On the first occasion of the day, Lucas crossed paths with Aileen and said a quick hello. He didn't really expect the girl to respond well to his greeting. However, Aileen gave him a friendly smile.Lucas was stunned and disbelieving, but then he decided she might offer him a ride home later in the afternoon. Who knows, right?He didn't know that Aileen was just using him to make Mark jealous. Aileen didn't realize it would lead to a complicated situation later because Lucas wasn't a man to be used carelessly."Aileen, would you like to stop by the cafe before you go home? Shall we?" Lucas wasted no time. That very afternoon, he put the plan into action."Uh, I don't know where the cozy cafe is around here," Aileen replied, not saying yes but not refusing either."Leave it to me. Just tell me where you want to go," Lucas chirped.Aileen smiled. She followed Lucas to his car in the parking lot. And just as she wanted, Mark, who was with Lisa, saw them walking hand in hand."Is he the o
"You! I did it because I wanted everything to end well. All because of Papa's wishes. I owe a lot to the Howard family. At least give me a chance to make things right. I told you that I would fight for our love. That should have convinced you, right?""You don't explain it that way. You scare me all the time. Afraid you'll turn to Lisa. Afraid you'll stop fighting for us. Afraid your goals will change. Not to me anymore, but--""Stop thinking like that. It hasn't even crossed my mind. I'm just struggling with it. I hope you'll wait because it's really all about us in the end," Mark said.There was a moment of silence. Mark stayed where he was, and so did Aileen. It seemed that the two of them had run out of words. Neither of them could speak."I'm going home. I hope after this you won't take any more risks by getting close to Ed," Mark concluded.Aileen was stunned. Mark looked very angry. Obviously, there was no warm hug or caressing hands in her hair, let alone a peck on the forehea
"So, when are you going to tell me the girl's name?" asked Lisa the next day as she and Lucas relaxed in the living room in the afternoon.And Lucas was relaxing in the living room in the afternoon."What girl's name do you mean?" Lucas frowned, not understanding."Ah, the one who made you read that romance novel on purpose," Lisa replied, reminding him oflast night when she found her brother reading in his room."Oh, no. I just found a good novel." Lucas argued. Which seemed very far-fetched becauseHe was pretty sure that his brother had never read a novel before."Ish! It's okay if you don't want to admit it. I guessed it myself. Aileen, right? Huuuft, that girl again.As if there's nothing else to try. Mark was fascinated by her. Now so is Brother Ed. Oh my!" Lisa grumbled in annoyance."Listen, Lisa. I'm trying to get close to Aileen. So you should just focus on Mark. Don't you really want to marry him?" Lucas said as he looked into his sister's eyes.Lisa was silent for a momen
"Just keep getting closer to Lucas," said a sarcastic voice from the other end of the line that Aileen heard on her cell phone."What the hell? I was just saying thanks for the novel, really," Aileen replied with the intention of showing off and making Mark even more angry. Who told you to do that, right? He thought to himself."Novel?""Yes. Lucas saw me with Hana's novel the other day, right. He thought I was a fan of this novel. It's a series of novels and he romantically gave me the rest of the series. I was bored," Aileen explained how the story really went."Ish! Are you so happy to be bribed with a novel?" Mark sneered, seemingly scolding Aileen."Yeah, let it go. I didn't ask for it. And I gave the novel to Hana anyway, because I'm not the one who's a fan of this novel, wkwkwk.""Oh, so mean!" Mark commented, chuckling at the end. Obviously, Lucas was on the ball as well. He was already at the stage where he dared to give Aileen gifts. Man, it looks like his threats are gettin
And the two people burned by romance approached each other. Eye contact that both radiated a great longing as well as an unspeakable overflowing of the heart that felt even more overwhelming when held only in the soul.Mark boldly lifted Aileen's chin slowly, then his lips came and gently kissed Aileen's pink lips, unadorned by lipstick that night. The sweetness his kiss tasted made Mark not want to stop there. He continued to squeeze and even taste his lover's lips as if there was no tomorrow. By then, Aileen was rebelling as she began to have difficulty breathing."Oh my! What kind of kiss is that? So greedy, you know!" Aileen pulled away and covered her swollen lips. They had only kissed once before, and even then, it was only a fleeting moment before embarrassment struck them both."That was... an annoyance kiss," Mark replied."So don't ever make me jealous again. The risk will be much worse than right now," Mark threatened with a menacing look.Aileen laughed. She thought to her
"Have you contacted Lisa?" Mark asked Gio on the other end of the line."Not yet, sir. I ... don't dare," Gio replied half-heartedly, seeming to doubt his own answer."Wow, you've been promoted," Mark said, annoyed by the man's nervousness. The young man was actually good-looking and could be cool if his posture wasn't so awkward. In front of Lisa, he melted away and seemed to have no strength left to hold his head up. This made Lisa uninterested in him. Mark knew that. The man Lisa liked was a man with a strong charisma, just like Mark. Well, almost, because Mark was second to none."I-I'll try again, sir," Gio said after Mark had scolded him at length. He said that as a man, he should be macho and that as a man, he should not appear weak in front of his wife. And so on."Huuuft, basic Gio. I can't really rely on him," Mark complained to himself.Then he texted Lisa and asked her to meet him for lunch because he had something to discuss. Yes, he had to go back to helping Gio find a w
It is true that when Gio arrived in Jakarta, Mark helped her a lot with contacts and connections that she would need to work on Lisa's boutique project. Gio began to be more flexible and less rigid with Lisa because, this time, she was in a position where Lisa depended on her."We will discuss the concept again every day, from the exterior to the interior...and everything," Gio told Mark on the second day. He was proud because he hadn't expected to be so close to Lisa. But thanks to Mark's concept, he was able to get this rare opportunity."Well, then there will be so much time, huh, to steal her attention? Uh, is that so?" Mark teased Gio while one eye blinked happily. Well, although Gio couldn't see his expression either since they were only talking over the line."Hahaha, please, sir. Don't make me feel like the deadline is not about finishing the project but about winning Lisa's heart. What the hell!" Gio began to dare to argue jokingly with Mark. And that was a significant improv
Gio offered his jacket for Lisa to wear as they exited a Danangina ornament shop that was wafting heavily through the streets."Wear this, miss," Gio offered as he prepared to put on his jacket, seeing that Lisa was wearing only a thin dress with a scarf around her neck.Lisa didn't refuse. She felt so cold that she had goosebumps because they had lost track of time in their choosing until it was almost closing time."Miss would like a warm drink before she goes home?" Gio offered again.Lisa seemed to consider it. Usually, she would get angry if she went out too late at night. But in the last few days, she had always come home late because she had a lot of business outside and was safe from Mr Alex's protests. It was all because Mark guaranteed her safety with Gio, who always accompanied her everywhere."Can I ask you, do you know a place with good drinks and a good place?" Lisa asked, testing Gio's knowledge, who was only a newcomer to Jakarta."Ah, that's easy, miss. I just send a