Chapter 3: The Mysteriously Familiar Man

“Hello, Minerva.”

Those words were a nightmare to her. She blinked once,

twice. Minerva made sure she wasn’t dreaming all along. That

Rhea’s lustful husband was just three meters away from her.

“Hi.” That was all she managed to say. She inhaled the

perfume he was wearing. But to no avail, it was pretty much putrid

to her senses. It wasn’t that fragrant and redolent, especially when

the one who’s wearing the perfume is a devil in a man’s clothes.

“Hello, hon!” Rhea’s voice was as jovial as ever, making

Minerva on the verge of vomiting in the middle of this

conversation—if this can be called a conversation.

The man, William, looked at her…perhaps more than that.

Minerva felt like she was being undressed by just a mere gaze of

this man.

“Perhaps you wanna join us for lunch, Minerva?” That was

more like a statement and invitation rather than just a plain

question.

Rhea looked at her, then to William, then back to her. Her

so-called mother was about to open her mouth when Minerva

spoke first.

Rhea’s eyes narrowed as she spoke.

“I would love to. But, I still have to fetch Derrick’s

remaining things at his former home. Perhaps I’ll just take my

meal to a local diner.”

William’s right brow hoisted, but his face eventually

shifted into a ‘gentleman’ kind of expression.

“As much as I would like to give the entirety of my

condolences in the form of a lunch meal, I was astonished that you

were still as simple as ever, Minerva.”

Minerva could see Rhea’s cheeks were stained with red due

to rage. Her mother was just controlling herself not to slap and beat

her due to William’s presence.

“You don’t have to, Mr. William. After all, you just

recently said your condolences.”

She was being sarcastic. How could she not when her

whore of a mother was beside her and the asshole that tore her

family into pieces was just in front of her?

Well, Minerva was being ethical. Despite all the hardships

she encountered and the unluckiness that visited her, she still has

manners. Unlike Rhea who just married a billionaire and was

already acting as if she owned the entire planet earth.

But if she were to be honest, her baby was somehow telling

her to accept the offer—to have lunch with them. After all, it is the

food that she will manage to enjoy, not the presence and company

of these two horned devils.

“Fine, if you’re not going to have lu—”

“I changed my mind.”

Minerva surpassed Rhea’s annoying voice—and words.

She smirked at the corner of her face when William turned around

and Rhea was on the verge of exploding due to irritation and livid.

The two ladies followed William behind. Silence was just

prevalent between them, making Minerva wholly curious on how

come Rhea managed to volunteer herself and accompany her in her

medical appointment.

She was sure the bitch didn’t do it wholeheartedly and out

of ‘respect’. She did it as if she was forced to do so. She

accompanied her in her pregnancy check-up as if she was being

told to do so—paid to do so.

But, who could be paying Rhea to ‘take care’ of her? Was

it William? Or was it someone else she has yet to meet?

Either way, whoever it may be, she hopes that he or she has

done it with a good reason, has done it out of compassion and

altruism. And Minerva has yet a mystery to solve—she has yet a

secret to unravel on who the hell has been telling Rhea to help her.

***

The restaurant was echoing with revelry. The clinking of wine

glass and boisterous laughter of rich people resonates in her ears.

She was lucky she had dressed properly even if it wasn’t that

formal.

After all, it wasn’t her apparel that made her alluring—

unlike Rhea. It was her breath-taking beauty that was absolutely

captivating and enchanting. She still looks beautiful even if she

carries a child. She still radiates a strong sex appeal due to her

hourglass-shaped body. She still looks fresh even if she had just

recently experienced loss. Even if she was still in bereavement, she

still manages to put on a sweet and innocent-looking smile in her

porcelain face.

The food was delicious—as all high-end restaurants have.

The beverage was refreshing—just don’t look at the price or else

you will have a headache.

Minerva was still munching her well-done steak when she

caught a glimpse of a familiar man beside their table. The man is

tall. His well-built body could perhaps make any woman drop their

underwear in just a glance of his naked body. His hazel eyes made

him sexier. And his russet hair…it was the hair that every woman

wished that they could hold a grip during a sensual intercourse.

Minerva noticed that Rhea somehow recognizes the man. It

was as if she had known the handsome man for a long time.

‘Probably one of Rhea’s sex buddy…’ Minerva thought

while scooping a spoonful of mashed potato to her full mouth.

She looked again at the man. He was talking to a silver-

haired aged man. A business partner or a stockholder, Minerva

thought.

She focused her attention back. As she was about to seize

the wine glass beside her plate, she accidentally caught a glimpse

of William’s face.

His face paints an unyielding expression. It was as if he

was shrouded with…with jealousy. Yet, Minerva wasn’t entirely

sure to which and to whom he was envious.

Minerva finishes her meal and shoves away the look on the

face of William. But, she couldn’t seem to forget the handsome

face of the man beside them. He was utterly and heavenly

handsome. No matter how Minerva tried, his beautiful face seemed

to be registered forever in her memory archive.

“Thank you very much for the lunch.” Minerva then bowed

her head.

It was William who spoke this time. “It’s great to have you,

Minerva. Perhaps we could expect you to eat with us again.”

“Some other time, Mr. William.” That was the truth. She

cannot manage to be with these two even for the span of thirty

minutes. In fact, if the steak wasn’t wholly sumptuous, she could

just walk away and have her excuse that her stomach was aching.

The car of Rhea and William were just a dot in the distance

now when someone tapped her by her shoulder. It was Mariella

Chu.

“Glad I found you, girl! Rhea texted me you insisted on

having lunch with them.”

‘Insisted? It was William who offered me to join them…’

Minerva silently thought. She then smiled at her best friend who

was still wearing her nurse uniform.

“I have good news, Minnie.” Finally, there’s a bit of hope

she could hear after several days of darkness in her life.

“You now have a job!”

That was not what she expected, to be frank. Still, she was

happy that, finally, she now had a source of income. She can now

provide for both her child and to her months of pregnancy.

“I referred you to a friend who owns a grocery store!”

“A friend?”

Mariella nodded.

“And who is this dear friend?” Minerva said with a teasing

tone as if she was sensing that the owner might be Mariella’s old

or current flame.

And Minerva prepared her speech of gratitude to her ever-

beautiful best friend as they drove towards Derrick’s former home

to get his remaining things.

***

Being a cashier is no joke.

Yes, it was not very difficult. But, it was not that simple

either—especially to a pregnant woman like her, who only has

herself to rely on and is due in five months’ time.

She had been working for months now in the local mall

which was a walking distance from the apartment she was living

in.

Her belly is indeed growing, which made it a bit more

difficult to work than before.

“Next!” She grabbed first the products that the customer

bought.

Then, in a reflex action, she looked through the face of the

customer. Minerva was flabbergasted. She never expected that the

man would have his grocery at such a normal, average-looking

mall.