Chapter 4 Rihav

“Are Tata Zoe and Tata Zav coming with us?” Hera asked the twins.

Zoe gently took Hera from Amer’s arms and gave her a tight hug. “Sorry, Sweetie, Tata Zoe and Tata Zavia can't make it tomorrow; we have to work...” she replied apologetically, making a sad face.

“That’s okay, Tata! You can come with us next time!” Hera chirped back.

“Of course, Hera,” Zavia smiled.

“Alright, since we’re going out tomorrow, it’s time for bed!” Amer announced, carrying Hacov upstairs.

I could never quite keep up with Amer’s career changes. He used to work at a high-end restaurant, but now he was working as a fashion designer, frequently collaborating with Zavia for events. He often served as her assistant and stylist whenever she had overseas modeling gigs. He was making good money now, which was probably why he offered to take us to the mall.

The next morning, I woke up early to prepare breakfast before the Madreal twins headed back to the City. I made sure they ate well, knowing how long the drive back home would be. After eating, they went upstairs to kiss the kids goodbye before taking their leave.

I spent the rest of the morning tidying up the house until Amer finally woke up. He immediately looked for the twins, and I informed him they had already left. He made himself a cup of coffee and settled onto the bamboo chair before turning to me.

“You’re looking for a job, right?” he asked through a yawn.

“Yeah, do you know of any openings?”

He looked me over from head to toe. What was he up to now? Last time, he tried to get me a job as an executive secretary for a CEO, but as soon as I heard how short-tempered the man was, I backed out. While I could speak and understand English, I was terrified of being publicly berated in front of others.

Amer had recommended several jobs to me in the past, but none of them worked out; some were too far away, while others involved dealing with difficult people. Eventually, I stopped trying and stuck to taking odd jobs here in Fera Island just to keep us afloat.

“Have you taken a good look at yourself in the mirror lately, Fay?” he asked, spinning me around. “You have a slim, stunning figure! You could easily be a model—”

“Don't start with your nonsense, Amer,” I cut him off with a roll of my eyes.

He had been pushing me to try modeling for the longest time, but I never considered myself particularly attractive. I didn't wear makeup or care much for fancy clothes. Modeling held no interest for me, and I knew how chaotic that industry could be.

I knew nothing about the modeling world, and I had no intention of ever stepping foot into it.

“It’s Amera! You are so frustrating, Fayre! You’ve always been pretty! Honestly, if I had met Rihav first, we might have been the ones having kids together!” he dramatically complained.

“You don't have a uterus, Amer,” I retorted flatly.

He gasped dramatically, clutching his heart as if deeply wounded by my words, before rolling his eyes and taking another sip of his coffee.

“On a serious note, I do know of a job opening, but I’m worried you might not be able to handle it. You’ve gotten so thin lately, I don't want you getting sick.”

I looked at him, noticing the serious tone in his voice. “How else am I supposed to buy Hacov what he wants if I don't work? I’ll take any job, as long as it’s decent and honorable.” I reached out to touch his arm.

He squealed and quickly pulled his arm away. “Hey, don't touch me! I’m still a virgin!” He recoiled playfully before continuing. “I’ll look after the twins while you’re at work. I’ve missed them so much during these past three months. I’ll stay here at your place while you’re away.”

“What kind of job is it?”

“A waitress position at a club in La Fera Dos. That’s the only opening I know of right now; anything else would be too demanding for you. It’s a respectable place, and the management is solid. I already gave your name to Tessa, the manager. She knows what role you’re applying for and will walk you through the rules. Just hand this paper to her, she and I are good friends.”

Unable to contain my gratitude, I threw my arms around him. Amer was one of the few people who never gave up on me. He helped me keep my chin up when everything fell apart. No matter how difficult life became, God always provided people I could lean on.

“Hey, no hugging!” he complained playfully, gently pushing me away.

By one in the afternoon, we left the house to head toward La Fera. Amer mentioned that a brand-new mall had opened there, the largest one in all of Fera Island. It had only been open for two weeks, so it was still drawing huge crowds.

We rode in Amer’s car. Even though he was doing well financially, I refused to rely solely on his or the Madreal twins' generosity. I needed to stand on my own two feet.

The drive to La Fera took about an hour and a half. The twins kept their faces glued to the open windows the entire ride; they weren't used to the car's air conditioning, so Amer rolled the windows down for them. Their eyes sparkled with awe as we pulled up to the massive structure.

The words "RMall" were displayed prominently across the top of the building.

The moment Amer parked the car, the kids scrambled out in excitement. It was their very first time setting foot in La Fera, as we rarely left our village unless Amer was around to drive us. 

Holding them firmly by their hands, we walked into the mall together. Their eyes darted around in pure wonder as we explored the floors, eventually making our way to the toy store, their main destination. While they happily picked out toys with Amer, I stepped outside to glance around.

The mall was undeniably impressive compared to the older ones in La Fera. The entire city was developing rapidly as its tourism potential began to take off. New hotels and commercial buildings were popping up across both La Fera Dos and Uno. I let out a soft sigh before turning my attention back toward the kids.

Since they were busy picking out items with Amer, I decided to step out of the store for a moment. The place was bustling with shoppers drawn by the grand opening and modern facilities.

Suddenly, a crowd began gathering to my left, heading straight in my direction. I instinctively stepped back to avoid getting caught in the rush. Knitting my brows, I stood on tiptoes to see who everyone was surrounding.

My eyes landed on a tall man dressed in a sharp tuxedo. Even from a side profile, he looked strikingly familiar. I narrowed my eyes, trying to get a clearer view. When he turned slightly toward my direction, my heart stopped—it was Rihav. Panic seized me as our eyes briefly met. Without wasting a single second, I bolted back into the store.

“We need to leave right now,” I urged Amer. Fortunately, he had already paid for the toys

I scooped up Hera while Amer lifted Hacov into his arms. Confusion washed over Amer’s face, but he followed me without question. He called out my name repeatedly, but I rushed straight to the car without uttering another word.

“What happened back there, Girl? We weren't even done shopping yet,” he complained as soon as we got inside the car.

I let out a shaky breath, glancing at the twins in the backseat. Thankfully, they were completely absorbed in their new toys and didn't pay much attention to us.

“I saw Rihav inside, he’s here at the mall!” I whispered urgently, my voice trembling.

If we had stayed any longer, there was a chance he might have seen the twins. No... he could never find out about them. He had no right to be in their lives, not after the terrible things he said to me, and certainly not after announcing his marriage to someone else. It was as if he had thrown me away himself.