest ached even more. It was her fault her child was suffering. But was it really a sin to cling to something just to survive? If it was a sin, then she should be the only one to get punished. “D-Dan...” She looked up at the sky. “W-Why did you leave us so soon? That’s not fair! You said you’d stay until the end. You said we’d grow old together. Why did you leave? Why did you leave us?” As they walked, she tried to stay strong. They stuck to the roadside until she felt the first drops of rain. She wouldn’t have cared if it was just her, but her child was with her. She immediately picked up her daughter and placed the bag over her head to shield her.The gentle rain quickly turned heavy. The dark sky wept with her. She spotted a closed store nearby and ran. But as she crossed the street, a loud honk made her knees shake. “HEY! DON’T DRAG US INTO YOUR MISERABLE LIFE!” A deafening shout, angry, just like her mother-in-law's, was thrown at Lena. Lena shut her eyes tightly and bowed in apology to the driver who had yelled from his car. She stepped back to give way. Soaked and trembling, she and her daughter finally found shelter under the store’s awning. She set her child down on a wooden bench and cupped her cheek. “Mama, it’s cold...” the child said, teeth chattering. Lena swallowed hard and wrapped her arms around her. Only one person came to mind who might help her now. She could only hope that person would. Lena bit her lower lip repeatedly as she made the call. Just one night. Just a place to sleep. [Hello, Magdalena? Is this you?] Lena swallowed. “Madam Brenda.” [It is you! Finally! Don’t tell me you’re coming back to the club. Your husband just died.] The madam sounded pleased. Lena took a deep breath. “I have no choice, Madam Brenda. The Mendozas threw us out. I can sleep on the street, but I won’t let my child sleep in the gutter.” A long silence came from the other end, followed by faint car noises. A few seconds later, Lena heard a car engine roar. [Nothing’s free nowadays, Lena. You’ll work for me in exchange for my help. You’ve been gone for a while. Customers will be excited to see you again.] Desperate measures. She had escaped the depths once before, but now, she was being dragged back. For her child. For her daughter’s future.When the call ended, Lena looked up at the sky with bitterness. “If you hadn’t left us, this wouldn’t be happening... This is your fault, Dan. This is all your fault.”