MARRY ME NOW

I reached my car and drove off. What I’ve heard from the staff still lingering freshly in my head. Slut.

I’m not a slut…

I tried to push those words out of my head but more just kept coming. And tears came pouring out of my eyes like it was an ocean.

I managed to reach my house. Believe me when I say it’s a miracle I got home without getting in an accident or something.

I got inside the house, and the clicking of a spoon filled my ears. Zara must have heard me opening the door as she walked toward me.

Her eyes widened. “What happened, ma’am? Are you okay?” She asked worriedly.

I managed to keep myself from crying. “I got fired,” I said and she gasped.

“How- why?” She asked.

“I don’t know.” I suddenly cried.

I don’t know why this happened to me. The thought that a man touched me without me knowing is already killing me.

They were right. I’m a slut. I shouldn’t have gone to that stupid party. A part of me wanted to blame Yvonne, a part scolded against that.

It wasn’t her fault, I don’t expect her to keep eye on me like a bodyguard. I can’t believe he just fired me like that.

“Oh my… Are you sure?” Zara asked nervously. I managed to tell her what happened. She gasped.

“I knew you shouldn’t have gone to that party… I tried to talk you out of it but-”

“I know. It’s my fault.”

“So… What are you going to do?”

•••

“Jeez relax. You’re behaving like she’s your wife or something.” Dave said unbelievably earning him a glare from Austin.

“He’s whipped,” Carson said shaking his head.

“So… Did you do research for the photos well? I mean it looks fishy and I don’t think she’s that type of lady.”

Austin didn’t answer him. He doesn’t know why they were at his house, suddenly.

“Drinking in the daytime?” Carson asked when Austin hadn’t answered. On the left hand of Austin was a bottle of alcohol and on the right hand was a cup filled with alcohol.

“Jeez. Is this why you aren’t at work and giving your workers a hard time?” Dave scoffed.

He still didn’t answer them. He was mad. He had no idea why this was affecting him so bad. Did he have feelings for her? No. He told himself.

Dave and Carson both looked at each other and shook their head frustratingly before turning back to look at him.

They had research to do.

•••

I jocked up when I heard a knock on my door. After Zara had finished interviewing me earlier. I went to my room with a huge headache.

Looking at the time, 4:26 pm. I groaned. “Come in,” I said. Yvonne walked in.

“Oh my, are you okay?” She asked worriedly at my situation. I would have laughed if I wasn’t having such a huge headache.

My head was pounding.

I was far from okay. “No,” I replied.

She touched me to check my temperature. I knew it was hot. “Oh my god, I think you should go take a bath.” She gasped.

“How was work?” I asked ignoring what she said. My body might be hot but I was cold. I’m pretty sure I would freeze if water was to pour on me.

“It was fine… But lonely without you, I can’t believe such a thing happened to an amazing person like you…” She said.

I hate situations like this. I hate when I’m being consoled. And once again without my permission tears streamed down my eyes. “Do you still have the photos?” I asked.

“Yes. Sara had sent me the photos earlier, she took it from the system.”

She gave me her phone. There was me and a unknown guy. His face was blurry.

What if… What if he…

I didn’t feel anything… I mean, if someone touches you down there, you’d know, right?

I put my hands over my face and sobbed. My reputation was ruined. I was ruined.

“What am I going to do? How am I even going to find-” she cuts me off.

“I don’t think you’d be able to find him. There were many unknown people with tattoos at that party…”

“It was your friend’s birthday party… I’m sure he would know him.”

“I’ve asked him already, we even did investigations but we couldn’t find him, please, I could help you get another job.” She said nervously.

I was going to reply when my phone suddenly rang. I looked at the caller to see it was Jake. I thought he wasn’t ever going to call me again.

With shaky hands, I took the phone and answer the call. “H-” I cut him off. “Please Jake, I can explain. I seriously don’t know how that happened..”

“Where were you last night?” He asked. He doesn’t sound angry. “A-at Yvonne’s friend’s birthday party,” I replied. He hesitated before replying.

“I’d call you tomorrow.”

“Okay.” If it was before, he’d say something funny at the end of the call, but now… I don’t want anything to happen to our relationship.

“What did he say?” Yvonne asked.

“He said he’d call tomorrow,” I replied. I fell back on my bed frustratingly. I wanted to scream.

“Oh okay.” She said then suddenly started crying. “I wish I hadn’t asked you to come to that party, if I hadn’t all this wouldn’t have been happening.”

As I said, it’s not her fault, it’s mine. If I had been smarter and if I hadn’t fallen asleep, this wouldn’t have happened.

“It’s not your fault Yvonne, it’s mine,” I said with a sigh. “If I had been more ca-” she cuts me off.

“No, it’s mine.”

“Stop blaming yourself, and besides, you’re sick, I wouldn’t expect protection or guardians for someone who isn’t strong,” I said and she nodded her head with a smile, wiping the tears strained on her face away.

“I went to the doctor today, he said I just need rest and some exercise.” She said.

“I’m glad it’s nothing to be scared of,” I said. I couldn’t stand anything bad happening to her, she’s been my friend for two years now, a very good friend.

“I have to go home now, I would come again tomorrow hmm? Take care.” She said.

“You too,” I mumbled. I closed my eyes, I didn’t know when I’d fall asleep again.

I’ve been sleeping all day.

•••

“You know any man with these tattoos?” Jake asked the man behind the bar table. He had tattoos all over his body.

He’s been doing this almost all day. He’d to do it… For Tessa. The man inspected the picture again.

He nodded his head yes. “Who?” Jake asked.

“Ah ah ah.” He gestured his hand. A sign he wanted money for it. Jake rolled his eyes before bringing out his wallet and placing 50 dollars on the table. The man shook his head.

“More.”

Bringing out 30 dollars he asked. “How would I know if you know him?”

“It’s him. Trust me. Cris Alex.” He replied with a grin.

•••

“So, his name is Cris Alex? You’re sure?”

“Not really.”

~

•••

“Oh my god. I’d come- I’d try and see what I can do, please, no matter what, don’t say anything about me, i-i’d pay you well, Okay?”

“Bu-”

“Please. You could just say you were drunk and didn’t know what you were doing but you managed to stop yourself before you could you know.”

“And the photos?”

“You could always say it was a surveillance…” And just like that she told him what he needed to do and say.

Outside his door was the cops. “Delete this call.” She said before the call went dead.

Sitting down on her bed, she fumbled with her fingers nervously. She hoped her plan would work.

She suddenly sneered inwardly.

Jake went through all that trouble for her– Tessa. She thought that would make everybody hate her.

That witch. She thought.

She always gets what she wants, ugh. She sneered inwardly.

~

I jocked off the bed when my phone suddenly rang. I noticed the phone was gummed to my face. I must have slept on it.

Removing it, I looked at the caller, Jake.

“Hey.” He said.

“Hey,” I replied awkwardly.

“How are you?” He asked when he noticed I wasn’t saying anything else.

“I’m good.”

“Do you know anybody called Cris?”

That name sounds familiar but can’t recall where I have– oh yeah, I know a Cris, Yvonne’s friend.

“Yes, why?” I asked and he sighed. “You have no clue, do you?”

“What do you mean…”

“Get ready, I’d come to pick you up, by 10 am.” He said and the call went dead. What is wrong with him? He doesn’t sound fine. Throwing myself out of the bed, I went to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth before taking my bath. Coming out, I wore a gown.

I would have worn a little bit of make-up, but this is not the time to wear make-up. I sighed looking at my pale face in the mirror before whipping around and walking out of the room.

I walked to the living room. I saw Zara. Why was she here this early? I looked at the time. 6:56 am. Wow, she came early.

I snapped my head back to her when I heard Anne’s voice. “She did that?” Her tiny voice said.

What were they talking about? “Good morning,” I said when I got to them. Zara beamed giving me a friendly smile.

“Good morning ma’am.” She greeted. Expecting Anne to jump on me or something, she didn’t, instead, she looked at me, then back to Zara.

“Don’t be a naughty girl! Greet your mom.” I hear Zara say.

That hurts.

“Good morning, mommy.” I heard Anne say, still expecting her to come to me, but she still didn’t. I went closer to her and hugged her.

Thank god she responded. “How are you baby?” I asked.

“I’m fine.” She replied.

Something was missing here. The playful glint she had whenever I was with her. Was she in need of something? Oh, I have to go out and buy her some of her favourite treats later.

“You’ve bathed already?” I asked her. Though it was obvious.

“Hmm. Mommy Zara bathed me.” Anne replied.

Mommy Zara?

They must have gotten very close. I remembered when she’d just started working here. Anne would do anything to be next to me. Clinging unto me. Crying.

It’s a good thing she warmed up to her, right?

“That’s wonderful! I’d go prepare breakfast, your favourite, hmm?” I said and Anne beamed.

“Okay.” She chirped.

“I can do it, ma’am. You should be relaxing, not stressing out yourself.” Zara said. I’m so lucky to have her working for me. She’s the type of person who doesn’t care for only herself, but also for others.

~

We finished eating less than an hour ago. My phone rang, I picked it up and looked at the caller. Yvonne.

Answering the call I heard Yvonne crying. “Oh, Tessa!” She cried. Why was she crying? Oh my, is she okay? “What happened?” I asked.

“You remember the night you followed me to that party?” She asked. How would I forget that?

“Well, you see. The guy that had touched you was Cris, he was drunk and didn’t know what he was doing. I asked h-him after those pictures came o-out if he was the one and he said no, but then he remembered yesterday and said he was the one,” she said.

“We went to the room to inspect and noticed surveillance there. But he promised that he didn’t go any further, he stopped himself. I’m so sorry that had to happen to you, Tessa.”

“O-” she cuts me off.

“And now, he’s in prison, please, please do something to free him.”

“How did he get to prison?”

“Jake! Jake kept him there!” She cried. “I believe you can tell him to release him. Please. I’ve known Cris for a long time and he’s a good person and his mom is sick, really sick right now. You’re a good person Tessa, please, fight for the truth.”

At least I know who is the guy now. I’ve known Yvonne for a long time. She’s a good person.

I knew the person didn’t touch me there, I would have felt it. “H-how did the pictures get to the office-” she cuts me off, again.

“Well you see, when I plugged my phone in the room you were that night… I must have mistakenly… Connected my phone to it and you know my part of my duty… I take videos and pictures from the surveillance in the office and send it to the security office, I must have thought it was part of the office pic… Oh, I’m such a bad friend, maybe if I was a bit careful, but I was in a hurry that day.” She gave a long speech.

Oh.

~

After the talk, I had with Yvonne. She told me about what happened. I wouldn’t say it didn’t answer a lot of questions.

I was on the front porch, waiting for Jake. He’d be here any moment. After waiting for another 5mins. His car stopped in front of my house.

I walked to it and got in. A familiar scent hits me. “Hi,” I said immediately as I sat down. “Hey. About Cris-” he said but I cut him off.

“He was innocent. He was drunk and didn’t do anything.” I said quickly. I don’t know why I said that. But I believe Yvonne and it was obvious he didn’t do anything. He looked at me like I’d gone crazy.

“What?”

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