When fate plays its hand (Miranda)

Chapter 0002

At the dining table, Hansel didn’t seem eased with what had been served for breakfast. “Where’s my pumpkin soup?”

“You mean cream of vegetable soup?”

“Cream of vegetable soup?”

“Yes, I know that Ms. Sutton makes that all the time. It’s the one made with pumpkin, potatoes, onions, and celery, right? Um, I don’t have as much time to prepare all the ingredients for that.

“The pumpkin, potatoes, onions, and garlic have to be roasted and freshly puréed beforehand; it’s best if it’s slow cooked the night before. And then the soup has to be stewed and slowly brought to a simmer over open fire for hours after that..

“I don’t have the same amount of patience that Ms. Sutton has to always be checking on the fire every few minutes. Also, what I make will probably still taste different from what she makes. On top of that

“Bring me some marmalade,” Hansel interrupted.

“Coming right up, Mr. Johnson.”

”

“Why does this taste so different?” Hansel glanced at the bottle packaging The packaging is wrong.”

“That jar is empty now. We only have this brand left.”

“Go and get two jars of the other one at the supermarket, then.”

“It can’t be found anywhere, Mr. Johnson.”

Hansel wasn’t amused, “Why not?”

Martha smiled rather awkwardly. “Ms. Sutton made the marmalade herself. I don’t know how wait, Mr. Johnson! Aren’t you going to finish your breakfast

first?”

“No.”

Martha watched in bewilderment as Hansel stormed up the stairs. Why did he lose his temper all of a sudden?

“Hey, you lazy bum, it’s time to get out of bed!”

Miranda flipped over in bed and didn’t even bother opening her eyes. “Shut up. I want to sleep a while longer…”

Winter Jefferson, Miranda’s best friend, had already put on her makeup and was in the midst of choosing a purse to go with her outfit.

“It’s going to be 8:00 am. Don’t you need to rush home to make breakfast for your most beloved Mr. Johnson?”

Miranda used to stay the night at Winter’s place from time to time, but she’d always leave before the crack of dawn to make her usual cream of vegetable soup for Hansel, who was extremely prone to gastric problems.

The mere thought of it had always rendered Winter speechless. Was Hansel paralyzed? Or was he too dumb to order delivery on his own? Why did he have to go and make life difficult for Miranda?

he’d just been spoiled

shook her hand

planning on staying broken up this

Miranda didn’t answer her.

left some breakfast for you on the table. I’m going to work now, and I won’t be back for dinner because I’ve got a date tonight. But you’ll probably be

Miranda woke up

ate the sandwiches Winter had left for her and stared at the sun shining outside the windows. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept

2/6

+15. BONUS

breakfast, she changed her clothes

million dollars. She wouldn’t be able to rest until she

“I’d like to speak to your private banking account manager, please. I’d like to deposit ten

to the bank manager himself, who offered her a

a little

dollars in each of them, managing to get interest rates that were higher than the previous bank

of three black cards with 30 million

breakup was worth it after

went in. She signed up for their membership, which was worth

others.

sat down before the mirror and looked at her long brown hair and large curls.

such good care of your

because Hansel liked it. He said he liked how it felt. Every time they had sex, he’d

that also meant she always had to spend a lot of

and said, “Please cut it short, straighten

no matter how pretty it was. She wouldn’t stop anyone.

out of the hair salon, feeling like a weight had been lifted off her

a clothing boutique that had a sale on, so she walked in and bought herself a white T–shirt and a pair

They matched the sport shoes she was

their bicycles in and out of the gates as the sun set in

“Sol! We’re here!”

man suddenly whizzed past Miranda. “What are

visiting Dr. Young together,

same time,” Solomon Hall said. “Here, I’ll just take the two of you along from

Bioinformatics.”

Bioinformatics? Dr. Young?

hurried forward and asked the students,

the pretty young lady talking to him. He was tongue–tied for a few seconds. “D–Dr.

“Dr. Christine Young?”

“Yes.”

is

“Westerton Hospital.”

“Thank you.”

way, which faculty are you from? Are you alto one of Dr. Young 1

Instead, she turned

condo, she still couldn’t