On Boxing Day, Mia resumed work feeling alone and tired once again. She managed to carry out her cleaning duties quietly, she had gotten used to the whispers and gossips of the other housekeeping staffs.
"…How dare she think she can date Mr. Oh, she was just a dish girl…A nobody." She heard the gossips in the changing room.
"…I heard he doesn't even look at her, she was throw throwing herself at him this entire time—"
"Tch! What a slut, I knew Mr. Oh would never step so low for the likes of her."
At that moment, Mia got pissed, she had heard just about enough, but this was the height of it all and she decided she didn't want to stand back and watch anymore, so she slammed her locker, announcing her presence and marched up to the ladies.
"HEY! If you must gossip, at least get the facts right! I am not a freaking slut! I didn't throw myself at Mr. Oh! What is so wrong if he decided to be my friend, am I not allowed to associate with people regardless of their status?? You stand here and defame me, but yet if you had the same opportunity I had, you could have done unimaginable things to his attention! So…" She paused as she corked her head,
"If you must gossip, at least get the facts right." She scoffed, then walked off to the secret spot she had discovered at the back of the kitchen during her time there. It was an outdoor storage room filled with cardboard boxes but aside from that, it was usually empty.
Mia found a small spot and plopped down as painful tears streamed down her face as one again, she was reminded of her status in the society.
"How did I even get here?" She wondered as she sobbed.
"…I hate this! I hate this…"
---
Four days later…
"…Greg, I want you to meet my niece, Mia…Mia this is…My boyfriend Greg." Aunt Megan introduced at the dinner table. Mia had gotten a call after from an unknown caller, and when she picked up, it was her aunt Megan, she wanted to have dinner with Mia out of the blue, and the next thing she knew, Aunt Megan texted her an address where they would meet up.
It turned out to be a fancy restaurant in the heart of B-City.
"…So how long has this been going on." Mia asked over the slow classical music playing the background,
"Six months now…" She tossed him a loving smile as she held his hands, she had never looked better.
"Six months?! So he's like…An addict too—"
"Mia!" Aunt Megan snapped,
"What? You run off one day and few weeks later you return with a man from six months ago and now I'm not allowed to ask questions?!" She replied harshly,
"…Mia, if I may…" The gentleman finally spoke, Mia took time to study him, he look at least ten years older than Aunt Megan. His graying hair was slicked back giving him an elegant look. He had a small white stubble too. He wore a fine blue suit and Mia immediately regretted he previous statement.
"…I know I have no right to meddle into your personal affairs, I mean…We've only just met and a bad first impression isn't what I intend to make. However, I must tell you how much Megan loves you—"
"Tch!" Mia tutted, "Is that what she told you?" She scoffed, "…She doesn't know a thing about love, whatever she's told you that made you come all the way out here….Is all a big fake, who knows, this could be a scheme to scam a wealthy guy into satisfying her addiction, so run before—"
"Enough Mia!" Megan suddenly snapped as she hit the table, causing a few heads to turn. She stared intensely at Mia as painful tears streamed down her face.
"…I know I have a past, I know I hurt you in many ways, but I didn't bring you out here to insult me like this…" She croaked, "…Greg has helped me find a new meaning to live, apart from you, he's the other reason I decided to go rehab…and I've been clean for two weeks now." She chuckled painfully.
"So if you must take out all your anger on me, then do so…But don't drag him into this, he's a good man." She sniffed, "…And also, we're pregnant, I've decided to keep it and so I've decided to move in with him—"
"Oh c'mon! Pregnant?!" Mia exclaimed as she threw her hands up in frustration, "I was already starting to fall for your sob story!" She added, "And you're keeping it?! What basic thing do you even know about parenting, huh?"
"Mia, don't be like this, I thought you'd be happy for me—"
"Happy?!" Mia Chuckled, "Happy that you're carrying a child for a man I just met, happy that this child will grow up with a parent like you? You were never a parent to me, I was always the parent, I had to fend for myself…I had to ... Did you even know where I was in those past week—"
"You said you were in Japan!—"
"Do what?! Exactly! You don't know, where the money came from, you still don't know, see that's exactly the problem, you've never really cared! All you care about were your stupid drugs and alcohol! And now you just want to start over and pretend that I didn't happen because suddenly you've met someone new and all your problems have disappeared...In short, I've had enough of all this! I'm out of here…Most of us still have problems to solve and jobs to do." She concluded as she got on her feet.
"…Before I go, I wish you well in whatever all this is…And that baby too, but please…Don't ever call me again. Enjoy your new life." She concluded as she quietly walked off.
"Mia!" Megan called out, but Mia didn't dare look back as hot tears streamed down her cheeks.