Maybe He'll Love Me When I'm Gone

TORI married the love of her life when she was twenty. She knew her husband never loved her at all, he was only forced to marry her to save his family's business using her inheritance from her wealthy father. At the age of twenty-one, she had a miscarriage, losing her unborn child. Her husband treated her badly and even bring his mistress home. She endured all the pain and sadness for almost five years.

After a long time, she finally thought of ending her miserable life. Tonight.

It was six in the evening and Tori nearly finished cooking all her husband's favorite foods. She made Garlic-butter steak, Garlic bread, carbonara, and his favorite tiramisu dessert. She decorated and arranged their garden into a romantic setup. After preparing her surprise dinner, she went to their master's bedroom and entered the bathroom to take a shower. When she's done showering, she dried herself and put on the wedding dress that she used at their wedding. She also puts light makeup on and ties her hair in a beautiful bun.

Before going back to the garden, she looked at herself for the last time in front of the mirror. "No one has ever loved me. I never felt love. I don't know what is love," she said while her eyes were emotionless. She opened the drawer of her vanity table and took the envelope containing the annulment papers.

The doorbell rang exactly when she went down to the first floor of the house. She looked at the clock and realized that it was seven o'clock in the evening. That means her husband is home.

She turned her attention to the door and the repeated ringing of the doorbell. She walked sluggishly to open the door for her husband. But even before she could touch the lock someone covered her mouth from behind. She fought to free herself but she failed.

"You shall die for your husband," an unfamiliar voice of a man whispered near her ear.

Her eyes dilated as tears streamed down her face. She was helpless all her life. She surrendered and closed her eyes right before the stranger slit her throat.

ADRIAN was married to a beautiful, and most kind-hearted woman, Tori Fariñas. She never complained about his misfortunes and being a bad husband to her.

Today, before he went to work, he kissed his wife on the forehead while she sleeps peacefully on their bed.

"I'm sorry, Tori. I swear to change for the better and be a worthy man for you," Adrian talked to his sleeping wife. He didn't bother to wake her up because he knows how tired she is.

He gets ready himself and only drinks coffee for breakfast. He drove to where he works but before he could enter the building, a white van blocked his way.

Men in black suits went out of the vehicle and forced him to get out of his car. They brought him into the van and covered his head with a black cloth bag. He was quiet and as calm as possible during his kidnapped.

He was unaware and a stranger to where the men brought him. They forcibly sat him on a chair and tied him up. Not long after when someone grabbed his hair while he was still covered by the cloth bag.

"You are going down, Adrian Cacipriano," the man grabbing his hair spoke with a gritted teeth. He immediately became familiar with the man.

"Mr. Cheng, please forgive me," he begged the mastermind of his kidnapping.

"I will never forgive how you used my daughter for money and broke her heart after," Mr. Cheng refused to accept his begging.

"I am very regretful of using Mathilda, Mr. Cheng. I will pay back all the money I took from her. Just please release me," he still tried his best to persuade him.

Mathilda Cheng was his mistress for a year. He has no other options before when his company faced another financial crisis. That's why he charmed Mathilda and took advantage of her feelings for him. As soon as his company recovered, he broke up with her so that he can start changing his bad habits for good. He wants to live peacefully and on the right path with his beloved wife.

"Don't you know how heartbroken my daughter was and took her own life?!" Mr. Cheng's voice thundered and echoed around the covered room.

He was shocked by the news and couldn't even say a word.

"You selfish bastard is the reason why she ended her life! You do not know the pain I am feeling right now for losing my only child. My only family!" he expressed his disgust and mourning.

After a moment of silence, he released the tight hold of his hair then he spoke in a husky warning voice, "You will pay for this."

He heard his footsteps moving away and receding. He felt the surroundings and realized he was now alone. He shouted all his hatred, misery, anger, and sadness! He loathes himself with all the wrong things he had done.

It was all his fault.

Adrian was unconscious as time passed and he fell asleep. He only woke up when someone splashed hot water on his body. Even before he could open his eyes and think, he was hit by kicks and punches. He was mercilessly beaten by people he did not know.

He was stunned and he prayed fervently when the beating stopped and he felt a gun pointed closely to his head. "Boss said we have to end your life now," one of the subordinates uttered.

He was more than grateful when God answered his prayers. The sound of police sirens surrounded the place. The gunmen immediately ran away to escape but it was all too late. The police and authorities came to the scene and arrested them.

When the police released him, they told him that his employees were the ones who reported that he went missing. They called for the police that searched for him and successfully saved him before he was killed.

The police invited him to their station to report and be interviewed. He filed a case and it took longer because of the process and many questions.

It was nearly seven in the evening when they let him go. His car was returned to him and he drove it to go home.

He arrived exactly at seven o'clock. He rang the doorbell and waited patiently for his wife to open up the door. He wondered because his wife hadn't opened up for him yet.

"Tori!" he called out for her name. He turned the doorknob but it was locked. So he rang the doorbell multiple times again.

When his wife failed to open the door, he has no choice but to walk through the garden and enter the backdoor of their house. As he reached the garden he was surprised and pleased with the romantic dinner that his wife prepared for him. His eyes twinkled with delight when he saw Tori sitting quietly on the chair while her head was tilted down slightly.

A piece of soothing romantic music suddenly played. It was like welcoming his arrival. He happily and hurriedly sat on the chair reserved for him, across his wife.

"I'm home, Tori," he informed her. When he didn't receive any response he talked again, "Thank you for being a good and caring wife to me even though I'm an unworthy husband." He extended his hands to reach his wife's hands and hold them.

He gasped when he touched her and her skin felt so cold. "Tori?" he muttered her name as his eyes went owl after witnessing blood streaming down her neck.

Before he could even react and took his wife into his arms, someone fired a gun behind his back and the bullet hit his head. He looked at his wife full of regrets for one last time.