In Rebecca’s room.Rebecca was writing words on a small board and kept erasing them and then wrote new words.Veronica was watching her while crunching on an apple. “What are you trying so hard for?”“My brand name.”“How about you just use Rebecca or Rebs?”“Nah, I want it to have a special meaning,” Rebecca kept thinking. “I can think of many names, but none of them are satisfying. It feels like something is missing.”“How about you put Veronica as your brand name then?” Veronica suggested. “I’m sure it will definitely bring you lots of success.”“Heh, yeah, if success can come just from the name, then I wouldn’t have had to work my ass off after finishing college.”“Having a company is quite risky, sis. Why don’t you just work like you used to? Weren’t you earning a million a month?” Veronica suggested. “I mean, you can demand more if you want.”“No, I’m not after money as much as I’m after success,” Rebecca said. “You can chase after money without end, or you can learn to find pea
In the evening, fluffy clouds drifted lazily through the cerulean sky. The scent of honeysuckle hung sweet in the air.Rebecca was on the balcony after the wind turned cold.Veronica came to meet her. “Mom hasn’t slept since last morning. She’s working so hard to become the ruler of Aurora Hills.”“The more gold and silver she has in her pockets, the less sleep she will get,” Rebecca replied.“Even though you said that you don’t seem worried for her,” Veronica asked.“I’m worried, but I have got many more things I’m worried about, though worrying doesn’t help with anything,” Rebecca said. “My mind used to be sharp until a couple of months back, but now, it feels like it has become dull. I can’t think of new designs, or even the name of my company.”“Too much thinking can make you feel congested and crazy,” Veronica said. “So, you should take your mind off all the burdens for a couple of months.”“Easier said than done,” Rebecca sadly smiled. She didn’t want to tell her sister that she
“Rebeeca, are you kidding me? Now I know why you didn’t have a wedding. To think your husband is a freaking pizza-delivery guy!” a blonde in a skimpy dress let the words flow out of her mouth like a monkey's exaggerated screams.“That’s not it, Jane.” The brunette sitting in the driver’s seat took her shades out and bit on them. She was wearing a metallic fashion dress that revealed some of her breasts and most of her healthy thighs with zero cellulite and perfect shine. She tried to explain herself by telling her a few things."So you're saying your vagina never vomited white stuff after getting married?" Jane covered her mouth in both shock and pity. "I went out on an extended foreign trip to find a good-looking husband, but you are here… stuck with a pizza-delivery guy."Rebecca didn't know whether to laugh or cry."At least tell me he's attractive.""Well," Rebecca felt awkward to respond to such a question.The car they were in, a red Porsche, had stopped in front of a cluster of
Benjamin entered the villa through the main door while chewing on a pizza slice. This was the same pizza he had wanted to give to the chief driver, though he ended up lying about forgetting to bring it. He took the rest of the pizza to the children’s room. His in-law’s children, there were four of them. All crazy, selfish, and self-absorbed in their own ways, just like their parents. Two of them talked too much, while the other two rarely ever talked. When Benjamin walked in, they were all playing games or chatting with their friends in their own mobiles. Their mobiles looked stylish and up-to-date compared to the crappy old mobile Benjamin had. “Hey, kids. I brought pizza,” Benjamin put excitement into his voice. “Put it on the table and leave,” the oldest of the four, Lisa, replied without even looking. Even though she looked cute with her pigtails and all, her words were always cold and indifferent, even more so than Rebecca. Benjamin did as she said and was leaving. (Not one o
At night.Almost everyone from the family gathered at the dining table and began eating, all except one who was still standing and serving food for others.He was the only son-in-law of the Sterling family, yet taunts and mockings were flung at him every other minute. Even the children took part in it enthusiastically.Sunday was a cheat day, so Selena was gorging on everything her hands could get hold of. While everyone sitting ate their fill to the point of burping twice or thrice, nobody offered Benjamin food or told him to sit and eat, not even his wife.He was hungry, but he was fed their trivial talk peppered with lies. He had to listen to them exchanging lies to one another. For instance, the children lied the most by hiding things they were doing. Lisa was chatting with her boyfriend since afternoon, but she lied about that. Roshan was watching exclusive stripping videos since evening, yet he acted like he was doing his homework. The other two children, who were much younger,
If there was anyone more shameless than pigs, it was Shawn’s wife, Elizabeth. Shamelessness ran in her blood was what Benjamin believed.Her family would spend around 100 days every year in the Sterling family, and the rest of the days, Elizabeth would regularly travel to and fro using Sterling’s money. She didn’t have any job, not that she tried to get one in the first place.She was so dependent on her husband for her lavish lifestyle of attending yacht shows and tennis tournaments all around the world. Still, she had no respect for Selena even though Shawn loved his mother more than anything else. Maybe, that was exactly why she couldn’t bring herself to respect Selena because she wanted Shawn to respect and love her the most first.She would always try to put fights between Veronica and her mother and would enjoy the show from the side. However, she received the most entertainment from a single person. And that was the only son-in-law of the Sterling family.“Benjamin! Where are y
Rebecca dropped him at the Rye’s Pizzas, a cluster of vintage pizza huts, and left without saying at least a cursory bye. Only Benjamin waved his hand, expecting her to look back. Though she didn’t look back, she did notice his efforts through the mirror and faintly smiled.“I wish I knew fashion designing as well,” Benjamin thought. “Then I would have joined her company.” He sighed and got to work.Right after entering the cluster of huts, Benjamin had to take out all of his possessions and put them in the employee’s storage box before getting into the blue uniform. Rings, lockets, and bracelets especially were not allowed inside the food center after all.Normal deliveries must be made within 30 minutes to any part of the city, and the customers would give anywhere from 1 to 5 stars of rating.Express deliveries must be made within 15 minutes only, and the customers would give anywhere from 1 to seven stars.Benjamin’s average rating now reached 4.8 after over 12,000 successful deli
In the evening, Rebecca took Benjamin to her personal physician, one different from their family doctor, who gave him some medication to improve his hunger. No tablets. Only some syrup. However, the doctor took 300 dollars for providing less than ten minutes of her time, which was much more than what Benjamin earned that day from tips working from 10 to 4 on that day.As they were heading home, Rebecca was silent as usual. She was a woman of few words, as though something always ran through her mind.“Rebecca…” Benjamin started a conversation. It was better than being silent, after all. “Today,” he was fiddling with his wedding ring, “one of my coworkers started rubbing my elbow.”Rebecca was startled out of her thoughts, but she put on a poker face.“I told her I’m married, of course,” Benjamin continued. “How can I look at another woman when I have you, right?” he looked into the mirror and could see her pretty doll-like face. He wanted to plant a kiss on her cute cheeks, but he cou