Chapter 5

Amanda sat still in front of the mirror, trying to undress and wipe off what was left of the ugly makeup she had on earlier.

Then she remembered the popular Rowan Xi and how he tried to hold her down, insisting that she was supposed to be at his house.

"What madness?" She asked herself and kept wiping off the makeup.

"Who are you speaking to?" her mother asked with concern.

She jerked at the sight of her mother.

"You scared me Mum. It is nothing. I was just soliloquizing. Something a bit strange happened today."

Her mother looked at her, her gaze filled with concern.

"What might that be?"

"I met someone very important; Rowan Xi. You know him, right?"

Her mother's mouth was agape with shock.

"Wow… that is some interesting stuff!" She exclaimed. "Please tell me you got along fine?"

"That is the point, mother. You know I had this ugly makeup on, so he thought I was ugly…"

Her mother's face squeezed in a frown.

"You see? Did I not warn you about that ugly makeup you had on?" She cut in angrily.

"That is not the point, Mother. Allow me to finish telling my story first."

"Be fast, I need to know the end of this sad tale. I can already tell the end from here anyway."

Amanda grinned at her mother and continued her tale.

"Well, when I was done singing and my makeup was washed off, he seemed to think I was someone he knew from four years ago. We bumped into each other and he kept insisting I was supposed to be at his villa." 

Her mother got closer to her and leaned in to her.

"And what did you do with that information? Did you follow him home or not? Wait a minute, if you did, you wouldn't be here!"

Her mother's voice was becoming loud and aggressive.

"Mother, Was I supposed to follow a man I have had nothing to do with in my life to his home?" Amanda asked with frustration evident in her voice.

Her mother hissed heavily.

"I consider you an unreasonable child. So, in spite of how difficult life has become for you and your children, a man of that caliber shows up and are you concerned about etiquette? You are probably going to die broke!"

"Stop it mother!" Amanda yelled, tears gathering in her eyes. "I was doing what I thought was best for me. But you are coming now and telling me I should have followed a stranger who was behaving queerly; that's a first. Do not forget my history and how I got raped four years ago. Do we want repetition?"

Her voice cracked as she sobbed gently.

Her mother became softened and felt pity for her daughter.

"I do not particularly enjoy taunting you, my child, but your situation is nearly pitiable. Just look at the stress you had to go through yesterday just to raise less than $200. It is painful that you have to do all this just to take care of the children."

"I am not complaining, mother!" Amanda retorted. "Whatever I do for my children, I do with my heart."

Her mother kept quiet for a while, unsure of what to say.

Amanda's sobs had reduced and now she was preparing herself for bed. 

"I am sorry, daughter, that once again, I have said meanful things to you, hurting your emotions."

"But this man, you said he kept insisting on  knowing you from four years ago? What if it is the man who got you pregnant? Did you consider the possibility of this?"

Amanda swallowed hard and looked at her mother again, wondering if perhaps her mother's words were true. Maybe he was the same man, but how could she have known that?

"You might be right, mother, because his voice did sound familiar and his touch seemed like I had felt it before. But I was not sure when and how."

"Do you now see why you should have been calm and allowed him to have a chat with you?" Her mother asked, trying to get through to her emotions.

"But he was not friendly either," Amanda replied sharply, trying to shrug off the sense of regret that was beginning to overtake her.

"You should be more attentive, Amanda. The man who got you pregnant is out there enjoying his life while you are here suffering beyond description. I just want you to find the happiness that you deserve."

Amanda listened to her mother attentively. She was right. She should have listened longer to the fellow, Mr Rowan Xi, but she allowed her fear and panic to get the most of her. 

"Well, I keep hoping that I get to see him again. If I do, then maybe I will sit down and have a chat with him this time."

Her mother cast a doleful glance at her and started leaving her bedroom. Then she stopped and turned back to her:

"I hope it won't be too late by that time," she muttered and walked out of the bedroom, banging the door slightly.

Amanda was almost depressed but at a second thought, she shrugged it off.

It was not Rowan Xi, she thought to herself. There is no way in hell that that man was responsible for my pregnancy. How can it be? Besides, since he is that rich, why would he leave a wrist watch that is too cheap for me?

She undressed and got into bed, proposing in her heart not to let the situation get to her.

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Rowan Xi sat on his balcony, puffing on a cigarette.

He was in deep thoughts, wondering why the lady was being mysterious. He could not seem to understand why she did not want to meet him after spending so much of his family's fortune in the last four years.

He pressed the alarm and one of the housekeepers rushed up to the balcony to answer the call.

"Do you need anything sir?" She asked.

Rowan's face was formed in a frown and he was not happy with the situation with the lady.

"For how long has that lady been in my house?" He asked with a mean gaze.

"I am new here," the housekeeper stuttered. "Maybe I should bring Ma'am Anna, she would be in the best position to answer that."

"Go on already and bring me Anna," Rowan yelled at the housekeeper. She was fidgeting at his rants and she scurried out of his presence.

He sipped his cigarette some more and blew out the air.

Anna came up to the balcony, wiping her wet hands on her apron and her face showing that she was panicking.

"You sent for me sir," she said almost in a whisper.

"Yes," Rowan replied with a stern look. "I would like to know a few things about that lady who has been here in my place."

"Alright Sir. I am here to answer that," Anna responded with a more composed voice.

"For how long has she been here?" 

"For four years, sir. Shortly before you travel on  your business trip."

"How much is her monthly maintenance allowance?"

Anna swallowed hard and then answered:

"About 10000 dollars sir," Anna said with panic.

"Ten thousand what?" Rowan exclaimed angrily. "Who has been signing those cheques? What expensive garbage!"