SOME THINGS ARE MEANT TO BE

CHAPTER 69

She entered a shop; this time, a restaurant. She wasn’t sure what position they were hiring. If they were willing to hire her, she was even willing to be a dishwasher.

“Are you hiring?” The weather might have been the reason why she sounded hoarse. She was so thin and fragile that the wind could easily blow her away.

“Are you willing to wait at tables?” She replied without looking up.

“Yes, I’m willing,” she said hastily. Her left hand might not be able to take the strain, but she could not think about it now.

“What is your name?” the person asked as she looked up. It was a woman, and she seemed to be doing some book-keeping. The restaurant was not big, but it had a distinguishing quality. It had a lot of customers that improved business. That was why it was hiring.

Julianna hesitated for a long time before replying softly, “My name is Julianna.”

The woman stood up immediately upon hearing her name. She approached and gave her a once-over. “Are you the same ‘Julianna’ who was recently on the newspaper for committing ....? Or, do you just share the same name?”

The picture in the newspaper was quite pixelated, but she could still see the similarities.

Julianna smiled bitterly. Indeed, this was a small world. Until recently, she had been a nobody. Yet, so many people knew her. She had become a celebrity; she should have no regrets in this life.

“We don’t want you. Leave.” The woman waved her hand. No one liked or dared to have this kind of woman.

Julianna smiled a desolate smile. It made one ache for her.

She gave a deep bow.

“Thank you.” Two words, nice and simple.

She turned around to leave; tears began to gather in her eyes.

“Wait.” Before her tears fell, the woman called out to her. “Never mind, forget about it. Stay. A woman should not make things difficult for another woman.”

Julianna covered her eyes with her hands. This time, she really started to cry.

Her eyes were smiling and—at the same time—crying.

She has finally found a job. She won’t starve to death. The small warehouse she was staying was a bit cold; however, it was her shelter. This was her first job.

Her day job was waiting tables. Every day after work, she would return with an aching arm. She continued to endure it. What else could she do if not to wait tables?

No job was too low as long as she could keep herself alive.

She had no wish to starve herself to death.

When she walked on the streets, there was no scandal of her or her photos in the newspaper. The world preferred new things to old ones, and there was another piece of news. She held the newspaper and read it. It was another woman in Diego’s arms—that woman was Ruby. They had an extravagant engagement party not long ago.

She put the newspaper down and blinked. For a moment, her eyes teared up upon reading about him. Her heart still ached for him.

She thought she might need a long time to get over him. There will be a day when she would forget totally about him.

She turned around and left. They belonged to two different worlds now, with no chance of meeting each other again

She came to a stop at the doorstep of a bridal shop. There was a huge, beautiful photograph hanging in the window, and she could recognize the people in it. It was a new one in replacement to the old one which had faded. So was her faded scarlet heart. Who would believe in forever love?

To think that he had declared he would love Diana till his death. He fell in love with another within one year.

Diego, oh, Diego. With her hands on the icy glass, her fingertips were so cold—her mouth a bitter taste.

Besides Diana, he could also be kind to another woman. The cruelty was only reserved for her. Love and cruelty could be this distinctive.

She turned away. The woman in the photograph smiled blissfully; she appeared to be happier than Diana, not to mention Julianna.

...

Maria sighed frequently in the Hanson villa. Another woman was here instead of her madam, and she was gone. She did not know if she was feeling sad. Where had her madam gone? She seemed to have vanished from the face of the earth without any news.

She stood from aside and stared. All of Madam’s clothes and things she had used were thrown away. Her belongings were getting lesser, one at a time. Perhaps in the near future, everyone would forget that a woman—who loved to cry—had once lived here.

...

Diego stood in the room as he felt an unexplainable feeling of emptiness. He had gotten rid of all of Julianna’s things. She had meant her word and took nothing from the Hanson family.

He took out a cigarette and squinted darkly at the wedding portrait hanging on the wall. This should be taken down too—not because he wasn’t in love with Diana. Diana would be buried deep within his heart while he would have a treasured wife.

The view in front of him was hazy; a face showing occasionally that he was deep in his thoughts. What was he emotional and sad about?

Maybe he wasn’t thinking, or maybe he didn’t know himself.

His staff acted quickly. The portrait on the wall had finally changed to the one of him and Ruby. Actually, he had many options for a newlywed bedroom; he did not have to choose this room. Surprisingly, he had not thought of any other places. In his mind, this was his home.

He was not sure if it was because there had been another woman here besides Diana.

He walked out. Very soon, there would be a female owner here; one whom he liked and not hated.

They were engaged. After what happened to Julianna, Ruby was now receiving well-wishes. Diego had promised to marry her in a grand ceremony, and he was true to his word. There was no negative news, and they were in bliss with envy.

The car came to a stop. Ruby’s arm was around Diego’s intimately. “Where are we going today?” She looked up, and her face no longer had the shyness she presented previously. Instead, it was a happiness that was evident to anyone who has seen her. Diego treated her very well and loved her, and she believed that she would be the happiest bride.

“What do you say? Anywhere you want.” Diego moved forward, his eyes straight ahead. He had no idea what he wanted to eat; he was hungry but did not have the appetite to think of any delicacy. His world seemed bright yet gray and hazy at the same time.

He was glancing around, searching subconsciously, not knowing what he was looking for.