Temporary Bride

Chapter One

Walking to work, Mika admitted to herself that she had a king-sized chip on her shoulder about Sanford Petrochemicals, but it was only natural. She frowned at herself in a shop window. At this rate, she was going to be lined and anxious-looking even before she aged.

For a few days now, her Uncle Ramil had been worried more deeply than ever about their finances. Maybe it really was because he feels guilty that he stays at home while she work. He was not that old. However, he got injured while on the job. He is now unable to climb and move with the skills needed in the oil business. Still, it is considered lucky to have escaped alive when the oil well caught fire. It was unfortunate for Mika that the only job she could get close to home was with the very same firm.

The new offices of Sanford Petrochemicals had been built in their town instead of in the city. She supposed it was cheaper for them to operate away from the metro--- both the land cost, construction, and the manpower was cheaper, and she was grateful for that because there was no other jobs in the district. If not for her current job, she would have left town.

The new offices had been completed just as she had finished her course in college. It has been a dream for Mika to work for Sanford Petrochemicals. To say that she was ecstatic to have been offered the job, would have been an understatement. She had been so happy in her job... not until Uncle Ramil had been forced to retire early with a badly injured leg that had left him unable to get work elsewhere and with no pension. Mika find that unfair and utterly unthinkable. But her Uncle just shrugged it off. Sanford Petrochemicals was not as generous as most would think. They also blamed him for his carelessness.

This was a huge turn-off for Mika. Uncle Ramil was her only relative. Her mother had died four years earlier. They had always lived with him since her father's death when she was eight years old. His Uncle's house was the only home Mika could remember.

That he was now unable to work did not really matter to Mika. She is well-paid and Uncle Ramil owns the house so they don't need to spend for rental fees. However, it worries her that the mere mention of money upsets her uncle.

That morning, she noticed the old man to be more restless than usual while going through their mails. When she asked if he was expecting something from the morning post, he replied with "Nothing!" She knew it has something to do with money. Probably some new bills to pay. For sure her Uncle would brood over it while she is at work.

"Good morning, Mika Aereen." One of their local policeman nodded to her as he walked past, giving her an admiring but fatherly smile.

She has been told she is beautiful, but she does not feel it that morning. The sunlight caught the shine in her short but thick dark hair. Her brown eyes usually smiled, but were now a little too thoughtful. She was in her "office mode", clad in her smart blue suit and white blouse--- the sort of brisk image that pleases Mrs. Suarez, the office manager.

"Good morning, SPO2." She smiled, her beautiful face lighting up, quite making SPO2 Aguirre's day. The smile however did not reach her eyes. She was too worried. She had this nagging feeling that makes her want to walk back home. She feels she needed to have some serious talk with her Uncle. However, Mrs. Suarez asked her to come to work earlier than their usual. She does not want to disappoint her manager. She was nice to her.

Mrs. Suarez has taken Mika under her wings and trained her about the ins and outs of her job ever since she started with the company when she was 20. The younger lady proved to be a very good student. She has never been late and was very efficient in her job. Mrs. Suarez would have been seriously overworked without Mika. After three years of being with the company, Mika is known to be the office manager's right-hand woman.

No! She could not be late. Uncle Ramil would have to be given a talking-to when she gets home tonight.

She approached the junction, still thinking of her Uncle Ramil and their rapidly mounting bills to pay that she did not anticipate that she would witness an accident.