63

Ashley
“Joe went to the bakery?” Elena almost yelled before biting hard on a green apple.
I shook my head, remembering how Leo pushed him out of the way. My lips sloped into a downward smile when the image of Joe popped back into my mind.
“I have to speak with him.” Elena reached out for her phone but I stopped her, holding her arm.
“You don’t have to. He was drunk and he said he lost his job. ” I answered nonchalantly, picking up a newspaper.
“He lost his job?” Elena propped up a brow, “That’s weird. What did he look like? A mess?”
I dropped the newspaper on the table and crossed my arms across my chest.
“Are you feeling pity for him?” I questioned.
“I was just asking. ” Elena promptly answered.
Silence lingered in the air as the only sound I could hear was the sounds of crickets.
“You think I want to go back to him?” Elena picked up a book, tilting her head to face him.
“I don’t know, Elena. It’s all up to you.” I voiced out slowly as I picked up the newspaper, gaining interest in the front pages printed in white and black ink. It stated that the identity of the future King of Midon would be revealed after many years. My heart jumped, remembering the man I danced with at the ball.
Would it be him?
It had been a while since he crossed my mind. My fingers moved against my lips as I remembered his hands wrapping tightly against my waist. It seemed so familiar to the way Leo trapped me against the door with his hands around my waist.
“Not again. ” I groaned while closing the pages of the newspaper, slapping it hard against the table in sheet frustration. Why couldn’t I get him out of my mind? I needed to focus on Mason and only him alone.
“What’s wrong?” I heard Elena ask. My head whipped around to notice that she was staring at me with a concerned expression on her face.
“Nothing.” I promptly answered, avoiding her piercing gaze.
“Is this about Mason?” Elena shot a glance at me as a smile began to form along the sides of her lips.
“Why should it be about Mason?” I asked her.
“You said you would be more open about him. What happened?” Elena asked.
“We talked and he said, we would go out again and, ” I inhaled sharply, “-He wanted to discuss something with me.”
“Maybe he wants to be serious about you, ” Elena edges closer to me, “Or maybe he sees a future with you.”
A low chuckle escaped from my lips as I cast a witty look at Elena.
“That’s too far-fetched, ” I told her, “And where the heck is Emily? I’m starving.”
I pushed my head back against the sofa as my stomach rumbled in hunger.
“I would be returning back to work, tomorrow. ” Elena announced and I then remembered that she still had a job as a secretary in a small hospital.
I raised a brow, “Isn’t that too quick? Didn’t you notify them about your miscarriage?”
“I need to move on with my life. I need my job back so I could keep on living. You don’t expect me to sit down here and keep thinking about a baby that’s gone. ” Elena answered.
I licked my lips, biting hard on the bottom fleshy lip, “I know you’re still hurting over it, Elena.
“I will try and continue to live with that pain, ” Elena reached out to touch her stomach, her eyes turning glossy, “-But I really wanted a baby. I called my neighbor that morning when blood started seeping down my legs but she never came. ”
“I know.” I reached to hug her tightly as she placed her head on my shoulder.
Elena retreated slowly from the embrace and was about to speak when Emily walked into the apartment, her eyes brimming with euphoria while holding a paper bag filled with chicken and beer in her other hand.
“Who is ready for a pre-birthday feast?” Emily announced with a wide grin on her face.
***
“Did you get me anything for my birthday?* Emily nudged me by the shoulder while I was still digging into my chicken. I cleared my throat, pretending not to have heard what she said. Elena had gifted her two fiction books, wrapping them with a bow. Emily squealed in happiness as she wrapped her arms around Elena.
“Did you?” she repeated and I then let out a sigh. I knew I should have picked up a reasonable gift from the gift shop. When we were headed home, I told Emily to head back first while I pretended I had dropped something back at the bakery. The only thing I could afford from my savings was a necklace with a round pendant.
“Why wouldn’t I?” I let out a chuckle, “I got you something.”
“Is it a dress?” Emily winked at me.
I mashed my lips while swallowing hard.
“She might end up choking on that chicken if you get more curious,” Elena suggested with a smile.
We then continued to eat while talking about the recent fashion styles in Midon while drinking beer. Elena made a promise to change her wardrobe and meet more men while Emily kept laughing as her cheeks turned pink.
“I would like to confess my feelings to my crush if I have the courage. ” Emily mouthed.
“W-who is he?” I asked while darting a glance towards her.
“You’ll see. ” Emily smirked and a laugh escaped from my lips. Could it be Damien back at the bakery? I saw her smiling hard at him before we clocked out of the bakery. I let my fingers run through my blonde hair as Elena stopped drinking. Emily announced that she would like to take a shower and she got up, a yawn escaping from her lips as she started to sing a birthday song to herself.
“She’s so excited about her birthday. ” Elena remarked with a laugh and I joined in, a radiant smile sweeping across my face.
“Have you considered speaking to Mom?” Elena asked after a couple of minutes had passed.
I placed my hands over my head, beginning to get a bit frustrated.
“No,” I answered sharply, “And why do you keep asking me that?”
“Maybe all she needs is for you to give her a chance. ” Elena shrugged.
“You have been speaking to her, haven’t you?” I turned around, casting a look at her.
“Yes, I spoke to her because I wanted to ask how she was doing-” I cut her off in mid-sentence.
“I don’t want to hear about her, Elena. I don’t want us to keep arguing about this over and over again. She’s not my mother and I really wish you had a heart like mine that would never forgive her. ”
I rose to my feet as I heard Elena let out a deep sigh as I began to head towards my room. Emily walked past me, holding a book. I shot a reassuring smile at her before she began to ask me any questions.
I walked into my bedroom, shutting the door behind me and walking over to my bed with quick strides. I sat on the bed as it made a creaking sound and I was reminded that I needed to purchase a new one.
My eyes darted around my room, looking at the clothes heaped at the side of my bed, and then my eyes landed on the umbrella sitting lazily by the side of my door.
“Why did I forget to return it?” I whispered. I didn’t deserve to hold on to it anymore since I hurt the one who gave it to me. The flashing image of Leo smiling clicked through my senses and impulsively, I walked over to where the umbrella was situated and picked it up, a crazy idea running through my mind.
I walked over to the bathroom and was about to bathe it with water with my fingers wrapped around the faucet, opening it slowly when I stopped in an instant.
What was I doing?
I wanted to get rid of it but it looked like an ornament that I didn’t want to get rid of. I carefully placed it into my tiny wardrobe, reminding myself that it wasn’t mine.
But Leo never remembered to take it neither did he demand it anymore. I remembered he mentioned something about the bouquet and I tilted my head, wondering why he sent me that in the first place.
I heard a vibration coming from under my pillow and I reached out to pick it up. The number on the screen seemed unfamiliar but I picked it up anyway.
“Hello, who’s this please?” I uttered in a low tone while slanting my phone across my ear.
For a couple of seconds, I heard nothing and then I looked at my phone, wondering if it was a prank call. My eyes noticed that a text message notification had popped up and I clicked on it in confusion.
I dropped my phone in that instant on the bed in shock when my eyes read the text message. Blood drained out of my face, wondering why anyone would do this.
The message read, “Stay away from Leo. He’s not the man you think he is. He’s a dangerous man.”