Chapter 9

In the car, looking at the woman whose face had turned pale, Albert knew that she had suffered.

"What happened?" He asked softly as he helped her fasten the seat belt.

"Nothing. I thought that my dad would at least want to see me but I was wrong. Maybe the affection we've had for each other died that day. He wants nothing to do with me." Velma said, having a complicated feeling in her heart.

"I'm sorry, this is all my fault." Albert said, blaming himself. If he had controlled his desires, this would not have happened.

"It is not your fault. You actually saved me in a way. If it had happened the way Winnie had planned, I'm pretty sure I will be dead by now." Velma said.

"Don't worry about me. I will get over it soon. It is just that I don't know where I can start looking for a job." Velma said, closing her eyes.

Just then her cell phone rung. It was Alvin calling.

"Hello, dear. Where are you?" Alvin's gentle voice came through the phone.

"Hello, have you already arrived?" Velma asked, her voice too turning gentle.

"I arrived a few days ago." Alvin said.

"Ooh, why didn't you tell me about it?" Velma asked.

"I wanted to give you a surprise." 

"Are you busy now?" Alvin asked over the phone.

"Not really."

"Okay. Then come to the Seaside Hotel where we used to meet." Alvin said and hung up the phone.

Velma was a little nervous. She did not know how Alvin will react after knowing that she slept with a stranger and even gave birth to a baby.

During the nine months of her pregnancy, she did not talk to him much. She told him that she had contracted a deadly disease and was recovering.

Albert started the car and after Velma gave him the location, he set off to Seaside Hotel.

They soon reached and Velma was led to a private room. Inside the room, Alvin had already ordered her favourite food and was waiting for her.

"Hey." Velma walked over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"You came fast, or were you around?" Alvin said as he looked at her.

"I was at the company. I had gone to pick up some stuff and thank God there was no much jam on road so I was not delayed."

"Have you been waiting for long?" Velma asked.

"No. I actually spent the night here. I had a business meeting and it ended late. You know how it is always when meeting those old sly foxes. I had a lot to drink so I just spent the night here." Alvin said.

"How have you been. You told me you were sick, have you recovered. I can see that your face is a little pale." Alvin said as he handed her a glass of warm water.

"Have some water first." 

"Thanks." Velma lowered her head feeling guilty. She had no idea how she will bring up the topic of her pregnancy.

"Actually Alvin, there is something I have been wanting to tell you but I don't know how or where to start from." Velma gathered her courage as she looked at Alvin.

"What is it, you know you can tell me anything." Alvin said, with encouraging eyes.

"I..." Velma did not know how to say it.

"Just say it already. Why do you want to keep Alvin in the dark. Didn't you say that you love him and you will never do anything to betray him." Before Velma could say anything, a female voice was heard at the door.

Velma looked over and found Winnie standing at the door looking down on her with disdain.

"What is she doing here?" Velma thought as several possibilities crossed her mind.

When they were in college, Alvin had been a hot cake and every girl wanted to be with him. Winnie was no exception. She had specifically confessed her feelings to Alvin in front of the whole class and was rejected, later Albert started dating Velma, and maybe that is why Winnie hated her so much.

But at that time, Velma had thought that it was not a big deal. That everyone should be with the person he or she loves so she never understood why Winnie hated her.

Not until now....

Winnie walked directly to Alivin and gave him a kiss on the lips. 

"Babe, why didn't you wait for me?" Winnie asked with a sweet smile on her face.

Velma looked on dumbfounded, not knowing what to feel anymore. 

Was today her retribution day, why was everything and everyone going against her.

She forced herself to calm down, looked at the two of them and asked with a shaking voice.

"What is going on between the two of you?" 

"Ooh Velma, it is as you see it. Of course we are together. What else do you think is going on?" Winnie said as she looked at her like she was looking at a clown.

"Actually Velma I know everything that happened nine months ago. How could you do that to me. You promised me that you will wait for me and that you will never do anything to betray me. But what did you do in the end? Getting yourself drunk and sleeping around with unknown men!"

"Did you think that I will not find out. Why didn't you say anything. You even lied to me that you were sick and you needed time to recover. Was it so that you could give birth without me knowing, then come and lie to me of how you were taken advantage of. Why didn't you abort that bastard." 

The more Alvin talked, the more his voice rose.

"It is not what you think. I can explain." Velma found her voice after a long time.

"Explain what? That you slept with another man without knowing? Or that someone raped you? Velma I'm not a child and I know what exactly happened. I never knew that you were that sought of a person."

"If you were so much sex-deprived, you could have just told me. Or was that man actually your other lover that you have been fooling around with and yet infront of me you act all pure and innocent."

Velma's ears buzzed. She felt  that thousands of bees were in her ears making lots of noise.

"You said that you know everything that happened, right?" Velma asked, her eyes had already blurred with unshed tears.

"Yes. How you did not go back to your room and sent yourself to another man's room for a whole night and even got yourself pregnant. Who do you think you can fool." 

"Then you should have known that someone intentionally drugged me with aphrodisiac." Velma said as she looked at Winnie with a meaningful gaze.

Winnie's expression changed  in a second but it was soon back to normal.

She believed that she had destroyed everything that would lead to her being the mastermind and Velma would not have found out anything.

"Why are you looking at me like that. Could you be possibly thinking that I'm responsible for your misfortune, right?" Winnie said, trying to cover up her guilt.

"Actually I was shocked too when I found out that you were pregnant. I could not believe it and immediately informed Alvin. Babe I didn't mean for you to be heartbroken, you know I have liked you for a long time and I could not stand by and watch as you are made a fool of by the girl who claimed to love you."

"How long have you two been together." Velma asked. She felt that she could not breathe even just looking at their faces.

"It is none of your damn business. Are you the only one allowed to sleep with other men but I'm not allowed to look for girls. I think we are now even Velma. From now on we are strangers. We have nothing to do with each other. The next time we meet, we will have nothing to do with each other." Alvin said, without even waiting for Velma to tell her side of the story.

"Next time, stay away from my boyfriend." Winnie said, revealing a winning smile. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Alvin don't ever regret it if one day you found out that it is not actually how you thought it was. Because, on that day, I won't want to see you too." Velma shouted as she ran outside the room. She had no idea how she managed to find her way back to the car.