The chimes on the glass doors resonated throughout the convenience store. I stood up automatically at the sound in order to greet the customer, but after I saw the person who entered, I was suddenly rooted to the ground and unable to speak.
She was the last person I wanted to see, but knowing her, she would never lose any chance to mock me.
"You finally found where you belong," Christina sneered as she walked towards the counter where I was rooted to the ground. She looked up and down at my attire and said, "That uniform suits you the best."
After I got fired from the company, I tried applying for other companies, but as I feared, no company would like to hire a person who was fired by her first employer after a few months of working. In the end, I had no choice but to apply for part-time jobs.
I don't have time to play the game that that family had set up for me. Not only do I have to help Ansel pay the bills, but I also have to help my mother pay off the debts she had amassed for my father's treatment.
I'm also too tired from all the jobs that I'm juggling right now to handle another trouble like this person.
"I'm sorry miss customer," I spoke, forcing out a business smile. "We don't have food suitable for animals in here."
Christina slammed her hand onto the counter after I said my little remark. The sneer that she was sporting earlier turned into a glare.
"You're still a bitch, huh?" Christina glowered at me. "I wonder until when can you keep that attitude before you come begging to us."
"You should have never made the Chadwick family your enemy," Christina continued, her voice dripping with venom.
When I was fired, I never once thought that they had a hand in it. I thought that maybe someone from the office made a mistake after I sent the file, or maybe someone hated me enough to plot against me.
But I truly never thought that it would be that family.
Once I found out, I immediately realized that they were doing these to make me give up, but I know that I should never give them the satisfaction. Ansel gave up everything to be with me, and the least that I could do is to keep my head high no matter what cruel things those people do.
"Even if I'm gone," I spoke as I leaned forward towards her. "Ansel would never look at you."
Christina truly believes that once Ansel returns to his family, she would immediately be wed to him, but what she did not know is that she is only one of the pawns employed by that family. If she is no longer of benefit for them, she would immediately be tossed aside.
After I said those words, I straightened my back and forced out another business smile before saying, "If you're done, the door is open for you to leave."
But it seems like Christina was not in the mood to just leave as right after the words left my mouth, she forcefully grabbed me by the hair, making my body slam rather painfully at the edge of the counter.
'She made the first move, right?'
***
Once I was out of the private room, the dizziness I felt earlier worsened, and it seemed like the entire hallway is spinning. I placed my hand on the wall for support as I feel like the floors will suddenly collapse under my feet, and slowly, I went towards the comfort room.
Every step towards the comfort room was almost unbearable. I haven't drunk much wine yet, but I guess my body was overwhelmed with the way I kept drinking, without rest, every glass that Rachel and Leah poured for me.
Once I arrived inside the comfort room, I went straight towards the sink, and immediately, I saw how flushed my face is in the mirror. I cannot go back to the private room looking red as a tomato, hence, I sprinkled a little cold water on my face to slightly ease up the heat on my cheeks. I made sure not to ruin my make-up as the last thing that I wanted is to go back looking like a clown.
As I stare at myself in the mirror, I suddenly remembered the blunder I made earlier.
I wondered what Ansel thought of my earlier outburst. Even though we no longer have any personal relationship now, I still somewhat care about what he thinks of me, perhaps on a business level. I still wouldn't want to do anything that would make him think lowly of me.
But I guess, after what I did to him, that hope is long gone.
Even though I tried my best to ignore his presence the whole time, there were times when my focus would suddenly shift towards his direction. I kept glancing at him, unable to foil my curiosity towards the conversation he's having with the crowd around him, and perhaps generally everything that Ansel does.
I even promised myself not to let him occupy my thoughts anymore.
The first step to moving on is to clear my thoughts off of him and to accept our reality.
But I guess, even after those five years, those efforts have been nothing but futile.
I shook my head off of all the thoughts about Ansel and decided to go out and get some fresh air. I heard that they have a small garden at the back of the restaurant and thought that it might be a good place to freshen my flushed-self up.
I went out of the comfort room rather slowly so as to not let my nausea return, but unfortunately, once I left the comfort room, a huge wave of nausea washed over me. Luckily, as I was looking for something to support myself up, someone wrapped their arm around my waist, preventing me from falling.
"You still don't know how to decline a drink," a deep familiar voice spoke from beside me, and once I shifted my gaze away from the seemingly spinning floor, my head immediately cleared up at the sight of Ansel right beside me.
I was left speechless, my mouth hanging slightly open at the unexpected appearance of the last man I hope would see me in my current state.
With his arm wrapped around my waist as a support, he silently led me towards the back of the restaurant and onto the garden as if he read my mind. I couldn't grasp what was happening. I could only follow his lead as my head was filled with questions as to why he's suddenly here right beside me.
Once I step foot outside of the restaurant, I was immediately amazed at how beautifully romantic the garden is. There were lamps lined along the stone pathway that stunningly makes the nearby bushes and flowers shine. There were also lights hanging from the trees that looked like stars falling from the night sky.
As I stare at the scenery in front of me with admiration, Ansel led me towards a white stone bench. We took a seat beside each other, and since the bench is quite small, just perfect for two people, we couldn't help but sit rather close to each other, and the situation made me feel quite anxious as he might hear my heart beating wildly against my chest.
"Here," Ansel said while handing a bottle of water towards me.
I wasn't able to immediately take the bottle of water from his hands since I was too busy gaping at it. Although the Ansel I knew was thoughtful towards me in the past, I didn't expect him to be the same towards the current me.
Perhaps noticing my inability to move, Ansel grabbed my hand and made wrap my fingers around the bottle of water. Once he retracted his warm hand away from mine, my hand suddenly felt empty, and I could only stare at it while I try to gather my thoughts.
I opened the bottled water and took a huge gulp, trying to wash the dizziness away and perhaps also help clear my thoughts. Once I placed the cap back onto the bottle, I suddenly realized what kind of situation I am in.
The silence was deafening, and since I've already shown too much of my embarrassing side to Ansel tonight, I wouldn't want to add onto it by opening my mouth and embarrassing myself further.
'Well, it's not like he hasn't seen those sides of you.'
"You still don't know your limits when it comes to drinking," Ansel spoke all of a sudden. I snapped my head towards him and found him staring straight at the beautiful scenery ahead of us.
Similar to what he said earlier when he found me, it seems like Ansel had been watching me the whole time.
But maybe that is just my wishful-self thinking.
Anyone would notice that I have been drinking by seeing the state I was in when he found me. It is not necessary that he has been watching my interaction with the other members.
"I was just enjoying myself too much," I replied while smiling sheepishly.
Another silence enveloped the two of us, and as much as I wanted to make Ansel stay beside me in this beautiful garden, I couldn't have anyone seeing the two of us alone in here. Also, even though I wanted to make him stay, I'm pretty sure all he wanted was to stay as far away as possible from me.
"You should go back," I said, my voice soft as a whisper. I could hear a little reluctance in the way I said those words, and before I continued, I tried clearing my voice a bit. "They must have been waiting for you."
Ansel remained silent for a few moments before answering, "It's too stuffy back there."
I was suddenly reminded of the pretty girl with ash blonde hair who was sitting disturbingly close beside him. He must have been uncomfortable the whole time and decided to go out and get some fresh air, and unfortunately for me, he had to see me stumbling down just outside of the comfort room.
Since it seems like Ansel has no plans of going back to the private room any time now, I tried to wrack my head for topics I could open without embarrassing myself or would not end up with us screaming at each other.
Much better if the topic is about work.
"Paul showed me the design for the hotel," I started once I came up with a safe topic for us to converse with. I believe complimenting someone's work could never go wrong. "It is so beautiful. From the façade to the rooms, everything is well thought of and coordinated." I guess I was merely rambling at this point, but even so, those were my honest feelings.
"It looks like everyone's dream vacation place," I ended, a wide grin taking its place on my lips as I sang praises for the design of the hotel.
Ansel shifted his gaze towards my direction. There was an unreadable expression on his face as he stared at me, and I could only stare back at him as his piercing blue eyes held me trapped in my place.
"When you saw it," Ansel spoke a few moments later. His deep voice rather soft, almost drifting along with the night breeze. "You didn't remember anything?"
I furrowed my eyebrows at his statement as I have no idea what he meant. Perhaps noticing the confusion on my face, Ansel merely shook his head and shifted his gaze back to the scenery in front of us.
"It should be. I've hired a talented group of architects for that," Ansel said, shifting the attention away from his earlier remark.
"I heard you also contributed a lot of ideas to the design of the hotel," I spoke, trying to prolong the conversation and prevent another deafening silence between the two of us.
When Ansel did not respond, I continued, "I can see why the project team truly treasures this project."
"Too bad I wouldn't be able to see it once it is completed." I smiled rather sadly at the thought.
Even though I'm as excited as the members are for this project, I would be gone by the time the hotel is finished. I would even be gone before I could see its semi-furnished state, and as much as I wanted to see it once it is completed, I don't want to prolong my stay here.
And even if I wanted to, I would only subject myself to pain.
Ansel snapped his head towards me, his eyebrows furrowed and his eyes filled with questions. He tried opening his lips to say something but no words left his mouth. In the end, he turned his gaze away from me, and then all of a sudden, the atmosphere became heavy.
I did not know if I said something that might have offended him. I wracked my brain for anything that I might have said that could possibly be offensive, but I ended up clueless.
I only spoke of praises towards the project that he is directly involved with. Then I told him that I wouldn't be able to see the hotel once it's finished, but I also told him from the start that I would leave, so it's not possible that me leaving is a surprise for him.
And although it is a painful truth, he wouldn't possibly care that I would be leaving.
Unable to bear the awkward silence surrounding us, I said, "I know I told you before that I would leave soon."
Ansel did not say anything nor even move an inch after I said those words. Taking this as a sign to continue, I said, "but because of our contract, I have to stay for a while."
I held my hand into a tight fist, and I could feel my nails digging onto my palms. I paused for a moment, choosing the right words for what I'm about to say next.
"I promise that I wouldn't let our past become a problem for this project," I said, my voice clear, and I hope that it shows the determination I have not to ruin this contract for both of us. "Although we might have our differences, I hope we can have an amicable relationship, just until I leave."
Ansel finally shifted his gaze towards me after I said my last few words, his face impassive. He stared at me for a moment before saying, "as it should be."