"WHAT you are doing is illegal, Bernadette."
Bernadette turned when she heard the voice and stared wonderingly at Roxanne, her friend and officemate. "What?"
"What I mean to say is that you are already abusing your body by starving yourself. Don't you know that overworking could lead you to death?" She sat down on the stool next to her, and then looked at the computer screen in front of her. "When will I see you browsing a Facebook or playing computer games during office hours?"
Bernadette shook her head. "Roxanne, first of all, I don't know anything about that. Second, I don't have enough patience to study those and third---"
"It's working hours, so you don't like doing those things? Yeah, right!" Her friend interrupted what she was saying.
"Exactly! So why waste time telling me those?"
"Hey, Bernadette, you speak like there are only one or two people who used to do that, huh! Almost all employees in the world are on Facebook even during working hours. I don't see anything wrong with that as long as you are performing your duties and responsibilities. So what's the fuss?"
"Oh, why are you defensive? I didn't mean anything," she said with a smile. She stood up to feed papers on the printer. After that, she went back and sat down in front of her computer.
"Oh, no. I'm just telling you that you can also do it. It could actually help you with your work here. Unfortunately, we are living in a world where influential people are too important... you need contacts and social media, if you know what I mean."
"But I'm not into marketing, so I don't need that. Maybe for you, such things are helpful."
Roxanne shrugged. "By the way, how's Andrew?"
She glanced at her friend before answering. That was actually the reason why she wasn't aware of the time. She was always thinking about Andrew and she was worried about her son. "He's fine, though, I'm worried. I don't know how long we will endure staying at Aunt Helena's house."
"Why don't you leave them and rent a house just for you and Andrew? You know your cousins' behavior. All of them are just like their wicked mother. If only I could take you to our house."
"Thanks, Roxanne but I don't want to burden you and your family with my troubles. What's important is that I have a place to stay. Forget about my relatives; I can handle them."
"But you are only good as long as they get something from you! Why do you allow them to be financially dependent on you, Bernadette? What if you get sick because of overworking and they don't get anything from you? What do you think will happen, huh?"
Bernadette did not answer. Roxanne was right but she had no choice. She could do nothing but suffer at her aunt's house; especially that she always remind her that she owed her so much for sending her to school.
Her life began to get complicated after Leandro did not keep his promise. She thought he would come back to marry her but that did not happen. She received a call from Mrs. Imperial and the old woman told her clearly that Leandro would never return. According to her, Leandro didn't finish his three-day stay in Davao because the woman he'd marry would be there. They'd fly to Australia to settle there permanently.
She wouldn't forget the kind of pain that slashed her heart at that time. It was as if her whole being was sliced into pieces due to extreme pain. Mrs. Imperial's cold treatment was actually bearable and she did not expect even the slightest concern from her. Why, she never showed any sympathy in her but what happened to Leandro? She couldn't believe that he could turn his back on her in just a snap. How strange that he had a change of heart and mind in just one day!
Leandro promised he wouldn't leave her. But that did not happen. He never came back and that one short phone call was their last conversation.
He even said he had a surprise for her. Was that the surprise he was telling about—that he would marry another woman? Well, he succeeded! She was indeed surprised. Who wouldn't when he brought her to hell?
She had almost a miscarriage the day Mrs. Imperial called her. Her mother immediately rushed her to the hospital, and luckily her baby was not harmed. But the unfortunate events did not end there because even before she was released from the hospital, her mother had a heart attack. The doctors tried to revive her mother but shortly afterward, she was declared dead.
After that, Bernadette's slightest hope that Leandro would be back have completely disappeared. If she had any feelings left for him, it was hatred. Anger and fury because of what he had done to her. He deceived her. He made her a fool. Her mother didn't only die because of him; he was also the reason that she almost lost her child. Ah, how could she get rid of the anger in her heart over the past three years?
"Bernadette? Are you okay, friend?"
Her mind quickly returned to the present. Roxanne was staring at her and she looked like waiting for her to respond. "What?" she asked.
"I said, will you lunch out with me or you don't have any plan to have your lunch at all?"
Bernadette shook her head. "I have a packed lunch. Go ahead," she lied. She heaved a deep sigh when her friend finally left.