Barbara Reading Novels & Stories

JADE I can't pretend that I don't hear the hum of corporate gossip swirling around me in the cafeteria. Coffee and office gossip are my least favorite combination. I poke at my salad, my mind still drifting back to three days ago. I shouldn't care at all, but I can't get the image out of my brain. The way Barbara’s face turned white. It's the same look she wore the first time I caught her with a man who’s even older than Harold Vance. It was the day I learned her darkest secret—that she sleeps with ancient rich men for money.

Tom and Bob looked at each other, the silence in the room heavy with sudden, cold realization. *** In the city park, Lea found Barbara sitting on a bench directly under the blazing sun, avoiding the shade of the trees. "You aren't trying to get a tan, are you? It’s boiling out here, Barbara!" Lea protested. "I chose this spot on purpose. It’s quiet and... bright," Barbara replied nervously. "You’re acting strange. Are you sick?" "I feel sick, alright. The more I think about everything, the more insane I feel," Barbara answered.

she grumbled. While continuing to walk, Barbara checked her social media. Hailey still continued to the live broadcast alone. "Did they hear Philip's voice just now?" Barbara recalled her memory. His speaking volume was quite large. Barbara cringed at the thought of the consequences. "In the next live stream, I have to give my best. That way, they won't mention Philip." Monday morning, Barbara entered the Savior building with a bright smile. Unlike usual, her outfit this time was formal. She wore a blazer and her hair was neatly pinned up.

To make it look professional, she added black-rimmed glasses. “So this is the way you look like as a personal assistant to the new Lloyd Group director?” Greg asked, covering his mouth and stifling a laugh. Barbara snorted and took a cup of tea. “Shut up! I haven’t been an assistant to director Lloyd yet. I have to undergo a re-interview,” Barbara explained, looking lazy. Hearing the answer of the youngest daughter, Ben Shelton, who had been observing the movement of stocks through his tablet while drinking British tea, put down his gadget. Barbara’s statement really bothered his ears this time.

she snapped, “I need to get back the shop before the boss has my head. Is this about the Bloody Barbies again?” Bloody Barbie was the nickname Maria gave to the murders ever since she’d gotten involved as a suspect. It was an apt name. Each crime scene that had been investigated was painted red with each victim’s blood, and in each one there would be a bloody doll left behind (though, not exactly a Barbie), no less than three feet away from the body.

The phone starts to ring as I wait for her to answer. "Hello?" Barbara says. "Hello, Darling!" I say to her with a prim proper tone in my voice. Using this voice, I often pretend that I am the villainous "Cruella Devil" from the book "The Hundred and One Dalmatians" by Dodie Smith. That has always been one of my favorite books. My mother used to read it to me as a child. "Molly!" Barbara says with excitement in her voice. "How are you doing?" I asked her, “I have not seen it yet this summer.

She was angry because she was confused, but what made her confused? Like something is going wrong, something shouldn't have happened, but what? Barbara took a deep breath, feeling the warmth of the air enter her body. However, when she exhaled, it was the cold steam that escaped. Barbara is like being in two temperatures at once. People probably thought she looked like someone… cold, literally, without the slightest hint of warmth. However, they were wrong. Barbara could feel how cold her body was, but she also felt the warmth inside her, flowing with her blood and life.

Her eyes widened, looking at Barbara. "Are you going to work?" Mirenda asked curiously, looking at Barbara dressed like she was going to a party. "Yes, I am," Barbara said excitedly. Mirenda looked at her and her gaze shifted to James, who frowned. 'What! Is something wrong?" Barbara asked with a confused expression. "Oh! Nothing," Mirenda replied and quickly left for her room. Mrs Haward had just entered the living room and saw Barbara. She froze in her steps looking at how she was dressed.

“Yes, we’ve had too many presents in the past, and I’m out of ideas now. Then I realized I haven’t gotten him any antiques yet.” Christina nodded and had a short chat with her before leaving and letting the young people spend time instead. Barbara had tea with Maisie at a cafe nearby when Maisie remembered something and blurted, “I think I saw someone today.” Barbara asked, “Who?” “Ian Summer.” Once the name came up, Barbara froze. It had been a while, and she didn’t seem to remember much anymore.

"I have the utmost respect for people like you, who dedicate themselves to making the world a better place." Barbara feels a flush of pride at his words, a warmth that spreads through her chest and momentarily chases away the lingering shadows of her grief. "What about you?" she asks, her curiosity piqued. "What do you do?" As Ethan launches into a detailed explanation of his work in shipping business and real estate development, Barbara finds herself captivated, drawn in by his passion and the infectious energy that emanates from him. She listens intently, her eyes sparkling with genuine interest, and for a fleeting moment, the weight of her heartbreak seems to lift, replaced by a sense of