-3-

Hot, painful, sore.

But Bella’s heart was much more painful. She had no idea that her mother’s treatment of her had not changed at all. Even this was in a public place, where all the employees were looking at them questioningly. Her mother had completely destroyed Bella’s image perfectly.

Bella was silent with her hands tightly clenched into fists, she really wasn’t that patient with her mother.

Bella was pushed by her mother with all her might and then spat on too, and what was even more painful was that, instead of the employees in the office helping Bella, they instead said that the woman who was treating Bella roughly was one of the women whose husband had been seduced by Bella, what a truly outrageous thing.

“Where’s my money?!”

Bella did not immediately answer her mother’s words, she tried to clean her body which was dirty because of her mother’s treatment.

“Tell me where my money is, Bella!”

“Once again you come here and ask for money, I won’t hesitate to report you to the police for extortion, Mother.”

Her mother, who heard Bella’s shouting, instead of feeling afraid, she felt even more irritated by her daughter’s words.

“What are you saying? Have you started to be brave with your mother? You want to report your own mother to the police station?!”

After the chaos, Bobby, who was apparently already on the ground floor, rushed to order the security officers to immediately send Bella’s mother away, and fortunately this was very effective. Bella’s mother was immediately dragged away by the two security officers.

“Remember, Bella! I’ll wait until tonight, if you don’t give me the money then I’m sure your career will be ruined!” Bella’s mother shouted right before she completely disappeared from the company, and that’s when things really got messy. All employees knew that Bella’s mother was a prostitute.

Bella tried her best to stay strong but couldn’t anymore, she really felt embarrassed to death by  all her mother’s behavior.

Bobby quickly took Bella away. In the elevator, the two of them were silent in a very awkward situation.

“If you want to cry then cry, Bella. You have the right to do that.”

Bella didn’t answer, then she smiled wryly and laughed at her gloomy life.

“I don’t deserve to cry over a woman like that, do I?” Bella answered, then she tried to tidy up and clean her body from the dust that had stuck to it due to her mother’s actions. “Does Mr. Malik know this?” Bella asked again.

“He doesn’t seem to care.”

“That’s good.”

“Why?”

“The less he cares, the easier it will be for me to get away from him.”

After saying that, Bella immediately left. Lunch time had arrived, and she had to go to the cafeteria because she was extremely hungry.

“You know, the most beautiful employee in our company, Mr. Malik’s secretary. It’s fitting that she is beautiful and attractive, it turns out that this woman has the talent of seducing from her mother, her mother turns out to be a prostitute! Her mother came here wearing really disgusting clothes.”

Bella’s jaw tightened, and what she feared was true, it turned out that the news had spread to all employees in the company very quickly. Bella held her breath perfectly, she didn’t feel hungry all of a  after hearing the gossip. Bella immediately chose to return to her office, and working was one of the things she had to do now.

Bella stepped out of the elevator and tried to fix all her emotions. She had also cleaned her body and had just come out of the bathroom. After everything could be said to be neat, Bella was surprised when a young woman with an attractive appearance walked past her with a quite confused look.

“Sorry, Miss. Are you looking for someone?” Bella asked kindly. After all, the company guests were kings, and Bella must welcome them very well, especially since she was Nicholas’s secretary.

The beautiful woman looked at Bella from top to bottom. Bella didn’t know what she was thinking because Bella couldn’t guess at all.

“You are?”

“I am Bella, Mr. Malik’s secretary.”

“You are the secretary?” The woman was surprised while Bella smiled sweetly then nodded her head perfectly. “Okay, you know where your boss’s room is, right?”

“Yes. Please, come with me then I will take you there.”

The woman fluffed her hair again perfectly, then she walked so arrogantly. She was still looking at Bella sharply and for some reason Bella felt that the woman didn’t really like her.

Bella walked then she stopped in a room with a fairly large door, then she knocked on the door and turned the door knob from the outside.

“Please come inside, Miss.”

“Do you know who I am?” asked the woman. Bella was silent with a confused expression on her face. The woman laughed then she pushed Bella’s body slightly. “I hope you will never be seen again in this company, because your presence is so disturbing.”

“Pardon?”

The woman did not reply to Bella’s words, then she entered Nicholas’s room and closed the door quite hard. Bella fell silent again. She didn’t know which other business relationship Nicholas had that had such a really impolite attitude.

Wait ….

Why didn’t Bella ask about the woman’s name and needs? Moreover, had the woman made an appointment beforehand? How could Bella be this careless? Nicholas was a man who didn’t meet strangers easily. Don’t let Nicholas get angry with Bella just because of this carelessness.

In panic, Bella immediately rushed into Nicholas’s room with the intention of apologizing and trying to ask who the woman was, until in the end Bella’s eyes widened completely to see what was happening before her eyes and head.

Yes, the woman was standing together with Nicholas, and the woman seemed to be teasing Nicholas but the man was still trying to act calm while carrying documents in his hand. Bella tried to think calmly, then she lowered her face deeply.

“Aren’t you Nicholas’s secretary? How presumptuous of you to enter without permission!” shouted the woman.

Nicholas immediately raised his hand, forbidding the woman who had been clinging to his arm from scolding Bella. Then he held the woman’s hand tightly, then walked closer to Bella until Bella looked confused beyond words.

“Bella, let me introduce her, she is Miya, my future fiancée.”

And at that moment the atmosphere became very awkward, Nicholas narrowed his eyes at Bella as if he was curious about what Bella would say now.