CHAPTER 2

Marie logged in to the website and read their terms and conditions, she was surprised to know that they were given loans without taking any interest and the borrower can be given a space of a year or two to pay up.

"Wow," Marie muttered to herself, "Could this be real or legit?"

Marie thanked Ri and after the day's work, she changed into her clothes and took her scooter, she decided to stop by her fiancé’s apartment to tell him how her day had gone.

The day had stretched out to a dull evening as she pulled up in front of his apartment, Marie pulled off her helmet and sighed, pushing her hair out of her face.

She took out her spare key and got the door open, his house was unusually quiet for the fact that Mark was a music freak and always found a way to play loud pop music even after the old Chinese landlord's warnings.

Marie guessed he might be asleep, she climbed up the stairs and headed for his bedroom and that was when she heard a soft moaning sound from his room.

Marie stopped in her tracks and stared at the slightly open door, her heart tightened as she listened to the sound of Mark making out with another lady.

Tears and hot tears slipped down her cheeks as she walked slowly into his room and pushed the door open to see him in his tangled sheets on a lady.

Mark jerked away at the sound of the door opening with a creak and then Marie felt her heart scattering as her eyes fell on someone she would have sworn to never do a thing as such to her.

Ri, her best friend, straightened up from beneath Mark and pulled the sheets up to her chest, her hair was messy and she looked surprised.

Mark quickly got to his knees on the bed and pulled his boxer shorts up properly, his face was a mask of fear and surprise.

"Marie, babe. It's not what you think." He said quickly.

Tears pulled up in Marie's eyes as she stared at Ri in total shock, Ri was her best friend, her childhood friend. She would never have believed that she could do something such as screwing with her fiancé behind her back.

"Ri...h-how could you?" Marie asked, her lips trembling.

Ri said nothing, instead the look in her eyes made her doubt if she was truly her friend, the same friend she had left to return home back in the Cafe.

The same Ri she had told all her secrets and fears and the same person that had given her advice and had been so helpful to her.

"Come on, Marie," Ri said, smiling, "Don't act like you are that hurt, we always shared things, didn't we? I guess I decided to share him with you"

Marie's eyes slipped to Mark who had his hands on his head, he raked his fingers through his hair and sighed.

"I was going to tell you, Marie. I was going to call off the engagement, Ri has always been the one I love and we had agreed to get married in her hometown" Mark said, trying not to meet her gaze.

Marie felt like staggering, the weight of what she was hearing pushing her so hard and slamming across her chest.

"W-what?" She whispered.

Ri moved up to Mark, wrapped her arms around him, and pressed herself against him. She planted a kiss on his bare shoulder and looked up at her with a smirk on her face.

" It's not as bad as you think, Marie. I'm sure you will find someone else, someone who can stand you" She cooed.

"How could you do this to me, Ri? You were supposed to be my friend, "Marie whispered.

"Oops," Ri smiled.

"You are so vicious "Marie cried again, she slipped the ring out of her finger and threw it at them, and Ri laughed heartily.

Mark's jaw tightened now, "Fine, this is what I had always wanted, just leave, okay? We're done"

Marie turned around and ran out of the room, tears pouring down her eyes as she ran down the stairs and burst outside his apartment.

She threw the spare key to his apartment at the door and got into her scooter, she started it and sped up into the road, her eyes clouded with tears and her hands tightened on the hand pedals.

But instead of driving home, Marie drove to the loan company whose address she had memorized. She had less than two days to get the money for her father's surgery so she was going to think about it now and maybe cry later about being dumped.

It was probably 6 pm and Marie prayed she would make it on time since she was quite sure the company closed late, Marie blinked back her tears and drove to the company.

Her scooter glided to a halt in front of a magnificent skyscraper and she turned off her engine and sprinted up the tier of steps that led into it.

Luckily enough, she met the receptionist who was just about packing up for the day. The lady gave her a surprised look as she ran to the counter.

"Hello, hello...please I need to see your boss, it's really urgent," Marie said hurriedly.

"I'm sorry, Miss but we are closer for the day. Why don't you come back tomorrow?" She asked.

Marie grabbed the receptionist's hand quickly, "You don't understand, my father needs the money so bad, if you could just let me see your boss, please I beg you. I applied for a meeting with your boss earlier today but I couldn't make it... please, it's important"

Marie was still pleading with the receptionist and didn't know as footsteps sounded behind them, the receptionist looked up quickly and snatched her hand.

"Mr. Sanchez, t-the young lady...I t-told her to leave" The receptionist stammered.

Marie turned slowly and her eyes started from the legs of whoever was standing behind her, up to his suited frame and finally, her eyes came to rest on his face and it widened in shock.

She recognized him…

Aaron Sanchez, CEO of Edmount Cooperation and her former university lover stared at her, a smirk rose up his lips and his eyes went down her frame.

"Hello, Mariagoretti Ambrose," He said lazily, "I have long awaited you"