Reyona smiled as she leaned her head against the headrest.
Her head seemed to have decided to stay screwed on after all.
Toria's voice turned serious as she said, "I am so sorry, Rey."
Reyona's brows scrunched up in confusion "About what? You were not even here."
"I meant about what happened. You are not the type to overindulge in anything. If you are drinking to the extent of getting drunk, then...
"Okay, mom. I am fine, okay? I just got a bit carried away, okay?"
"You? Carried away? Tell me where you are, Rey. I am coming over."
Reyona really wanted her to come.
She wanted to be taken care of for once.
She just wanted to curl back into bed and be pampered for the rest of the day, but then she could still see the bruise on her face glaring back at her.
If Toria should come over, then she would see it.
If she saw it, Reyona knew just how headstrong her sister could be.
She could do something rash.
Since she didn't want to give Thomas any ammunition he might want to use against her, she couldn't allow her sister to see her yet.
At least, not the way she was.
At the moment, she couldn't even be bothered to start applying makeup to cover up the bruises.
So she said, "How about I call you later, Toria? I just want to go to sleep right now. I think my head is about to explode."
"Oh, okay," Toria answered.
Reyona was surprised by how easily her sister had accepted that.
She would have expected Toria to put up a resistance and insisted on coming over.
"Just okay? Wow, that is highly considerate of you, Toria," she teased.
"Since that means you think I am inconsiderate, I will let that slide," Toria answered with an evident smile in her voice. "Take some lemon water and toast. It has saved me many times."
"And I was beginning to think you were a changed person," Reyona teased.
Toria laughed, "Why would I? Change is boring. Now get off my case and go rest. I will call you again if you don't call me back by noon. That is a promise."
"Sounds like a threat," Reyona said in a bemoaning tone.
"You better believe it," Toria said with a laugh before she disconnected the call.
Reyona let her hand flop back to her laps.
Then her eyes caught the call list again.
The twelve missed calls were not all Toria's.
Thomas had called her once.
Then he sent two messages.
Though she was tempted to delete it without checking, she opened it.
"You left home? What kind of responsible wife would leave her home without telling her husband beforehand? I am highly disappointed in you, Reyona!"
Then, minutes later, he sent another.
"Babe, is this about what happened yesterday? Are you doing this because of that? You know that was a mistake. Just come home and let's talk about this."
Reyona deliberately stemmed any thoughts and feelings that wanted to seep through.
She placed the phone in her pocket and went to the kitchen.
The bohemian-style home was surprisingly soothing.
Reyona would never design her space with so many frills and artistic clusters, but at the moment, it suited her just fine.
She looked at the array of purchases she had made the day before.
She was just going out to get the last bags from the car the night before when she changed her mind and decided not to cook anymore.
She had been cooking for almost eight years, and what did it get her?
Impulsively, she pulled out the bags of confectionery she got instead and the bottle of wine.
With the two, she celebrated her first night of caring about herself alone.
She had seen the note that the agent left for her, listing out all the things she could use.
The TV set in the bedroom was one of them.
So, she simply took the drink and goodies with her to the bedroom.
After sloppily making the bed with the new bed sheets she got, she simply tucked in and put on a show while reaching for the wine with one hand and the nuts with the other.
She mindlessly watched the show and plied herself with the drink and sugar until sleep caught up with her.
As Reyona stared at the ingredients, she agreed that it was a night well spent after all.
If nothing, she had accomplished what she had in mind-not thinking about anything or anyone.
Just as she was contemplating whether to make the toast or not, her phone rang again.
Reyona considered tossing the annoying phone as she pulled it out.
The call was from Charlotte.
She picked up the call and said tersely, "This had better be important."
""It surely is, ma. Good morning," Charlotte said excitedly.
Being chirpy this early should be a crime. Reyona thought.
"Why are you calling, Charlotte?"
"We got a call from Multilinks, ma."
The drowsiness in Reyona's body immediately took a backseat.
"When?"
"I just got off the phone with Mr. Jordan's assistant, ma. They want you to come over, ma."
Right now?!
************
Michelle, Jordan's assistant, welcomed Reyona with a smile.
Then, she gestured towards CEO Jordan's office with a pleasant "He is waiting for you."
Reyona nodded and followed her.
No one seeing her would believe she was having a thrumming headache that had refused to back down despite the aspirin she took before leaving.
She had been unable to make the toast, and she wished desperately that the queasiness she was feeling wouldn't show.
Outwardly, Reyona was the epitome of confidence and professionalism.
She had on a power suit of a dark orange fitted blazer and contrast high-waist pants.
Her clothing was complimented by nude, pointy-toe heels and her Chanel bag of the same colour.
Michelle knocked and stepped aside as she gestured for Reyona to go in.
Reyona thanked her with a smile and entered the office with her professional smile at the ready.
The smile froze on her hurting face as she saw who was waiting for her in the office.
Now what?