"What do you think you are doing, Raina?" Jude scowled and dropped his hands. He was still astonished by the fact that she was standing there when he assumed her to be unconscious a few minutes ago. "Was I lying? You don't have to pretend as if something you did with your own hands affected you." Raina pointed to her mouth. She staggered backward when her legs loosed balance for a second. The twins concentrated on helping her as they pulled her with their tiny hands. Their faces were disgruntled with concern. When Raina had blacked out from stress earlier, she wasn't entirely unconscious, which had made her wake up. She had forcefully stretched her body on the bed while muttering prayers for a little resilience. After a while, she made an effort to get up, which she did smoothly. She was walking out of the room when she stepped on the business card Jacob had given her the night before. She had ignored it and continued to limp towards the room's entrance when his words echoed in her
Jude's delightful mood deteriorated as he reread the message. He felt the urge to reply to his mother by telling her that he wouldn't be able to go to the blind date, but he recalled his promise, his parent's insistence to relocate Raina and the twins, and also, he wasn't prepared to be reminded about how she resigned from her work just to take care of him years ago. He slowly obliterated his annoyance by wiping his face with his left hand and maintaining steady breathing. His phone began to ring. He felt a knot in his stomach when he picked up the incoming call and the person introduced herself as Beatrice. She seems cheerful and a bit calm, "Mrs. Alexander sent me your phone number." Silence. "I should be expecting your arrival at the restaurant, right?" Beatrice asked. There was silence as Jude shut his eyes and answered, "I guess so,"Beatrice laughed awkwardly and replied in a fake feminine voice, "I will be there after meeting up with your friend's fiancee in a few hours. B
Raina wasn't certain if she could trust her instincts on who the ladies were. She scurried out of the room towards Jude's space, ignoring how she almost tumbled on the floor. "Where did he go? Has he gone out?" She sighed in frustration when she couldn't find him there, Her face was squeezed in disappointment as she scratched her head. She tiredly stride by the walls until she got to the living room. "Noell…" Her eyes darted at the comic scenery going on the couch. She tiptoed closer to confirm that Jude's face was smudged with several shades of mascara and makeover. She could only describe the result as painting a clown, but her ignorant daughter was grinning with pride at her work. Raina watched in wonder as Noelle continuously patted Jude's head, imitating a hairstylist. "When did they become this close?" She thought. "Perfect! Let's take some selfies on your phone," Noelle claps her hand excitedly. She took Jude's phone and placed it in his hands, but he wasn't moving as he fli
Gabrielle had excused herself to make an important call when the whole terror remarks towards Raina flared in the building. She hurried to the space where they were doing the meeting, "OK, ladies. I'm sorry about that. Where were we…" She halted on the spot at the sight of her long-time best friend who had left years ago without goodbyes. The same friend she had made her father promised to enroll in the same college. Gabrielle knew that her friend's family was suffering from a financial crisis. She had run happily towards Raina's thatched home with the admission letter while imagining how happy Raina would be, only for the neighbors to tell her that they had relocated the night before. Gabrielle couldn't believe her confidante who had stayed with her through her broken eras, spent time with her like they were sisters, encouraged her through her studies, and made life a little more bearable after her parents' divorce could break the lifetime bond they had promised each other.
"I can see that Cow got your tongue. Say something, you liar of the century!" Gabrielle hollered and placed her hands on her waist. Her heart beat rapidly as tears threatened to stream down from her glassy eyes. "Gabrielle…" Raina stuttered as she turned around. "I don't know where to start and considering how disgruntled you seem to be, I should leave" "There is nothing you can say that will convince me that you are not a backstabber. Where the hell have you been for a freaking eight years!" Gabrielle paused as she felt she was displaying her caring side, "The atmosphere was a bit clearer when there was no news about your whereabouts. You should have disappeared a little longer, and exhibit your presence probably after my wedding" "Fine, I will leave. I had no plans to attend your wedding after the slurs from you and your impetuous cohorts. They are the type of people you should continue to mingle with for better well-being. Of course, congratulations, and I wish you a happy marr
Gabrielle flickered her eyes to cease the guilt that threatened to make her blurt the disclosure that the recent situation forced her to turn to a secret. She wasn't the type to hide her emotions or anything that bothered her wellbeing, but she was willing to make an effort for the sake of her best friend's happiness At least, for now. She moved closer to Raina, slowly tugged her head to her shoulder, and traced her hand which she clutched in a comforting manner. "Damn. You hurt Jude in several ways and I can't imagine the pain he went through. At the same time, I can't imagine being in your complicated situation because my mental health would have permanently deteriorated before I could think of finding a solution. Remember how I almost ran mad because of my parents' divorce? I have always admired how much of a strong woman you are. Someone who could only be broken by her loved ones." Raina raised her head from Gabrielle's shoulder, but their hands were still stapled into one a
"Don't you think that's too much to ask on the first day of a blind date? It's preferable to query me if things eventually work out between us," Jude stood up, hurrying his steps out of the restaurant to its parking space. He halted near his car, snatched his phone out of his breast pocket, and aggressively punctured the tip of his fingers on the device to call his chauffeur, but Beatrice seductively strode to his front and placed her hand on his. She gently shoved her elbow to press her breast up while batting her lashes like a slut on a task to lure her client. She dared to stare at him in his eyes and mewled like a horny cat, "I messaged my chauffeur to drive behind us not to stress you from the burden of how to send me back," She tilted her jaws towards the limousine neatly parked at the other side of the parking lot. "You look good tonight, Mr. Jude. I hope to go on more casual dates with you" She rubs her fingers on his long manicured ones before turning around to leave.
FOUR DAYS LATER- FRIDAY NIGHT It had been days of gradual progress for Raina. Working at the restaurant wasn't as stressful as it was assumed as there was enough time to spend with her kids and chit-chat with her guard friends after work. She was counseled by the restaurant's assistant manager and secretary on the company's system and several other things. She was delighted at the acceptable impression on their faces by her promptness to learn and diligence to work. The staff and other domestic workers respected and adored her even with the few days she had worked with them, and she found herself imagining how emotional it would be if she were to quit working someday. Raina always finds herself grinning after summarizing the day at work every single day she gets home. The kids were more interactive as they filled her with gists about their new friends, and lesson tutor from the kids' holiday tutorials she and Gabrielle had gone to register them on Monday morning. Apparently,