Chapter 6
“Hello, Mr King.” Daphne replied and got into the elevator.
Daphne had previously told him that one of the reasons why she was on leave was to take care of her sick mother.
“So this is where your mother’s hospitalized?” Marco asked, wanting to make small talk.
“Yes.” Daphne replied.
“How’s she doing?”
“Better. Her surgery was successful.”
“That’s good.”
When the elevator doors opened, Daphne nodded, curtly at him and walked out.
But Marco hurried towards her.
“Where are you headed?”
“Ford Mall.”
“Oh, that happens to be on my way. Let me take you there.”
Daphne didn’t see the need to get a ride from her new boss.
“No need. I…”
“I insist.” Marco pressed.
She sighed.
Perhaps she was overthinking. Marco had been nothing but nice to her despite his social class so what was the harm in accepting a ride.
“Okay.”
Inside the sleek and luxurious car, Daphne felt even more awkward.
Summoning her courage, she asked.
“Are you single, Mr King?”
Marco’s eyes dilated. “I am. Why are you asking?”
Had she perhaps taken an interest in him?
“It’s just…you know, someone of your social class probably has reporters secretly on his trail, looking for the next gossip to spread. If they take pictures of me stepping out of your car, I wouldn’t want such misunderstanding to affect your relationship, if you had one that is…”
Marco laughed. “Boy, you really are a thorough thinker, aren’t you? Who would have thought that was on your mind?”
Daphne shrugged. “I’m just being careful.”
“Don’t worry, you getting out of my car won’t make the headlines.” Marco assured.
Daphne nodded. “That’s good to know.”
Wanting to keep the conversation flowing, he changed the topic.
“So what do you think of Maliyah.”
Maliyah was his sister who also worked at SG tech.
“She’s nice. But I just started working there so I really don’t know much about her.” Daphne replied.
“I feel she still isn’t adjusting well to working at SG. She’s just too carefree and has not a single bit of ambition. I wish she could be as resourceful as you.”
Daphne blushed.
Ever since she met him in person, all he does was compliment her, especially about her work as if he had known her for so long.
She smiled at him. “Maybe she just needs time.”
The car pulled over in front of the mall.
“Thank you for the ride.” Daphne said as she got out of the car.
“You’re welcome.” Marco replied, watching as she walked away.
He continued watching her as she entered the mall and disappeared from his sight, a burning intense look in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Kayla and Mabel were also shopping at the mall. Kayla had just being assigned as Mabel’s assistant.
And knowing Mabel had snatched Trevor away from Daphne made her like Mabel instantly.
This was what she had always wanted. For Daphne to wallow in pain.
Daphne was in a changing room and just as she was about to walk out, she saw Kayla and Mabel walking in.
Instinctively, she walked back into the dressing room, not wanting to run into Mabel. She just couldn’t face her yet. She didn’t want to.
How do you face your ex-fiancé first love? A woman who had made her feel she could be easily replaced.
Suddenly, she heard Kayla’s voice loud and clear.
“I’d like you said I’m so glad you’re the vice president. Can you believe they were about to give the position to Daphne? You must have heard about her? She used to date Trevor and she felt on top of the world. She was a very proud and pesky person. Some of the people at the office might think the position should be hers but don’t worry, I know Daphne very well and I also know that she isn’t deserving of anything!”
Mabel didn’t say anything and was just going through the clothes on the racks but Kayla kept on speaking ill of Daphne unaware that Mabel really didn’t want to hear anything about Daphne.
It might seem as if things were perfect between Trevor and her but deep down, Kayla knew it wouldn’t be easy to make Trevor forget all about Daphne.
Just last night, he kept mumbling Daphne’s name in his sleep. So right now, Mabel didn’t want to hear anything about Daphne.
On the surface, she maintained a calm demeanor.
“I don’t like the clothes here. Let’s go to the next shop.” She let out.
“Okay.” Kayla said with a smile.
Daphne who had heard all what Kayla said slowly walked out of the dressing room. She knew Kayla had changed towards her but she never knew Kayla hated her this much.
What had she ever done to deserve this?
Kayla was someone had parents had adopted. She could still remember when Kayla was first brought to their house. She had looked dirty and unkept. Daphne’s weren’t rich but they couldn’t just leave the little helpless girl on the street.
After taking her in and nursing her back to health, Daphne’s parents had contacted the police to see if they could find the little girl’s parents but the police investigation led nowhere and they were advised to take the girl to an orphanage in any case she was a burden.
But by the then, Kayla had already gotten close to Daphne and her family. And so the Smiths couldn’t bear to part with her.
They had raised Kayla like their old child. Daphne had taken Kayla like the sister she never had. She had made sure Kayla was always happy, that Kayla’s needs were met before hers.
But just few years ago, when Kayla was almost done with college, her biological parents finally found out and it turns out that they were a lot richer than Daphne’s family.
As soon as Kayla got back together with her real family, she immediately cut ties with the Smiths and acted as if they never existed.
But that still didn’t change the Smiths love for her. Looking back now, Daphne realized she had been abandoned a lot by people she had loved.
Shortly after Kayla found her real family and left, Daphne’s father got involved with a younger woman and he too left to be with that woman.
Trevor also recently left her. It felt like a curse at this point.
Still, she always regarded Kayla as her sister even after Kayla left. Whenever she ran into Kayla in public, she would greet her, warmly and she always hoped that Kayla was doing okay and happy.
When Kayla submitted her resumé at Trevor’s company, Daphne had been the one to review potential employees at that time and she had been beyond thrilled to see that Kayla was one of them. She had thought it might be fate, that fate wanted her to be close to her sister again.
Even at the interview, it was clearly obvious that Kayla wasn’t qualified but Daphne had convinced Trevor that she could train Kayla and make her good at the job.
And that was exactly what Daphne did, she taught Kayla everything she needed to know so as to work in this field.
Daphne never resented Kayla for cutting off her family, she even made excuses for her, she thought maybe it was what Kayla’s real family wanted and she chose to respect that.
Since they had been absent from most of Kayla’s life, maybe they wanted to catch up and have her full attention.
But now, finding out that Kayla never liked her and could say such vile things about her made Daphne feel so devastated.
Kayla knew that she was taking care of her sick mother, that Trevor just left her, still, she was sucking up to Mabel.
She began to wonder just how long Kayla had hated her.
And why?
What did ever do to deserve such hatred?
