Threat

Celina’s POV
“Xia,” he said just as I knew.
“Why do you suspect her?” I asked. I was really curious. He doesn’t really like my friend.
“I just had a feeling. If you have a woman instinct, I do have a man instinct as well.” he replied which made me roll my eyes on him. “What did I tell you about rolling your eyes?” he asked and then I looked at my work. I didn’t want to look into his eyes when he was talking like that. “Celina, I am serious. If you can’t stay away from her, just make sure to be extra cautious.” he said before he got up from his seat.
I followed him with my gaze as he went back inside our bedroom. I sighed heavily and looked at the fake credentials I had to show to the Nicholson couple before. It was true that besides my adoptive parent’s, Xia was the only one who knew about this. What should I do now?
Morning came and Jefferson was in his office. I was getting ready to work when Xia called me, “Hey,” I said, as I answered.
“Celi, let’s go out. We didn’t talk much when we were together the other day.” she said. Because I wanted to see what Jefferson sees in her for him to doubt her, I agreed.
We met in the usual mall that we often meet ever since and she was already there when I arrived. She was looking behind me when she saw me so I looked back to see who she was looking at but all I saw were people that I didn’t know. “Who are you looking at?” I asked when I was closer to her.
“You’re alone?” she asked and I nodded. She looks disappointed and I think I believe my st**** husband now.
“Why, are you expecting someone I could bring with?” I asked casually.
“No, I just thought that Jeff will be here as well.” she replied. Okay, when did she ever call my husband “Jeff”? Normally, she would have said “Your husband” why does it feel like she was acting close to Jefferson?
To test her, I decided to tell her about the envelope that Jefferson showed me. I wanted to know her reaction to it but I think he was checking on the sender already. Sooner or later, I will be able to know who it was that has those fake transcripts of mine as well as my records from the orphanage, especially the time when I was acting like a hooligan and fighting with other kids.
“Must be your parents. They didn’t want to totally let go of you.” she replied as her eyes wandered around.
“What do you want to do today?” I asked her, happily. I should give her the benefit of the doubt because we had been friends for a long time now and I didn’t want to think that only a man could break us apart.
“You, what do you want to do?” she asked instead.
“You know that I am a very boring person and I only have fun when I am with you.” I replied. That was the truth. I was happy when I’m with her. Especially during my school days when I was meeting her.
After all the exhaustion from work and the thoughts of seeing my adoptive parents when I get home, seeing her gives me strength to face the next day full of life. She would always make me smile and would always tell me that everything’s going to be fine.
“How are you with your parents now?” I asked her. She told me before that her true parents came to get her from the orphanage and that they were abusing her. I want to know if she was fine and needed my help because I know that I am more than willing to do that for her.
“We are fine, although lately, there were times that they were fighting.” she replied. I looked at her worriedly. SHe’s not the type to tell me about her and everything and telling me this now makes me feel sad. “It’s just that, they were talking about money all the time and they would end up fighting and hurting each other.” she added.
“What about you, are they hurting you as well?” I asked, I was so worried that because of money, they would forget that she was their daughter.
“No, they’re not.” she replied sadly, with her head down and I waited for her to tell me more. “Wait, why are we talking about me? We should enjoy our time together and not get affected by them. They were old and knew what they were doing so it was their business to settle whatever arguments they have.” she said after. I didn’t push her more because I was thinking that she may have wanted to forget about them right now.
We stroll around and do window shopping, that’s all we could do because we don’t have money. Well, I do but it was Jefferson’s and I didn’t want him to think that I am spending his money with her.
We stopped in a clothing store and I saw her eyeing a dress. “Why don’t we buy a twinning outfit?” she asked. I looked at her, smiling.
“Are you sure?” I asked. As far as I know, she didn’t want anyone to have the same clothes as her even if it’s me. I remember when she told me that I should tell her whenever I am going to buy clothes because she wanted to know so she won’t be able to choose the same when she wants to buy as well. “I thought you didn’t like that?” I couldn’t help but voice it out.
“You remember that?” she asked and I nodded. “Well, I changed. I feel like we are closer when we own something similar to each other.” she replied and I nodded.
“OK, let’s go and choose.” I told her happily. I decided to buy us the same clothes. I don’t usually spend money like what I am going to do now but I made an exception. I wanted her to know that she was important to me as my friend so whatever she was thinking, she will think twice before she actually does it.
“Hello,” I said, as I answered Jefferson’s call.
“Where are you?” he asked.
“Mall.”
“With whom?”
“Friend.” I replied and I noticed Xia looking at me secretly after I said friend.
“Xia?” he asked. I wanted to lie to him but I knew that he would easily catch me so I said yes.
“You didn’t listen to me.” he said,
“You know that I can’t do that.” I replied and I heard him sighed.
“Where are you now?” he asked again and I told him the mall’s location.
“You take care, OK” he said and after I said yes, we ended our call. I went to Xia and continued looking around. We got tired and decided to eat in a restaurant, my treat. She wanted to refuse, but I insisted.
“I’m sure that the clothes are going to look good on you.” I told her, smiling. She has the body even if she looks ordinary. But she wasn’t ugly at all, maybe because she was thinking about her parents that she failed to look after herself.
“To you as well.” she replied. “Wait, I will just go to the powder room.” she said and got up from the seat. We were waiting for our food so I guess it was fine if she did her thing now.
Our food has been served and I was wondering what took Xia so long. I was about to get up when a man sat on Xia’s seat. “Excuse me, someone was sitting there.” I said but the man just smiled. He was good looking but nothing compared to my husband so no matter how much he smiled on me, it had no effect or whatever.
“Well, I was waiting for my date but I found her cheating on me.” he said, for someone who had been cheated on, he was very calm. “Can I just sit here for a while so that when she sees me, she would think that I am not hurt at all because I already found a date?” he asked. I didn’t want to and I didn’t have time for that so I didn’t answer and waited for him to leave.
“Come on, it’s not like I am going to do you any harm.” he said when I still didn’t respond and just stared at him. Then he transformed his face to a very funny one so I couldn’t help but laugh. “We will just do this, nothing else. I am not even going to hold you close to you.” he said after.
“When my friend comes back, you should leave. I told him and she nodded. We only did some casual conversation and nothing personal. I didn’t ask his name and didn’t ask mine as well.
“Who are you with?” Xia came back and asked.
“I don’t know.” I replied and the man left without saying a word. She sat and we started eating and I told her about the man as she asked me again and again about him. I couldn’t say much because what we talked about was just about anything.
“You are so beautiful that men approach you.” She said, casually but I think there was bitterness in her voice.
“Don’t think about that man, because he’s nothing to me. I am already married and I had no intention of cheating on my husband. We ended our conversation about that man and continued eating.
“I thought Jeff will be here.” she said, I looked at her and asked,
“Why do you think that is?”
“He called you earlier so I thought he was going to eat with us.” she replied.
“I see, he’s busy with work so he won’t be able to come.” I told her. Until I sent her to the bus stop, she was still asking about Jefferson and as to why he didn’t fetch me when. She thought that he doesn’t care about me because he lets me go alone, I don’t think that way though.
I was startled when Jefferson’s car stopped in front of me after the bus where Xia was, left. Is he waiting for me? How long has he been here? I smiled internally thinking he was worried about me. Oh, married life, I love it. but I remember Xia, is she really trying to break us apart? Is she a threat to us? I shook my head and got in the car and went home with my husband who was now smiling at me, handsomely.