Chapter 4 Some Emily and Wells

• "Do you want some more cake, Miss?" The maid I spoke with on the kitchen yesterday, whom I knew was Alice, asked me.
• I am currently on the Mansion's garden. The wide green pastures looks dazzling, flowers filled the place to the brim, and the weather today reciprocates the garden's mood. I am sitting under an elegant circular gazebo, the sun is at its noon time and everyone seems busy.
• I turned to Alice and smiled at her, "No, thank you." She responded with another faint smile, bowed, and trotted off. I look at the cup of coffee in my hands and took a sip. I wonder where Mason and Syndee are. I haven't seen them since the morning. It makes sense since I woke up at 10AM after watching 3 more movies last night, trying to beat and tire myself up, due to what Syndee told me.
• She looks pretty certain that she and Mason are going to end up together. Her expression looks kind and gentle and she looked really worried about him keeping me here. Is she afraid of me being a stranger in his house, or is she threatened that I might steal Mason away from him? I'm not sure. But right now, I need to think of a way to get more information about Mason and getting away from here as soon as possible.
• With Mason being mad at me, and Syndee not appreciating my presence that much, it seems like I can't stay here longer than I expected. The bite mark we both agreed to use as a basis of my stay will no longer be effective, maybe he'll kick me out the moment he sees me today.
• I still have nowhere to go, my parents are living on another country, so there's no way I can get to them without any money, and my wallet and bag are all inside Jonathan's apartment. I wonder if he's healed now. If he's still staying in the hospital after being beaten up to a pulp, maybe I can sneak in his house to get my stuff if he still hadn't changed his passcode.
• The anger within me is still unbearable, I hate him. Both him and Emily. He has the guts to call me a gold digger after cheating on me.
• Did he really love me though?
• If that was love, then I don't think I can love someone like how he loved me. All the hugs, the kisses, the love confessions. How he courted me, took me on 6 dates after making it official. Everything. Was it all a lie? I kept trying to pursue myself that it wasn't worth to think about but it can't be helped.
• I was happy.
• We were both happy.
• Can a 4 year relationship really be thrown away by simple sex?
• Happiness is indeed temporary. It is a mere shed of pleasure given to us and then taken away after we had our fair share of chunk.
• I looked at the blue sky above. It's a cloudless day. Certainly no chance of rain. I'm quite disappointed. I love rains, it makes you think that maybe, the clouds had their own baggage of heavy problems and thoughts and words to say and sometimes, the only release they could muster is to rain it all out. To cry—like how humans do.
• I took a sip of my coffee again when I noticed that it was already empty. I glanced around again to see the maids but came up with none. Maybe they are all busy, Syndee is still around and although she smiles at me when we pass each other, I know she's irritated by my presence.
• I stood up from my chair and entered the mansion. I'm here for over 3 days already, but the giant mansion's walls filled with intricate designs, the ceiling, and the high chandeliers always made my breath fly away. Everything about it seems surreal.  And here I am, staying at this castle, with a hunk and ethereal being, breathing the same air as him.
• I headed towards the kitchen and found him. Him. Like as in Mason. Wearing his gray business shirt, with the sleeves folded up to his elbows.
• I racked my gaze from his messy hair to his Goddamn heavenly face, only to find his brown orbs, staring at me as well. My eyes widened at his stare. It's like he's looking at not just my face but through my soul as well. My gaze faltered and I looked at what he's making instead.
• Vegetables are sprawled on the sink, being washed off their dirt. I stood there, awkwardly with the coffee cup in hand. I snapped out of my daze and walked towards the other sink in front of the counter he's working at.
• Yes, there are three sinks in the kitchen cause he's damn rich.
• I washed the other two plates as well cause honestly, I want to stay here and watch this ethereal billionaire do normal human things such as cooking, more than anything else, so I'll wash every God-forsaken plates just so I can stay here for the mean time.
• He still hasn't continued what he's doing and stared at me. My hands trembled as I felt his gaze from my the back of my head, to my neck, and back, and my ass, to my legs, and feet. His eyes are everywhere, it's like a hand caressing every thing it stares at, and that is my body.
• I held the plate firmly and cleared my throat. "So, you're cooking?" I asked, still turned away from him, washing the other plate. It's laced with golden patterns and it seems like the plates here are more expensive than John's monthly rent.
• "Yes, it's for. . ." He stopped half way. I put the plate on the strainer and wiped my hand on the fabric hanging from the wall.
• I turned towards him, my palms gripping the edge of the counter as I smiled. "For Syndee?" I tried to act nonchalantly but my throat says otherwise.
• I don't want him to cook for Syndee.
• I want him to cook for me.
• Only for me.
• And I hate what I am thinking even after being warned by Syndee. He's going to be someone else's husband, someone he'll cook for, stare at in the morning, have kids with, and here I am, gawking at him like I wasn't even cheated.
• "For Syndee." He confirmed. His eyes bland. He turned towards the vegetables he was washing and ignored me. Now it was my turn to stare at him. My eyes tracked his back with the muscled muscles protruding from the shirt. His pale neck, his hair. Everything.
• Without thinking, I said, "Can I help?" I instantly regretted it since he looked at straight at me. We stared at each other for a good minute until both of our attention turned towards the hallway.
• Syndee was entering the kitchen.
• "Hey Mas! Look, I saw these aprons on the—" Syndee's words faltered as her eyes reached me.
• "I hope you're out of the house soon. I'm afraid he's been keeping...stray cats on his side for way too long than necessary."
• Her words suddenly made its way in my head.
• "Oh, hi there, Veronica, right?" She said. She reached her hands for me but I only stared at it.
• "We met last night. I hope you still remember our conversation." She's smiling but her words are laced with irritation, probably because of the fact that I am still not packing up my things and leaving the house.
• We didn't meet last night though. We met at the store. I don't know if she remembers that, or if Mason remembers that, but I certainly do. She's making me remember the fact that she warned me, and I am supposed to follow that.
• I took her hand and smiled at her. "Veronica. Veronica Meline Salvande." I smiled. I turned towards Mason and grinned, "I'll be out. To work. I do hope I can taste what you're working on, though."
• I glanced back at Syndee and returned her smile. "Yeah, I still remember that." I smiled and bid them good bye as I ran off to my room. I closed the door and leaned behind it as I regained my composure.
• I need to get to work.
• I took a bath and took time on choosing my clothes carefully, most of them are too grand for work. I should've just chose something cheap if I expected to go to work today.
• I'm glad Chief, the one who gave me the task on investigating Mason, told me to go to work if I need to. I used to go everyday, compiling journals, and racking up the internet or new issues, but he told me that I should focus on my mission more than anything. I feel more like an agent than a normal journalist.
• I chose a the most simply peach pencil skirt and a feminine long-sleeved polo that has a collar in it. I fixed my hair a bit since it doesn't need too much, and didn't use the lipsticks. I've got mine pn my purse in the car.
• I grabbed my laptop on the nightstand and made my way down the grand staircase. As I was reaching the door, I heard their laughters.
• Mason and Syndee laughing.
• I heard a maid giggling with a friend as they carry a laundry basket. Glancing at the kitchen every now and then. "—they're bestfriends! Ofcourse they'll marry each other." She said to her other friend as they giggle once again.
• I swallowed the lump in my throat as I walked towards the back door, where the parking lot is located at the estate. I opened the car and slid inside the driver side. I noticed the folder on the passenger seat and took it.
• I stared at Mason's handsome face on the small picture.
• He's my mission.
• My work.
• My success.
• He's just a step higher for my career. Nothing more.
• I started the car and drove off.
• -
• I nodded at the intern girl that is unusually always outside the journalists' office, and entered. Every seems busy. Everyone was always busy. I just stood there, looking at everyone on their laptops. My eyes spotted one of my friends, Lauria. She looked up and saw me, her eyes bulged out.
• She ran towards me and tackled me with a bear-hug. I've only been gone for hree whole days but she seemed to have missed me more than I've expected. My heart warmed at the thought.
• She held my shoulders and pulled away from me. She shook me as if she's going to get an answer from my silence. "Where were you? You were never absent like this!" She exclaimed. I wonder why I chose Emily as my best friend more than her.
• Maybe because Emillianna was my high school best friend since then. She would always defend me from bullies. But only now did I realized that she defended me but would also shade me at the same time.
• "Don't hurt her cause she's MY friend."
• "MY friend would never do that, they might be in a financial crisis right now, but she'll never steal."
• "Although she doesn't wear pretty and nice clothes, she's still beautiful."
• On a naive point of view, that might seem like some good comment to appraise a friend, but those are mere phrases to show everyone that she's far more superior than me.
• She would never stop them from laughing even after she defends me. They'll always protect her though, they would say mean comments as to why Emily was staying with a country bum like me, she's too kind to defend me, and she's too high and mighty than being friends with me.
• All of it was just acts to sprinkle her reputation. I was too dumbfounded to realize all of that.
• My mind drifted back to Lauria and her pleadingly waiting eyes. I grinned at her and said lowly, enough for her to hear, "I got a secret investigation. I'll be COO if I succeed." I winked at the last word.
• She was about to squeal when a voice from behind me stopped her, "COO? A secret investigation? You sure you didn't got that through some. . .body favors?"
• My eyes turned livid upon her words. I gritted my teeth and took a breath before turning towards her. I eyed her from her feet to her head. I tried to act smug but honestly, I am not ready to face her without lashing out and embarrassing myself in here.
• But who cares, maybe a few broken bones on her face would make her realize how important it is to keep your hands to yourself rather than running them on a soon-to-be-married man's chest.
• I scoffed at her and her smirk immediately vanished. Lauria is still behind me, confused at the situation, but I know she's aware. She knows that me and Emily are two rivals, but still, it isn't a big new that we're once friends.
• Not anymore though.
• "Body favors? Ha! Look who's talking." I purred. I looked from the corner of my eyes, everyone's attention is around me. Perfect.
• Emily's reputation is pretty great in here. Considering she's my friend, and I am certainly the boss here. Believe me, I am not boasting about that. I gave her the recommendation letter that made her enter the company without any hesitation from the HR.
• I introduced her to my colleagues.
• Helped her with her work.
• I gave her everything she needs to reach even being my rival.
• Everyone liked her.
• I created that reputation.
• What a shame that I, who created it, would have to ruin it as well.
• "Did you forget how you begged so much for attention, that even the left overs from my fiance satisfied you?" That made her take a step back.
• Does she really think I am not going to reveal this to everyone? I've been kind, she probably held onto that trait. That I might be swallowed by my conscience if I tell everyone, that I might be guilty, that I might think of what they'd feel.
• Well, that's bullshit.
• I heard tons of gasp from the whole 100 square meters room. Everyone on their own tables was shocked.
• "She stole Veronica's fiance?"
• "What a bitch!"
• "Oh God, can I have this on paper?"
• I turned towards the last one. It was the lady who likes to brag so much. She'll probably write Emily, in the worst way. I smiled.
• "Sure, but exclude my name on it, alright? Maybe 'Emilianna Scandinavia, a famous journalist, caught cheating in the act.' Put that on the Daily Celeb Start Ups magazine."
• "Don't you think so, Emily?" I turned towards her and her eyes widened. "You...!" She took a step back, finally realizing the impact of the words I threw at her, or maybe she was merely embarrassed. I don't give a fuck about the two.
• Because she was tracing back her step so much as I trailed towards her, she fell on her but to the floor while she gape at me with spiteful eyes. I lowered my head on her ears and whispered,
• "I was actually going to let it pass. But I’m afraid you'll have too much expectation of me, so I did it. Doesn't that feel nice, Emily?"
• I was lying, I wouldn't let is pass, ofcourse.
• She was shaking at the moment and I can still feel everyone's gaze. The moment I broke away from her and took a step back, she was now open to the scrutiny of everyone. Her eyes became glassy, seemingly holding back her tears.
• I turned around and walked off, but before I can take five more steps, she shouted that stopped me mid way through my table, "This will be the beginning, Veronica. Remember that." She said it more like an oath than a threat.
• I looked behind and saw the office door slam shut. Poor little intern out there. She might be too scared to work here after witnessing this situation.
• I glanced over everyone and saw their sympathetic eyes. I blew a quick breath and glanced at them. "I'm fine, go back to work everyone." I said as I walked over to my desk. Overlooking the pile of work I left off.
• -
• Everyone was out, I, and Lauria was the only one left in the office. I glance at the wall clock sticking right on the wall and saw that it was past seven. I looked out the massive glass wall overlooking the city outside and realized that it was really dark. I was too bent down on work to realize the time.
• I craned and stretched my neck to relieve the stress out of it and began to clean up the mess on my table. The monitor was still on, and documents of all sorts are stacked together on one side.
• This will take longer to a lot longer to do.
• I looked over the side and saw Lauria finishing up cleaning. She picked up her hand bag and turned towards me.
• "Hey V, let's dine out. My treat!" She offered, grinning towards me. I shook my head, disagreeing and nodded towards the pile of loads to finish up cleaning.
• "I'll have to stay for atleast an hour more to finish this. Maybe next time."
• "Bummer." She replied and smiled at me again, bidding her goodbye.
• An hour passed and I was already done piling and categorizing everything in order and was ready to leave. I gathered all my stuff together and rushed out of the building.
• I ate at one of the amusement park restaurant, enjoying the place buzzed over at night. After eating, I looked around when a booth caught my attention.
• It was a well. A small fishing well for kids.
• A well.
• A well.
• It's a well.
• I took a step back when a massive head ache sprung out of me, giving my vision a spir of darkness before regaining my balance. I held my forehead and looked at the water well again. Two small kids played over the fishing hook to fish out a stuff toy.
• It was a small girl and a boy.
• I walked over to them to see what they were doing. I stared at the well again and as I got closer, images blinded my vision, causing me to panic and nausea came.
• I was still dizzy when I was in front of it.
• "Is there a fish in there?" A voice in my head uttered. It was a small voice. A kid's voice.
• "Let me see!"
• "No! Are you an idiot, of course there's no fish in there."
• Voice keep popping up and I don't know what was happening anymore. I held the tiny pillar that was supporting the small children well and balanced my self, huffing out a continuous steadying breath.
• Everything is spinning.
• Everything.
• "You need to promise you'll marry me."
• "Okay! Pinky?"
• "Pinky."
• I was once again dragged back to the familiar yet unknown voice, two kid's voice lingering in my head. I want to puke. It's ironic how it is the same feeling I have when I once drank a solo bottle of Tequila two years ago, ironic cause I didn't drink any alcohol tonight, or the whole day.
• I grabbed when the heaviness of my head eased up a little. I can't drive. And I can't trust a cab with my current state.
• I texted the last person I want to send a message to.
• He's the last person I want, and the only person I have.
• I hate that he's the only person I have to text.
• How ironic.
• That's two ironic thing today.
• I texted Mason. The last guy I want to be with tonight. Is he still with Syndee? What if i'm disturbing him with work? Will I get anyone here to drive me? The man with a polo looks like a good guy, maybe he'll be okay to drive me to the estate.
• Goddamnit, snap out of it Veronica Meline.
• I looked at my phone again and held the pillar on the on my left hand. The world is still spinning, and I don't think this will be gone soon enough.
• "Hey. Are you busy? Can you pick me up? It's urgent."
• "The FNL Circus, Night Ville street."
• "Please?"
• The last one was forced of course. I hate that I’m asking him a favor and I don't have any other choice. Two minutes later, my phone didn't just dinged for a message response, it ringed.
• Ringed, like an incoming call.
• I looked at the screen and saw his name. I blew a breath and steadies my heart beat cause God knows how it is not helping with the way the world is still spinning right in front of me.
• "On the highway, where are you?" His baritone voice laced with a hint of worry succumbed my speaker.
• Wait, worry?
• I indulged his delicious voice for a second, I walked towards the main gate with the highest energy I can force myself.
• "On—on the main gate..." My voice came out of a whisper, I wasn't sure if he catched onto that. I don't know what those conversation in my head was but it certainly slurped the living life out of me.
• People started to close in on me, asking if I was okay, but their voice simply added to the rippling on my head. When I reached the edge of the front gate, my legs gave out. Everyone silenced and was looking at the road when I collapsed.
• I braced myself with the impact of the hard ground when nothing came.
• Everything was still spinning. Darkness was starting to take over and even the extreme amount of light coming from a car wasn't able to shade it.
• Warmth came over me and as I was enveloped and I felt myself being carried. The nausea, dizziness, and the lingering voices in my head increased and the last thing I saw before everything crashed down, was a pair of brown orbs looking down at me followed by the words,
• "Goddamnit, Velvet girl."