THE b***h

Chapter Two: WELCOME TO THE PRESENT

The alarm ringed,the door bell too,all at the same time. Miss Han, s right hand went to her head,she gripped her forehead and pressed harder,the headache was intense and she was tired,her left hand went to the alarm,she banged at it twice,until it fell off and continued to ring even louder,as if protesting.

"Wake up" Mikayla called,she squinted,seeing her manager,she grunted.. "Wake up,or you will be late for the photo shoot "

She grumbled and sat up, yawning and stretching her hands.

"What time is it?" She asked,still yawning.

"Time to stand up and get ready for work" Mikayla snapped.

"Two million SGDs(Singapore dollar) is missing from the accounts?" Mikayla said,as she stared at the tablet in front of her,miss Han stood at the mirror close to the bathroom door, arranging her hair. "Madame,what did you do?,why is two million dollars,missing from the accounts?" Mikayla asked,hands akimbo, glaring.

"Jeez,why are you glaring at me like that?" Miss Han demanded defensively, turning to her.

"What happened to the two million,what did you spend it on?,clothes? shoes? bags?,is it a facial treatment?,don't tell me you invested again??"

"Whoa,I am not like that,you know me" She said.

"No" Mikayla replied sullenly.

"I invested the money in Crypto currency"

"What???" she yelled. "What sought of a fool invests in crypto in this time and age?"

"The fool with a manager like you"

"I didn't mean it like that,I was just shocked that you would do something like that"

"We don't have a problem,besides we are making more money,I am still one of the popular models in Singapore" Miss Han replied,smiling to her self,she brushed her hair with her hands, admiring her perfect body in the mirror

"I am not sure" Mikayla said.

"Pardon?"

"Last month,you lost a total of five million dollars,and now you just lost two million,we aren't save"

Miss Han chortled. "What is there that you can't fix, hurry up and fix it,I can't even think that I will be losing everything"

"It,s not as easy as you say it is, Diana,we aren't on the safe side"

"Then put us back,yes,back on the safe side,that,s your job,manager,I don't have to remind you".

Sitting at the back seat of a really expensive Mercedes Benz model, watching as Mikayla drove around, Diana just looked out at the beautiful streets of Singapore.

Mikayla swerved and she almost got her head crushed on the window.

"What was that for?" She demanded.

"Sorry" Mikayla muttered. Diana scoffed, knowing it was her revenge on her for talking rudely to her earlier and she wasn't going to apologize either.

When they arrived, Mikayla slowed down a bit,and parked at the park area,she turned to Diana after turning off the car,s engine.

"I need to leave for somewhere,I hope you can handle everything without me"

"What?"

"I need to go to the bank,can you do without me?

"Pardon?,what are you that I can't do without?"

"Just asking, hearing you right now,I can say you have drastically changed since this morning,you are being so mature now"

"What......, what did you say?" Diana sputtered,but she was getting out and didn't pay attention to her.

"Hello Miss Esther" Mikayla smiled to Esther and they hugged,while Diana stepped out of the car.

"Auntie" She smiled, calling her *auntie* as a sign of respect.

"Diana"

"How are you?"

"Bad,I was mad at Mikayla for not giving me your contact last time,and I told everyone at the office that either you or no one else for this product advert"

"I am impressed,that you could go all that way for me"

"Certainly dear,now let's go out and show everyone what you have got"

"Miss,you really have flawless skin" The assistant make up artist commented as Diana was being applied makeup on.

"Which cream do you use?" Another lady asked, everyone was looking,to hear her answer,but she wasn't ready to.

"Leave her alone,will you?"Aunty Esther cut in,and winked at her. "If you trouble her so much,I am afraid she will cancel the shoot"

"What?,why will I , aunty,do that to you?" Diana flushed.

"Oh, Diana you are so kind" She smiled.

"Francis!" The photographer called to the make up artist

"Her neck must be bare" He said.

"Why?" Aunty Esther asked,her face questioning. "Why,look how good that pearl necklace looks on her"

"I didn't notice it" The make up artist was astonished.. "Is it real?"

"Are you blind,it,s so real I can spot it's originality from here" Aunty Esther scowled. she was standing two metres away from Diana .

Diana flashed out a smile.

"Oh!!,did you see her smile!!" Aunty Esther clapped. "It,s like that of an angel,do continue to smile like this, Diana"

They was a huge talk about how beautiful Diana,s pearl necklace looked on her for the rest of the shoot and Diana had to take some pictures of herself and post it online, glad despite the fact that she was still scared about her current financal situation.

Mikayla was absent for the rest of the shoot, even after almost everyone left, Mikayla didn't come,Diana had to wait outside of the hotel,unsure of what to do next,pondering about how to solve her financial problems.

"Is Mikayla running late?" Aunty Esther asked,as she walked closer to the car park after the shoot,to find Diana standing idly at the pavement.

"Guess so" She faked a grin.

"You aren't going to wait for her,are you?,that young woman must be crazy for keeping you waiting"

"I have no choice"

"Are you free this evening?"

"Huh?"

"I was wondering if you could go out with me"

"What?"

"The Chua,s are hosting a dinner party this evening,and I am going alone,do you want to join me?"

"Anything for you, Aunty Esther"

"I have got two access cards,you can have the other" She gave a warm smile, handling her the card.

An Uber stopped Infront of the ladies and they both looked at each other.

"I guess that's my ride"

With how little Miss Han,s time was now,she tried calling Mikayla to help her prepare for her evening dinner party,but she was directed to voice mail each time.

"Mikayla,I have got news" she said after the voice mail. "I have a party with Aunty Esther,I need some things,pls help me out here".

Careful not to show how happy she was,she wasn't going to act as if she longed for it,longed to be invited to one of the biggest dinner parties in Singapore. It would really embarass her to have to act that way,though living in this country of her dreams for four years now,she still felt strange,like a fish out of water,she didn't belong here and she knew it, she knew that It won't be long that she would face rejection upon coming here,but she wasn't afraid of it,afraid of participating in the model competition and beating all those girls,what she was more afraid of,was losing all she now have.

The cashier glanced at Diana,as she tried the card again,her eyes looking expectantly at the machine, begging it,to save her the embarrassment by just approving the damn payment.

The machine denied the card again.

"I guess it must be bad network" she chuckled,a bit agitated. "try this one" she handed the cashier another card,and she hesitated before taking it.

"Excuse me" Diana said,as the machine denied the fourth card again,and walked to a side to call Mikayla.

"Dear customer,the number you are calling is switched off".

"Damn!!,you b***h!!" She cursed, gritting her teeth and at the same time controlling her voice,she noticed some people watching her.

How could she leave the mall with all these eyes on her,how would she be able to leave all she had bought.

She walked to the counter and picked up the shopping bag, quietly she took out the stiletto heel,it didn't cost much,but it was beautiful, she couldn't take any other,they were too expensive and the cash she had wouldn't be enough for any other item than that heel,so she paid,and walked out, head up,she wasn't going to stoop low,not for anyone.

She picked out a dress after an hour of indecision,she had never felt that way before,she was always so detailed about what she wore,they were like her idols.

Aunty Esther didn't send the address as she had expected,instead she came to pick her up.

"You have really changed, Diana" Aunty Esther said, when she spotted Diana coming out of the house. "You were always very punctual" She chuckled putting a stress on the word *very*.

"Auntie...." Diana laughed,feeling her anxiety ceased. "What you meant is that I am looking my worst"

"Look at you,what do you know?,you look very beautiful"

"Are you just flattering me,I look like a beggar"

"Don't be silly and let's go,go and crash that party"

"What,s gotten into you?" Diana shifted,a bit embarassed.