The Cursed King English Version

Cherry was staring at the photo of hers and to Alfred, her husband displayed on top of the small cabinet. She remembered how happy they used to be-something she no longer felt. Alfred was the one who stay by her side when her ex-boyfriend Jared left her. At first, she felt nothing as Alfred was courting her. But as time had passed, she learned to love him. In their one and a half years of marriage, he changed suddenly. He had become someone she barely recognized.

A tear fell down her cheek, but she quickly wiped it away with her palm. She sniffled and gazed quietly at her son, who was sound asleep.

Caught in her thoughts, she didn't realize it was already ten o'clock-the time she needed to fetch Carina from school. She woke Cyprus from his nap. She dressed the child, then changed into something simple herself. She dusted a bit of powder on her face and didn't bother to apply lipstick.

After picking up her eldest daughter, Cherry and her children hurried to go through the terminal to find a jeep or tricycle for sending them home. Lost in thought, she didn't notice that Cyprus had run ahead-almost getting hit by a passing car.

She froze in shock, horrified by what just happened.

"Hey, lady! Are you trying to get your kid to be killed?!" shouted of the man inside the maroon car.

Cherry rushed to embrace her child, nearly in tears. She looked up at the man and lowered her head in apology.

"I'm really sorry, sir..."

"Sorry? Your carelessness is a public nuisance!" The man snapped. "What if I had hit your child? I'd be the one paying the hospital bills!"

"I'm truly sorry. My son's just clumsy," she pleaded, refusing to let go of her child.

"Are you okay, Cyprus?" She asked the boy, who was crying from fear. Cherry anxiously checked him from head to toe.

"Next time, watch your kid!" As the man yelled again before speeding off his car.

She didn't realize people around them were watching them. Cherry sighed as she held tight onto her youngest child.

Once they were home, she quickly prepared milk for her children and pulled them along to the kitchen.

"Mama..." Carina called, pointing at something.

"Hold on, Carina. Let me finish making your milk, okay?"

Carina had wanted help with her homework. While Cherry helped her, she rocked Cyprus in her arms, trying to get him to nap. After helping the eldest with her assignment, she placed her youngest child on the couch and tidied up the mess.

By five in the afternoon, she brought the children to the kitchen again to prepare dinner.

Just as she finished cooking, Alfred arrived-clearly exhausted from work.

"Perfect timing, I just finished cooking," she said gently.

He passed her without a word, poured himself a glass of water, and sat at the table. Cherry gave him a faint smile.

"I'm starving," was all he said.

Cherry quickly got rice from the pot and brought a plate and utensils, then followed it with the dish.

"I heard from the neighbors our child almost got hit by a car today?"

Cherry took a deep breath, unsure of how to explain.

"You've only given me one child, and you can't even take care of him properly?" Alfred complained.

"Cyprus is very active; he slipped away from me quickly," she tried to explain.

Alfred smirked. "Just admit it-you don't know how to take care of those kids. You can't even do the only job right."

After that, he left her to finish feeding the kids alone. She fed them first before finally sitting down to eat herself. It was nearly midnight when she got to sleep after doing the dishes and ironing clothes.

The next day, the household chores piled up again after she brought Carina to school. Cherry felt like she was about to go mad seeing the situation of their home.

While cleaning up, she suddenly remembered Carina's upcoming birthday. That thought brought a smile to her face. She grabbed a notebook while carrying Cyprus and began jotting down the ingredients she needed for spaghetti next week.

"You can't even keep up with everything at home, and now you want to bother cooking for your daughter's birthday?" Alfred muttered, referring to Carina.

"Sshhh. The kids are sleeping. Please lower your voice," Cherry warned. "She's your daughter too, isn't she? Please don't make her feel like she's not really your child."

"You're the one who wanted to adopt her, not me. As far as I'm concerned, my only child is Cyprus." He turned his back on her, unwilling to speak any further.