SOME THINGS ARE MEANT TO BE

CHAPTER 90

“Okay.” Diego nodded and walked over to the jewelry section with his arms around Ruby. The doll was expensive, and so, naturally, the jewelry cost even more. The price was astonishing, but Diego was never stingy when it came to a woman, especially Ruby. She could have whatever she wanted without a frown from him. He would have given her half of Chu Enterprise if that’s what she wanted.

Ruby picked a necklace with no regard for its cost. Her husband was good at making money, and she had grown used to the lifestyle. He would buy her whatever she wanted.

Anything.

She basked in his pampering and the envy of others. People changed; and so did she.

She wanted more and more.

Diego took out a gold card from his wallet and tossed it over. Its credit was unlimited. With Diego’s worth, the day of exceeding its limit would not be here.

He was indeed being very generous to Ruby and to the other woman. However, he had forgotten that there was one woman to whom he had been stingy. He had not given her anything. Even if he had, he had taken everything back.

Ruby couldn’t resist giving another glance towards the now-empty display window. She felt annoyed, as she would never get the same doll in other places.

From a distance, the setting sun dyed the sky a shade of red. The mild sunlight shone on everyone, creating a warm atmosphere.

The sunset stretched their shadows longer and longer.

Julianna held her daughter’s hand as she walked very slowly while Raya was trying to keep up with her short legs. In her arms was an extremely beautiful doll.

“Raya, you have to take very good care of the doll if you really love it. Do you understand?” Julianna caressed her daughter’s soft hair and saw that it had turned a light shade of auburn under the setting sun.

She could hardly resist touching the soft head of hair a second time.

“Okay, Mommy. I understand. I will love the doll like the way Mommy loves me.”

At times, the child might be projecting herself as a doll.

Julianna narrowed her eyes as though she had thought of something.

“Mommy, too, had a doll once.”

“Did Mommy like it?” The child’s voice remained sweet and sounded very pleasant to the ears.

“I did, but it wasn’t as good as the one you have.” From her recollections, Julianna realized that she still remembered some things but not the pain. Her mother had thrown that doll away because Diana disliked it.

“Then, Mommy can have my doll.” Raya liked the doll and was clearly unable to part with it, but she picked it up and offered it to Julianna. “Mommy, you must treat Dolly well. She is my favorite.”

Julianna bent down and put the doll back into her daughter’s arms.

“Raya is Mommy’s favorite doll. So you are enough for me.”

Julianna then continued to make the rounds of collection for the laundry when she got back to their apartment. It was already nightfall when she was done. Raya had fallen asleep.

She sat by the bed as she held her daughter’s small hand. This child was being stubborn. She had told her not to help, but she continued to do the laundry with her.

Actually, what could a three-year-old do to help? She was still so young.

Her daughter’s hands were cold, and she warmed them with hers. As soon as she placed the doll in Raya’s arms, she hugged it and coiled her tiny frame with her feet together. Julianna pulled the blanket over her daughter’s body and her feet.

After that, she took out a sketchbook and a pencil and sat by the bed. She watched her daughter and began sketching.

It was a very thick book. Everything from the beginning until now was sketches of Raya since she was a baby. The first day she was born, the first time she drank milk, the way she grumbled when she had her first taste of the rice paste, her first steps, and the first time she called ‘Mommy’.

Her daughter had no photographs; the sketches her mother had drawn were far more precious. She had recorded the growth of her daughter with her own hands with great care and detail to the way she looked.

Raya retracted her feet further. A sweet smile appeared on her cute face with the doll in her arms.

“Mommy...” Julianna put the pencil down at the sound of her voice and rested her hand on her daughter’s face.

“Mommy is here.”

She caressed gently. The child had a very tender complexion. She ran her fingers over her tiny eyebrows and her long eyelashes.

She studied her daughter, trying to find something, but she could see no resemblance to that man.

The child looked like her and nothing like her father, except for her black pupils. Also, the bridge of her nose was slightly higher than hers. Perhaps that was it.

She removed her coat and lay beside Raya. The bed was not big, and she scooped her daughter in her arms. This was how they had lived all these years.

“Sleep well, Raya.” She kissed her daughter’s cheek and closed her eyes. There was an aching pain in her elbow. In fact, her whole body ached, and she wished she could have a good rest.

Just for a day.

It was really exhausting. So exhausting.

She sighed and lowered her head to kiss her sleeping daughter. A smile crept onto her face unconsciously.

Raya was indeed her little angel.

In the Hanson villa...

Mrs. Lorraine kept staring at Ruby’s belly as her face turned somber. It had been three years. She thought they would be welcoming a grandchild soon. However, her wish remained unfulfilled after three years. She felt so much older.

“Ah Diego.” Lorraine came close to her son . He was much taller than she was, and she never had to worry about him. This time, she was really at a loss for words.

“What is it, Mom?” There was no smile on Diego’s face. Yet, Lorraine, he did not exude a distant feeling like he did towards others.

“Ah Diego, when do you plan to have a baby?” She asked, restrained. They might not have been in a hurry, but she was. Watching their friends with grandchildren has almost driven her husband and her mad.