Dave, after exhaling and inhaling to release his nervousness, ran his fingers through his hair and fixed his clothes in the side mirror of his car then pretended to walk confidently towards the open area outside Venere. “Ma’am..” Hana excitedly stood beside Serin. “Mr. Dave Sean is here.” All eyes quickly moved to where Hana pointed at. Dave’s unexpected appearance completely delighted and astonished Serin’s colleagues but not Jeremy and his best friends. His presence is nothing but a total mood wrecker. As their expressions darkened, they discreetly exchanged glances with annoyance. While Jeremy is sure that Serin was the one who invited Dave to come over, Chris and Ken are not sure about it because it is also possible that it was Yenny who did it. “Did you also invite him here?” Brian asked Serin. “Or Sir Jeremy did?” Chris unknowingly hissed. “Jeremy is still in the right mind, he would never do that..” He uttered the truth audibly that made everyone look at him with confusion
Ken looked deep into her eyes. “If I didn’t ask you such a stupid question, you wouldn’t have brought up the past.” Serin paused for a while but eventually fell into complete silence, unable to reply to Ken’s heartfelt apology because his sincerity only made her feel more uncomfortable. And also, she could not form her thoughts into words, worried that she might give hunch to her colleagues that Jeremy and his best friends are no longer close with Dave and that there’s bad blood between the two brothers, which has never been known by the public or even by their own family. “Bringing up the past filled with good memories is not to be sorry for.” It’s Dave, displaying an emotional expression on his face. “But burying those good memories because of hate towards someone, as if those memories never made you happy, is something to be sorry for.” A visible smirk crossed Chris’ face. “What if it was not simple hate? That the hate you were talking about is rooted from the devastating pain
As Chris suddenly showed up with a bomb that he almost dropped, Dave should have felt agitated. But instead of agitation and uneasiness, terrible pain drowned him. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Shouldn’t you reveal that truth to Serin, so she will completely understand why we, especially Jeremy, can’t forgive you?” “It’s okay, Chris..” Serin held the guy on his arm then gave him a pleading look. “I’m sure I will know about it at the right time.. when Dave already has the courage to tell me everything.” “Should I tell you now?” Dave asked Serin. “Go on. Now. In front of me.” Chris stood closer before Dave. “Or better, in front of Jeremy. Shall I call him?” “Guys, please..” Serin got in between the two. “I invited all of you here not for you to confront each other like this. Can’t you just forget that hate in your hearts for now? Just for now, please..” “I’m sorry..” Dave lowered his head and sighed heavily. “Chris..” He uttered the guy’s name with so much sadness in his voic
"You keep disappointing us, Yenny." Chris suddenly showed up. Francis, since he didn't get farther yet, got intrigued by what he clearly heard from Chris. He paused and stood on the stairs without making any noise. "I'll hang up now." Yenny ended the call right away and was about to leave without looking at Chris when the guy stood before her. "What?" She asked, annoyance in her voice. “When did you exchange numbers? Yesterday? When you told him that you have already forgiven him? That fast? Wow!” Chris clapped with insulting sarcasm then gave Yenny a frustrated stare. “If you were Jeremy, what would you feel?” Yenny, teary-eyed, faced Chris a lot closer. “And you? If you were Aunt Leona, would you still hate me?” “It’s not hate that we feel towards you, it’s disappointment.” “Sooner, that disappointment will grow to hate.” “And you will let us hate you? Does that mean you will keep doing what will surely hurt us?” “Because that’s what Aunt Leona wants.” “To hurt us? Esp
“I’m sorry but I can’t, no.. we can’t. You know why? Because that will disappoint Aunt Leona more. Do you think she’ll really be happy if we deceive ourselves and fool her? That’s insane, Yenny. And should I remind you that Dave never asked forgiveness from Jeremy in the first place? Even just once.. So what the heck are you talking about? He has been reaching for our hands? Are you sure? Where were you when Dave had been intentionally making Jeremy suffer? You’re in Pines Village.. You were hiding there because you were afraid that monster you are trying to defend and help would surely get back at you. He is the reason why you had to live in that far place.. away from us. And you know what? Every day, we were filled with worry and fear because we could not always go there and stay by your side as much as we wanted.” Chris looked away, not wanting to hurt Yenny right to her face. “It’s easy for you to forgive Dave because you never witnessed how Dave, with his devilish intentions, torm
“What nonsense are you talking about? Why would I lie to him?” A sigh with annoyance came out from Francis. "Didn’t I tell you this morning that there has been so much on my mind lately? Can’t I make a mistake? I forgot to make myself clear, so Sir Chris thought that it was you when in fact, it was Sam, my sister.." Sam could not believe her ears and she wouldn't buy the guy's pretense. “If it was your sister, you wouldn’t have rushed down the stairs just to tell her to answer your mom’s call. She is not here to begin with.” "Sir Chris must have really misheard me." Francis would never lose to her. "To make myself clear again.. I was trying to call my sister but because she was not answering her phone, I rushed down the stairs to go and ask you if you know her social media accounts, in case she was online on one of those." Another lie, Sam thought to herself. "Fine.. just spit whatever you want but you will never convince me. It’s too obvious that you lied to Sir Chris and because
Flustered, Francis paused and gulped. “It’s really a hangover.” “Anyone can endure the feeling that they get after drinking too much but not the feeling that they get after learning about a shocking truth behind someone’s death.” Visible shock fell on his face, his throat felt completely dry. He made eye contact with the old man but he could not utter a word. “You are at a loss for words.” Sodon spoke again. “That means, I’m right. That sickening feeling is not from a hangover but from such a horrible revelation.” “How did you find out about it?” “Which one? Me also knowing the truth or you just learning about it?” “Both..” “Jeremy revealed everything to me before. Such a shocking truth has been kept for so long, not only by him but also by his best friends and that includes Yenny. So, even before we were introduced to each other a while ago, I’ve already been hearing her name from Jeremy and his best friends. And last night, Chris and Ken told me that Yenny greatly disappoin
Dave fell into deep silence. Painful memories of the past rushed in, from that gloomy morning he resented Jeremy to that rainy night he tormented him with cruel words. Pain began to choke him with suffocating heaviness. Is it pain from sadness and remorse? Or still from hate and anger? He doesn’t know now. “That morning was also the very first time you broke my heart.” Ms. Fei continued, moist eyes locked on the beautiful sight of the city’s breathtaking landscape that instantly became gray and dreary because of her emotional state. “But even if you did break my heart at that time, Jeremy consoled me by being a selfless brother to you. He never attacked you with the hate and fury that you were throwing at him. He embraced you with warmth and understanding. He showed you that even if you were in your worst condition, he would never abandon you..” She paused as her eyes already gave in. Rushing tears drenched her face. “But despite your brother’s selflessness, why did you still let tha