“Hey, Maya! Where have you been? Why are you only just picking up my calls? You didn’t forget that Boss Lady invited us to her son’s wedding, did you?” Cintya asked from the other end of the phone, her voice unbelievably shrill.
Maya hissed and instinctively pulled the phone away from her ear. She still wasn’t used to Cintya, who often spoke so loudly that it sounded like she was yelling at people.
“I was still at home. I just finished cleaning up. I forgot to open the invitation, too. Is it today? Wasn’t it next week?”
“You’re unbelievable, May! If Boss Lady finds out, she’ll definitely regret inviting you.”
“I thought it was still next week,” Maya interrupted, scratching her cheek.
“Next week is my kid’s birthday party!” Cintya snapped.
“Get over here, May. The others and I just arrived. If I run into Boss Lady, what am I supposed to say if you don’t show up?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m going to shower.” Maya hurriedly got to her feet.
“Don’t pretend you’re actually going to shower. You usually just wash your face, brush your teeth, spray on perfume, and leave. Hurry up! Don’t take forever!”
Click!
Maya snorted and tossed her phone onto the bed.
“Ungh.”
Maya turned and found Evan awake, his face innocent and his hand scratching his cheek, making him look cute and adorable. She suddenly wanted to pinch him because he was so endearing. But a moment later, she was confused all over again because she had to leave for the wedding soon.
What am I supposed to do with Evan? she wondered.
“You threw your phone and hit my hand,” Evan muttered. His sleepy face was pinched into a pout, and although his eyes were still half-closed, the boy was perfectly capable of complaining.
“I didn’t do it on purpose.” Maya raised her index and middle fingers into a V.
Evan narrowed his eyes in disbelief. That stupid Maya must have done it on purpose, he thought. But he said nothing because he was still sleepy.
“Evan, I got a wedding invitation from my boss at work, and I’m not sure I should leave you here alone. But if you come with me… what excuse am I supposed to give?”
Evan blinked. He was still sleepy and wanted to go back to bed, but there was no way he wanted to be left alone in that tacky house. He would rather go along and enjoy the food there.
“Just pretend I’m your employer,” Evan blurted out innocently. He was used to being the Young Master of a wealthy family, so there was no way he could claim to be Maya’s younger brother or nephew. A poor woman like her could never have a relative like him. It wouldn’t fit!
Maya’s lower jaw nearly dropped to the floor. This kid was unbelievable!
“Whatever. We can figure it out on the way. I’m going to shower first.”
Maya waved her hand. She hadn’t even spent twenty-four hours interacting with Evan, and he had already pushed her to the brink of losing her patience. It made her wonder what life was like for Evan’s parents, who had raised him. Could their hair have turned completely white by now?
“Van, this outfit fits better. That one’s too big,” Maya coaxed, holding up a child-sized shirt and suit in one of the clothing stores along their route. She had been forced to stop because Evan kept whining that he didn’t want to wear the clothes she had chosen.
Evan shook his head miserably, to the point that the store clerk began to think Maya was a terrible mother for forcing her own choices on him.
“That one’s yellow! I don’t like yellow!” he shouted, stomping his feet.
The outfit Maya had picked out was a bright, eye-catching yellow suit, which was not Evan’s style at all. The store clerk shook her head when she saw the scene, while Maya felt crushed beneath all the eyes silently judging her.
I’m the victim here! Maya screamed inwardly.
Maya crouched down, causing the yellow dress with delicate gold-thread embroidery she was wearing to billow around her. Although it was only a knockoff of a famous brand, Maya seemed to like it. They had already spent far too long in the store. Maya was worried that if they stayed any longer, Boss Lady’s son’s wedding would be over by the time they arrived.
“This one is cheaper. I don’t have enough money,” she said softly, then gave him an awkward smile.
The little boy continued to pout, then clicked his tongue. This weird Maya was so poor! “I don’t want to wear that one. I’ll look for another color at the same price,” he said.
“Okay, let’s look.” Maya gave in and followed Evan as he began searching among the racks of children’s clothes.
A few minutes later, Maya left the clothing store with a sour expression, her lips pushed out in annoyance. Every now and then, she shot a hostile glance at the tiny creature strutting along arrogantly beside her.
They quickly got into the car they had ordered earlier. Maya was still annoyed. Evan had rejected her choice because it was yellow, but now the boy was wearing an outfit that was yellow too. How irritating!
The price was the same, even a little cheaper, but it was still expensive because Evan had insisted on black sunglasses as an accessory.
“This color matches your dress better, and it makes me look even more handsome,” he said smugly. He slicked his hair back with one hand.
“Yes, Young Master,” Maya said with a sarcastic smile.
“I really am the Young Master, and my dad is Thomas Mahardika,” Evan mumbled, pointing to a picture of a handsome man on the cover of a magazine lying on the car’s dashboard.
Hearing that, the driver burst out laughing, assuming that children always dreamed of having an amazing and extraordinary father.
“Grow up fast, kid,” the driver said with an amused smile.
“I’ll grow up fast.” Evan smiled smugly and once again acted like he was too cool for everyone.
Take a breath. Let it out slowly.
Maya smiled, then laughed awkwardly. She wanted to explain that the driver hadn’t meant it that way. He had only been telling Evan to grow up quickly so he would stop daydreaming and wishing for impossible things.
“You’re too naive,” Maya said.
Evan furrowed his brow in confusion but ignored her. He didn’t understand what Maya meant. Adults really said confusing things, he thought. So Evan assumed the girl was upset because she had just spent money buying him clothes.
Someday, when his father came to pick him up, Evan would ask him for money to give Maya as payment for taking care of him. He made the promise to himself.
The car fell silent again. Maya played with her phone, replying to Cintya’s barrage of messages asking where she was. Evan, meanwhile, went back to sleep. His slipping sunglasses revealed his closed eyes.
Before long, they arrived at their destination. Maya was about to get out when she noticed Evan still sleeping soundly. She couldn’t bring herself to wake him. In the end, she carefully carried Evan like a koala.
When Maya entered the hotel where the event was being held, she suddenly heard whispers that made her feel embarrassed and eager to find Cintya as soon as possible.
“Look at them. They’re so cute as a mother and son. Their outfits match, too.”
“That kid is adorable.”
“Now that’s some top-tier breeding material.”
“Isn’t that Maya? Didn’t her child die?”
“Then whose kid is that?”
Hearing that, Maya felt as if her heart had been cut open.