Chapter 48
“Do you recognize them?” Lia noticed my reaction and asked.
Unable to say a word for a while, I just nodded my head in response. My eyes remained fixed on the couple in the picture. There was something about them that gave me a warm feeling in my chest.
“How did you know them?” My best friend asked in puzzlement because just a while ago, I had told her I didn't know the couple.
I handed the phone back before replying. “I didn't actually know them, but my mom does. When you showed me a close-up picture of them, that's when I remembered seeing them in my mom's old photo album.”
“So your mom knew them?”
“She did. Mom used to work for them before as a maid. She hasn't told me about them, though,” I told Lia, who looked even more curious now, just as I was. She must be wondering why my mother hadn't mentioned the couple to me before.
We fell into a deep, long silence as we pondered the reasons why the prominent couple was trying to find me.
“Maybe they learned about your mother's death and wanted to express their condolences,” Lia reasoned.
“I could consider that a possibility,” I told her, taking a quick sip of my coffee before continuing. “However, as far as I know, Mom stopped working for them when I was born, and that's twenty-four years ago. They couldn't just appear in my life after all these years just to express their condolences.”
“You're right,” she responded thoughtfully, finishing her cup of coffee. When she finally lowered her cup, it was already empty.
“There must be a bigger reason why they are looking for you. The only way to find out is to ask them.”
“That's exactly what I will do. I have a feeling they will return to the hotel. You can give them my number if they do.”
“I will certainly give it to them,” Lia replied.
We finished our tiramisu cake in silence. I still had coffee left, so I took it in one sip, and when I lowered the cup, it was empty.
Lia invited me to go out for a walk in the nearby park, and I agreed. Before we left, I paid for what I ordered and left a small tip for the server. The tip was small, but it was better than nothing at all.
We went outside and traversed the long pavement that led us to the nearby park. While we were walking, Lia turned to me and asked, “I wonder what you were doing in the coffee shop a while ago? Did you have a meeting with someone?”
“I met with the Bradford family lawyer to sign the divorce papers,” I told her truthfully, unable to hide the sadness in my tone.
“You're soon going to be a free woman. What's more wonderful than having your freedom after a rocky marriage? You can fall in love again, marry, and have your own children.” Lia placed a comforting hand on my shoulder to cheer me up, but I was not in the mood to be cheered up, so my lips remained unsmiling.
“I don't see myself dating anyone in the near future, Lia. After what I've been through with Grey and his family, I prefer to be alone for a while. Maybe after a decade or two, I will meet someone, but I don't want to get married again.”
“You say that now, but ten years from now, when you find Mr. Right, you'll eat your words. You definitely will want to marry and have children with him.”
“You could be right, or you could be wrong. Besides, let's see if I'll ever want to marry again, and you will be my maid of honor if that day happens.” We reached the park and entered through the gates. We found a nearby bench and sat down.
We both felt down about the topic, so we decided to change it. We discussed my job search, and Lia was helpful enough to mention the hotels she knew that were urgently hiring staff. She also mentioned a newly opened hotel located in another city. She knew the manager, and if I was willing to work there, she could call her cousin, and I’d be hired on the spot without an interview.
I thanked Lia for the offer and told her I would think about it first. She gave me an understanding smile, and we shifted to another topic.
We talked for an hour before we decided to part ways. I offered to take her home in my car, but she declined because her place was located in another direction, and besides, she had to buy groceries on her way home.
Lia hailed a cab, and I watched her get inside. She waved at me one last time before closing the door.
I returned to where I had left my car a while ago. I was fishing for my keys inside my pocket when I sensed I was being watched. Impulsively, my gaze landed where I sensed someone was looking at me, but there was no one in the parking area except me. Shrugging my shoulders, I finally got inside my car.
The congested highway delayed my thirty-minute drive back to the place I was staying. Instead of only half an hour, it took me an hour to finally reach my destination.
Somehow, despite the traffic, I was still in a good mood. In fact, I was cheerfully humming to myself when I got out of the car. But my cheerfulness was short-lived as I noticed the huge crowd gathered in front of the building I was staying in and saw the billowing smoke rising into the sky.
A gasp escaped my throat, and I ran to see what was happening. I found the whole building engulfed in flames. My hopes collapsed as I realized the money I had saved was still in my room, but it was probably burning to ashes now. Not only was my money gone, but also my clothes, my belongings, and my mom's personal items.
I pressed my lips tightly and swallowed hard to prevent my tears from falling down my cheeks. Gathering enough strength, I looked at the raging fire and wished no one was hurt, even though all my things were most probably gone.
My phone vibrated inside my bag, but I didn't have the strength to pick it up.
I didn't know what urged me to look to the side, but I did anyway and saw just in time as the sleek Lamborghini pulled to a stop and the couple who had been looking for me rushed out of it.
However, before I could move, a man placed an arm around my shoulders. Then something hard and sharp touched me on the stomach.
“Don't scream. Don't attract any attention. Just follow me,” he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.