Chapter Five
1903 Words
Tracy’s POV
This must be a dream, how could Riley be my new boss, this is so unbelievable, “What am I going to do with my life now? I don’t want him to find out that I’m still alive. He already thinks that Beverly is dead, How do I explain to him that I’m still alive and currently using a fake name. Ricardo had just one job and that was to take care of this company but no he failed woefully and even brought in a man that I've been avoiding for more than eight right to where I am” I had over a million things running through my head, I couldn't even concentrate here at work, I could already imagine how messed up I would when I go to the bar to work and I know deep down that I was not ready for Luke's unending scolding. I excused myself to bathroom so that I could call Luke in private, I called in sick and surprisingly he didn't nag like his usual self, he just said I should try and recover as fast as I can so that I can get back to work soon.
For the first time in like forever I get home early, I had so much joy in my heart when I came home and saw the kids playing with their aunt Karen, Its been long since I heard this much laughter at home.
“Look who's back from work” Karen announced as as she saw me standing in front of the door.
“Mum!!!!!!” The kids shouted and ran to hug me.
Being in their arms made me tear up, I was heartbroken to see how excited my kids were just because I came home early. It made me realize how much of a terrible mum I've been to my kids. Maybe Karen was right when she called me terrible mum.
“Why are you crying mum?” Shane asked snapping me back to reality.
“I'm not crying, I'm just happy to see you all”
“Is there problem at work? Were you fired?” Olivia asked.
“No, definitely not”
“Are you sure?” She asked.
“Yes, you know I would never lie to any of you”
“First was you waking up so late today, now you are back home when you should be at work”
“I'm fine baby girl” I said touching her hair.
“If you say so”
“Where is your nanny Graciela?”
“Aunt Karen said she could leave early.”
“Thank you sis”
“You really don't have to thank me, they are my kids too. Go freshen up, dinner is by 6”
“Okay, thank you”
“You're welcome.”
I go upstairs, have a hot refreshing bath, put on a comfy night wear than come back downstairs to help Karen out with cooking.
“Do you need help with anything?” I asked as I entered the kitchen.
“No, I'm almost done, but I think your kids need help with their assignment”
“Okay, let me go help them out, I'll be back shortly”
“Okay”
After dinner, I put the kids to sleep before retiring to my room where Karen was waiting for me like an angry lover. I enter the room and lay down immediately hoping that I'll escape not talking about anything with her.
“Are you really not going to tell me what happened today?”
“Let's talk tomorrow, I'm so exhausted”
“For real?”
“Yes, moreover there is nothing to talk about”
“Is that what you think?” She asked yanking my duvet off my body
“Come on Karen, please not today”
“If not today, when?”
“Some other time”
“No, I insist that we must have this conversation this night”
“Fine, what is it that you want to talk about that is more important than my beauty rest?” I asked getting up from the bed.
“Your kids”
“What about my kids?”
“Don't you feel guilty?”
“Why would I feel guilty? I don't remember doing anything wrong”
“Did you see how excited those children were just because they got to see you before going to bed?”
“What about that?”
“Don't you feel sorry for them? Well if you don't, I do and this isn't how it should be”
“What do you expect me to do? Quit my job so I could always be at home playing with the kids?”
“Im not saying you should quit all, you can quit working at the bar, not like what they pay you, makes up for time you are not spending with your kids.”
“You talk like its so easy to be a single, I don't have one kid to take of, I have three and it really isn't easy on me, so don't come here with that judgy attitude of yours trying to make me feel like a terrible mom”
“I never said that you are a terrible mum, all am saying is that there should be way for you to earn money and still make out time for your kids, these kids are growing distant from you and it is really not right.”
“Karen what am I suppose to do? There is literally no other way around this”
“How long do you intend to keep working like this?”
“I don't know, probably till they are done with college”
“You got to be kidding me, girl you have your own life, do something for yourself”
“Those kids are the only thing keeping me alive, I live for them and I'm going to do everything within my power to give them the best life”
“Up until when? Until your legs can't support you? Or your waist fail you due to stress? Tell me”
“Girl you know that I'm really not complaining”
“I know you are not but I'm really worried you would breakdown from taking care of these kids all by yourself. If only you would listen to me and transfer those kids out of that ridiculously expensive school, you wouldn't be needing an extra job and I even heard that you enrolled Sophia in a ballet class”
“Oh, that, she said she wanted to be in one and I couldn't say so”
“You mustn't do everything they ask you to do”
“I know but she kept on talking about how all her friends are enrolled in the class and she was starting to feel left out”
“Why don't you want to transfer them out of that school that is filled with spoilt brats?”
“They love the school, you need to hear them talk about the school, about their friends, I can't possibly take that away from them.”
“Shawn said that they suggested for them to be transferred and you got really mad at them, but they only said it because they knew that you are over working yourself for their sake”
“It is none of their business”
“It is, you are their mother and they miss always having you around”
“Karen all I'm doing is things I know that their rich father would do for them, I know Riley wouldn't want his kids in the kind of school that you want me to transfer them to.”
“Riley is rich, you are not so I believe that you should cut your coat according to your size.”
“I've heard you, I'll think about it.”
“You better do”
“Karen that aside, my life is about to crash”
“What do you mean by your life is about to crash? What's wrong?”
“I met Riley today”
“For real?”
“Yes”
“What did he say to you? What was his reaction when he saw you? How did you meet him? Where did you you guys meet?”
“Girl calm down, we didn't actually meet personally”
“You are starting to confuse me”
“He came by my office today”
“Really? Why? I didn't know that he was interested in Ad companies”
“Me too, I was so surprised to see him”
“Why was he at you office?”
“He wants to buy the company”
“Really?”
“Yes, But I don't think my boss would sell it to him”
“Why do you say”
“I heard from someone that was at the meeting that Riley was quite rude to my boss and he told my boss that if he buys the company that he would not let him retain his position as the Managing Director but if he insists on working still working at the company that he would only be a regular staff.”
“Really? Seems like your former lover hasn't changed”
“Yeah, but on the other hand, he is currently the highest bidder, he is willing to pay almost double of what he last buyer wants to pay and I know how greedy Ricardo is, he'd definitely prefer money to being the Managing Director”
“That's too bad, but wait a minute, If your company is being sold does that mean that you are going to loose your job?”
“Probably” I said Falling back down on my bed. “I'm literally doomed”
“What are you going to do?”
“I wish I know, I really wish I do”
“Have you tried sending your CV to other companies?”
“Yes, I did that last week and not even one of them reached back to me”
“But what if Riley does not fire you?
“I'll fire myself”
“Girl be serious”
“I'm damn serious, I'm pretty sure that the reason why he didn't talk to me earlier today was because he brain was still trying to process how he is seeing his ex lover that supposedly died five years ago”
“But what if the reason why he didn't talk to you was because he didn't recognize you?”
“That could be true but he looked at me like he knew me”
“He was probably trying to figure out where he got to know you from, did you forget that you no longer look like your old self?”
“I know but the difference isn't that much, ”
“Girl you had a plastic surgery, literally your whole body went under a knife, If Riley was even able to see the littlest resemblance he must have really known you pretty well”
“Whatever, enough with all these talk about Riley, I have to go to bed now, I can't afford to be late to work again.”
“Okay, good night sis”
“Good night Karen” I said before dozing off.
- Writer
