Chapter 6

James couldn't bear the disheartened news he heard from Claudia.

"Cathy has gone to Canada with her aunt and she will continue her education there," Claudia told him.

Her words stuck into his heart and tore it into pieces. How could she just leave without even saying goodbye?

" Does it mean she felt nothing for me" he murmured to himself and looked at Mira whose eyes were filled with tears.

The news broke James's heart and propels him to change his mind concerning his father's proposal. He made up his mind to leave the country and he promised himself never to love again.

Claudia smiled mischievously, she was happy that her plans had worked.

"He must have come from a wealthy home and he looks good too. Poor Cathy, I am sorry you can't have him". She said and let out a laugh of ridicule.

Claudia was about to go out when James came with Mira. She already had bad feelings toward Mira and so she ignored her. She settled her attention on the young boy Mira came with. Only to discover that the boy was looking for Catherine her stepdaughter.

From the look on his face and the tone of his voice, she was sure that the boy was in love with Catherine. She can't help but feel jealous of her. She lied to them and made them leave her presence as quickly as they came. She picked up her bag and left immediately after.

Mira cried her eyes out. She can't believe what Claudia told them.

"How could Catherine leave without saying a word to me?" she sobbed.

" I can't believe her lies. She is lying" Mira sobbed again.

She was still shocked to hear that Catherine traveled to Canada with her aunt.

" Cathy never mentioned anything like that before." She whispered.

"She told me that she has no other relatives except her Dad. That was why she came here after being molested by her step-Dad" Mira lamented as another set of tears clouded her eyes. She allowed them to flow freely without making any attempt to wipe them away. She felt even more worried when she recalled how she made several attempts to reach her. She entered her room and cried more.

**

Five weeks later, Catherine was at her place of work cleaning her boss's office when her stomach rumbled. She felt the urge to vomit, and this made her rush into the toilet. She threw up the little food she had eaten since morning.

Mr. Wilson hurried to her side and held her. He looked at her with concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She cleaned her mouth with the back of her hand. Catherine put on the tap and washed her face

"I am fine," she responded

"I just feel dizzy" she added.

"Maybe you should go and rest," He said

"Thank you. I will do just that " she replied and moved toward the staff quarters. However, she barely sat down when she suddenly felt feverish. The urge to vomit came back again and she rushed inside the toilet and threw up all her food. This time she felt so exhausted because nothing was left inside her stomach.

"I think you should go and see a doctor," Vivian one of her colleagues said.

"I will be fine," Catherine murmured.

"Then you have to go home and have some rest" Vivian insisted.

Catherine accepted and headed toward her home. Evelyn who had never seen her home this early since she started working became worried and asked.

"Why are you home this early?"

"I am feeling dizzy and sick. I vomited at the restaurant and I just came back home to have a rest" Catherine answered.

"You have to go to the clinic tomorrow morning to see a doctor " she muttered to Cathy who was sitting close to her on the bed.

"It's just a fever, I will get some drugs and I will be fine," she answered.

"I insist you go to the clinic," Evelyn said.

"If you insist I will do that tomorrow morning on my way to the restaurant " Cathy replied.

Evelyn lay down with a written concern on her face. Her mind went wild with different thoughts which made her not sleep well, her spirit was greatly disturbed.

Evelyn was restless throughout the night. Before she sleeps, she refuses the food Catherine brought for her. Her sickness has suddenly deteriorated. Catherine checked the temperature and it was high.

However, she managed to control her mother's fever and settle her back on the bed, but yet, Evelyn couldn't sleep. She makes everyone including her drunken husband to be awake. Finally, she slept off around 5 am.

Catherine woke up late the next morning. She made up her mind to visit the Clinic before heading to work. So she went straight to the Clinic when she finished preparing.

She couldn't believe what the doctor had told her, Hot tears ran down her tender cheeks as she recalled her conversation with the doctor.