Chapter 55 Shocking News
Alyssa went to her room the moment she cleaned up the table and switched on the dishwasher. Thankfully Alexander had to leave after an emergency phone call and didn’t find the opportunity to grill her.
Her thoughts went to Nicholas, and she felt tears prick in her eyes. Switching on her phone she waited for him to call her again, hoping that maybe he felt something for her despite his claims. Maybe it wasn’t just a physical need he felt for her!
However, a week passed by, and neither did Nicholas contact her nor did she get any job anywhere. Alyssa was heartbroken and hardly left the house apart from attending the job interviews. She avoided Eva’s call knowing she was with Alexander. With Hayley gone to Florida and Sienna and Skylar busy with their lives, she could mend her broken heart without being disturbed. Nicholas’s HR team had immediately released her despite her having signed a contract, and Alyssa knew that Nicholas might have instructed them to do so. Maybe he too didn’t want her in his life now that she declined to have a physical relationship with him.
Her mom prodded her every day with questions and showed her displeasure, but not much since her stepdad always intervened just in time. It gave her space and was the sole reason she survived in the house for a week, but maybe not for long. She could sense that her step-dad wanted her to take over the reins of the company and that was why he was being nice to her. She wasn’t ready to shoulder that sort of responsibility yet and wanted a simple job that would pay her bills. Managing a finance company as big as VE Global Finance wasn’t the job of a fresher. He would definitely be upset if she failed him and it would strain their relationship further.
With every passing day, Alyssa dreaded the discussion looming over her head regarding her plans for the future. It was bound to happen, but she still was undecided. She knew her parents were now suspicious about her relationship with Nicholas and would ask her any day. Should she tell them the truth? She had just returned from an interview at an investment company when her mom called her.
“Alyssa, where were you? Your dad was looking for you,” she said, looking at her attire with displeasure.
“I went for an interview. Why?” she blurted out and immediately knew the blunder she had made. Now her parents would start on the need to look for a job. Her mom’s jaws dropped with surprise and she glanced at her dad who was in the backyard, instructing the workers who were pruning his garden.
“Why do you need to look for a job when you know your dad wants you to look after his business?” she reminded her with a scowl. Alyssa paled, knowing what her denial would mean.
“I don’t think I can handle his business, mom. I’m not ready for that kind of responsibility,” she said hesitantly. Her mom’s face flushed red with fury, and she scoffed at her words.
“Oh, yes, I forgot that you’re actually worthless, just like your father was. You can’t ever give me any happiness. Thank God I have Alex to make me happy. After everything Daniel has done for you, shouldn’t you please him at least once?” scolded her mom. Alyssa’s face paled further, and her mom’s taunting words pierced her soul.
“If I cannot handle his business, will he be pleased with me?” she asked in a small voice but it angered her mom all the more.
“You’re such a failure, Alyssa. How can you give up without even trying? Look at Alexander and learn something from him. I’m ashamed to call you my daughter! If you cannot make us happy, then take your sorry self out of my sight!” she scoffed, whirling around and going out to join her husband outside. Alyssa dragged her feet to her room as tears fell from her eyes. Was it her fault that she wasn’t as bright as her sibling? After that confrontation with her mom, she had no wish to live in her parent’s house.
Packing her bare essentials in a suitcase, she quietly escaped like a criminal while her parents were busy in the backyard. Thankfully, she had brought her car from Nicholas’s apartment so she could escape. Climbing in, she drove out of her childhood home as silently as she could. Once at the main road, she stopped to ponder. Where could she go now? With very little money and no job, she had little choice. She couldn’t buy a ticket and fly off to California, to her grandparents' place.
With nowhere to go, she drove to Eva’s apartment just to see it locked up. Where was Eva? For the last few weeks, she was guilty of not taking any updates on her best friend. She pulled out her phone and called her friend, dreading a blasting from her.
“So, you’re alive! I’ve called you like a million times. Why didn’t you take my calls?” demanded Eva.
“Sorry girl. I’m going through shit and I’m now homeless and at your apartment. Where are you?” she asked with concern.
“I’m at Maxwell’s parents’ house. You can ask the security for the keys and stay there for as long as you need to,” said Eva while Alyssa’s jaws dropped with shock.
“What are you doing at Maxwell’s house?” she demanded.
“They’ve fixed our wedding for next week. So, we’re planning everything. I’ll come down to update you. You will be my maid of honor,” she said in a dull tone devoid of any happiness. Shocked and curious, Alyssa fumbled for words. She didn’t have any idea that Eva was marrying Maxwell. Did Alexander know?
“Sure. I’ll be your maid of honor, even if you don’t invite me. So does Alexander know that you’re marrying Maxwell?” she asked in a hoarse whisper, expecting the worst.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him for a fortnight,” said Eva.
“Where are you staying?” Alyssa was at her wit’s end, thinking of what might have happened between them.
“At Maxwell’s parents' house till the wedding. They’re very simple people and love me for what I am, more than my own parents ever did.”
“I’m happy that you’ve moved on, Eva. You deserve to be happy,” said Alyssa.
“I’m happy, Alyssa. Are you still working at Nicholas’s office?”
“No, I left. I’m job hunting now with no luck,” sighed Alyssa.
“If you need a backend job at my hospital, I can talk to the admin department,” she offered her friend.
“Yes, I do. I’m willing to do any job,” she said.
“Fine, forward your resume to them.” They discussed the procedure of application, and finally, Eva disconnected the call after promising to see her soon.
Alyssa took the keys and unlocked the apartment. She switched off her phone, not wanting her parents or Nicholas to find her. Nicholas? Was she still hoping Nicholas would look for her? For the next two days, she led a lonely life locked inside the apartment.
The doorbell rang, and her heart constricted with fear. Who could it be? She peered through the keyhole to check. Seeing that it was Eva, she released the breath she was holding and opened the door.
“What happened to your phone? I tried calling you for two days,” she complained, entering the apartment.
“I didn’t want anyone to find me,” Alyssa mumbled.
“Anyone who? Nicholas?” she demanded, and Alyssa nodded.
“And my parents.”
“Nicholas can’t look for you. He’s at the hospital with ribcage injuries. Alexander beat him up three days ago when he returned from Singapore.” Alyssa slumped on the couch nearby, too shocked by the news. Now she realized why her brother had that determined look on his face that night.
“How do you know about it?”
“I called Sienna to invite her to my wedding, and she told me,” said Eva. Her brother’s behavior shattered Alyssa. Why did he have to attack Nicholas for such a petty thing?
“Okay, I don’t have much time. I just came to inform you they have selected you for an interview at Bellevue. Did you check your email?” she said. Alyssa switched on her mobile phone and froze seeing eight missed calls from her stepdad, two from her mom, and nearly thirty calls from an unknown number. Who could have called her? There was an email too from Bellevue stating that her interview was the next day.
“Be there fifteen minutes before time. I’ll see you tomorrow. Gotta go, bye,” said Eva, rushing out before Alyssa could ask her details about Nicholas. Her heart felt heavy hearing about Nicholas and she forgot her grievance against him. She stared at his number, wondering whether to call him.
The next day, the interview went well, and they selected her for the position. It helped improve her mood and went to see Eva in her department.
“Congratulations! I’m glad that you’re selected. We can meet for lunch whenever I’m free,” said Eva.
“Yeah, thanks, girl. I owe you a treat,” said Alyssa.
“Have you met Nicholas?” asked Eva, all of a sudden, and Alyssa shook her head.
“No, where is he admitted?”
“Here, in the orthopedic department. Come, I’ll take you to his room,” said Eva.