“Shawn! You are just in perfect timing. You are right, dear. My daughter Ericka is back. Come here and join us,” her father said in a lively tone. The happiness that he had felt when she came back couldn’t be denied by the smile on his face and at the same time on his voice.
He was smiling at Shawn who was walking towards their direction.
But Ericka didn’t bother to look at the man and instead she continued eating her food. She could hear heart pounding so fast. She felt like her ribcage was going to crash because of how hard it was pumping inside her chest.
Suddenly, all the last memories that she had with the man flashed back inside her mind and that moment that she saw him kissing and hugging her stepsister suddenly came inside her mind and she couldn’t control the fury that she felt towards him.
The two men at the dining table with her were just quietly looking at her. It was very obvious that she was not interested in the man who just arrived while they were having breakfast.
She didn’t even throw even a single glance at him. She couldn’t hide what she was feeling inside her towards the man. She hated the fact that Shawn was acting so innocent as if he really had no idea of what happened and why he was ignoring him.
“Ericka, are you not even going to welcome your best friend?” Her father suddenly asked her. It seemed like he couldn’t help but wonder why she acted as if no one had arrived. How she wished she could tell him everything. How she wished she could tell his father that the man in front of her was one of the reasons why she left him.
“It looked like she was not happy to see me,” the man mumbled. “Am I right? Are you not happy to see me?” Shawn said which made her raise her head. She looked at them as he was sitting in front of her, and her father was on his left side.
She could see his father’s face was full of confusion of what’s happening. His eyebrows were knitted together while his forehead was knitted. His father’s eyes were full of questions while waiting for her to answer.
She could understand him. Shawn was her best friend, and her father didn’t expect the kind of treatment she was giving him. They grew up together and it was not hidden from them how close they were to each other. It was normal for his father to be shocked.
She just looked at Shawn coldly. Ericka couldn’t believe that the man was acting as if he knew nothing about why she was ignoring him.
“I am sorry but Dad, I am already done with my meal. Please excuse me. Dad, I will just wait for you in your study room.” She said and then stood up.
She was heading out of the dining room without looking back at the people she left on the dining table.
“Ericka,” she heard Shawn call out her name. But she just ignored it and acted as if she didn’t hear anything and continued her way to her dad’s study room.
Her heart was beating so fast inside her ribcage. She was catching her breath as soon as she went out of the dining table. She wasn’t prepared to see the man after so many years.
She couldn’t deny to herself that she had missed him but at the same time, she hated him a lot. She had hated him since that day that she saw him with her stepsister. Of all people, why should it be her stepsister? How could he do that to her? For the longest time of her life, she had not dreamt of any man to be a part of her life other than Shawn. She was the man in every dream that she had so she couldn’t fully understand what happened to him and he allowed that kind of thing to happen.
But before she could even reach the staircase, a hand held her forearm which made her stop. She was surprised and she felt like her feet were rooted from where she was standing.
“What happened to you, Ericka? What’s wrong with you? Why are you ignoring me? Acting as if I don’t exist? Do you really hate me that much and for what reason?” Those were the questions that Shawn had thrown at her.
Suddenly, she came back to her senses. She couldn’t believe that he had the audacity to throw her those questions. Where was Shawn getting all the courage to confront her like that?
The anger inside her chest rose in her head. She wanted to shout and burst out all the feelings she had for him, especially the hatred. She wanted to tell him how she hated him for making a fool out of her. But there was no way that she would make him see that she was hurt because of him. That she was affected by what he had done a couple of years ago.
Ericka turned around with her head up high. She looked at the man’s face after that to his hand that was holding her forearm. His eyebrows were drawn together while waiting for her answer to his questions.
But sorry to him, there would be no answer for his questions. He didn’t deserve any explanation coming from her. As far as she knew, if there was something that was explaining it shouldn’t be her, but it was Shawn.
‘Don’t you dare to touch me. You filthy man. You are the filthiest man I have ever met,” she said in a mocking tone and then after that, she swayed her hand so that Shawn would let go of her forearm.
She saw how confusion and shock crossed the man’s face after she said all those words at him. But she didn’t care at all of what his reaction was. She continued to walk and went upstairs heading to her father’s study room.
She reached the room and then she leaned her back on the side of the door. From there she let the tears flow on her cheeks. She had been holding these tears since earlier in the dining room when Shawn arrived.
They grew up together. He was the man of her dreams. The man to whom she wanted to spend her whole life with, but all was like a nightmare after that day of seeing him with her stepsister.
She was back to her sanity when she heard the footsteps that were approaching her direction. She immediately wiped the tears on her eyes and then she fixed herself through the glass wall that was in front of her.
After that she distanced herself to the backdoor, she was not mistaken. It was her father especially when the door opened, and he got inside of the room.
“Sit down, my dear,” her father said after she heard the click of the sound of the door as he locked it.
She couldn’t help but wonder what he would be talking to him, and he wanted privacy. It was the first time that her father had called her to talk to her and they were inside the study room.
There were a lot of things that were popping inside her head.
“Dad, what happened?” She couldn’t control herself anymore, so she immediately asked her father after she closed the door. She was watching him as he walked and sat on his swivel chair.
Her father didn’t answer her but instead, he took a folder from his drawer and then he opened it. There were documents inside which he handed over to her.
Her eyebrows were drawn together as she was confused of what her father was up to. She took the documents from her father’s hand and then she read it.
She saw the first page. There was a name of a prestigious hospital and her father’s name was written on it. It seemed like it was the medical record of her father. She took all the courage that she had.
Her heart was beating so fast as she kept on flipping the pages. She found out that her father was already in the fourth stage of his colon cancer.
What was happening in her life? She left her daughter at the hospital and went to their house just to find out that her dad was also sick.
“D--- Dad,” she mumbled as she lifted her head and looked at her father who was staring at her. She couldn’t help herself and she stood up and then gave her father a hug.
Ericka felt like a bucket of cold water was poured all over her body. She suddenly felt guilty for leaving her father all alone with her stepmother and her stepsister. She was sure that they were happy with her father’s condition. It was proven as they left her father alone while they were both out of the country.
If she could only explain to her dad the reason why she got depressed probably, her father would understand her and comfort her. In a way, she realized that she had been selfish back then and she felt guilty.
“I am so sorry, Dad. Please forgive me. I have been selfish,” she said in between her sobbing
She wanted to put all the blame on her because of what happened to her dad.
How could she leave her knowing how wicked her stepmother was?
“Don’t say that you are sorry, my dear. If there’s anyone that should feel sorry and that should be blaming himself, it should be me. I should have talked to you alone back then. I should have discussed the issue without your stepmother around, just like what I am doing now,” her father said in a cracked voice.
“Do they know about your condition?” She asked.
“Yes, they are well aware about it and I am happy that you are finally back. Now, I am going to have peace of mind. I can turn over the business to you and you can manage it. The business that your grandfather had built. Continue the legacy,” her father said.
Ericka didn’t know what exactly she should be feeling. Was she capable of running the business? Her eyes furrowed and looked at her father.
“Dad, are you sure that I can manage it? I still need you to teach me the run around of it,” she said.
“Don’t worry, my dear. Shawn is there to help you,” her father said which made her stop.
“B--- but Dad,” she said stammering when she heard what her father said. She was going to manage the business along with Shawn. It just sounded ridiculous. There was no way on earth that she would be working with that man.
“I think that’s just impossible for him to do. They have their own business for him to manage,” she said as she really didn’t want to get close to the man.
She couldn’t let herself be near him and she didn’t know how she would be responding and acting in front of him.
She was doubting herself for how long she would be hating him. As she felt she missed him so much and if she just didn’t remember how much pain she had felt because of the man back then, she might have hugged him the moment that he entered the dining room.
Ericka was surprised when her father shook his head. It was like she didn't want to hear her father any further.
“No, my dear. Our business and Shawn’s family’s business are one now. We are collaborating with them. We have been doing this for several years now and I can say that it is a success.”
She was dumbstruck because of the revelation that she heard from her father. It was surprising and at the same time disappointing news that she had heard today.
Ericka blinked her eyes at the thought of her daughter residing in her head. She is currently laid on her bed, wanting to get out and go straight to the hospital to visit her child but couldn't because of her father's situation. It was stopping her from leaving. Nanny Maria has mentioned it to her several times that her father has been unwell all this time. He was always in pain, enduring everything by himself and she couldn't help but be torn between him and her daughter. She heaved a sigh when she remembered something wicked in her head. How could her stepmother and stepsister go out of the country while her father is in his sick bed? They left him all alone, sick and weakened as though they did not care one bit about his health. Ericka took out her mobile from the side table and looked at the screen. She suddenly missed her bed and her ro but it was not the right time to reminisce about the old times. She needed to call Nimfa about her daughter's situation.If only she could ma
As she took another scoop of food on her lips, she suddenly felt the eyes of her father. She lifted her head to stare at him before her gaze switched to the man by his side. "On the other hand, I can just ask the driver to drive me to the company." She turns her head back to her father. "Dad, I don't need to come with Shawn. We can just meet there at the office," I retorted after a long while. It was a good thing that she realized that she could actually say the words she wanted to say despite the doubts and fear forming onto the back of my head. Who knows if he might get infuriated by her refusal."Are you sure?" Ericka felt relieved when she noticed the reaction on her father's face. It was a good thing that it didn't bother him that she chose to refuse the offer of hitching a ride with that bastard. For one thing, it could be awkward for the two of them, and two, she just finds him weirdly annoying to a point that she'd like to avoid him no matter what.A smile flashes through
"Why is Nanny Maria holding onto my car key?" She couldn't help but let her curiosity eat her as it was a personal belonging of her.“Jenna wanted to use it earlier but Maria didn’t let her take a hold of it. Arnold just wanted to test it every time it needed to be under maintenance or to change oil,” her father explained, which brought a smile across her lips. She couldn’t help but smile due to the action of her nanny.She was obviously a loyal and trustworthy person.“Alright, see you, Dad,” she finally said and then turned away to continue walking. Before exiting the main door, she made sure to visit the servants quarters outside of the mansion, only to see her Nanny Maria, sitting outside.“Jenna wants to use it and Maria doesn't want her to use your car, it's just to be tested by Arnold every ti
Once Ericka and Nimfa's conversation ended, she finally turned her gaze towards the steering wheel and maneuvered the car back to the road. She steps on the accelerator of the vehicle then drives away from the vacant lot.Within a few minutes of a car ride, she finally reached buildings as high as the skyscrapers and immediately stopped at an elegant establishment standing at the very center of the city.Just as she greeted the guards and had one person drive her car towards the parking area, she walks directly to the hallway of the company and lifted her wrist to stare at her watch.It was exactly eight o'clock in the morning when the employees were staring right at her. Most of them had a surprised look written on their face, unknowing that she is the next heir to the company.Blinking at the sight of the people, she makes sure that in each and every movement she's doing, sh
Once, the door finally opens at the 41th floor, she was just about to walk when Mr. Gaston introduced the woman to her."Ms. Ericka, I would like you to meet Cynthia. She is going to be your personal secretary, as your father instructed me."Ericka didn't bother to listen about the name of the person and only stared right at the man with a dark expression on her face. To Gaston, it seems like he couldn't read what was going through her mind before she spoke.It seems like something had happened before he arrived earlier that made her act cold towards the young lady. And whatever it is, it seems like Ericka is displeased with the behavior of the woman."Hire me a new personal secretary," Ericka quickly blurted out and walked down the long hallway of the 41th floor. She didn't bother to even stare at the woman who have yet to regain herself from the embarassment from earlier.
A bitter smile was crossing his lips as he slowly opened his mouth to speak. "You are still such a sweet girl, my child," the old man started."When you suddenly disappeared, your father…" His eyes slowly turned sad as he looked directly into her eyes. "He had been stressing himself with working, unable to accept what had happened to you and your relationship with him. He chained himself with workload until he ended up sick in bed."Her heart sank at the words Mr. Gaston said. She couldn't believe that her father had been suffering all along because of her. Guilt started to creep up to her system, unable to bear what she heard.She bites her lip for a second and with a stunned look, speaks the words, "What do you mean?""My child, your father had been dying inside as though you were his world that slowly disappeared from his sight," he explained. "He only comes home to
Shawn immediately started with the orientation, introducing her to the whole group as people continued to eye her with a lot of things in mind.Not long after, the whole spacious room was filled with applause as Ericka appreciated it with a smile, a nod and a thank you.She takes her time to stand up and show everyone a timid smile before she turns her gaze towards Grey."Thank you, Mr. Grey, I appreciate the warm welcome," she said, an emphasis for the word 'warm welcome' tone was added. Afterwards, she then turned to look at everyone again, her eyes wandering towards the faces of the people."Thank you everyone. I'm glad that I'll be able to get to work with you all. I'm just hoping that our company will succeed."The place was yet again filled with applause before the real meeting started.Immediately, the whol
"Are you sure, Mommy?" The child's voice couldn't help but let out a cheerful tone. It seems like the mere mention of her going to visit excites her daughter the most. Ericka couldn't help but imagine the sweet smile flashing through Rica's lips as she let out a giggle."Mommy, I want to have chocolate milk and fried chicken for dinner," the child continued. Just hearing her sweet voice gives her all the delight she could ever feel.The only thing that matters to her the most is none other than her baby and she had been yearning to see her everyday.Just as she was happy to hear her child's voice, the same knock on the door continued to which she was interrupted. She turned her gaze towards the exit only to have her eyebrows furrowed for a moment.After a while, she let out a sigh before she gazed back at her phone. "Baby, I just need to do something real quick. I'll call you back," she s