Chapter 356 - Checkmate

Viona sat on the new sofa in the living room holding a magazine. She just held it without reading it. Meeting with Fernando for two days in a row had made her feel strange when today she did not see the man again. Since coming home from work, Viona seemed to be waiting for something in the living room. Many times she turned towards the road when she heard the sound of passing cars, but after the car she saw left, a look of disappointment immediately appeared on her face.

Mrs. Deborah, who was sitting in her office, just smiled at Viona's behavior. She didn't want to open her voice before Viona told her about Fernando first. Mrs. Deborah did not want to ruin the plan she had made, even though it was slow but for her it was better than rushing and the result was not what she expected. So she let Viona did whatever she wanted. Because it was almost dusk, Mrs. Deborah came out of her study. Using her walking stick, Mrs. Deborah approached Viona and sat beside her late adoptive sister's favorite child.

"Sometimes we will feel that someone is valuable when he is no longer beside us," said Mrs. Deborah quietly.

"Mom ..."

"I know, child. It must be difficult for you. But believe me, everyone has a second chance to change," said Mrs. Deborah with a smile.

"I don't know, Mom. I still find it hard to forgive him. Every time I remember that incident, it felt like it just happened last night, Mom. The pain in my stomach at that time was not worth the pain in my heart," Viona said, trying to speak honestly.

"What if he suffered more than you, Dear?" Mrs. Deborah asked suddenly.

Viona, who was looking down, immediately lifted her face and turned to the foster mother with a question mark.

"Talk to him. By talking, all the misunderstandings will be resolved, child. Believe me, not only you who are suffering, my child," whispered Mrs. Deborah quietly as she stroked Viona's face gently. After saying that, Mrs. Deborah got up from the sofa and walked slowly to her room which was not far from the living room, leaving Viona alone.

As she walked to her room, Mrs. Deborah smiled. She was increasingly convinced that her daughter still loved her husband very much. From the look in Viona's eyes, she could see that Viona's love for Fernando was still very much. It was just that she tried to hide it, because of her selfishness was high. Therefore, Mrs. Deborah planned to make Viona opened up slowly. She was sure that the plan would succeed, because Viona and Fernando were still bound by such great love, even though currently there was still a barrier made by Viona, but Mrs. Deborah was sure that the barrier would fade quickly .

After she left, Viona was silent again. Her mind was digesting the last words of her mother. There was pain in her heart when she heard those words from her mother. She still couldn't believe that Fernando was also suffering like her. An arrogant and arbitrary man like Fernando could not possibly have that feeling. He was the most violent man that Viona knew. The night meeting when Fernando saved her from Lexi had already shown how arrogant this man was, so Viona doubted her mother's words that Fernando had suffered just like her.

"But why my heart hurts when I hear what Mom said? Even though what she said was not necessarily true," Viona said softly as she gripped her chest which suddenly hurt. She then closed her eyes remembering Fernando, whom she had met in the last two days.

Fernando did look thinner than the last time she saw him ten months ago. Other people might not notice it, but for someone who had lived with Fernando, she knew Fernando's body very well. Even when yesterday Fernando took off his clothes when he finished transporting things from the car to the orphanage, Viona could see that the composition of Fernando's chest muscles and stomach muscles was not what it used to be. Even though in fact there was no significant change in Fernando's body, Viona could tell that the muscle mass Fernando shrank a little.

"Ah why do I suddenly feel hot? I better take a shower. It's almost night," said Viona quickly when she realized that her body was getting hot as she remembered Fernando's body. She tried to suppress the feeling of longing deeply in her heart.

Viona didn't realize that the more she tried to get rid of her longing, the stronger the feeling stuck in her. It was not clear what made her so stubborn, convincing herself that she could do it without Fernando, even though her body language alone showed that she couldn't endure that longing anymore.

"Why do you have to come again, Fernando? I feels very difficult to forget you when I see you again," Viona said to herself. She let the cold water flowing from the shower soak her body, still wearing her full clothes.

"Arrggghhh I hate you, Fernando! Rally hates you sobs…." 

Viona's tears finally broke. She couldn't hide her feelings anymore. The hatred in her heart suddenly faded as she recalled how Fernando looked at her with his painful sad gaze.

* * *

<GLOBAL BROSS HOSPITAL>

Meanwhile, at Global Bross Hospital, Fernando was still busy in the laboratory with William. He was waiting patiently for a competent officer to check the drug content in Viona's candy bottle. Fernando deliberately kept the drug in the hospital when he couldn't find out who the cruel culprit was to Viona's miscarriage, but now he changed his strategy. He no longer focused on looking for the residual fingerprints on the bottle. He was now trying to find out what the drug contents in the hope that if it was found out, Fernando could find out who the person that mixed it in the first place and who had ordered it. Even though this plan was unlikely to succeed, Fernando was still trying to find out about it while looking for a way to ask Viona to tell him who she had met that night in the toilet.

"It would be very difficult to track down who ordered it, Fernando, this is a legal drug. We can't look for the buyer one by one, Fernando," said William quietly. He already knew that the effort they were doing was a futile effort that would not bear fruit. 

"I know, Will, I just want to confirm something," said Fernando with a smile. He did not take his eyes off his cell phone screen connected to the CCTV in the Love Orphanage. Fernando had asked Mrs. Deborah for permission to install the CCTV there so he could see what Viona was doing as long as he didn't come to the orphanage.

"Confirm what?" William asked curiously.

"If that person is accustomed to using concocted drugs like this, it is possible that he will use other drugs to carry out his other evil actions," Fernando replied quickly.

Thump!

William fell silent at Fernando's words. He then quickly gave Fernando a thumbs-up. He, who was an experienced doctor, had no thoughts in that direction. He increasingly saluted his friend's genius.

Not long after, the two lab workers who were ordered by Fernando to examine the contents of the abortion drug finished carrying out their duties. They then gave Fernando a report. Fernando smiled reading the report given by the lab officers. He was now increasingly convinced that the culprit was someone who understood drugs as he originally thought.

"A little more, Honey, a little more and I'll bring the culprit to you. I'll make sure that he rot in prison forever," Fernando said softly.

William smiled slightly at Fernando's words. He was happy because his friend was back to how he used to be. While being focused on reading the results of the report, suddenly the laboratory door was opened, and Anastasia entered with Alisha and Dexter followed behind.

"S-sorry sir, I don't know if there are people in the laboratory," said Alisha quickly as she smoothed her hair.

"Yes, sorry, sir, we think it's empty here," Anastasia added softly in response to the words of her cousin who was gripping her hand firmly.

Fernando took a deep breath. He then turned to Dexter with a sharp gaze. Slowly he got up from his chair and tidied up his expensive coat, then walked closer to the door where the two girls were standing with Dexter.

"The way you do it is the cheapest way, Miss Alisha," said Fernando coldly as he glared at Alisha.

To be Continued