Rena was astonished. She hadn't expected Mildred to mention him. She hadn't seen him in days, had he perhaps shifted focus and pestered Mildred instead?
She narrowed her eyes. "Did he disturb you?"
It was unlikely.
The Lester she knows was thoroughly direct, unless he had changed.
Mildred laughed. "No, how could he?"
She was utterly ready to throw a punch to him if he does.
She cleared. "Take a look."
She handed her phone over to Rena. On the screen was a video. "Is this him?"
Rena peered at the screen.
On the video was a man surrounded by many bodyguards. Although she wasn't there but looking at the scene, she could almost feel the oppressive atmosphere.
The man was static for a moment before charging towards a particular direction, then he seemed to order some bodyguards to head towards there.
Due to the absence of half of the guards, a bit of the man's side profile was revealed.
Rena was shocked. How could she not recognize him? It was indeed Lester.
She gasped. "How is it him?"
She was speaking to herself.
The crowd of elite security, the outfits, his aura... He was obviously not an ordinary person, even a fool could tell.
Not that she had ever perceived him as ordinary. Even at the countryside, she could tell he was from a wealthy circle but this video shows how extreme it was.
She was stunned.
Seeing her reaction, Mildred found her question answered but she didn't respond to Rena's query. She muttered. "This place, where do you think it is?"
Rena stared intently at the background and she was once again taken aback. It was an airport. No, that wasn't what surprised her. It was the airport she had days ago went to receive Herman.
Something flickered across her mind, she asked. "What day was this captured? What time?"
Mildred replied. "Almost a week ago. Thursday. At noon."
Rena went silent. She murmured. "That must be the day he saw me."
After confirming Herman had left that day, she had immediately went away too.
That night Lester visited.
As for how he found out her address, she had always wondered.
Perhaps he followed her but now it was plain. With such apparent affluence, he could easily track her down.
Mildred spoke. "One of my clients, a reporter was scrolling on her folder at my shop. I concidentially saw this video. Although I might not know how exactly Lester looks like but with your former descriptions, I couldn't help but guess so I wanted to show it to you."
She had a great memory.
She paused momentary then continued. "He seems even richer than Herman. You should be careful."
One of her worst fears was her incapability to protect Rena.
Herman was a backer but Lester seems quite powerful. If he is determined to have Rena, Herman even might not be able to stop him.
Rena pursed her lips. She nodded. "Okay."
She felt a bit of discomfort at the thought of Lester forcing her.
Indeed it was for the best.
He had not met with her again. He had perhaps given up.
Albeit it was a bit hard to believe given Lester's character but she hoped so.
She had a good relationship now — she had a fiance and she seriously didn't want any problems invading her peace.
The next morning she woke up.
One of the first things she remembered doing was calling her family.
She took a deep breath before dialing the number.
It was her mum's.
It was the line the relative she met months ago had given to her.
The phone rang for a moment before a strident voice came on.
"Who is this?"
"..."
Rena was appalled.
Did they not even store her line?
She felt an ache in her heart. She mumbled. "It's me, mum."
"Rena?" Her mother, Beulah sounded surprised. She paused for a few seconds before voicing out. "Rena, it's you! Why are you calling? If you are to ask, then I must tell you, there is no money at home. I have none to give to you!"
Rena was speechless. She rose a brow, confounded.
Not just her words but the seriousness in her tone baffled her.
Perhaps was that why her number was not saved? She hadn't even asked for money from them in years, why would she ask now?
Bewildered, she suddenly recalled something she had said to them months ago.
At that time she had just come to the Capital City, she had no job then and told them so.
Probably they misunderstood her and thought she would ask for aids.
Rena frowned, feeling a pang of sadness.
This was the first call she had made to them in a while but these was the first words she was told.
She knew her relationship with her mum wasn't great but at least they were related, shouldn't she for once show concern for her wellbeing?
Trying not to feel anymore pained, she resumed her voice.
She had grown all too familiar with her family's indifference, it was useless to feel down.
She uttered lowly. "Don't worry mum, I have a job now."
"A job?" Her mum's voice rose. She rasped. "Then why didn't you send any home? You could had called for the account number, couldn't you? Rena how cruel could you be! I and your father are now old and your younger sister is still in school but you didn't care to support us with a dime. You are too wicked!"
"Wicked?" Rena felt her skin itch. Her eyes turned red from anger.
She almost wanted to laugh but the knot in her stomach didn't allow her to.
Infact, she felt a particular hatred for her parents. That was why she didn't bother to contact them for so long.
If they hadn't sent her out, if they hadn't ignored her pleas, she wouldn't have lost her child, she wouldn't had lived so miserably.
Although she had a fault for her own sufferings but her parents were indeed the biggest contributors.
She couldn't forget their deeds, she couldn't let it go.
Her voice turned cold. Her face formed a deeper scowl as she sneered. "Mum, when you sent me away to that desolate village, to your grandmother who killed my child, you didn't give to me even a cent! When you watched me leave to wander about, you didn't show a bit of care in your face and now you call me wicked? If we were to compare actions, then you are by far wicked, vicious and undeserving to be called mother!"
"You..." Beulah choked, feeling her throat clog. "How... How dare you talk to me in that manner?!"
Rena felt much disinterest in continuing this conversation. She clenched her fists, going straight to the point.
"I would be visiting at weekend with my boyfriend. He wants to meet with my family. If we do come, do treat him well."
Beulah snorted. "Boyfriend? Is it the same one who got you pregnant?"
"No." This was what Rena aimed to clarify. After all her parents had never met Lester. They didn't even know him.
"He isn't." She cleared. "Don't blab about the past Infront of him when we do come."
Yes, Herman already knows about it but having it being continually mentioned in his presence would undoubtedly make him feel uncomfortable. She didn't want to cause him any discomfort, especially because of her parents uncontrolled tongues.
Beulah frowned. Even from the screen, Rena could feel her mickle displeasure. She scoffed.
"You dare to insult me and later on command me, if you had not caused trouble in your teens, would you have had any need to concede that now? And yet you blame me for treating you harshly!"
Rena didn't feel the need to argue. Her mother would never see herself wrong.
Besides she already knew they would not easily agree to her. She already got a plan for that.
"How much do you want? If you do refrain from saying anything unnecessary, I would transfer an hundred dollars afterwards."
"An hundred dollars?" Beulah didn't stand on ceremony. She negotiated. "You must had been paid much more than that and you even have a boyfriend to support you, how could you be so stingy?"
"How much do you want then?"
"Five hundred! Five hundred is enough."
Rena was not floored by her shamelessness.
She had already anticipated it. She only felt an immense derision striking at her.
How could her own mother be like this? She even had to pay her not to make her guest uncomfortable. It was awfully laughable.
Her eyelid twitched. She didn't try to complain. She consented. "Okay, send me your home address. If it's the same as in the past, don't."
"It's not the same."
"Do it then."
She ended the call.
She heaved a breath for a while before taking a bath and heading to the school.
After closure, she left to the restaurant.
She felt a bit stiff as she approached. She could still remember what happened yesterday.
It was needless to say there was a high possibility she did be fired today.
She had prepared herself for it.
All she had to do was wait, receive her sack letter and leave.
But yet she felt a bitter taste in her mouth.
Seeing her life being effortlessly controlled by anyone other than her own self was enough to rile her.
Even though she didn't care much for the job, the feeling of being discarded due to trivial personal issues, not even due to incompetence was quite displeasing.
With a unpleasant expression, she came into the premises, just to see Estella walking towards her with a smile on her face.