Shuffle Playlist: I'm Only Human by Rag'n'Bone Man.
After crying her heart out and falling asleep, Sabrina woke up around twenty-o clock in the evening. She washed up and went out to meet Tia in the hall. Tia was watching the evening news rebroadcast when Sabrina walked out. They were just on the entertainment segment and were reporting on the rumored engagement between Vincent and Celia.
As soon as Tia saw Sabrina, she changed the channel and stood up, dusting the crumbs of plantain chips off her hands.
''Darling, you are awake? Look what I prepared for you? I went out and bought durian, and bamboo sticks to prepare bone broth for you. Sit down, I will warm it up for you. Bia is already asleep, you don't have to worry about her.'' Tia was speaking cautiously around Sabrina. She didn't want to do or say anything that would remind her of Vincent.
''Mm! Thank you, darling.'' Sabrina smiled and sat at the table.
''The television is so rigged these days. There is nothing good to watch.'' Tia placed the saucepan on fire to warm the broth and decided to engage Sabrina in a light conversation.
Sabrina smiled and stood up. She went and gave Tia a back hug. ''That's enough. You don't have to be awkward around me. I'm fine. Really, I'm fine.''
Tia turned to face Sabrina. She held Sabrina's hands and sighed. ''Darling, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were with Vincent and said all those things. When you were crying earlier on, I felt so bad. I didn't even know what to do or how to relief you of the pain you are in.''
''Usually, I'm the one who gets heartbroken and is consoled by you, but this is your first heartbreak. I just didn't know what to say. I feel so guilty because I pushed you to get closer to Vincent. If I hadn't encouraged you to get closer to him, all of this wouldn't have happened.''
''Darling, it's not your fault. Didn't I get closer to him because of my own selfish reasons? Actually, I'm just sad a little but I don't like him that much. After crying, I'm over him.'' Sabrina smiled.
Tia knew her smile didn't reach her eyes. After all, how could one get over a heartbreak in just a few hours or a day? Her own heartbreak took her three years to find a closure.
She knew Sabrina was faking it, but she didn't expose her either. This was Sabrina's first time of been in love with someone. This was her first love experience. How could she get over in that fast? The person she fell for was Vincent Maraj.
Who was Vincent Maraj? A man perfect in every way. He was the total package. A man annoyingly handsome, rich and powerful. A man who is always on the news. Even if she stayed in the house all day, she would still come across his news on the TV or internet.
How was Sabrina going to focus from now onwards? She couldn't avoid running into him.
Tia sighed and forced a smile. ''Darling, I know it will cost us a lot to step down from the series you auditioned for, but it doesn't matter. Even if I have to sell our studio to pay off the legal fees and breach of contract. I will do it. I will do anything to ensure that you don't have to face that man again.''
Sabrina suddenly remembered Vincent's words and shook her head. ''You don't have to do that. It's not worth it.''
''But darling, if you are going to shoot the series, you will keep running into him and that Celia, that girl is unscrupulous. She is going to rob it in your face every day.''
''I know, darling but I am not going to stop working because of them. The budget for this series is huge and I might get paid up to seven figures. Why should I lose all that money because of them?'' Sabrina chuckled.
''You're right! We can't miss out on such money because of them. Darling, I support you.'' Tia pulled out the dining table chair. ''Darling, sit down while I serve you. I am going to get you all the latest outfits, the trending ones. When you start filming, you are going to rock the outfits to the site. Let's see how they can stop you. Who are you? You are Sabrina Van, the actress with the best voice in the game.''
Sabrina chuckled. ''Alright, that's enough. I'm hungry, get me the food.''
''On it!''
Outside the villa.
Vincent arrived in his car. He pulled over in front of Sabrina's villa and looked at the window. The lights were still on so he presumed she was still awake.
Vincent watched the villa for a few minutes before driving away. He was just returning from his parents' house. He had had a huge argument with his mother concerning the engagement. His parents want him to marry Celia but he had made his stance clear.
The next day in the afternoon, Bia walked into Sabrina's room and found her still sleeping. Tia had told her not to wake Sabrina up before leaving the house but it was past noon and she was still sleeping.
Bia sighed and went to pull to stand on the dressing chair. She dragged the curtains apart, revealing the sunlight.
Sabrina's eyelids moved and she turned away from that side of the bed. Bia rolled her eyes and went to pull the quilt from Sabrina's body.
''Bia, please, let me sleep.'' Sabrina mumbled with her eyes still close.
''Wake up. It's past noon. Another hour and I would think you are dead. Aunt, even if you want to sleep in, shouldn't you wash up, eat breakfast before doing that again? I am 8 years, you are 20 years older than me, why do you make me worried like that?'' Bia placed her hands on her waist as she spoke. As if she was a mother whom was tired of her lazy kid.
Sabrina opened her eyes and muttered. ''There she goes again.''
''If you don't want me to nag you, get up and wash up right now. I am going to warm the food for you. Hurry up and come out.'' Bia said before turning to the door. She held the knob and added. ''Sabrina, you better get up if you don't want me to bring a bucket of ice and pour on you.''
Sabrina sat up immediately with her messy hair over her face. ''Why are you bullying me? Can't you just let me sleep in peace?''
''Go to the cemetery if you want to sleep in peace. Wake up!'' Bia replied and banged the door.
Sabrina shivered and the sleep vanished from her eyes. She yawned and got down from the bed. ''This girl is so heartless. I can't even be heartbroken in peace in my own house.''
Sabrina cussed as she entered the bathroom. ''Damn it!''
Bia was placing the food on the table when Sabrina came out. She looked at Sabrina and shook her head. ''Sit down and eat while it's hot.''
''I know!'' Sabrina pouted her lips and sat down. Even though she had showered, she didn't brush her hair and it was still messy. When Bia saw the messy hair dripping with bathroom water, she sighed and shook her head.
Bia went into Sabrina's room and returned with a towel. She stood behind Sabrina and wrapped Sabrina's hair with the towel.
''Miss Van, let me remind you that you don't have a cleaner or a housekeeper in this house. Can't you be a little mindful of others when you are acting like a spoilt brat? How can you let your hair down like this?''
Bia sighed and continued. ''Technology was invented for the likes of you. Imagine if we didn't have machines to clean our houses? I bet you would have died by tripping on your own carelessness….''
''Hey! I am your aunt. Are you cursing me?''
''Why would I curse you when you are already cursed?'' Bia asked and Sabrina nodded her head.
''You are right!'' Sabrina checked her wrist and yelled. ''Oh My God!''
''What? What is it?'' Bia moved to her side after wrapping her hair.
''Bia, a year… a year has been added to my timer.'' Sabrina exclaimed.
''A year? Let's me see…'' Bia held Sabrina's hand and checked her wrist. ''That's true. Is it because you spent a few days with that man?''
''Vincent Maraj! I think so. He is the only one capable of making the timer to move this way.''
''That's a relief. Now, you don't have to hate him for getting married to someone else. Thanks to him, you will be alive to see your thirty-one birthday.''
Sabrina frowned. ''Who said I hate him for marrying someone else? I don't care about him at all.'' She shrugged her shoulders.
''You like him, and was sad because he is getting married to another woman. Aunt, I understand you, but you should let it go.''
''This girl doesn't know what she is talking about. Go and watch TV, and leave me alone.'' Sabrina pushed Bia towards the hall. Bia sighed and went to watch TV, leaving Tia to eat alone.