Chapter 6

Grabbing the mop, I marched into the kitchen, leaving everyone in shock.

“Lily! You should go to Mr. Bradford’s office and apologize to him,” one of my co-workers, Lia, followed me inside. Panic filled her ashen face.

“No, I will not apologize to him, Lia,” I replied. My calm demeanor alarmed her even more.

“But h–he will fire you,” she blurted, forcing everyone in the kitchen to look at us. I grabbed Lia’s arms and ushered her to the Staff Room for privacy.

“Maybe he will, but it’s better than seeing him every day,” I mumbled under my breath, opening the door and returning the mop to the cleaning equipment.

“I don’t want to lose you, Lily,” she whined. “You’ve been my best friend since I started here four years ago. If you get fired, there’s no one to share lunch with me.”

“Don’t be silly. We could still eat lunch together at our favorite restaurant anytime,” I told her calmly, noticing how strange her eyeglasses looked for the first time.

“But it wouldn’t be the same. Here, we’re together all the time,” Lia reasoned desperately, her thick eyebrows merging into a frown.

“In some way or another, we will have to part ways,” I explained, but it did nothing to erase the betrayal etched on her face. “I have to leave the country, Lia. I need to grab the opportunity to work abroad.”

“Y-you w-will resign?” Lia gasped, startled by my revelation.

I nodded. Lia stared at me, dumbstruck. For a moment, she couldn’t say a word. Collecting her thoughts, she finally spoke. “B-but why so sudden? I would understand if today’s incident forced you to resign, but based on your tone, you had plans to leave before this.” She scowled, placing her hands on her waist and scrutinizing me.

“The offer is outstanding, with several irresistible benefits. Going abroad will also benefit Mom. She will have access to better medical care and a modern environment,” I replied, partly revealing the truth.

“Is that all?” she asked suspiciously, seeing through my half-truths.

I gaped at her. Could it be that Lia knew more than I thought? I shook my head. It couldn’t be. I’ve been cautious about keeping my marriage with Grey a secret. There’s no way she would know the truth.

“There’s no other reason, Lia,” I said, inwardly cringing at the lie.

Lia remained doubtful, eyeing me suspiciously. Expecting a barrage of questions, I took a deep breath, ready for an interrogation. However, the questions didn’t come. Lia sighed, her shoulders relaxing.

“Forcing the truth out of you won’t work, Lily,” she said meaningfully, crossing her arms beneath her breasts. “It seems I’m not the only one keeping secrets here.”

Lia had been my best friend for four years, yet I had never seen that expression on her face before. Behind her old-fashioned eyeglasses shone a glint of knowingness. Her enigmatic blue eyes pierced straight to my soul, seeing past the facade I maintained.

Realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.

She knows the truth.

“I’ve been friends with you for years, Lily—four years to be exact,” Lia began, as if reading my thoughts. “That’s enough time for me to know when you’re hiding something. I once caught you removing your wedding ring when you thought no one was watching. I also noticed how Mr. Bradford looks at you differently.”

I choked back an exclamation of shock. Trying to maintain a straight face, I stared at my best friend. “No, you're mistaken, Lia. Mr. Bradford and I have nothing to do with each other,” I denied gently.

“There’s no use denying the truth. I was there when your husband asked for a divorce,” Lia revealed, watching my composure crumble. “I happened to be in the same restaurant as you. I was seated at the table behind you, and I heard everything.”

I gasped, the color draining from my face.

“I tried pretending to be dumb, waiting for you to spill the truth, but it wasn't working, Lily. I have to confront you now.” She paused. I expected her to look at me with judgment for keeping the truth from her, but when I met her gaze again, I saw understanding shining in her eyes. Suddenly, I felt like bursting into tears.

To stop the tears, I raised my gaze to the ceiling. When I calmed down, I met her eyes again.

“You played me for a fool, Lia,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief.

“You did the same to me, Lily,” she replied. “We’re even now.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, we found ourselves grinning at each other.

Shortly, my grin vanished, and I sobered. Lia did the same.

“Is Mr. Bradford the reason you're leaving La Paraiso?” Lia asked, her words sounding more like a statement than a question.

“Do you really need to hear the answer?” I shot back.

“I think not,” Lia replied. “I can see the answer all over your face, Lily.”

I expelled a weary sigh. She knew me better than I knew myself. With nothing to hide, I finally answered her question. “He was the reason. With the divorce at hand, I have no choice but to leave to salvage what’s left of myself. I can’t afford to suffer knowing he loves another woman and will marry her soon.”

Silence descended between us. Lia contemplated my face, saying nothing.

“If you're in my shoes, would you rather stay or run away like a coward?” I whispered absentmindedly, surprised to realize I had spoken my thoughts aloud. My cheeks turned beet red.

“We're different, Lily,” Lia answered seriously. “We usually have opposite approaches in situations. You're the saintly type who walks away in silence to protect your husband’s name.”

Lia paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “On the other hand, I’m the opposite of you.” An ugly scowl formed on her face. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned! If that man were my husband, he’d be dead! I’d drag him through a lengthy divorce and pour his money down the drain until he goes bankrupt. Only after I’m satisfied with my revenge would I leave.” She exclaimed, clearly furious.

A sigh escaped my lips. “If only I could do the same,” I mumbled wearily.

A knock on the door interrupted us, and one of my co-workers entered, announcing that the restaurant would open soon and we needed to hurry. The door closed again, leaving me alone with Lia.

Placing a comforting hand on my shoulder, Lia said, “I won’t stop you from resigning, Lily. Just do what you think is best for you. I will always support you.” She pulled me into a tight hug, and her soft words summoned a tear from the corner of my eye.

“Thank you. That’s all I wanted to hear,” I replied, wiping the tears that had fallen on my cheek with the back of my hand.

“Shall we go to the dining area? The guests will be here soon.” Lia smiled, grabbing my hand and dragging me to the door.