CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX; A coincidence -- Althea was busy the whole week and the next thing she knew, it was already the day before her birthday. During this short period, many things happened, recruiting new part-time workers in the shop where the scammer was in, observing them work, and briefly teaching them things she knew. Because of that, she had to go back and forth from the city to that province. It was exhausting and mentally draining, but at least she didn't have to carry the burden of managing two shops. One was the main branch and the other was in the province—because Melanie was there. She's indeed efficient, just like what Emily told her. She carried half the burden Althea was about to carry. She also took the initiative to look after their somehow airhead cleaner. Also, during these times, Victoria visited her shop with a grin of something she failed to understand. She will just smile back and briefly glance at her back, then look away and drag her eyes back toward
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN; A Question -- Althea decided to have a small celebration on her birthday. With just her, the shop's staff, Charlotte and Kai. It will be a closed-door celebration so she wasn't that pressured about having many guests. It was 6 in the morning when she decided to cook the food. Normally, you would celebrate birthday parties in the evening, but Althea wants the night free. She wants to spend time with her kid. It's been a long time since they last met, a months-long or so time. "Here," a voice said from behind. Althea looked over her shoulder and saw Melanie putting the tray of sliced fruits on the table. "What should I do next? Should I help you with the food?" Althea dragged her attention back to the spaghetti sauce she was stirring and shook her head. "Nothing, for now, I can do it myself. I'm thankful enough that you woke up early to help me." "It's okay, but if you say so... Okay." She nodded before sitting down on one of the chairs. Althea hums in res
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT;Birthday—ARC FIVE:Shrouded in Mysteries—The sound of the broken glasses invited silence in all of them. Victoria widens her eyes in shock while Jack and Melanie share glances. Tyler, on the other hand, has his brows furrowed as he watched Althea pale from the shock of his mother's question.The question, too, shocked all of them, especially Jack and Melanie. They never thought that their boss's parents were already dead. What's more, it's both of them.It might not be shocking, because she's not the only one who lost all of her parents after all. But the two of them always thought that her parents were alive. No wonder Althea never talked about them before.Tyler was also shocked, but he didn't say anything. With his eyes, he just observed her every movement.Victoria was also wondering, she's wondering why Althea reacted like this to the mere mention of her parents' death, but she can ask again bluntly. She, more or less, caused this (but really, she's the
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE;Okay--They ate longer than usual since they were talking as they ate. Jack is especially noisy as he fools Becca now and then. Victoria was also a lost cause as she helped Jack fool Becca and, Althea's son, Kai, was also fooled.He was still a kid after all.Melanie was occasionally throwing a deadly glare toward both Jack and Becca. Althea was laughing along with them, completely amused by their topics.It was originally from chickens and lizards, but who knows when the topic turned towards dinosaurs. Jack said that chickens developed from them as well as lizards. So basically, if they kill a lizard, they just kill an offspring from an ancient animal. And if they ate chickens, they were eating them.Althea was speechless about his nonsense.It even becomes chaotic when Kai enters the conversation, asking why and how the chicken evolved from dinosaurs. Victoria was the one who answered him."It was because," she said with all seriousness. "Kai, some dinosaurs can
CHAPTER FORTY;A Ring-“They’re gone?” a small voice asked from behind. Althea turned to see Kai. She smiled and patted his small head.“Yup,” she said then pushed him back inside the store. “They’re busy.”“Oh,” her son said with disappointment lacing his voice. “I see.”Althea looked down on him and ruffled his hair. “You like them?”“I,” he paused. “I like Victoria’s stories about the flying dinosaurs.”Althea gaped before laughing very, very hard. She scooped Kai into her embrace and bit his chubby cheeks. He groaned and pushed her face away from her with his fleshy hands.“What are you laughing at?” He asked with a frown on his cute, small face. Althea had the urge to bite him again, but she restrained herself. She instead smiled and hugged him even tighter.“Nothing!” she responded, then she remembered something. “Right, where’s Charlotte?”“Oh,” Kai said, as if he just remembered it now. “She said she doesn’t want to get scolded, so she just dropped me here and fled.”“…” That
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE;Ice Cream--“Good morning, Althea,” an old lady greeted with a big and bright smile that was stretched from ear to ear.The smile was contagious, Althea smiled back. “Good morning Mrs. Goodman. What flowers are you looking for today?”“Oh, I want those pink roses over there,” she pointed out the vase which contains the flowers. “It’s lovely.”“Sure,” she said. “For what are you going to do with this?”Mrs. Goodman snorted, “I am giving to my good husband, I’m pretty sure he forgot that it’s our wedding anniversary right now, boys- old men- they are all the same! They always forget things such as this! I’ll give him flowers instead- and shock him until his grey hairs fall off!” With that, she laughed.Althea laughed as well while cutting off the rose's inappropriate length for the bouquet. “Men are sure forgetful…”“Hmm?” Mrs. Goodman said, “Seems like you know it yourself.”Althea said, “Yes, it's common knowledge.”The older woman gave off a burst of laughter.“Goo
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO;A reunion--The guy with furrowed brows then followed her finger. When he saw who it was, his cold demeanor cracked, and he asked in surprise. “Kai?”“Hello, Ty…” He paused. “Hello, Mr. Barns.”Tyler looked down at the boy that he hadn’t seen for the whole month before looking around, but his eyes didn’t see the person he was looking for. He approached him, letting out a small chuckle. “Mr. Barns? Did your mother tell you to call me that?”Kai pursed his lips before shaking his head. “No, she didn’t even mention you to me.”Tyler looked at him, speechlessness was written on his face. He raised her hand to ruffle his hair before laughing. “Your mother can really be rude sometimes.”“Tyler!” Sheryl furiously said behind his back. “Why are getting friendly with him? Look at what he did with my dress! This is expensive! Can this kid even pay me back for this?!”Tyler turned to only glare at her. With that, she zipped her mouth. He could not bother with her anymore and t
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE;A piece of truth and a lie--His stares were penetrating and were heated as the sun as if they were trying to melt her along the floor. The usual cold and stoic he always wears was gone, it was broken with only two emotions; shock and disbelief.His green eyes were trying to focus on her and Kai but they kept on wandering whenever his mind entered that scene again and again. That was 7 years ago, he believed that he could vaguely remember the things that happened during those times considering it was already too long- but by the mere mention of her pregnancy- his memories that were locked and buried deep in his mind came rushing in like a broken dam.Sheryl finally noticed his reaction and when she deciphered and understood them—she was instantly engulfed with one strong emotion; regret. She bit her lips and cursed her loose mouth. If only she knew how to read the atmosphere and how to hold back and use her brain amidst anger and panic, she would have not slipped