MY LOVE

Again!!!

Amanda immediately ran away, when the man walked up to her. Her breathing was labored and her heart beat twice as fast.

Luckily, a busway stopped in front of her. Quickly, Amanda ran to get on it.

Amanda adjusted her panting breath. Her head was suddenly dizzy, remembering the person she had met earlier.

"Ma'am, is it okay?" asked the man with glasses who sat in front of her. Amanda was currently standing in front of him, holding on to the handle grip.

In reply, Amanda just nodded and smiled sweetly.

"Want to sit down?" the man asked. But Amanda only replied with a shake. She was still strong enough to stand. Although her head felt increasingly dizzy.

Twenty minutes later, Amanda arrived at a bus stop close to her house. Amanda then got off, and walked a little running towards her house which was located in a housing complex.

***

The next day. Amanda and Panji, her coworker. Got the task to lead the launching event of a new instant food product, Tteokbokki, which comes from the Gingseng Country. Food World Company is always up to date with the current food hits, and Tteokbokki is one of the foods currently favored by young people, especially K-Pop and K-Drama fans.

"Amanda, are you ready? The press release starts in ten minutes," said a middle-aged woman who served as the marketing manager.

Amanda nodded her head with a smile. It had been one week since she had worked at Food World Company, and this was the first time she had performed her public relations duties. Of course Amanda's heart was pounding, because this was her first experience.

"Are you nervous, Nda?" asked Panji.

Amanda nodded, "This is my first experience, I'm afraid there will be mistakes," she said.

"Take it easy. This is not a thesis trial," Panji joked, making Amanda immediately chuckle.

"Does every new product launch always have a press conference?" asked Amanda.

"Yes. You know yourself, right? Food World Company is a very perfectionist company. Every time they launch a new product, they always hold an event like this.

That's why it's no wonder that all their products have successfully penetrated the international market," Panji explained.

Not long after, the company officials entered the press room and took their seats. Amanda and Panji then walked up to the stage and bowed to the company officials.

Soon, the event would begin. Amanda's heart was pounding when she saw the flashes of the camera lights that had begun to turn on. Recognizing Amanda's anxiety, Panji tapped Amanda lightly on the shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"The President Director isn't here yet?" asked a middle-aged woman who served as Marketing manager.

"The President Director is unable to attend. His son is sick," said the CEO.

Amanda and Panji just listened to their conversation. Unfortunately, the President Director could not attend this event. Amanda was very curious about the Chairman's face, which was always adored by her friends. Arumi always said that the Chairman's good looks beat the good looks of Korean artists. His face is perfect like a Greek God, and his body is dashing like a sports athlete.

***

The press conference went smoothly for an hour. All the company officials had left the room. That left Amanda, Panji and some other staff.

"Want to eat out, Nda?" offered Panji.

"Where?" asked Amanda.

"Aceh noodles in front of the office," Panji replied.

Amanda nodded. "That's fine. But I'll call Arumi first. She hasn't eaten yet," he said.

After calling Arumi, Amanda and Panji walked together out of the office to the Aceh noodle shop for lunch. Meanwhile, Arumi and Panji were still waiting for Reyhan who was going to the toilet. Maybe in five minutes, they would catch up with Amanda and Panji at the Aceh noodle shop.

"Fried rice or noodles, Nda?" asked Panji.

By now, they were both at the Aceh noodle shop which was very crowded.

"Just noodles." Amanda replied.

"Spicy?"

"No. I have an ulcer."

"Alright. You just sit down, let me order."

Not long after, Arumi and her two friends came over to Amanda who was sitting alone while playing with her cellphone.

"Hello Bro," greeted Reyhan as he hit the table hard, making Amanda jump in surprise.

"Oh my," Amanda muttered, stroking her chest.

"What a habit. Surprising people's children," Arumi annoyed, hitting Reyhan hard on the arm. Reyhan, meanwhile, just grinned as he showed the "Peace" sign on his hand.

"Have you ordered?" asked Amanda.

"Already. Panji ordered it," replied Arumi.

After waiting for fifteen minutes, their order finally arrived. But in the middle of enjoying their meal, Amanda suddenly got a phone call from her stepmother saying that her father had been rushed to the hospital after falling down the stairs.

"Guys, I'm going to the hospital first. My dad had an accident," Amanda said with a panicked look on her face.

"Oh my God! Be careful Nda," said Arumi who was also panicking.

"Should I take you?" asked Panji.

"No need. I'll just take an ojek," Amanda replied.

Amanda ran out of the shop to find an ojek. Her mind was already frantic thinking about how her father was doing. Although she rarely met her father, Amanda still loved him.

Her mother and father had been divorced since she was ten years old. As a result of her parents' divorce, Amanda grew up to be a child who lacked affection. She rarely met her mother and father, as she preferred to follow her grandparents. And since her grandparents died, Amanda chose to live at home alone.

Arriving at the hospital, Amanda immediately ran to the room where her father was being treated. Her stepmother was sitting in a chair with her arms folded across her chest.

Recognizing Amanda's presence, the woman immediately stood up and looked at Amanda with a fierce gaze.

"How is Dad, Auntie?" Amanda asked. She did not want to call the woman in front of her as Mom. The pain in her heart was still there, when she remembered her father's affair with this woman.

"Take care of it, your father! It's just difficult," the woman snapped, making Amanda

frowned in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Amanda asked.

"Your father fell because of his own carelessness. If he hadn't rushed down the stairs, it wouldn't have happened like this. If it's like this, who's the one who's bothered? Me, right? The hospital fees are expensive, not to mention the labor I have to take care of him every day. Fortunately, I still have a heart. If not? I would have left your father," the woman said, pouring out all her frustration.

Amanda sighed softly. This was not the time for her to argue with the woman. This was still the hospital, and Amanda didn't want to make a fool of herself, as she was a stickler for manners.

"Auntie, no one knows what a disaster is! If fate could choose, I wouldn't want to fall down the stairs either," Amanda replied, still trying to be patient.

"Halah, I don't want to know anyway! Take care of your father. You might as well pay for all the hospital fees."

Enough. Amanda's patience had run out. She would reply to the cruel words of the woman in front of her.

"Why should I? All this time, it's Auntie and Auntie's son who have been taken care of and paid for by Dad. Why did you give it to me when you were already sick? You can't do that. All this time, I have lived without the support and love of my parents, if you forget," Amanda replied. Making the woman immediately silent.

Everything Amanda said was indeed a fact. Never mind taking care of her, even her father never provided for her. All this time Amanda had been living off her grandparents' money. Because both of her biological parents were busy with their respective new families.

Shortly afterward, the woman left Amanda's presence without saying a word.

What an i***t. Amanda didn't care. Lingering with a crazy woman like her would only make Amanda more emotional.

Amanda peeked at her father from the window. The middle-aged man who had begun to reap was lying weakly on the bed. Amanda felt sorry for him, but if she remembered the crimes her father had committed, she wanted to scold him right now.

Not wanting to disturb her father who was fast asleep, Amanda chose to calm herself in the cafeteria.

While she was daydreaming and enjoying a glass of iced tea, a voice suddenly startled her.

"Amanda?"

Amanda turned around with a surprised look. She didn't expect to see the man again.

"Mr. Jeffrey?" murmured Amanda, her face still shocked.

.....

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