90-Days Bride

Chapter 4: Shattered Beginnings

“Dad, Mom! You both promised me, you can't go back on your words.” a little boy said, folding his arms. “Moreover, it's my birthday today, I am finally five.”

“Aiden, how about we go tomorrow?” Nancy, his elder sister, coaxed.

Aiden frowned. “No!”

Mrs. Wilson sighed. “I am so tired, we can always eat out another time, and it looks like it's going to rain soon.”

“We have been busy all day, so we couldn't get to celebrate his birthday. A meal won't hurt, let's get ready” Mr. Wilson finally said.

“Yippee!” Little Aiden jumped happily, doing the victory dance.

Not long after they set out, everywhere became windy, and it started to rain just as Mrs. Wilson predicted.

“We would be there in less than fifteen minutes” Mr. Wilson said to his wife, who was looking worried as the rain became heavy.

A loud thunderclap struck, followed by a flash of lightning that illuminated the dark sky. “Let's park the car for a while,” Mrs. Wilson suggested to her husband, who nodded in response.

Mr. Wilson tried to stop the car, but the brakes wouldn’t respond. “What's going on? I feel uncomfortable” Mrs. Wilson complained as she rubbed her protruding belly.

Mr. Wilson took a deep breath. “The brakes are not working.”

They rammed into a pothole, and Mr. Wilson lost control of the steering.

“Daddy, I am scared” Nancy said, with Aiden sleeping soundly on her lap.

“Daddy would handle this.” Mr. Wilson said with shaky breaths. Just then, he noticed a coming vehicle, his eyes widened in fear as he marched the break repeatedly to no avail, the vehicles collided.

“No!!!!” Mrs. Wilson screamed as the car tumbled.

“What is happening?” Little Aiden, who just woke up due to the noise, said lowly.

Nancy held him close. “It's nothing.”

The car turned for a while before coming to a halt. Mrs. Wilson stared at her husband's lifeless body in horror. A searing pain tore through her abdomen, and looking down, her mouth went agape as blood streamed down her legs.

Glancing at her children in the back seat, her eyes caught Nancy, whose body had already been limped, but Aiden was okay, Nancy had shielded him with her body. “This is all your fault” Mrs. Wilson screamed, bitterness hitched in her voice. With a final glare, her eyes closed.

*****

Aiden gasped for air, his eyes snapping open. It had been thirty years, but that night still haunted him as if it had happened yesterday. If only he had listened, he tore his whole family apart.

He went to the bathroom and splashed water on his face. And that was it, once again, was going to stay up all night. A sigh escaped Aiden's lips as he walked to the balcony. “I guess this is the price I have to pay.”

*****

“Hey, what are you doing here?” Adeline asked, surprise laced in your voice.

“I just thought I’d stop by and check up on you.” Millicent said lowly.

Adeline's gaze softened. “Aww, that's so thoughtful of you. How did you know it was my break time?”

“Is that even a question? We live together!” Millicent said with a shrug. “Oh my goodness, I can't believe this…”

“What is it?” Adeline asked with concern, noticing Millicent change of expression. Tracing her gaze, Adeline's face turned sour.

“These two are so shameless, you just found out a few days, and now they are boldly flaunting their relationship” Millicent said angrily as she stared at Linda and Corey who were laughing like their life depended on it.

Millicent stood up, but Adeline stopped her. “I can't handle this, they need to be taught a lesson.”

“It's fine.”

“No, it's not. If they wanted to eat out, they could have gone to other restaurants. Why the restaurant where you work?” Millicent said with her fist clenched.

Adeline sighed. “Let's just eat.”

“Look who we have here.” a voice suddenly said, approaching their table, it was Linda. “Can I get a glass of water?”

Millicent shot up angrily. “When did it become the work of a chef to get orders?”

“Oh, I was not informed you got yourself a mouthpiece” Linda said with a small smirk.

Adeline signals Millicent to calm down, but she was not having it. A resounding slap landed on Linda's face. “How dare you show your bitchy face before us” Millicent yelled, drawing attention. She swung at Linda again, but someone caught her hand. It was Corey. In anger, she kicked him where the sun doesn't shine.

“This is all your fault” Linda screamed, grabbing Adeline's hair.

Adeline, who could no longer take it, grabbed the glass of water on the table, emptying it on Linda. And like that, a massive fight broke out with people trying to mediate their differences to no avail.

“What's going on here?” A high-pitched voice yelled. It was the manager. “Adeline, what has gotten into you? Look at the mess you caused” he screamed, pointing towards someone.

Adeline's eyes followed his hands, and her mouth widened as she saw a man dressed in a rich attire, drenched. “I didn't do that, did I?”

“No, I did it” the manager said sarcastically. “He is a high-profile customer, apologize immediately.”

“I am so sorry sir” Adeline apologized immediately.

“This doesn't happen normally, we are so sorry sir” the manager added quickly.

“I am sorry sir” Adeline apologized again when the man remained quiet, his expression unreadable.

“$2500” the man finally said. “That's the price for my laundry.”

Adeline's mouth went wide open. “$2500?”

“You can't afford it? You can as well kiss your job goodbye” the man said with a smirk.

Adeline's eyes widen in horror, same with Millicent.

A satisfactory smile graced Linda's lips as she helped Corey up. “Serves her right.”

“She is one of our best chefs. Sir Aiden, how about you reconsider?” the manager pleaded.

Aiden shot the manager a glare. Darting his eyes back to Adeline, who was looking so gobsmacked, he said. “Pay for my laundry or lose your job.”

Adeline stayed rooted to her spot, unable to form any words. Her heart pounded as she looked around, hoping for some sort of miracle. Whispers filled the restaurant, customers gawking at the unfolding drama. She clenched her fists, her mind racing, how had things spiraled out of control so quickly?

“I guess it's the latter. Terminate her employment.”