***
They proceeded to the lobby after eating where two cars are already waiting at the entrance of the building. The number of photographers outside has increased so the hotel security is already holding them back. Cedric turned to Veronica and she already knew that they're about to begin another one of their acts. "I'll be dropping by at the office. If you need anything, you know I'm just a call away." He affectionately tells her, bringing her knuckles to his lips before walking away to get on the backseat of one of the waiting cars. Unlike her, Cedric seems to be doing a great job at doing his part.
Watching his car drive away, Veronica also heads to the other car with Mikaela following her.
The car went off as soon as they got on. Mikaela was saying something about already drafting her schedule for tomorrow but everything seems to blur for Veronica as they drive past building after building.
"Ma'am?"
"Ms. Renarth?"
A light tap on the shoulder brought Veronica back and she was greeted by Mikaela's worried face. "I'm sorry I was uh…thinking."
"Are you feeling well? Should I tell the driver to go straight for the hospital?" her assistant says while glancing at her bandaged arm.
"There's no need. I'm fine." She assures her but then an idea pops in her head, "Actually, I need to go to this place instead…" Veronica began telling Mikaela the address of the place and Mikaela then orders the driver and the car turned to the approaching freeway.
Her car was already parked outside the building just like Cedric said a few nights ago and her keys were inside the paper bag so she's able to open the driver's seat to get the keys to April's apartment in the glovebox.
"If you don't mind me asking, may I know where we are?" Mikaela inquires as she scans around the area, looking completely out of place in her attire.
"It's my friend's place. You can wait in the car while I go get something upstairs."
The expression on Mikaela's face seems like she's about to object "I'll be quick." Veronica reassures her again but just be sure, she hurriedly walks inside the building before Mikaela insists on coming with her or even stop her.
The keys in her hand jangle as she climbs the stairs to April's unit. She reached the door, pushed the key on the knob, and got inside. Veronica's plan is to pack some of her clothes and leave April a letter for when she comes back but then an exhausted-looking April walks from the kitchen holding an ice bag to her head.
"April!" Veronica immediately drops everything in her hand and ran to her friend, engulfing her in a hug. In the same way, April also drops the ice bag on the floor in shock.
"Roni…" she breathes out, relief evident in her tone but then she winces in pain and Veronica lets go of her instantly. Examining her up and down, she then notices a bump on her friend's forehead along with a bruised shoulder.
"W-what happened to you?"
April sighs as she picks up the ice bag on the floor before dropping herself on the couch. "It's a long story." She says eyeing Veronica's bandaged arm. "What happened to you?"
Veronica follows April's line of sight and saw where she's looking. "I sort of got into an accident. But you…" she trails off as she watches her friend, "That bruise looks new."
April closes her eyes as if recalling what happened. "It's Theresa's boyfriend. When I saw you at the event I just knew in my mind what happened. So I had a friend track Theresa's phone and followed them before they can totally runoff."
April looked livid as she tells Veronica what happened, her fist clenching on her lap. "But her boyfriend is a sly motherfucker. The moment he knew that he's being followed, some shady men just suddenly appeared and shot at my tires. I drove myself through a pole and luckily got out with only a bump and a bruise. That's it but I swear I'm going to get those dirty little fuck-"
"They have guns?" Veronica's voice shakes in horror. "You could've died, April! What you did is just-" she breathes heavily in exasperation. "-just stupid. Did you report this?"
April gasps and watches Veronica open-mouthed, "Well, what you did was stupid too, you know. Standing in as Theresa. You don't even know how to act!"
Veronica was going to argue back but she realized that April wouldn't even be in this situation if it wasn't for her. "You're right. I'm stupid." Her shoulders slump and she lowers her eyes on the floor.
April drops the ice bag to her side and crosses her arms over her chest. "That's it?! You're going to give up just like that?"
She looks at her friend in defeat, "Well, what do you want me to tell you? That it's your fault?! We both know that it's not."
April sighs again before messing her hair in frustration. "Okay, let's say it's partly your fault for being easily convinced by Theresa's words but it's also her fault for suddenly leaving while on the job and my fault for trusting her to do the work when she's been clearly out of it for the past month." She paused, "-so I guess it's our fault?" Veronica raises her eyebrows in confusion before puffing out a laugh and April joined in seeing how ridiculous the situation has turned into.
When they finally felt too exhausted to laugh at themselves, April let her head fall off Veronica's shoulders. "I'll be closing down the office for a few days after what happened. I'll talk to the client and I'm planning on selling the company to someone I know so just in case the client presses charges, we can just settle and pay for the damages…"
Veronica sits straight after hearing what her friend said. "What are you talking about, A?"
"Theresa's gone and that's a breach of contract. We have no choice but to cancel the agreement and pay-"
"I talked to the client and I signed another contract."
"-for ruining his reputation and- What?!"
April grabs her friend by the shoulders and looks at her in the eye. "You signed another contract?" she said in a whisper as if saying the word contract out loud would burn her tongue.
"He found out that I wasn't Theresa and threatened to press charges unless I continue playing the part but I turned his offer down and told him that I'll find another way to make up for what I did-"
"he threatened you?" April asks in shock, her eyes falling on her friend's bandaged arm. "Did he hurt you?"
"No. It's the other way around…Have you read my messages?"
"I-no. I haven't seen it."
"That's fine. Well, to make the story short, my parents got into an accident and I asked for Cedric's help in exchange for being his pretend fiancée. We got into an accident while looking for them and he saved me. "
"Hence the bandages…" April says in understanding.
"Yeah."
"But you signed another contract…" April's words die away as she realizes their new situation. She grabs Veronica's hand and tightens her hold. "We have to get you out of that agreement." She tells her with an urgent tone.
"I can't. My parents are being treated at a hospital owned by his family."
Realizing the situation, April found herself apologizing to her friend. "Oh, I'm sorry Roni."
"It's okay." She replies, her tone resigned. Veronica has already moved past that part. Now she's trying to get over the hurdle of acting to make herself believable in the eyes of Cedric's grandmother and hopefully last for a full year doing just that.
"Let me know if you need my help. Anything, okay?" Veronica nods her head in response. The concern in April's voice is making her want to cry. No matter how much she convinces herself that she can do it, a part of her is still wary of herself if she can actually pull this off.
Seeing her worried expression, April asks her friend once again. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah." Veronica exhaled, a thought coming into her mind, "-but I want to ask you a favor, A."
April shifts in her shift as she carefully listens to what her friend is about to say, "Tell me."
"Please take care of my parents in my place. Move them back to town and don't let them see me on TV." It's a selfish request but Veronica only has April to trust.
"Roni, that's impossible. It's a small town and it's not like I can stop our neighbors from gossiping once they see your face on the news."
"Please. I'll send you half of the amount stated in the contract as payment."
"What? No. That's your money. Keep it."
"-but,"
"I'll do it but I won't take money from you. I have to postpone company operations while I stay with your parents."
Veronica shakes her head, "Then that's more reason to take half-"
"Roni, no. I'm doing this because I want to help. You wouldn't be here if I hadn't asked you to work for my company in the first place." April says, her tone firm. "Anyway, what do I tell your parents? I mean I'm your boss. It would be weird that I'm there and you're not." She began, changing the subject already.
Deciding not to push the topic anymore, Veronica answers her. "Actually, my mom met Cedric at the hospital and I kind of introduced him as my boss."
"Oh. Wow. I kind of felt betrayed there."
"A!" Veronica playfully scolds her friend.
April laughs at her reaction after she attempts to make the mood lighter, "I'm just kidding."
Veronica sighs. "Thanks, A."
"You know me. I'm the best friend you could ever ask."
"Uhm, excuse me? The door's open so I let myself in. I hope you don't mind Mrs. For- I mean, Ms. Renarth." Mikaela's voice echoes from the entrance and April looks at Veronica with a raised brow.
Veronica shrugs and Mikaela walks into the living room looking lost. Her face brightens when she sees what she's been looking for. "Ma'am!" she lets out, sounding so relieved.
Veronica stands from the couch and walks over to her assistant. "I got worried because you weren't coming down. I thought something might have happened so I looked for you on every floor. Mr. Ford strictly told me to be by your side at all times and I really value my job so-"
"That's fine, Mikaela. No one's going to get fired so you can go back to the car."
"About that…Uhm…I can't do that without you, ma'am." She hesitates as her eyes kept looking everywhere except for Veronica. Then after a few seconds of thinking about what to say, Mikaela clears her throat after finally making up her mind.
"-Actually, Mr. Ford is waiting for you downstairs."
_to be continued_