CHAPTER 19
1394 Words
Somewhere in London…
A man said “It’s not yet time for me to intervene. Shut it! None of this would happen if your troops aren’t stupid dipsticks!” He dropped the call and massaged his temples.
‘Things are getting out of hand. I have to think of a plan.’ This thought ran through his head as he drew a deep breath out of frustration.
It was a very ordinary Saturday morning in Hounslow. Bridgette was busy with house chores while singing and dancing. Earphones plugged in, and at full volume, she listened to music on her phone. She’s only in her pink oversized T-shirt and skimpy shorts. To save time, she opted to wear her hair in an unkempt bun. Late last night, she stayed up late, and thus she got up late as well.
“I’m a simple girl, in my own little world, and I love my life, lo and behold! He came and said hello and my whole world changed”. She was swaying her hips and using the handle of the mop as her microphone. She was so engrossed with what she was doing that she didn’t notice Troy’s presence.
Troy leaned against the kitchen wall and watched her with enjoyment. She could see her perfect curves beneath the thin fabric of her shirt as she bent her body back and forth to mop.
When Bridgette turned her body facing the kitchen door, she was greeted by a giggling handsome man wearing a white tee, acid-washed jeans, and white sneakers. She hid behind the kitchen counter in embarrassment since she was so surprised to see him.
Troy let out a hearty laugh. “Babe, why are you hiding there? I love your little performance. Come out,” he teased.
She annoyingly responded, “Why didn’t you call before going here? I look like a mess! I haven’t even showered yet!”
Troy chuckled a bit before walking towards her. He knelt and cupped her face so she’ll look at him. Her eyes tried to avoid his gaze but failed. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead and neck but she still smelled nice. “A beautiful mess, my love,” Troy softly mumbled and planted a kiss on her lips.
Bridgette was unable to respond to Troy's kiss as it became more intense. Her back was supported by Troy's right arm as his left hand dragged the hem of her oversized shirt's neckline down with ease. Their kiss was interrupted when Bridgette’s hand slipped against the wet floor.
They laughed in unison with what happened. Bridgette stood up and fixed herself. “What are you doing here anyway?”
“I came here to take you out. Come on, the weather is too good to stay indoors.” Troy took Bridgette’s hand and squeezed it gently as he convinced her. He even made a big puppy dog eyes in front of her which she found cute with the way she giggled.
“Aite. Let me just take a quick shower,” she finally agreed. Troy gave her a quick peck on the cheek before she ran upstairs.
After thirty minutes, she went downstairs wearing a plain, powder-blue tee, tattered jeans, and flats. She tied her hair in a ponytail and placed her sunglasses on top of her head.
“Gorgeous.” Troy’s eyes were filled with admiration for her lady.
“Oh stop,” Bridgette said and blushed.
“You’re getting shirty, let’s go. Haha!” Troy kept on teasing her as they left the house. They drove a few blocks away from Bridgette’s house before reaching a busy street with several storefronts.
They got out of the car and started walking along the main street of Hounslow. Bridgette clung on Troy’s arm. Her eyes feasted on the sight of several clothing shops along the way. She couldn’t help but lean on the glass and stare at the clothes displayed for a few minutes.
“You missed your shop?” Troy interrupted her thoughts when they stopped to look at a boutique selling gowns.
She sighed and nodded. Her eyes were filled with sadness. She knew she’ll never have another store like that again in Westminster because she spent every penny she has already. Defeated, she continued to walk. Suddenly, Troy covered her eyes.
“Hey! What are you doing?!” she said while struggling to pull his hands away from her eyes.
He leaned in so close to her and whispered in her ear.“Just walk,” causing a chill down her spine.She wasn’t fond of surprises but when Troy came into her life, everyday was filled with bewilderment.
After a few struggling steps, Troy made her stop walking and removed his hands covering her vision. They were standing in front of a modern-looking boutique with a signage named Sweet Mémoire.
With eyes wide open, she gasped as she saw the exterior design of the shop. It’s the prettiest boutique she’d ever laid eyes upon.
“Did you like it?” Troy asked as he put his hands on top of her shoulders.
Bridgette turned to face him. He saw the curious look in her eyes. “Well, it’s beautiful. But why are you showing me this?”
His face lit up when he answered, “it’s yours, from now on.”
She was too stunned to speak afterwards. Tears started flowing from her eyes. She hugged him tightly and cried even louder. If only Troy could capture this precious moment with his phone he would but he’ll just let his mind take images of this beautiful scene.
The Sweet Mémoire became a famous boutique in town. Everyday, both of them served hundreds of customers wanting to wear her exquisite designs. One day, as they were busy fixing the clothes on display, Bridgette saw familiar faces in front of the glass wall of her boutique— three of his father’s men. She quickly ran to the cashier booth and ducked under the counter. She heard the chime on the door followed by some heavy footsteps indicating that the three men entered the store. Good thing Troy just came out of the stockroom. He also saw her hiding in the corner of his eye. Bridgette mouthed “father’s men” and Troy immediately understood the situation.
He walked towards them and cleared his throat before greeting them. “Good morning gentlemen. Are you looking for some fancy clothes for your dearly beloved lady?” he said formally.
One of them took out a medium-sized photo out of a brown envelope and showed it to him. “Have you seen this woman?” Another man asked.
“Apologies but I never saw this beautiful lady here. You could leave any contact details though, just in case she visited my shop,” Terrence answered while smiling.
Bridgette felt her cheeks become warm with what he said. She wanted to scold him for always making her heart flutter with his words. Her heart was pounding rapidly because of fear and excitement now.
One of them handed Troy a business card. He gladly accepted it. “I’ll call you guys in case she comes.”
“Thank you.” The guy who took out the photo said and they left the establishment. Troy was waving at them until they disappeared from his sight.
“You may get out there now,” Troy murmured. His eyes were glued to the direction of the shop’s entrance in case they came back. Bridgette quickly ran inside the storage room followed by Troy. She sat on the floor. Her knees became wobbly from hiding under the counter.
“That was close!” Bridgette sighed in relief. Troy sat beside her.
“You cannot hide like this forever, babe.” Troy responded. Seriousness etched on his face. “I’ll talk to my lawyer so you could change your identity. You will also have to change your appearance a bit.”
“Change my appearance? How?!” she exclaimed.
“We’ll think about it. For now, let’s go home first and reopen the shop the following day just to make sure that they’re gone,” he suggested and she just nodded in agreement.
She won’t let his father control her decisions again. She made up her mind to change her name from Bridgette to Melinda Sui.
- Writer
