~~~~
Rachael was quiet for a moment, biting her lip in frustration. “Okay, I deserve that,” she muttered, just loud enough for me to hear.
I halted and turned back to her, sarcasm dripping from my voice. "Oh, you think? I would never imagine."
“Oh, damn it.” Rachael groaned in a completely unladylike way, grabbing my arms and forcing me to face her. “Listen to me, Mary. When I said those things, I didn’t mean them the way your stubborn head is probably interpreting them right now. It’s because I care about you. I know how hard you’re working for your family’s sake. I just want you to do something for yourself for once. That’s all.”
I sighed, brushing a hand through my hair in frustration. Of course, I knew what she meant. I understood exactly what she was trying to tell me, but part of me just didn’t want to hear it.
Not now, not when it felt like everything was undoing inside
~~~~~While I was still trying to figure out why the doctor suddenly cared about my personal details, the idiot opened his mouth and asked,"What school did you graduate from, if I may?"I’ve got to admit, that question threw me off balance for a second. Seriously?"No, you may not," I shot back, my patience running thin. "With all due respect, I don’t see how my educational background is any of your business, doc.""Oh, of course, it's not," he replied, clearly unaware of the anger in my voice. "It’s just that the way you're talking makes me think you must be a doctor—or at least a surgeon. Am I wrong?"Son of a... Did he really just go there?I took a deep breath, trying to keep my temper in check. Do you think I’d let your crappy hands near my father if that were true?"Let me get this straight," I said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You think, if I were a doctor, I’d let an uncertain sur
~~~~The following week I was happy, but that happiness was short-lived.It’s true what they say: when one problem is solved, another one raises its ugly head.The following month was a nightmare, especially after Mr. and Mrs. Berry suddenly decided to sell their farmland and move to the Philippines for a fresh start. I was completely blindsided by this news; no one bothered to tell me about it.Of course, Rachael already knew. They were opening a new branch over there and placing the one here under new management.With their absence and support gone, I realized that someone like me—without any qualifications for restaurant work or any other work for that matter—would struggle to make ends meet.Rachael didn’t mention any of this to me. Was it forgetfulness? I had no idea.But by the time they finally decided to inform me, everything was already set. I knew it was time for me to move on.Out of love and kindness, Mr. and Mrs. Berry offered to take me with them. It was a generous oppor
~~~~And I was right.I arrived in New York on a Sunday, but this time, I wasn’t in a rush to find a place or a job. I rented a little cottage for a month, just in case things went south again. The following Monday, I headed over to the restaurant address.As I walked in, I spotted the front clerk, a formidable woman with a no-nonsense look. She was typing furiously on her keyboard, and the moment I approached her, I took a deep breath. Here goes nothing.“Hi, I’m here for the job opening,” I said, trying to sound confident.Without even looking up, she waved me closer. “And you are…?”“Uh, just a hopeful candidate,” I replied, trying to maintain a casual tone.She finally looked at me, narrowed her eyes, and said, “Hopeful, huh? We’ll see about that.”Before I knew it, she had jumped out from behind her desk and took my hand like she was leading me to the gallows. “Come on! We don’t have all day!”“Wait! I thought I was supposed to interview or something?” I yelped, trying to pull ba
~~~~Ah! This junkie bitch.“Is this some kind of joke?” I spat angrily, marching to the door to flick on the light.“Seriously, can you not be a killjoy all the time, Madam Fussy Pants?” Clara shot back, wrapping the bed cover around her drugged-up, naked body.“Killjoy? You know what? Never mind. I will not take this crap anymore. You want to screw each other? Fine by me, but please do it somewhere else! You’re not the only one renting this place!” I snapped.“Then move out,” her half-naked boyfriend chimed in, lounging on the bed like he owned the place.“Yeah, much better. Why didn’t I think of that before?” Clara agreed with a smirk, her eyes glinting mischievously.I shot him a glare. “I wasn’t talking to you, asshole. So stay out of it.”“What did you just say to me?” he growled, rising from the bed with a menacing stride.I stood my ground, staring him down, refusing to be shaken. “You heard me.”“You slut…” he began, raising his hand as if to strike, but Clara intervened just
~~~~Halfway down the stairs, Clara's boyfriend and his gang were lounging, the air thick with smoke from some hard drugs. I hurried past, doing my best to ignore them, even when he called out, "Oh, you work on Saturdays now? How lovely."At his comment, I threw him the'middle finger salute' without even looking back and continued out of the complex. Their chuckles followed me, and I couldn't help but wish they'd all choke on their cigars.I arrived at the restaurant right on time—exactly 7:00 AM—and just as I predicted, the silver-haired lady was already seated with the manager. She looked younger than when I’d last seen her, and that threw me off for a moment.“There she is,” the manager declared as I approached. “I told you, she always keeps to time.” He turned to me, raising an eyebrow. “And she’s pissed.”I let out an exasperated sigh, trying to mask my annoyance. “No, I’m not. This is my usual face,” I lied, even though it was obvious to anyone who paid attention that I was more
~~~ “You’re quiet?” Mrs. Black asked, her sharp eyes studying me closely.Of course, I was silent—how could anyone just respond to such a bombshell? I could tell she doubted me the moment I said I didn’t know her family.To her, that probably only confirmed her low opinion. She took another sip of her wine, seemingly unbothered by my shock. “Well, it’s fine. You don’t need to say anything. As long as you understand what I’m talking about, then that’s good enough.”I finally managed to clear the lump in my throat, forcing a polite smile. “Sorry, ma’am, I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m finding it very difficult to understand your words. You want me to act as a wife for your son? I mean, it’s kind of funny, right? Wouldn’t it just be easier for him to get married?” I chuckled nervously.Her expression hardened, the politeness in her tone disappearing. “Don’t act smart with me, young lady. After all, if you were indeed smart, you wouldn’t be in the position where I found you.”The chill
~~~~Clara, still standing at the doorway with her shopping bags, chuckled to herself like she’d just won a marathon, completely unaware of the chaos inside me. Meanwhile, I sat on the floor, staring blankly at her, my mind numb and heart heavy.“Wow! What happened here? Did we get robbed?” she asked, a smile playing on her lips, as if it were a joke.I kept staring at her, my gaze fixed on those bags—my stolen money. I struggled to push myself up, my legs shaking beneath me. As I approached her, tears silently streamed down my face.“Clara,” my voice trembled, barely above a whisper, “where did you go, and what are you holding?”Her eyes widened, clearly not expecting to see me there. “Oh shit! Damn, Mary, you scared the hell out of me!” she laughed nervously. “Why are you back already? I thought you were at work,” she stammered, her voice laced with poorly concealed guilt.She was pretending not to know I was in. Fine. Play it cool, Mary. I forced myself to keep my voice steady. “Ye
~~~~~Turning to me with rage, he demanded, “What did you just say to me?” His eyes darkened as he gripped my neck harder. “I think it’s best I kill you now, since you clearly don’t know your place. And just so you know, I don’t feel bad fucking a corpse,” he sneered, pressing both hands down on my throat.“Great, because I won’t feel bad killing you either,” I hissed, glaring at him. Summoning the last of my strength, I kicked him hard in the groin. He winced in pain, his grip loosening just enough for me to breathe. Desperate, I reached for the hand mirror on the nearby cabinet.Without hesitation, I smashed it into his face. He staggered, trying to regain his balance, but as he lunged at me, I didn’t hesitate. I grabbed a shard of the broken mirror and drove it into his hand, the jagged edges sinking deep. He screamed and collapsed to the ground, clutching his bleeding hand.I stood over him, panting and trembling as I forced ragged breaths through my nose. Seeing her boyfriend dow
~~~~Berry’s face turned red, her eyes dark with filled with anger—so dark they looked like they could swallow someone whole.“You didn’t just say that to me,” she seethed.“Oh yes, I did,” I replied smoothly.A few chuckles resounded from the crowd.“Oh, Mrs. Berristky is done for,” someone muttered, barely suppressing a laugh.“Hmmm… I think it’s best if we switch the interviewer for a while,” the manager suddenly suggested, his tone carefully neutral.“Oh, I’m cool with that,” I said, reclining into my chair.Now that I thought about it, there were three people sitting in front of me. The manager, Berry, and a third woman with sleek raven-black hair. Unlike the others, she wasn’t smiling, and for some reason, that bothered me.“Alright then,” the manager smiled as Berry reluctantly passed the interview booklet to the woman.I turned to her with a curious smirk. “So… what do I call you
~~~~~As I sat there in silence, debating how to answer without dragging my family into this mess, Berry mistook it for hesitation—maybe even shame.After all, why would a family as powerful as the Blacks associate with a nobody? A farm girl, no less. A nobody would’ve been easier to accept, but this? This was just unbelievable to people like her.But then again, did it even matter how I answered?“Listen, Mrs. Black,” Berry continued, her tone changing into something almost sympathetic. “There’s no need to feel embarrassed. If you don’t know what to say, we—”“No, that’s not it.” I cut her off, straightening up. “I’m just wondering why that’s even a question.”She blinked. “Excuse me?”“I love farming,” I said casually. “I eat a lot of vegetables&md
Continuations~~~~I took a deep breath, but it did little to cool the fire raging inside me. Fear of what may come? That can go straight to hell. The only thing that mattered was what Eric had been put through—all because of this.I exhaled sharply as the manager and the press welcomed me onto the stage."Thanks," I muttered, my tone carrying a restrained anger.Berry, the fucking interviewer, smiled. "Well, it’s good to see you, Madam Black," she said smoothly. "You look a little tense—relax, this isn't a war." She turned to the camera, flashing another rehearsed smile.I let out a short, humorless laugh. "Ha! You should have thought of that before messing with my family." My words were sharp and unfiltered, like a blade. I didn’t give a damn about the cameras right now.Before today, I had planned to handle this interview with self-control and diplomacy. But after finding out what that little slut did to Eric? Change of plans.Berry’s expression faltered for a split second before s
~~~~Eric let out a heavy sigh, his head shifting from left to right as he scanned the room. He needed to know if he was alone. His body felt like it had been through hell—like he had been asleep for an eternity.When he first set out to uncover the truth about whether Diana had drugged him, he confronted her directly. She denied it. So he went for test after test, check-up after check-up. But every result came back the same—no trace of any drug in his system.That didn’t sit right with him.Being someone allergic to most drugs, he knew something was wrong. His body had felt different that night—off in a way he couldn’t explain.Desperate for answers, he had his blood drawn nearly twenty times across different hospitals, in different states. Still, nothing. Frustrated and exhausted, he finally took his mother’s advice and flew to France for a final attempt at finding the truth.But once again—nothing. No drugs. No toxins. No explanation.By then, he was so weak he could barely stand.
Continuation~~~~While I was still bracing myself, a man who appeared to be the manager of the event approached her. “Ah, Ms. Nora, I’m glad you could make it,” he said, extending a hand.“Me too,” Nora responded confidently, shaking his hand.“Well, the stage is this way. The selected reporters are already here,” he informed her. Then, with barely concealed anticipation, he added, “Are you ready for this?” There was no sympathy in his voice—if anything, he sounded eager to watch her crumble; I just sat down there watching their exchange in silent, waiting for my queue to step in.Nora, fully aware of their intentions, simply smiled, feigning ignorance.“What?” she asked, tilting her head.“The interview, I mean. Are you ready for it?” he rephrased his question, his tone filled with artificial politeness. “We can always improvise,&
~~~~~“This is just not my day,” I muttered under my breath, rubbing my temple before grabbing my phone. With a sigh, I dialed Sam’s number.The phone barely rang twice before he picked up. “Hello, ma’am. You on your way now?” he asked, straight to the point.I exhaled sharply, already exhausted. “No, Sam. As a matter of fact, there’s a change of plan,” I said in frustration.“Oh…” Sam hesitated for a moment before continuing, “but we can’t send them back… the plane is already in the air.”I rolled my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose. “What? Of course, we’re not sending them back, Sam. Just—please—go to the airport and pick them up.”“Oh, okay,” he said quickly. “Should I drive them to the hostel?”“No. God, no,” I replied, exasperated. “Take them to the house, and whatever you do, don’t mention my name or say anything about meeting me. I still want it to be a surprise. When I’m done here, I’ll come to you, okay?”“Okay, Ma
~~~~~ Nora, the ever-so-composed, always-in-control Nora Black, was crying. Tears silently slipped down her cheeks, her chest rising and falling with quiet, restrained sobs.For a brief moment, guilt twisted in my stomach. But then, I reminded myself—this wasn’t my fault. None of this was my doing.Before I could say anything, she started speaking again.“I’m sorry!” she choked out between sobs. “It’s just that I’m scared, Mary,” she admitted, her voice trembling. “I’ve spent years protecting this family and its reputation, doing whatever it took. But to just watch it crumble like this… I don’t think I can handle it.”Her sobs grew heavier as she covered her face with both hands, shoulders shaking. “But this isn’t just about my reputation.”I folded my arms, unimpressed. “Oh, isn’t it?”She lifted her head, eyes red and glossy. “Eric is an idiot, I know that. But this… this is more than just a scandal. Diana has the entire media on her side now. If she keeps pushing this narrative, s
~~~~After my conversation with Dad, Mom called me with her conditions for accepting the deal. Since there was no real deal to begin with, I agreed without hesitation. The only thing that mattered was getting them out of Chicago.The following weeks were spent preparing for my family’s relocation. While pretending not to know what was happening, I focused on finalizing the renovations on their new home, making sure every detail was perfect. For the first time since I left home, I could finally do things on my own without begging or struggling. The excitement of it all nearly made me forget about Diana and her damn pregnancy.Everything was ready now. But I had chosen not to tell Nora or the Blacks about my family’s move—not yet, at least. It wasn’t necessary for them to know until the time was right.I called Sam to confirm the arrangements. “Everything is set on my end,” he assured me.“Should I pick them up at the airport?” he asked.“No, I want to be the one to do that. You’ve done
~~~~That witch! So this was her plan all along…All right, Diana Lockwood, two can play this game. I was going to leave you and Eric alone, let you both wallow in your little mess, but since you want to fight dirty—let’s go. After all, I’m a farm girl. I’ve dealt with all kinds of dirt.“Mrs. Black, cat got your tongue?” Berry sneered, her lips curling in satisfaction.I turned my gaze to her, my anger simmering just beneath the surface. “No, dear. I’m just in absolute shock at what I’m looking at.”She smirked. “So what? Are you saying you’ve never seen this test result before? Because that’s not what Lockwood told me.” She leaned forward slightly. “I understand your feud, but seriously… are you going to deny this?”Diana…“Deny?” I let out a soft chuckle, leaning back in my chair. “Sweetheart, I hav