I Don't Love You

Chapter 3

Reina entered the building. She was holding her head high, trying to imitate a snob aristocrat, when one of the security guards almost held her hand to stop her but a senior guard was there, letting her through without frisking. Most of the employees are looking at her; some are in awe, some are disgusted. She is known to be a useless fool. But still, it irritates her. She’s not used to that kind of useless attention, so she blatantly ignored them. Reina wanted to punch their faces but she couldn't. Those people are still her father’s employees.

“Where is my father?” Reina asked the receptionist, who almost choked on her water because of shock. Her gaze is burning a hole in the woman as if she will eat her alive.

" T-The chairman is still in his office –”

“Thank you.” She immediately walked towards the elevator. She has a new body but she still can’t fix her short temper. Reina uses a separate lift that automatically goes to the top floor – her father’s office.

She crossed her arms and slightly tilted her body towards the side of the elevator while waiting for it to stop. Her fuming anger makes her anxiety vanish into thin air. A few moments later, the elevator opened. Reina straightened her back, lifted up her chin, and started to move towards the door. She knocked three times and waited for a response before she twisted the doorknob and let herself in.

Don Mauro Del Rosario is in his mid-forties. His brown hair is starting to turn white, his skin has lines as a sign of aging. With his six feet flat height, he still looks feisty and scary. But to her surprise, as their eyes met, her father’s eyes became soft. “What are you doing here?”

Reina bent her knees and kneeled. Her father is shocked, somehow, anxious about her actions. “I’m sorry… Dad. You were right. I should have listened to you.”

Don Mauro is shifting his gaze from her and the window, but he still chooses to fix his gaze on his daughter. “Why are you kneeling? If there’s someone who should beg for my forgiveness, it was your good for nothing husband! I am not dumb! I have ears behind walls. I knew what he was doing behind your back!”

Reina thought that she was going to overcome the hard part of coming back to her father in an easier way. “So… Will you help me, Dad?”

Don Mauro helped her to stand up and sit on the sofa. Reina is his only child. He doted on her so much to the point where she became weak. She couldn’t even protect herself. She will just cry until her eyes become red. “What do you want me to do?”

Reina finally let out a sigh of relief. “I want a divorce.”

“That’s great!” Don Mauro’s smile almost reached his ears. “Just give me a week. I will handle your divorce papers with that leech. You can count on me.”

Reina smiled for the first time. “Thank you, Daddy.”

Like a happy puppy, her father flashed a broad smile. “Now that it’s settled, what are you planning now? Do you want to live with me?”

She immediately remembered her promise to the original Reina, so she didn’t have to think twice. “Yes, Dad.”

Her father’s happiness was radiating into his face. It was definitely not the man who always scowled in the novel, but a loving father. Maybe he tried to act tough so his daughter would come to her senses. Unfortunately, her real daughter was gone and she's only a substitute. “Have you eaten your lunch yet?”

"No. But… I’m fine. I know you’re busy –”

“Who told you that I was busy? My whole afternoon is free. We can grab some lunch and maybe… buy you some clothes.”

“Why? Don’t you like it?” Reina looked at her clothes. It is fancy and soft so she thought that she did a great job on choosing her outfit.

Don Mauro looked at her with a sigh. “You look like a nouveau riche who's desperate for attention. Let’s go!”

"W-what? Where are we going, Dad?”

Her father pulled her arms gently to make her stand up and started walking towards the door. A male secretary in his early thirties opened the door to explain Don Mauro’s schedule but his mouth was shut when his father glared at him. He looked quite shocked when he saw her but he didn't dare to utter a word about it. “I… I will reschedule your meetings, Chairman.”

Don Mauro smiled at her. “See? I’m free. Now, where do you want to eat? Do you want meat or seafood? Just tell your Daddy, okay?”

Reina couldn’t suppress her smile. It's her first time to experience having a father figure. When she lived as Ynna, she grew up without a man at her side, doting on her, protecting her, and trying his best to provide for her. “I… I want to eat in a buffet, Dad. I never experienced that.”

"Alright. Let’s go to our five-star hotel with Southeast Asian cuisine for the menu.” Her father linked his arms to hers as if she was coming to a ball and her father was her escort. They left the Empire with a black Mercedes Benz that his father personally drove.

Reina looked at her father’s watch. It's twelve-thirty in the afternoon. Because of the mild traffic, they arrived at the Imperial Hotel at exactly one o’clock. She is starving. But somehow, excited. She will now experience the peak of her life. Then, a slight pain pangs in her heart. If only she could enjoy this with her mother and her newfound father, she would have a complete family – something she had wished forever since she was a child.

"Are you in a daze? Come on! Let’s go inside.” Her father let the valet park their car.

It is a hotel that is famous for its delicious food, intricate interior decorations, and friendly staff and servers. It was her first time going there, so Reina let her father have a quick tour of the lobby before they entered the main hall. It has a buffet-style, a set up where you can taste the authentic dishes from the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, and other Southeast Asian countries. The tables are round with white lines on the top. A porcelain vase with fresh flowers in the middle and silver cutlery was spread on the table designated for them. She was busy feasting her eyes, exploring the whole restaurant when she saw a familiar figure.

"I will ask the servers to get the dishes that you want. So, what cuisine will you choose?” Don Mauro asks his daughter, bragging about his influence. It should be a self-service setup because it's a buffet restaurant, but he wants Reina to feel special. But instead of answering him, she was still looking at the man who caught her attention. “What are you looking at?” Both of them looked in the same direction. The familiar figure she's staring at is none other than the walking trash of a husband – Leandro.