Chapter 2

6 years later.

"Good morning, Mrs."

"Morning, Mrs."

"Good morning, Mrs."

The greeting is heard alternately and retort back and forth throughout the office hallway. It started when she got out of the car until she reached her room, the greeting's not over.

"Good morning, Luci. You look more beautiful today. Is there any good news?" Among all the greetings, only the current greeting sounded different from others.

"Stop teasing me, and hurry up to tell me my today's schedule, Ramon!" Lucrecia shouts in annoyance while sitting down on her office chair.

The last person who gave her greeting is her secretary. Ramon. A playboy who somehow managed to pass the secretary selection for her. Where for every day he always teases her without any hesitation by calling her name with no formal appellation like it's supposed to use in the office, as an employee in most cases.

Nothing.

It's just, he knows how to behave. In front of others, he will act formally and very calm, as if Ramon's greeting with his teasing in every morning is only an illusion.

"I'm serious, you look more gorgeous and brighter. Isn't there good news?" Ramon asks with no doubt, ignoring her command.

"Aish... You'd better do your task or do you want me to cut your salary?" Lucrecia threatens with a sharp and unsheating gaze.

"Okay, okay. you're the scariest one when you're angry, you haven't changed since then," Ramon's annoyed while tinkering his iPad in his hands.

He looks handsome when he's quiet and focus. Like this moment, standing up with a clothes that's made blowzy on purpose, a loose tie, then his left hand holding the iPad and his right hand holding tylust pen which is scratched onto iPad's screen.

Yeah, everyone can fall in love with Ramon, even without that man trying to flirt. Even, a lot of people idolize the figure of Ramon in this office.

Then, what about herself?.

She's not attracted to someone like Ramon. Moreover, She has known Ramon since she was 5 years old. To her, Ramon is like her big brother, whereas Ramon really regards her as his little sister.

But, it was a lie if she said she was never into Ramon. When she was in Senior High School, she once fell for him. At the moment, she was at 3rd grade of Senior High School, while Ramon was studying in University at 4th semester.

With no hesitation, Lucrecia revealed her feeling to Ramon, and it was clear the result was a rejection.

Nothing had changed between them, and Lucrecia kept revealing her feeling steadily over and over again, until one day Ramon gave up upon Lucrecia's persistence.

They were in a relationship with a deal that Lucrecia wasn't allowed to limit Ramon's movement. The great thing was, their relationship lasted for more than 2 years, even if that was only a status. Until one day Lucrecia herself who broke their relationship as she had been bored with it.

All of a sudden their relationship just ended and chose to keep on their friendship rather than their romantic relationship.

Until they grow up, they're still friends, and Ramon's arms was the first place to hold all the tears before or after the divorce with her ex-husband 6 years ago.

"Very well, in that case I return to my room." Ramon says after telling Lucrecia's schedule.

"Oh yeah, how far have we prepared for our perfume advertisement?" Lucrecia asks before Ramon turns around.

"Em... It seems has reached 60 percent, the packaging and the perfume are ready, the box design is also almost done, we just need to find out a brand ambassador for our product." Ramon showing up the data in his iPad to Lucrecia.

Lucrecia is observing every scratch that Ramon does on his iPad screen which its size is 3 or 4 times bigger than a regular smartphone.

"When will we have a meeting with the agency of brand ambassador?" Lucrecia asks turning to look at Ramon.

"Tomorrow, at 10.30 am. In our building" Ramon replies Lucrecia's question.

After the activity of telling the schedule, everything goes as usual. Reading file, reviewing the result of reports from the manager and the Department regarding their responsibilities.

In the midst of the bustle, she always makes time for her son, even if it's just having a video call.

When it comes to talk about her son Xavier, She isn't sure to call it as a gift or as a blessing, it's because even though she got part with her ex-husband, she was given a son by God.

Because of the reason, Lucrecia's putting big effort to fend her son, making sure all of needs of her son fulfilled. Even she always bestows her love and affection although the bustle tries to press her.

This is Lucrecia's life after her divorce. But she's happy.

In the old days, though she lived along with one she loved, she felt nothing even felt so much pain in one moment. Especially when she didn't mean to catch her ex-husband was having a video call with his lover.

She couldn't be angry. After all, she was the one who had snatched Mario forcibly from his lover and it was an unlikely thing if she forced her will constantly to Mario. Until in the end she became miserable by her own, weeping in silence, weeping behind her smile, even weeping behind her laugh and sarcastic words that she always uttered.

But at least, everything has been over.

She is happy with her present time. Without love for a man, without a play to pretend to be happy. There is only a truly happiness.

Yeah, she's to be just the way she is.

When the afternoon comes, all the tiredness is apart from Lucrecia's shoulders. When she picks up her son from her parent's house.

"Mommy!" Xavier shouts releasing himself from his grandma's arms and move for hugging his Mom, Lucrecia.

"Ouh... My little hero, are you ready to back home?" Lucrecia asks excitedly to her son.

"Hum, but later, we'll buy grilled sausages, okay?" She nods off at once for her son's request.

"Mom, Dad, I'll take Xavier home." Lucrecia asks for leave while kissing her parent's cheeks, then taking turns to kiss the son.

"Alright, take care."

After asking for leave, Lucrecia takes her son to the city park, looking for a merchant who sells for grilled sausages. It takes time to look for the peddler until finally she finds out the one, going around by a red car with a sausage image on the body of the car. Or it's more known as a food truck.

Her patron peddler of buying grilled sausages. Even though others have the same concept , but she prefer her patron peddler. For that's her friend's business.

"Hey, Lu, hey little hero," A man with a chef clothes greets, he looks occupied in there.

"Hey, Uncle Alan. do you need my hand?" Xavier asks with no doubt or bashful.

"Ah, Of course little boy. Please put this sausage on the table number 5," Alan says while handing over a small tray that always be there. On the tray there are 2 pieces of jumbo grilled sausages.

Lucrecia doesn't prevent of what Xavier wants to do, as long as it doesn't make a bad impact for her son, after all, it's good for her son's development.

When Xavier takes a tray for the 4th times, someone runs against that boy by accident until he falls down.

"Huahhh... Uncle Alan... The sausages are tumbling down..." That boy bursts into tears as he sees the sausages fall down on the floor.

The one who bumped into Xavier is panic as that boy is crying, he calms Xavier down by saying. "Ah... "I'm terribly sorry dear, is your body hurt? Let me take responsibility to pay back your sausages,"

Lucrecia gets rush over as she heard her son's scream, then she finds out the son is sitting on the floor, staring at the falling sausages.

"Xavier?"

those two people turn around, Xavier puts on a sullen face whereas the others have surprised faces.

"Mommy!" Xavier yells out on his spot with a sullen face, trying to hold back his tears that is almost bursting.

Lucrecia who is stunned at the figure who bumped into her son, getting her sense back as she hears the scream of her son.

She breaks her gaze from the person quickly, then turns to her son. She crouches down to align the position with her son, then gesturing for her son to come closer.

"Mommy..." that boy is crying while running to his mom's arms.

"Cup cup, my little boy ... Why are you crying, hm? Is my hero hurt?" Lucrecia's asking her son with various questions.

Lucrecia gets up from her crouching position, ignoring the man that has been staring at her since then.

"My little hero, why are you crying?" Alan asks as Lucrecia returns to her seat.

"The caucages, Uncle, hiks ... The caucages are falling down ..." Xavier snitches to Alan with unclear words as he's crying.

Right after Xavier snitched, the man who bumped into that boy by accident comes over. he glances at Lucrecia for a moment, then turns to Xavier.

"Hey, little boy. My apologize, I didn't see you." The man says while aligning his position with Xavier who is on her mother's lap.

Xavier keeps his face away from her mother as he hears the man's confession, he stares at the person who is apologizing to him.

"So do I. I apologize, I've shouldn't run in crowded place." Xavier says, admitting his mistake.

"That was not your mistake, indeed. I've should been more careful. How about buying you other sausages as an apology?" The man's asking to offer his idea to that boy.

"Uncle Alan, this man said that he will pay back for the sausages," Xavier says, pointing to the crouching man who is near to him.

"Alright, boy,"

Some of Alan's employees are paying attention to Xavier's act. In fact, it doesn't matter if the man didn't pay it back, Alan will never mind about that, but it will cause a protest from Xavier when he's paid. And it looks like their dismay about it is over.

Lucrecia stays in silence, letting her son to solve his own problem, even though she has avoided the presence of the man in front of her since many years ago.

"Do you want it more?" The man asks while holding out the money to the cashier.

"Of-"

"No, it's enough." Lucrecia says emphatically.

The man's frowning as Lucrecia resists firmly, then he tries to explain it. "But, I was just-,"

"That's enough, Mario!" Lucrecia insists once again.

Lucrecia seems to be holding back her anger this time.

"Ah, okay. I'm sorry for that, Luci," The person says, who is none other than Mario, her ex-husband.

Xavier, who has never seen his mother gets upset other than in the office, was suddenly shocked. At first, he wanted to defend the uncle who is offering him the sausages, but he's getting scared. Xavier chose to hug his mother tightly after all.

"Mom, let's back home." Xavier whispers in Lucrecia's ear.

The whispers instantly muffled Lucrecia's emotion which is about to burst. Lucrecia exhales slowly, trying to hold back her anger. Then turn around to Alan who is cooking the sausages.

"This is your order, and this is the wage for the little hero." Alan says, handing the food bag to Lucrecia, afterwards he hands 4 coins onto Xavier's small hands.

"Thank you, Alan," Lucrecia says, paying the order in cash.

"Thank you, Uncle." Xavier says, feeling pleased.

Lucrecia turns around for leaving, she must get to the car soon. But unfortunately, her pace is stopped right before she opens the car door. Someone holds Lucrecia's elbow that she's sure the person is Mario.

"Luci, I want to talk for a moment." Mario says in a pleading voice.

Lucrecia doesn't give a response, she just opens the door of front seat, after that, she puts her son there. "Honey, may I talk for a moment with that man?" Lucrecia asks to her son while putting on seat belt. she gives a favorite video game console of her son.

"Sure, but just for a while ... 3 minutes" Xavier shows his 3 fingers after turning his head for a wink to Mario who is outside the car.

"Of course, dear,"

Lucrecia closes the car's door. then she sets alarm on her smartphone to count down. "You listened what he said, just 3 minutes," Lucrecia says, showing the number three on her smartphone screen.

"No problem, thank you," Mario replies in pleasing.

"What's the matter?"

"I want to know the age of your son," Mario asks the first question.

"Four, my son is 4 years old, why? Do you think he's your son?" Lucrecia asks Mario back sharply.

Lucrecia is lying about the age of her son. It's all for the good of her son and also for herself.

Mario's face instantly becomes pale. Then he smiles bitterly to Lucrecia.

"Your words are still as sarcastic as in the past," Mario says. Then he keeps on saying "Yeah, I hoped he was my son, our child." Mario confesses what he thought calmly and full of tenderness.

Although he looks disappointed, the smile on the face of the 32-year-old man is still painted. He's trying not to show a look of disappointment with the rest of the effort.

"If it's true, what will you do?, Take him away from me? Hahaha," Lucrecia laughs sarcastically, then in the next moment she changes her face with no expression. "I know you're not a foolish, with or without relationship between you and my son won't change anything. For what it's mine, will always be mine, you do know that!" Lucrecia clarifies without any hesitation or fear.

Yeah, a young CEO mentally tough, let alone she's a woman. She has to be truly strong. Including dealing with the past.

"Ah, it's already three minutes, I have to go!" Lucrecia says, showing that their time to speak is running out.

"I hope we're not going to meet again in other time!" Lucrecia leaves Mario, heading to car steering.

"I miss you, Luci. I really do!" Mario says, looking at Lucrecia who stops her move after opening the car door.

"Unfortunately, I don't feel the same. I'm leaving." Lucrecia asks for leaving and gets to the car soon.