Stephanie stood up from her chair fearfully. The look on Danielle’s face when she passed the instruction registered fear in her. “What’s wrong? Is he angry with me?” She asked in terror as she approved Danielle. “I’m not so sure, but his voice sounded pretty loud and harsh,” Danielle responded, and Stephanie felt her skin tingle. “I’ll go to him now.” She walked out of the office and approached Dr. Peter’s office. Her legs seemed too heavy for her to carry, so she dragged them on the tiled floor, making unpleasant noises. She got to Dr. Peter’s office and knocked on the door. “It’s Stephanie, sir.” She stepped back a little, waiting for him to respond. “Come in,” She heard his threatening voice pierce the wooden door in front of her. She reached for the doorknob and opened the door. She slowly walked into the office, and a smile flickered across her face like a hologram. Dr. Peter was sitting behind his desk, his eyes glued to the screen of his computer. Stephanie could see the frow

“Mary! What is taking you so long? Don’t tell me you are going through her stuff again!” Sarah shouted from the kitchen. She asked Mary to take care of Stephanie’s room against her return, and Mary was taking years to do that. She got no response from Mary, and Sarah heaved a sigh. She stormed out of the kitchen and headed to Stephanie’s room. She barged into the room and was about to shout when she saw Mary sitting on Stephanie’s already laid bed. She had a paper in her hand, and she looked lost staring at it. “What is that?” Sarah asked as she approached her. Mary heaved and showed her the paper in her hand. It happened to be a picture that Stephanie and Owen took when they were still together. Sarah collected the picture and stared at it for minutes. She saw how happy Stephanie looked in the picture and it broke her to know that happiness didn’t last long. “I saw it in a box she kept under her closet. I don’t know why she has that, Mum, but I don’t think she needs it anymore. We

~The Next Day~ “Stephanie, please pass me the butter.” Sarah quickly placed the washed chicken laps in a bowl with her right hand and stretched her left hand to Stephanie. Stephanie picked up the butter that was in a small bowl and passed it to Sarah. “Thank you,” Sarah said, and cut some of it into the heating pan. “Can I beat the eggs now?” Stephanie asked, and before Sarah responded, Mary walked into the kitchen looking very beautiful. She braided the sides of her brown hair and applied some makeup. “Hmm… Where are you going looking so beautiful?” Sarah twitched her eyes brows, and Mary giggled. “Stephanie, you are still in the kitchen?! I told you, you would be following me to my friend’s birthday party!” Her eyes popped open when she saw Stephanie was yet to prepare. “Oh my, I’m so sorry, Mary. You didn’t remind me again. I totally forgot. Is it time now?” Stephanie asked sadly, and Mary shook her head. “You have fewer hours to prepare though. I’m done with my makeup, all I ha

Stephanie’s phone made a beep which made her open her eyes. She threw her hands on her drawer and picked up her phone. Her sleepy eyes closed and opened before she took a look at her phone’s screen. When she finally opened her eyes to check the message that had popped in, her eyes widened in great shock, and she sprang up. It was a message from the company she had submitted her credentials to. “I have an interview in an hour?!” She roared and jumped out of bed. Her heart was thumping violently against her chest. She was very surprised and was still in shock as she rushed to the bathroom. As she was in the bathroom, her door flung up, and Sarah entered. “Stephanie, are you okay? I heard your screen,” Sarah uttered fearfully as her eyes scanned Stephanie’s room. When she didn’t see her in the room, she moved to her bathroom door and placed her ear on it. “Stephanie, are you in there?!” She asked in a louder voice, and Stephanie heard her. “Mom, Mom is that you?!” Stephanie asked from i

~ After a week~Stephanie stood in front of Sebastian’s company. She gazed at the building and began to replay all her parents had told her. Sarah and Philip called her for a private chat after she told them what happened at the company. She told them she wasn’t going to go back, but Sarah and Philip told her to embrace the opportunity since other companies didn’t get back to her. They told her she could start in the meantime and when she secures another job somewhere else, she could leave. After so much pressure from her parents, she told them she would return, and if she didn’t feel comfortable, she would leave without thinking. Stephanie heaved a sigh and slowly walked into the company. As she approached the receptionist, the receptionist looked up and hastily sprang to her feet. Stephanie knitted her brows, wondering why she acted in such a way. “Miss Stephanie Taylor. Welcome, Ma’am.” She gave Stephanie a slight bow, and Stephanie reciprocated the bow in surprise. “Good mornin