Chapter Six: The Warning

"NOBODY was fighting, Ma'am. How much alcohol have you had?"

Elaine exhaled deeply. There's a hint of certainty and emphasis on the officer's voice as he said those words to her face. Even the two MMDA officers had the same testimony about it. She wanted to insist but decided not to especially when she saw a taunting curl on the officer's lips. Besides, there's no more energy left for her to argue.

She found out that the owner of the sports car she'd bumped into was the officer himself. SPO2 Marco Figueroa.

It seemed like he did not want to negotiate. And now she's facing lawsuits; drunk driving and damage to property. However, what's making her see red was this obnoxious cop. Midnight barely fell just yet and she had a very long day today. She just wanted to go home and take some good rest. But unexpected things kept getting in her way and she couldn't get any more pissed.

"Can I just make a call? I need to contact my lawyer,"

"Be my guest but make it quick," he folded his arms and smirked at her. She rolled her eyes at him and spun on her heels, removing him off of her sight.

Only one name crossed Elaine's mind every time she'd found herself in the police station. It's Tan. But just like her previous calls three years ago, his phone just kept ringing. Nobody’s picking up the phone.

She tried calling him again after the fourth failed attempt. Perhaps, he was in the O.R. She knew that Tan was checking the surgery room every now and then to operate and to somewhat observe.

Elaine decided to send him a message instead. She told him her whereabouts and what her problem was. After receiving no messages within fifteen minutes, she typed once again.

"Please come. I'll wait for you,"

She almost jumped for joy when her phone buzzed after a few seconds. Only to make her shoulders' slouched when he replied, "Your business is none of my business."

ELAINE yawned. After she failed to contact Tan, she had just decided to spend her night in the police station. The clock reached two in the morning when she saw a familiar person coming into the station's lobby. It was Attorney Ramas and like a flash, she jumped out of her seat. Tan could not resist her, she smiled at the thought. He even sent his personal lawyer to give her assistance. Somehow, a tiny bit of hope sparked into her. But only to be shut off when she noticed the woman behind him. It was Janine. A woman whose fiance's about to be taken away from her. Disappointed, she fell back to her seat.

After what seemed to be an hour, Elaine found herself sharing a table with Janine at Starbucks. She ordered a coffee while Janine only got herself a glass of water.

"I'll get straight to the point, Elaine," Janine said.

Gathering her nerves, she looked straight right into the doctor's eyes.

"I was aware of the textile's condition. Tan told me,"

It was as though someone punched her gut hearing what she said. Is this the confirmation that they're really dating?

"Don't try to act innocent with me. I know how cruel and scheming you are. There's no way you can a dethorn a rose just because you rooted it out from an old hideous pot then carried it to a fancy one. I know who you really are, Elaine. I know what kind of family you came from,"

Elaine's brows furrowed, unsure what to say against her knowing that what she said was sort of making sense, one way or another.

"I don't want to challenge you but you can go ahead and try to steal Tan away from me. You may use the textile's flopping state and any resources you can think of. To make it clear for you, Tan will never hurt me just to get back with you,"

A smile curled her lips and said, "Don't get too worked up. You seemed threatened,"

Janine opened her mouth, about to say something, but before she could utter a word, Elaine stood from her seat.

"Thanks for coming. I was slightly touched by the act of yours,"

"I'm not finished with you yet," Janine countered as she turned her back at her.

Elaine continued taking her way out and headed back to her car. She glanced over her window car to watch Janine as she fastened her seatbelt. But the latter had gone out of the coffee shop.

"...There's no way you can a dethorn a rose just because you rooted it out from an old hideous pot then carried it to a fancy one..." she remembered her saying.

She inhaled deeply before turning on the engine and finally drove her way off.

WITH a cup of coffee in hand, Tan and Janine set foot in AMM Hospital with a series of greetings from staff they'd stumble upon just right at the entrance of the building up until the hospital's hallway. Even when they'd reach the elevator, people still greet them with congratulations.

"What's happening?" asked Janine.

However, he wasn't sure. He had not heard any nominations lately. Giving it a shrug, they continued moving forward and waited for the elevator door to open.

"Hey, Doctor. When is the date again? I need to have my schedule fixed so that I can attend this time,"

Tan's forehead creased. "Date? What date?"

"Of your wedding,"

Confused, his brows met. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you know?" Aaron asked him, dumbfounded. He then spread his clinical record book open, pulling out a customized wedding invitation card. "This. The maid of honor herself delivered them early on,"

Tan's eyebrows furrowed even more. The confusion was written in his face.

IN Ainsdale, Elaine slid her phone back into her purse with a satisfied smile painted on her lips. She had received Drew's message. The invitation cards were finally distributed to all the staff in the hospital. She even had it rushed earlier this morning and now, she couldn't feel any more thrilled.

Janine was wrong.  Elaine never considered herself a flower. She was actually the thorn. And she knew by now that the thorn would absolutely cause her pain. She smirked at the thought of it.

Tan's birthday is coming up very soon. The wedding will happen a few days before. Tan would not give her a fancy wedding just like before, Elaine already knew. All she wanted was just the two of them and a few witnesses, which is more important for her.

"I'll be out for work early today, Anne. Call me if there's a problem," Elaine told her this afternoon.

She picked up her purse and got herself ready when she saw the familiar man marching in her direction. His dark expression as he was approaching her made her stand still on her feet. Tan halted in front of her. She blinked, not knowing whether to remove eye contact with him or not. His gaze felt like burning her whole.

She gulped.

"Yeah, Why not? You asked for this. You wanted this. Blame no one but yourself, Elaine."