Chapter 7 Ending It All
927 Words
After breakfast, villagers started coming to my yard one by one, trying to get close to me. Some even came to apologize.
The little girl who stole the tomatoes was named Mary, and her mother, Delilah, came over, looking ashamed. "We picked the vegetables from the yard and threw away the dollars. The vegetables smelled so good... At first, we were afraid they were poisonous, but now we know that was just a silly rumor."
I graciously accepted their apology. "It's alright. After all, I'm new here, and you didn't know me. Let's get along from now on!"
Through the crowd, I noticed Olivia glaring at me, her eyes filled with jealousy and hatred, just like how Kaitlyn used to look at me.
I knew I needed to find a job soon. Even though I picked up quite a bit of cash from the yard today, it was only enough to cover one month's living expenses. After paying for utilities, I wouldn't even have money left for basic necessities. A stable income was becoming urgent.
In this remote Harbor Town, my options seemed limited. Other than waiting tables, there wasn't much else I could do.
So, I put on the last decent outfit I had and headed to the town's café to apply for a waitress position.
I wore a simple blue dress paired with an off-white scarf, my hair casually tied up. Maybe it was the fresh vegetables I'd been eating lately, but I looked vibrant and received several admiring glances along the way.
The interview went smoothly. My communication skills seemed to impress the interviewer.
"Alice, you've got great potential. We'll notify you of our decision in a few days," the interviewer said with a smile.
I left the café full of hope, but after five days passed with no response, I went back to check. I was told the position had already been filled.
"Are you kidding me?" I muttered under my breath, walking out of the café feeling frustrated.
Undeterred, I continued sending out resumes. This time, I applied for a cashier position at a local supermarket.
Halfway through the interview, the interviewer suddenly leaned in closer, his eyes roaming over me in a way that made my skin crawl.
"Alice, you've got quite the figure," he said, his voice thick with sleaze. "How about we grab dinner tonight?"
I glared at him coldly. "Sorry, not interested."
As I got up to leave, he grabbed my wrist.
"Don't rush off. We can talk some more," he said, his hand creeping up my arm, down to my waist, and then trying to slip down my skirt.
I felt a wave of nausea and goosebumps spreading from where he touched me. I yanked my hand away and snapped, "Let go of me, you bastard! If you touch me again, I'll call the police!"
Without looking back, I stormed out of the supermarket, furious and humiliated.
After repeated setbacks, I started longing for the days when I was just a housewife, questioning whether I was even cut out for work.
"Maybe I'm just not meant for this," I sighed, sitting by the sea, watching the waves sparkle in the distance. I felt completely lost.
Just then, I noticed a news report playing in a restaurant nearby. The report mentioned a spike in vegetable prices at local supermarkets, along with complaints about declining quality.
That was when it hit me. 'I have those incredible, healthy vegetables grown with my magical liquid. Now that I'd made peace with the villagers, maybe it is time to officially start selling them!'
Just as I was beginning to feel hopeful again, Olivia appeared. She walked over with a smirk, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Alice, are you here to jump into the ocean? Thinking of ending it all?"
"I'm just thinking about some things," I replied calmly.
"Oh? What kind of things?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe plotting how to steal Ryan away again?"
I didn't feel like arguing with her, so I changed the subject. "I haven't asked you yet. How did you get out of your lawsuit? Did the police let you off that easily?"
Olivia smiled smugly. "As long as Amanda dropped the charges, I was free. Besides, Ryan and I have been getting closer lately."
It was obvious that everything Olivia did revolved around Ryan. Apparently, her animosity toward me wasn't just because of Kaitlyn's influence. She had a crush on Ryan too!
'The thing is, Ryan and I have nothing going on. She doesn't even know I'm his ex-wife. It's just a misunderstanding.'
I suppressed my anger. "Well, congratulations then."
"You bet!" Olivia said proudly. "I'm the best beautician in town, and Ryan will eventually realize how amazing I am!"
"That's your business," I replied icily, turning to leave without giving her another glance.
Olivia didn't seem to notice my indifference and continued talking, "You think you can make it here on your own? Let me tell you something. If you've been having trouble finding a job, it's because Isabella's been making sure of it! If you stop seeing Ryan, I'll tell you how to handle her."
I turned around, staring at her in shock.
I had suspected something was off in this town like there was someone deliberately working against me. At first, I thought it was just because they didn't welcome outsiders. But now it made sense. 'It's Isabella Olivia is talking about who's causing trouble! But who is she? Why would she have it out for me? Do I even know her?'
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