By the time Mila got to work, she was already exhausted from the morning sun and her peeling soles. She dragged her feet until she got to her workplace.
The hotel had its name boldly inscribed on a black styled plate high above the twelfth floor. Nirvana Hotel was the tallest building Mila had ever walked into since she left Pergoliva.
"Good morning, Miss Mila," the security man greeted by habit without even looking at the girl's face.
Mila returned the greeting with a smile. She walked through the back door since she wasn't allowed to use the front. The director said people like her were like a stain and shouldn't be seen by customers.
It wasn't her fault that she was born with one of the lowest IQs, and that was why Mila fell in love with Ken. He was the smartest one back in school. She loved him because he had something she didn't. An accountant in a big hotel like this, Mila was really proud of him.
Getting to the changing room, Mila took out her white Crocs, which had cute teddy bear stickers, and changed into the hotel uniform. First, Mila was supposed to go straight to clean the rooms, but she needed to clear the air with Stephanie first.
Instead of the rooms, Mila walked around using the stairs. As tired and exhausted as she was, she climbed until she was at the ladies' restroom, then waited for the young woman. Mila knew she would come around; she had seen Stephanie touching her makeup before starting work properly every day.
Before two minutes passed, Stephanie finally arrived in her tight, short black skirt, revealing her very tall, slender legs. How beautiful her legs looked in heels.
She belonged on a runway, Mila nodded to herself.
Stephanie halted when she saw Mila, then looked away like she wasn't standing there.
"Good morning, Stephanie," Mila ran after her. Even when the girl ignored her, she didn't stop walking. "Stephanie?"
The young woman finally stopped and turned, with her signature smile. "Oh, it's you, um- Milo, was it?"
"Mila," she corrected, not feeling offended in the least.
Stephanie nodded. "Yes, that, Mina," she replied. "Is there any problem?"
Mila looked around the hallway to be sure they were alone. She didn't want anyone to hear her confronting Stephanie; she wanted to save her face.
"You should really be fast; I don't like how it smells here." Stephanie fanned herself with her hand, using her free hand to cover her nose.
Mila cleared her throat and began, "Well...Ken already told me how it happened." She paused to see if the girl would react, but there was nothing. "So I've decided to forgive you."
"Sorry, what?" Stephanie raised her brows, with a soft, mocking chuckle escaping her lips.
Mila pressed her lips. "I know you both slept together and that you went to his apartment. But just so you know, Ken and I are engaged to marry. You shouldn't come between us; that's not fair."
Stephanie raised her multicolored, painted nails and blew soft air on them, mirth dancing in her cruel eyes. "Firstly, that's not the tone you use when you beg someone to leave your man. And secondly, you should be having this conversation with Ken and not me."
"Ken said you seduced him!" Mila defended, trying to protect her boyfriend. But only if she knew.
Stephanie covered her mouth but was careful not to smear her red lip gloss. She giggled so hard until a tear slipped out. "I never approached Ken first. It was the clear opposite. He said he wanted to move on from an obsessed ex-girlfriend."
Mila narrowed her eyes. "Obsessed?" she asked.
"Clearly, and I can see why," Stephanie looked at Mila from head to toe, then shook her head. "I just comforted him and treated him like a real man. I didn't know you both were still together."
Mila could feel her heart ripping apart, and she wasn't able to breathe. She scratched her hair, feeling her ears burn. So many thoughts crossed her mind, yet she wasn't thinking.
"I—"
"Mila!" It was Ken's voice.
Mila heaved a sigh of relief. Finally, Ken was here to refute everything this woman said about him. She turned around and smiled. For a moment, her heartache vanished.
"Ken," she called his name softly, filled with emotions.
Ken arrived at the scene with a deep frown on his forehead. "What are you doing?!"
"I'm glad you're here, Ken. You need to hear what Stephanie is saying about you," Mila began, ready to defend her boyfriend anytime and any day.
Ken's frown remained. "And what is that?"
"She's saying you were the one who approached her and I—"
"And so?" Ken interrupted.
A soft chuckle escaped Stephanie's lips, and she didn't hide her mocking smile.
"What?" Mila asked. "She said—"
Ken groaned, rubbing his temples tiredly. "When will you ever grow up, Mila? I'm tired of babysitting your dumb brain and accommodating your childish behavior."
Mila could feel her fingernails itching. She wanted to bite them so badly. She was nervous. Why was Ken speaking to her in such a tone in front of Stephanie? Was he angry because she confronted the girl at their workplace? Mila thought to herself.
"Ken, I'm sorry I con—"
Stephanie held her stomach and retched, her face turning red. "I told you to get all of this sorted out. This isn't healthy for the baby," the girl whined, flipping her hair.
"B-baby?" Mila stuttered. "Whose baby—" before she could complete her words, Ken shoved her to the side and ran to stand beside Stephanie, holding her back.
"I'm so sorry; I didn't expect her to confront you," Ken apologized with the sweetest voice Mila had never heard.
Mila stood there as if her world had frozen. She watched her own boyfriend comforting the woman he cheated on her with. And mostly, Mila wanted to understand what baby Stephanie was talking about.
"Look, Stephanie is carrying my child," Ken announced with a deep frown on his face. "You're stressing her, and I won't accept that."
Mila felt her legs wobble. She couldn't help it anymore, so she threw her finger into her mouth and chewed it. Her feet tapped on the floor nervously.
"I mean, look at you, Mila," Ken pointed out. "You're just like a child, biting your nails when you're scared, refusing to have sex. There are a lot I can't even mention."
Mila could hear her own heartbeat, but she didn't stop chewing. She wanted to ask Ken if he was serious at the moment or if there was a hidden camera somewhere. Mila was losing her mind. She wanted to speak, but she couldn't.
Nervously, she chewed her nails again and again. Even when she bled, she didn't notice.
"I'm sorry, Mila, but you need to stop harassing my woman."
Stephanie grinned, her eyes glinting with a cruel light. When Ken turned to look at her, she touched her stomach and rested her head on his shoulder.
"W-woman..." Mila repeated. "I'm your girlfriend," she said, looking at Ken with tear-filled eyes. They had plans. She still had his ring. She could still remember the night after graduation when Ken kissed her. It was the most memorable day of Mila's life.
"I-I'm sorry, Ken," Mila brought her hand down. "I stopped chewing my nails. I'm really sorry for acting like a child. I shouldn't have confronted Stephanie. I know you're angry with me," her voice broke as she spoke.
Ken sighed. "You still don't get it, do you? You're stupid until the very end."
"Please forgive me. I'm sorry, Ken," Mila pleaded, her fingers itching to return to her lips. But she pressed the part that was bleeding and winced. It was a reminder that she shouldn't bite her nails.
As the trio gathered in the hallway, two more footsteps were heard, and Stephanie quickly moved away from Ken. They stood apart like they hadn't been holding each other.
"There she is, Mila Dennis," the security guard pointed.
"Mila Dennis, you're one sneaky bird. Now you're finally caught. You've been forging documents to extort money from our customers," the HR manager said sternly.
Mila turned her face. "W-hat?" she asked in a weak voice.
"Pretend all you want, but your innocent face won't solve it," the man turned to the security guard. "Get her things from her locker and give them to her. We could have sued, but since we didn't have much damage, we'll have to dismiss you without your pay."
Mila blinked. "W-what are you talking about?"
"Ask about these documents that have your signature," the man threw a stack of papers in front of Mila. He glanced at Ken and Stephanie for a moment, then turned to leave.
Mila got on her knees, picking up the papers she recognized. She turned to show them to Ken. "You asked me to sign these. You said it would help reduce your workload and show transparency."
"Please don't put me in your mess," Ken raised his hands defensively. "If you're stupid enough not to read a paper before signing, then you might as well pay the price."
Mila opened her mouth. "I-I signed it because I trusted you... I love you."
"Wow," Stephanie scoffed. "Baby, we shouldn't be seen with a criminal. We should go back to work."
Ken nodded, giving Stephanie a smile as they turned to leave.
Mila rushed up to run after them, but the security guard arrived with her bags and shoes and, with one hand, carried her out of the hotel.
It's bad luck on Monday, Mila thought to herself as she was hauled out through the back door. Her shoe was ruined, her dignity shattered, and she saw different colors of cars pass by. It was just bad luck, she thought, knowing that her world could be described with two words at the moment:
A mess.