This caught Kate off guard she almost coughed out blood.
Is he even serious? I thought he called me here to talk about me… but Lian? How to be a better man to her? Kate wanted to really cry. With all the efforts she had made to look sexy just now in front of him?
Meanwhile, Fidel, looking as serious as if asking some business matters, he waited for the answer while looking at Kate's changing expressions. It's like his life depended much on Kate's answer.
"Umm…" Kate swallowed hard. "Maybe treating her better."
With a sore heart, Kate said while scratching her head.
"How do I treat her better?" Fidel asked again.
Is like this man wants to kill me… Kate cursed inwardly.
…
"Mmh… how do I even explain the whole idea? Am feeling weird." Bella said while pulling the warm water close to her.
"A mixture of feelings right now." Eva said. "Mr. Fidel seemed so caring when Lian was taken out of the room, then boom! Calling Kate at the balcony to talk for hours. I feel like that isn't fair at all."
"That's alarming. But wait... isn't she supposed to be up now?" Bella asked.
They started walking towards the castle from the servants' square. Darkness was creeping in and Kate looked like she's mad at something. They stood to look at her as she entered the car and left.
"It seems something is off!" Eva said while tapping Bella.
"Something is off for sure. I never expected Kate, of all people to frown after spending such long hours with boss. Isn't this the chance she was always looking for?" Bella asked.
"It is… but, can you be sure they talked something romantic?" Eva asked.
It was in time they turned and saw Fidel staring at them at the top of the building. Eva wished earth could open and swallow her alive.
"Sir!" Bella reacted first and bend over before pulling Eva on her side. They both walked into the house anticipating their punishment.
Fidel was coming downstairs to meet them.
"I've never been this frightened before." Eva picked up the glass of sweetened water and stepped out of the kitchen following Bella.
"I…" Bella almost dropped the warm water when they came face to face with Fidel.
"You two… I need an explanation as to why you're idling around instead of working." Fidel said motioning them forward.
"We… I mean… madam is up and she urgently needs this." Eva trembled as she talked.
Fidel, hearing they were running errands for Lian, he motioned them to go.
Eva sighed heavily.
"Don't forget… we owe him an explanation as to why we were idling. God…. See me through." Bella said once they were out of sight.
"What if she is not up yet?" Eva asked.
"Then we wait for her to get up. How will we even explain that we lied?" Bella shivered. The two stumbled into the room one after the other.
Lian could feel her own body, she felt she was now breathing some warm air and was no longer in the dark room. She could feel the lights hitting her face.
"Am I in heaven already?" Lian asked inwardly as she tried to open her eyes. Everything was blurred.
"God! She moved. Did you that?" Eva almost jumped up happily.
"See, you're having an illusion so stop day dreaming." Bella said. But Lian moved a hand and then her eyes half opened.
"Look at me please… are you alright? Am here Lian. Please…" Eva was mad with happiness as she bend closer to Lian.
Lian could see figure moving. She could hear a voice begging her to wake up. She could feel someone touching her. And finally someone said a name…
"Eva calm down."
This wasn't an illusion? She wasn't dead yet? Lian struggled as she pulled the sheet closer to her body in an attempt to wake up. Eva… her friend was here. She could hear her voice. She could hear someone telling her to calm down. She could hear Eva cry. She could hear her voice which carried a mixture of feelings.
Someone was touching. Someone was shaking her furiously asking her to wake up. I must wake up… Lian strengthened her will power. I want to know if am free. I want to hug Eva and tell her to stop crying. I want to tell her how I suffered. I want to promise her I'll never leave her side again. I want to go back to Dawn hotel and resume my work.
Lian… you have to wake up.
"Hey… this is too much. If your voice gets out there it will attract attention." Bella tried pulling Eva aside.
"No… I know she's waking up… she's hearing me." Eva cried as she shook Lian, asking her to wake up. Telling her she missed her. Telling her they at least needed to hug.
Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the surrounding and she saw two faces. Eva was soaked in tears and Bella was trying to comfort her. Lian raised her hand and grabbed Eva's hand. The world came into a stop. Everything came and went in slow motion. The tears fell on her hand. Eva was coming to hug her. But she saw it was taking eternity.
Eva's face was sad. Her hands caressed her face. Bella held out her hands for her. For a moment, tears dripped down her face. This sad moment, the sad moment when she realized she was still in Amber castle and her friend was crying on her chest in a maid's uniform with the Nolans logo.
Pain, happiness and sorrow were all mixed in that one hug, in that one smile between tears. She could feel it herself.
"How do you feel? Are ok?" Eva broke away from the hug and looked at Lian with a forced smile.
"Am… I feel fine. Why are you here? A maid? How?' Lian wanted to ask all the questions at once.
"Am... I came for you. It's a long story. Get well first.' Eva said while wiping her tears with the back of the hand.
"Bella…"
"We waited for you." Bella wiped her tears. The scene of two friends hugging amidst tears had moved her to tears too. "She loves you."
"Lian… I … I want you to get better, to get up so I could tell you everything." Eva smiled. "Did you know you are a strong woman?"
Hands still intertwined… faces were still soaked in blood… she wanted this moment to last forever. But it didn't because Fidel entered. Eva quickly got her hand off.
"I need time alone with her." Fidel gave the order. Eva and Bella bowed respectively.
"I want her!" Lian sniffed hard.
"But she's just a maid. Ask her for anything." Fidel said casting glances at Eva.
"She is not a maid!"
The awkward silence… the sudden glances from Fidel… the begging face of Lian. All this caught Eva in an awkward position she didn't even feel like she was supposed to be here.