We landed in Bali and there was already a car waiting for us. Damian gave our suitcases to the driver and climbed into the car. His driver was more polite than him. He opened the car door for me, and I climbed in. The driver asked him which hotel, and he just replied, “Nusa Dua,” curtly. Nusa Dua was a resort area in the southern part of Bali which had beautiful beaches.
I didn’t see where we were going or even which hotel we were staying at in Nusa Dua. I just kept looking down, following his steps as we arrived at the hotel. When he walked, I walked. When he stopped, I stopped.
“Mr. Damian, your villa is ready for you.” I heard a female voice, and I looked up. We were at a beautiful resort with a beautiful interior design. It was dominated by woods, but the design was modern, with a hint of Balinese heritage. The hotel was situated on the upper part of the beach. I could look down and see the beach from the lobby. It was beautiful and
The first two weeks in Bali, we were busy. Damian always had meetings, and I would always go with him. He even set up meetings for me with some clothing stores there, and he would always go with me. It felt similar to what we had done in Jakarta. I used to be self-conscious when going to my meetings with him, always thinking that I would make mistakes and it would be embarrassing in front of a successful businessman such as him. But he had never said anything bad. He always gave me some pointers when we reached home, but he had never looked down on me. Now I always ask him for ideas before going to meetings. Sometimes he would also ask for my suggestions for his businesses. I loved it. I felt like he appreciated my input, no matter whether they were actually useful or not. But it didn’t matter now. Other than going to meetings, he also brought me to restaurants, clubs, or any other places that he was thinking of acquiring. We would alway
“Will arrive in ten minutes. Can’t wait.” I looked at my phone and saw Cole’s text. It was me who couldn’t wait to see him. I chose a summer dress with a plunging neckline and wore a contrasting color bikini underneath, of course my design, to wear. Cole was a man who preferred his ladies to look sexy, unlike Damian, who preferred me not to wear something too revealing. I put my hair in a messy ponytail and wore light makeup. I checked my reflection before going out of my room and was happy with the result. I was really lucky that I had good genes. My mom still looked young, and she was short too. My sister was taller than me, and most people said she looked older than me. “Where are you going?” Damian appeared in front of me as I was closing my bedroom door behind me. “Out,” I said simply. I didn’t know he was here. “Don’t tell me you are going out with some random guy.” He grabbed my arm as
We were ushered to a more private table overlooking the ocean by a waitress once we reached the restaurant. It was beautiful. All the tables were lit by candlelight, making the atmosphere appear romantic. "Beautiful,” Cole said as I was watching the ocean. I looked at him, and he was looking at me while holding a single rose in his hand. "Me or the view?” I laughed as I teased him. "Both.” He winked at me as he handed me the rose. This was how close we were. We could tease or flirt with each other without the other party feeling awkward or misunderstanding the words. “Where did you get the rose?” I asked as I smelled it. I never not loved roses. He picked up an empty vase from the table, and we laughed. We enjoyed our dinner, chatting non-stop about whatever that came to our minds. Dinner was delicious, as could be expected from a restaurant under
“Cole, I don’t have any clothes,” I told him again the next morning as I saw him on the sofa, watching tv. “Morning, Kat. You can borrow one of my shirts. I’ve ordered us breakfast.” He glanced at me. “Thank you.” I thanked him quietly. I went to check his suitcase and took one of his shirts, not even looking at it. “You okay, Kat?” Cole came to me and held me. “I need to get some clothes from the villa. I can’t go out wearing just your shirt.” I held him back, wanting to feel his familiar warmth. “You sure?” He pulled back slightly to look at me. I just nodded and stepped out of his embrace to go to the bathroom. I didn’t want to do anything. I wish I were in Jakarta now. I wished I hadn’t seen Damian kissing another woman last night. I wished I hadn’t met him at all. I cried again in the shower until Cole knocked on the door and told me I’d been
“Kat, it’s been four days and you haven’t really eaten anything. I’m worried for you now. Should I call Damian?” Cole frowned at me as we were having dinner in a restaurant he had chosen. “No, Cole. I’m fine. I’m sorry. You came here to have fun and I’ve been anything but fun.” I apologized to him. “It’s okay, Kat. I’m not here to have fun, I’m here for you.” He pulled me close to him. Four days, and I still wished it was Damian who was holding me even though he had treated me badly. I needed to do one thing to make me forget him. I would be using Cole, but I needed it. “Cole, can we go back to the hotel?” I asked him as I saw him finishing his dinner. “Sure.” He then asked the waiter for the bill. “I’m going to the restroom. Wait for me in the car?” I asked him as I stood up. He had rented a car for his stay here so it was easier for us, rather t
“Morning, Kat. I’ve booked a flight for you. Lucky it’s not high season so that we can go back on the same flight.” Cole said as I went to the living room. He was, as usual, watching tv, waiting for me to wake up. “Cole, about last night.. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that to you,” I apologized again. I felt bad at Cole, for using him and for not even letting him finish. “It’s okay. I told you last night, Kat. You are not feeling well now. I understand. No need to apologize anymore, okay?” He pulled me close to him. “Thank you, Cole.” I was really thankful to him. He didn’t make it awkward, and it made my day better. I couldn’t imagine if he became angry or something, it would be really awkward to spend the day with him. “I thought today we can have lunch at one of the restaurants in the hotel and have an early dinner here too," he told me of his plan. “Which resta
I was rooted on my spot as my gaze locked with his.I reached for youYou seemed so near, yet so farI instinctively stepped away from Cole and started going to Damian as he continued singing.“Kat, he’s not good for you. He rather spends time with a random woman rather than you.” Cole caught my hand and pulled me back into his arms.Cole’s words stopped me from going to Damian. Yes, Damian didn’t love me. He left me alone for days and spent them with another woman.“Kat, forget him. Be with me instead. You know we had something good all those years ago, and we can have it again. I’m good for you. I’ll be good to you. I’ll be good to little Rai, and I won’t ever hurt you as he did. You know this in your heart. I don't have a ring with me now, but be mine, Kat, and marry me. I love you,&r
“Ring.. Ring..”I looked down at my phone in my hand and saw that it was Rai’s mom calling me.“Hi, Mom,” I answered.“Katarina, dear. Where are you? Are you with Damian?” she asked me.“No, I’m at the airport with Cole. I’m going back to Jakarta tonight,” I told her.“Did you have a fight with Damian?” she asked again. There was something in her tone.“Did he tell you?” I was kind of irritated that Damian had told her.“Kat, dear. Would it be alright if I ask you to go back to Damian?” Her tone was not the usual soothing tone.“But..” I decided to tell her what happened, at least a summary of it, but she cut me off before I could tell her about it.“I’m sorry, dear. If thi