Revenge From The Girl You Dumped

Fransisca's POV

"Fransisca, you better answer that call now. I'm getting tired of it! You should know that when you're working, you should turn off your phone!"

I immediately set down the sunflowers I was arranging in the vase and followed my boss's order to answer the incoming call on my phone.

Aunt Mary was the cause of the disturbance today. I picked up my phone and stepped outside the shop; I was reluctant to answer her call, as I was sure she only wanted money from me.

"What's up, Aunt Mary?"

"God Damn it, Fransisca! Why did you take so long to answer my call? Your mother is sick, she's been screaming in pain for a while now. Come home, you can't possibly expect me to take her to the hospital without money, can you?"

I clenched my fists, frustrated by my aunt's words. But what she said was true, I had to go home.

"Alright, I'll come home."

I immediately ended the call and went back into the shop to ask for permission from my supervisor.

"Madam, I'd like to request permission to go back to my house. My mother is sick, and I--."

"You're fired."

"What do you mean, Madam? Did I do something wrong?" Honestly, I was quite shocked by my boss's words.

"Yes, this shop has been slow for the past three months, and your sales have declined too. I need to cut down on staff. So, just go and you don't need to come back to work."

My chest tightened; it was hard to accept all of this. Why did she have to do this to me?

I stood there, frozen, holding back tears. But my boss immediately pushed me out of the flower shop. The gust of wind from the slamming door let my suppressed tears flow freely. My only job was gone; there couldn't have been a worse day.

I walked wearily to my apartment, which wasn't far from the flower shop. Groans, shouts, and cries greeted me as I entered the hallway of this rundown apartment. My boss's words echoed in my head.

Today marked exactly one year since I came to New York, this cruel metropolis that had finally turned its back on me. Where else could I look for a job now? I didn't want to go back to my hometown and live with my mother and aunt, even though my mother was sick. They had squandered the money my late father left behind on gambling and alcohol.

A photo of me and my father on my bedroom wall welcomed me when I opened the apartment door. I approached the photo and hugged it, whispering, "Dad, I miss you. Give me the strength to endure."

**

"AARGH!"

My mother's scream echoed into the front yard as the bus that brought me to the village arrived. I quickly ran inside the house and found my aunt making out with a young man in the kitchen. It was the most disgusting thing I had ever seen.

"Get a room!" I shouted, startling the two of them. I immediately approached my mother in her room; her body was burning up as if consumed by flames.

"Don't give up, Mom!"

"Take her to the hospital, I don't understand what's happening to her. I've tried to bring down her fever but--."

"Shut up and help me call the hospital! Do you realize we don't have a vehicle to take her there?! We need an ambulance!" I cut off my aunt's sentence and directed my gaze at the young man who was with my aunt earlier. "If you have no business here, you better leave!"

The young man immediately left us. Meanwhile, my aunt looked at me as if I were a hungry lion.

"If you weren't my niece and the source of money for our lives, I'd make sure to slap you until you go blind!"

She then left while calling the hospital as I instructed. Threats like that were not new to me.

I sat by my mother's bedside, stroking her head; frustration had turned into pity. If only my mother hadn't succumbed to her circumstances after my father's death, maybe she would still be a skilled seamstress known for her beautiful dresses in this village.

Five minutes passed, and the sound of an ambulance siren echoed outside our house. The hospital wasn't far, so help arrived quickly. My mother was immediately taken to the hospital.

Upon arrival, the doctor conducted an examination. I was truly worried and hoped that nothing bad had happened. My heart felt like it wanted to escape my chest when the doctor emerged from the intensive care room and approached me.

"Your mother's condition is critical, her stomach is perforated, and the only thing we can do is surgery."

I swallowed hard and asked, "Surgery? How much will it cost?"

"$150,000. The surgery needs to be done urgently; otherwise, your mother--."

"Don't say anything else! Please, just do it. Save my mother, no matter what!" I clasped my hands together in front of the blue-eyed doctor.

"Very well, the surgery will be performed soon. You have three days to come up with the funds."

The doctor walked away, and I immediately approached my aunt, who was busy with her phone in the waiting area.

"$150,000. How much money do you have? How much savings do you have?"

I looked at my aunt, and she shrugged. "What are you saying?"

"Mom needs surgery, and it costs $150,000. Help me think, what should we do with that much money? Where should we find it?!"

"You could borrow from your boss?" My aunt answered casually, as if not burdened at all.

"I'm not working anymore! I got fired!"

"Well, in that case, a loan shark is the only option to borrow money from."

I furrowed my brows and shook my head. "Are you crazy? I don't want to get trapped by loan sharks! Who's going to pay the interest? I can't rely on you, do you want to burden me with everything?!"

"Then tell the doctor you don't have the money, so the surgery gets canceled, and your mother dies. Simple, right?" My aunt slapped my face and chuckled. I understood; her carefree attitude was a form of revenge because my mother had taken her beloved, who was none other than my late father.

But why did she continue to hold onto that grudge until now?

I was trapped in this situation, and the words my aunt had said seemed to be the perfect way out to help us.

I stood up and grabbed her hand, saying, "Help me find the house certificate and take me to that loan shark."

Fransisca's POV

I slumped beneath the tree in the hospital courtyard. The quiet night atmosphere enclosed around me. My thoughts drifted, contemplating how to repay the loan shark's interest.

Yup, my aunt and I managed to secure the house certificate and handed it over to the cruelest loan shark in the village. He gave us a year's time, and I thought that was a short period.

$150,000 turned into $200,000; where could I get all that? The monthly interest I had to pay was substantial too, $1,000. If I returned to work at the flower shop where I earned only $1,100, that would leave me with just $100 for my living expenses.

Shit. This won't work.

"Drink, ease the things troubling your mind." My aunt appeared, offering her whiskey bottle.

I stared at the black bottle for a moment, then decided to take the drink and gulp it down. It was the first time in my life, and it didn't taste too bad, actually.

"Can I?" I looked at my aunt, hoping that she would let me down the remaining bit of whiskey..

"Sure, I've enjoyed it for decades; I won't be stingy in sharing my whiskey with you. So, I want to apologize for my nasty attitude earlier, which I'm sure you found annoying."

The moonlit glint in my aunt's eyes was soothing; I hadn't seen her like this in a long time. Her green eyes that usually held anger and grudges now seemed calm.

"It's okay, I understand your situation. I hope you can really take care of Mom and... start working again. How long will you stay idle and regret my mother's past actions? My father is gone; none of you can have him anymore. Stop crying over the past. I'm sure you need money too, right? You can't expect much from the $400 I can send you. You need to rebuild your life, Aunt Mary."

My aunt gave a crooked smile, raised her eyebrows, and said, "I've been thinking about it. Since we went to that loan shark earlier, my mind, which had been filled with revenge and anger to destroy your mother, seemed irrational. I shouldn't keep living like this. By the way, I saw in the newspaper, there's a job opening in the city."

My aunt handed me a newspaper clipping, and it stated a job vacancy as a secretary at AS Corp, a renowned company owned by Alexander, a young CEO adored by many women.

"This won't suit me, I've never worked in an office like this, and you know, it's a prestigious company, the CEO is so famous, and most of those working there are either well-known people or their children. I'd probably be kicked out by security the moment I step onto the premises." I handed the newspaper clipping back to my aunt.

"Okay, this is one of the traits I hate about you. You inherited your mother's trait; both of you often back down before moving forward. Odd. You have to take it, or you won't be able to pay the loan shark's interest, remember, Fransisca. This company is the only option that only requires neatness, agility, and discipline to be a secretary. Isn't that easy?"

I sighed deeply, took back the newspaper clipping, and stared at it intently. The job opening would close tomorrow, which meant if I wanted to apply, I had to return to New York tonight.

"Well, it says here--."

"What's your excuse now? Deadline? I understand what's going on in your mind. One of my friends is heading to New York in an hour. You can go with her. I told her to stop by here before leaving. Somehow, I believe you can work there. Even if you fail, I'm sure you'll find another job. I'll also look for work again once my mother recovers. We'll both pay off the debt you took on."

I couldn't hold back my tears, my heart was touched. I immediately hugged my aunt, and we both sobbed.

"Thank you for understanding, Aunt Mary. I'm leaving my mother in your care."

**

At exactly eight in the morning, I arrived at Alexander Smith's company. Luxurious cars passed by me as I walked on the sidewalk, creating an intriguing sight for me.

My heart was now filled with two things: excitement and anxiety. I was glad to see all this grandeur; working here was the dream of many, yet seeing the employees and the luxury cars made me feel down. I seemed unworthy to be among them.

My heart seemed ready to leap out when I stood before the company entrance. The disdainful glances from a few women who appeared to be employees here made me even more nervous.

"Good morning, Miss. Can I help you with something?"

A security guard smiled kindly at me. Maybe among all the people in this company, he was the only one who still remembered how to smile.

"Um, I... I want to apply for the position of Mr. Alexander Smith's secretary. I got the information from the job listing in the newspaper."

"Alright, then. Please come in, go to the fifth floor, and wait in the waiting room. There are other applicants waiting there as well. The interview will be conducted one hour from now."

Doubt momentarily enveloped me as the security guard handed back my application. I felt like running away and canceling all of this, but the image of my weak mother lying in bed and the promise I made to Aunt Mary pushed me to step into the grand building.

A luxurious aroma filled the air, and I was certain it was the scent of the employees here, worth thousands of dollars. I had never encountered a fragrance like this in my entire life.

Strangely, the more I walked, the more my doubt faded. In fact, my imagination started to picture how my life would change if I managed to work here. Perhaps, it was time for me to put aside my worries and think optimistically, believing that luck would be on my side today.

Alexander's POV

"Honey, your lips are so plump. I'm always hungry and never stop enjoying them when I'm near you."

Jessica ran her finger sensually across my lips. This was the third time she had invited me to the office in the morning and done something wild. I couldn't figure out what was driving her; it seemed like she had a fetish for the office.

"Same with me, Honey. But, we have to stop this game for now. You know, in half an hour, I have a meeting with the new diamond mining company investors, and I also have to interview the applicants who want to be my secretary. I hope this is the last time I need to open this job vacancy."

Jessica's passionate gaze instantly changed. She pressed her index finger against my lips and said, "As long as the women who become your secretaries have designs on seducing you, you will always keep this job vacancy open. I won't let anyone else woo you."

Yes, I've had five secretaries change within the last two years. It all started when Jessica caught my first secretary, who had been working for nearly seven years, slipping something into my drink.

I thanked Jessica for caring and protecting me as her lover. But her possessive behavior was also becoming troublesome. Actually, the other four secretaries were fine with me; I thought they were diligent enough in their work. However, because Jessica had witnessed the misdeeds of my first secretary, she became suspicious and saw even trivial actions by the secretaries as attempts to ensnare me.

It's ridiculous, but I can't stop Jessica. Call me a coward, love slave, or whatever you want. I admit it's all true. I can't get angry with Jessica; her beauty always manages to mesmerize me.

I've never been this crazy about a woman before. It's so easy for me to find another woman, especially with my position as a well-known CEO in this city. I just need to stand by the side of the road for a moment, and I'm sure many women will flock to me. I used to be a playboy; I could sleep with three different women in a month.

Everything changed when I met Jessica at a nightclub. The way she looked at me was full of arrogance; she didn't even flinch when I kept staring at her. Which, by the way, was a trick that had always worked on every girl.

My curiosity peaked, and I felt challenged to conquer her. And indeed, for almost two months, I tried to get a date with Jessica. Her spoiled, cold, and expensive demeanor made me realize I'd found the right woman.

Jessica lightly slapped my face, snapping me out of my daydream about her.

"What are you thinking? If you want to leave, hurry up. If not, we'd better continue what we left unfinished." Jessica was about to kiss my lips, but I turned my face so she landed on my cheek.

"Let's go now, Honey. Maybe I should design an office-shaped room in our new house so your fetish can keep being fulfilled."

Jessica pinched my arm playfully, and we both laughed before leaving the room. As we walked through the waiting area, I noticed three young women looking at me, all smiling warmly. I knew they were the applicants for the secretary position.

I tugged Jessica's hand, motioning her to stop and greeted the three young women who had attractive appearances.

"You're the applicants for my secretary, right?" The three women stood up and nodded simultaneously. "Great, so--."

"We're leaving, please wait until we return. Be aware that no one knows when we'll be back."

Jessica interrupted my sentence and issued her new instruction. Usually, she would just ask the secretary candidates to clean the entire fifth floor. I don't know why, but this time I felt her requirement was much tougher.

Who would be patient enough to wait for hours? I mean, I knew Jessica's plan; she would probably make them wait for more than three hours.

"Who don't you like among those three women? I think your requirement is too harsh, Honey. Maybe I should conduct the interview myself after we get back from this meeting with my friend."

Jessica stared at me sharply, her fingers pressing the elevator button forcefully. "You still don't understand? Can't you see how they look at you? Their gaze is full of schemes. I'm sure they'll take no more than three days to set a trap or drug you like your former secretary did."

"Honey, maybe we should start moving on from past issues. Besides, that incident was a long time ago. Believe me, finding a job isn't easy now. This is New York; people have to compete to make money. I'm sure they're not as bad as you think."

The elevator doors opened, and Jessica quickly stepped in. I was sure she was jealous because I was opposing her reason. She looked at me and halted her steps, saying, "You seem to be defending them. Which one do you like among those bitches?!"

"Come on, Honey! Who can turn away from you? We've been together for three years; no woman can match you. If you keep acting like this, I'll never be able to find a suitable employee. I hope you-ugh!"

My sentence was cut off when a woman suddenly bumped into me. The black-haired woman, whose hair flowed loosely, seemed panicked. She lowered her head and repeatedly apologized to me and Jessica, saying, "I'm so sorry!"

From the documents she was carrying, I could tell she was one of the other applicants.

"Fool! Where are your eyes? What are you looking at!" Jessica snapped at the woman loudly, and the woman trembled greatly due to Jessica's anger.

I embraced Jessica and gently rubbed her shoulder. She was about to speak again, but I immediately found an opening to cut her off. "So, you want to apply for the secretary position?"

The woman in the dark blue shirt nodded slowly.

"Alright, please wait in the waiting room."

"Yes, and I can assure you that you won't get this job!" Jessica pulled my hand and deliberately bumped her shoulder into the unfortunate woman. We walked away, leaving her behind.

As we walked, I glanced at the woman and accidentally our eyes met. Her sorrowful gaze and innocent face left a different impression on my heart. I don't know why this occurred to me, but I just wanted to be honest – this girl was quite beautiful.