LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 19: Playing The Hero
Meliza's POV
I didn't want to join the Team Building, but I had no choice. I would be automatically fired if I didn't show up. And being one of the supervisors means I am one of the team leaders for this two-day event.
Those girls were enough, and having Ethan in the picture made it worse. He was angry with me, and I didn't get it; I might understand his hatred towards me if he were a girl. Nicole and Crystal brainwashed all the newcomers, and I am sure they also talked with Ethan.
Ethan shouldn't have judged me based on the rumors he heard. I hated him for what he did, and I couldn't understand why I couldn't stop thinking about him.
I remember the first day I met Nicole. She was so beautiful that I wanted to be friends with her immediately. We became friends that day. She was sweet and kind to me. But after Vince showed up and spent more time with me, her treatment towards me started to change until she made it clear that I was her enemy and began spreading rumors about me.
I only told her I couldn't date someone from the lower class since my mother would be against it; Nicole only laughed. I didn't expect her to tell our fellow part-timers I am a social climber and gold digger.
I was shocked, and it hurt me so much because I thought we were friends. I was too young then and should have kept it to myself. I shared those things with her because I considered her one of my trusted friends, like Ruby.
I tried asking her why she was angry with me, and her answer broke my heart that day.
"You are my competition, Meliza. I don't like you at all. I don't want to be friends with you since you are nothing but trash." Nicole told me those words, and they still haunt me until now.
I was still hoping we would be friends again one day. But now, I realize it will never happen again since she took it seriously. I will only get frustrated if I continue to hope since she did her best to contradict all my instructions as her superior.
I reported Nicole's behavior to Nina, and she was given a verbal warning. And now, she was trying to look innocent, but I knew she was plotting revenge on me after work.
I think fate played tricks with me since Nicole was always part of my team. Even now, during the team building, this used to be my favorite part of my stay here at the farm, but after knowing Nicole and Ethan belonged to Team Number Five, I wished to run back to my room and hide.
Having them on my team was a disaster, for I knew they would do everything to make our team lose.
I walked towards the fountain after Nina dismissed us and waited for my team members to report to me. Only the boys assembled right away, and l felt disappointed that the girls, headed by Nicole, lingered around Ethan.
Nicole and Ethan could be a good team since they both hate me. However, I am sure they will do everything they can to ruin my leadership and make me look bad to the management.
"What do you want us to do, Iza?" Ethan asked with a beautiful smile on his handsome face that almost made me choke. I wondered why he suddenly talked to me nicely.
"We will wait for further instructions. All I need from all of you is cooperation. We don't need to win, but we should do our best to gain a victory. It would be wonderful if we achieve something through hardship and unity." I responded without looking at him.
"Our first activity would be a Scavenger Hunt. We will be given a list of things and clues to find the items hidden around the farm except the mango plantation." I added.
"We need to work as a team to complete the task," I continued, and I wished to encourage them to win, but only the boys were listening to me. Nicole was flirting with Ethan the whole time I was talking to them.
I didn't understand why I felt something different every time I glanced at them whispering with each other.
I was waiting for Nicole to talk, but she didn't interrupt me even once with her nasty remarks. I wondered what her agenda was for today. Is it because she was busy with Ethan? They deserve each other because they have the same feather. They both love insulting me and making fun of me.
I was walking ahead of them and smiled when I found a piece of paper posted on the tree trunk. I raised my eyebrows and wanted to defy the instructions, but I followed what was written on the note, thinking my team members would follow me. I suddenly felt alarmed when it led me to the Mango plantation, and when I looked around, I was alone.
I felt frustrated and hurt; even the boys betrayed me. I continued walking and found another clue when I suddenly stepped into something hollow. My scream echoed throughout the entire plantation as I fell into a hole covered with dried leaves as a dummy.
My body hit the ground hard. Even if there were dried leaves scattered on the surface, I still felt the pain in my entire body, and I felt the excruciating pain in my right leg as I tried to get up. I am thankful for the dried leaves, which saved me from further injury.
I became more frantic when I realized this place was not part of the hunt. Someone planned to lure me into it, and I couldn't believe they would do anything to make me leave without caring if I would get hurt.
I heard a voice from a distance calling my name before I lost consciousness. And when I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed.
"Thank goodness you are awake!" Ruby said right after I opened my eyes.
"You gave me quite a fright, Meliza," she added as she wiped her tears.
"Hey, don't cry, Ruby. I am fine," I said as I looked at her.
"You almost got bitten by a snake. Thank God Ethan came, and he killed the snake and rescued you," she added, and my forehead furrowed.
"Are you sure it was Ethan?" I asked, and she nodded her head with a smile.
"He looked so worried and was at the door waiting for you to wake up." My best friend replied, and my face suddenly turned hard.
"Maybe he was the one who plotted that scheme, and he was guilty of what happened to me," I responded.
"Don't say that, Meliza. Ethan saved you; he was the only one looking for you among all your team members. Besides, they already found the culprit, and the management is preparing to file a case against her." Ruby stated, and I looked at her with my mouth wide open, but no words came out.
"It seemed like you got a lot of enemies; Nicole and Crystal were not the only ones who were jealous of you. It turned out Karen was obsessed with Vince, and she was one of the candidates to be promoted to supervisor, and you got the spot." My best friend added, and I remained speechless, unable to believe Karen would do this to me.
I haven't heard her say anything against me, and she always smiles at me whenever we cross paths.
"Don't worry, you are now safe. Ethan almost strangled her, and he was so furious after he found out she was the one who wrote that note you found in the tree trunk and hired the man who dug out the hole last night." Ruby continued, and I couldn't believe someone was capable of doing something sinister for her personal gain.
"Where is Nina?" I asked Ruby.
"She was talking to the police," she replied.
"Please, tell her to let Karen go," I said, and her eyes widened in shock.
"Are you out of your mind? That woman is crazy for plotting something like that to harm you." Ruby said.
"I am sure she learned her lesson now. I don't want someone to suffer because of me," I responded.
"Meliza, it was her choice to be bad. It wasn't your fault," my best friend replied.
"I will inform Ethan you are now awake,"
Ruby stated, and I know she was trying to change the subject.
"He wanted to see you, Meliza," she added, and I nodded.
"Ethan saved my life. He had been a jerk, but at least he found a way to redeem himself. I guess he deserves a chance to speak with me." I responded, and my best friend's face lit up.
"He likes you, Iza," My best friend mumbled and giggled while I gave her a hard stare.
"Hey, I know you don't date, but you better try even once unless you already have someone in your heart." She added as she looked at me with sadness on her face.
"I never kept any secrets from you, Ruby. I would tell you if I felt something for someone you knew, right?" I asked, and she beamed at me.
"Promise?" She asked back, and I nodded my head.
"You know I don't need to make any promises because I will tell you everything. You are my best friend, Rubs," I responded.
"I just want to make sure," she declared, and I could tell her words had a hidden meaning. Before I could ask her what she meant, she turned her heels and hurriedly left the room.
I tried to close my eyes again since I felt tired, and the anticipation of talking with Ethan made me nervous.
"Meliza," I heard Ethan's sexy voice say my name and my entire body suddenly felt so hot.
"I am sorry. I was distracted. I tried to follow you around when someone stumbled on the ground, and I came to help one of our team members. When I raised my head, you were no longer there, and the rest of our teammates were gone, " he added.
"I didn't understand what happened out there, but I am going to investigate further and find out what was wrong and who was involved with what happened to you. I am sure Karen wasn't alone." He continued as I slowly opened my eyes and found him staring at me with concern.
"Why did you help me? You hated me, too. You couldn't stand me like those girls, and why did you play as my hero? Is that part of your game, Ethan?" I asked, looking at him, feeling anxious to hear his answer.
"I want to apologize, and I hope you will give me a chance. I was so stupid for judging you; there was more to it. If you give me a chance, I will tell you everything." He responded as his intense gaze fixed on mine.
"I want to know you more, Meliza, and I hope you will forgive me," Ethan added with pleading on his face.
I couldn't believe I would hear those words coming from his mouth, and I became more afraid of the better version of himself because it would be hard for me to stay away from him. My mother would be disappointed if she found out I was getting close to someone like Ethan.