The three went out of the door. Von on the other hand, looks at me and nod his head. I smiled back and waved my hand.
“Jill honey?” My mother called me.
I turned my attention to her. She obviously saw us. Well, there is no point of denying when she already knows it. And I can’t read any objection on her face. Maybe she knows that I’m in the right hands.
Well Von, the stars and the planets aligned for the both of us. The only missing link is your love.
“Yeah?”
“Would you be so kind to check for my appointments for later?”
I raised my brow. “Why? You have Selena as your secretary. Why do I have to do her job? And why do you have a desk here for me prepared inside your office? I thought you will give me my own place here?”
“Selena is not my secretary anymore. At least not for the time being. Just this morning, I have given her a whole month of vacation. You will be replacing her. The files are in your computer already. Al
“So? How did it go?”I groaned in the phone while talking to Laurie and enjoying my bubble bath in the confines of my place. I felt like my neck and back are breaking for being in front of the computer for the whole day. Thinking about repeating it for another day tomorrow makes my insides go wild in rebellion.“Please, don’t ask. It was obviously hell, Laurie. I did stuff you won’t want to know. I hate it there as much as I hate mom for pulling a stunt on me.”She laughed on the line and burped. I don’t have to keep guessing what this woman is doing. I’m sure she is eating again. What will happen next worries me. Laurie will obviously gag herself again to force the food out of her stomach. I have been telling her to stop this unhealthy practice of hers and consult a doctor but she won’t heed me.I sighed. We’re really meant to be friends.“You’re doing it again. How many times do I need to tell you about your habit? Stop it, already.”“Stop it
“What’s up, J. Something bothering you again? You only call me when you’re in trouble. What is it this time?”I smiled when I heard Cathy’s voice over the phone. I decided to call her so that she could enlighten me with what’s eating me up now.“Hi, C. It’s been a long time since I’ve heard your voice. I missed you. Why didn’t you inform me that you accepted mom’s offer to send you to Europe? I hate you.”Cathy laughed in the line. I heard a clanking of glasses.“We both know you didn’t call me alone for that. It’s not that hard for me to read you. Come on, we have been together for all the years of our lives. Is it about Von again?”I let out a sigh. Cathy never failed to make feel assured and protected. She has this unique aura all over her that makes you trust her. Cathy has been like that for me for the longest time. We practically grew up together. If only my aunt will let her, she could have moved to our house. Aside from Laurie, she has been
I arrived at Sandy’s place at exactly five in the morning. The maid who opened the door for me gave me a malicious smile while giving a look on my thin lingerie underneath my untied robe.“Where’s Von?” I asked hurriedly not minding her stares.“Jill, come up here.”I looked up to see Von from the top of the stairs in the second floor. I didn’t think twice before running towards him.“W-what happened?” I asked him while catching my breath.Von sighed and raked his fingers over his hair in a frustrated way.“It’s Sandy. I don’t know what exactly happened but she called me this morning to ask for my help. I immediately came here but when she saw me, she began to scream and started shaking all over. I tried to embraced her but she won’t let me. It’s been an hour since she locked herself up in the room.”“Why did you call me? You should have called for her mother or any member of her family.”Von stared right through me, enough for m
“Smile, my dear. You look stunning in your pantsuit. It suits you.”I rolled my eyes at my mother and adjusted the frames of my eyeglasses. I felt so uncomfortable with my too conservative clothes and the stares people in the convention throw at me.Of course I know why. They are as shocked as myself when mom pulled me out of my tedious answering of her endless calls to accompany her to a formal event.I felt so out of place with my clothes in the sea of dresses and coats. I did not come here to be one of the dignitaries but as a mere employee.“Why didn’t you give me a heads up about this, mom? Look at them checking me out. It’s so embarrassing!”My mother laughed.“That doesn’t change the fact that you are still my daughter and the future of our empire. You have nothing to be ashamed of,” she assured me.“I know that but you could have at least informed me beforehand. I don’t even have my eye contacts in me and you of all peopl
“Hi, Ms. Jill Buenaventura. Fancy meeting you here. I get that you don’t remember me given that look in your face. I’m Penelope Ciro. We met five years ago in London. Remember that fashion show?”I crooked one brow and tried to remember her name and the event she’s talking about. Penelope… A flash of recognition dawned on me when I repeated her name in my head. My face hardened at the memory of a woman holding a placard outside the hotel where a fashion show I just attended was taking place. She is shouting expletive words on my face and then next thing I knew; she threw a rotten egg on my face.The next day's morning paper contained my picture who looks like I just ran over a dozen of eggs. Beside that column is a mugshot of the woman where her name is written in a nice bold black font.“Ah, I remember your bloated face outside that building that night. Well, you look so good with that mismatched plaid jacket and a neon cropped top.”Penelope smi
I stood up and stepped back when Jeff started to approach me. My survival instincts started to kick in. The first thing I wanted to do was to run and so I did but Jeff was quick enough to block me. He imprisoned me in his arms and locked my hands with his.I struggled to break away from his grip because it is obvious that he is stronger and bigger than me. I am no match in him in terms of strength.“Let go of me,” I hissed and kicked his leg but he didn’t seem to mind it.“Let go of me!” I shouted again at his face.“Don’t fight me anymore, Jill. I know you still want me and I feel the same way to you too. Stop ignoring me.”My mouth opened in surprise and amazement. How dare this guy think that I still want him after I caught him cheating on me. No one in the right mind will still stay even after catching her boyfriend in bed with another woman.“Who told you that I am still into you? It
“What is wrong, Jill?”I sniffed on my already wet tissue and then threw it on the trash bin together with other tons of wet wipes before answering Laurie who is looking at me with utmost curiosity from her seat on the far side of her room.“What’s wrong? Everything is wrong, Laurie!” I blurted out while stuffing tissues on my face again. My mascara is all over my face but I don’t care about being vain anymore. My vanity will not save me from the horrible heartache and shit I am feeling now.After the scene in the hotel, I did not go back to work. Instead, I instructed the cab driver to take me to Laurie’s pad. I did not care anymore if I found her lying naked with a man in her bed because I am so absorbed with my own problems. I badly needed a friend now or else I’m going to explode in mixed anger and frustration.“Relax, Jill. Tell me everything first. Let me understand first so that I know what&rsqu
“Did you think so?” I asked in a lowered voice.Laurie nodded. “Yes, I think so and so were all of our friends who are so worried of you.”I exhaled and grasped her hand and looked her in the eyes.“Laurie?”I tightened my grip on her hand. “Can I ask for a favor?” I asked pleadingly.She looked away, sighed, and looked back to me. “One favor, Jill. One last favor you can ask me.”My tears fell again. “Yes, one last favor.”“What is it?” she murmured.“Let me do this one thing for Von. If I failed, then I will completely stop this craziness you say I’m committing and fly back to Europe. You don’t have to go with me there. Just promise me that after I’m done making a fool of myself, you will drag me out of this and knock some senses on me. In the meantime, let me be please for my own happiness. Can you do that for me?”Laurie’s face showed that of someone on exact disagreement with what she had just heard but I can also read