Chapter 26
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Sophie was glad Kayla wasn’t around when she entered the room. She let go of the tears threatening to spill in the comfort of her room. She blamed herself for dragging her heart along in a game of money and sex.
Still in his shirt, the scent reminded her of everything they did. How she thought every moment was perfect and when she started wanting more of him. How he started intoxicating her more and more. She grabbed her phone once again to call him but it’s still the same reply she got. She removed his clothes from her body because they kept on making things worse for her.
Walking past the mirror fully naked, she got another shocker of getting a life, Her neck and the majority of her upper body were full of hickeys. The sharp red marks reminded her of how perfect the night that turned into this started. She sobbed softly as she wondered why he would leave all of a sudden without even saying goodbye to her.
The ring of her notification jolted her away from her thoughts. She took her phone from the bed and unlocked it to see a new message. She stared at her phone with an expression that cuts between anger, sadness, and happiness.
She had just received an alert of Fifty thousand dollars and the only person who can send her that amount is no other than the man that just broke her heart by leaving her.
She was angry because how could he? How dare he abandon her like that and try to sort her out with money? Sad because she felt like a slut, like a prostitute from the brothel. Happy because the money will sort out sixty percent of her financial issues.
So Fifty thousand dollars was the price of her virginity huh? She should be happy, Her bank account is loaded with money she has never seen but she is in the game too deep that she will give all the money just to see him right at that moment and demand answers from him.
She fell asleep with her phone in her hand in an uncomfortable position after dialing his number one million times again. She even left a few voicemails for him but she got no response and finally slept from total exhaustion.
Three hours later, the sound of her ringing tone woke her up again. She picked it up instantly thinking it was Chris that finally decided to call her back.
” Hello,” She almost hung up the phone in frustration when she heard Max’s voice.
” Hello,” she said with a gruff voice giving Max the idea that something was wrong with her.
” Wow No one has sounded so disappointed to hear my voice since my mother found out I failed maths in the fifth grade” He chuckled after hearing the way she replied to him.
” I didn’t mean to sound like that I’m sorry” She apologized with a still not-so-cherry voice.
” Before I ask you to spill. Do you realize that you are late for work?” He said and the remaining sleep in her eyes disappeared. She almost screamed when she saw what the time was. She had forgotten it was her shift at Edna’s. She sprang from the bed almost dropping her phone in the process.
“Shit! Shit! Shit!” She panicked as she placed her phone in her safe place.
” Calm down Missy. Edna is not around but you better be fast before she comes back” Max cajoled her. She sigh in temporary relief but heavens be damned if she fail to get to the shop before Edna returned.
” Thanks, Max. I’ll see you in ten minutes” she said hanging up on him.
Her head hurts badly and the ache between her legs was still there. She moaned in pain as she rushed to the bathroom. She brushed her hands through her once-perfect hair which has already turned into a bird’s nest. She splashed some water on her face, getting rid of the dried tears.
She rummages through her wardrobe to find any outfit that matches. She doesn’t care what she wears at that moment, finally settling for a blue oversized hoodie and a pair of dark-washed jeans. She grabbed a pair of sneakers, wearing them as fast as she could. She grabbed her phone and her handbag. About to lock the door, she suddenly remembered the state of her hair. She rushed back to the room to find a rubber band, running her fingers through it to detangle the hair, she put it on a messy bun.
More than ten minutes later, Panting hard and out of breath, Sophie opened the front door. Taking a few breaths, she walked inside very relieved to see that Edna was not back. Thank God there were very few customers which means Max didn’t have to do much for her. She gave him a grateful smile and he waved at her.
After changing to her work outfit, she was almost horrified the line had doubled so she quickly got to work, taking her position at the counter. Max was restocking the cake shelf after making a customer’s order. The line was moving quickly as Sophie was trying to be as swift as possible to sort people’s payments.
The front door opens and a notorious customer entered with the most nasty expression Sophie had ever seen. Sophie almost rolled her eyes, well thank God she wasn’t working as a barista today so it’s left to Max to deal with having to repeat non-existent options in the menu.
Cecilia was dressed the way she did the other day, A black outfit, big sunglasses with a vintage scarf wrapped around her head covering half of her face.
She concentrated on the people in front of her ignoring the unwanted figure in the room. Looking up once again after giving the receipt to the customer, she was surprised to see the woman walking toward her.
” It was you! I knew you looked familiar, Something like a splitting image of a homewrecker” Cecilia screeched pointing a manicured finger at her accusingly. Sophie turned around to see if there was another person behind whom the woman was talking.
” Excuse me, ma’am. You can’t just waltz in here and start disturbing the peace of customers” Sophie said trying to be as cool as possible. The woman was riling her up and she hardly get angry. She doesn’t even understand her deal and why she will barge in there and start calling her a homewrecker.
” I can’t just waltz in here? But You didn’t tell my husband the same when he was waltzing in between your legs the other night” Cecilia said hysterically swinging her bag, back and forth. Other customers started murmuring but it still didn’t distract Sophie from attending to them as quickly as she can.
Max who doesn’t know what exactly was wrong but was hearing a commotion left his position and walked towards the counter with a serious expression on his face.
” How can we help you ma’am?” He asked trying to get the woman’s attention. Thankfully she turned around and faced him. Sophie sighed in relief. At least she won’t have to be in the police station later for bashing somebody’s head against the counter.
” Nothing just tell this bitch to leave my man alone”
The way she screeched made everything click in Sophie’s head. She was Chris’s ex-wife, the one who rudely interrupted them the other night. She sighed.
” One problem after the other please” She muttered massaging her temple with the back of her hands. Today has been rough enough and she doesn’t need another reminder of Chris in her day to ruin the cloud she finally built around herself with work.
” What if I don’t?” She blurted out leaving her work position. A chorus of ooohs echoed in the shop. Cecilia gasped loudly. Slamming the face towel she normally kept on her shoulder on the counter loudly, she moved closer to Cecilia pointing a finger at the troublesome woman.
” Listen to me you bitch! You have a lot of nerves walking to my workplace to confront me about having a relationship with your ex-husband. It’s either your brain is missing a few cells or you have ‘I can’t move on disorder’ Get out now before I call the police” She breathes in and put to control her rage. Max’s jaw almost hit the ground. He had never seen this side of Sophie in their entire years of friendship. It was surprising but he is also glad to know she can defend herself whenever.
” What in the world?! Do you hear what she is saying? Not even trying to deny it! So shameless” Cecilia stuttered trying to get the audience on her side.
” You are the one who is being shameless right now. Harassing an innocent woman at her workplace. Leave now! Before I call the police.” Sophie took a deep breath pointing at the front door.
” So shameless” one of the customers muttered loud enough for Sophie to catch it.
” Seriously? I think everyone knows who Chris Morgan is here unless you want to be sentimental.” Sophie grunted out and at the mention of one of the billionaires in the city, a series of ” He is divorced”
” That’s his ex-wife?”
” I heard she was a total bitch”
” Who does she think she is?”
” Going after her ex-husband’s new girl?” echoed in the shop again.
” Max I trust you have already called the cops?” Sophie breathe out and Max picked up his fallen jaw from the floor. He showed Sophie his phone as proof that he dialed the cops’ number already. Seeing that she is losing ground, Cecilia made her way to the front door, avoiding the angry crowd judging her strictly.
” He is going to leave you! You are unfit! You dirt poor rag” She yelled before leaving the shop. Sophie shook her head, glad that the weasel was out of her sight.
She returned to her position and tried to attend to the already delayed customers as fast as she could, some of them cooing at her supposed fairytale. If only they knew that the ship they were sailing is gradually sinking. She wonders if she is overreacting or if Chris has discarded her.