Chapter 5 A Mother's Wrath

"MAMA!"

Matet thought she heard someone call her. She opened her eyes slightly and lifted her head, scanning the area.

Her eyes widened.

There, not far from the pool, was her eldest daughter-Laine-being gripped tightly by the arm of a man she didn't recognize.

No questions asked.

Matet surged out of the water and sprinted barefoot across the tiled floor toward them, the world around her blurring in her focus.

She didn't even slow down. In one fluid motion, she grabbed the man's finger-and snapped it.

The man yelped in pain, startled by her sudden attack. His grip on Laine loosened, and the girl immediately burst into tears.

"Don't you dare touch my daughter!" Matet snarled, then turned to her child, eyes filled with worry.

She cupped Laine's reddened arm gently. "Does it hurt, sweetheart?"

Laine didn't answer. She just threw her arms around her mother, trembling.

"Mama," she sobbed, her voice shaking with fear.

"Shhh, I'm here now," Matet whispered, rubbing her daughter's back. "No filthy bastard is ever laying a hand on you again, you hear me?"

"I-I thought something bad was going to happen to me..." Laine whimpered between gasps.

Matet gently pulled back and took her daughter's tear-streaked face into her hands.

"Listen to me. I won't let anything bad happen to you. Not while I'm here. Do you understand?"

Laine gave a small, shaky nod.

Matet stood, placing her daughter behind her, shielding her with her own body. Then she faced the man.

"Wow. What a dramatic entrance," the man mocked, clapping slowly with a smirk.

Matet narrowed her eyes. "Who do you think you are, touching my daughter like that?" she asked, her voice firm despite the tremble of rage behind it.

"Daughter? You sure about that? You two look more like sisters," the man said, laughing incredulously.

"Whether she's my daughter or my sister is none of your damn business. You had no right to lay a hand on her."

---

Elsewhere...

Javi closed his eyes for a brief moment, recalling his mother's plea.

"𝘚𝘰𝘯, 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴. 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘊𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘰 𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢 𝘷𝘢𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦'𝘴' 𝘯𝘰 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘦𝘭𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸."

"𝘔𝘰𝘮, 𝘐'𝘮 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘺 𝘳𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘊𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘥𝘢. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦," he had replied.

"𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶? 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵, 𝘑𝘢𝘷𝘪."

He'd sighed in defeat. Despite being a grown man, Javi always found it difficult to say no to his parents.

"𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘔𝘰𝘮. 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘢 𝘧𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸."

"𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥. 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘕𝘢𝘯𝘢," she'd said, then hung up.

He ran a hand through his hair, trying to shake off the memory. He knew there was a deeper reason behind his sudden summons home. Word had it his grandmother was very ill, but his parents wouldn't say anything more-and he didn'𝘵 even ask.

Back in the present, his gaze drifted once again toward the woman he saw earlier.

And then he stood up sharply.

"What the hell is going on?" he muttered, alarm tightening his voice.

"Alex!", he called out.

His right-hand man popped in the doorway. "Sir?"

"Someone's harassing a guest by the adult pool. Go. Now."

Alex peered toward the area-and saw them. Three men. Two women. And trouble.

"Yes, sir!"

He bolted outside, cursing under his breath.

"Damn it, Glen. You again." He recognized the man. Glen Hereda-gym owner, musclehead, and womanizer. He was infamous for prowling the resort, always with cash to burn and a taste for vulnerable women.

Carlo had let it slide before. But now? Boss Javi was back.

"Now that the boss is here, your sleazy days are numbered," Alex muttered.

---

"Well, I don't care if she's your daughter or your sibling. All I care about now... is you," Glen sneered, eyes roving over Matet like she was a meal on a silver platter.

He looked her up and down with undisguised hunger. "Damn, that body... I could go at you all night long. Right, boys?!"

His buddies snickered behind him.

Matet clenched her jaw. "F***ing bastard."

"Oh, I'll f*** you alright," Glen replied, his voice loud and lewd.

Oh, you-" She pulled back her fist, ready to punch him square in the jaw when-

"Tet!"

The sound of her name froze her mid-punch. She turned toward the voice.

"Hey, someone's coming," one of Glen's buddies whispered. "Let's bounce."

"Yeah," Glen agreed, but not without a parting threat.

"This isn't over. I'll be back for you."

Matet didn't even acknowledge the threat. She turned toward the approaching figure-Marvin.

"Marv? What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to mask her tension with a calm smile.

"You okay? Did those guys harass you?" he asked, eyes trained on the retreating men.

"We're fine. They didn't get the chance to do anything. Just scared my daughter a bit," she answered lightly.

"You can't let your guard down with those guys."

"You know them?"

"Yeah. That was Glen Hereda. Gym owner. Thinks money can buy anything-especially women."

"That explains the arrogance."

"Be careful. When charm doesn't work, he turns to force. I should've warned you earlier."

"Don't worry. I'm not scared of people like him," Matet said firmly.

And she wasn't-at least, not for herself. But for the young girls with her? That was another story.

"So why are you here?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Just passing by. I had business nearby, thought I'd drop in."

She nodded. "I see. And what's that you're holding?"

"Oh-this. Ivy sent it for you. Fresh from her bakery.", Marvin said handing a paper bag to her.

She took the bag and peeked inside. "Bread? She didn't have to-" She paused to inhale the warm, comforting aroma. "Smells amazing."

"It's her specialty," Marvin said proudly.

"Let's try it now. Come on, let's join the others at the waterplay area," Matet said, tugging him along.

They were about to walk away when-

"Ma'am. Excuse me."

A firm voice called out. A man in his late 30s approached them.

"Yes?" Matet asked, glancing around. They were the only ones nearby. He was definitely talking to her.

She handed the bag to her daughter. "Sweetheart, go back to Aunt Lea and give them the bread. I'll follow."

"Yes, Mama," Laine replied. But she didn't move-her eyes darted between her mom and the stranger.

"Go on. I'm with Uncle Marvin," Matet reassured her.

Marvin smiled at the girl, and she finally relented and walked off.

Matet turned back to the man.

"Yes, ma'am. I was referring to you," he confirmed.

"Did Glen harass you?" His voice was clipped, controlled-but furious.

"The guy earlier? ",she asked. The man nod lightly. "A little. Nothing happened, but it scared my daughter."

"I apologize, ma'am. That won't happen again."

"It better not. That kind of behavior terrifies your guests. You need to act fast," Marvin chimed in.

"Yes, sir. I'll file a report. Mr. Dixon will be informed."

"So the owner is here?" Marvin asked, brow raised.

"Yes, sir. He saw what happened and sent me immediately."

Matet couldn't help but smile slightly. It was comforting to know someone was watching-and acting.

"Good. At least your boss is aware," she said. "I hope he takes it seriously."

"We will, ma'am." The man bowed slightly before heading off.

Matet turned to Marvin again. But Marvin hesitated to go with her.

"Tet, I can't stay any longer. I need to head back," Marvin said his goodbye.

"Oh, is that so? Alright, I won't stop you."

"Take care around here-especially with Glen," he reminded her one last time before turning and walking away.