Just as she entered her room to take a short break, she quickly went to the couch and rested her body.
She still couldn't stop thinking about the conversation she had with her nanny as she stretched her arms into the thin air.
Since she only has two hours left to prepare herself for the gala, she managed to stand up on her two feet and walk towards the closet.
Furnished with formal attires, casual wears and those granted for parties, it took Ericka a handful of thirty minutes to decide what to wear and what to match her outfit with.
"This is bothersome," she whispered to herself after exhaling a sharp sigh. Afterwards, she found herself taking a short shower to cleanse herself of the sweat and immediately continued with a few of her daily retouches.
Just as she found herself strapped with only a towel in her body, she stared at herself for a second.
 
"Why couldn't I see the excitement on your face, the way your eyes would light up whenever Shawn would visit you to pick you up? Did something happen? Do you love someone new?" she asked one after the other.Each and every question managed to hit her right in the chest. It was sad, lonely and maddening but it would just be a waste of time to console over and over again.Ericka took a deep breath before staring right through the worried eyes of her nanny."You're just thinking too much, Nanny. Ee grow up and mature over time, those kinds of small gestures will change," she explained, a bitter smile forming onto her lips. She can tell that those were all lies that she has to digest herself. "Sometimes, we just need to move on and face another chapter of our lives," she added.The old woman then frowned. It seems that she was skeptical of every word that escaped her mouth."Wh
Ericka fished out her phone from the inside of her purse. However, just before she could answer the call, it already ended right in front of her.She then decided to unlock her device before navigating through the phone call history, when the registered number flashing her face brought surprise in her system.Slowly, she frowned at the familiarity of the contact."What's wrong?" The reaction on her face did not escape Shawn as he shifted his view to her and the road."It's nothing," Ericka responded immediately and started fidgeting on her phone. It looks like something came up that made her act abruptly."Why are you looking like that? Did something happen to your daughter?" Shawn asked one after the other, concerned at the sudden expression she was showing."It's none of your business," she responded, which made the man knit his fore
"Make sure to stop crying when you're ready, alright? Please calm yourself. Auntie Nimfa is going to sleep beside you so you'll be secured," Ericka added, her face slightly flushed red from her self-consciousness."Alright, Mom. Please tell Auntie Nimfa about it," her child said. Truth be told, her baby was a brave young girl who can understand her fully.Even with her young mind, she is able to stop herself from crying as long as she is told to do so. She is also an optimistic girl with a promising future ahead of her."Baby, can you please give back the phone to Auntie Nimfa? I'll tell her to sleep beside you," Ericka explained, which made her daughter nod her head and reluctantly give the phone back to Nimfa.Meanwhile, it took several attempts to persuade her child before she finally calmed down completely. She even bid her baby goodnight before she was finally able to rest comfortably thro
"No, not really," Ericka said, shaking her head. "The name is only familiar since a friend of mine knows him," she added, explaining the idea in her head.Meanwhile, Shawn started to look eased. It seems that he was immediately tensed at the mere mention that Ericka could have known another man aside from him."Wow, I didn't think that my brother was that famous," Nick replied, chuckling to himself. "Well, I'm only hoping that that friend of yours is no other than a woman," he added, shaking his head from the side, a smile hinting away from his lips.Since Shawn had been idly standing as his best friend and fianceé talking among themselves in front of him, he was starting to lose his patience.His eyebrows twitched while staring at the two hard before he finally spoke."Guys, do you mind if we get inside?" Shawn said after a long while. He had been meanin
Meanwhile, Shawn who suddenly heard those words couldn't help but frown. His forehead was knitted into a thin line while his brows were furrowed."Why? What happened? Why have you ever left?"Ericka lifted her head slowly, meeting his eyes again. This time, she saw the concern in his eyes that she couldn't help but question.Why? Why is he being like this? She has always known this man as someone who did not care for her, someone who has longed betrayed her yet…Even before Ericka could find the right words to speak, the mood between the two of them ended when a man from behind their back spoke."Can I have a dance with this beautiful lady?" the man said, their eyes quickly turning towards a stature with a formal attire flashing in.It was none other than Nick who had the same smile across his lips from earlier.
"Y-Yes, that's her name." Upon hearing the man utter the name, she couldn't help but become dumbfounded. "How… Do you know her?" she asked afterwards, her eyes widening."Yes. I know her well," Nick replied. It was a mere coincidence that someone related to his girl was also the fianceé of his best friend. "What happened to her? How is she doing?" Nick said after a long while.His voice sounded raspy and he almost choked on his words while saying those. He can still feel pain from it."She died a few years ago."Immediately, his heart felt like it shattered into pieces when he heard those words. Is she telling lies? How is that possible?His knees suddenly weakened as though he lost his strength. Meanwhile, Ericks looked at her with a slight confusion on her face. Is something wrong with him?She tilted her head a little when s
"Carol has been dead for already few years." Nick was the one to break the news to his best friend as a slight feeling of pain flashing through his eyes loomed again. It was obvious that he was hurting from the inside, unable to contain the feelings inside of him.Upon hearing those words, Shawn just patted his friend's back. "I'm sorry to hear that," he mumbled."It's alright, Dude," Nick replied after letting out a bitter smile. "It might have been that we were really not meant to be."Ericka who was confused and speechless the whole time just stayed quiet on the sidelines. She was unable to keep up with the information she was receiving. It was obvious that Nick have loved her genuinely but if that's that case, why has Carol kept mentioning Nicki's name instead of Nick? Did Nicki and Carol had a relationship as well?However, even before she could open her mouth to speak, her thoughts were i
The waiter walked towards their direction with drinks on his tray. He swiftly stopped from their side and immediately, Nick grabbed onto a glass full of wine."Do you have a driver with you?" Shawn asked, lifting a glass of wine as well. He just wanted to make sure that his friend is safe from any accidents that may occur."Yes, bro, don't worry, I will not drive under the influence of alcohol," his best friend replied, he then takes a drink of his wine and puts it on the table."Good.""I don't want the same thing to happen again." Nick lowered his gaze on the floor as though he was reminded of something. His eyes were wavering as though something traumatic came up to his mind. "It was a nightmare and I don't know what to do every time I remember it," he meaningfully said.Meanwhile, Ericka who was silently listening this whole time just stayed quiet. She had no idea