CHAPTER 3

Morning came. Leanda attended to her sick father, who woke up calling out to her. He needed to use the bathroom. So she helped him.

After taking him back to the bedroom to rest, Leanda's father asked, "Why did you turn on the volume of the TV last night? I could her the loud noise."

Leanda realized that her father heard noises from the event that took place in his home, but doesn't know what happened. She apologized for it. Promising not to make such noise again.

Leanda goes to get her father his food for morning and afternoon. She heads to the bathroom to get ready for work.

Her mind on Diego and his offer. She tried to take it out of her mind and focus on her work. She didn't want to mingle with someone like Diego. A Mafia Lord for that point.

She gets out of the bathroom. Putting on a different cloth for work. She goes to meet her father to see if he's eating.

She found him eating his food, slowly and carefully. Leanda tells him to take care of himself and call her if he needs anything.

Her father hummed while eating. Leanda moved closer to him. Kissing him on the forehead.

"Everything will be fine soon, I promise you," She assured her father. Knowing that he gets what she's saying.

He shows his full support in his daughter. He says his goodbye, as she hurried out of the bedroom and out of the house. She leaves her father at home and rushes to the factory quickly.

On getting there, Leanda finds all her coworkers outside. The factory is still closed. All the workers were wondering what had happened.

"This is the first time Mr Sharma will be late. I hope he's fine," One asked worriedly.

"Why's the factory still closed by this time? Is Mr Sharma sick? Should we go and check up on him?" Another asked.

"Could it be that he's owing the government and they decided to shut the factory?" Someone else asked.

Leanda stood in their midst, listening to their complains, as they asked for the whereabout of their boss, Mr Sharma.

Only she knew what had happened last night. The horrible truth about the so called boss they all think is nice.

The image of Mr Sharma and the stranger on the floor, with their head gushing out blood, appeared in Leanda's head. She shivered like someone catching a cold. Closing her eyes to get it out of her head.

"Are you okay?" A voice asked her from behind.

Leanda feels a hand on her shoulder. She turned around to find her coworker, Dominick. He stood behind her and asked if she was fine. Leanda smiled and told him she was.

Just then, a man in suit, came over in an SUV. He's someone who works with the factory. He's Mr Sharma's business partner. Some of the workers knew him already.

He stepped out of his car to speak to the workers. He apologized to them on the situation. Breaking the tragic news to everyone.

"It's sad to tell you all these but... Mr Sharma was attacked last night by robbers and shot death," The man revealed.

All workers in shocked to hear this. Leanda gazed in astonished on the report. That's not what really happened. She couldn't tell anyone the truth, otherwise they'll think she's the killer.

"There was no robbery. Who brought up this lie?" Leanda pondered, staring at the man in suit.

"According to an eye witness who saw what happened last night. Mr Sharma was attacked on his way home and killed by robbers. Due to this disheartening news, the factory will be shut down until further notice. Please go to your respectful home for the time being. I'm sorry once again," The man announced to everyone.

Leanda found this announcement shocking. She wondered who this witness is that claims Mr Sharma was robbed and killed.

She's taken out of her thoughts by the mumbling and disturbing noises from her coworkers. All disappointed in the news they received.

They had sadness written all over their faces for their boss. Not only because he's dead, but because they won't get their salary this week and won't have anything doing.

"I guess there's no work until further notice. Everyone will just have to stay home or go find something doing. See you some other time Leanda. Do take care of yourself," Dominick said. Waving goodbye to Leanda and walking away with the others.

This announcement made Leanda upset. If there's no guarantee on when they'll get their salary and when the factory will open again, how will she cope? Where will she get money to treat her father?

With nothing else to do or say, Leanda decided to go back home to her father.

She thinks of Diego's offer on hiring her. She wondered what kind of work she'll be doing for him.

"Do I go over there to see him for the job?" She asked herself. Getting closer to her home.

Leanda gets to her house. She opened the door and calls out to her father. Telling him that she's home.

She locked the door and made her way to her father's room to see him. On Opening the door, Leanda found her father shivering in bed.

Scared, she rushed up to him to check his temperature. His temperature has gone high.

Leanda gets scared. She goes through the drawer to check for her father's medicine. Empty, they were all empty.

Leanda panics more. She thinks of calling a neighbor to help her out. That's when the card fell out of her pocket, when she pulled her phone out.

Leanda's eyes fell on it. She picked the card and looked at the address. The card had Diego's full name on it.

Her heart contemplating if she should go and see him or not. She looked at her father, then at the card. Her heart pounding in confusion. What can she do?