CHAPTER THREE

        Two weeks after the last screening test, Isabel received a mail from the agency.

She was at work when she heard her phone buzzed. She pulled out out of her pocket and swiped down the notification bar.

There was an email from St. Patrick's Hospital. She needed no soothsayer to tell her it was from the agency, yet she did not open the mail.

Her heart pounding, as uncertainty ate her from within.

What if she didn't get the job? Does that mean that she will have to go beg Mr. Bernadotte to give her more time to save up his money?

Will he agree?

What if he doesn't and decide to make thing difficult for her?

She wouldn't be surprised if he decide to make things worst for her. She could've agreed to go the easy way, but her pride could not allow her subject her body to such immorality.

Now, it doesn't look like she has any choice.

Isabel did not bother about thinking what if she got the job. 

She knew within herself that she'd only made it through the entire process by sheer luck. No employer would select an orphan like her to carry his heir, when there are a thousand perfect women out there.

There's no way she would've gotten that lucky to be the chosen one. Impossible.

Isabel concluded all these notions in her head, not bothering to check the email, until her shift was over.

Her colleague, Sharon, who she had confided in, was the one who brought up the subject, while they were headed to the staff locker room, to change into the casual outfits.

"Haven't you received any feedback from the agency yet?" The girl, who was about a few years older than her, asked her.

"It's been over a week now."

Isabel remained speechless, despite hearing the girl's question.

She didn't know explain to Sharon that she has received their feedback, but has been too pessimistic to see what it entails.

"Isabel!" Sharon called her again, nudging her slightly as she stopped in front of her, blocking her path.

"What are you thinking about? I asked you a question."

"You did?" Isabel asked, pretending to not have heard her question.

Sharon threw her are-you-serious glare, before repeating herself,

"I asked if you've heard from the agency. It's been a week now, so they must've sent their feedback."

"Yeah...I received an email from them earlier, but I haven't checked it yet." She tried to sound nonchalant about it, but Sharon knew her too well, to know she was deeply disturbed.

She immediately guessed the girl must've thought about the worst thoughts, depleting her confidence to open the mail.

She knows how important it would be for Isabel if she got accepted for the position. She knew about how desperately she needed the money, and how this unlikely job was going to give her more than she needs.

She knew about her adoptive father's debt, and how the man had pinned it on her, making her a target to his creditor.

However, she didn't understand how she could be so disheartened about her acceptance, when she was certain she did well in all the exams, and made it to the last three candidates.

"Isabel, why are you doing this to yourself?" Sharon asked concernedly, placing both her hands on Isabel's shoulder,

"You've come all this way, taken all these risks, gone for all those interviews and shit, just to give up now. Why?"

There was an edge of disappointment in her voice as she spoke.

"If I've the courage to do half of what you've done, trust me, I'll be so fucking proud of myself. You survive your toxic family on daily basis, come here to work everyday to still support them. You are doing all this to clear the debt of a man who doesn't care about your existence, yet you still doubt yourself."

Isabel couldn't say anything.

She felt sick to her stomach with pessimism, despite all Sharon was saying to encourage her.

Sharon opened her mouth to say something, but one of the colleagues showed up from nowhere, so she couldn't say anything.

She waited until she was out of earshot, after greeting them, before she resumed speaking.

"Listen to me, Isa. You are going to open your phone, and check that mail. Whatever the outcome is, whether good or bad, all you've to know is that you've tried your fucking best."

It was an order, and Sharon wasn't someone to be said no to easily.

"Sharon---"

"Isabel, we both are going to check that mail. You'll have to kill me first, to stop me from doing it. Hand over your phone." Sharon commanded her, and she hesitantly handed her phone to her.

"You're going to unlock it, or what?"

Isabel sighed tiredly as she retrieved the phone from Sharon. She unlocked it, then returned it to her.

"Good. I'll do the checking myself. You can take these in, if you don't want to be here while I do it." Sharon handed her uniform to her, 

"Or you can stay and watch me do it. Either ways, we are going to find out if you've gotten the job or not."

Without wasting another second, Isabel took both Sharon's uniforms and hers, inside the staff locker room. 

However, instead of just hanging them in the rack, which would take her no more than five minutes, Isabel remained in here, waiting for Sharon's reaction, which would help her decide what the result was.

She was a bundle of nerves and her palms were sweaty and trembling, despite the cool ventilation. Isabel could hear her heart pounding, as she waited for Sharon to at least say something.

Sharon figured out why she was delaying, so she did not react even after reading the mail from the agency.

"You can come out now. There's nothing fun here anyways!" She announced instead, keeping her tone sullen.

Isabel's heart sank, guessing from Sharon's unexcited tone that she did not get accepted for the job.

It's not like I did not give it my very best. She consoled herself, accepting the rejection with mixed feelings.

As much as a part of her was sad for not getting accepted, another part was grateful she didn't.

Her conscience.

At least, now you won't have to live with the guilt of selling your body to a stranger, because of money. You won't have to bear the guilt of giving up your child, your flesh and blood, because of some contract, and monetary bonuses.

Those were her thoughts as she came out of the locker room, only to see Sharon grinning like an idiot, while waiting for her.

"You really fell for that, uh?"

Confusion was boldly written on her face as she approached Sharon, who was now laughing uncontrollably.

"For God's sake, Isa, you are hilarious if you don't know that just an act to push you out of that prison you were going to lock yourself in." She told her, in between the laughter and Isabel sighed, nearly rolling her eyes at Sharon.

"I know you were going to stay in there and wait for my reaction, so you would conclude the result with it. I know you too well, Isabel and you are too gullible." Sharon smirked at her.

"What does it say? Did I get accepted or not?" She asked Sharon with a somber tone, not cracking a single smile.

"You've to see that for yourself." Sharon replied with a grin, turning the phone's screen to her face,

"What does that say to you?"

Isabel's eyes glowed with thrilled surprise when she saw the content of the mail. Her expression went from disbelief to delight in the matter of seconds.

She opened her mouth, but the words got stuck in her throat, "H-h-how is this possible?"

"Well, it's possible because you tried your very best and you smashed the interview like a pro." Sharon answered with a proud smile, while she continued to stare at her phone in amazement.

"I-I-I can't believe this."

"Well, you should. It is fucking real. You got accepted for the job. You got the fucking job!"

They both hugged themselves in excitement, while Isabel's eyes were brimming with tears of joy.

She couldn't believe that she was lucky enough to get the job, and she couldn't thank Sharon enough for her encouragement.

   Meanwhile, outside Blue Farm, a black Range Rover was parked across the restaurant.

Inside the car, a man was seated on the backseat, his impatient attention fixated on the one storey building restaurant. 

Every passing seconds seemed like an eternity to him, yet he kept waiting, tapping his well manicured fingers against the fine leather seat.

His driver has started showing signs of impatience as they've been waiting there for the past thirty minutes, yet haven't caught any sight of her.

He was tempted to send the man in there to go check on her, but that would blow his cover and he cannot risk such.

Zachary's patience was thinning with every passing second. Although his boss has an important meeting, he has insisted they wait for the girl to get off work.

This has been their little routine several times in the past few weeks. The man would intentionally get off work at noon, then ask him drive him to this part of the city.

They parked across the restaurant every time, and would wait for her to get off work. Every time, he watched her with keen interest, and would only agree to leave once she got on the bus home.

It was slowly becoming a ritual and it aroused his suspicion.

Was it because of the money her father owed him, or was it for the job.

Yes, he understood how important the job was to the man, but he has never stooped this low for anyone, not even in desperate times.

He is known for being cold and heartless, but now, he was acting like a schoolboy seeking for the attention of his crush.

He couldn't tell if it were another scheme, or if the man was truly going soft all of a sudden.

Either ways, his fiance wouldn't be too thrilled to hear that another girl has stolen his attention. 

She would be livid.

"Sir, do you think she's in there?" Zachary asked the man,

"It's been over thirty minutes since we've been waiting, and there has been so sight of her. Your meeting with Mr. Yamaguchi is in ten minutes, and you've an appointment with Doctor Pathel by four p.m."

"I know."

"Sir, we won't make it there early if we don't leave now." Zachary tried to explain to the man, but he did not say anything to him.

Instead, his attention remained on the restaurant until the door opened, and the girl walked out through the door.

She was walking alongside another lady, and there were both smiling at something the lady had said.

The smile on her face, stirred something unusual within the man, a devious smirk plastered his face.

Her smile reminded the man of someone very dear to him he'd lost. 

Someone he would give his own life to bring back to life.

He couldn't take his eyes off her, even as they both walked towards the nearby bus-stop, conversing like they've got no care about the outside world.

"Sir, now we have seen her, can we leave?" Zachary questioned the man, suppressing the disappointment lacing his tone.

Coupled with his impatience and disappointment, he was confused.

Why would his boss ask him to drive all the way down to this part of the city, just to sit in the car and watch her?

What about her was so special, he would risk his safety, forfeit an important business meeting, just to see her?

There was no word to explain it, but he feared for the reaction of the man's fiance, once she find out this new obsession of his.

Knowing how desperate she was to keep the man all to herself, this girl wouldn't be spared.

Shakira Lambert would go to any extent to ensure no one takes her rightful position in the man's life.

This poor girl is only going to get devoured, and his boss knows that.

So, why won't he stop all this before things get nasty?

Was he setting the girl up for destruction, because she challenged him instead of accepting his proposal?