“Hey,” Sena waved half running. She wore flats today, a pair of white shorts and egg yellow silk top looking like a finely dressed happy little puppy.  

The couple saw she was with someone and inquired.

“This is my new assistant April. April these are my family, big brother Leo and big sister Linda.” 

April shyly waved at her boss’s friends trying to minimize her presence. She had seen them from pictures in the house but seeing them in person was different. She is only barely half a month employed and still overwhelmed by how her job shot up several levels and now she’s facing another two children from big families. April is a bit scared.   

“Hello April, your job is going to be rough,” Linda said jokingly. 

April waved her hands frantically, “N-No Miss, Boss is not hard to work with. She’s very nice.”

The couple eyed Sena with awe, “You converted an ally in such a short time?” 

“Of course,” Sena said smugly. 

It looks like they didn’t have to worry about too much. Sena won’t ever miss her meals, and neglect her basic needs now that there is an assistant. She refused to hire staff before because one, she’s very wary of people and two, she doesn’t know how to interact with strangers. April seems to be a good person, if not Sena wouldn’t let her half a step into her door. 

“You came back early.”

Leo reached and rumpled her hair, “You scamp, you want us away so you can play around often?”  

“No, no, no, I’m thinking why it was so short. Others have their honeymoons in half a year.”

“Half a year darling only happens in novels. We’re already happy enough to get a month.” Linda said appreciating the silk top with hand-painted flowers. “I knew this would suit you.”

“Hmm, in that case, let me be the fairy godmother of you two because…” she said suspensefully as she pulled out a custom brochure from her pink saddlebag. “I’m giving you this.”

“What is this?” Leo asked because he couldn’t make out the words hidden by her fingers.

Sena proudly declared, “That’s a one year worth of ticket for the seafood restaurant at the docks.” 

Silence. An unbelievable awkward silence. 

The passerby who heard her couldn’t help laughing. This lady is hilarious. Is that supposed to be a wedding gift? But then the new bride suddenly screamed joyfully.

“This... this…” Linda repeated looking at the brochure carefully.

“I’m joking!” Sena laughed.

“Love, look. It’s a reservation for a resort in the Maldives, and it’s the newly opened one!”

“Sena…” Leo glared at her. 

“I did not spend a lot because my three grandfathers and I chipped in for this. So it doesn’t cost too much you see,” she explained hastily before the nagging could start. “And by the way, your jet is ready. I called your house for it so you can thank me later.”

Linda jumped and gave her a tight squeeze. “Baby girl how did you know?”

“Oh, please you have been sighing over it since last year. How could I not know?”

Actually, she and Leo planned to book a tour over there as well but that’s after the new year, roughly seven months from now.

“Go now, go. Enjoy yourselves and leave everything to me here.”

“Are you sure about this?” Leo looked at her intently.

She slightly shrunk her neck and nodded. “Aye sir,” and she got a light knock on her forehead.   

“Owie, why so?”

“I’ll take your elder sister to enjoy. You better promise to behave, okay?”

She raised her right hand and put it on her heart. “Promise.”

“April.” Leo turned to the other girl. “April was it? We will have to trouble you looking after her.”

April nodded her head. 

Sena waved her proverbial handkerchief as she sent the couple to the private lounge to wait for their flight attendant to come down and get them. 

Success!

“What do you think of them?” she asked elbowing April on the side.

“They’re a very lovely couple,” the other answered honestly. “I thought I’d only see couples so beautiful in movies, you know those tall, rich and pretty types.” 

“There is not that many.” Sena said with an impish smirk. 

“Really boss?”

“Which one do you prefer, tall rich and leathery or short rich with a beer belly?”

April was gobsmacked, “Is there no better choice? The books lied.”

“You just found out? You see those ideal men in novels, they do exist and I think the authors made a perfect description of either the driver or the bodyguard.” Sena couldn’t help but laugh at April’s growing horrified face. “The pilot would do as well. Many are quite good-looking, just rarely the employers.”

April felt so heartbroken, the fairy tale doesn't exist anymore. But before she could fall completely into despair she remembered that she saw a real-life aesthetically pleasing couple a few minutes ago. 

Sena shook her head laughingly. There is indeed a scarce number of the sought after tall, rich, handsome and intelligent men. That is why ladies fight over them like limited-edition luxury items. It’s hilarious yet sad because big brother Leo became a trophy to some.   

Last time, when the couple returned at exactly this period, Niko began her move. Aside from leaking most of their best deals, she also leaked everyone’s schedule to create a perfect opportunity for someone. Meanwhile, Sophie would also frequently show up in the company. 

Her goal was to either accidentally meet Leo to make sure her presence is remembered, be it in the elevator, café restaurants even meeting with clients. Then at the same time, she would pull Sena away from Linda. Bit by bit they work in tandem.

Small things but the results are unimaginable. 

The worst one of all was when she brought Sena to the bar and got her drunk. With this excuse, she would call Leo every time to pick the dead drunk Sena. Once was fine but thrice? She definitely has a plan. The following morning, a paparazzi posted a piece of explosive news about Sena and Leo coming out of the bar on separate occasions. The pictures were taken expertly so that they appear very intimate. Added by the gossip during the wedding banquet, that was when the adultery rumour intensified. 

Even if they knew the truth, the stigma and the weight of ugly gossip pressed on the three of them. Sena’s temper is even more volatile because she would lash out at any reporter who will try to interview her. The Tang and Banks families are well-known magnates and philanthropists that is why even though they are not celebrities they can never avoid the public’s eyes.

It was a very painful year when it was supposed to be the happiest since two souls are finally bound for life. 

“Let’s go buy groceries,” Sena suddenly said to drive away from the foggy feeling forming in her heart.

April kept getting surprised with her new ‘madam’. A proper young miss would dare walk inside the supermarket? Her notion of the ultra-rich is that they would never tolerate even the slightest dirt there is. 

Sena is different, she wears for comfort and she chooses her clothes through quality. Sure she has several designer luxury collection but she wouldn’t hesitate to don cotton shorts and shirts from common brands. Some of her everyday clothes even have small holes in them!  

Maybe if she wasn’t reborn and did not encounter setbacks, Sena would follow the life tailored out for her. After university, she would leave the country to train in their family’s corporation based in Europe. Live in their ancestral home where her mother grew up. Either host or attend social gatherings and move only according to etiquette. Marry a man with excellent gene match of the same background.

And everything would be monotonous and lifeless.    

Even having a family and heir sounded like a business. She doesn’t want to become like that. Neither was her mother so they did as they wanted, but with innate grace.  

She and April grabbed pushcarts then began from the household cleaning items on the rightmost part of the humongous grocery store to the leftmost where dairy and meats are placed.

“Boss, how many times have you been here? You even know where to find these things. I’ve been searching for this since the first day.” April asked holding a pack of egg noodles. 

“I came down here before you came.” Sena said casually but honestly, she had been here when she was broke. There are many affordable food items in this grocery and it was exactly April who pointed them to her. 

When they lined up to the counter to pay, April was even more surprised to see that there were only a handful of people waiting. 

“It’s midday, not many people come out to shop. Usually, it’s in the afternoon where there are discounts on food items, mothers and aunties fight for it. Besides, it’s not yet time for paychecks so we’re safe. If it is, then it will become a warzone here.”        

April listened and took note of them. She also didn’t want to get caught up in that the next time she bought supplies. There is a dedicated grocery store in Paragon but she noticed that Sena seems to be especially fond of this one. 

Then she heard a snicker coming from the other lane.

The guy standing holding a bottle of soda stopped when she saw her frown. He cleared his throat and looked away. April ignored him and did not want to pursue the issue. When Sena was talking, she put them in her reminder and calendar, maybe the guy found her action hilarious.

Their purchase had been paid but the guy was still standing like a fool waiting in line the moment they got out.

“Funny, guy.” Sena said. “He probably had no idea there is a different lane for individual purchase besides the basket lane. I bet he’ll stand in there for fifteen minutes more.”

“More than that,” April gloated. “He could have saved himself some pain if he just went to the vending machine.”

There are still two people ahead of him with tons of groceries to be swiped. April subconsciously looked back at the sliding doors. Who’s funny now, huh? 

 

Jacob is really really having a bad day. 

The president sent him for an errand to buy a soda two blocks away from his new place, on foot. If he wanted to nap, why not just do it and not torture him?

“You’re late.” The president said the moment his sweaty self entered the living area.

“I got stuck at the grocery store.” he reasoned wiping his forehead. 

What’s with this agony? He could have used more of that time to check the contract papers. His boss had been procrastinating for more than a week now and their planning and finance department will soon call if the proposals have been reviewed or approved.         

He tried begging but no effect, he tried bringing him to a relaxing place all to no avail. How can he be like this? He only needs to lift that damned pen and scrawl his name on it. How could he torture him this way? 

Aren’t presidents supposed to be dignified and swift with formidable air? He should have prepared better before handing in his resume and pretty much sealing his fate. This level of being laidback is quite scary if not unnerving. Don’t ask how truly formidable it is, Jacob would even lose a lot of sleep just thinking about the papers left untouched on his desks for days. It’s illogical. Companies would lose millions if this is the standard of management. 

Strangely enough, the boss never missed a schedule and never had any mishap. That is something admirable, yeah? But each time a proposal comes to the desk needing to be approved, Jacob just couldn’t help biting on his fingers in suspense.

“Boss, about the proposal for the location?”

“Reviewed and approved. I’ve submitted it under your name.” he said while relaxing on the brand new wide couch. 

Jacob’s mouth hung. Done? Done while he was away! Why does he feel the sudden urge to cry? 

So you sent me for a long errand so you can cheat? Give me back my free time you demon! Jacob lamented that He’s only twenty-six but the level of stress would turn him into an old man with tons of grey hair and wrinkles soon.

Hateful. Loathsome billionaire heir! 

In his anger, he opened the bottle of cola and chugged it down.

“Where’s my share?” the president suddenly asked looking at the rapidly emptying bottle in Jacob’s hand. “Ah, now you need to make another trip for it.” 

He had the urge to spit the whole thing back and step on it.