Ambrosia

 Donovan slowed down as he got into the gates of Petals Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics. Throughout the short journey, he had kept stealing glances at his mistress. She seemed too serene that it was scary. For days, she had refused to see anyone and now all of a sudden, she wanted to visit Petals? Very suspicious indeed 

 "We are here," he said, for lack of words.

 "I can see that," she lightly rebutted, "Wait here till I return. I won't be long."

 Donovan scrambled out of the car to open her door but she beat him to it, pushing open the side door of the Lamborghini. He felt embarrassed at his incompetence and hung his head in shame. She barely took notice, walking past him to the great doors of Petals. The security at the gate had let her in out of familiarity but she did not know the doorman.

 "Aren't you going to let me in....Steve?" She inquired, reading from his worker's ID card.

 "Good day, Mrs Torres. I am deeply sorry to tell you this, ma'am but you can't come in without a worker's ID like mine unless on special invitation."

 Regina scrutinized the doorman with one sweep of her eyelashes. He cleaned up well but it was obvious to anyone that they were not of the same class.

 "On whose orders? Where is Sim?" she ranted, referring to the previous doorman.

 "On Mr Rossi's orders, ma'am. Please, I don't want to lose my job. Mr Sim was sacked earlier this week for flaunting Mr Rossi's orders. I don't want to fall victim. I suggest that you call Mr Rossi so I can confirm if you were invited. I'm sorry but there is no other way around this."

 Regina could not believe her ears. She was being dismissed from the very company she and Peter had toiled to build up. Richard was biting more than he could chew with this insult. She was raging inside but yelling at the mediocre staff would not pass her message across.

 "It's ok. I understand; you don't make the rules- Richard does. Just tell him I said he will hear from me soon. Have a nice day."

 "You too, ma'am. I'm really sorry about this," Steven kept apologizing. His conscience had a whip in hand and was tearing him up with it. She might not know him but he knew so much about her, having done his homework well before getting that job. He had also heard the news of her husband's passing away on the news at the betting pool house, where he had been hanging out with his best mates. Everyone had known Mr Peter for his easygoing nature and philanthropic inclination. He had touched so many lives and it was actually at his burial that Steven had met Mr Rossi. Even at his death, he was still bringing people together.

  Regina walked languidly yet elegantly, her face to the floor. Her dignity had been scrubbed on the floor by a mere errand boy all because of Richard. She fought off tears bravely, blinking her sooty lashes in quick succession. Queens don't cry, she kept chanting to herself repeatedly until even her agelong mantra lost its usual effect and the tears began to fall. She looked back at the company building with teary eyes and she could still see Peter standing at his balcony, waving anytime she came visiting. He would run downstairs like a youthful deer and pick her up in his arms every single time. After that, they would go out together to have lunch and talk. 

 Those days seemed like eons ago now. Walking out of the gate, she remembered that Donovan had stayed behind to wait for her. She had hoped to rant out in the solitude of her car but with Donovan there, that was not an option. She immediately wiped her face and blew her nose into a linen handkerchief. This time around, on sighting his mistress, Donovan leapt out of the car and held the door open for her, determined not to make the same mistake twice. As before, she said nothing, only sat at the back, her eyes swollen and red from crying. 

 He didn't dare to ask what the matter was, no matter how curious he was but simple intuition was all it took for him to decipher the problem. She had spent less time than he had expected which only meant one thing: she had not been let in. He didn't have to guess for too long.

 "Richard had me banned from Petals. I can no longer go in and out as freely as I used to. But it's okay. He is the boss now and Peter is dead." She sniffed back incoming tears and muzzled herself with her handkerchief. 

 Donovan was filled with righteous anger. His mistress did not deserve such treatment from Mr Rossi, especially in the condition that she was in.

 "Where to, Mistress?" he asked, trying to change the subject. He wanted her to lighten up and forget her maltreatment.

 "Take me to Ambrosia. I haven't had anything to eat all day. Let me know when we get there." Her weariness was reflected in her voice and she slumped back in her seat, shutting her eyes to meditate briefly. She was tired of all this already but there was nothing she could do to change the pattern of things. 

 Donovan drove smoothly to Ambrosia, avoiding bumps on the road the best he could. Regina's phone rang and she put it to her ear immediately.

 "I'm already on my way," she murmured, "Have I ever disappointed you in the past?"

 There was a pregnant pause which drew on for a long while. Regina sighed, listening to the person over the phone. 

 "Okay, I get it. I did not use my knowledge to my advantage. Whatever. I will make it better this time, I promise. See you soon." She ended the call and closed her eyes again. She needed to get a grip on her emotions; they were running all over the place.

 Donovan pulled over at Ambrosia and looked behind him at his mistress.

 "We are here, Mistress. Should I wait here till you return?"

 Regina looked outside her window. She didn't know how long she would spend in the restaurant and if her guest would want to go somewhere else with her.

 "No. Go home and wait for me. Donovan?"

 "Yes, Mistress?" 

 "Tell no one where I am. Can you promise me that?"

 How could she even ask that? Donovan wondered. Like he would ever dream of betraying his mistress.

 "I swear on my dead mother's grave that I will keep this information till I die," he solemnly pledged, striking his chest like a medieval knight. 

 Regina was convinced. Donovan had always been a good boy. She patted his head affectionately and he sighed in submission. Her title meant so much than its surface meaning, just as she was more than she appeared. She alighted the car and waved a little goodbye with her fingers. The car pulled out of the driveway and headed off back the way they came. She was lost in thought until a booming, familiar voice spoke behind her:

 "Can't bear to see your little toy go, can you? Always so dramatic and so foolish. I thought I trained you better than this, Gina. Never get attached to your possessions! Head before heart! Hmm, let's have lunch first. We have a lot of things to discuss."

 Regina hung her head in shame. His reprimand stung like hell, worse than his whip. She had to find a way to win favour in his sights once again.

 "Yes, Master," she obediently concurred and followed him dutifully into the restaurant.