Chapter 6 Six

Damon stared at the sleeping woman in the bed. She was curled up in a ball with tears staining her cheeks. One can feel heartache when looking at such a pitiful state. He wondered what had she suffered to fall into this state. He clearly remembered he offered a hefty sum of money, as well as ensuring her comfort during the process of her surrogacy. He did not expect that the first meeting between him and the mother of his child would be in this tasteless hotel.

His eyes darkened. He remembered the look of the private room he witnessed and the despicable man forcing the woman. He didn’t know why, but he felt irritation and heat boil from within him. He gave her one last careful glance before leaving the suite.

When he went out of the room, his assistant immediately approached him. After ordering him to take care of accommodation and making sure that Anya would be guarded and taken care of, he gave one last order.

“Give me the report of that woman’s life for the past two years. Don’t let any information, small or big, be left out. I want to know everything.”

He loosened his tie and clicked his neck as he entered the elevator in silence.

Anya woke up with a throbbing headache. She muddled for a moment as she roamed her eyes around the foreign room. She instantly knew it was not her room. It took a minute to recall what happened last night and as she remembered, she abruptly got up which caused her to be dizzy.

Where am I?

She started to get nervous as she patted her clothes, making sure it was intact. Her underwear and dress were still there and she did not feel anything weird in her body. She also felt clean and fresh despite wearing the dress she had last night.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she concluded that nothing happened to her.

But that relief only came as fast as it goes. As she remembered the perpetrator of the horrible experience last night was the very man she was married with. Her heart turned cold and numb, she can neither feel hurt nor disappointed anymore. She wanted this to end so badly. She clenched her hands tightly.

Anya was startled out of her thought by a phone ringing. She looked at the bedside table and saw her bag lying on top. The one who brought her here might have had the courtesy to secure her things. She needed to thank him someday. She only remembered someone carrying her out of the room. She felt nervous about the man’s intention but she couldn’t move last night. But now, waking up feeling comfortable and safe, she knew the man had saved her.

The phone kept ringing and Anya brushed off her thoughts as she saw the caller’s ID.

“Hello, grandma?”

“Darling are you okay? You did not call last night so I called, but you did not pick up,” her grandmother said worriedly and half sulking. Due to old age, her grandmother seemed to age backward and act like a child sometimes, but Anya was always patient with her beloved grandmother.

Anya glanced at the clock and saw that it was already 8:30.

“I’m sorry, Nana. I left my phone at the office last night and only had it back today,” she told her a complete lie. No need to worry her of such things as last night.

“Ayah, such a young child and so forgetful,” Her Nana continued to lecture her for a while as Anya acquiesced and listened to her patiently. Finally, when she felt that her grandmother was being too worked up, she reminded her of her medicine and rest, and promised that she would be there in a moment.

After the call, she fixed herself in the bathroom and went out. She approached the front desk and gave back the key, and asked for the bill. But to her surprise, the receptionist said it was already taken care of.

“Can I know who is this kind person, Miss?” Anya asked. The receptionist glanced at the name and said,

“It was a man named Mr. Andrade, Ma’am.” Anya was even more surprised. It was the secretary who offered her the surrogacy two years ago. Her heart started to accelerate as she remembered her baby, which she tried to look for and contacted Mr. Andrade all these years.

“Can I know where he is? Or even his contact number please?” She asked the receptionist pleadingly.

“I’m sorry, Ma’am. We cannot disclose private information of our guests. It is against our protocol.” The receptionist answered, apologizingly. Anya felt her heart drop. She already knew this, but she still tried her luck. She wanted to keep pursuing but she knew it was futile. She swallowed back all her words and thanked the lady painstakingly.

As she left, she once again remembered that part of her life which was so hard to look back at. She always felt it was a dream, as everything flashed and disappeared instantly in front of her eyes. The man and her baby disappeared without a trace. If not for the physical pain she felt that day, then she might really believe it never happened. She sighed, wanting to let out her heartache as well, and punched her chest lightly. A mannerism she always does whenever she felt suffocated.

She brushed off these thoughts and rushed to go home. The world still continues to revolve, and it will never stop for her to breathe. So, she needs to get up and continue working and living. She still has a lot of responsibilities on her shoulders.

She took a cab and went to her apartment. She started living here when Andrei started to bring his mistresses into their home. It was a simple condo unit, just enough for herself. She took a shower and change into fresh clothes. She touched up her face a bit, and she was ready. She took her bag and left.

She was already late, so she decided to visit her grandmother first. When her parents died, her grandmother was the one who raised her. Instead of retiring, she continued to work to provide for Anya. Maybe that was the reason why her grandmother was very ill right now. When Anya graduated, she worked hard to cure and provide for her grandmother. But these past two years, her illness relapsed and she is staying at a private hospital. That is why despite of her disappointments in her husband, she cannot stop working because there was her grandmother who believes in her.

She bought nutritious food from a restaurant she frequents to and took it to the hospital. She went to her grandmother’s room. When she entered, she saw her grandmother laying weakly in the hospital bed, watching television.

“Nana,” Anya greeted softly.

“Oh, darling,” Her grandmother called huskily but warmly. Anya put down the food in her hands and went to kiss her Nana’s head.

“I bought food, Nana. Let’s eat,” Anya prepared the food for the two. As they were eating, they were chitchatting about each other’s days.

“How are you and Andrei?” Her grandmother raised this question again. The spoon that Anya was raising froze for a while, but then she held it in her mouth as if it was nothing.

“We are doing fine, Nana. Though he is very busy so he still doesn’t have the time to visit you,” Anya threw this reason again, which she lost count of how many times in the past two years.

“Aiyah, don’t mind me. I’m just an old lady, what is important is your relationship as husband and wife. Don’t let arguments and fights last for a day. A man and wife should be understanding. If there’s a misunderstanding, you should be open and talk it out, don’t be like your parents,” Her Nana ranted again. Anya had heard this since she was young.

Her Nana always believed in strengthening marriage and relationships. Her mother and father did not have a good relationship. Which led to their separation. They then had their own new families, and Anya was stuck in the middle. She was a child that nobody wants, and her Grandma took it upon herself to raise Anya on her own.

Grandma had always reminded her to be patient and understanding to Andrei. Also, she had always liked Andrei from the start.

This is one of the important reason why Anya can’t let go of Andrei. She doesn’t have the heart to break her Nana’s hopes, especially since she was sick. So, all these years, she swallowed all the mischievous and malicious things Andrei had done. But still, she was not that masochist, so she moved out of their home.

Her Nana continued ranting about husband and wife, and Anya just listened with her head down, continuing to eat. She would remind her Nana from time to time to eat her food as well. In the middle of this, the door opened, and a woman walked in.

“Hey, grandma, sister,” Anya’s sister, Anna, greeted curtly. Anna was Anya’s sister from the father’s side, and is Nana’s only son.

“Anna dear, have you eaten? I have not seen you for a long time. Come let grandma see,” Grandma always loves seeing her family visiting her. In her old age and in the four corners of the hospital, seeing her family was one of the most anticipated things in her everyday life. But sadly, only Anya visited her every single day.

Anya knew this from the bottom of her heart, so despite not liking this sister that much, Anya still treated her hospitably.

Anna had a reluctant expression on her face as she let Grandma cup and pinch her cheeks. She asked a lot of questions to her granddaughter.

“Oh, everything’s fine,” Anna answered lazily. Despite the crude answer, Grandma still smiled warmly.

Anya became slightly sick of this scene, so she finally excused herself.

“Nana, I need to head back to the office now.” Stood up and she took her bag.

“Oh, sister, let’s walk out together. I need to leave now too.” Anna said as she abruptly stood.

“What? You just got here. Won’t you at least talk to Grandma?” Anya asked her with her eyebrows drawing near.

“Oh, I just went for a quick visit, and I have something I need to talk to you about,” She answered as she approached Anya and linked her arms to her.

“But-,“ Anya was about to refute when Grandma interrupted.

“Go go, you young people have a lot to do. Don’t mind this old lady here. It’s also time for my medicine, I will rest,” Grandma encouraged them.

Before Anya could answer, a nurse knocked and announced the time for medicine. Anya could do nothing so she bid her Grandma goodbye and promised she would come back tonight.

The two sisters went out of the room together. Anya wasted no time asking her sister what she wanted.

“What is it?” Anya stopped walking when they went far from the room. Anna also stopped in her track as she faced her sister.

“I just wanna ask sister a little favor,” She said as she smiled cheekily at Anya. Anya only raised her eyebrows, hinting at her to continue.

Anna saw this and continued, “I need a job. I heard your husband is the CEO of your company. A little recommendation won’t hurt you, am I right?” She spoke.

Anya knitted her brows. Her sister’s education was not good as well as her personality. Perhaps the reason why she needs her to land on a job.

The problem is, her relationship with her husband, as well as the company is not good, and she doesn’t want her sister to cause trouble there.

“I don’t have any say in the company, you see,” She tried to explain.

“How could that be? You’re the wife of the CEO, and you can’t even help your sister?” Anna retorted back.

“Or is it that you don’t have a good relationship with your husband all this time?” She tried to mock as she folded her arms in front of her chest and gave Anya the look.

Anya pursed her lips as she stared at her sister. Her look clearly told her, if she refused, she might tell her Nana. Finally, she could only sigh.

“I will try, but the company is strict about their employees’ resume,” Anya gave her last blow to the girl. Anna’s smile slightly twitched and she rolled her eyes.

“Whatever, just make it that I land in an interview, I could find a way around that,” Anna waved her hand as she turned her back.

“Thanks sister, toodles~” Her last words as she walked away and left the hospital. Anya could only look at her receding back and massage her temples. After she calmed herself for a moment, she continued on her way to the company.

When she arrived, she immediately walked to her table. Before she could even settle down, a loud voice came from behind.

“Mrs. Davis, looks like you have your own schedule around here,” A mocking voice sounded. Anya bit her lips at the familiar, and almost sickening voice of her manager. She turned back to greet the person.

“Ma’am Reed,” Anya greeted. The woman only sneered as she eyed her.

“Getting to work this late, looks like being the wife of a CEO is such a privilege, right everyone?” The manager’s voice was so loud, everyone was looking at Anya. She felt so embarrassed but she could only bite her cheeks.

“But sadly, that does not work for me. Hand this over today, no extensions,” She said as she stacked a tall pile of documents to Anya’s table.

Anya sucked her breath as she saw the amount of work. She would certainly need to work overtime for this.

“And remember, dear Anya, you can’t act as a queen just for your title as wife, foolish girl.” The manager looked at Anya pitifully and gloatingly. They could only act this way as it is no secret to everyone Andrei’s affairs. He would even bring his women here in the company, a complete slap for Anya.

“Understood,” Anya gritted her teeth and squeezed out a small answer. Her manager smirked and announced to everyone.

“Get back to work,”

Show is over.

Anya was constantly typing on her computer’s keyboard. She was working non-stop for six hours. While others took their lunch break and coffee breaks, Anya stayed at her table to continue working.

Finally, when she felt like her hands would cramp from all the work, she stopped and leaned on her swivel chair as she massaged her hands. She glanced at her phone, and only this time she had the time to check it.

There were messages, and one of them was from her sister, reminding her of her favor. She sighed again. How could she possibly ask for a backdoor job recommendation when she was just scolded earlier? But thinking of her sister’s impulsive and unreasonable attitude, she could only swallow her embarrassment and went to the HR.

When she arrived, she knocked on the door. She heard permission from the other side, so she opened the door and went in. The HR who was behind the table only raised her eyes once at Anya and went back to her screen. A completely neglecting look from her.

When she had a good relationship with her husband, no one dared to treat her like this. She wanted to laugh.

Is it really only a man who can validate a woman’s worth?

Anya frowned at the idea. Such bullshit. She wanted to curse so much but swallowed it all.

“Good morning, I want to hand in a recommendation. Is there a vacant job?” Anya thickened her face as she placed her sister’s resume directly at the HR’s table.

The HR scoffed but still had the decency to act with her job.

“I’ll check, I’ll get back to you later at that,” She said without looking at Anya.

Anya could only sigh. She thanked the woman and went back to her table. Well, she did her best, but from the looks of it, her sister could hardly enter the company. Anya stopped thinking about that when she saw the amount of work still piled up on her table. For the nth time, she sighed and continued going through every document.

She did not know how many hours she was working until she received an email. To her surprise, it was from HR saying her sister was accepted. Also, they already messaged her about the interview and contract signing. Anya didn’t know if she would be happy or doubt this. She wondered how they accepted her recommendation, and with her sister’s resume so soon, she needed a big backer to be able to be accepted.

Should she be happy and think she was regarded as so?

Little did Anya know that what she did was always raised to the higher up, specifically to the Chief Executive Officer. And this recommendation was also included.