"what...." Was the only thing that escaped her lips. A clear photo of her getting up from her boss's pillow was the wallpaper.
"Who the heck owns this phone?"
"Mrs Mia...." Oliver entered the office and she sighed.
"Sir... Was this you? Are you playing a game with me? What's going on? Why did you take a picture of me and used it for your wallpaper? When the hell did you even take the picture?" Mia asked Oliver.
"Relax Mia. It's 1:30pm. Aren't you going for lunch?"
"As you can see, there's a power cut and I can't move."
"Sorry you're new and foolish, everyone went out with their phone flashlights." Oliver rolled his eyes and Mia caught him. She turned on his phone flashlight.
"Am leaving."
"With my phone?"
"Yeah. You'll get it back after lunch." Mia slid the door closed behind her. She bumped into Archie on her way.
"Hey Miss Philips. We're supposed to go for lunch together." She smiled broadly.
"Yeah, I was waiting."
"My friend Reba is also at the restaurant. We'll all have a great chat." She got into Archie's car outside and they left.
"So Miss Salvatore, are you married?" She asked as she drove.
"I...I ...am divorced."
"Am sorry for that. Omg, am always hurting people's feelings, damn! Am so sorry. I have a lot of questions." Archie apologized.
"There's no problem." They got to the restaurant in five minutes. Some of their work partners were also there, already having lunch. They found a table where Reba was waiting for them with Anastasia in a stroller beside her.
"Hey love, hi Ana!" Mia greeted with a cheerful smile.
"Hey Mia. Hi, you must be Archie." Reba smiled and offered them a seat.
"Yeah. Archie Philips. You must be Reba Olsen. I know you very well. You're one of the agents of that famous modeling agency that Ivy Mare, Tara Olsen and some other models are under."
"Yeah." They had a lengthy conversation and soon lunch was over.
"Woah! We spent over two hours chitchatting. I think I should go pick up Becca now." Mia stood up.
"So Becca is your daughter?" Archie asked.
"Yes. She's my daughter. She's six years old." Mia introduced.
"Let me drop you off at her school. You give me directions, okay?" Archie offered.
"Sure. I'll go pick up my car at the mechanic's today." They bid farewell to Reba and drove to Becca's school. Becca was sitting alone on the swing, crying.
"BECCA! Becca my dear! What happened? Did any teacher yell at you? Why are you crying? My dear..." She hugged Becca, who was crying and trembling. Miss li Jing and another teacher came out.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY DAUGHTER? WHY IS SHE CRYING?" Mia thundered at the teachers.
"Calm down, miss Salvatore. We've been asking her the same thing. We don't know why she's brooding and crying." Miss Li Jing said.
"I am Miss Adelaide. I am her new class teacher. everyone says she's brilliant, but she's dull in class. She has been crying and not writing down any notes or reading any comprehension. It looks like she has been assaulted or something -"
"I...I...we will sort things out at home. Don't worry ma'am. Good day." She left the school and entered Archie's car. They drove back to the company without saying a word.
RICHARDSON TEXTILES
"Phew! Power is back!" Mia heaved a sigh of relief.
"Hey Becca!!!!" Oliver opened his arms and hugged Becca as she rushed over to him and he swayed and swayed her.
"I missed you so much, hero. Why didn't you come to see me?"
"Your mom was in an accident and I didn't wanna show up. She was already annoyed."
"Hero, mom is just faking things. If she was angry, she wouldn't get a job here. Don't think of her as a grumpy woman, she's lovable and kind."
"If you say so Becca." Becca ran towards her fuming mom and followed her to her office.
"BECCA! YOU WENT TO SCHOOL TODAY AND WAS A DULL-ASS! NOW YOU'RE HERE, AND HUGGING MY BOSS? HOW DID HE GET TO BE YOUR HERO? HOW DID YOU MEET HIM? WHY ARE YOU GUYS SO CLOSE! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME WHEN YOU MET HIM? HAVEN'T I TOLD YOU, NOT TO GET CLOSE TO ANYONE AGAIN, ESPECIALLY MEN? YOU'RE A GIRL, STAY AWAY FROM MEN! THEY ARE WILD ANIMALS...."
"Why are you asking me too many questions at once? What am I gonna say now, mummy? Look, do something for me. Bring Daddy Back or Get Me A New Daddy. One of that." Becca frowned.
"Daddy is what you'll never get." Mia started sewing.
"No! No! All my friends have daddies. Mary and Joey's daddies are so nice, they buy lots of chocolate for them. And what about me? I've only got mummy to yell at me all day. Veronica is always bullying me. She says am fatherless."
"You're not fatherless, i am a father figure."
"I don't want a figure. I want a real person " Becca sat on the sofa.
"Becca, you're adamant. Now, tell me why you were brooding in school?"
"I don't share my stuff with a grumpy mama." She took out some chocolates in her bag and started sulking.
Someone knocked.
"Come in." It was Oliver.
"Why does he look even more handsome every second I see him?" Mia thought.
"And his lips even more pink. Is he using herbal ways?" She thought again.
"Mia, are you staring at your work or me?" She got embarrassed and continued sewing.
"Make sure you visit the main factory today."
"Thanks for bringing me up here, where I can't hear the factory noise." Mia said with an intense gaze.
"No problem. Remember the marketer today, do some research on some yellow and red gowns and send them to her. She'll market them on the website. Her email is in the record book." Oliver instructed.
"Okay sir." She prayed he didn't talk about the phone. And he just turned around and left. Immediately he stepped out, she grabbed his phone and went straight to the gallery. She nearly fainted at what she saw.