"Sorry, did I wake you up?" Anna asked softly.
Frej groaned and rubbed her temples.
"No... no..." she replied while massaging her head.
Anna chuckled.
"My sister called me. She's asking if I'm going home or not. You know, it's our laundry day."
She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at her friend.
"How are you feeling?"
"Hangover," Frej groaned dramatically. "Aw... my head hurts."
"Yeah, you drank a lot last night," Anna said. "Do you remember anything that happened?"
Frej blinked.
"Oh my goodness..." Her eyes widened. "You mean—"
She immediately sat up.
"No!"
She stared at Anna in horror.
Anna couldn't help but laugh.
"Alright, calm down."
She handed her a glass of water.
"Here."
"Thank you, girl."
Frej took the glass and drank.
But halfway through, a terrifying thought crossed her mind.
She instantly spat the water out.
"Cough! Cough!"
"Don't tell me something happened between us!"
Anna's eyes widened.
"What?!"
She burst into laughter and threw a pillow straight at Frej's face.
"Yikes! Of course not!"
Frej caught the pillow.
"Then what did you mean?"
"You're thinking too much."
Frej dramatically placed a hand over her chest.
"Oh, thank God."
She wiped her mouth.
"For a second there, I thought..."
Anna rolled her eyes.
"I don't even want to know what you thought."
Frej grinned sheepishly.
"Fine."
Then curiosity sparkled in her eyes.
"I don't remember anything. Tell me what happened."
Anna simply shrugged and stood up.
"Anyway, I need to go."
She started walking toward the door.
"Hey!"
Frej called after her.
"Anna!"
But Anna pretended not to hear.
Before leaving, she suddenly turned around.
"Oh, by the way..."
She pointed toward the kitchen.
"I cooked noodles. You can eat them now before they get soggy."
Frej blinked.
Anna continued.
"And I made porridge too."
The smile on Frej's face slowly faded into something softer.
Anna walked back and stood beside her.
"You need to eat."
Frej looked at her silently.
"Also, stay here. Nikki and Shania are coming later."
The moment Anna finished speaking, Frej climbed off the bed and wrapped her arms around her.
"Thank you."
Anna sighed.
"That's a small thing. You don't have to thank me."
She gently patted her friend's back.
"I'm your friend."
Frej tightened her embrace.
Anna smiled.
"Okay..."
She pulled away and held both of Frej's shoulders.
"Fighting!"
Frej laughed weakly.
"He isn't the only man in this world."
Anna pointed dramatically toward the ceiling.
"You can find someone much better than him."
Frej's eyes suddenly filled with tears again.
"Oh no."
Anna immediately panicked.
"Don't cry."
Frej laughed through her tears.
Then she hugged Anna one more time.
A few moments later, Anna finally left.
As she walked away, Frej stood at the doorway waving goodbye.
Soon after, Nikki and Shania arrived and spent the morning comforting their heartbroken friend.
Meanwhile, Anna arrived home.
The familiar smell of breakfast greeted her the moment she entered the house.
Her siblings were already gathered around the table.
Anna smiled and joined them.
She prepared herself a cup of coffee before sitting down.
"How is she?" Karen asked.
Anna took a sip.
"Still recovering from heartbreak."
She sighed.
"But she's okay."
A small smile appeared on her lips.
"I'm sure she'll be fine."
"Whew..."
Karen shook her head.
"Heartbreak."
The word alone sounded exhausting.
"How about you?" Dianne asked Karen.
"Me?"
Karen grinned.
"I'm good."
Everyone laughed.
Sarah suddenly leaned forward.
"Have you guys talked about the wedding?"
Karen nodded.
"Sometimes."
She glanced at Anna.
"Maybe after you graduate."
Anna nearly choked.
"Whoa!"
Her eyes widened.
"After a year?"
Karen laughed.
"I'm excited too."
"Or maybe after Sarah graduates."
Karen looked at both of them.
"I want you two to finish your studies first before I settle down."
The room instantly softened.
Dianne nodded in agreement.
"Yeah."
She pointed at Anna and Sarah.
"After both of you graduate, before Ate settles down."
She smiled.
"So the two of you can help our younger siblings finish their studies too."
Everyone nodded.
The conversation made Anna's heart warm.
Family had always been like this.
Simple.
Chaotic.
But full of love.
Suddenly, Anna took another bite of breakfast.
Her eyes widened.
"Hmm."
She pointed at the dried fish.
"This tastes better than before."
"Yeah."
Everyone agreed immediately.
Dianne smiled proudly.
"I bought that from my colleague."
"Oh?"
Anna continued eating.
Then Karen remembered something.
"Oh, by the way."
She looked at her sisters.
"Mama and Papa are coming home next week with the others."
The entire table froze.
"What?!"
Sarah practically jumped from her seat.
"Really?"
Karen nodded.
"They'll be here next week."
"Via plane or boat?" Sarah asked excitedly.
"Plane."
The sisters exchanged excited looks.
"Wow!"
The atmosphere instantly became livelier.
Then Karen turned toward Anna.
"Oh, how about your application yesterday?"
Anna looked up.
"Did they hire you?"
A proud smile spread across Anna's face.
"Yes."
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
Everyone shouted at the same time.
Anna laughed.
"Yep."
"That's great!" Dianne exclaimed.
"Congratulations!" Karen added.
"When are you starting?"
"Next week."
Anna took another sip of coffee.
Sarah immediately leaned forward.
"Can I ask something?"
"What?"
"How much did they offer you?"
Anna hesitated.
"The HR manager said..."
She scratched her cheek.
"Around nineteen to twenty thousand."
The table fell silent again.
"Hmm."
Dana nodded slowly.
"That's actually a lot."
"Yeah..."
Anna smiled shyly.
Karen looked proud.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Sarah suddenly pointed at her.
"If they need another nurse someday, tell me."
Anna laughed.
"Of course."
Then she winked.
"Why not?"
Everyone burst into laughter.
After breakfast, they spent the rest of the morning doing household chores.
Laundry day had officially begun.
The sisters carried baskets of clothes to the backyard and loaded everything into the washing machine.
The gentle breeze danced through the trees.
Fresh air filled the yard.
The scent of detergent drifted through the surroundings, mixing with the fragrance of flowers growing nearby.
Anna smiled as she hung freshly washed clothes on the clothesline.
Not far away, Dana watered the plants while humming softly.
Everyone was busy.
Everyone had something to do.
Yet somehow, the simple sight of her family working together made Anna feel peaceful.
For the first time in days, there was no confusion.
No racing heartbeat.
No complicated emotions.
Just the warmth of home.
And on that quiet morning, under the gentle sunlight and the comforting breeze, Anna found herself smiling without even realizing it.
*********************************************************************Tom POV
"Good morning!" Tom greeted as Mildred walked toward the refrigerator. He was busy preparing their breakfast.
"Good morning, babe!" she replied, taking out a bottle of milk.
She walked up to him and hugged him from behind.
"I love you, babe."
"I love you too," Tom replied warmly. He turned around to face her."Come and sit down. Let me serve you," he said, gently kissing her on the head.
Mildred looked down at her hand, her ring finger glimmering under the morning light. A soft smile formed on her lips.
"Babe… are you sure about this?" she asked teasingly.
Tom smirked.
"No."
Mildred raised an eyebrow at his answer.
He chuckled.
"Of course I am, babe." He pulled out a chair and sat beside her. "Let's get married now."
Mildred shook her head immediately.
"Babe… now? No. I don't want that."
She looked at him seriously.
"What I want is for everyone to witness our wedding day."
Tom leaned back slightly, thinking for a moment.
"They're not important in our relationship… only Mama, Lola, and Papa."
"Yes," Mildred agreed softly, "but I still want them there. I want them to witness it. Not just the two of us."
Tom sighed, then smiled.
"Alright… if that's what you want."
He reached for her hand and held it gently.
"Thank you, babe," she said softly.
Tom lifted her hand and kissed it.
"Your request is my command, milady," he said, looking straight into her eyes.
Mildred felt her heart flutter.
They both began eating their breakfast, the tension replaced with warmth and comfort.
"Thank you for the breakfast, my king!" Mildred said playfully.
"Enjoy your meal," Tom replied, giving her a wink.
Then Mildred suddenly remembered something.
"By the way… does Mama know that we're already engaged?"
"I haven't called them yet," Tom said, sipping his hot coffee.
"Do you want me to tell them?"
"It's up to you, babe."
Mildred nodded slowly.
"Hmm…"
Then, with excitement suddenly bursting in her chest, she grabbed her phone and took a selfie, showing off her diamond ring.
She quickly posted it on Instagram.
Good morning! Sunshine. The beginning of forever love.
She tagged Tom.
Within seconds, notifications started flooding in. Calls. Messages. Congratulations.
Mildred laughed softly, overwhelmed by happiness.
She barely touched her breakfast anymore—too busy replying, too busy sharing the moment.
Her heart felt full.
Light.
Almost unreal.
She was glowing with excitement as she told her friends everything—how he proposed, how it happened, how it felt.
Everyone was already talking about it.
And all of them were waiting for one thing—
To see them walk down the aisle.
Together.
***********************************************Chairman Yang POV
He was in his office when he heard the news about Tom and Mildred. Fury and frustration flickered in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself and chose to ignore it. He had a bigger plan for Tom.
"Are you certain?" Chairman Yang asked his private investigator over the phone.
"Yes, Chairman," the man replied from the other line.
"Keep them under surveillance… we will need that one day," he commanded coldly.
"Yes, Chairman. I will report to you as soon as possible," the investigator replied.
"Alright." He ended the call.
A moment later, Marvin Yang entered.
"Have you heard the news?" Marvin asked.
Chairman Yang nodded. "Yes. Let them be… this is not the time yet," he said calmly.
"Do you still want them apart?" Marvin asked. "They're engaged now. My son loves her."
"I know that," Chairman Yang replied firmly. "They might be destined, but they are not fated for each other."
"You're ruining their lives, Pa!"
"Of course not. This is for their future."
"Their future… or your future?" Marvin interrupted sharply.
"Yes… my future… and their future. It's win-win," he said with certainty.
Marvin let out a laugh. "You're a businessman, Pa."
"Of course. Our business wouldn't be known if I wasn't this wise," he said proudly.
"You're always tooting your own horn, Pa," Marvin teased.
"And who else will?" he replied arrogantly.
They both laughed.
"Is Anna coming next week?" Marvin asked. "I heard she accepted your offer."
"Yes, she is," he replied.
"Oh dear… that's the beginning of their nightmare," he murmured under his breath.
Chairman Yang stood and walked toward the door.
"I have a meeting this afternoon with a new investor. I want Tom to close the deal."
Marvin looked at him. "I'm sure he will."
"Well… in God's will," Chairman Yang said doubtfully. "Are you coming?"
"I would love to," Marvin replied as he walked beside him.
They both headed to the elevator and proceeded to the assembly hall. The board members were already seated, waiting. Tom was seated on the right, next to Marvin Yang's chair.
The conference hall was simple yet imposing. The CEO sat at the center—Chairman Yang—while the rest of the board surrounded the oval table. Marvin Yang, Tom, and other stockholders were present. Once a month, they held this conference.
But today was different—Tom was about to present a new investor proposal for the company. It was a major deal. If approved, it would significantly increase their market share.
Tom had targeted this investor carefully. His goal was to close the deal because it would boost the company's growth.
Marvin leaned closer to Tom.
"I heard about your engagement," he whispered.
Tom looked at him in surprise. "You knew?"
"Yes. Everyone's talking about it here. Why wouldn't I know? My son is involved in the news."
Tom chuckled softly.
"What does Chairman Yang think about it?" he asked.
Marvin glanced at him and shook his head—he disapproved.
Tom murmured, "I knew it."
Chairman Yang sat at the center as the meeting officially began. Tom started presenting his proposal. At first, the investor seemed unsure, but as Tom explained the main strategy, their expressions changed.
They became impressed.
Soon, the investor showed strong interest and agreed to proceed with the contract.
Chairman Yang and Marvin watched with pride as Tom successfully closed the deal. Tom himself felt a surge of satisfaction.
Chairman Yang even allowed a faint, secret smile.
Afterward, Tom quickly returned to his office to share the news with Mildred. She was overjoyed and immediately invited him to an intimate dinner to celebrate their success. She wanted to honor the blessing they believed came from above.
Meanwhile, Ms. Janeth and Mrs. Yang were thrilled about Tom's engagement. They both wanted to celebrate with the couple.
"I called Tom, Ma," Janeth said. "But he didn't answer. Maybe he's busy… or they're celebrating right now."
"Haist…" Mrs. Yang sighed in frustration. "They didn't even tell us about their engagement!"
Marvin entered the kitchen just then.
"Oh! What happened?" he asked.
"She's in a sulky mood again," Janeth said quietly.
"Why?" Marvin asked in a low voice.
"I've been trying to call your son and his fiancée, but no one is answering."
"Of course they're celebrating," Marvin replied as he sat down. "Mama probably wants to congratulate them."
"She even prepared food for them," Janeth added.
"Too bad," Marvin said, standing up to approach his mother. "Ma, let's eat. I'm hungry. Don't be too emotional right now. Be happy—your favorite grandson just closed a deal with a new investor. Be proud of him."
"I am always proud of him," she replied sharply. "I even chatted Mildred… and now she's ignoring me."
"Let's give them space," Marvin said gently. "They missed each other."
"I know that…" she sighed. "Alright, let's eat. Where is your father?"
"He's on his way. Don't worry," Marvin assured her.
After half an hour, Mr. Yang arrived carrying desserts—especially for Mrs. Yang, her favorite. Soon, they all gathered and shared a warm dinner together.
*********************************************************************
Stay tuned for Chapter 14, The company nurse
Love love ❤️
Let's keep fighting and stay positive in life 💪
And negative in COVID-19
Keep healthy everyone
Love you All 💖❤️