CHAPTER SEVEN

“Did you forget my birthday!?”

Lisa snapped as soon as I picked her call. She has been calling non-stop since morning and the incessant buzzing of my phone had woken me up.

“No, Lisa. It’s tomorrow, I didn’t forget.”

I groaned, feeling a headache already as I sat up and scratched my itchy eyes.

“Where are you!?” She asked, suspiciously.

I never spoke to Lisa about Eric and I had no intentions of ever doing that. Aside from the fact that the contract stated strict discretion, Lisa would be very mean about my decision to be a contract mistress to Eric.

“At Kate’s,” I lied quickly.

“And why didn’t you tell me you quit your job at the cafe?”

“How did— I didn’t want to bother you with that.” I told her, hoping she would buy it.

“Whatever! I’m heading out in a few minutes to Queen’s Mall. I need you to come with me and pick out my dresses!”

Not again. She was the most indecisive person I knew, she would spend the whole day at the mall!

“Lisa, you’ll have to go without me. I need to be at the hospital, my mom’s sick, you remember?”

I wondered if the self-absorbed Lisa remembered I have a life of my own and a sick mother I needed to be there for. She never asked about the health of my Mom until I would remind her, which kind of hurt. Lisa didn’t care for me as much as I cared for her.

“You can go see her after we pick up the dresses! Plus, I have a brunch date with Jeremy and my hair is a mess!”

Jeremy? That jerk? They were still together? And Lisa must be out of her mind to think her birthday shopping was more important than my mom’s health. The transplant surgery was tomorrow!

“Lisa, my Mom is more important. I can’t go with you!” I had to turn her down, and that rarely happened.

“You’re so selfish, Liv. Sometimes I wonder why we’re even friends!”Lisa said bitterly before ending the call.

What the hell! I should be the one saying that to her! She was the selfish one and I deserved a better friend! I was so angry at Lisa for once again being Lisa.

Eric had already left for work before I woke up in the morning. He was a busy man, so I already prepared myself for his consistent absence. I thought about the sex we had and wondered if he thought about it too, if he wanted it again because I did.

Greta showed me to the staff. I felt awkward meeting them, but they all acted respectful. I organized breakfast with Greta and she told me some of Eric’s favorite dishes, just as she showed me the ropes of managing the house. It didn’t seem like much work when the staff was very compliant and hardworking.

“Uh! You again,” Isabel rolled her eyes at me as I met her taking out a violin.

She was in the lounge and dressed up prettily in a denim skirt and pink blouse. She had a very lovely dark hair braided in a ponytail. She was a really cute girl and I wanted to be close to her, not just for Eric’s sake.

“You play violin?” I started a friendly conversation.

“It isn’t your business,” she told me, setting back the violin in its case.

I felt bad about how she replied me. It would have been nice to watch her play.

“I’m Olivia, in case you didn’t catch my name.”

“I don’t care about you! You’re just like the others. You’ll hurt my Dad.”

This was the second time she was mentioning the others, who I think were Eric’s exes. I was worried about it.

“What did they—”

“Isabel, Edwin is here…” Greta interrupted my question and immediately, Isabel smiled widely.

She sprang up from her seat and rushed off. It was the first time I had seen a pleasant expression on her face.

“Who is Edwin?” I asked Greta.

“Isabel’s therapist,” she replied.

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.

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I was preparing to leave for the hospital when a text from an unknown number appeared on my phone screen.

‘Miss seeing that pretty face of yours. Hope to see you soon.’

Was it Eric? His number was saved on my phone but who else was it? I ignored the text and finished dressing up.

On my way out of the house, I heard a muffled sound and had to stop at the direction it was coming from; the hallway to the lounge.

As I walked closer, the sound was clearer. There was a closed door but it was slightly opened, so I looked through the small opening. I gasped, greatly shocked at what I saw.

I saw Isabel and her therapist kissing and quite passionately too!