Chapter Thirteen

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

EDWARD'S POV

"Dad, I can't sack her," I was visibly troubled. Roxanne was my little flower she didn't need to be tampered with.

"You can't sack her or you don't want to?" He asked as he stroked my mom's hands lovingly.

We decided to visit the hospital so that we could have some family time with my mom. Her health was painfully deteriorating.

She gave out her warm smile. "Honey, leave him be. It seems this cleaner girl has built a house in his heart already," She gave me a teasing smile.

"But the girl is very unhygienic. She's a dirty lying brat," He said.

"Lying? When has she ever lied?" I questioned bewilderedly

"Are you pretending not to recall the incident that happened on Tuesday?" He was losing his cool.

I swallowed hard, not sure of a suitable defensive statement. Was Roxanne truly lying then? But she looked so saintly calm and innocent.

"Roxanne is not a liar," I managed a reply, not sure if it could suffice.

"Then what is she? Your lover?" My mom added teasingly. She had managed to sit upright on the hospital bed with the help of my dad.

"Jesus!! Mom!! No!! I mean she's just a cleaner, why would I reduce myself to that level?" I defended, deliberately overlooking the suspicious glance from my father.

"No, I didn't love Roxanne and I will never do. What I feel for her is just a light feeling of fondness and slight attraction, nothing more," I assured myself.

"If she isn't your lover, why are you always at her defense?" He asked, still maintaining the suspicious expression on his face.

I huffed, "Dad, I always stand for the truth so I am not always defending her but rather I'm defending the truth"

"The only problem now is, this so-called truth is endowed with a pretty face and body," he stood up to give my mom some water

Why was it hard for them to believe me? I didn't have deep feelings for Roxanne, it was only a minute attraction.

"My dear son, no one will pressure you to sack her but also consider her hygiene. Do you think it's nice for you to be around someone so unhygienic?

Not having a response to her question, I quickly stirred the conversation away from me and Roxanne.

"Mom, are your medications working fine?"

There was barely any improvement in her health. She was still looking down and haggard

"Do you think the medications are effective?" She returned the question

"Honey, they're effective," my dad assured her, squeezing her hand lightly.

He had on a sad smile, a smile laced with doubt. He certainly doubted the effectiveness of the medications.

AT NATTCOM COMPANY

EDWARD'S POV

I walked into the company solemnly. I had lost my hold on life, I was now a lifeless body moving around. All the loved ones around me have always been taken away.

First, it had been Jennifer then Clara before Sara who was the most recent and most loved.

Why did they have to suffer such a painful death? I had stayed strong for too long that I didn't have the energy to push on. If Mom died, I was prepared to die with her.

I replied to the greetings from my employees nonchalantly. I desperately needed to make use of my rest office.

I wanted to use the elevator but decided against it. I wanted my journey to my relaxation office to be a slow one. I needed to think about the good and bad happenings in my life to weigh them on a scale.

I started on the stairs, calculating my steps and making sure that each two staircases produced a good and bad happening.

I was still in the process of weighing my thoughts on a scale when I saw Roxanne having a conversation with a dashing young man on the first floor. What!!! What business did an advertising marketer have with my cleaner? I watched jealously as they engaged in their tete-a-tete.

What were they talking about? Was he already asking her out? I brooded hopelessly. I stood at the spot I had sighted them, not knowing what to do.

How could she? I mean, yes, we weren't an item yet. But, she needed to remain single for my happiness. I didn't have any intention of dating or having a romantic relationship with her, but she needed to remain single and beautiful till I healed totally and I was ready for a relationship.

I cleared my throat loudly, drawing attention to myself

Surprised, they both transformed themselves into solemn greeting angels.

"Good morning Sir," they greeted in unison, annoying me the more. What was it with the unison? They surely greeted like destined couples.

"What is going on here?" I thundered, ignoring the greeting.

"Sir! We were just having a little discourse"

The most painful part was the fact that they replied in unison and were therefore using the first person plural to explain their situation.

"Were you employed to hold romantic discussions?" I asked jealously

Of course I wasn't done, I needed to make them as furious and sad as I was.

"And you! Miss poor, ugly and dirty will you hurry up and prepare my rest office for my grand entry, you shapeless scurrying rat? Mr. Dickson, take your dickhead away from here and hide it in your shit hole of an office," the venom flew triumphantly out of my mouth.

They turned their embarrassed face away from me, ready to do my bossy bidding. After they had disappeared in different directions, the heavy sadness returned.

I had gone back to my cursing and swear-word-using self. I was already in remorse; I hoped I hadn't hurt Roxanne deeply. But I couldn't mistake the glistening tears in her eyes and the hurt that was swimming embarrassedly in her eyes. Was I too harsh on her? Feeling like shit, I hurried to my rest office to tender an affectionate apology.

ROXANNE'S POV

I hurried out of the CEO's relaxation office the same way I had hurried in. The office was immaculately clean. The beddings were of the brightest white, and so were the sofas. The floor had been vacuumed and mopped clean earlier on.

I was deeply hurt and furious. Why did he have to pretend to have repented from raining abuses on me?

Back at the Orphanage, I was by far the cleanest. Yet, over here in NattCom, everyone was bent on bringing me down, killing my enthusiasm to survive at all costs.

I knew better than to believe his pretended compliment on me, for they were all just the same. What was it about me that made people's blood boil the wrong way? Was I that ugly?

I took the staircase to the cleaning unit, ready to pick up my bag, sign out and see myself off the company.

I had finalized everything and was ready to leave the insult-infested company when Dera screamed heavens at me.

"What is it Dera?" I returned coldly. I was ready for war

She stepped out from her executive chair and moved forward to the entrance door area.

"You didn't greet this morning?" She asked

"For heaven's sake Dera, be specific. Who did I not greet this morning?" I kept my hands on my waist.

She gave out a witch-like laugh "Don't play games with me. Didn't you see me this morning when you arrived?" She took on a lioness stand.

"I'm not playing games, and yes I saw you this morning and chose not to greet you. Do you have a problem with that?" 

"I don't blame you. All these ill manners of yours are because you're an abandoned child," she dropped and turned to leave

But I wasn't done. She needed to get a first-class insult from me too

"Yes at least I was abandoned in the orphanage," an insult was sitting readily on my tongue, "but you were abandoned in a brothel. Both children didn't get to experience love, but one of them turned out better. I'm sure that's why you're so obsessed with nude gowns and tops." 

Of course, her, reference to me as an abandoned child didn't sting that much; For I had taken heed to the wise saying, "Know your painful background story and hang it around your neck. That way, people won't use them to hurt your feelings" I knew I was an abandoned child, that I couldn't change but I could change the way I reacted when I was referred to as an abandoned child.