Babel Novel
Andrea’s Appearance
Chapter 16 Andrea’s Appearance
SIMS GROCERY STORE, NEW YORK. “As painful as it is that you are leaving, I am glad you finally got a deserving job,” Samson said, hugging Nina slightly. “I will miss you, and I hope you won’t mind coming around here whenever you are chanced.” Nina smiled heartily at him. “I will make sure to do that. Thank you so much, Samson, for taking a chance on me. I have you to thank for this change of direction.” “So, when will you be leaving?” “Since I didn’t tell you before. I will work the counter today and tomorrow until you can find a replacement.” “That is super kind of you, Nina. Thank you so much.” “You are welcome. I will get back to work now.” Nina said. With her head bowed to put things in order, the door opened, causing Nina to raise her head. A light gasp escaped her lips at the sight of Andrea, who seemed carried away with the discussion she was having on the phone. “If only you had packed some in my bags, I wouldn’t have had to stop by the road to get some. You are such a fool, Tania!” She yelled, ending the call. “Where do I go for toiletries?” Andrea asked no one in particular until her eyes landed on Nina. It went from surprise to amusement. Nina wished she had disappeared without any trace or just become transparent. But all that seems impossible now that Andrea can see her. “Are my eyes deceiving me? If it’s not the almighty, Nina.” Andrea mocked. “Is this what you have been up to lately? A store attendant? No wonder there was no trace of you. Must be a hard life.” She was keeping her professional face intact. She held Andrea’s gaze, not exactly looking at her. “The toiletries are by the fifth line. You will get all that you want there.” Andrea folded her arms angrily; she hated how Nina tried to ignore her presence. To think, after searching around for over a month, she wasn’t so far away made her pissed for not exploring further. Despite the low-bottom state, Nina is obviously in. She looks relaxed and happy. Then, a thought struck her, putting a smirk on her face. “You should get it. Aren’t you an attendant?” She said, stretching out her hand that had a ring on it. “I can’t leave the counter, ma’am; I am sorry. My partner hasn’t arrived yet.” Nina replied, feeling her insides boil as her eyes landed on the ring. She can see that Andrea is in to stir up some trouble. A devilish smirk tugged at her lips. She was rolling the tail of her hair with the ring finger. “Get me the fucking pads, Nina. Or I will be turning this place upside down.” She sucked her teeth, still trying to keep her calm. “Ma’am, what you need is not that far away. I know what you might need, so you must get it yourself.” “That’s blasphemy. You know me too well, Nina. I am sure you know what pad I use.” Gritting her teeth, Nina counted her breath and gave in. She hastened her step towards the section and brought the pad. Nina can’t explain where her patience stems from. It must be because she doesn’t want to cause any trouble for Samson. “That would be fifteen dollars, ma’am,” Nina said, punching the goods bought into the computer. Her steady reaction appears to be annoying Andrea more than she can comprehend. It was one of Nina’s attributes that made her detest her. She always acts like she has everything under control. She clenched her fist, feeling the urge to pull at Nina’s hair and watch her beg for her life. “How long do you intend to pretend that you are fine?” Andrea taunted, wanting so badly to push her buttons. Nina kept mute still. “I just hate how easy you find life. I had it all, yet I never had the happiness you possessed with so little. I visit the spa seven times a month, yet you have better skin than I do. How dare you?” “Please, ma, your money. Other customers will need me to attend to them.” Andrea cackled dryly. “Of course, things like this will impress paupers like yourself. People like you do not deserve happiness and have the good things in life. You are born to serve someone like me. To think the best of men also desired you. For my life, I don’t know what they see in you.” She glowered. Nina hissed in contempt. “Is that why you caused a breakup between me and Xander?” “Oh, I guess you are a bit smart. You never deserved Xander.” “And you think you deserve Asher?” “Of course I do. The rich should only move with the rich. I made sure you got blocklisted; you were beginning to feel too special and thinking you had the brains to get whatever you wanted. News flash, bitch! Only money can do that. Something I possess bountifully, and you don’t.” Nina thought of the least painful thing she could do to Andrea to make her bleed without resulting in an arrest. But she couldn’t come up with anything not so brutal. Not to forget, fighting with the baby in her belly can cause harm. So she kept her nails dug in her palm while chewing on her tongue. “Why keep me close then? You were the one who offered a hand of friendship. I can’t believe I have spent over a decade hanging around a beast like you.” Andrea flipped her hair. “It was nice to see you hover around me, worship me, and only take my leftovers. Not until your ambitions take a different turn and every man wants you. Even after I ended your relationship, you still got married to the most eligible bachelor at the time. To think I didn’t have to do too much to get him eating out of my palm.” Nina exhaled sharply while her hands shook hard. “I have thought day and night why you will go to such extremes to be my friend and act out as the enemy eventually. But I couldn’t think of anything other than you are a bitter soul. You won, after all. You have Asher to yourself now, and that should be enough.” She scoffed. “No, you still have something you might likely bring forth to take Asher away from me.” Andrea glared at her belly. A shocked gasp escaped her lips. The anger she had been trying so hard to subside finally reached its limit. Squaring her shoulder, she stepped out of the counter to face her. Andrea stumbled to the back, shocked at her sudden reaction. Nina kept taking close steps towards her, pointing a finger to her face. “Now, listen, you deranged little witch! I have left you to take everything you think is yours. But if you try anything else to harm my baby and me, I will make you bleed through your nose. I am sure you haven’t seen this side of me. I can assure you it is darker than anything you have ever come across. Since my leftover is all that you covet, please take it. Just be sure you do not bring that crazy side of you here ever again. Or else I will make you pay. That is a promise! Now get your stupid, spoilt ass out of this place before I burn that plastic face of yours.” Andrea huffed. “Your life is at its bottom anyway!” She countered, scurrying off. Nina staggered against the counter, feeling her lips quiver. The tears burned her eyes as they forced their way out. Her legs gave way to the ground, and like that, darkness settled around her.Copyright by Nôv/elDrama.Org.