“Are you deaf, sister?” she asked as she pushed her designer bag in front of me. “I told you to do this in my room!” And if you do, maybe I can get you out of your job.”
Gary turned to me. His eyes widened. He took a sip of his drink and seemed to have seen a ghost. “V-Valerie? What are you doing here?”
I didn’t answer him. Instead, I smiled very sweetly at Nicole. “I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m going to give you the ‘special service’ you deserve.”
I grabbed the bag and took it to the far end of the resort: a room that had not yet been renovated, with no air conditioning and covered in dust.
“Why are you here?” exclaimed Nicole. “I told you it was a VIP suite!” Gary, do your thing!”
“VIP Suite?” I said as I slowly took off my hat and looked at them with authority. “The VIP Suite is only for those who know how to be respectful… and people who don’t use others’ credit cards.”
The resort manager arrived exactly and bowed to me. “Mrs. Valerie, the documents are ready to file charges against the thieves who used your card.”
“S-ma’am?” asked Nicole trembling. “Gary, what is this?”
“Shut up!” shouted Gary, who was now stunned. “Valerie, honey, let me explain. I thought—”
“Do you think I’m going to die?” he interrupted. “Gary, the money you used to bring this woman here is MY money. The resort you step into is MIO. And the marriage contract we have signed? “I called my lawyer this morning.”
I called the security guards. “Get these ‘VIPs’ out of my resort. Right now. And make sure they can’t leave Batangas until they give me back every penny they stole on my credit card.”
The guards dragged Nicole away as she cried and screamed. Gary knelt in the sand, pleading with him, but I didn’t even look at him.
“I’m just a janitor in your eyes,” I said as I put on my sunglasses. “But in this case, I am the law.” Your life is over, Gary.”
As I watched them being kicked out the door, I felt a real freedom. Sometimes, you have to sweep up the trash—not just in the yard, but in your own life, too.
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