Chapter 2 FLASHBACK

Chapter 2

October 13, 2022

Madrid, Spain, Europe... Time: 5:35 pm

Paige Georgina Emerson's apartment

Paige's Point of View

Walking towards the apartment frustratedly, I ran my hand through my hair feeling irritated, slamming my forehead with my purse...

From the way, I look tired and my sour face, it was obvious I had a bad day at the restaurant today...

For the whole day, I had been going around trying to serve people at the restaurant as they come in every second.

Working at the BJ'S restaurant is nice since the pay is a little bit good and covers not many expenses though, it is just to let people know I'm working.

I got to the door, turned the knob with the little strength in me, and walked in, "is there anyone at home?! I yelled dejectedly slumping onto the closest sofa in the sitting room...

No doubt, Sylvia is in the kitchen, and the aroma of the food she is cooking is hitting me badly which causes my stomach to grumble...

After such a hectic day spent at the restaurant working tirelessly, it was a given to be slammed by hunger anyway...

"Hey, girlfriend," Sylvia called sweetly, stepping out of the kitchen while carrying some delicacy in her hold

As fast as my tired legs could go, I dashed toward the dining area and grabbed a chair before placing my butt on the wooden furniture...

"Cassoulet," I exclaimed happily staring at the French dish on the table waiting to be consumed

Ok, I don't even know why I love the food.

"Easy, easy dear, they are all yours no one is going to take it from you," Sylvia said as she went to sit opposite me

"Thanks, dear and no one can even think of taking it because I won't allow it," I giggled happily as my earlier sour mood vanished as I pour myself a glass of juice

"You look tired," Sylvia said as she brought her head closer to mine to have a better look

"Of course, why won't I, that BJ as determined to make use of me anyhow she likes, it sucks Sylvia" I grumbled through gritted teeth...

"At least it is better than the other one you are doing," she said and avoided my eyes when she said it

"Seriously," I muttered

"I'm sorry," she whispered and shrugged

"Where is Ethan" I inquired grabbing a plate and some cutlery...

"I have no idea, Paige" she replied frowning when I stopped eating.

"Where could my brother be," I thought mentally.

"I understand you are getting worried since it is getting late already but you get to know something, you look worn out, Ethan is no longer a kid, he is in his final year in college, and he can take care of himself" Sylvia assured me...

I had no other choice than to eat and nodded to what she said because Sylvia likes to support Ethan so much so I faced my meal and starts eating at a fast pace.

"Hey, slow down" Sylvia snapped with a disapproving frown on her face...

"I'm hungry, ok, BJ never allowed me to eat anything since morning," I grumbled and rolled my eyes at her. She sighed shaking her head at me

"You look somehow pale, what is wrong," I asked concerned, Sylvia looked up at me...

"I just came back from a meeting that top business associate came, so I spend most of my time standing and almost fainted because of the heat," she answered as she grabbed a glass gulping some water...

"You almost fainted because of heat, isn't there AC in the room," I yelled almost choking as I quickly drank out of the drink and she mouthed a sorry to me.

"Yeah, there is but the room was tensed, our boss didn't tell us we have an impromptu meeting," she responded.

"And also sorry for the stress, I understand what you are passing through in the hands of those CEO" I added giving her a fleeting look.

"Thank you, dear," Sylvia grinned

"I haven't seen grandma Lilian today," I asked worriedly

"Well, grandma Lilian is dead," Sylvia dropped the bomb

"What," I shouted and tears left my face.

Grandma Lilian is their neighbor living next door. Each of us living in the area loves her so much and we all took her as everyone takes her to their grandma.

"I saw her yesterday," I sobbed

"We saw her yesterday," Sylvia corrected her

"I will miss her so much," I sighed sadly

"Yeah, I saw her eldest son earlier today and asked about how her burial will be," Sylvia sighed

"He said she will be buried at the city general burial ground on Friday," Sylvia added

"Alright, we have to attend it, I have to tell BJ, I won't be around on Friday," Paige said

"I hope BJ will allow you because you have asked for many leaves from him,"

"Yes but I'm sure he also witnessed what it means when someone is close to him dead," I scoffed

"Yes, that is true," she nodded

BJ's mum is dead. So I'm sure he knows what it means.

"Paying our last respect to her is something I don't want to miss," she sighed sadly

"Yes, it is very important," I nodded

"He was so sad with a sullen face, it isn't good to lose someone important," she shrugged

"Now, he is an orphan, an older orphan," I added

"Ethan should be back by now," she muttered as she changed the topic.

"I'm sorry, I brought up that conversation," she added sadly

I sighed and held her hand while I told her," It isn't your fault I'm an orphan," I smiled lightly at her to assure her that everything is ok.

My mind flashed back to how we left France for Madrid hoping for greener pastures when we learned how our parents died.

(Flash Back to April 15, 2018)

It was closing hour and I have been waiting for Ethan so we can go back to the orphanage.

Especially because I'm hungry, I haven't eaten anything since morning.

"Where could Ethan be," I asked myself while I decided to go to his class and check for him

As I was getting closer to his class, I heard some noises coming from the unused hallway.

I wanted to ignore it and continue to look for my brother but I stopped when I heard his voice.

"Leave me alone, I'm not the one who took your pen," Ethan cried

I dashed towards the room and saw Ethan on the floor beaten up with tests on his face that kept falling.

"Why are you beating him," I asked the three boys that are of the same age as Ethan

"Why can't we beat him, he is a loser. A pathetic orphan," The youngest yelled and wanted to kick him but a glare from me stopped him

"He is an orphan doesn't mean anything, it isn't our fault our parents died at home," I snapped

"Of course, it means a lot. Both of you and your parents were hit by a coming truck," another one snapped

Hit by s coming truck?

But we were told they died at home?

"Who told you this," I asked holding the sobbing Ethan

"Why should we tell you," One of them asked

"How did you know about it," I ignored what he said

"Why are you asking, it isn't like you are going to beat us even if you are his brother," The one who looked like the oldest scoffed nonchalantly

"Yes, I can't beat you up but I will be able to show the principal the video because I captured everything and just by looking at the three of you, which are already in the black book, so any single mistake, you are expelled," I yelled at them

"So who told you this," I yelled in anger and they flinched back afraid

"We were told by Nick, he said he was there when you were brought to the orphanage home," the oldest answered immediately

"So it was Nick all along," I muttered

Nick is an orphan like us in the home. He has been hitting on me for a long but I have never answered him.

"Please don't show the principal the video," They begged and I ignored them as I helped Ethan up and walked outside.

"Why did they lie to us," Ethan asked

"There is no one to trust again, Ethan," I replied and sighed.

We got to the orphanage home and went directly to meet the mother, Mrs. Lincoln, that is the person in charge and a mother to us all.

We entered without knocking on her door. We met her sitting and going through some files on her table. She looked up and noticed it was us and dropped what she was doing to give us attention.

"What happened to you, Ethan," She asked worriedly

"Mrs. Lincoln, what happened to our biological parents," Ethan asked instead feeling sadly with his head bent low

"What do you mean, who told you that," She asked staring at us in the eyes with a smile though it was obvious that it is fake

"No, tell us what happened to our parents, we need to know the truth," I yelled feeling angry bubbling in my guts

"Fine. Your parents were killed by a coming truck but according to the investigation made, the brake of the car failed before the incident, the truck driver intentionally hit your parents through the video we watched and the truck driver ran away immediately," She answered

"We couldn't find anything in the car to prove your identity, so we gave you a new name,"

I felt like the world had come to a standstill, I felt sick to my stomach immediately after she said it.

How could want us dead?

"Then, who brought us here," I asked

"We don't know but we were threatened that we shouldn't tell you the real truth since you both have amnesia and I don't know who the person is because I didn't see him directly, it was through his boys," She added

"Fine, you should have told us the truth when we asked," I sighed sadly

"But..."

"No, it is fine," I cut off immediately

"Thanks for keeping us save, but we won't be staying in the orphanage anymore," I said firmly staring at the woman we lived to know as a mother

"But don't act like this because you heard it from a stranger," She frowned

"No, don't stop us, we are leaving," I said with a finality

"I understand but what about the people after both of your lives," she said as he stared away... I could detect the pain in her voice because she genuinely loved us just like other kids.

"We wouldn't want to stay in this country either, help us this last time, just please do us a favor by buying us a ticket to Madrid," I added positively...

"But you don't know anybody there and how will you survive also," she asked worriedly...

"That is our cross to bear, ma'am, don't worry about us, sir, moreover I'm old enough now to take care of myself and my brother and it will make the bad people stop watching the orphanage now we are gone and can't be found," I sighed deeply...

"Fine, Madrid, I will help you," she said inhaling deeply with a sad smile playing on his lips...

(Back To The Present)

That is how Ethan and I moved to Madrid. We rented an apartment with the money she gave us and we met Sylvia.

Sylvia has been our backbone for us since we met and another sister for Ethan...

She is from a wealthy family... she ran away from home when her parents wants to marry her off to someone she doesn't even like or know because of the benefits of their company...

To keep a low profile, both of us searched for work aimlessly and luckily she got one but I'm the only one left looking for a vacant job...

It isn't like I never find but the bosses will want to have me before giving me the job and that is what I can't accept, never!!!...

With that and everything, I work twice times in a day... at the restaurant and the club...

Yes, I'm a well-known stripper in the club...

I used them to pay up Ethan's school bills and some other things too...

It pays a lot that is why I'm doing it... Sylvia and Ethan as tried talking me into quitting but I can't since I haven't found any better job yet...

Although we tended to live and survive together, It still wasn't easy since life itself is unfair to us but we still manage to pull through each day, I couldn't be more grateful...

"He is not here yet" I heard her say jolting me out of my thoughts...

"Do you suggest we should look for him" I replied

"Possible, we could if it want but it is too early," she shrugged closing the door as she walked back to the dining area...

"That boy wouldn't be the end of me" I muttered under my breath...

"He is a man, he can do whatever he wants, it is still in the evening, you can't babysit always," she said obviously because she heard me and I chuckled

"I don't mind babysitting a grown-up man if it brings a lot of money" I shrugged snickering...

"You have got to rest now before going to the club, you look exhausted," She said while I shook my head negatively...

"I'm not" I opposed just as a traitorous yawn escaped my mouth... she gave me an," I told you so look before I grabbed my purse...

"Fine, Miss Sylvia" I stood up and tied my hair up properly...

"Alright, please wake me up early so I can go to the club to avoid Mrs. Vera's nagging," I told her

"Ok I will" She nodded

"And thanks for the meal" I whispered grinning while she rolled her eyes at me smiling...

I turn and walked towards my room... I was stressed out and needed a rest... working in Madrid isn't easy at all...

I was lost in thought that I almost missed a step...

"Shit" I cursed, turned the doorknob, and got inside my room not caring to take a shower... I slumped on the bed and dozed right off...