Chapter 3: Encounter

Anton always thought that Ramina is a straightforward kind of woman. She will not gonna lie to someone if she found that person attractive. Anton knew that she was not lying the moment she told him she doesn't want anyone. But still, Anton did not give up. 

With his eyes teary because of disappointment, he faced her. "For all those years that we're together... you really did not l-like me?" His voice broke. "Even a bit? Huh, Ramina?" he desperately uttered. 

His heart is breaking as the second passes by that Ramina isn't responding. For others, silence means yes, but Anton couldn't apply that one to their situation right now. Anton knew that Ramina isn't answering him because she don't want him to get hurt by the truth she'll gonna tell him. 

Anton sadly smiled. "Ramina... Do you l-like me even for a bit?" he asked again, even with a broken heart. 

Ramina did not look at him, she bowed her head instead. Seeing him hurting also hurts her. She doesn't want to hurt Anton because after all, they're friends with each other, but she also doesn't want him to get his hopes high for her. 

"I-I can only offer you a friendship, Anton... Not more than that nor less than it," Ramina honestly told him. 

Anton felt a pang in his chest. His eyes are now blurry because of the tears his trying to hold back. "Th-Then why did you act like we're more than friends, Ramina? Sometimes, when we're alone, I can tell that you're genuinely happy with me. So, why? Why c-can't we..." Anton did not finish his sentence and immediately cover his eyes when a tear fell. 

Pity and worry immediately run through Ramina's system. "I'm sorry if you got the wrong idea, Anton. That was all a friendly gesture... I-I also did not expect you to see that differently," Ramina told him, disappointment is written on her face. 

"Is it my fault that my heart chose to love you?" 

Ramina was taken aback because of what he said. "A-Anton..." She don't know what to say! She just looked at him in surprise. 

"I loved you because you are you, Ramina. It is not just a simple affection, you know? There are times I'm dreaming of having a family with you..." Anton said. 

Ramina's lips parted because of shock. "A-Anton... I-I..." 

A sob escaped from Anton's lips making Ramina feel guilty. She bit her lower lip and looked away, didn't know what to do.

"Why c-can't we be together, Ramina? I-I can provide for your needs. I c-can be a father of your child even she's not mine. I-I can love you forever... Just p-please, give me a chance..." 

Anton wants her. And he always gets what he wants! There's no way that they will not end up together. Anton was crying while thinking of worldly things just to make her his. He will die if she will not be his! 

"A-Anton... don't make it hard for us, please?" Ramina uttered in difficulty. 

Anton shook his head. He placed his forehead on the wheel and cried silently, he don't want to wake up the kid behind them. 

"I-I will die if you will not be mine, Ramina. I-I will kill myself for not h-having you..." he uttered. 

Ramina knew that Anton will say that. Over the years that they are together as friends, Ramina already knows his personality. Anton can be manipulative at times, she was once a victim of that. Ramina doesn't want to invalidate his feelings but he's being too much. It looked like he was disregarding what Ramina wants just to follow himself. 

"Then..." Ramina trailed and look away. "Die," she finished, coldness is very evident in her voice. 

The last thing Ramina wants from someone is to manipulate her just to follow what they wanted. No, Ramina will not do that. Others may cry and beg to get her but she will never be a victim of manipulation again. She will follow what her heart wants and that is to be alone with her daughter. Ramina doesn't want any man... they can be poison.

"W-What?" Anton uttered in surprise. Anger is now starting to spread on his system. 

Ramina did not pay attention and unlocked the door by herself. Anton was still stunned to move nor speak. 

"Prescelle, baby... We're here..." Ramina softly uttered, waking up her daughter on the back.

It did not take a minute when Prescelle woke up. "Oh, I slept," she giggled. 

Ramina's system slowly calmed down after hearing her daughter's voice. "Yes, baby... We're home now. Thank Tito Anton for sending us here," Ramina told her. 

Anton immediately wiped his tears so the kid won't see it.

Prescelle smiled and hugged Anton from the back. Anton gasped and force a smile. "Thank you, Tito Anton!" Prescelle said and kissed his cheeks. 

"You're welcome, Prescelle," Anton said, caressing her cheeks. 

Ramina looked away as she open the door. "Come on, Prescelle. It's getting colder," Ramina called her daughter. 

Prescelle nodded and uttered 'goodbye' to her Tito for the last time before coming home with her mother. 

Anton stayed there, staring intently at nothing while remembering Ramina's words earlier. A bitter smirk escaped on his lips. "Die, huh? We'll die together, Ramina..." 

Anton did not see her for days and weeks. He is not moving on, if that's what you're thinking, because he is busy taking care of his anger. After that night, he moved out from their place and went to a far away place without informing anyone. He will be the man Ramina wants. Anton promised that to himself.

"He moved out." 

Ramina's lips parted after hearing that from a friend of Anton. She was guilty because of what she said to him that night! She wanted to apologize but he isn't there in his house anymore. 

Ramina blinked multiple times. "O-Okay, thank you."

Although she was sad after hearing the news, she still need to continue. Anton has been a good friend to her and knowing that he left because of THAT reason made her truly sad. 

"Love is complicated... It's scaring the hell out of me," Ramina said. 

She is out with her friends, Haze, and Nicole. They're in a bar, drinking, but not too much. They just wanted to relax for a bit. 

Haze and Nicole knew what happened since Ramina told them about it. 

Maria Nicole shook her head. "It's not! It feels good actually!" she said, defending love itself. 

Cristal Haze sighed to disagree with Nicole. "It's truly complicated especially that our heart could be clumsy at times. That's why for me, it's not always 'follow your heart', tsh. Follow your mind instead because it knows what's the best for you," she said. 

Maria Nicole drank a glass of tequila before facing her friends. "You know what? The two of you? You're just bitter because you have no boyfriend! Why don't you try to find one?" she giggled. 

Ramina rolled her eyes. "I don't need a man." 

Cristal Haze nodded. "Me too." 

They talked about random stuff until Haze opened up about a company hiring for new employees. 

"What company?" Ramina immediately asked. 

"Mattheios Company," Haze replied. 

"Oh, my God. I heard that they are a high standard!" Nicole uttered. 

Haze nodded. "Yep, their boss is kinda intimidating though."

Ramina raised a brow. She get a glass of beer and drank it. "I want to apply," she said. 

Her friends automatically looked at her. "Girl, are you sure?!" Nicole uttered. 

Ramina nodded and shrugged. "I need money. I don't have work so I need to find one." 

Haze nodded. "They are open for hiring next week. Just prepare your documents," she said. 

Ramina nodded and drank again. 

Truth be told, Ramina really applied to the company after a week. The company just opened the hiring but there's a lot of people who applied the first day. 

When Ramina arrived at the company, she was surprised by how large it was. "Oh, God. Please, guide me." She's nervous! 

Wearing a formal attire with her high heels creating a sound on the floor, Ramina went in to roam around. 

"Shit!" she uttered when bumped into someone.

The man tilted his head because of annoyance. He fixed his black tuxedo and stared at the woman in front of her. He raised a brow. "What's with the rush?" 

Ramina's lips parted after hearing the deep baritone voice of the man. She doesn't know but it sent shivers down her spine! 

"I-I'm so sorry, Mister," she nervously uttered, getting intimidated by the guy in front of her. 

The man coldly looked at her. "Mister?" he repeated. 

Ramina didn't know who the guy was! And she's also finding for the CEO of the company so she took that chance to ask him. 

"Uh, anyway. Since you're here already, might as well ask you about this. Do you know where's the CEO of Mattheios? I badly want to talk to him," she told him. 

The man raised a brow. Slowly, a ghost of amusement is now written on his face. "What's your name, Miss?" he amusedly asks. 

Ramina licked her lower lip. "I'm Ramina Maxine. I'm here to apply for a job and I also need to talk to him," she casually said. "Anyway, what's your name?" she asked again. 

With a small smirk on his lips, he answered. "I'm Percy Bysshe Adrian Mattheios." 

Ramina's forehead ceased, not believing what he said. 

"Percy Bysshe owns the Mattheios Company," she said in a matter of fact. 

Percy licked his lower lip and coldly looked at her. 

"Nice to meet you," he says.