Chapter 15
Amanda chewed on her finger nervously, eyes fixed on her phone screen as she waited for her mother-in-law to pick up. Her mother-in-law—Brenda Knight—was the epitome of a noble woman. Amanda didn't know what to do about Aaron's recent behavior; only his mother could help her. She knew Brenda always had her back.
She was the only woman qualified to be Aaron's wife—the lady Brenda chose herself among pools of women longing to be Aaron's own.
"Hello, my beautiful daughter-in-law," Brenda greeted. Her voice was gentle and kind as she moved back to sit on her recliner chair. She was surprised when Amanda's call came in.
And with Amanda calling her, something must be going on.
"Good day, Mother."
Brenda closed her eyes peacefully. She loved her daughter-in-law. She was satisfied with her—her education, her family, her beauty were all up to her standards.
What she wanted in a daughter-in-law—not that misfortune bitch.
"Aww, my beautiful daughter," Brenda awed. "How are you?" she asked, not wanting to be too forward, but she wanted to know what was going on. Her body was itching to know.
"I'm fine," Amanda responded, but her voice was down, and fortunately, Brenda picked up on the dejected tone.
Brenda furrowed her brows. "What happened, dear?" she asked.
Amanda felt tears prick her eyes at Brenda's question. So much had happened. Everything was just going wrong. "It's Aaron!" she sniffed.
"What did Aaron do?"
"I know Aaron is indifferent, but since—"
"Since what?!" Brenda's voice was sharp and urgent. "What's going on over there?"
"H-he chang—"
"I asked you what's going on. At the hotel. With Aaron."
Amanda clutched the towel tighter to her chest. Her heart thumped. "Nothing…" she wetted her lips nervously. She didn't want to sound whiny, yet she wanted Brenda to know so that she could compel Aaron to treat her well. "...I mean, it's just been complicated. Aaron—he has been off." She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "Distant. Frustrated and angry. And upon all that, it feels like—" Amanda didn't know how to describe it. It felt like Aaron was slipping away from her.
Brenda exhaled heavily, knowing something was going on. "Tell me everything. Everything, Amanda. Don't leave anything out," she bit out, feeling irritation creeping into her. She hated this uneasiness she was feeling.
Amanda frowned, confused. Though she knew Brenda always had her back, the urgency in her voice made her body stand in alertness. "Why? Did something happen?"
Brenda chuckled humorlessly. "It's for your own good," and Amanda felt goosebumps. "For your happy marriage with Aaron. For your future also, you understand?"
Her future. Amanda's ears perked.
"Okay," Amanda nodded subconsciously, even though Brenda couldn't see her.
"So since we got here, Aaron has been behaving unlike him. He kept looking at his phone, walking around the lounge every day unless he had work. And I noticed he drinks often." Since Amanda knew Aaron, he didn't drink except on some occasions, and if necessary, he only took a sip. But since they lodged in this hotel, it was like liquor was now water to him. "He also—" Amanda paused, blinking, unsure, "and there's this… staff member that he has been staring at lately. His eyes always follow the lady around." Amanda added in a small voice.
"Staff member?"
"Yes, her name's Katerina Prescott."
A long yet small silence. Amanda could hear the long dragged breath and the sound of something shattering on the other end of the call.
She raised her eyes worriedly in case something had gone wrong. As she opened her mouth to inquire, Brenda's voice beat her to it.
"…Say that again?" Brenda asked. Her voice was dark, enunciating the words.
"The staff member?"
"Reapeat the name."
Amanda blinked, confused by the sudden shift in Brenda's tone. "Katerina Prescott," Amanda repeated. "She works here. Since the first day we arrived and Aaron saw her, he has not been himself," she reiterated. "There was even one day that I asked for the lady to do something. Aaron was mad at me. He yelled and even scolded me." Amanda huffed, remembering that dinner date. "Aaron won't stop staring at her. His eyes automatically search for her like there's something going on. Although the lady is pretty, but—"
Brenda didn't let her finish before she interrupted. "Amanda," she called. "Listen to me carefully."
Amanda shut her mouth, the urgency in Brenda's voice making her sit properly.
"You must keep Aaron away from that girl. At any cost. Do you hear me?"
"What? Why? Who is she?" Amanda could feel her heart thumping at Brenda's words.
"That bitch," Brenda spat with so much hatred, "is the biggest mistake of his life. A vermin waiting to latch on Aaron again. She ruined his life once, and she will do it again if you let her."
Amanda's brows furrowed. "I don't understand…"
Brenda's voice shook with fury. That bitch! Aaron had met her again. Her precious, perfect son was going astray again if he got entangled with that bitch.
"Six years ago, that bitch found her way into our lives, manipulated my son, cheated on my son with men, and tried to trap him with a pregnancy. I made sure she was sent far, far away. And now—now she's there? Closer to Aaron under your nose?"
Amanda gripped the phone tighter in disbelief and anger. "You mean—she's that girl? The one from before?" Aaron's first love.
"Yes," Brenda hissed. "And if she's back, that means trouble isn't far behind. I don't care what you do, Amanda. But you must keep Aaron distracted and away from that bitch until I find something to do with her. Do you understand me?"
Amanda's lips parted, her heart pounding in her chest at the revelation. "Yes. I understand."
"Good. Now don't let Aaron know I've talked to you until I tell you so," Brenda added.
"Yes, Mother."
"Find a way to cancel your stay in that hotel or a way to get the girl fired—you can get some of the other staff members to do your bidding."
"Yes, Mother."
"Good." That was the last thing Brenda said before she hung up.
No goodbyes or anything. Well, Amanda didn't need that because the revelation she just heard was making her head pound.
Amanda stared at her reflection in the mirror, her hair damp from the shower and her skin red.
She bit her lower lip hard that it stung. So it was Katherine—the Katherine. Aaron's first love. And her hand balled into a fist in anger.
Whether Aaron's first love or not, Amanda wouldn't let anyone hijack Aaron from her clutch because Aaron was hers only!
Katherine, be prepared.