Bipolar

The cafe Iliana worked at belonged to her mother. Brenda bought the cafe because that was where she and Adam had their first date.The cafe was a popular spot in Philadelphia and a lot of prominent people visited the cafe as it was known for its top-notch service. After Brenda died, Juliana made the cafe bigger and more modernized, and she left the previous name "Love at First Sip" since everyone already knew the cafe by that name. She employed new people there and got a new manager to head the cafe.

Iliana begged her aunt and uncle and even had to serve Melina for a whole month before they agreed to let her work at the cafe. She even promised to work twice as hard and do more chores as long as she was let out. She thought of running away through it but her uncle was too smart as she noticed that someone was always following her and she assumed that it must have been one of her uncle's guards to ensure she didn't run away or try to do anything that would implicate them.

"Lia! I have been waiting for you since like forever." Rina exclaimed when Iliana stepped into the changing room.

"I'm so sorry Rina. I had things to do."

"Oh my, Iliana, everything will be fine soon,okay?"

"Forgetting that, tell me about your date last night."

"Oh my God! Oh my God! Goodnesss Lia! It was Ammmaaazzzinnngg!" She said in a sing-song voice.

"Mmn, now you are giving me ideas" Iliana said winking.

"Come on, nothing happened. We watched a movie together and then we went to my favorite restaurant. It was quite boring at some point but guess what?"

"You slapped him and walked away?"

"Nope"

"You threw up on his face?"

"Come on Iliana!"

"You dumped a plate of food on his head?"

"You are terrible at this." Catherine said flatly.

"I know right?" Lia replied laughing.

"Anyways, he gave me a bracelet with our names engraved on it"

"Oh my God! Can I see it?"

"Yes." she replied dangling it in front of me.

"Wow! This is beautiful!! He seems different from the others. I mean he remembered your obsession for bracelets."

"Yes, I hope it won't end up like the last. And yes, what about you? What's up?"

"Well, the usual thing. Working, cleaning the mansion and coping with Melina's nonsense"

"Awwn, my baby has become so hardworking." Catherine said hugging her.

"Rina! Rina! I can't breathe!"

"And yes, Iliana, as usual, there were countless scarlet letters on your side of the counter alongside numerous boxes of chocolates. I'm pretty much sure the boss loves you alot now, I mean half of the customers here come just to see you." Rina said rolling her eyes.

"Come on, don't talk nonsense Rina"

"Whatever, I trashed the letters for you and the chocolates are safe with me." Catherine said.

"You can have them."

"Thanks. I guess we have to start the shift now."

After changing into their uniforms consisting of a t-shirt, jean and an apron, they walked into the cafe. There was a heap of customers waiting for their orders and it was just the two of them.

"The cafe is basically flooded with people. I wonder what is happening today."

"We have to hurry up."

After dealing with everyone's orders, Iliana fell back into her chair exhausted.

"Thank God we are through. I almost passed out."

"Are you okay Iliana? You look like you just slaughtered a million gorillas and was chased by the hungry hyena who wanted to feed on them." Catherine said with a frown.

Iliana : "....."

"I see that you have served all the customers but that doesn't give you a reason to turn my workplace into a discussion corner. Get up and move around to see if anyone needs anything. And that should be done by you, Catherine." Mr Anderson, their fifty year old boss, said while a smiling at a tired looking Iliana.

"Yes sir."

Turning around, Mr Anderson said, "And you, come to my office right now."

Catherine looked at Iliana with a worried look on her face but Iliana smiled at her and nudged her towards the serving area. Seeing her walking towards there, Iliana turned and followed Mr Anderson into his office.

"So what do we have here? My one and only Iliana looking so weak and tired."

"Cut to the chase. What do you want?"

"Of course you know what I want. I have been telling you for the past two months now. Your aunt specifically ordered me to make life difficult for you here but I've never done that before, have I?"

"Go straight to the point."

"Just become my mistress and I promise that you won't have to work so hard anymore. You won't have to stay in that house anymore and you will be rich enough to buy yourself anything you want."

"No." Iliana replied with a bored look on her face.

"I just pity your wife and children and no one else. I wonder if she knows the atrocities you have been committing. You know, technically sir, you only got this job because she put in a good word for you with her friend. If she sees the video I have with me, I wonder what will become of you Mr Anderson." Iliana said while twirling a penknife she always had with her on her finger underneath the table.

"You will do no such thing!"

"And who says I won't? You think I care about this job? Don't be silly old man. I mean, I don't even get paid for working."

"Okay, what do you want?"

"I want to be paid like a normal worker here without Juliana knowing about it."

Standing up from his seat, he moved closer to Iliana fearlessly, "Unfortunately you misunderstood me. You won't even need a pay if you agree to be my mistress." He said holding her hand.

"Let go of my hand!"

Ignoring her, Mr Anderson trailed his fingers up her arm.

Irritated, she continued "I said, let go of my hand Mr Anderson! Well, I guess you have to learn the hard way."

Suddenly, she removed her second hand from under the table and stabbed his forearm. Pinning him on the table, she said, "Don't ever try this again you hear? And you will have to listen to whatever I say if you don't want to get killed. Juliana must not hear of anything that happened here or else!" Iliana said while smiling sweetly at him and holding the knife under his neck.

"Y..yes.. grandmother."

"Very good. I am glad you now know who your grandmother is. Now, will you agree to pay me?"

"I...I..I.. wil..will do it. Just don't kill me"

"I won't waste my second kill on a bastard like you."

"You are a mad woman!" He shouted after she let him go.

"Well,I am bipolar and if that counts as being mad, then fine. It isn't my fault that you didn't find out earlier. Goodbye Anderson." She smiled and blew him a kiss as she walked out of the lavishly decorated office.