Burning Passion

Chapter Five: A New Face? 

* * * 

Nikki heaves a deep breath before she enters her mother's private ward. She assures that her face is cheerful once she faces her mama. 

Nikki pushes the door and steps inside. Lucy, her mother, is now awake and having porridge and soup.

"Nikki! Maria told me, your boss gave you a vacation?"

"Hi, Mama! Yup, she is! I have a month's vacation, with pay! I wanted to refuse at the beginning, but after she told me that there would be new trainees to work at the café during my leave, then I could worry less."

"Hmm. Michelle is a wonderful boss. I could remember when she used to dine in our store. Also, those times she and her husband were dating. They were always stopping by our shop."

Nikki tore her lips with a sweet smile. She could tell her mother surely misses taking care of their shop.

Since her father died in a car accident, her mother did everything to keep the shop until to this day.

"I'll visit the shop tomorrow, Mama. I will check out if anything brother Phil needed for the store."

Phil is Maria's son. During his teenage years, Phil was eager to learn how to make a great soup. Now, he is taking over the making of the noodle soup and run the diner. Phil now could copy perfectly the way her father makes them.

"I will inform Solange to sort out the inventory," said Maria, joining their conversation.

"Thank you, Aunt Maria. You can go home now."

"I will come back tomorrow, Nikki, so you can do what you needed to do."

"Okay, Aunt Maria. Take care of going home."

Once the door closes and they are alone, Nikki joins her mother in the bed. She picks up a tumbler and helps Lucy to drink some water from it through a straw.

"Thank you. How about your dinner?"

"I made some garlic fried rice and fried chicken before coming here. I'll eat later."

"Take care of yourself. You must not just think of me."

"I will, Mama. Don't worry about me. Now I have a long vacation, and I could work out more things that we needed. I'm thinking of visiting Hanford to ask around. Maybe I could find someone that can give some blood to you."

Lucy pushes an apologetic smile. She uttered, "I'm so sorry you have to get through these all, Nikki."

Nikki shook her head and said, "You don't say that every time, Mama. You are the one who suffered most between us."

"I wished to see your future husband, Nikki, and I will tell him how strong and a great daughter you are, more than I could ever ask for."

Nikki dropped her jaw. Why does a marriage thing suddenly include in their drama? How could she introduce a future husband when she doesn't even have a boyfriend?

This time around, she's not looking for any but someone who could donate his blood to her mother.

She found that person and was willing to help her, even if she asked to marry him in return. She would probably accept the proposal.

As long as her Mama gets well, she will do everything for her.

But she felt uncomfortable about this marriage thing. She is not prepared.

* * *

The next day, Nikki went home to do the laundry and clean a little around the house before visiting the shop and the bank later.

She has to see how much money her parents left in the bank and what loan she can apply for from her funds after their resources use up all.

So much to take care of that, it won't affect her family's noodle shop.

Nikki drove her car and headed to the Shopping Center.

Mainland City is the capital city of the country. It has risen rapidly throughout the decade and is now one of the center businesses in Asia.

Big corporations and international companies are putting up their main offices and headquarters in this country's capital city.

Not to mention the multi corporation owns by the Williams and Crow family.

The Williams Medical Facility truly has a breakthrough to most of the rare illnesses like her mother. However, without the blood, even how modern they were living now, the medication couldn't fully help her mom. 

She now arrived at the place. Nikki looks around to find a space she could park her car.

Mainland Shopping Center is located in the Western part of the city, nearby to a bay.

Here, we could find many shops that sell cheaper clothes, housewares, and everything lower-class families could afford.

As most of the products are also good, many middle-class families love to shop here and stroll around because the food stool sells delicious but cheaper foods.

And because cleanliness is a must in this city, everyone should observe and have a massive penalty to anyone caught littering.

Nikki took hasty steps when she met a familiar man in the way.

"Nikki! Headed to the shop? We just dropped there for lunch."

"Oh, brother Matt! Glad to know. Thank you," she smiles shyly.

Matt Lawrence is an older brother of her classmate, Andrea Lawrence Ryan. She then glances at Matt's company. He is not familiar, and he looks more like a foreign man.

No, maybe a half Chinese Swiss? Or a British one? Maybe French? He has a fair complexion, an Asian feature, but his beautiful green eyes are captivating the most.

"Oh, Nikki, meet Theo Shang." Matt finally introduces his company.

Theo Shang? Where did she hear this Shang name before? Ah, never mind. She tilted her head to the side. She'd realize; they were staring at each other, now she blushes.

"Hi! Nice to meet you." Theo stretches his arm.

Hesitant, she accepts it for a handshake. "Pleased to meet you," she returned. However, she quickly takes back her hand when heat crawls to her palm toward her pulse. "I hope you both enjoy the food," she told Matt.

Instantly, she shifted her gaze to avoid meeting Theo's intense look at her.

"Yup! It's always the best! It was like Uncle Seth was alive. Theo wants to stroll around the city. It's been ten years since the last time he was here, and so, he is not familiar with the city anymore."

"Oh, I see."

"Well, then. We're headed now to our car."

"Okay, brother Matt. Keep safe, driving. Thank you for stopping by at the shop."

"Anytime, Nikki!"

Matt is waving at her now, and Theo nods his head. The place was too crowded as usual, most especially at lunchtime. But with their height, she could still see them from afar.

Theo Shang.

Is the name familiar to her? She had a feeling she heard it somewhere.