Chapter 33 Remorse

• “Omigod, what brought you here, girl?” Sia asked as she shooed Estrella to the dining.
• “I came to see you. Is that bad?” Estrella pouted as she sank into the seat.
• Liam instantly greeted Estrella.
• “Good morning ma’am.”
• Estrella eyed him and a smile peeled from her lips. She sprang her head to Sia and asked,
• “New chick? Omigod…you didn’t mention him to me, girl. He looks handsome.”
• Hearing Estrella’s words made a blush to creep to Liam’s face. He felt his face hitting up and he knows he must be looking like a rose this minute.
• Sia shook her head and waved her hands.
• “No!” she gushed, pushing her lower lip out, staring at Estrella in disbelief.
• “What do you mean by no!” Estrella whined.
• “Um…ma’am. I'll be on my way now.” Liam shyly stood up and spat.
• He wants to go away and not hear what they are about to gossip.
• “Alright. No dereliction of duty. No mistakes allowed in this assignment, remember that.” Sia spewed and Liam acknowledged before taking his leave.
• “Gosh his hot!” Estrella stared at his ebbing figure and snapped
• “I thought you’re engaged Estrella?” Sia shouted, pulling Estrella’s mind back.
• “Yes, of course I am. I’m just checking him out for you.” She giggled. “ I’m going to check his profile on snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok and see if he’s really worthy of you.” Estrella rambled, spearing the meat with her folk and shoving it into her mouth.
• “What!? Are you seriously kidding me?” Sia asked, not believing her friends words.
• “Oh, c'mon Sia, are you going to be like this forever?”
• “I’m a married woman Estrella and besides the guy is just my assistant.” Sia galed.
• “Wow…quite too hot for an assistant role.” Estrella gushed, chewing the meat in her mouth.
• “What!? Shit Estrella. My mind have never crossed to such distance yours have this minute. I don’t even feel an ounce of attraction to him, so please cut it off.” Sia rolled her eyes and spat.
• “Okay, you don’t feel any attraction towards him, fine. But have you tried anyone else?” Estrella asked with a tilt of her head.
• “Gosh girl. Have you forgotten I’m a widow? I can’t possibly have another man…”
• “Oh, silly! You’re a widow Sia which means you can have any man you want. Your husband is dead and that makes you free to mingle with another man.”
• “I’m not sure I can.” Sia said rolling her eyes.
• “What!? Tell me you’re fucking joking girl. How will you stay forever without a good sex? Jeez, I fucking can’t.” Estrella dropped the fork in her hand and tucked the strand of her behind her ear.
• “You need to keep refreshing your skin with a good sex, babe. Seriously.” Estrella continued.
• “Am I not fresh enough?” Sia scowled.
• “Not like you ain’t fresh but you know what a sperm does in a woman’s body. You should have sex. Good sex girl.”
• “Hell no, I’m a widow.”
• “Wait a minute. How have you be pleasing your urge all these while?” Estrella inched closer and ask.
• “I masturbate. Easiest way out.” Sia said with a shrug.
• “What you…masturbate? Hell girl. Still it’s not as good as sex. It seems I’m going to arrange a gigolo for you. I need some to ram you and fucking make you feel good.” She joked and they both brushed into laughter.
• “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
• “Seriously girl , you need to fuck. I’m so enjoying Ethan’s dick. He’s super good in it.” Estrella rambled.
• Chuckling, Sia spat, “you should he's your man after all. Have you guys fixed a date yet for your wedding?”
• “Not yet. Still deliberating when would be perfect.”
• “Oh, I see…”
• “Want us to go for a makeover. Need to trim my hair it’s way too long now.” Estrella sputtered.
• “Actually wanted to go too. So, it’s cool if we go together.”
• They finished their food in silence. Afterward, Sia got a hold of her bag and they both headed outside the house. Estrella drove in her car while Sia’s driver Mark, drove her too.
• They arrived at a famous salon in the city and settled for a makeover.
• They both sat bedside each other as the stylist redid their hair.
• Meanwhile, Sia’s phone rang and she picked it up in a haste.
• “Hello, who's this?” She asked.
• “Sia, can you hear me out now?” Lucas’s voice pealed.
• Sia stiffened instantly, not saying a word on the phone. Estrella’s instinct told her that Lucas must be the one calling.
• Seeing how Sia’s face blanched, Estrella concluded she made a huge mistake giving Lucas Sia’s number.
• ‘She doesn’t want to talk to him. I shouldn’t have agreed to give him her number. Shit!’ Estrella rambled inwardly.
• “I told you not to call me! Don’t ever call me again!” Sia barked and hung down the call. She shuffled her eyes to Estrella and she gagged.
• “Lucas knows no one that could have given him my number except you…tell me the truth Estrella. Did you give Lucas my number?” Sia held Estrella’s gaze and asked.
• Estrella gagged, slowly she nodded.
• “Yes, I’m sorry girlfriend. He was choking me, making me restless and I had to give it to him. I’m deeply sorry for doing that.” She pouted.
• “Next time, before you do such get in touch with me first. Otherwise you’ll bear the consequences.” Sia said coldly.
• “Sure girlfriend. It won’t happen again.”
• Silence ensued for a short while but Sia’s mind was in a spiral about all the steps she wants to take in carrying out her plan. A part of her wants to stop and pity Lucas while the other wants to make him pay gravely.
• Estrella noticed how Sia’s mind roved with thoughts and she spoke up.
• “Hey girl, you know you always have me to rely on. We are friends and friends share each other’s burden. Sia you can talk to me if there’s anything bothering you. You can share your problems with me.”
• Sia stole glances at her, not spewing a thing.
• However, when they finished with the makeover Sia suggested they head to the cave restaurant and have their lunch.
• “Wow. This place is really nice!” Estrella commented when they walked into the restaurant. The chief chef already knows Sia and her identity which he kept hidden.
• He approached them with smiles on his face.
• “Welcome to ‘Anything For Macalista.’ Please place your orders ma’am.” He handed them the menu and Sia smiled.
• “You’re doing great, Amos. Keep it up.” Sia acknowledge.
• They placed their order and Amos left to bring it to them.
• “Gosh. I still can’t believe you own this place, Sia.” Estrella whispered.
• “That’s what my husband gave me as a gift on my twenty fifth birthday. I once told him my mother loves cooking and wanted to own a restaurant like this. I never had any idea that he took it upon himself to build this place as a gift in commemorating my mother.” Sia said, grinning.
• “He was a wonderful man.” Estrella commented. “That’s means it’s named after your mother?”
• “Yes, Macalista is my last name.” Sia shrugged.
• Estrella was becoming more curious about Sia. However, her curiosity barely hid itself on her face.
• “I know you’re wondering what my relationship with Lucas was.” Sia began. She locked her eyes with Estrella’s.
• “It’s okay if you don’t want to discuss about it…”
• “He’s my ex boyfriend. We’ve known each for the past Six years.” Sia said, cutting Estrella off.
• “Really?” Smacking her lips, Estrella asked.
• “We loved each other. Stayed together. Did everything lovers did. He was my lover then. He was my source of joy. He held my heart.” Sia said with a heavy breath.
• “What then happened between you two?” Estrella asked, becoming more intrigued.
• Sighs, Sia gushed, “We were everything until the day he said it was over, that everything was a game.”
• “What? A game? He played you? Your feelings?” Estrella’s forehead creased in a frown.
• “He said he wagered with his friends to date me. So it was all a game. I was the foolish one doting on him.” A tear slipped from Sia’s eyes when the past memories flickered in her head. She quickly brushed it off with her handkerchief.
• “I’m so sorry about this girlfriend. I never knew Lucas could be this evil. He…doesn’t deserve any forgiveness. It’s very bad to play with someone’s feeling. God, I can’t imagine what will happen to me if ever I find myself in such a situation. How were you able to love your husband because I know such a thing will make you give up in love.” Estrella rambled.
• However, Amos already arrived with their food and set it on the table. He opened the wine and poured it in the glasses.
• “Please enjoy your meal.” He bowed and left.
• “I never loved him.” Sia said truthfully, stuffing the spaghetti into her mouth. She picked the towel and wiped the corner of her lip before speaking again.
• “Since that happened, I built a wall in my heart and decided never to open up to another man again. My husband was the one doting on me.”
• “Shit!! That’s very bad.” Estrella cursed, annoyed.
• “I’m not sure I can ever forgive Lucas Evangelista. He shattered my heart. I loved him but he never loved him rather I was just a toy to him.” Sia said bitterly.
• Estrella trailed her hand on Sia’s and tightened her grip on her.
• “I can never believe you passed through this years back. You’ve every reason to resent him. Despise him. But girlfriend, you can’t hold onto the past forever. Now you have your life together. Forget about it and move on with your life.”
• Hearing this, Sia chortled, sniveling.
• “I wish it’s that easy Estrella. Many shits happened. My past was full of gory stories and scenes. If I begin to tell you all of it, you can’t control the tears that will pull from your eye duct. I wish it’s all something I can forget in hurry.” Sia grinned bitterly.
• “You won’t understand Estrella. Just know that I can’t easily forgive him.”
• “What if he said that for a reason?” Estrella suddenly blurted before she could process the question in her head.
• She closed her hand on her lips reflexively.
• “Reason?” Sia asked.
• “Oh, don’t mind me girl. Let’s continue with our food.” Estrella said, diverting to another subject.
• Sia shrugged and gently ate her food but then someone clapped behind Estrella. Sia looked over Estrella’s shoulder and the latter veered her head backward.
• Their eyes met with Danika’s who stood with Isabel.
• “Look who we have here.” Danika strode toward Sia, grinning devilishly. “The slum girl.” She said coldly.