บท 28: Where's Carla?

It was already 7.45 AM when Bella arrived at the café with little pumpkin. The moment she entered the café, both Daniel and Elis approached her to congratulate her newly acquired position. She simply smiled and encouraged them to work harder. Lily arrived later, ten minutes before the café was opened. There was no sight of Carla.

"Where is she? How can a café operate without a barista?" Lily complained. There were five minutes left before the café declared business open. Few customers were already peeking into the café.

"Is she trying to rebel now that Bella is the new manager?" Daniel sneered. He really didn't like Carla. Elis didn't say anything as his eyes were focusing on Bella and her little brother. A smile on his face.

"Guys, it's time to work!" Bella had just returned from checking on little pumpkin who clearly understand what he needed to do. He sat on a table in a corner and put on his favorite storybook as well as his coloring set on the table. Then, he politely asked his big sister to leave and not to worry about him.

"Bell, how can we open a business when Carla is not here?" Lily approached her and began complaining.

Bella Lim was seen frowning as she looked around. It was indeed true; Carla was nowhere in sight. She didn't look for Jordan knowing that it was normal for him to come late.

"I'll take over for a while," Bella Lim put on an apron and walked to the familiar working space. The smell of coffee made her throbbing head felt better. The rest of the workers could only sigh and proceed to do what they needed to do.

"Bell, will you be okay? How is your hangover?" Lily whispered.

"Getting better," Bella smiled reassuringly. Lily nodded and left to greet a customer who just came in.

An hour went by and Carla was still nowhere to be seen. Bella Lim began to yawn as sleepiness started to take over her alertness. The hangover she felt earlier was now receded to a comfortable sensation that almost lulled her to sleep. She yawned again.

"I'm only late for an hour and you're already yawning? Such an impolite manner!"

Bella was stunned. She looked around to see who was talking in such a rude voice. She noticed that there was a woman standing beside her. On one look, she thought it was a stranger however, after closer inspection, she realized that the woman was Carla.

'Why are her lips so dark?' she thought before beating herself inside her mind as the reason was simple: Carla was wearing a dark brown lipstick. It actually looked pretty on her, but it made others think she was unapproachable.

"Thank God you're here. I'll leave the rest to you," Bella felt relieved once she recognized Carla. Now she could return to the manager's room and catch some sleep. She smiled sweetly to the woman in front of her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Carla asked with eyes full of hatred. She positioned her body to block Bella's from leaving. Although Bella called herself tiny, right now she couldn't find a hole to slip through. At the same time, she was oblivious of the malice in Carla's voice. Plus, she had long forgotten about her 'feud' with Carla as recited by Lily.

She thought Carla was just playing around.

"I'm going to continue my work inside," Bella Lim answered. Her sweet smile was still on her face. Eyes looking directly at Carla without an inkling that the other was provoking her.

In the payment counter, Lily and Daniel stared at the duo. They were looking at a particular person with worry.

"Carla's bullying her again," Daniel grunted. Lily sighed and nodded. She gave the balance money to Daniel and was ready to help Bella handling Carla's intentional provocation.

If it was like before, Bella being a kind-hearted person would retreat quietly without retaliating. Thankfully, there were not many customers in the café, or Carla's ridiculous behavior would bring the café's reputation to the ground.

"Take care of the counter for me. I'll help her," Lily said. Daniel agreed. As they were talking, they heard Carla's voice again.

"Do you know. You're not fit as a manager? I've talked to Jordan's father and he will take care of you for me," Carla glared at the woman in front of her. She hated Bella's innocent look. Every time she saw her smile, her mind became consumed by anger. She hated her since the first day she met her.

The fact that a younger person without any credential was her superior, she felt her ego being trampled on. She decided to be patient and wait until she had the chance to get rid of her. But, when Jordan insisted to choose her as the new manager, she let everything loose. Her disgust and her hatred.

"What's wrong with you?" Bella frowned, she thought that Carla's behavior was really strange.

Lily was about to step in between the two, but right at that moment, two male customers walked into the café. She looked over at Daniel but he was occupied with another customer, she hesitantly approached the new customers, not forgetting to put a smile on her face.