Shuffle Playlist: Be Careful by Tatiana Manaois.
Early in the morning, Tia woke up and made breakfast. By the time Bia and Sabrina were up, the food was ready and Tia was setting the table.
''Whoa, darling, did you make all these?'' Sabrina asked when she saw the table.
''You were drunk last night, so I wanted to prepare some hangover soup. Thank God, the ingredients hadn't gone bad so I prepared a feast for all of us. Have you washed up?'' Tia asked.
''Yes, I washed up already. Is Bia up yet?'' Sabrina turned towards Bia's room and saw the little girl coming out.
''Aunt Sabrina, Aunt Tia, good morning.'' Bia greeted and yawned.
''Good morning, my sweetheart. Did you sleep well?'' Sabrina kissed Bia's forehead and asked.
''Mm, I slept well. How was the party?'' Bia sat next to Sabrina at the table, across Tia.
''The party went well. Today is the fun trip, right? I'll go with you.''
''I thought I was going with Lucia? Why do you suddenly want to go with me?'' Bia asked. The fun trip was organized by a private company and it involves parents or guardians going to a playground with their wards to take part in competitions and win awards.
Initially, Bia was supposed to go with Lucia but Sabrina changed her mind and wanted to go with Bia. She didn't want Bia to go there without anyone beside her.
''I have no work today and staying at home will be boring. Tia has a few meetings to attend to, and Lucia has some dubbing to do today. Bia, don't you want me to go with you?'' Sabrina asked. She suddenly felt that her little niece didn't want to go with her.
'Alright! I guess I can take you along.'' Bia sighed and started eating her food. Sabrina and Tia looked at each other knowingly and shook their heads.
After breakfast, Bia went into her room to get ready, while Tia pulled Sabrina to the hall to ask her questions about last night.
''I thought he was a gentleman but apparently, he is just an arrogant man who is self-indulgent?'' Tia shook her head. ''But the dress is very expensive.''
''What is the use of an expensive dress when the owner is such a jerk? He thinks I like him and want to use him to change my social status.'' Sabrina exhaled. ''If I hadn't spoken my mind to him, I would have died of great fury.''
''Darling, I think your words were a little…'' Tia sighed. ''You don't mince your words when you are angry. I can imagine the look on Vincent's face last night.''
''That's the whole point. That man thinks because he is good looking and rich, he can look down on others. If it isn't because of the damn timer, I wouldn't even get close to him.''
''Right, the timer. How much time has been added? You spent a few hours in the same space with him.''
Sabrina checked her wrist and covered her mouth in shock. ''Darling, two months… the timer just went up by two months.'' Sabrina yelled ecstatically.
''Two months?'' Tia yelled out in excitement.
''The last time I was with him, it only went up by a few hours, but this time around it went up by two months, two months, darling...'' Sabrina was ecstatic.
''Darling, this man is really your savior. We can't get rid of him yet.'' Tia said amidst the excitement.
''Huh?'' Sabrina calmed down and listened to Tia.
''Just by being with him for a few hours made the timer to go up by two months. Imagine how much time you can add to your life by being in the same space with him much longer?''
''That's true. I can definitely prolong my years by being close to him while I figure out how to stop it completely.''
''Exactly! Darling…'' Tia cupped up Sabrina's face. ''Swallow it! Swallow your pride and cling to him.''
''But…''
''No buts! This is an emergency situation. Even if he insults and embarrasses you, let's cling on to him. That's the only way you and Bia can survive. When you become acquainted with him, you and Bia will be saved.''
Sabrina fell back on the couch and huffed. ''I'm doomed. After the way I treated him, I doubt he would want to see me. Tia, you should have seen his face. He was so furious; it was as if he wanted to rip me apart.'' Sabrina's body shivered.
''It doesn't matter. Darling, you already have an upper hand. The dress. You can use the dress as an excuse to see him. Take the dress with you when you are leaving and go to his company.'' Tia held Sabrina's hands and nodded her head.
''Darling, he might not want to even see me. I think it's best to stay away from him.'' Sabrina looked under the couches and the spaces between them and mumbled. ''Where did I drop my purse last night?''
''It's your life more important or your pride?'' Bia walked out and asked in her old granny strict voice. The ladies turned and looked at her.
''Are you going to meet that man or not?'' Bia asked again, with a layer of frustration.
''I will go!'' Sabrina replied and pouted her lips.
'Bia, how did you?'' Tia stood up and walked to the little girl.
'You two aren't exactly people who can hide anything from me in this house. I'm only glad the walls are soundproof if not…'' Bia shook her head and returned to her room.
''Did she just scold us?'' Sabrina asked.
''Mm! She just did.'' Tia replied.
''Darling, can you find out if Mr. Maraj will be at his company today?''
''On it!'' Tia picked up her phone and started making a few calls.
''Where did I drop off my purse?'' Sabrina mumbled again and Tia turned.
''You didn't bring your purse home. I wanted to ask you but you were too drunk to even hear me out. Did you leave it at the party?'' Tia asked.
''Maybe. I will get in touch with Peter to find out if I left it there.'' Sabrina said and picked her phone from the side.
.....
Tyme Magazine.
Bia looked at Sabrina and sighed. She felt even more frustrated watching her aunt shiver in the car. They were already in the parking yard of Tyme Magazine, why couldn't her aunt just go inside and meet that man?
''Aunt, do you need me to go with you?'' Bia asked and Sabrina shook her head.
''No! I am a grown up. Darling, wait here. I will be back very soon. If you're bored, lock the car and wait outside the car.'' Sabrina picked the bag containing the dress from the backseat and got out of the car. She left the keys inside in case Bia wanted to go out.
As Sabrina walked towards the entrance, Bia sighed worriedly and mumbled. ''Will she be okay in there alone?''
Bia picked her phone and started researching on Vincent Maraj. She wanted to be of help to her aunt.
Sabrina adjusted the dark shades covering her eyes and the black mask on her face as she walked inside the lobby. She wore a duckie confetti fur jacket, a rate vintage Chanel sports tank top and a crystal embellished sweatpants with a dolce and Gabbana stivale booths.
Sabrina walked to the front desk and asked. ''Hi, please is the CEO around?''
''Please may I know who you are and why you want to meet the CEO?'' The lady at the reception asked. She was curious about the face behind the mask but she was all the same polite.
''I have something to give him. Can you tell him Sabrina is here to see him?'' Sabrina asked.
''Sabrina… are you, Miss Sabrina?'' The receptionist wasn't new to the scandal, so when she heard Sabrina's name, she connected the dotes together at once.
'You got the wrong person.'' Sabrina turned to leave.
''CEO…'' The receptionist saw Vincent and Georgia arriving.
Sabrina halted on the spot when she turned and came face to face with Vincent Maraj. She flushed and smiled awkwardly.
''Miss Sabrina, fancy meeting you again.'' Georgia greeted with a smile.
Vincent was surprised to see Sabrina again. After last night, he didn't think she would dare to appear before him but here she was.
Her words rang inside his head and he instantly became angry. He looked at the bag in Sabrina's hand and frowned.
''Mr. Maraj, I… I came to… I came to return the dress.'' Sabrina got tired of the silence and decided to state her purpose.
''I don't remember asking you to return anything to me. If you here to return the dress, you might as well throw it in the trashcan. I don't need it.'' Vincent said before walking away.
''Wait!'' Sabrina said and walked to him. At this point, some of the workers are the ground floor were watching them curiously. Sabrina had taken off her shades and removed the mask from her face.
''Mom!'' Bia called and ran to stand next to her.