Chapter Twenty Nine & Thirty

"Why would I order for a champagne gown and you're bringing me a gold gown?", Caro raised her voice and the other customers looked at her.

She didn't care and continued yelled till the manager went over to her to apologize.

"What's the apology for? I wanted a gown that would cling to my sexy body not this holy gown you're giving me. Do I look like a sexy nun?", She yelled.

"Sorry miss. What do you want?", The manager asked and took the request log from the attendant that was with her.

"Here it says you wanted a pretty champagne gold you already chose online. So why the shout?", The manager asked.

"It didn't stick to my body", Caro pouted and revealed her black card. She stole it from her brother since he has five.

"But I'll go to another store since you don't have what I want", She said that purposely while revealing the card.

The manager's eyes didn't leave the black card when he saw it. He quickly swallowed his spit and chastised the attendant.

"You're supposed to look at her body very well before you would give her what doesn't suit her taste. Bring another size of the gown and this time, make it smaller so it can stick to her body", He said quickly and Caro smiled as she watched the attendant bring another gown.

She walked into the fitting room and wore the clothes. She checked the mirror and turned around.

She had thought Raphael wanted to give her money when he asked her for the amount of capital for her business.

But the idiot told her never to start a business because he will crash. Of course, she had rejected his stupid prayer so much that she went to a pastor to pray against any evil forces.

She later went to her brother's house to steal many times and one of his black cards when he was busy cooking for her.

That's surprising though. Her brother don't like doing manual jobs so why the fire?

She took a snap of herself and sent it to Raphael with the price tag. He replied immediately to her message and told her she was a thief.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes and sent it to her brother instead.

"Go and work for your money, Caro. I'm not your father", Her brother has typed and she had to read it again twice before she really believed it was Lex that sent it to her.

What the hell?

Doesn't he like her again? What's with the 'father'?

She took off the clothes and paid for it with her brother's black card. He saw the debit and sent her a message.

"When did you steal my card?", He asked her.

"Thank you for the overdue graduation gift, brother", She replied him and walked out of the store happily.

*******

Penny walked into the the meeting board with the files she had prepared to talk about. Her boss is a pain in the ass. He kept picking on her and kept sending her on endless errands.

She hates him so much and had reported him to the management with an anonymous profile so there's no way he's gonna come after her if he's later fired by the company.

She watched the people that stared at her as she entered the room with a shaky breath. Damn, she was scared.

But why was she scared?

Maybe it was because it was the first time she was presenting to people of a very high rank. From one person to another, her eyes laid on a very familiar man and she looked at him carefully.

"Lex", She muttered and gulped her spit.

"Why is it today, Lord?", She asked under her breath and began her presentation after clearing her throat.

"Good morning. My name is Penny Bellingham from food production team J. This strategy was drafted last year but it was not yet upgraded. This is called 'Bugrito' ", Penny paused to see her boss place his palm on his forehead in disappointment but she went on with her speech.

She was glad to see the directors clap for her when she was done. Her boss also applauded her before she went to her seat to listen to the rest of the presentation.

"What do you have to say, Mr. Lex?", One of the directors said.

"Good job, Penny", He said and the women in the room looked at Penny with envy.

"Thank you Lex", She said and ignored the fact that she just called him 'Lex'.

"In my office now, Penny", Her boss yelled after everyone was gone.

Penny followed him to his office as he shut the door angrily.

"What was that?", He asked as he loosened his tie.

"What?", Penny asked him.

"Did you just call one of the directors by name?", He further asked and she nodded.

"We're friends so-"

"Do you know who he is? Are you fucking dumb?", He asked her and loosened one of his buttons.

Penny rolled her eyes and said, "You don't look hot so stop trying so hard"

"I'm gonna fire you, Penny. What the hell did you name that crazy recipe? What the fuck is wrong with you?", He asked her.

"Nothing is wrong with me", Penny replied. "I'm not done with the project. So, if you'd let me go now, I might get off work early"

"All this hard work for nothing. You're gonna be fired soon, Penny. Mark my words", He said and allowed her to leave as he stared at her with mixed feelings.

********

Eve looked at the exercise her pupils submitted and she stared at their cute handwritings. She looked at her baby that was busy scribbling on a rough sheet with one of her pupils.

"Mama…mama", Tim ram to her to show her his work. He seems proud of it and stuck the paper to her breasts.

She took it and rubbed his head. She began to score the work done by her pupils and stopped when she saw her pupil struggling with his food.

"Come sit here", Eve said and took away the books from her table to feed him.

Tim ran to her and tried to pull the pupil from his mother but Eve scolded him and he began to pout before crying.

Eve took him in her arms and sang him a lullaby as he dozed off. She fed the pupil and opened his bottle for him to drink water when he was done.

"I thought your uncle was coming for you. It's almost five", Eve said and heard a knock at the door immediately.

"Yeah. Come in", She said casually and wiped the mouth of the pupil tenderly.

"Jamil", Eve paused and watched the pupil run to his uncle with open arms.

"Uncle Lex!!", The pupil exclaimed and allowed his uncle to take him in his arms.

Eve stood up with her baby in her arms and faced his 'uncle'.

"Hi", She said and Lex looked at her in awe.

"Evelyn?", He asked with surprise and she nodded.

"Wait for me in the car, Jamil. I'll be there in a second", Lex said with a small smile.

"Evelyn", He said and looked at the baby in her arms. He didn't know she was now married and had a son. He must have missed a lot of things in four years.

But the child is so small which means he must be two years or close to three years.

"What are you doing here?", He asked her.

"I-I work here," She stammered with a smile.

"Oh", He scratched his head and asked her how she was faring.

"I'm good. How are you too?", She asked him and placed her handbag on her shoulder with Tim's baby stuff.

"I've been good too", He replied and walked with her out of the school's building.

"Your son?", He asked her that one question that has been on his mind immediately he saw her.

"Yeah", She replied and stroke his blonde hair tenderly.

"Oh! I didn't know you have a son", He said in a low voice.

"I do", She smiled and waited by his car.

"What are you waiting for?", He asked her.

"The cab would soon be here so I have to wait. I've been waiting for you to pick up your nephew", She complained and he apologized.

"Can I make up for it by driving you home?", He asked because he still wanted to spend time with her.

He still wanted to feel her presence and look at her face every now and then by stealing glances. He still wanted to hear her voice as he inhaled her warm fragrance.

He wanted to make their hand brush as he stylishly plan to change the gear.

"Sure", She said with a smile and he opened the door for her like a gentleman.

"Pretty miss", Lex heard his nephew call Eve and furrowed his brow. He wanted to ask why he was calling her that instead of the normal 'teacher' but he just let it slid.

Lex watched the baby that laid on her breasts and heaved a sigh.

'I'm late…again', He thought and rolled his eyes angrily.

"So, what's his name?", Lex asked.

"Tim", He heard her soft voice as a whisper.

"Nice name", He gritted his teeth and she nodded.

"So, what about you? Any wife or girlfriend?", Evelyn asked.

"Not yet but soon", He hoped and looked at her. She had changed a lot. She was more womanly and mature. She's so calm and composed unlike before. Then, she was hot headed and easily provoked.

She had toyed with his feelings but now he doesn't even know if she still has those attributes or not.

"My sister wants you to come to her graduation at Hawaii", He lied easily and she looked at him. He kept a serious face as he said it so she would believe him and come.

"Omg! I didn't know. Why did she send you to me when she could have told me herself?", Evelyn didn't like that.

Tim stirred in his sleep and held Evelyn's fingers tightly. Evelyn kissed his forehead and patted his back.

"I don't know. She has been busy these days", He lied again and she nodded.

"So", He looked at her and continued, "would you come?"

"When is the party?", Evelyn asked.

"Friday", He said.

"I'll be there. Maybe a little late because I have plans with Alexis and Yoona. We would go and visit Mandy again. That day would be the day she was killed on her birthday", Evelyn said in low voice.

Lex said nothing as he recalled how Mandy was killed in cold blood by the wicked witch - Lady Elizabeth.

"I received a letter from princess Caro, Alexis", Mandy waved the red letter in her hands to the children.

Princess Caro promised to write to them in their free time and she kept her promise. Though, it was always once in a while but it was something.

"Woah! She's wishing me a happy birthday", Mandy sang as she read the composed letter to Eve and Alexis.

"She's so sweet", Evelyn praised Caro when Mandy finished reading the letter.

"She said my parrot would arrive here tomorrow. She sent me a yellow necklace with the letter. She said it was a gift given to Lady Patricia the sixth that would help to develop my powers as it grows again speedily in a day", Mandy said.

"Liar", Alexis called her and they laughed.

Eve helped Mandy to wear the necklace on her neck. Lady Elizabeth watched the drama from the stairs with a wicked grin on her face.

"Give me that necklace, Mandy", Lady Elizabeth thundered.

"It belongs to her now, Lady Elizabeth", Eve replied loudly. "It says here that if she wears it, it can't come off her neck again except she goes to the tomb of Lady Patricia to renounce the ownership of the necklace", She read the content of the letter again to Lady Elizabeth in case she was deaf when Mandy read it before.

"Interesting", She grinned.

"Woah! The necklace is not on your neck again. I think it's glowing in your chest", Alexis yelled and all eyes were on her chest.

"Wow", Mandy was surprised as she saw the glow in her chest.

"I feel …powerful", She said excitedly and ran around.

Lady Elizabeth looked at her with a frown on her face and entered her room immediately. She got her mortal and cut her index finger with a rusted knife that has its handle to be that of a skull.

She set fire to the doll that was made of dry brown grass and pinned its chest with a yellow pin.

She began to mutter spells with Mandy's name on her lip while the room got windy. She continued muttering the spells and ignored her nosebleed that went from that of color red to black. Her hair began to turn to ebony black and her skin started to be radiant.

She stopped muttering the spell and staggered to her mirror to look at her reflection. She was satisfied with what she saw and smiled. She got younger and more youthful.

Her stupid admirer would be happy with her when he sees her and may decide to drink her blood while they make love.

Meanwhile,

Mandy collapsed in Eve's arms and Alexis watched her with horror. The necklace in her chest began to fluctuate with the glow.

Eve was worried and they carried her to her room.

"Guide the door, Alexis. Don't let the witch come in here", Eve yelled and looked at Mandy.

"Talk to me", She placed her hand on her forehead and she was burning hot. "How do you feel?"

"I feel death", Mandy cried and they were confused.

"What do you mean? You're not dying, Mandy", Eve boosted her spirit.

"I am, Evelyn. Someone's pulling my energy. It's sucking me dry. My heart is heavy. I-I can't breath", Mandy cried and began to gasp.

"Can you help me, Alexis? Leave the damn door alone", Eve yelled.

Alexis began to mutter some spells but he was kicked away by some force. Eve saw him talking to no one in particular but heard him say 'mother'.

She didn't care and placed her hand in Mandy's chest. Her hair began to glow and turn blue.

She began to cough but she didn't care. She didn't care if she loses her power while saving Mandy but it would be worth it. A life can't be measure with a stupid power she doesn't even like.

"Eve. You're bleeding", Mandy gasped but Eve ignored her.

She continued going on and on and allowing her suck her energy.

"Focus on the necklace, Mandy. Grow your power to infinity as you such mine from nature", The room began to get cold.

"You can't help her, Centrion", Lady Elizabeth appeared in the room with a knife. She slashed Mandy's wrist as she screamed in pain and horror.

Eve threw her across the wall with her left hand with her right hand still on Mandy's chest. Her eyes were all blue and cold.

"You should have given me the necklace when I asked", Lady Elizabeth laughed.

"You would have killed her, mother", Alexis yelled and Eve and Mandy looked at him in shock.

"Mother?", They gasped and stared at Alexis.

"Is that news?", Lady Elizabeth scoffed and continued speaking, "She would resurrect with Christ if she's lucky. I will kill you to finish the dark magic spell I tapped into. Don't try to stop me again or I'll rip her apart"

"You won't have you way", Eve said and Lady Elizabeth scoffed.

"I already had my way, silly. I have her blood mixed with mine in this portal and on the knife that belonged to Lady Patricia. The three beings in the ritual have their belongings here so the ritual will be completed in seconds. I am kind enough to let you both watch me happily", She said and began to complete her spell.

"I'm dying", Mandy flew up to the mid air and began to scream in horror and pain.

Lady Elizabeth joined her in the mid air too with their legs upside down and their eyes all white.

Eve and Alexis could only watch the pain and suffering she was going through all because of a birthday gift.

Her lifeless body kissed the floor aggressively with that of Lady Elizabeth only that Lady Elizabeth was unconscious.

Eve couldn't look at Mandy's dead body and cried into Alexis's arms. She cried and waited till she had an headache. They buried Mandy and vowed to avenge her when the time comes.

Ever since then, Eve had redrawned from Caro. But she decided to go to her graduation for Mandy's sake. It wasn't her fault that Mandy died. She gave her the necklace for growth but it was Lady Elizabeth that killed her.

"I'd love to go to greet Mandy too. If you'd like me to be there", Lex told Eve as he stopped by her house.