Chapter 5 The Ex-Fiancé's Punishment

"What are you doing, Rania?!" Damian shouted, his eyes sharp and furious.

"I'm just giving a gift for your betrayal," Rania replied, completely unfazed.

"You're married to Kenzo. We have nothing to do with each other anymore-unless, of course, you still can't forget me," Damian said confidently.

He was full of himself. But Rania had already forgotten him-since that night.

"What's going on here?" Kenzo stepped in and pulled Rania away from them.

Damian looked at Kenzo. "Please, Mr. Kenzo, would you tell your wife to mind her manners at parties? She keeps causing a scene with my fiancée."

"That's right, Mr. Kenzo. Rania slapped me even though I only wanted to make peace," Camila added, still holding her stinging cheek.

Kenzo ignored them all. He held Rania's hand tightly and led her away.

Damian exhaled sharply. Even though he was with Camila now, he still couldn't accept that Rania was with Kenzo.

Camila noticed his gaze-it seemed Damian still had feelings for Rania, probably because their relationship had lasted quite long.

"Damian," Camila whined. "I want to go home."

"Fine," Damian replied, leading Camila out of the party.

***

At the hotel parking lot, Rania yanked her hand away from Kenzo's grasp. She was still fuming, Camila's smug face playing over and over in her mind.

"You still haven't gotten over him, Rania?" Kenzo asked.

"It's not that. I just hate seeing them together wherever I go," Rania said angrily.

"Isn't it a good thing? You get to show off in front of them. Come on, Rania, don't act like a child. You're an adult," Kenzo said.

Rania went quiet, trying to calm her anger.

"Well, what matters most is that our plan worked, Kenzo," Rania said.

"That's right," Kenzo replied. "Our plan is unfolding step by step."

"Yes," Rania agreed. "And once it's complete, we'll be fully satisfied."

They got into the car and drove away from the venue.

***

Damian threw everything in his room in a rage. He couldn't take it anymore-Rania had dared to humiliate him like that.

He had thought she was only pretending to be the wife of a young and famous billionaire like Kenzo, but the man had confidently brought her to a dinner party and introduced her as his wife.

Even though Damian was about to marry Camila, his heart still couldn't accept it.

Rania used to be an ordinary woman-sweet, obedient, gentle. But after that night of betrayal, she changed. She became proud, arrogant. Her confidence soared.

And now that she had married a billionaire, wasn't that just crushing Damian's ego even further?

"How could she marry Kenzo?" Damian growled.

His room door opened, and his mother entered, shocked to see the chaotic mess inside. Objects were scattered and broken everywhere.

"What are you doing, Damian?" she snapped.

"I'm angry! You should leave!" Damian shouted.

Elena ignored her son's outburst and stayed in the room.

"You're about to marry Camila, Damian. She's the woman you've always wanted," Elena said.

"Camila comes from a wealthy family. Our families will benefit from this union. Our business will grow," she added.

Elena had never approved of Damian and Rania's relationship. Rania was just a secretary in their company, an orphan raised in a shelter.

When she heard that Rania had ended the engagement, she was thrilled. It was the best news she could've hoped for. Damian had fought so hard to get her approval before.

Now he was free of Rania and would marry Camila, a rich heiress.

"Don't tell me you still love Rania, Damian?" Elena asked.

Damian was silent, torn. Back when he cheated on Rania, he was sure he loved Camila more.

But now, his feelings had changed. Seeing Rania with another man broke his heart.

Elena noticed his uneasy expression and became suspicious. Was her worst fear coming true?

"Damian, Camila is the right one for you. Don't think about Rania anymore," she said firmly.

Damian looked at his mother. "Even if I wanted to go back to Rania, it's impossible."

"Exactly," Elena agreed. "You two aren't meant to be. Forget her and make your fiancée happy."

"Rania's married to Kenzo Adithya-a young, famous billionaire," Damian revealed.

Elena's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected that Rania had really gotten married, especially to someone like Kenzo.

"You're not making this up, are you? How could this happen?" Elena asked, in disbelief.

"I can't believe it either, Ma. But it's true-they looked like a perfect couple at the party," Damian said.

"Don't let her win, Damian. She probably married Kenzo just to ruin you," Elena said angrily.

"If you stay this weak, she'll enjoy her happiness built on your pain," she added.

***

"I've checked Miss Rania's identity, Sir. Everything is clear. Nothing suspicious," Julian, Kenzo's secretary, reported.

Kenzo reviewed the files about Rania. She had no family and had lived in an orphanage since she was a child. Her life had been tough.

"Both of Mrs. Rania's parents have passed away," Julian said in a low tone.

Kenzo still couldn't quite believe it-Rania had been living alone all this time. And Damian had had the heart to betray her.

Rania had once depended entirely on Damian. If she hadn't met Kenzo, who knows what might have happened to her? Maybe even suicide-unable to bear the burden of her life.

"Bring Rania here," Kenzo ordered. "I want to talk to her."

"Yes, Sir," Julian replied, standing and leaving the room.

Soon after being called, Rania entered Kenzo's office and took a seat.

"What is it?" she asked. She had been about to sleep when she was summoned.

Kenzo stared at her blankly, making Rania freeze, sensing something off.

"Starting tomorrow, you'll work at my company," Kenzo said.

"Alright, but I need to go to my old office first to hand in my resignation," Rania replied.

"You don't mind, do you?" she asked. "I can't just leave without saying goodbye to my friends. They've been good to me."

Kenzo nodded. "It's up to you, Rania."

"That's all you wanted to talk about?" Rania asked.

"Rania, if you really want to destroy Damian, you have to do it slowly," Kenzo said. "Betrayal hurts deeply."

Rania grew curious about Kenzo's past. He seemed to understand betrayal a little too well.

"Have you ever been betrayed?" she asked.

"More than you can imagine, Rania," Kenzo replied, locking eyes with her.