A Wife for the Billionaire
Chapter 88: SOFIA

Chapter 88: SOFIA

Life has always been a bitch.

But this... this was too much even for her.

In the space of four days, my life has totally shifted. Or was it three days, wait, is it five?

I don’t even know anymore. But each day I find myself entangled in things that I know won’t end well. The very thread of my life that has once run singularly after I lost my parents, now weave around others.

Richard. Cole. Harry. Anna. Erica. And now, Hermosa, or should I say, Cole’s mother.

One might wonder why I said my life was spinning on a single thread when there was Alicia, her daughters, Felix and Charlie. But these people weren’t really connected to my life. They are a part of my life, a part that I don’t really take seriously.

Perhaps that doesn’t make sense, but these people aren’t really connected to my life, my thread of life doesn’t really weave around them. At least not anymore.

Maybe there was once a time when it did, but over the years I have learned to separate myself from their lives. Now, their threads run separately from mine, occasionally weaving into mine.

And these recent entanglements, it seems no matter what I do, like the more I try to separate myself from them, the more I find myself stuck.

Meeting Hermosa Trail was another entanglement. One that had me at something of a stop. I may have wanted to take the job from her son and perhaps separate myself from Cole, but after the kindness she had shown me, it would be cruel to do it.

How could I get myself to take what was Cole’s after his mom just showered me with such kindness?

No. It’s better to be Charlie’s cleaner than to do something that cruel to the son of the woman who just proved me wrong about the world. Besides, if I do take the job, I won’t only be hurting Cole, but Hermosa as well.

She had visited him today, how would she feel if he comes home tomorrow sacked for no justifiable reason?

"Miss, snap out of it. The food is burning" Sir Felix reprimanded.

I hadn’t even realized that my troubled thoughts had taken such hold of me that

I didn’t smell the burning dinner.

"Don’t tell me you are still thinking of Charlie, girls!" He hissed, turning off the stove.

"It’s nothing like that, I just had a shitty day. How is it, am I toast?" I asked as he inspected the food.

"Of course, you did. Cleaning here and cleaning there can never be the same. At least here, there’s still a shred of dignity to it, but packing dog shit and the likes, that’s horrible. Even myself can’t find myself in such a dilemma, and worse you are doing it for someone you used to love. Believe me, Miss, ’shitty’ is an understatement"

I smiled. Sir Felix had a way of making me feel like he relates to what I’m feeling. Even though he didn’t exactly know what happened today, that his assumption was wrong, it was nice to know that he understood. And he cared.

"I’ve been through worse, I’ll survive. What’s more important is the food, how is it?" I asked again, because really the food was more important. Can’t have Alicia and her daughters, adding to my already shitty day.

"Well, thank God I know how to season a burnt food so the original taste can be retained, pass me the grinded spices. No, child not that, the mixed spices, you know what, just go and start setting the table. It’s obvious your mind is not here"

"But Sir Felix..."

"Just go, I think I can hear Madam’s car pulling in," he said, cutting me off.

"Oh shit" I gasped, realizing that it was true.

I practically dashed out of the kitchen

and never have I ever set the table so fast.

Sir Felix came down as soon as I was done and together, we walked to the door and waited for the house owners.

"Good evening, madam," Sir Felix greeted.

"God, I’m starving" Annabel whined as she made her way to the table ignoring us.

"You are a whale," Mirabel teased her twin, "after all that you devoured at the restaurant, I almost felt bad for Mr William"

"Oh stop, Mira, the guy is rich and you know Mama never goes after those who aren’t"

"That’s enough, girls" Alicia declared, "go upstairs, refresh yourselves and

come down for dinner"

They just ignored us, like we didn’t matter. Like we were statues.

Sir Felix didn’t seem disturbed by it, he just collected their coats and waved me to go stand by the table.

It was just the two of us now. At least indoors, we were the remaining house staff. Alicia had sacked the others yesterday. She believes that me and Sir Felix are enough to take care of the house, indoors at least, thank God.

As I stood by the table waiting for them, I found myself comparing, Sir Felix scenario and the true scenario. Between the two, which was worse. Sir Felix’s assumptions sounded worse, but the truth is that I think I would prefer cleaning up my ex’s veterinary center than these entanglements that I find myself in.

Sweeping dog shit sounded better than dealing with Richard, or taking a man’s job. Perhaps most people would think me mad, but they don’t understand the scenario. They can’t relate.

Hermosa’s kind blue eyes would forever haunt me if I dared take that which was her son’s.

"Oh Sofia, how was your day?" Alicia asked as she sat.

She wore a red nightgown with lace trimmings. Her auburn hair under the chandelier glow seemed to be aflame. But she seemed particularly younger and prettier this night. Like a teenager in love.

She was smiling, genuinely smiling. Who was William and what had he done to our cruel madam?

"It was fine, at least as fine as a first day should be" I responded.

Her daughters came down then, arguing who was prettier. They did that almost everyday, especially after being in a situation where they had to see their reflections.

"Wait, was it today dear Sofia’s first day sweeping and cleaning shit" Mira said, casting off her sister’s comment about how crooked her nose was.

"Oh yes, that’s true. Let’s hear it, Sof. How are you liking your new job?" Anna said in agreement, as they took their seats.

I served them. Thankfully the food looked nothing and smelled nothing like burnt food. Sir Felix came through.

I looked at him then and gave him a smile of appreciation. He gave me a nod

of acknowledgement.

"Anna, wait" Mira said, halting her sister who held a spoonful to her mouth.

"Are you sure that dear Sofia washed herself properly before making this meal?" She continued.

"That’s true," Anna agreed, smelling her plate.

"I washed myself, you have nothing to worry about. There’s no dog poop in your food" I dared teased.

"Ewww, Sofia, nobody asked for deets. Now, I don’t think I can enjoy this meal anymore. In fact I think I’m going to barf" Mira quipped, her face genuinely turning green.

"Don’t be ridiculous, Mira. Surely, you are overreacting, but that’s your business. It just means more for me" Anna said, already reaching for her sister’s plate.

"Girls, just be silent and eat your food. Table manners" Alicia voiced.

She had remained silent all these while, gently picking at her food, a far away look on her face. Her behavior was most unlike her.

"Yes, Mama" the girls answered as one.

I was almost happy about whoever this William was and the effect his presence had on Alicia. The old Alicia will never reprimand her daughters on table manners, until she turned to me and asked,

"Did Charlie tell you that I called? Where were you then?"

I couldn’t be more glad that Charlie told me about Max, the dog that had saved

me.

"Oh," I said, "I was outback keeping away from Max, the injured dog that hated me and didn’t want me anywhere near him and yes, Charlie told me of your call, but I couldn’t answer because Max would have torn me to shreds. You know how dogs are when injured"

Her response was the last thing I expected to hear.

"Just be careful"

And she returned to her daydreaming. The girls knew better than to say anything. Since I came to the house, that was the first time, they ate in silence.

I went about my duties that night still torn on what I was to do come noon tomorrow. Do I accept the job at the cost of pulling the rug from under Cole or do I repay his kindness and that of his

mother, by rejecting it?

It was clear what I had to do, I’ll have to turn down the job. I may be a bitch at times, but won’t I be as cruel as all those I hate if I go ahead and snatch what was never mine in the first place.

Life has never been fair to me, but I sure can’t let her turn me into something I’m not.

Around 9:40 as I was about to shower, a notification chimed on my phone.

"I want to see you at exactly 12 pm tomorrow, don’t be late and you better have made a decision"

It was from Richard, how he got my personal number, I didn’t know and why was he texting from his own private number? I also didn’t know.

But whatever was the case, he was going

to be disappointed, so will Anna, Erica

and all those who are rooting for me to make something of myself.

I guess that’s the cost of trying to be good, but why does it feel like shit?