Chapter 7. Resort

7. Resort

Sabrina's POV

The next day, I was all set to depart for the resort. We were planning to stay there for over six days, and the interview I had to conduct would be held in a large hall situated within the same resort.

I was grateful to Mark for taking care of my accommodations. Now, I found myself waiting for Mark and Chris, who had promised to pick me up from my place so we could go together.

I heard a loud honk from outside and rushed out to see Chris and Mark waiting in their car. Chris was seated in the front, and Mark was driving.

"Hey, guys, where have you been? I've been waiting for so long," I asked them.

"Good morning, baby girl. You can scold Chris later; she's the one who couldn't keep her hands off me," Mark said with a playful nudge to Chris's elbow.

"Come on, you two, save the PDA for later. Let's get going now," I said as I got into the backseat of their car.

"Go get a boy for yourself," they both teased, rolling their eyes.

"I already have one," I replied with annoyance, clicking my tongue.

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"This is your card, and we will go search for the best room in this block," Mark said. They insisted I choose a room for myself, but I was content with whatever was available.

Nonetheless, I ended up with a room in the VIP section – couldn't ask for more, I suppose. Before I could head to my room, Mark and Chris approached me.

"You two can't seem to let me out of your sight," I remarked, rolling my eyes at them.

"That's true, but apparently, this floor has the best rooms in the resort," Chris explained, casting a glance at Mark.

"So, which one have you decided on?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"The one next to yours. We wanted the last room on this floor, which is also beside yours, but we couldn't get our hands on it because the person I told you about, the CEO of Wynter Corporation, who's receiving the award, is staying in that room," Mark explained in one breath and sighed afterward.

"Why is everyone so determined to have the same room?" I muttered under my breath, but Chris overheard.

"Because that's the most luxurious room in this place," Chris replied.

"It's not like it's any of my business. Never mind, see you guys tomorrow, and I hope your room is soundproof. I don't want to hear any moans and groans," I teased them.

"Sabrina!" Chris exclaimed, looking flustered, while Mark wore a contented grin.

"Don't worry; I've made arrangements for that," Mark said, and Chris huffed in annoyance.

I freshened up and looked out of the window, lost in my thoughts about my parents and my angel, Nio, or Travis, as he preferred to be called.

Ever since I saw him in his car yesterday, an uneasiness has settled in my heart. I tried to ignore it, but it wouldn't go away.

As I pulled the curtains and prepared to go to sleep, I hoped I could dream again of happy moments with my angel. But alas, it didn't happen.

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The next morning, I found myself once again standing before the same window, basking in the gentle caress of the morning breeze that swept in, casting a soothing spell upon my heart.

I was engrossed in reviewing some questions. Mark had tasked me with a set of queries related to various entrepreneurs, their stories, and their accomplishments. He specifically emphasized not to overlook the questions he had meticulously prepared for the CEO of Wynter Cooperation.

As I concentrated on my work, my gaze wandered beyond the window pane, and there, by the poolside directly beneath my room, I spotted an adorable little girl, no older than three, immersed in play. My concern stirred as I noticed her tiny steps leading her closer to the edge of the pool. There was no responsible adult in sight, and it occurred to me that she might not be aware of the dangers that lurked in the water, possibly unaware of how to swim.

Frantically, I scanned the vicinity, desperately searching for any sign of a supervising adult, but my efforts were in vain. There was no one around to ensure her safety.

Without a second thought, I dashed down the stairs, still clad in my pajamas, driven by an instinct to protect. With every stride, my heart raced, and I reached the poolside just in the nick of time. In one swift motion, I reached out and pulled her away from the perilous pool's edge. Her innocent laughter turned into startled squeals as she felt herself being whisked away from the water's edge by an unseen hand.

"Mama!" She squealed.

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As I was revising questions, Mark asked me about the entrepreneurs we had featured. He emphasized not to forget the questions he had prepared for the CEO of Wynter Cooperation.

Suddenly, my attention was drawn to a cute three-year-old girl playing near the pool just beneath my room. It became apparent that she was heading towards the pool, and there was no adult in sight to supervise her. I doubted she knew how to swim.

Scanning the area, I couldn't spot any adults nearby.

Without a second thought, I dashed down the stairs in my pajamas, reaching her just in time to pull her away from the pool's edge. She squealed in surprise as I intervened.

We both tumbled to the ground. I ended up on my back, and she landed on top of me, her eyes tightly shut. "Mama!" she exclaimed with her eyes still closed, likely calling for her mother.

"Hey, baby, are you alright?" I asked, but the little girl seemed frightened.

I helped her to her feet, brushing dirt off our clothes from our unexpected fall. "Are you okay now?" I inquired. She met my gaze and nodded gently.

Now that I had a closer look, I noticed how beautiful she was. Her green eyes sparkled with tears, long lashes framing them. She had brunette hair like mine, left loose, cascading down to her hips.

Her lips were pursed in a thin line, and she seemed on the verge of tears. I had a soft spot for kids, and I couldn't bear to see her upset.

"Hey, I'm Sabrina," I said, trying to lighten the mood as I extended my hand for a handshake. However, her response surprised me.

She wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug, resting her head on my shoulder while I remained crouched at her level.

"Mama!" she called out again, indicating that she wanted her mother.

"You want to find your Mama, alright, we can look for her," I said in a soothing tone, gently caressing her shiny hair.

But she shook her head, indicating that she didn't want her mother to find her.

"What's your name?" I asked instead.

"I'm Wynter Grizelle King," she replied in her sweet voice. Her name sounded familiar, like I'd heard part of it before.

"I'm Sabrina," I introduced myself once more.

"Just Sabrina? I have two names, Wynter and Grizelle, and you only have one," she observed, displaying a wisdom beyond her years. I was already fond of her; if I ever had a daughter, I hoped she'd be like Wynter.

"I have two names too, Sabrina Iris Kline. Everyone calls me Sabrina or Sab, but my parents used to call me Iris," I shared, and she smiled at me.

Suddenly, a woman approached us. Wynter hid behind me, seemingly afraid of this newcomer. The woman didn't acknowledge my presence as she pulled Wynter away.

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"Where have you been, you brat? Do you know how stressed your dad is? He's been searching everywhere for you like a maniac," the woman scolded. I couldn't help but feel a strong dislike for her. Was this any way to speak to a child? Kids deserved kindness, care, and empathy, not harsh words. She appeared to be Wynter's aunt, though, and it wasn't my place to intervene.

Wynter detached herself from the woman and clung to my legs, clearly fearful of her.

"You don't seem to understand my kind words. Let me go get your dad," the woman huffed, walking away.

"Was she your mother?" I asked Wynter, watching the woman walk away.

"No, she's Aunt Helen, but I call her 'Aunt Hell,'" Wynter replied with a mischievous grin.

"Where's your mama?" I inquired, determined to have a word with Wynter's parents before she left.

"Mama doesn't stay with us. She stays with the angels and God," Wynter explained. It became clear that she didn't have a mother in the traditional sense.

"I'm so sorry about that. And what about your dad?" I sympathized with her. I knew how hard it was to live without a mother.

"Daddy had a meeting, but he'll be here soon. Nanny Ann says that nobody should feel sorry for my mama. Angels love her, and they took her so that she could watch over me from up there," she said, pointing her small finger toward the sky. I felt even sorrier for her, realizing she had to be deprived of a mother's love at such a young age.

"Your Nanny Ann is right, sweetheart. You know, angels took both my mamma and papa, and now all three of them are happy in heaven, watching over and protecting us," I assured her.

"See, we're the same. So, are we friends?" I asked.

"Friends!" she squealed happily and hugged me tightly. "You know, Mama said I'll find a new Mama really soon."

"When did your mama tell you this?" I asked, curious.

"Three days ago when she came to meet me," she replied.

I realized she must have had a dream or some kind of vision about her mother. I hoped that she would find the new mother she longed for.

"Can you be my new mama?" She asked with hopeful eyes. I was taken aback by her question. It seemed that she just wanted someone to call her mother. How could I break her little heart? Letting her call me 'Mamma' wouldn't hurt. She would eventually understand when she grew older.

"Yes, you can call me Mamma," I said with a smile.

"Yay! I have a mamma now, Mamma Iris!" she exclaimed, dancing happily around me. Hearing that name brought back a flood of emotions. Only my parents used to call me by that name.

But never mind, I thought. I should learn from this little girl to be happy. I started playing with her to distract myself while waiting for her father to arrive.

I playfully poked her sides, and she giggled happily. "Daddy!" she screamed and started running around, still laughing.

I stood up, determined to give her father a piece of my mind for leaving such a small child alone, especially sending that woman to get her.

I turned around to scold him, but my blood ran cold when I saw the person standing in front of me.

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Author's Note

Who is excited about the next chapter? What are your thoughts about Wynter?

Who wants to see what the characters in this book look like :)?

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