On the other hand, James stared at his phone with a mixed expression of hope and frustration, occasionally sipping vodka from the glass in his hand. A sense of disappointment began to envelop his heart because the only thing he wanted at that moment was a reply from Sirena, the arrogant girl who always made his heart race.Time seemed to pass slowly, and each second that went by felt like a ridiculous twist in the circle of time, making him more restless. He scratched his head, which wasn’t itchy, while glancing at the wall clock that seemed to mock his foolishness. The mixture of frustration and amusement finally made a small chuckle escape his lips.“How foolish I am,” he thought. Waiting for a reply that might never come, yet still holding on to hope, as if he were waiting for a miracle.The grip on the vodka glass in his hand served as a reminder that life is full of absurd moments that sometimes make us smile, even though they are quite annoying.“This arrogant woman, I’m so obse
Sirena had just arrived at her apartment. She saw a pile of gifts stacked up in the living room. She glanced briefly at the pile without the intention of opening them and walked toward her bedroom. She placed the large bag containing the dress and accessories she had bought earlier on the bed. Then, she went to the bathroom to freshen up. It felt so stuffy after spending the whole day outside, dealing with traffic and the scorching heat. Now it was time for some "me-time."After spending a few minutes in the bathroom, Sirena felt refreshed. She took out her skincare products and began pampering her skin, applying a face mask and aromatherapy lotion. The gentle scent of lavender filled the bathroom, making her feel more relaxed.Once done, Sirena stepped out of the bathroom with her hair still damp and wearing comfortable clothes. She decided to make herself a cup of warm tea and sit on the couch, enjoying the calm moment. As she sipped her tea, her eyes briefly wandered to the pile of
"Seeing your surprised and annoyed expression, let me guess, you're not happy to see me here, right?" he said, hitting the mark.Quickly, Sirena put on a wide smile full of theatrics."How could I be upset seeing Mr. James? You’re my benefactor, of course I’m happy you greeted me," Sirena said, still maintaining her friendly smile. "Damn! Why does this pervert have to be here too?" Sirena thought, feeling irritated."Wow, those luscious lips can say sweet things, though they’re the complete opposite of what’s in your heart," James teased, smiling warmly."How does he still greet me like this? Pervert!" Sirena thought, irritated.Sirena tried to control her frustration, though her polite smile remained on her face."You really know how to read the room, Mr. James. But I don’t remember asking for your help to entertain me here," she replied, her tone slightly sarcastic but still sweet.James chuckled softly. "Ah, Sirena. You always have a way of captivating people, even when you’re tryi
Inside the room, the doctor entered with a warm smile."Good afternoon, Mrs. Briana. How are you feeling right now?" he asked, exuding warmth and professionalism.Briana lay back on the bed, feeling the tension in her body."Good afternoon, Doctor. I feel a bit anxious, but I know this is a necessary step," she replied, trying to stay calm despite her racing heart.The doctor nodded, understanding Briana's feelings. "That's very natural, Mrs. Briana. Many patients feel the same way. We will do our best to ensure you are as comfortable as possible during this treatment."He reviewed her medical notes and explained the chemotherapy process clearly, ensuring Briana understood every step that would be taken."If there's anything that makes you uncomfortable or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know," the doctor added, reassuring her that the medical team was ready to assist.Briana felt slightly calmer after hearing the doctor's explanation and the support provide
“Is this the place?” Sirena murmured, looking at the apartment address James had given her. She hadn’t expected James to prepare such a luxurious apartment.She then pressed the touchscreen and entered her password.Click!The sound of the lock opening. Sirena turned the door handle and entered the apartment.Her eyes widened as she looked at the spacious, luxurious apartment, fully furnished.Sirena walked into the living room and sat on the comfortable sofa. She was so impressed with the apartment and with James’s efforts to make her feel comfortable.A few minutes later, the apartment door opened and James entered, a wide smile on his face. “Looks like you’ve arrived,” James said, walking toward Sirena while removing his jacket.“Yeah, I don’t like being late,” Sirena teased, sitting with her legs crossed gracefully.James chuckled. “Alright, alright. I admit it, I was late, just 30 minutes this time,” he said, causing Sirena to snort in annoyance.“Have you eaten?” James asked whi
James watched Sirena closely, sensing the obvious tension between them. He knew that there was something that could not be put into words, something deeper than just a casual conversation at the dinner table.As she continued to spoon her food, Sirena tried to focus on the flavors and textures. However, her mind drifted, caught between doubt and hope. For their previous conversation came back to haunt her, as James touched on an issue that was so sensitive, but also gave her heart palpitations.“So, how do you plan to move forward?” James asked, trying to open a lighter conversation.Sirena looked down at her plate, trying to find the right words. “I... don't know for sure yet,” she replied quietly, refraining from expressing any real concern.James nodded, but the look on his face showed dissatisfaction. He wanted more than a vague answer, but he also didn't want to force something that might make Sirena feel uncomfortable.“Sometimes, we just need to take the first step,” he said so
James pretended to rub his heart like a wounded man. “I hope you know that it's not just because of my looks! I have many other advantages that could attract your attention,” he said with a wink.“Like what?” asked Sirena in a scornful tone, trying to keep her focus on the conversation despite her rapidly beating heart.“Like extraordinary cooking skills and also in bed. Don't you just love it, Sweety?” teased James who started to approach Sirena and held her hand gently. Although annoyed, Sirena couldn't resist.Sirena felt her heart pounding as James approached and held her hand. The atmosphere between them was getting warmer, and she knew very well that this game was starting to get more serious than she wanted.“James, don't play games,” she protested, though her voice was not so firm.“Who's playing around? It's just a motivation boost!” replied James firmly, his eyes glinting mischievously. “It's more fun if we can touch each other while discussing more interesting things, isn't
“Ugh...” Sirena slowly opened her eyes. She looked at the ceiling and turned to her side, where James was asleep next to her, naked.She slowly sat up from her position and walked to the bathroom. There, she started cleaning herself.After washing her face, Sirena paused in front of the mirror. Her reflection reminded her of last night’s passionate events. The memories were still fresh in her mind, as if they had just happened. Somehow, even though Sirena hadn’t really wanted it, that perverted man always managed to make her enjoy it thoroughly.Feeling a bit more refreshed, Sirena stepped out of the bathroom, trying to remain calm despite the awkward feelings lingering. She fixed her hair and put on the casual dress hanging behind the door.She touched James’ shoulder, who was still asleep, hoping to wake him gently. “Hey, did you sleep well?” she asked. But there was no answer. James was still deep in sleep. Eventually, Sirena decided to leave him be for a while and went to the kitc
"Hey, why are you daydreaming?" Elda asked, startling Sirena who was lost in thought at her desk."I'm fine," Sirena replied with a small smile."Hey, have you heard?" Elda asked."What?" Sirena asked, looking at Elda seriously."Apparently, Claudya decided to drop out of school," Elda said, making Sirena gasp in surprise."Really?" Sirena asked, clearly shocked."Yeah. She couldn't handle the teasing from the others after what happened during the study tour, so she decided to leave," Elda explained. "Wow, you're amazing, Siren. You stayed quiet while she bullied you, and your retaliation was no joke. You made her drop out of school."Elda laughed. "What are you talking about? It was just because she's mentally weak," Sirena replied."Oh, by the way, I haven't heard anything about your boyfriend, Mr. James. Are you still with him?" Elda asked, successfully making Sirena's expression change."Why the silence? Did you two fight?" Elda asked, looking at Sirena with an intense gaze."Elda
Sirena opened her eyes after a long, exhausting session with James. Once again, her body felt sore and broken. She looked around the apartment but couldn't find James, until a tempting aroma wafted from outside the room.She slowly got up from her position and walked toward the bathroom to freshen up.Sirena wore James's white shirt and walked out of the bedroom.The fragrant smell from the kitchen greeted her as she stepped out of the room. Her hair was still wet from her shower, and the oversized white shirt she wore covered part of her thighs. She found James in the kitchen, wearing casual pants and a simple black t-shirt, busy with a pan on the stove.James turned when he heard her footsteps. His smile appeared instantly, as usual, confident as ever."Finally, you're awake, Sweety. Did you sleep well?" he asked in a teasing tone.Sirena scoffed lightly, but couldn't hide the slight smile on her lips. "Sleep well? More like shattered. You really don't know when to stop, do you?"Ja
"I’m waiting for you in the campus parking lot. Your classes should be over, right?"Sirena read the message that James had sent her.After almost two weeks, James reached out to her again. Sirena was quite surprised, but at the same time, she didn’t know how to act toward him.She stared at the screen of her phone for a long time, the message from James seemed to radiate an aura that was hard to ignore. It had been two weeks since that awkward incident, and the man had disappeared without a word. Now he was suddenly showing up again, casually asking to meet as if nothing had changed."Campus parking lot?" Sirena murmured quietly, biting her lip. She was hesitant. Should she meet him?Part of her wanted to ignore the message, but the same intense curiosity made it hard for her to completely disregard James. Finally, she typed a short reply."Wait there."After sending the message, Sirena sighed and organized her books. She tried to convince herself that this was just a normal meeting,
On the other hand, Sirena found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on her college assignments and work at the company. Sitting in her office at Reverie, she stared out the window, watching the bustling traffic on the street below.Sirena sat motionless in her office, her eyes vacant as she gazed at the chaos outside the window. Her mind was consumed by thoughts of James, who seemed to have disappeared without a trace since their tense encounter. Sirena’s heart felt heavy, a mix of anxiety and longing that trapped her in confusion.She knew their relationship had never been easy. It was an agreement, not the genuine connection she had hoped for. Yet, despite that, every moment they had spent together made her feel valued and loved, even if only temporarily. Now, James' absence only made her feel lonely and directionless."Did I make a mistake by hoping?" Sirena asked herself, biting her lip, holding back the tears that threatened to fall. She didn't want to admit it, but her feel
"So, you want to take this project?" Malik asked, a mischievous grin on his lips."Yes. Didn't I already do that? Now, don't interfere with my business anymore!" James said, emphasizing each word. "You all just want to take advantage of my mind and body, right? I'll give them to you, but never meddle with my personal life and business!"Malik looked at James, who glared at him with sharp, furious eyes."James, I’m your grandfather. How could I take advantage of you? I only want to give you the best," Malik said calmly."Is that so? I’ve never felt that way," James replied. "So far, I’ve been fighting on my own. When I was at my lowest, even the one who claimed to be my grandfather didn’t care about me. Now, all I’m asking is for that, Grandpa," James said with emphasis."Why are you so worried about me getting close to that woman? Is she so valuable to you, James?" Malik asked."Valuable? Of course not," James answered casually. "She's nothing more than a prostitute. I just still want
"I want to talk to you. Come with me," James said, grabbing Sirena's hand. But at the same time, Gavin held Sirena's other hand, making James glare at their joined hands, visibly annoyed."Sirena is with me, and we are discussing something important. Can you please wait and not drag my conversation partner away like that?" Gavin said, his tone firm.James stared intensely at Gavin, who held his ground, returning the glare without flinching.The tension between James and Gavin was palpable, causing the previously calm atmosphere in the café to suddenly feel charged. Sirena watched both men, feeling confused and a little anxious, unsure of what to do."James, Gavin, please don't do this," Sirena said, trying to ease the situation. She slowly pulled her hand from their grasps.James didn’t take his eyes off Gavin. "I don't care who you are or what you're discussing. I just want to talk to Sirena. That’s the more important matter," he said coldly, but with an authoritative tone.Gavin rem
“Actually, I want to apologize for my mistake the other day. I realized that Cherry was lying and setting you up,” he said, making Siren surprised to hear it.A proud man like Ronald, apologizing to her—this was something extremely rare.“Are you sick or something?” Siren asked, making Ronald furrow his brows in confusion.“What do you mean?” Ronald asked.“No. I'm just surprised that you're apologizing to me,” Siren said.Ronald scratched the back of his neck, looking somewhat awkward. “I know, I rarely, or maybe never, do this. But this time, I’m serious, Siren. I was wrong to believe Cherry without checking the truth.”Siren looked at Ronald sharply, trying to read the intention behind his words. Was this genuine, or just a formality?“Why are you suddenly apologizing?” Siren asked flatly. “Aren’t you the one who always defended her no matter what happened?”Ronald sighed, his expression turning serious. “After that incident, I saw evidence that showed Cherry was just trying to man
Sirena stared at the ceiling, her mind still fixated on James's ambiguous words."Actually, what has he been through to say something like that?" Sirena muttered as she recalled James’s words."Siren... I can let go of everything that's been in my life. I can accept when everyone I trust betrays me and stabs me in the back. But...""Siren... I can't accept it if you're the one who stabs me in the back. So, no matter how much you hate me, don't just leave me and choose another man."Those words kept disturbing Sirena's thoughts, making it impossible for her to close her eyes.She gazed at the ceiling, trying to push away the thoughts that kept swirling in her head. James's words echoed in her soul, shaking the calm she was trying to create."Why is he so sure that I would leave him?" she wondered."What has he been through all this time?" she asked herself. She wanted to understand more, not just about the fear James had expressed, but also the painful experiences that had shaped him i
After they had their moment, both of them sat by the riverbank. Siren’s body was wrapped in James' jacket to keep her warm."This is crazy!" Siren groaned."Why?" James asked, rummaging through his pants pocket and pulling out something."This is the first time I’ve done something this crazy in the wild," Siren complained, making James chuckle."But the sensation is incredible, isn't it?" James teased."I don't know," Siren replied.James took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one."You're smoking in front of me?" Siren protested."Why not? The air is cold enough. I only smoke at times to warm up," James answered."Well then, I want to try," Siren said, surprising James, but he eventually chuckled.James raised an eyebrow, looking at Siren with a half-surprised, half-amused expression. "You? Want to smoke?" he asked, still chuckling. "Since when did you get curious about cigarettes, Siren?"Siren crossed her arms and gave James a challenging look. "You’re casually smoking in front of m