In a forced marriage arranged by Jennie's father, Jennie and Lisa enter into an agreement with a time limit - they will be free after a year. Despite their initial agreement, as time goes by, an unexpected bond forms between them. Jennie a fragile...
As I sat in my office, and the hum of the air conditioning providing a constant backdrop to the clacking of my keyboard, my secretary's voice pierced through my concentration.
"Miss Manoban, your friend is here to see you," she announced through the intercom.
I furrowed my brows, wondering who could possibly be looking for me. I straightened up in my chair as the door creaked open. Her presence alone seemed to fill the room with an uncomfortable tension, her piercing gaze locking onto mine.
"Lisa, it's been too long," she purred, her voice like silk against my skin. I resisted the urge to scream, the memories of our past flooding back to my head.
"The fck are you doing here?" I asked, trying to keep my tone steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside me.
"Can't a woman come to visit her old flame?" Her smirk was like nails on a chalkboard, its irritationg, and her precense alone is like rubbing salt into my old wounds. "I heard you've been spending a lot of time with someone new, your fiance I suppose? They are saying a lot of things about her, is it true?"
I clenched my jaw, my knuckles turning white as I fought to keep my composure. "What I do is none of your fckng business, Roseanne. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to attend to." Her laughter echoed in the room.
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"Oh, Lisa, you always were a terrible liar." The sight of Roseanne walking slowly towards me sent a wave of anger in me. Her arrival was like a unwante note in the symphony of my orderly life.
"Roseanne," I grunted through clenched teeth, barely able to contain my displeasure. "You are the one who lied to me. Get the fck out of here."
"Oh, Lisa, darling, it's been too long," she purred, caressing my cheek with her thumb, her sly smile oozing with an air of entitlement. Her voice grated on my nerves. Before I could push her awy from me, a gentle tap on my office door turned my attention. My heart skipped a beat when Jennie stepped in, holding a lunch bag.
"Rosie?" Jennie furrowed her brows, confused while looking at us. Roseanne step back and walked towards Jennie and kissed her cheek. What the hell?
"Hey cousin, how have you been?" Jennie did not respond, she's in the state of confusion. "I'm just visiting an old friend, Jennie" She still a fckng liar.
"I-m sorry. I-I brought some lunch for Lisa, and uh, cookies," She then looked at me with the expression that I don't understand. "Your mom asked me to bring this to you." she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. She looked at Roseanne again, "You're friends with Lisa?"
"Yes, she's a.." Roseanne looked at me from head to toe while bitting her lower lip. Then return her focus to Jennie on her side. "Good friend."
"Get the hell out of here Roseanne."
"Alright, chill babe, anyway it's good to see you again Jennie. You looked so much better, she must be giving you a good treatment," Roseanne quickly gaze at me with that smirked on her face then held Jennie's shoulder. "Your father wants you to visit him sometimes." The contrasting presence of the woman who betrayed me and the innocent face of Jennie created an unexpected melody of emotions that reverberated through the room, leaving me at a loss for words.
"I'll see you around." She kissed Jennie goodbye, as the door clicked shut behind her, I let out a heavy sigh, the weight of her unexpected visit settling like a storm cloud over my head. This was the last thing I needed, especially with Jennie becoming a more significant part of my life.
I took a deep breath and turned to face Jennie, who was standing by the door, looking at me with a mix of concern and curiosity.
"Roseanne, she used to be my friend." I began. She smiled lightly and shook her head.
"No, Lisa, it's okay. You don't owe me any explanations," Jennie said softly, her eyes avoiding mine.
"She's a woman from my past. I don't want her to create misunderstandings between us," I insisted, feeling a knot tightening in my chest.
Jennie shook her head again, her lips forming a tight line. "I appreciate your concern, Lisa, but I think it's best if we keep our personal lives separate. I don't want to meddle in your affairs." A pang of frustration shot through me.
"Jennie, I'm not asking you to meddle. I just... I don't want us to have a misunderstanding," I blurted out, the words tumbling out of my mouth before I could stop them.
Jennie's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, neither of us spoke. Then, a small, hesitant smile crept onto her lips. "Thank you, Lisa. That means a lot," she said, her voice filled with quiet emotion. "I'll see you at home."
"Jennie.." I called out, but she just smiled at me and bowed her head.
She continued walking away from me, leaving me standing in the empty office, filled with the echoes of her soft footsteps. I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling up inside me. She had seen something that wasn't meant for her to witness, again.
I sank back into my chair, my mind consumed by thoughts of Jennie. How could I make it right? How could I make her understand that there was more to the story than she knew?
