- 30 The day before she died

[Background Music: Praetor - Sedus, cautand (Instrumental - ILLusionist)]

Matthieu stepped into the main office of the Child Protection Department and discovered Marie-Rose sitting alone on a chair by the window, captivated by the urban landscape. A handful of people were diligently working at their desks, but the majority congregated in the small antechamber near the coffee machine, engaging in idle chatter while simultaneously inhaling the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the wafting smoke from those on a cigarette break.

Overhearing the latest gossip from her co-workers was an ordeal Marie-Rose had no desire to endure. Choosing to savor her lunch in peace, she sat on a chair in a secluded corner, away from the group. However, she was not a welcome presence among the gossipers, having previously accused them of spreading slander about some colleagues from the urban planning department.

Standing with her back to the door, she remained oblivious to the presence of the young man who entered her life at the exact moment Jayden stepped in.

The little imp went straight to her spot, unwilling to miss another opportunity to disturb her peaceful solitude. He disliked that she always cherished time alone; in his opinion, it would have been better if she asserted herself and confronted them with her presence.

Her calm demeanor had a magical effect on the group of detractors, rendering them silent. She remained reserved, and whenever they indulged in slander about absent individuals, she countered with assertive retorts. Consequently, they excluded her from their circle.

Matthieu returned from the cafeteria with two Irish cappuccinos, her favorite. The subtle aroma of whiskey blended into the coffee, creating a delightful sensation on the taste buds. Silently approaching her, Matthieu placed the paper cups on a nearby desk before gently covering her eyes with his hands.

Marie-Rose ate in silence, lost in thought, when suddenly, someone covered her eyes with their hands, blocking her view with their palms.

"Guess who it is?" the person asked.

Matthieu. It was as clear as daylight. He was her only friend in this department.

"Santa Claus?" she joked, the pun intended.

When he removed his hands, he encircled his arms around her slim frame, pulling her into a friendly embrace.

A pair of eyes fixated on them from a nearby desk. Mimosa. The face of the young woman was as dark as her hair, a blend of jealousy and anger evident. The brunette used to be close to Matthieu, and it didn't sit well with her that he and the other woman were so close lately.

'This ugly hag!' she mumbled to her co-worker at the desk next to her. 'This is not an appropriate way to behave in the office, luring in naive young men like that.'

Meanwhile, inside her twisted mind, the woman told herself, 'I hate her so much.' The source of her discontent stemmed from a scandal that had broken some time ago. She despised Marie-Rose for not taking her side; she believed that Marie-Rose should have stood up for her and taught their co-workers a lesson.

'Why do all the males in the office like her so much? She's so ugly, lacking any special facial features. Besides, she's not as sexy as I am. I have a small waist, whereas this foolish woman's stomach is so fat,' she muttered, stealing a glance at the woman she referred to as the "witch."

'She and the other witch must be bewitching them all, that's why. She's an easy woman, while I'm a virgin. True men appreciate me more because I've preserved my virginity. I'll find a good match, while she'll end up single in the end. Men don't like women like her,' she whispered, convinced of her own superiority.

On the other side of the room, Matthieu and Marie-Rose only let go after a while, drawing surprised looks from the few people in the room. He then handed her a cup whose sweet aroma was tantalizing her nostrils.

"Hey, Matthieu! Why the sudden public display of affection?" she teased him, as always. They were only friends, albeit good ones.

"Marie, you won't believe what they're talking! You should have been there just for the fun." he changed the subject to his present interest.

Her light laughter reached the ears of the brunette who was throwing daggers at her.

Marie-Rose knew the kind of subjects they chit chatted about and she was fed up. She preferred having contact with anyone.

"No, thanks, Matthieu! I'd rather not today." 

As soon as they started their friendly conversation, she felt like she ascended to heaven, savoring the aroma of her favorite beverage. Matthieu bought her the cup with the heavenly liquid, and she couldn't be any happier, if not for her sour mood that contorted her figure.

"What's the occasion?" she asked out of courtesy. Lately, this had become a habit of his, and she didn't suspect any special event.

"Marie, I was so eager to talk to you in private!" Now was the right moment, before their co-workers started lashing out at them when they returned to work, which wouldn't be anytime soon. The habit was for them to waste as much time as possible.

"I have some news to share with you," he continued, and his joy was contagious. If not for her current state of mind, it would have been transmitted to Marie-Rose too.

"Are they bad or are they good?" she teased him, poking his shoulder. The joy he exuded was a telltale sign that could not be mistaken, but she preferred to playfully tease him.

As he talked, Matthieu observed her somber figure. He noticed something had been bothering her since this morning but didn't dare to upset her. She also appeared to be unwell earlier; her skin looked paler than usual, and she spent quite a long time in the restroom. Perhaps, admitting why he wanted to talk to her would brighten her mood.

"Marie, you won't believe it!" The light in his eyes conveyed that it was good news. "Marie, something beautiful happened to me! Something beautiful just happened to me!" The exclamation was accompanied by him placing his hands on his face, supporting his chin while gazing far into the unseen horizon, as if daydreaming.

"Oh, really?" she smiled, completely unprepared for what would come next. She had no clues, but she was eager to hear it. It was something that made him happy, and seeing him happy lifted her spirits. She noticed his hesitation, so she waited for him to open up.

"Marie, I've talked to the girl." His whole face transfigured into a blissful expression.

"Do you remember that girl from our department in Berger City?" Of course, she did. Their colleague was also a psychologist in the Child Protection department, ten years older than him. Marie-Rose remembered the time he asked about her. They encountered at a national meeting, and he told her, "Marie, look, she's the girl I like!" She looked in that direction and saw the young woman had eyes only for him. Not a single muscle on her face indicated she was feeling insecure about the feminine presence on his side. "She is ten years older than me," he added without taking his eyes away from his crush.

"Isn't she too old for you?" she thought with a loud voice, but immediately covered her mouth to mend her error. "Sorry, Matthieu! I have no idea where that question came from!" She had just looked at the girl, and she seemed way younger than her age. She knew Matthieu was 25, but the girl looked the same age as him.

They were now on par. Jayden was also ten years younger than her. She smiled at the coincidence.

"Oh, this is truly good news!" Marie-Rose felt like it was a dream, incredible yet so ravishing.

"I'm so glad that I listened to your advice. Without it, I wouldn't be here. I wanted you to know as well. I'm so happy!" Putting aside the suspense, he got straight to the point. "Marie, I'll move with the job to another town."

"The capital, Matthieu?" She started to see into his secret. As expected, he agreed.

"Yes!" his reply came curtly. "You guessed it." Then he looked directly into her eyes, ready to confess. 

In the present time, Matthieu was about to reveal the two were in a relationship. She was sure.

"I asked her if she wanted to be with me."

"Did she say yes or no?" she teased him.

"She said yes! We got together, Marie!" He covered his face for a brief moment and then uncovered it again with a large smile.

"I'm so happy for you!" Marie-Rose genuinely felt happy for him and gave him a short embrace in return.

"Well, she's in town again and I want you to meet her. I want her to know you!" He seemed enthusiastic about introducing his girlfriend to her. "We'll go to our pub, can you come there at 8 pm?"

She agreed wholeheartedly, deciding this was the perfect occasion to talk to Jayden. She had been postponing it for a week now. Matthieu had advised her to be honest with him, no matter what his reaction would be. As if he guessed what she was thinking, he told her, "Invite Jayden too. We will be there to support you."

Marie-Rose couldn't help but embrace Matthieu once again, much to the annoyance of the brunette, who stood up abruptly and left the room for the gossipers' chamber.

"Matthieu, I need to talk to someone," she began with a gentle sigh. Marie-Rose let out a heavy breath, mustering the little courage she had to face the situation.

"What is it? You've been sad since morning. What happened?"

"I'm scared, Matthieu. I'm pregnant!"

"But that's a good thing."

"It really isn't. The father doesn't know about this. We aren't together anymore." Trying to abstain from crying, she wiped a tear. She didn't want to be a cry-baby yet with so much distress; her waters were really troubled.

"But... you should let him know, Marie. Do you think you can just take the baby, and he wouldn't care?"

"Frankly, yes. So many men don't claim their offspring. Perhaps he doesn't want one more trouble on his plate."

"How do you know, Marie? Do you know it for sure?" he asked with pitiful eyes. "And even if it is so, you should just do your duty to announce it to him. If he doesn't take responsibility, it will be his problem."

"I don't want him to take any responsibility. I just want him to know, that's all."

"The better. Then give him a call," he encouraged her. Deep down in his heart, he knew Jayden was the father, but something was telling him that, despite his young age, he was not a person who would not take responsibility for his mistakes, even if it was the most beautiful mistake he could make.

He knew Marie-Rose wanted to make up with Jayden. He knew she would not give up on the baby; she would go against all odds.

"By the way, Marie. This calls for a celebration," he said, wanting to cheer her up. In the end, it was a great reason to celebrate. In a few months, she would be on her maternity leave, and they might not have the occasion anymore.

As they were preparing to leave for the cafeteria on the ground floor, the other blondie from the office appeared in the frame of the office door. She was the natural blonde, Cathy.

When she spotted them from her viewpoint, she headed straight to them.

"Here you are, folks!" she said victoriously. "I didn't know where y'all disappeared."

Marie-Rose perceived her as a tough, dominant woman, despite her body not being built that way. According to a psychologist she was reading these days, people's bodies revealed their psychological traits. However, her hips were not that wide, and her body had none of the features of the personality type the psychologist claimed belonged to dominant people.

"Only ugly women can be so frustrated," Cathy remarked. Marie-Rose flinched at her conclusion. Cathy's words were always as harsh as now. Even though she knew they were not directed at her, she couldn't stop wondering whether they had to do with her as well.

She was used to people hating her. Years of abuse had killed her self-confidence, and now she believed she was ugly. Well, maybe not that ugly, but perhaps weird. A redhead in a world of blondes. Why would people dislike someone if not because of how they looked?

Yet she considered Cathy to be the only friend she had in the office. Cathy was always honest; she spoke her mind to everyone's face and didn't fear what they would say about her behind her back.

Marie-Rose didn't understand her initially. But then she came to realize that Cathy was so rough because she was very beautiful, and every female was envying her beauty. Not only was she tall with a voluptuous yet slim body, but she had unreal amber eyes—a pale nuance of green, almost golden—that matched the shade of her golden locks. She seemed like a goddess born out of the skim of the seas.

Her straightforward way scared people most of the time, and this was one of those times. Marie-Rose wondered what had provoked her this time.

"Belittling others all day long!" 

"What happened Cathy?" Marie-Rose inquired.

Matthieu stopped the talk in its inception since he was tired of the drama already.

"We're going to the cafeteria, Cathy. Will you join us? We're celebrating!" Matthieu invited her as well since she was a pleasant interlocutor when she was not darting her comebacks.

"Count me in!" And thus, they went to celebrate together.

Marie-Rose left the office with a firm resolution that she would call Jayden later to meet them at the pub this evening. She didn't want anyone to pry into their conversation, as usual.

Jayden. Why did she have to leave Jayden? But more than that, how did she and Jayden end up together in the first place?