SIX

Anna gazed at herself in the mirror, wearing the dress she had dreamed of since she first laid eyes on it. The maroon gown bloomed like a rose; she would wear it for her engagement party. A happy day she had long imagined with Griffin. Anna wasn't foolish; she knew their marriage was just a way to add partners to the company and enhance its image. But she didn't care; all she knew was that Griffin would soon be hers completely.

He had finally agreed to accompany her to try on several gowns from a famous designer, but his demeanor was another story. Griffin remained preoccupied with his phone, seemingly uninterested in what Anna was doing.

"Griffin, help me choose!" Anna exclaimed, not taking her eyes off the dresses she had just tried on.

"Just pick one that feels comfortable," Griffin replied dismissively, ignoring her again.

There was nothing important on his phone; he was just scrolling through social media. Griffin always felt bored every time he accompanied Anna to activities he found utterly exhausting.

"What are you doing here if you're just going to be glued to your phone?" Anna snapped, her frustration evident on her face.

Griffin sighed, meeting Anna's sharp gaze. He remained unmoved, choosing instead to tuck his phone away and head for the exit of the boutique.

"Where are you going?" Anna shouted, her eyes wide with disbelief at Griffin's actions.

"Just choose for yourself; I'll pick you up when you're done," Griffin replied flatly, one hand stuffed in his pocket, looking arrogant and cold.

"That's not fair, Griffin. I need your help!" Anna whined in a slightly childish tone, her hand draping over Griffin's muscular arm in an attempt to soften him.

"I told you I can't help you, but you insisted and even changed the date," Griffin said, shaking off Anna's small grip on his arm, feeling uncomfortable for some reason.

Anna huffed. She held back her anger to avoid making things worse. Griffin was indeed unbeatable.

"Why? Because of Zaylee, that poor girl?" Anna shot back, her patience fraying, anger now at its peak, indifferent to Griffin's piercing stare.

Griffin shook his head, unable to deal with Anna's childish behavior. He chose to leave the boutique and drive away in his sports car. Anna stomped her foot on the floor several times, frustrated by Griffin's stubbornness and coldness that she could never seem to soften.

A car stopped in front of an apartment building, not Griffin's; he was there to visit someone. He always came when his mind was troubled, or there were family disputes.

"Hey, Griffin!" greeted a woman who opened the door for him, and Griffin merely smiled, his expression weary.

"Who is it, Angela?" a man's voice called from inside. Angela didn't answer; she rolled her eyes lazily and rushed to greet the uninvited guest.

"You can wait here; Dicky just got out of the shower!" Angela told Griffin.

Griffin pulled out his phone and saw a full screen of notifications from Anna. Unanswered calls and messages flooded his screen, but he ignored them.

"Come on, it's a holiday, Griffin! Why are you here?" someone chimed in, approaching him. The person looked fresh and neat.

"Are all girls this troublesome?" Griffin asked Dicky, who squinted at him, surprised by the question from his friend and company president.

"Who? Anna?" Dicky guessed.

"Exactly. She's trying on dresses for the engagement tomorrow! I already accompanied her, but she wants my help choosing. How am I supposed to know her taste?" Griffin replied irritably, recalling that Zaylee had never asked him for help with such trivial matters, or maybe he just didn't mind. Ah, once again, Griffin compared his fiancée to his ex.

"Everything would seem fun if you were spending time with someone you liked," Angela chimed in from inside, carrying a tray with two cups of coffee and some snacks.

Griffin fell silent; Angela's words struck a chord in him. Dicky raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his wife's warm coffee. Their marriage was still fresh, which explained their blissful, love-struck demeanor.

"How's the situation with Zaylee?" Dicky asked, knowing what brought Griffin to his apartment.

"A few days ago, we discussed that pregnancy issue!" Griffin replied, lighting a cigarette in the middle of their conversation.

"There seems to be progress; you guys must have found some clarity on the matter," Dicky said enthusiastically, making Griffin glare at him sharply.

"What do you mean by progress? I only offered something as compensation if the woman agreed to terminate the pregnancy before anyone found out," Griffin clarified coldly as if nothing was wrong with his words.

"You're telling Zaylee to get an abortion?" Dicky asked, shocked, unable to comprehend how his friend could come up with such a depraved idea.

"Yeah, that's right. I can't take responsibility, Dicky!" Griffin said, seeing his friend's eyes widen in disbelief at his perspective.

"Why would you say that? What's impossible, Griffin? It's clear that it's a risk you both have to take," Dicky countered, arguing against Griffin's seemingly irrational stance.

"If you were in my position, you might choose the same path I did," Griffin retorted sarcastically, putting Dicky on the defensive.

"Of course not! I'm not like you, Mr. Griffin. I would take responsibility if I got a girl pregnant," Dicky asserted, responding to Griffin's insinuation that he would act similarly.

"You say that so easily because it's just a hypothetical; in reality, you're not facing such a problem, Dicky. I'm sure if this happened to you, you would take the same route as I am!" Griffin shot back, unconvinced.

Dicky fell silent; his friend had a point. Dicky hadn't experienced it himself; of course, he could think clearly without the mental strain of such a trial. When everything was just fiction, thoughts took a clear course. But when reality slapped you, your mind wouldn't be as clear, especially when disrupted by unforeseen issues.

"So what was her response?" Dicky asked, trying to change the subject to avoid any misunderstanding between them.

"Like most women, she flat-out rejected it!" Griffin answered flatly, the image of Zaylee's anger still vivid in his mind.

"I can still remember her curses clearly!" Griffin added, and Dicky simply smiled knowingly. He could already guess the stubborn girl's reaction.

Griffin and Dicky fell into silence, lost in their own thoughts. Clouds of smoke from their cigarettes filled the room alternately.

"There's something important you need to think about now, Griffin!" Dicky piped up suddenly, recalling something.

"What?" Griffin asked, turning to Dicky with a furrowed brow.

"Your engagement with Anna tomorrow!" Dicky said with a smile, one that lacked warmth or happiness—more like a taunt directed at Griffin.

"Isn't everything going to go as it should? Just like most engagement parties?"