Chapter 5
Jennie's Baby
The two women got startled when the door suddenly swung open. Lisa already expected it to be Jennie just by looking at the small form standing at the door.
"Don't you know how to knock? We're in the middle of a meeting!" she stood up.
"Are you kidding me? Stop playing games with me, Lisa!" Jennie retorted.
Her nanny went to stand infront of her and looked up. The small woman didn't even feel intimidated with her height.
"You better watch you words, Miss Kim. You wouldn't want to know what I do to women who has a sharp tongue."
"And I should feel scared, is that what you want?" Jennie laugh sarcastically. This woman's courage surprise her actually. She did not even falter. "Really, Lisa! Now I believe your grandmother's words. You are worst than an extortionist!"
"What?"
She heard Jisoo clearing her throat. Maybe she can already sense their upcoming imminent clash. And her friend is not wrong since her palm started to feel itchy to teach this long legged woman a lesson.
"You know why I'm here, Lalisa Manoban! Whether you like it or not, I will do my job and I don't care if I have to stand outside your office the whole time! If you think you can get rid of me easily by telling your employees to torment me, then that's where you're wrong. I won't resign! Only your grandmother can make me leave you alone. Now, if you can't take it anymore, talk to her!"
Lisa didn't know what possessed her. Because instead of inflaming her anger it suddenly vanished into thin air. She couldn't even noticed Jennie pointing finger at her face. She doesn't even care how she keeps on ranting. It's more pleasing to see the anger sparks in her cat's like eyes, even her cheeks puffed and flushing red, the way her mouth opens and closed, and how her chest rise and fall.
"Do you think, I like this job? Yah, you miss-know-it-all! To tell you the truth, if I had a choice, I would never ever accept this job even if your grandmother gives me a billion won! I'd rather take care of a mentally impaired four year old instead of a stupid and heartless person like you! You insensitive brute!"
Lisa was still staring at her in dazed.
"Cat got your tongue? Why aren't you saying anything?!" she heard the challenging tone in her voice. That's when she woke up from her momentary trance.
"Oh, so you have some courage in you, huh?" Lisa said with a half smile. 'It must be good to tame you.'
"You are the only one who likes to underestimate a person. Did you really think that you can manipulate everyone just because you have the money and power? Well, sorry to disappoint you, Miss, because I'm not like the ones you have fooled. You will never have me eating from your palm! Get it through your pea sized brain!"
Jennie's index finger almost pierced Lisa's chest since she had been pointing at it with anger. After that she turns and walked out of the room. Closing the door with a loud bang.
After she left, Lisa and Jisoo stared at each other. Neither could even utter a word.
Jennie left Lisa's room still raging mad. Ten pairs of eyes looked at her direction. If she's in a different situation, she could've already prayed that the floor would swallow her alive because of embarrassment. But since the adrenaline was still rushing through her veins, she just simply straighten her top and with a head held high she left the people who are still staring at the door where she came out dumbfounded.
When she reached the lobby, Rosé meet her halfway.
"Miss Kim, are you okay? What happened? Why are you so red?" Rosé asked.
She looked at her for a while before saying, "Oh, my God!" Feeling weak, she sat on a wooden settee near her. "I argued with her! I had a fight!"
"Huh?"
"I had a fight with Lisa."
She knew why Rosé was giving her a look. She's not showing any sign of fear with what she did. Instead, she look so happy like it was a big achievement that she fought with that woman. And she couldn't stop the laugh that came out of her which made Rosé look so lost.
"Omo. I'm so sorry, Rosé. I'm just really happy."
"You're happy because you had a fight with Sajangnim?"
"Yes! And would you believe that it's my first time fighting with someone?"
Rosé must've be thinking right now that she's mentally unstable. "A-Are you really sure that you're okay?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine."
"B-But... did you really had a fight with Sajangnim?"
"Yup! And she deserves everything that I told her. Serves her right! That insensitive, bull headed pig!"
She saw Rosé grimaced with her choice of words. "I'm Jennie by the way."
"I'm sorry about earlier. I really thought..."
"It's okay. Lisa did it on purpose to annoy me."
"Why would she do that?"
"It's because she didn't want me here. But she can't do anything about it since it was her grandmother who gave this job to me."
Rosé bit her bottom lip. "I hope you don't mind me asking b-but how are you related to Sajangnim?"
She looked at the blonde woman and smile widely. "I'm her nanny."
The tall woman was looking at her with mouth agape. "N-Nanny?"
She nodded.
Rosé giggled. After awhile it turns to laughing.
"I can't believe it! So that explains why she did that."
"Exactly! But she's unlucky because even if she bully me it doesn't affect me."
They both laughed.
Jennie is at ease with her new acquaintance. Rosé is not a snob unlike the other corporate woman. And she looks smart too. It makes her wonder why shé remains as a receptionist when in her own opinion she is already overqualified in her position. And the sadness in her eyes which she couldn't hide even if she's laughing did not escape her eyes. She can bet that this woman is hiding a secret.
But that was not her concern anymore.
But their chat got cut off when a customer enters the building. She watched as Rosé expertly described every piece of furniture on display. The customer looks so satisfied with her explanation. And the older woman looks interested on one of the steam bent furniture living room set which is almost two million won. She gave Rosé a thums up when shé gave her a sign that the customer will purchase it.
After taking care of the paperworks with the current sales the two of them resumed chatting.
Jennie learned that Manoban Furniture is not associated with the group of companies owned by the Manoban family. Lisa established it and she's the sole owner of the business, and also she designs the furnitures herself.
So that explains why she has that attitude to go against her grandmother. She can survive lavishly even without the Manoban fortune.
She also learned from Rosé that they already made it to the Asian market and was starting to get attention from US and North America. Somehow, Jennie didn't feel surprise anymore. Even her got fascinated with the designs which most of them were contemporary design. It's not embarrassing to put Lisa's works beside the world class designs of Bae Sehwa.
She doesn't know when she started admiring her, it just suddenly bloomed in her heart. Lisa is not irresponsible just like what she thought she is. This company alone spoke of her hidden side, maybe a softer and gentler side. Anyway, there are still many things that she didn't know about her. Everything she knows about her were the things her grandmother told her. And she hasn't made a very impressive picture of Davika's granddaughter based on her words. Maybe she judged her easily. Maybe she went over the line when she ranted to her earlier.
'Aniya, that was another thing.' she reasoned.
But the thought that one of her perception of her was not truely oddly made her smile.
That afternoon Jennie and Lisa aren't talking to each other while they were inside the car and the latter was driving them back to the mansion. Jennie was just so thankful that Lisa was not in the mood to confront her. She also doesn't have the energy to fight with her.
The moment they arrived at the mansion, Lisa went inside her room and didn't come out, she just ask one of the housemaids to bring her food in her room. While Jennie on the other hand, was eating beside Mrs. Manoban, who doesn't even care that her granddaughter is not with them on the long table.
She shook her head in disbelief. What kind of relationship does these two have?
"Is there a problem, Jennie?"
"Y-Yeh?"
"You were shaking your head. Is there a problem? Did Lisa cause a trouble to you?"
"N-No, ma'am. There is none. I just remember something that's why I shook my head."
Davika just rose her eyebrow then continued eating. Jennie tried hard not to choke.
After they finish eating dinner, the older woman told her to go to the library. She sat down on the visitors chair infront of Mrs. Manoban's table. Davika brought out a check from the drawer and gave it to her.
"That's your salary for this month. I gave it to you now because I have to leave for Sydney the day after tomorrow.
"You're leaving, Ma'am?"
"Yes. I will be gone for a month because of a business venture. Maeng will be in charge here, she'll take care of everything in the mansion while I'm gone. Your only responsibility is my granddaughter. Just like what we agreed on, you will report everything she does to me."
She nodded as a sign of acknowledgement.
"During my absence, I was expecting you to watch over Lisa carefully. Keep her out of trouble. I will give you my personal email address which you can use for our communication. And I will call you from time to time, too."
She was like a audio recoder which records everything that Mrs. Manoban was telling her. After Davika made sure that she understands it all, she dismissed her.
Tired, Jennie plopped herself on the bed after she got inside her room. It's just day one and she's already stressed. She thought of Lisa, the person she was taking care of.
Maybe even if she read all the books about child care, nothing would still teach her how to get along with her. She also have no idea how to discipline that woman! She's not like one of those child who will cry in a corner and waits for her to pacify her.
That woman knows how to get even and she will do it without even batting an eyelash. She treats her like an enemy, like a leash with the freedom of life she was used to. And somehow, she's still scared of her.
She doesn't know if she can do it, but it's too early for her to give up. The cheque, which she was going to send to her parents first thing in the morning tomorrow, was already a huge help for her parents. That would console her for now and will motivate her.
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