Chapter 41

Priscilla's POV

"Liz, do you think Max is okay?" I asked, feeling my insides quivering. I didn't know why I was so anxious and worried about Max, considering I had never been this worried for anyone before.

"Priscilla, don't worry about Max. He's an adult, and he can take care of himself. Right now, just focus on finding a job and taking care of your baby, okay?" Liz spoke impatiently but with a small smile on her face.

I let out a deep breath, realizing that Liz was right. I needed to stop worrying about a man with 32 teeth in his mouth and just focus on myself.

"You're right. Let's go before we're late," I said, determined to create a new start for myself. I planned to continue my studies while working and paying for my school fees. The thought of having the power of self-independence while earning my salary was empowering.

"I'm ready, but are you sure you don't want to change?" Liz suggested. "Maybe wear something more elegant?"

"I think I'm fine the way I am. I don't like girly clothes, so I prefer jeans," I replied. I wasn't going to change my style just because I was looking for a job. I would stay true to myself. I'd rather people copy my style than change who I am for them.

"Great, let's go," Liz said, grabbing our bags. Together, we left the house, ready to take on the world.

Author's POV

Mark sat in his comfortable office chair, checking his watch repeatedly. He was waiting for Liz, even though he had an important surgery to conduct at noon. He had initially declined Liz's request to meet, but she had begged him to agree. Now, she was late, causing him to feel annoyed.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when Ruby knocked on his door and entered his office. "Sir, Miss Manh has arrived," she said politely.

"Send her in," Mark replied. Ruby smiled before leaving the room.

A few minutes later, Priscilla and Liz knocked on the door and entered. Mark's heart skipped a beat when he saw Priscilla, whom he had liked ever since Max brought her to the hospital. She looked remarkably similar to his sister, and Mark wondered if it was a coincidence.

"Mark, where are you lost?" Liz interrupted his thoughts.

"I'm sorry. Welcome. I got lost in thought," Mark responded cautiously, trying to hide his feelings.

"Hi, Priscilla! How are you and the baby?" Mark asked politely with a small smile. Priscilla returned the smile.

"The baby and I are fine - we're doing great," Priscilla replied.

"She's the girl I was talking about - she's looking for a job," Liz added.

"Welcome, Priscilla. Are you interested in fashion and clothes designing?" Mark inquired.

"My mother was a singer and a model who used to design her clothing with small bits of fabric she had left, and since I was a child, I started making clothes for my dolls from those small scraps. My mother put me in Fashion Designing classes when I was five, and I learned a lot about fashion and design. I dropped out when I was 14 because my mom couldn't afford the classes, but I still consider myself an expert. I just haven't had time to design anything," Priscilla explained.

"May I ask who your mother was? You look familiar to someone I used to know," Mark asked hesitantly.

"My mother's name was Monica Jenks," Priscilla replied, instantly regretting her decision to reveal her mother's name.

Both Mark and Liz were astonished and exchanged surprised glances. "Monica Jenks was your mother?" Liz asked in disbelief. She hadn't realized that Priscilla was Monica Jenks's daughter.

Priscilla blurted out, "Yes - she was my mother." Mark's eyes widened, and he realized that his instincts were correct. He had guessed that she looked familiar.

"Please don't tell anyone about this. I shouldn't have said it in the first place, but it was a slip of the tongue," Priscilla pleaded.

"Your secret is safe with us, Priscilla," Liz reassured her. She could sense that Priscilla had a reason for hiding her identity.

"Of course, I won't tell anyone, Priscilla," Mark agreed, knowing that Monica Jenks was his step-sister.

"Do I have a job now, sir?" Priscilla asked.

"I have to see what you're capable of first. If you could design a dress for me to evaluate your skills, I can determine if you qualify for the job," Mark said wisely.

"Sure, I can draw," Priscilla explained, "although I don't have any materials with me."

"That's not a problem," Mark replied. He picked up the office phone and quickly dialed his assistant. "Could you please bring some art supplies?" he requested. He then turned his attention back to Priscilla and Liz. "Would either of you like anything to eat?"

"I'm good, thanks," Priscilla muttered.

"I wouldn't mind a cup of coffee," Liz chimed in.

A few minutes later, Ruby arrived with a variety of drawing materials. Priscilla wasn't sure what to draw on the empty table in Mark's office, so she decided to design a gala dress. As she began sketching, Liz and Mark chatted nearby.

Priscilla's POV

My heart pounded as I finished creating my dress design. It had been a while since I'd designed anything, and I was anxious to impress my potential employer.

"Sir, this is what I've created so far," I said, handing over the sketch.

Mark's eyes glimmered with enthusiasm as he analyzed my work. I breathed a sigh of relief as his face lit up with excitement.

"This is incredible, Priscilla," he said. "You've produced something beautiful in such a short amount of time. Your creative ability is impressive, and I'm happy to say that you're officially hired."

I couldn't contain my joy. Finally, I had secured a job and could start a new chapter in my life.

"So, when can I start?" I inquired eagerly.

"As soon as everything is sorted, you can begin tomorrow," Mark replied.

Liz's excited squeal filled the room as she congratulated me. I beamed with happiness, feeling grateful for this opportunity. I couldn't help but wish my mother was still alive to witness this milestone in my life. With this job, I would be able to earn my income and begin a new chapter of independence.

***

Two months have passed since I started working. Everything had been going perfectly fine in my life so far. The morning sickness had reduced, but I still experienced body aches at times. Overall, I was getting better. Waking up every morning and going to the office was the best feeling ever. Though I hadn't made many friends at the office, there were a few people who liked me, and that was more than enough. I didn't care about making friends. Liz and I had become even closer, and I shared everything about my life with her. She never judged me, and I was happy to have her by my side. However, despite becoming close to Nicolas and Liz, I still missed Max a lot. I wished he was there with me, but he never came back after he left. He disappeared for the whole two months without making a single phone call to check on me or anything. I just couldn't understand why he was being so selfish. He got me pregnant and then left me just like that.

"Priscilla, where are you? I've been calling you," Linda shouted, her voice louder this time, snapping me out of my daze. I raised my head and looked at her. Her desk was next to mine, and she was friendly, so I was friendly with her too. I just hated how nosy she could be.

"What happened?" I asked her.

"I'm trying to decide on which color to use for a dress I'm making. Do you think blue or pink is more suitable?" Linda asked, showing me a sketch of a floral dress.

"I think blue is more suitable," I said.

"Thanks, Priscilla. You're the best," Linda said and walked back to her desk.

"It's getting late. You should go home and rest. You're pregnant, and you shouldn't work for such long hours," Linda said loud enough for me to hear. I turned and looked at her.

"What time is it now?" I asked. I hadn't brought a cellphone or bought a watch yet.

"It's 5 p.m. I'm going home as soon as I finish this sketch," Linda replied. I got up from my chair, grabbed all my things, and started putting them in my bag.

"I'm going home. I'll finish my sketch tomorrow. Everyone has already left. It's just the two of us," I said, clutching my bag tightly against my belly, which had started to show through my clothes. It was bigger now, and even walking had become a bit difficult.

"Bye, Linda," I said as I made my way out from behind my desk and headed out of the building.

"Bye," Linda said. I walked out of the building and found a car waiting for me. Liz had sent it.

After a few minutes of driving, the driver finally parked the car in front of the house. I got out, took my bag, and made my way inside.

In the dining room, I found Liz and Lurry with Max. I frowned. He had decided to come back, but not only that, he was shouting at Liz...

"Look, Priscilla has come back! Are you happy now?" Liz said, her tone filled with annoyance. Max turned to me, and our eyes met. I swallowed hard as I looked at him. He had changed completely. His eyes were cold and bloodshot.

"Where have you been?" he asked, his tone deep and emotionless. I glared at him.

"Good evening to you, Max," I said sarcastically, still glaring. I started making my way upstairs.

"Priscilla, you're going to abort the child you're carrying," Max said, causing my knees to weaken and my mind to go numb. Was he even listening to himself right now? I'm three months pregnant, for God's sake.

I turned to him and looked him in the eye. "You're joking, right? If you are, then I'm sorry to say that your joke isn't funny," I said, trying to control the overwhelming feelings in my stomach.

"I'm not joking. You will have to abort that child, and that's final," Max stated coldly. I let out a loud, unladylike scoff. I walked towards him until we were just a few steps away from each other.

"Oh wow, isn't this great?" I asked sarcastically. "You got me pregnant without my permission, disappeared for two months without caring about what I was going through because of this pregnancy, and now you come back and tell me to abort a three-month-old pregnancy just like that? Well, listen to me very carefully. I will not jump when you ask me to, and I will not do what you want. You got me pregnant without my permission, but I will decide what to do with this pregnancy," I glared at him coldly, not even flinching.

"How dare you talk to me like that?" Max asked, his voice now a little louder, his eyes cold, and his face red with anger. The facade had fallen, revealing his true colors. This was him, the real Max. Unfortunately, I wasn't scared of him.

"Don't you dare yell at me, Max? Don't even think about raising your voice at me. I will not tolerate anyone disrespecting me, not even you. So don't try to scare me because I'm not scared of you. Remember one thing: I'm not aborting these babies. I'm going to keep them in my womb until I give birth, whether they're your children or your uncle's. You are going to take care of me and the baby because you're the one who got me pregnant without my permission," I said, my heart racing with anger. I couldn't hold it in much longer before I punched someone in the face. I started making my way upstairs, feeling Max's angry gaze following me, but I didn't turn around.