Chapter 7 007

𝟗𝐏𝐌* Adriana entered her house, locked the door, and walked to the sitting room, where the Disney TV was playing. Alvin was sleeping on the couch, having likely waited for her but fallen asleep when she didn't arrive. After her encounter with the pervert, whose name she didn't even know, Adriana had struggled to find a cab or taxi, forcing her to walk home and waste a lot of time. She approached Alvin and squatted beside him, gently rubbing his cheek. "Mommy is sorry, okay?" Adriana said, and Alvin blinked his eyes open. "You're awake?" she asked. "I couldn't sleep because you kept stuttering some invisible words," Alvin replied, and Adriana chuckled. His stomach suddenly grumbled, and Adriana said... "I see, my little boy is hungry?." "Yeah," Alvin nodded. "Should I make noodles for you?" she asked, but Alvin shook his head. "Nah, cereal is better," he said, and Adriana carried him in her arms to the kitchen. As Adriana carried Alvin to the kitchen, she couldn't help but think about the strange encounter she had earlier. She was still shaken by the experience, but seeing Alvin's smiling face and hearing his cheerful voice made her feel better. She set Alvin down on the counter and began preparing his favorite cereal. "So, how was your day, sweetie?" she asked, trying to distract herself from her earlier thoughts. Alvin's eyes sparkled as he began telling her about his day at school, and Adriana listened intently, grateful for the normalcy. _______ 𝐉𝐄𝐍𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐄𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄* Ara paced through the living room, worried sick about Vesper. After he dropped her off, she hadn't seen him since. Nanny Celia had gone to bed, and Ara should have been asleep too, but she couldn't shake off her concern. She hadn't even touched her food, and sleep wasn't coming. When she heard the maid's greeting, Ara looked up to see Vesper standing there, his eyes locked on hers. Before he could blink, she ran to him and hugged him tightly. "Welcome back home, hubby," she said, despite not knowing his name. Vesper was taken aback but quickly regained his composure. Ara broke the hug and looked at him. "I was worried sick about you. Thank goodness you're back." She squealed. "Why aren't you sleeping yet? It's past 10 pm." Vesper asked. "I just don't feel like sleeping." Ara bit her nails. "That's silly and childish. You waited up for me till this hour?" Vesper snapped. Ara wondered if she had done something wrong. Vesper turned to leave, but Ara spoke up... "At least have dinner. You must be tired from coming late. The maid prepared mashed potatoes with crab and watermelon juice." Vesper's eyes darkened as memories flooded his mind. He remembered being a foodie, craving his mother's cooking. He recalled coming home from school and bouncing into the kitchen, where his mother would be waiting. __ "Mom, I ate the food you prepared for me, all in school, but I just couldn't get enough of it. I kept licking my plates, and my class teacher was forced to ask me what was wrong with me," Vesper said, his voice distant. His mother smiled and stroked his head. "Really?!" she asked, and he nodded eagerly. "But I'm suddenly hungry now. I want more..." His mother served him, and he kept munching on her delicious food. He was addicted to her cooking, and no one else's food tasted the same. After she left, he lost his appetite and settled for cookies and coffee. __ Vesper's eyes refocused on Ara. "You can throw the food away for all I care. Just go to bed." Vesper said and walked away. Ara's eyes darted to the dining room, where the maids were waiting. "Have you all eaten?" she asked, and they shook their heads. "Nanny Celia gave us a punishment. We can't taste any food till the end of today." Ara shook her head and pointed at the food. "You can have this." The maids exchanged glances but started eating. ________ 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐁𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄* Janet emerged from the bathroom, fresh from a shower, wearing only a robe with a towel wrapped around her head. She approached her vanity table to begin her skincare routine. As she turned her back, she noticed Mason sleeping on the bed, but his eyes were not fully closed, and he held a phone in his hand. Janet began to speak, her tone bitter.. .. "You see that your useless daughter? She got married and has forgotten about us, ungrateful! And you're holding your phone like a dummy, wanting to call her. Can't she be the one to call us?" Mason remained silent. Janet continued, her words laced with venom. "Like father, like daughter, obviously. You brought me from my home only to bring me into a poverty-stricken life. Can't you see I want the best for our daughter, and that's why I married her off to the billionaire president?" Mason finally faced her, his expression stern. "You want the best for her, yet you maltreated her like you weren't her mother. You treated her like an adopted child, showing no love like every mother should." Mason's eyes flashed with anger. "Enough!" Janet raised her hand, interrupting Mason. "Just because I gave you permission to speak doesn't mean you can speak to me in such a manner. Yeah, I didn't show her love, but what about you? Were you a devoted father? You couldn't even give her a life of luxury, and you dare speak to me like that." "I could have shown her all the love she needed, but because of you, I showed her the other side of me. I pretended to hate, unlike you. Your hatred comes naturally. You think she was the reason for your misfortune." Mason snapped back, his voice rising. "Both of you are the reason for my misfortune, how did I even end up with a person like you in the first place?" Janet muttered to herself. She turned back to the mirror, her eyes fixed on her reflection. Mason scoffed, accustomed to her jabs. He knew that engaging in further conversation would only lead to more arguments. He dropped his phone on the stand and slowly drifted off to sleep. ______ 𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆* Ara descended the stairs, her bold fashion statement commanding attention. She wore net leggings and a skirt on top, paired with a crop top that proudly declared "The New Me" in short sleeves, and completed her look with a black boot. Her curly hair cascaded down her back, adorned with stylish pins, and she added a gloss to her already pink lip, making her stand out. She embodied the perfect definition of a bad girl, with a lip ring on her exposed belly button adding to her edgy charm. She approached the dining table, where Vesper sipped his early morning coffee, surrounded by an array of food. Ara wondered why he ordered so much when he barely ate. The maids served her, but Vesper's gaze didn't meet hers, which Ara seemed to expect. She questioned why she yearned for his attention, was it because she loved him when he stared at her? "Is this what you're going to wear to college?" Vesper suddenly spoke up, Ara stopped eating, taken aback by his question. "Yeah, I'm dressing the Gen Z baddie way," she replied, and Vesper nodded, returning to his breakfast without another word. "The driver will take and drop you off from now on." He then announced. "Actually, I can find my way home." Ara protested. "You haven't stepped foot outside this empire since you arrived, except when I took you shopping. You don't know the area, so you'll do as I ask." Vesper insisted. Ara reluctantly agreed, despite disliking the idea of a driver controlling her movements. "I'll be going now." Vesper stood up and left.. Ara finished her breakfast, instructed the maid to inform Nanny Celia of her departure, and bid Mira farewell. Outside, two guards joined her, introducing themselves as Ruby and Abby, her new private escorts. Ara rolled her eyes, unenthused about her new entourage. "Anyways nice meeting you all, I'm Ara." She introduced and they nodded. "Same." They said in unison and Ruby quickly went to open the door for her, which she entered. Then they both entered and drove off. _______ Adriana quickly hailed a cab, and luck was on her side when one stopped beside her. She was heading to an interview and knew she was late. She had overslept, and getting herself and Alvin ready had taken a lot of time. She prayed they hadn't finished the interview, she hadn't even asked Paige for permission, though it had crossed her mind the day before. The cab halted in front of a skyscraper, Adriana gazed up at the magnificent building. She paid the driver and stepped inside, wondering about the company's wealthy owner. She hoped to be among the lucky selected candidates. At the reception, Adriana was directed to the interview location. Upon arrival, she saw some people dressed impressively, trying to make a good impression on the renowned Fred Reynolds. Adriana felt self-conscious about her outfit, a sky blue shirt, black skirt with a long slit, and flat shoes. Her hair was tied in a messy bun, and she felt old-fashioned compared to the others. Some candidates snickered, criticizing her appearance. Can't believe someone like her is coming to an interview dressed like that!!. Yuck! Doesn't she know Fred Reynolds won't pick someone like her? Go back home before you receive the biggest disgrace of your life. Their words didn't faze Adriana, who was used to criticism. When her number was called, Adriana quickly approached Dennis, who directed her to Fred's office. She entered, Fred's back was facing her. "I'm here for the interview, sir," Adriana said, and Fred seemed to recognize her voice. He slowly turned, and their eyes locked. "Welcome, princess," he said in his seductive voice, causing Adriana's heart to skip a beat. "W-what? You?" she stuttered, blinking twice in shocked.... _____ 𝐖𝐒𝐂 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄* The car screeched to a halt in front of the school gate, and Ara got out. "When are you going to be done with your lecture, my lady?" Ruby asked. "I don't know, I'll be spending more time with my friends, but I'll call," Ara said, and they nodded. Ara walked inside the building, all eyes widened in shock at her new transformation. Wasn't she the same girl who used to come to school with tattered hair, worn-out shoes, and torn clothes? What had changed?! Holly and Sofia weren't in school yet, giving Stacy the opportunity to approach Ara. Stacy dragged Ara's hair from behind, and Michelle pushed her, making Ara stagger. "We've been waiting for your comeback. Didn't you say you're coming with a shocker? Just wait and see ours," Stacy said, pulling Ara to the ground. Michelle held Ara's second hand. A dirty water mixture with spicy pepper was inside a plastic bucket. They wanted to push Ara in, but Ara kicked Michelle's leg, freeing herself from Stacy's grip. Before everyone, Ara gave Stacy two conservative slaps, sending her into the pool of water. Splash! Ara turned to Michelle and pulled her in, creating another splash. "I'm the real sh..oc..ker. Play on while you keep falling into your trap," she muttered murderously, her eyes red like burning flames. Was she the same naive Ara? "Gawd... My eyes... My eyes," Michelle and Stacy screamed as they struggled in the water, but no one dared to save them. Someone suddenly started clapping, and Ara turned to see who it was...