-5-

Bella could only remain silent with a stupid expression on her face when she heard Nicholas’s dismissal through the phone, without knowing what she did wrong, and without knowing what the cause was. Of course, this really shocked Bella, until in the end she smiled wryly and then hung up the call without answering anything Nicholas said.

Bella then came out, she looked at Miya who was smiling sitting in the passenger seat of the car. Was this because of Miya? Of course the woman was a poisonous snake.

“Why, Bella? Why are you crying?” asked Miya. The woman smiled so happily as if she had just heard extraordinary good news of course.

Bella was silent, she got into the car and the two of them drove towards Nicholas’s company.

When she got there, Miya immediately entered Nicholas’s room with a sad expression, then she pointed at Bella perfectly.

“You know, your secretary is really impudent, Nicholas. That woman is really very presumptuous!”

Nicholas was silent and didn’t answer, his jaw seemed to be clenched with his hands tightly clenched into fists.

“Bella deliberately chose all the things that were so expensive and with all the models that didn’t make sense to me, Nicholas. In order for you to spend a lot of money. I already told Bella that I don’t want it, I want everything that is luxurious but still has a simple impression, but Bella, I don’t know what else to say to this woman.”

Nicholas didn’t answer anything about that, he just glanced at Bella with a cynical look, then Nicholas pulled Bella’s hand quite roughly. Bella was treated like that and didn’t remain silent, she pulled her hand from Nicholas’s grasp.           

“Don’t teach my future wife to be a woman crazy about money like you, Bella.”

“Sir, I absolutely did not do that. What Miss Hadid said was truly slanderous, what happened was the opposite, so I beg you not to believe your future fiancé.”

“Then should I believe you?”

Bella didn’t answer, she just looked at Nicholas’s eyes and hoped that Nicholas would believe her, but it seemed useless. Thousands of times Bella tried to explain to Nicholas, thousands of times Bella hoped that Nicholas would defend her, but who was Bella? Bella was just Nicholas’s secretary and they didn’t have any relationship, while Miya was Nicholas’s future wife.

Bella now understood, and Bella didn’t need to show her deep hurt no matter how hurtful it was. Bella will show Nicholas or Miya that being fired at this company will not destroy her. Bella will be fine even though in the future she will be devastated.

“Okay, I think that’s enough. I will pack my things then leave this company. And as for Miss Hadid, now I will give in to you, but believe me, if we meet again on another occasion, I will make sure that your mouth will receive adequate retribution for the slander you have done to me.”

Firm, clear and deep was what Bella was saying now. After saying that, Bella chose to leave. Because Bella felt there was no benefit in prolonging the problem and didn’t accept it. Bella took the brown box containing all her personal belongings and then walked out of the office. Bella sat at the bus stop, then she looked at her cell phone, the last money she had received from Nicholas which Bella still hadn’t used at all which she planned to send to her mother because Bella’s monthly money had run out, even now it made Bella feel fed up. Until then Bella returned all the money to Nicholas, and Bella left a message to Nicholas before Nicholas’s phone number was blocked from Bella’s contacts.

‘I will return your money, don’t worry, I still remember the amount you have given me so far. And I make sure I will pay everything even in stages. I don’t want to take a penny of your money without me working.’

The bus stopped at that bus stop and Bella started to get in and sat down. Many people were looking at Bella now, either because they were curious or just wondering who the beautiful woman who was crying was? And what cruel man could have caused such a beautiful woman to be hurt?

*****

In the morning, Bella, who was too lazy to get up and was finally able to get up for the first time that afternoon, narrowed her eyes, the sunlight coming through the gaps in her curtains was truly dazzling. Bella lazily got up from her sleep and then opened the curtains in her room. Bella was silent, usually at this time she was already in the office, quite busy with a lot of work or even receiving or contacting several of the company’s business relations. Bella fell silent again, working as a secretary in a big company was a dream she had always wanted, but how could her dream be destroyed just because of a trivial problem, namely a woman?

Bella rubbed her face roughly, she walked to the bathroom and brushed her teeth. Usually, if Nicholas were here, the two of them would brush their teeth together while joking, what a beautiful sight, or was that something Bella missed?

Bella was now clutching her chest which was aching tightly, then she sat perfectly still sobbing. No, Bella was not only hurt because she stopped working at her dream company, but Bella was even more heartbroken because the problem was that she lost the figure of the man who had always made her lonely life disappear. Even though the relationship was just a forbidden relationship, even though the relationship was just a relationship of mutual use, the fact was that Bella had lost to all of these things, because in fact Bella had fallen in love with a man who only needed her body to satisfy his lust.

Bella cried again, until finally she gasped when someone pulled her hand until Bella looked up and without Bella being able to digest, Bella felt that someone was kissing her lips so passionately and her body was immediately led towards the bed.

Bella tried to move the figure’s body away then she was stunned to see the man who was now above her, Bella’s eyes became hot again, for some reason the clear beads flowed in an unknown way.

“Bella, go back to work.” The deep voice sounded deep, but Bella tried to control her sanity.

What was this? After Nicholas slapped her, fired her and said bad things to her, how could Nicholas now come to kiss Bella and ask Bella to return to work at the company? Did Nicholas think Bella was that cheap?

“I’m sorry, Mr. Malik. Please just look for another secretary, because I don’t want to return to work at your company.” Bella refused firmly, then she pushed Nicholas’s body and Bella tried to stand up. “And I hope you’ll stop coming to my apartment, let alone trying to kiss me. Isn’t it very clear that our illicit relationship is over? Please leave and never come back again!”

Instead of leaving, Nicholas hugged Bella’s body so tightly. Bella tried to get out of Nicholas’s arms but Bella couldn’t.

“Bella, I will teach you to obey because all this time you have never obeyed me at all!”