BROKE

Wang Xiu sat on her long white couch reading a magazine and drinking her green tea. Her Monday mornings like these were usually spent at her office reviewing her team's proposal to other companies. As head of marketing, it was her job to approach them to gain more clients. She remembered her last proposal for their yearly event. A casino. The accumulated funds will be given to a charity for kids with special needs.

But now that she's kicked out of her job, all her free time goes to relaxation with her best friend. Spa treatments. Massage houses. She brought Honey to a place where attendants bathe their clients in the warm oil-scented wooden bathtub. 

And Honey could not stop giggling when she chose a man to bathe her best friend. The lawyer would often joke that it was sexual harassment and blushed like a teenager with every scrub on her body.

"Do you want to come with me to Jiang Ru's office and make out there?" Wang Xiu teased.

She wanted to parade her beautiful fake-blonde best friend to the man who foolishly used the lawyer as his beard. To make him feel guilty of his deed.

"I'm going to answer that with a NO and a NO." Honey ridiculously replied.

She giggled with Wang Xiu's little quip to annoy the CEO of Bao Metals. 

"Any plans for today???" She asked. 

Honey laughed, flipping the pages of her case through her tablet. "You are getting bored here, aren't you???" 

"YES!!!" Wang Xiu sighed.

She lifted her head and whined, "I've been working at LCDC for five years. I'm used to doing something on weekdays."

The lawyer sat up straight from the couch.

"I plan to leave next week."

"Are you sure???" Wang Xiu asked.

"You are the only reason I'm here."

She reached into the lawyer's hand and softly squeezed.

"Thank you for being here."

"I'm gonna miss these." Honey grabbed her best friend's breast.

"I'm going to miss the free grab."

They both laughed at how comfortable they are with each other's bodies. Honey bit her lip and sat closer to the woman.

"How about we have sex before I leave?"

Wang Xiu peered down her eyes and raised her brow, "I'm so bored I might say yes to that."

"Seriously, Am I not your type???"

"You're beautiful and wonderful. I'm blinded but how gorgeous you are that I don't want to spoil you with my filthy hands." She explained.

"You're treating me like a flower with a sign that says "no picking"."

"I thought it would be like, "Fish are friends, not food"." Wang Xiu retorted.

They both giggled at their simple jokes.

"So it never occurred to you to sleep with me???" The lawyer was curious.

"I have. When you were drunk and asking me to sleep with you as revenge on Jiang Ru."

Honey lifted her brow, "And???"

"I was with Min Ah."

"Oh right… your greatest love, Mrs. Park Min Ah who owns a fashion boutique all over the world." Honey stared at her best friend reading a style magazine.

She realizes Wang Xiu still updates herself about the CEO through them. Recalling how broken-hearted her best friend was when Mrs. Park chose her husband over the woman. She never saw Wang Xiu beg on her knees before. Going to Korea just to see the woman and finding out it was CEO Yang who managed to destroy their relationship.

"Have you moved on from Min Ah?" Honey asked.

"Yes." Short and precise. She moved on.

"Really???" Honey raised her brows.

She doubts if the woman was sincere with her answer.

"Just because I have a fashion magazine in my hand doesn't mean I'm reading about her." She took a sip on her tea, "I love to read style magazines."

The lawyer stayed silent. The mouth would always say the opposite of what the heart feels. It's Wang Xiu's way of fooling her heart to believe she doesn't love Min Ah anymore. And eventually, forget that she ever did.

"Did something happen between you and Jiang Ru at my uncle's party?" Wang Xiu asked.

She noticed that the boyfriend the lawyer introduced was "missing in action" or maybe the detective went back to Shanghai and they easily cut their relationship because of distance.

"We almost slept together." Honey answered.

She looked away recalling the night she said goodbye to the "love of her life". It was time to move on and she planned to leave after the party but circumstances changed and she's still here sitting beside her best friend.

Wang Xiu lifted her chin and raised her brow.

"Almost??? Is that why you haven't brought up your BF Hao Ran???"

"Jiang Ru found out he was using me to get promoted." She answered.

"Do you love him???"

"I still do." She confessed

"I mean Hao Ran… "

The lawyer set both of her hands on her face to hide her blushing cheek from embarrassment.

"I think it's time for you to go back to Singapore."

"I'll go back after Li Jun's CEO celebration." Honey answered.

Wang Xiu was surprised by the news of the party. Though she expected her cousin would take over the position as CEO, she was waiting for her invitation to come from him but it appears that the old Long Bao and uncle Liu Wei made a strict rule to exclude her from everything.

"So what are you planning to wear at Li Jun's party?" Honey asked.

The lawyer peered into the magazine in her hand and flipped through the pages. She started to look for a good dress to wear.

"I'm not invited." Wang Xiu coldly answered.

"What??? B-But…"

"I'm not part of the Long Family anymore. I'm a Zhang. I'm back to being non-existent."

"Why don't you let me take you there… as my plus one." Honey offered.

"Thank you but I'd rather not go." Wang Xiu settled the magazine down on the table and scanned the apartment where she stays. She didn't tell her best friend about the notice she received at her doorstep last week. Her uncle wants the apartment back, including her car. Her company credit card was closed and she saves her money through Honey's generosity.

She's not broke. Wang Xiu made it certain she wouldn't have any problem living without work for a few months but she will still need to have a steady income or she will be begging on the street within a year of no job.

"I need a job!!!" She whined.

"How about a handjob???" Honey giggled.

She set both of her hands on her face to stop herself from laughing.