My Wife's Betrayal Awakened the Supreme

3. Almost Open

"You’re a poor, arrogant bloke, Alex. Remember there’s a mother who needs money for her medical bills, and I don’t want to look after her and pay for everything," he said sarcastically.

"If you’re poor, just be poor—there’s no need to bring illness upon others," added the portly man.

I stared blankly, not understanding what the two of them meant, and set down the spade I’d been using to mix the cement. I looked on in confusion at my wife, who was currently acting as the site supervisor.

"Don’t just stand there gaping—this could get me into trouble. Do you want to go back to being poor? Remember, your life depends on me,” snapped Amara.

I stood there dumbfounded, bewildered by the situation that had me cornered; this really wasn’t what I wanted. I, who had always done whatever this woman wanted, was now being blamed as easily as turning the palm of one’s hand.

“Amara, have you forgotten that promise?” I asked in a low voice so as not to embarrass her.

Before I could reply to Amara and the man beside her, suddenly Mrs Sumi’s voice rang out, calling my name. I turned towards the source of the sound. The middle-aged woman—Mrs Sumi—stood before me, breathing heavily.

I handed her my unopened bottle of water, “Have a drink, Mrs Sumi!”

Mrs Sumi took the bottle and drank from it slowly. Once she seemed to have recovered, she began telling me about what had happened at my house. The construction site is indeed not far from my home; it’s just a 500-metre walk, and I’ve got into the habit of walking there for work.

My only vehicle—a scooter from a well-known brand—was being used by Amara herself, but I said nothing. I understood that her status was far above mine, so she needed something befitting her.

“You must go home immediately and check on your mother, Alex,” said Mrs Sumi at the end of the story.

“Hey, she’s still at work. Don’t tell her to come home during working hours; do you want to cover all her living expenses and those of her ailing elderly mother for today?” Amara’s words instantly made Mrs Sumi’s eyes widen in disbelief; I signalled her to be quiet.

However, it seemed Mrs Sumi wouldn’t listen. Her lips kept moving as she recounted my mother’s condition before the woman ran off to the construction site. I listened calmly and thought about what I was going to do.

“Don’t make things up, Mrs Sumi. I know for a fact this is just a ploy by you poor folk to get Alex to skip work,” Amara snapped, her eyes glaring at Mrs Sumi. “One more thing, before I left for work, he was clearly fine,” she continued, defending herself.

I smiled as I looked at Amara; my wife looked anxious. Then I turned my gaze to Mrs Sumi. “How is my mother doing right now?”

“She’s been seen by a doctor at the clinic, but you must come home immediately so you can find out what’s wrong with your mother, Alex.”

“Employees aren’t allowed to go home; the company is currently in the midst of a major construction project. But you’re free to go home if you want to be sacked.”

I stared intently at the face of the woman I’d fought so hard for; she didn’t understand my situation at all. My mother is my life and my greatest treasure, apart from her. Yet it seemed this woman had been swayed by the wealth offered by the portly man sitting beside her.

"Do you think your mother-in-law will recover once you go home? Remember, you need a lot of money right now."

What Amara said was true, but I didn’t want to let my mother down either. After all, she is my greatest treasure. This choice is incredibly difficult.

Here I am now, in my mother’s hospital room. This elderly woman lies in a bed at Santa Clara Hospital. A woman who means the world to me; her face looks sad, and her exhaustion is plain to see.

“Forgive Alex for always letting you down, Mum,” I said, stroking her wrinkled hand.

All day long, I haven’t been able to leave my mother alone with the nurses. Meanwhile, Amara has been rushing back and forth between the hospital, the construction site, and our home. Her face looks so tired too. I feel useless as the only man in the Sergio family; my wife and mother have had to endure this ongoing poverty.

My wealth, my savings, I had given it all to my wife so she could study at the best university. Yet, what can I do? It all leaves a wound. I, this poor man, had to share my wife until she became pregnant with that child.

Suddenly my chest tightened, as if something were about to happen and I didn’t understand. A faint movement near my thigh made me turn to look. My mother’s thin, long fingers were moving; my heart raced.

“Is this real? Doctor!”