Randell took a deep breath before entering Martina's office. “That witch, she thought that I won't be able to find out that she's looking for a phased out item. She will surely be surprised by this.”
He knocked on the door and he heard Martina speak. “Come in.”
Martina looked surprised just by looking at Randell who wears a witty grin. “It's already 6 PM. For sure, you already bought the stamp that I want.”
“Of course, because you told me not to come here if I wasn't able to buy that for you.” Randell proudly showed a small paper bag with an attached receipt and immediately placed it on Martina's table. “I found a trusted supplier who has a rare item like that. Just take a look at the receipt, I followed your instruction that I must buy that from a legitimate store.”
Martina grunted as she looked at the receipt that's not altered and the number of the store was also printed. “How did they sell it to you?”
“Common sense, I have money and I told them that I really want to buy the stamp,” Randell answered while scratching his head. “And of course, I know that it's part of your challenge to make me quit this job.”
“How can you say that? Of course that's your job and I'm not challenging you though,” Martina denied.
“I can endure any challenges if that's what makes you happy and that's your mechanism to cope up with the past. But let me remind you—punishing people who didn't hurt you is a way of passing the trauma and not getting rid of it. A friendly advice, if you want to take revenge, please do it to the people who really hurt you. I just want to do this job because you are going to pay me a right salary and I don't have a financial fallback. I hope you will be considerate next time and won't do any power tripping.” Randell shook his head and left Martina's office.
And when Randell had already left, Martina angrily smashed her keyboard. “That silly guy! He talks like he knows everything!”
Honestly, Randell's words hit her again. He was undeniably right when he said that she shouldn't use her power to make people suffer. She just can't control her temper sometimes and she admitted that it's not right to hurt other people just because she had been abused in the past.
****
Randell immediately went to see his cat, Molly. He found it eating cat food that he doesn't buy and he was suspicious because somebody fed her cat without his knowledge.
“Wow, you're capricious now Molly. When we're at the tenement, you aren't able to eat food like that. Tell me, who gave you those? Is it Nanay Remmy?” He's talking to his cat as if he can get a response from it.
“Maybe we are destined to live here to just accept the fact that we are poor and losers. But don't worry, someday I know that we can get away from this mess and meet good people.” He gently tapped his cat's head. “Molly, if you ever see Martina, just scratch her face or bite her feet. Because honestly, I hate the way she treats me. It feels like she sold her soul, that's why she treats me like I'm a wronged guy.”
Randell stood up and waved goodbye to his cat after several minutes. And without his knowing, Martina heard what he said to Molly. Martina secretly followed Randell because she wanted to apologize but now that she heard Randell, her anger bursts out again.
“Ridiculous! I'm not an evil person like what you think!”
****
Randell smiled when he saw Nanay Remmy watching TV together with her three housemaids. “Good evening to all of you,” he greeted.
“Oh, Randell? How's the first day of working with my problematic granddaughter?” Nanay Remmy asked with a wide smile.
“It's all fine. Because I went outside her office to look for the things she needed,” Randell answered.
“Just be patient, I know your things between you as colleagues will be good, soon,” Nanay Remmy confidently said.
“I hope so,” Randell uttered. “By the way, I'm sorry if I left no food for my cat. I found out that you feed it.” Randell apologetically smiled.
“Me? I don't remember giving Molly her food,” Nanay Remmy admitted. “Alina, Yayo, Kikay? Did you give food for Randell's cat?” Nanay Remmy asked her housemaids.
“Definitely it's not me because I'm afraid that cat might bite or scratch me,” Alina said.
“Me too, how about you Kikay?” Yayo asked her colleague.
“I don't feed the cat because I didn't see it in the backyard,” Kikay swiftly replied.
“Ah okay. I thought you fed Molly,” Randell replied. Now he's thinking that since all of them denied feeding Molly, it might be Martina. But it's impossible for that woman to show fondness to stray pets since she's the first one to show disgust when she brought Molly inside the mansion.
Now, he will confirm if Martina really fed Molly and then will thank her if she really did. He went back to Martina's office and he was surprised that she's still working even if it's late at night.
“I'm sorry for not knocking the door,” he said while standing in front of Martina and he didn't hear any complaints from her. He smirked when he heard jazz music playing on Martina's desktop computer. “Uh oh, I thought listening to music isn't allowed while working?”
Martina stopped looking at the computer just to throw a deadly glare to Randell who consistently annoys her. “It's not working hours at this time and I feel sleepy like I'm yawning every minute,” she clarified.
“It's not working hours but you're still working. Hey, don't stress yourself and watch your health because if you get sick, you might die soon,” Randell advised.
Martina chuckled. “You're an advanced thinker. You think that I might die if I get sick. I wish that being sick makes me die earlier.”
“Ms. Martina, I understand your pain but I know that you have purpose in life that you won't be able to find as of now because you're too busy drowning yourself in loneliness.” Randell grinned.
“I will never find any purpose if you keep on annoying me. Just get out and rest because you'll be working tomorrow,” Martina yelped.
“How about, I'll help you with that, in exchange for your kindness to Molly?” Randell offered.
“I didn't show kindness to your cat because that cat is annoying and ugly,” Martina denied. Well in fact, before Randell came back, she really gave Molly food in a proper feeding bowl.
“But still, thank you, just keep denying that an evil witch shows kindness.” Randell laughed.