Rena woke up the next morning, dark circles under her eyes, her clothes wrinkled, her hair a mess.
She had not slept.
She had been occupied in her own thoughts and emotions and when she infact did manage a little snooze, she awoke with a dream that unnerved her.
It was not a nightmare pertaining to Lester or of the past.
It was of the future. Of Herman breaking up with her.
She cleared it off her mind. She couldn't start her day with gut feelings.
She shouldn't.
She dressed, combed up her slightly tangled hair and left for the school.
Rena worked in two places.
A school and a restaurant.
The school was elementary — a kindergarten where she teaches and take care of kids between 4–5.
The job doesn't require a diploma, as long as you at least went through highschool, have a standard social and language skill then you might have a chance.
Rena had already passed the first week probation period. She have been working here for seven months, she was already quite familiar with the surroundings.
Heading towards the supervisor's office, she brushed into Bert. He was going in as well.
"Good morning."
Among the staffs here, Bert was one of the very few she was familiar with.
"Rena, how are you doing?"
"Fine... I guess."
Her bags and other signs of sleepiness were already non-existent so no one could tell her words as lies.
She wasn't really fine, at least somewhat.
She felt weary, her body heavier than ever.
Her thoughts kept drifting to last night and no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't get Lester off her head.
She left to the restaurant at 12PM.
Don't ask her why she had two jobs.
She was only feeding herself but still...
That was just who she was. A workaholic and a girl who liked a bit of well earned money.
Time flew by as she worked and just when she finished, the message she had long awaited came in with a click.
« Meet me up at Flys » — Herman.
Flys was a eatery known for its cheap barbecues.
Rena had mentioned it to him once, what was the reason he would invite her there?
Was he perhaps less angry? It might be a good sign.
Either way he seemed to had arrived, so she had to get moving.
But as she went to the door to step out, her way was blocked by a person she never wanted to encounter.
Archie.
He was a young man of about the same age as her or near.
Archie was pursuing her. That would not have been wrong if it was sincere but it wasn't.
He was only aiming for her body and he wasn't even bothering to hide it. Although she had told him she had a boyfriend, he had showed nonchalance. Mouthed a 'so what?' and resumed, unrelentingly.
His pertinacious advances had caused her quite some troubles.
Due to his good looks, he had a lot of crushes from the young workers, so they have been despising her as of late.
She didn't care much of their feelings towards her but she didn't like him being the utmost reason either.
"Get out of my way." Her tone was inimical.
But he smirked, brashly so, unfazed.
"C'mon." He drawled. "I only want you to unblock me. It isn't that hard, is it?"
Archie had taken her line from the all-workers group chat. She had blocked him as soon as she saw who he was.
She had no desire to converse with him, in spite of him being a colleague. If she had chatted, who knew what rubbish he might say or send?
She felt nauseous at the thought.
She was done with this.
"It you keep up with this behaviour any longer, expect a letter on my behalf from the manager."
"You —" His smug face fell.
Rena didn't listen to the rest of his twaddles.
She needed to go straight to Herman. He must be waiting.
She bypassed him and headed out of the restaurant but as she stood on the sidewalk, trying to hail a taxi, a car earlier still impeded her.
"?"
The car was sleek black, with powerful engines, tinted windows and robust tires.
As she gazed with confusion, a man stepped out of the driver's seat, clothed formally in suits and tailored pants. His hair was slicked back, giving him an overall affluent impression.
Rena rose a brow.
She didn't know this person.
She would have suspected he was out for someone else but his eyes locked unwavering at hers gave her no room for doubt.
"My boss is awaiting you in the car. Please step in, Miss."
Rena interpreted that differently.
Does she look like a slattern?
She was sure she wasn't clad in indecent wears but that was just how it was.
Whether or not she was wrapped in the thickest, longest, fullest wears or otherwise, her face always found a way to attract people, most especially men.
As annoying as it was, this sadly wasn't the first time she had been stopped or sought out on the roads.
She turned to walk away, her tone rude and severe. "No."
But as she headed away, a window on the car rolled down, revealing the passenger inside.
Her steps abruptly halted at the sight.
It was Lester. What in the...
What was he doing here?
She was floored.
Last night she had spoken harshly to him. Lester was stubborn but he had some pride — he would be hurt and would definitely not approach her in a while.
In the past, that was how he was.
But this...
How did he even find her? How did he know her workplace?
She felt a rise of emotions, certainly not positive.
She was angry, furious. Was he following her about? She had been clear, precise last night. They were done, over, didn't he grasp that?
Her eyes, glowering and piercing loomed over him unkindly.
"Lester, what are you doing here?" Her distaste and displeasure were evident but Lester smiled as he replied.
"I missed you so I came over."
"..."
Rena was speechless.
His voice, those words were enough to shake any heart.
Rena even was a bit taken aback but the next second she frowned, her nails roughly scratching at her clothes.
Eight years ago this was the words she had desperately wished to hear but all she got was his silence and the heartbreaking — absolutely heart wrenching fact of his absence.
But now after so long he dared appear infront of her and say such... It does seem comical.
She retorted, trying not to combust in apoplexy, right there and now.
"I told you we only had a teenage fling. I have a boyfriend now, if you think perhaps there is a chance for us both to get back together then you must be mistaken."
Her words were solemn and sharp.
Lester took a breath, feeling a tightness in his chest.
He already knew she had a boyfriend which wasn't him but hearing her utter it, admit it burned him in places he could not see.
A teenage fling?
Does she hear herself? Those moments, every of it were embedded into his core, unforgettable.
How could she pass it off as such? It was hard to believe. It was once again painful, agonizing to hear.
"You moved on..." It was a silent question.
"Did you expect me to wait for you?" She gritted her teeth, a subtle emotion in her eyes deliberately kept hidden.
Indeed, she had waited for him, for a lengthy amount of time, until she realized he wasn't coming, until something incredibly important was lost, then only hatred surged.
She hated him for leaving, for letting her drown in misery, for ruining her life.
How could she forgive him? She now wanted him forever out of her life. She wanted nothing to do with him ever again.
With chilly eyes, she muttered heartlessly. "Stay away from me. What's so difficult? You did it eight years ago, you sure can do it again."
"Rena."
She didn't answer to his call, she went away without looking back.
Wallace who stayed static at a side quickly made to stop her but Lester gestured him not to.
Lester hadn't foreseen this whole situation.
She had a lover.
She didn't care for his explanations. She didn't even want him at all.
The knowledge made his head throb.
Wallace seeing his boss down expression promptly walked over, with his device in hand.
Careful not to provoke his boss spiraling emotions, he spoke meticulously.
"Sir, the defects in The Ross Enterprise had already been sent in. Shall we proceed?"
Last night, Lester had him check into the company to find its business mistakes and shady dealings.
With such information, The Ross Enterprise was sure to bankrupt, end up in dire lawsuits and vanish like it never existed in the first place.
Lester's eyes beamed a light but his lips remained shut.
He had wanted to deal with Herman — ruthlessly cast him out of the picture, teach him what it meant to desire what was not his.
But thinking of it, his method was impulsive and would likely not yield the intended result.
Rena was never one to like riches. She would definitely not leave him even if he turns into a being no different from a rat.
If she finds out even that he was the conspirator behind it all.
'...'
The chance was slim, very so but still...
Her current disdain was unbearable, he didn't want to add more to it.
"Keep that on hold for now." He murmured dispassionately. "Plant some spies around him. Let his every activity, movement and private dealings be monitored, do you understand?"
"Yes Sir." Wallace responded and readily got into the car.