Chapter 5. Auntie's Concerns

"Who was that, Nin?" asked a woman, standing next to Nina while looking at the girl in wonder. Nina had just realized that someone else was watching her. She turned her head and was surprised to see who was beside her.

"Auntie Sophie?" Nina said as if she couldn't believe it, "When did you come? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I've been here since late afternoon. I thought you had gone home from work, but you haven't, so I've been waiting for you on the terrace in front of your room." The woman was a little annoyed, "I've called you many times, but your cell phone is not active," she added.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Auntie. I have to work overtime today because I have work to finish." Nina said as she opened her bag and took out her cell phone, "O God, my cell phone is out of power. I haven't opened it since the afternoon, so I didn't know it was out of power."

"By the way, who drove you earlier, Nina? If I look at the car, it's not an ordinary person, and it's a high-class car."

"Let's go inside first, Auntie. We'll talk about it there."  Nina invited her Auntie into the rental house she'd lived in for so long.

"You have a lot of groceries. Let me help you carry them." The middle-aged woman took the shopping bag Nina was holding.

"No need, Auntie. Let me carry them myself."

"Uh, don't underestimate my strength; I'm still strong; I can still carry you." The aunt and niece laughed as they moved up the stairs to Nina's room.

"There, Nin. I've been waiting for you here all afternoon until I fell asleep. It's a good thing no one was passing by."

"Geez, I'm sorry, Auntie, I didn't know," Nina said as she opened the door, and the two went inside.

Nina's room was reasonably complete for a single. There was a function room that could function as a living room, a small dining table connected to the kitchen, full cooking utensils, and two bedrooms.

Auntie Sophia placed Nina's groceries on the table; the pretty girl opened the fridge and took out two cans of cold drinks.

"Drink first, Auntie, it'll be refreshing." Nina handed one can to Auntie Sophia. "You must not have eaten yet."

"I have, just now. I was returning from the restaurant in front, and when I was about to return, I saw you getting out of the car."

"O, no wonder you were wandering the road," Nina smiled.

"Well, you haven't answered yet. Who drove you earlier." Auntie Sophia again asked the owner of the luxury car that had driven her niece earlier.

"Oh, that's Nathan. Uh, I mean, Mr. Nathan," Nina replied nervously, trying to avoid her Auntie's gaze.

"Mr. Nathan? Is he your boss, Nin?" asked the aunt curiously.

Nina nodded. "Yes, Auntie. Isn't it okay for a boss to escort his subordinates?"

Auntie Sophia sighed and looked at her niece, her face serious. "It's not that it's not allowed, Nina. But what will people say? They'll think negatively about you; they'll think you're the boss's mistress," said her Auntie with concern.

"Are you sure, Auntie? Just because the boss is driving me, people will think I'm the boss's mistress," Nina argued. "Mr. Nathan saw me alone at the bus stop, and he was worried about my safety, so he gave me a ride."

"But I didn't see it that way," argued Auntie Shopia.

"What do you mean?"

"Nina, answer me honestly. Do you like your boss?" Auntie Sophia asked Nina urgently. The girl became nervous, but she quickly smiled to hide her nervousness.

"Awww, come on. Don't overthink, Auntie." Nina laughed

"Nina, I've known you since you were a petite girl. You're like my own daughter. I know how you're feeling right now, even since you exited the car." Auntie Sophia was silent momentarily, watching her niece's suddenly downcast face. "So, you can't hide it from me, Nin."

Silence, no answer came from the girl's mouth; Nina was downcast, her hands playing with the can of drink on the table. Suddenly, Nina raised her face to look at her auntie, who had been watching her.

"It's true, Auntie, I do like Mr. Nathan."

Auntie Sophia sighed again. "Does he love you too?" she asked, and Nina nodded.

"Do you know his status? His background?"

"What do you mean?"

"Who knows if he's married, right? Then you'll get into trouble, people will call you a harlot, and you'll be his plaything."

"'Auntie, Nathan's not like that, I'm sure."

"How can you be sure? When you don't even know his background?"

"'Auntie, as I've observed, Nathan never goes out with women. Every day, he focuses on work and work."

"Okay, well, let's say he's sincere and loves you; then what about his family? Because your social status is different. What about your work environment? Because he is your boss."

"As for the workplace, no one knows yet, Auntie. We agreed to keep our relationship a secret."

"As good as people are at hiding carrion, it will be discovered. One day, they'll find out about your relationship. You can keep your mouth shut, but your gestures, you can't always pretend."

Nina was silent, and the girl just looked down at the table. On the one hand, auntie Sophia was very fond of Nina; she was worried that something terrible would happen to her niece because of her romantic relationship with the boss.

On the other hand, auntie Sophia could understand how Nina felt then; she had also been young and how a girl fell in love with her lover.

"Nina, I'm not against your relationship; I'm just worried that something bad will happen to you because your relationship is precarious."

"Auntie, I'm ready for any risk. We'll face whatever it takes as a test of our love."

"All right, Nina. I can only wish you the best," said Auntie Sophia, seeing the persistence of her beloved niece.

"Thank you, Auntie." Nina was touched; she needed this support from her Auntie; since her mother died, Auntie Sophia is the one who took on the role of her mother.

"Okay, you just rest, Nina. Let me take care of your groceries."

"Thank you so much, Auntie." Nina smiled, got up, and was about to go to her room, but she remembered that she still had no idea what to make for breakfast tomorrow.

" Auntie..." Nina hesitantly said, "Tomorrow morning, I want to make breakfast for Nathan, but I still have no idea what to make. Do you have any suggestions?"

Auntie Sophia smiled. "You said you didn't have any ideas, but here you see all the ingredients for a sandwich, including whole wheat bread, beef, cheese, and everything else. You must be thinking of making a beef sandwich, right?"

"Oh, I was thinking of a sandwich, but I'm unsure what kind of sandwich I want to make. Okay, then I'll make a beef sandwich." Nina rushed into her room. Happily; Auntie smiled and shook her head.

Nina remembered her unplugged cell phone, so she immediately connected it to the charger. As soon as her cell phone turned on, the girl was surprised because there were many unanswered incoming calls, including Auntie and Laura's numbers.

Suddenly, her eyes fell on a number she didn't recognize. There were three calls from that number, and even though Nina was very selective in giving her number, only her family and close friends knew.

"Whose number is this?"