“Oh God, Andy. Where have you been?” Ren hugged Andrea tightly after she opened the front door. The intimacy her friend brought would’ve driven Andrea to a breakdown, but now was not the time for that. She pushed the tears away. Robert spoke from behind, “Are you alright, Miss Andrea?” The concern was very evident between the two assistants. Andrea could already imagine what they would look like if they saw what Sebastian saw. Andrea peeked from Ren’s hold and saw Sebastian sitting on one of the stools in the kitchen bar. He was swirling his whiskey glass which was dangerously filled to the brim. “He hasn’t spoken since we arrived,” Ren whispered. “What happened, Andy? Why did he ask for a divorce?” Divorce? Andrea looked at her in surprise which caught her friends off guard. “You didn’t know?” It was Robert who asked this time. They all looked at the billionaire who didn’t acknowledge their presence. Deep inside, Andrea was fully panicking. If Sebastian was mad, he would show it.
At that moment, Andrea felt like the filthiest person alive. Even if a group of grimy, disease-filled vagrants was placed next to her, she’d still be the more impure one.Andrea looked at the divorce paper, then the pen, then at the shattered glass on the floor. She saw her reflection in the mess. Her hair was all over the place, her tear-stained cheeks were bright red, and her eyes were filled with misery. Just like the glass, her whole being completely cracked into fragments. With no one else to pick the pieces up but her.“What are you still doing? Sign the damn papers and get the fuck out of here.” Sebastian still had his back to her. So this was it. Her life will never turn for the better.“But our baby,” she thought. Andrea opened her mouth to tell him about her pregnancy but Sebastian beat her to it.“You know what?” Her soon-to-be ex-husband turned around with a sardonic smile that she interpreted as something else. A small bud of hope sprung inside Andrea. Did he finally real
Andrea ever so slightly, shivered in her shoes as she stood in front of the apartment door. She admitted that the way she talked to her best friend was so unlike her that Ren left in an upset state. But she’d understand once she knew the whole story. Andrea was sure of it.By then, the rains had evolved into a full-blown hurricane. The winds had begun to speed up and thunders scattered around the city. Every now and then, the sudden booming sounds would surprise her.Andrea took two more deep, full breaths before knocking. She waited for around ten seconds, but no one came to the door. Again, she knocked while calling out, “Ren? Ren!” Still, the manager was nowhere to be seen.“Oh yeah, the spare key,” Andrea remembered. Of course, she had a similar key for the apartment. So she fished for the jagged item around her soaked bag. “Shit.” It was in a different bag. Because all she put on the purse were necessary items for dinner outside. Her wallet, a bit of makeup, tissue, and a pen. An
Andrea woke up to the feeling of a hand gently caressing her face. Was it morning already? Who was the person doing it to her? She wanted to sob out loud. Did she get kidnapped by another stalker?She was yet to open her eyes and immediately acted like she was still asleep. The person who sat on her bed sighed, watching as she rested. Andrea’s tense body finally relaxed. She could recognize that sound anywhere. That sigh only came out of a daring woman who often got tired of her friend’s foolish antics.Andrea whispered as she opened her eyes, “Ren…”Her best friend quickly pulled her into a hug as Ren erupted into a loud sobbing. The toughest woman she ever knew who never as much as shed a tear for anything was clinging to her and letting it all out.“Darren told you?” Andrea asked while rubbing her back. Ren nodded her head and calmed down to just sniffling now and then. They stayed that way for some time.“Oh, what am I doing, having you comfort me instead of the other way around?”
“Will you stop shaking?” Lilith reprimanded Cecilia, who stood beside her as they waited for the billionaire by the condominium lobby. “B-but Alvis-” “Shut up about it already,” Lilith cut her off with gritted teeth. “Everything solved itself, so all you have to do is shut up!” Her assistant cowered. As time passed, the dignified woman she swore to serve wholeheartedly was evolving into Aphrodite. It meant that even if she had the most stunning looks, she was vain, selfish, and cunning. But Cecilia snapped at herself. She was an accomplice to the tragedies that happened to Andrea. So she shouldn’t be judging Lilith when she was guilty of the same things. The heiress added, “That man turned out to be unhinged so even if he mentions me, no one will believe him.” Her eyes became darker with her next words, “And if Andrea decided to talk, I’ll make every single person on this earth believe that she is crazy.” They soon saw Sebastian’s luxury sedan drive through the building’s front. “
Andrea had never run so fast in her life compared to now as she passed through doors after doors in the hospital hallway. Just Doctor Abel telling her that Madeline was transferred to the ICU pushed her into overdrive.She had been told that this would soon happen and that it was only a matter of time. Madeline surviving this long was a miracle in itself and that Andrea shouldn’t be expecting anything else. That implied that a doctor calling about her meant that her organs were shutting down or that she had a heart attack.“Please, please, she’s okay. God, please,” she pleaded. The whole place felt like a labyrinth as she tried to find where the ICU was. A mask and a hat were enough as a disguise for her since no one was really expecting a celebrity to show up any minute there. She stopped every nurse and doctor on her way and asked them for directions.Until she got in front of the said area. Rightfully so, Doctor Abel and Madeline’s usual nurses waited for her at the entrance. Do th
“Slowly, slowly,” Andrea told Madeline as she assisted the older woman to get up from the bed. It had been a refreshing week for the actress, seeing her guardian get fitter each day. Now, she’s able to hold small conversations and move on her own, still requiring assistance from time to time.Madeline told her, “I’m fine, Andy. Don’t… worry about me.” Her croaky voice was also beginning to disappear, getting replaced by the captivating but strong one that she garnered over years of working as a lawyer.Andrea let her move on her own and smiled as Madeline, slowly but steadily, stood up and walked over to her wheelchair.“Ready for your therapy?” A nurse knocked at the door.“I am.” Madeline grinned back at Andrea who was holding the wheelchair’s handles. “Let’s go.” But as she pushed towards the exit, the nurse informed them, “Oh, I’ll be taking you for now, Ms. Madeline. Ms. Andrea, Doctor Abel wants to see you in his office.”Andrea got a look of concern from Madeline, but she shook
“Hey, Mads.” Andrea tapped Madeline’s shoulder to get her attention. “I have to go somewhere, so I’ll be seeing you later in your room, okay?” The older woman was now covered in sweat after just a few minutes of exercise and had to stay seated even if she wanted to get up to Andrea’s level.Madeline noticed a man waiting by the door, observing them. When he saw her stare, he gave a small smile and bow. Her brow twitched up at her. “What will you do?”Her inquisitive eye made Andrea chuckle nervously, “Oh, just loose ends at work I have to take care of. It’s mostly nothing.” She kissed the top of Madeline’s head.“Make sure you’ll be back at my room later, alright?” Madeline’s words were comforting. Throughout Andrea’s life, there was one person who had been constantly waiting for her without judgment. Even now that she has woken up and had the chance to reclaim her life, Madeline chose Andrea over a different life.“You and I have some serious talking to do.” Andrea suddenly felt swea