Chapter 05: Faking Her Death

ᯓ★

“Any plans?” Bryan asked Ginger, who had just turned off the television after watching the unexpected news. Ginger heaved a deep sigh.

“For now? I don’t know,” Ginger admitted. “I think I should take a nap so I can think clearly about my next steps moving forward.” The things happening to her became overwhelming, and she felt like the continuous bad news was weighing her down. She couldn’t think clearly, but she knew she could after getting a good nap.

Bryan moved closer to Ginger and held her hands. Ginger’s head spun towards him with her eyes widened and mouth open. “Everything’s going to be okay. You can share the weight with me.” He gently said and then smiled.

Ginger felt awkward about his unexpected gesture because he was her mother’s boyfriend. That’s why Ginger swatted his hands away and moved back. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“Trying to comfort you?” He responded, almost sounding like a question. Ginger glared at him.

“What if our mom sees us? How do you think she would interpret your gesture? Hm?” Ginger pointed out, crossing her arms under her chest.

“Well, we weren’t doing anything bad,” Bryan said and shrugged.

“Oh, cut the crap, Bryan,” she responded and then stood up. “I’m going to rest. Don’t follow me. I need some time alone. Also, I’ve got lots of problems already, and I don’t want you adding more troubles.”

And with that, Ginger grabbed her stuff and went to her old bedroom in their mansion.

She closed her door as soon as she stepped inside her big room and locked it. She dropped her stuff on the floor and jumped onto her soft bed. Nothing could be heard but silence, and the trees swaying outside her window were caused by a strong wind. Her mind is full of nothing but the thoughts of what’s happening — her breakup, the loss of her hard-earned business, and her broken family.

It was too much for her to handle, and she found herself having a meltdown. This is the moment she should be celebrating and happy because she was declared cancer-free. But she couldn’t help but feel sad, which was natural.

‘What did I do to deserve all this?’ she thought in her mind. She cried her heart out until she drifted off to sleep.

ᯓ★

She woke up at the sound of a knock on her door. “Ginger, you up?” It was Bryan’s voice. She scratched her puffy eyes to adjust her vision and looked at herself in front of her mirror. When she looked outside her window, it was already dark. The moon was shining brightly with lots of stars spread across the night sky like glitter.

“Didn’t I tell you NOT to follow me?!” she responded, her tone almost yelling. “I need some time alone! Is that too much to ask?”

“It’s dinner time! Aren’t you hungry?” Bryan said. “Also, your mom wanted to see you.”

“If she wanted to see me, why didn’t she call me herself?” Ginger said and started fixing herself. She looked like a mess with her dark bags under her puffy, red eyes and her short, dry hair. Since she just got well, her hair hasn’t grown that long yet. Pimples could also be seen on her oily cheeks. She doesn’t like seeing herself in front of the mirror. ‘Gosh, I looked like a mess. I am so ugly,’ she thought inside her mind. ‘It seems like I need to do some makeover.’

“Come on, stop being stubborn, and come out! We’ll be waiting for you in the dining room.” Bryan said and then walked away. Ginger let out a deep sigh. Through breaking down to sleep, her heart feels a little bit lighter now, and through napping, her mind feels a little bit clearer now.

Ginger continued looking at herself in front of the mirror and muttered, “Those two are not getting away with this. I have to take them down, but first, I have to make them believe that I am already dead.”

ᯓ★

“Ginger, sweetie, I’m glad that you’ve finally recovered,” her mom, Venus, said across the dining table. Ginger didn’t respond to her statement, and she never believed that Venus was really glad or even cared that she recovered from her sickness. Instead, she continued playing with her food. “Why didn’t you call me before going here? We could have prepared a better meal if we had known. I bet the hospital meals were horrible.”

“How would you know when you never went there?” Ginger said bitterly. “And at least, they brought me food and they fed me.” Ginger looked at her mother, her eyes furrowing.

“Ginger, I am so — ” Ginger cut off Venus’ statement when she raised her hand to stop her.

“Don’t. The damage has been done. Sorry, wouldn’t cut it.” Ginger said. The tension between the mother and daughter kept increasing, which is why Bryan changed the topic to break the tension.

“So, who wants to go on a picnic tomorrow?” Bryan asked, forcing a smile. “It’s summer. Anyone who wanted to go out for a picnic or to swim?”

“No, thank you. I’ve got serious matters I have to attend to.” Ginger said.

“I know that, but you must take a break. Don’t be so hard on yourself, Ginger. You’ve gone through a lot,” Bryan said, and Venus nodded in agreement.

“Sweetie, Bryan is right. For your brain to process well, you should loosen up a little. Then afterward, we’ll help you get back up on your feet.” Venus said.

Ginger let out a sarcastic chuckle. “Didn’t know that you’re willing to help your daughter.”

Venus felt a pang in her chest at her daughter’s words. She could feel her daughter’s resentment and her pain. She felt guilty and really bad, but what was already done could no longer be changed. All she could do now was to move forward and make up for her mistakes.

Before Venus spoke again, Ginger stood up and then left the dining table.

ᯓ★

“Fionna, can you do me a favor?” Ginger said that when she found Fionna cleaning the swimming pool at their mansion. Fionna stopped cleaning and then faced her.

“Of course, anything!” Fionna said and smiled. “What is it that you need?”

“I want to fake my death and make the world believe that the old owner of the Bar & Life is already dead,” Ginger said as she started executing the first step of her plan. “I need you to contact the media and tell them that breaking news.”

“What? Why do you need to do that?” Fionna asked, curious about how Ginger’s mind works.

“I’d like to make them believe that I am dead, start my new life with a new identity, and get closer to my enemies by applying to their stupid company,” Ginger explained, clutching her fists. “If you want to take your enemies down, make them closer to you.”

ᯓ★