Keeping Her Busy

* Stuart’s POV *

“Pat? Why are you not wearing anything on your feet?” I heard a woman ask someone who had just arrived. I actually do not want to care, but it bothered me when I saw her barefoot. Seriously! What was she thinking? I do not know what drama she is trying to project, but I am not buying it. If she thought that looking for pity would help, it won’t.

I learned she could complete the task I gave her. This means it would be difficult for me to find faults in her job, so I will have enough reason to fire her. She is considered an asset of the bakeshop and was hailed as one of the best. If I am going to fire her for no reason, it might send a wrong signal to the other employees. They might think that the change of administration would endanger their jobs.

I looked at my watch and smiled. I still succeeded, even though she completed her task. She may have kept her job, but I have kept her so busy that she could not have spare time to sneak into my office and flirt with me. All I need to do now is to think of other things that she needs to accomplish.

It was past eight when I finished my coffee. It was too early to go to the bar, so I checked on my dad at his place. I have not spoken with him since I left two years ago. He did not like my decision, but he figured out he could not live my life for me. After all, I am his only child and the only heir of the Cordoval Corporation.

The female butler led me to the bedroom of my father, where he greeted me with a priceless smile, “Stuart,” my father called.

“I am here, Dad,” I moved closer and sat near the bed.

“I am so glad to see you, son.”

“Me too,” I replied.

“Have you seen Patricia?”

“Dad,” I sighed, “we talked about this.” I could not hide my disappointment when he mentioned her name. He is sick and finds it hard to speak, but of all the topics he could choose, he asked about her.

“I am sorry, son. I just can’t help but think that if you haven’t separated, maybe I have grandchildren now.”

“Dad, accept that Patricia and I are over,” I said, “and it is that way.”

“I am sorry,” my dad said sadly. “maybe I just wanted grandchildren so much. I am not getting younger, son. I only want to spend the rest of my days having fun with my grandchildren.”

Not that I don’t like children; I like children. I find them cute and bubbly, but I have never imagined having children with Patricia.

“So what have you been busy with lately?” my dad tried to change the topic, “besides running our businesses, of course.”

“Nothing,” I shrugged, “I spend time with my friends when I am done with office responsibilities.”

“Hmm,” he curled his lips into a smile, “maybe you’d like to watch one of the exclusive shows from this company,” he asked his nurse to give me something.

It was a VIP card from a certain Gracieux Performing company. I am not fond of watching these types of shows. I don’t need them. I don’t need to pay just to watch sexy women dance in front of me. I get them for free.

“It is not what you think it is,” my dad said, “just hide it. You might need it someday.”

I said nothing anymore. I didn’t want to insult him, so I did just as he said. I kept the card inside my wallet with the thought that soon it would be forgotten. I knew he’d ask for it in the future, so if he will, I’ll just search for it in my wallet.

Dad and I talked a little until I said goodbye and headed for the bar. I needed to see Mago, and I needed to make a list of all the things that Patricia must do to keep her busy.

* Patricia’s POV*

I watched myself in the mirror. It reflected a different woman, not the one that people from college once knew. I am actually preparing for Janine’s wedding anniversary. It is an exclusive party to which only family members and close friends were invited. I knew it would be a bad idea to join the party, but I had no choice. Janine requested me to bake her surprise wedding anniversary cake for Marco. I could not say no. The couple has been helping me survive since the bankruptcy of my dad’s company. This is the least I could do for them.

I wish I’d never have to share the same space with him. I still can remember how he made my entire week a hell. I had to endure every impossible demand he asked of me so I could keep my job. Just like the one hundred layers of blueberry cakes he ordered and another one hundred pieces of sylvannas the next day, I found out last Thursday that he was the only one who placed an order. But that was not the worst. When that day came, he asked me to deliver each cake layer to every supervisor in his building. He said it was his welcome treat to these employees, and since I had made enough sylvannas for all the stores, he asked me to do the job that a delivery boy should be doing. I thought that was it, but it did not end there. Last Friday, he asked me to create a new refrigerator cake flavor that can only be bought in Blue Plate. I have tried different flavors, but none of my invented cakes ever impressed him.

I sadly remembered how my life used to be. I did not have to worry about what to eat because I could buy anything. I do not have to worry about what to wear because, as a part-time model, I have so many choices to choose from. I had to end my modeling career because I had devoted my time to being Stuart’s wife after we got married. I actually thought of trying it again, but advertising agencies have rejected me. The death of my father revealed the scandal of my family. They say my image is too bad, and brands may not wish to take the risk with me.

I sighed as I saw that I only had two clothes to fit the occasion. I have sold all of my things to help me survive after the bank evicted me from my family’s mansion, but I could not afford to sell these two. They remind me of the two most important moments in my life: the happiest one and the saddest. I ran my fingers over the silk of my white dress. It was the dress I wore during my civil wedding ceremony. I was so happy then.

I bit my lips to stop my tears from falling as I looked at the red satin next to my white dress. It was the dress I wore during our first wedding anniversary. I could not bear to wear any of the two, so I wore a black halter blouse and white square pants. I did not bother to put on so much makeup or fix my hair. I put on a little powder, lip gloss, eyeliner, and eyebrows to highlight my brows. I did not bother to tie my hair or wear any fancy jewelry. I am not like this before. I used to spend hours fixing myself whenever I went to a party, especially when I knew I would see Stuart there. It doesn’t matter anymore today. I have accepted the fact that no matter how sexy the dresses I wear or how pretty I look with my makeup and jewelry, Stuart will never look at me. He does not like me. He made sure I realized two years ago.

“Pat?” I heard the owner of the house knock on my door. I only rented a bedroom. My salary could not afford even a low-cost apartment. Besides, there are bills I need to pay.

“Someone’s looking for you,” she said after another knock.

“I’ll be out in five minutes,” I called out and checked myself in the mirror for the last time.

“Mark,” I was not surprised to see him at the doorsteps of the house. He is Marco’s brother, and Janine has instructed me he will be the one to pick me up.

“Where’s your wife?” I asked when I noticed that no one else was in his car.

“I had to take her to bring her to the hospital,” he explained, “she needed to see the doctor because she bled again this morning.”

“Isn’t she coming to the party?” I asked.

“I’ll get back to her as soon as I am done taking you to Marco’s place.”

“Oh, I am sorry, I did not mean to bother you –“

“No! No, it is completely fine,” Mark assured me. “Natasha’s been supporting Janine, and she was the one who asked me to make sure you get to the party with the surprise cake that Janine asked you to prepare.”

I nodded as I realized that they, too, knew our plan for the night. It took us only a short time to be in the venue. Mark brought the big cake while I secured the small cake, the one where Janine asked me to write the good news. I did not intend to meet the eyes of Stuart when I entered the house. I immediately shied away and went directly to the kitchen, where Janine and Arlene were supposedly waiting.

“How are you?” Arlene asked me as she walked with me towards the kitchen.

I told her I was fine, and then we discussed how to go about the surprise that Janine had planned. Janine’s eyes glittered as she told us about how things should be. She actually got the idea from the things she read on W*****d. She has no work and nothing to worry about, so she spends her idle time reading stories. I guess that made her become very optimistic about life.

“I guess that settled everything,” I said. “Shall we start?”

“Okay,” Janine excitedly nodded, “I’ll invite everyone to the garden.”

As she said, all the invited guests went to the garden where the dinner was set. Arlene and I sat with Mark and Jannah, Janine’s younger sister, while the members of the Adonis band were seated at the table next to ours.