Chapter 8 Recognition

• Sia returned from her morning exercise around 7:30 and was dripping with sweat. She raced to her room to wash the beads of sweat off of her body.
• Before long, she crept out of the washroom and strode to her dresser where her body cream, oil, and the rest of her body routine were lined up.
• She settled on a seat and picked up her cream, pouring it on her left palm, she began rubbing it on her body.
• “You know how beautiful you’re my wife?”
• “Beautiful?”
• “Yes, look yourself in the mirror and tell me what you see?”
• “My reflection.”
• “Just that?”
• “Umm…well yes. Nothing else.”
• “Oh…my poor wife, look up again.” Her eyes trained on the mirror and he smiled. His smile fanned her earlobe as he leaned closer to her.
• “The girl you’re seeing is the most beautiful woman on earth. She’s not only beautiful on the outside but she’s also beautiful on the inside.”
• “Are you teasing me now, Mr. Monson?”
• “Not at all wifey. I’m being honest. You’re an angel.”
• She grinned at his words and he leaned in and kiss her cheeks.
• Sia remembered how Mr. Monson showered her with morning praises whenever she settle on the dresser to rub her cream.
• He was a nice and considerate man. A man who deserves loves but it was so unfortunate Sia had built a wall around her heart. Her experience with Lucas changed her and she can’t let her guard down again.
• Sia returned all his nice gestures but never loved him. She never felt a tinge of affection for Mr. Monson.
• In truth, Sia never opened up to him. She bottled up her past experiences to herself except for matters related to her family of which Mr. Monson hired someone to sleuth around and uncover those responsible for her mother’s death.
• Speaking of which, Sia clutched her phone immediately after these thoughts rolled through her mind.
• “That Raymond guy! It’s been a while since I last heard from him. I wonder if he has uncovered anything so far?’ her voice was slightly above a whisper.
• Sia sifted through her contact list searching for the name, Raymond. When she stumbled on it, she speed-dialed the number. The phone rang but the person didn’t pick up.
• She rolled her eyes, exasperated, she needs to know if there was any update so far regarding the arson and her mother’s death.
• She called four times but the person didn’t pick up. Sia threw the phone on her bed and moved to the adjoining door in her room which is her boudoir.
• She crept into it and her eyes scanned the room filled with her clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry, just anything that a woman uses to accentuate her looks.
• She strolled to one of the racks and sifted through the simple sundresses there, looking for the one that would delectate her eyes.
• Finally, she tumbled on a white mid-thigh sundress decked with flowers on the rim. She hefted the dress and flipped it around to examine it. It soothes her taste, hence she doff the hanger off the cloth and gravitated back into her room where she fitted on it and peeked at herself in the mirror.
• “Perfect.” She worded.
• She picked up her phone, dashed off the room, and descended the stairs.
• “Your breakfast’s ready, Mrs. Monson.” Michelle herald and Sia nodded wording a “thank you to her.”
• She settled on the seat in the dining. The bright morning sun was stalking in through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows of the dining that’s overlooking the well-manicured garden.
• Michelle served a full plate of omelet paired with sausage potato hash and orange juice.
• “Hmmm.” Sia whiffed at the piercing aroma of the food that crossed her nose. “Omelet. Thank you, Ms. Michelle.” She appreciated.
• “My pleasure,” Michelle responded as she continued to slice some mango fruit for Sia.
• “When will you start working at the Monson group?” Michelle said, quizzically. Throwing glances at Sia.
• Both of them do get along as Sia takes Michelle as her nanny Celine. Ever since she stepped into the Monson villa, Michelle loved, cared and served her with her heart. Hence Sia began to cooperate with her.
• In fact, Michelle turned to her mother with a twinkle of an eye that she usually reprimands Sia whenever she overworks herself, especially when she returns back from California.
• Grinding the mouthful of omelet stuffed in her mouth, Sia worded, hoarsely, “I don’t know yet. I’ve got a few things to attend to. Once that’s cleared I’ll start work.”
• Michelle chuckled, “I know it’s going to be really stressful for you. I wish I could help out. Maybe work there with you, don’t you think?” She reasoned.
• Her words made Sia burst into laughter.
• “Michelle, should I snake into your tummy so you could rebirth me?” Sia cocked her head aside and asked. Brows arched.
• “No!! That’s not what I mean. Psst…you got that wrong Sia.” Michelle whined.
• “That’s clearly what you’re doing!?”
• “Not that, Sia. I just...” Michelle paused, sighs, and sagged her shoulders. “I want to ensure you’re good. And I’m also trying to keep my promise to Mr. Monson.” Michelle spouted, making Sia remember how Monson warmed Michelle to take care of her.
• The first time Mr. Monson brought Sia to the villa. He stood erect on the stairs and Sia was beside him as he impetuously called on Michelle.
• Hearing her name, Michelle ran outside and greeted Monson in a huff as her eyes gravitated to Sia, who was beside Monson.
• “Michelle, I need you to promise me one thing.”
• “Anything Mr. Monson.”
• “Always take care of Sia. She’s my soon-to-be wife. Whether I’m there or not, you'll fend for her and ensure she doesn’t stress herself.”
• Hearing that Sia is Monson’s soon-to-be wife, Michelle flared up in ecstasy and promised to care for Sia.
• “I’ll do as you wish, Mr. Monson.” She bowed and locked eyes with Sia. Then she smiled.
• Sia gushed air from her mouth and sighed. She knows Michelle is doing her job, fulfilling her promise to Mr. Monson so she can’t fault her.
• The corner of her eyes crinkled as a smile escaped her lips, “I know Michelle but you can’t split yourself into two, can you? You’re handling the domestic chores here along with other servants, therefore you can’t work with me at the office too. Don’t concern yourself with me, I’ll hire an assistant once I start.”
• Michelle threw her a glance, quirked her brows, and ask, “are you sure?”
• “Definitely Michelle. It’s the first thing I’ll do.”
• “Let me take your word for it then…”
• Sia’s phone rang, disrupting their conversation. She hefted the phone and glanced at the screen. Raymond flashed on it and Sia excused herself before picking up the call.
• “Mrs. Monson, I missed your call.” Said the person from the other end.
• “That’s okay, any update? Meet me at the nearby park let’s discuss.” She said, listlessly.
• “Alright, Mrs. Monson.” Came the voice. After fixing their tryst time, Sia cut the call.
• By that time, Michelle was already headed to the kitchen. Sia gobbled up her food and trailed up to her room where she gathered her bag and flip-flop. She fitted into the flip-flop, clutch her bag, and headed out.
• The driver drove her to the park. Sia alighted and looked for a bleacher where she could sit down.
• Sitting down with her phone clutched tightly in her hands, Sia began scrolling through her social media platforms watching videos as she lay in wait for Raymond.
• Sia started bawling when she stumbled on a soul-stirring video of a girl who got saved from an accident by the boy who was crushing on her but got rejected the very moment he confessed his feeling.
• At the point the girl wanted to runaway from the spot, she trailed in the middle of the road but was heedless of the fast-moving truck zooming towards her.
• Just as the car was about to hit the girl, the boy pushed her forward and ended up being hit by the truck. He instantly died.
• At that point, the girl began to cry and purged her feelings as they took him to the hospital.
• Meanwhile, Sia was snapped out of her pool of emotion when she heard someone’s voice in front of her.
• “Are you crying, missy? Big lady is crying!?” Sia looked up and saw a little girl standing in front of her. Horror look plastered on her face.
• The girl was staring pointedly at her as she was intensely surprised.
• “Does a big lady cry!?” asked the little girl.
• A fleeting smile creased Sia’s face when she heard the little girl’s question. She dried the tears effusing from her eyes and trailed her eyes to the girl.
• “Girl!! Yes, a big lady cries.” She responded smiles etched on her face.
• “Omigodddd…our chaperone told us, big ladies don’t cry! So we won’t cry when we grow up!” she drawled and shrugged. Gobsmacked by this discovery.
• “Hahaha…really she told you that?” Sia asked amidst laughter.
• “Yes!!” the girl affirmed. “she said, we only cry because we are small like a kitten. But when I become like you…” she pointed at Sia, “I won’t cry anymore.” The girl rambled, making Sia laugh more.
• She’s smitten by the girl’s boldness in defending her words. Sia’s heart leaped with joy. She traced her fingers on the girl’s face and simpered.
• “So you want to be bigggg…like me?” she asked and the girl vigorously nodded.
• “Wow! I like that. Don’t worry, when you become bigggg…like me, you won’t cry anymore. Okay?”
• “Yayyyyy!!!” the girl shook her head, joyously.
• Sia opened her mouth in glee at the happiness bubbling inside the little girl because she wants to grow up and stop crying.
• “What’s your name little one?” Sia asked, ruffling the girl’s hair.
• “I…I don’t tell strangers my name.” she blurted, making Sia stare in shock.
• “Are you serious?” she asked and the girl unashamedly nodded.
• “Okay…then let’s be friends? How about that?” she asked.
• The girl sighed, her brows sagged, “I don’t do friends again. Since Abbey stopped talking to me this morning I don’t wish to do friends again.” The girl confessed, looking grim.
• “Why doesn’t Abbey want to talk to you again? Did you hurt her?”
• “I don’t know. Maybe because…I didn’t give her my milkshake and candies.” She shrugged.
• “Oh, dear. You should’ve given her a little.”
• “But our chaperone said to eat all. She said to eat all.” She defended herself, instantly.
• “And who's your chaperone let me talk to her and Abbey for you.”
• “Yay!!!” she exclaimed, darting her eyes around in search of their chaperone. “She’s…” she kept pointing around until she spotted their chaperone.
• “Look, she’s over there!!” she pointed at the woman who stood slanted a few centimeters away from them whilst talking to a few other little kids.
• Immediately, Sia rose from her seat, her eyes glued to the woman as shivers of shock washed through her.
• “Ms. Celine!?” she exclaimed.