Chapter 4 I Wrong Thought

Via's eyes opened when she heard the alarm clock ringing, she felt to the other side and was disappointed to find the cold bed, a sign that Sean had left a long time ago. After muting the alarm, she sat down while her eyes stared blankly at the empty right side of the bed.

Via's fingers touched the mattress where Sean usually sleep. She wanted him to be at her side and hug her as soon as she was awake. Rarely did they wake up together, usually Sean was the first to leave, leaving Via alone.

“When will you really see me, not just as a body?” Via whispered with choking breaths holding back tears.

She just wanted Sean to acknowledge her existence. Maybe not in this city, maybe somewhere else where no one knew.

They could just be having fun outside, like a normal couple. A romantic dinner at a five-star restaurant, running on the beach, playing on a swing in the park, enjoying a vacation on a safari, kissing on a playground, or simply going to the cinema and shopping at the supermarket.

But wishful thinking was just a dream, Via knew it couldn't happen. Sean didn't even want to take this relationship more than what was agreed upon, making Via gloomy again.

She carried her body to the bathroom lazily, starting Saturday morning with sad feeling.

………………………..

The ringing of the cellphone disturbed Via's concentration, who was reading a novel. At first a smile graced her face, but then she bent down when she saw that Sean's name was not on the screen as Caller ID.

“Hello, Auntie,” said Via, sounding disappointed.

“Why, you don't like me calling?” asked her Aunt from across the connection.

Via cleared her throat, controlling her voice. “Sorry, I thought it was my friend,” she half lied.

“You always rejected me every time I call, not even once to ask how I'm doing. Did you forget to have a living family?” Aunt Azura always said bad things every time she contacted Via, that's why Via was reluctant to accept.

“No, I don’t mean that, I'm just busy. My company is working on a lot of events right now,” explained Via, not lying this time, even though she didn't want to contact first.

“Then I'm not busy, you mean? Even my shop is busy with the summer this year, so I need some extra power!”

Via frowned at Aunt Azura's voice rising.

“Families shouldn't forget each other, young woman. Your job is to notify me first, not the other way around. Or you don't want to see me anymore, do you? Is it because you're working in the city now that you're being arrogant?”

Via wanted to just end the connection, but that would only infuriate her aunt. Her head even began to throb at the accusations after accusations that were not clear.

“Auntie, I don't…”

Before Via had finished speaking, Aunt Azura interrupted.

“Listen to me first, you are really rude to old people! Where is your respect? It was hard for me to raise you but you didn't care once.”

Tears welled up in her eyes, about to fall to hear her Aunt say such things. Via realized that Aunt Azura raised her when her mother couldn't afford it because of illness. Actually, Via also wanted to return the favor, but Aunt Azura's nature, who liked to say heart-wrenching words, made Via reluctant.

“Auntie, I'm sorry. Next time I'll call without you calling first. I promise,” Via muttered, sounding guilty.

Satisfied that her point was conveyed, Aunt Azura grumbled and lowered her voice.

“Good, be a good girl. I'm old, if you don't pay attention to me, then who will? You don't even have to work in the city. I can hire you at the shop. Life in the city is hard.”

Via was deafening. How many times had Aunt Azura asked her to work at the family shop, then downgraded Via's work in the city. Without even filtering the words, Aunt Azura accused Via of doing nothing because she managed to get into a well-known company. It really hurt her, but she couldn't help but fold her tongue, afraid of hurting Aunt Azura.

“Okay Auntie, but I like working here,” Via said trying to be polite. On the other side came another groan which Via ignored. “Did you eat, Auntie?”

The conversation that followed was more like a formality. 

For Via, living with Aunt Azura was very torturous, even though her Aunt was determined to pay for all of Via's needs since she was a teenager, until she unknowingly made her aunt reluctant to marry, which became a burden for Via. 

Several times Via blamed herself, maybe it was because of Via that Aunt Azura never married, but fortunately that old woman never hurt Via by mentioning words in that direction just once.

After the communication ended, Via realized that the sun had risen. She also rushed to get ready to go to the supermarket to buy kitchen needs. Via's eyes stared at the dead phone screen, hoping for Sean to call, but the man seemed to have forgotten Via's existence, causing her to bow down weakly as she crossed the door.

……………………….

Via selected several meat and vegetable products. She texted Sean what he wanted to cook, but none of the messages she sent got a reply, event hadn’t been read yet. More and more disappointed. After finishing selecting the meat, Via turned to the fruit rack, but her eyes fell on the figure of Sean standing near the cold drink.

Via's smile grew, happy to meet there, she was about to move closer, but her steps stopped when she saw a woman approaching Sean who seemed busy choosing something.

Never before had Via seen that woman, it made her heart throb in pain. The woman even touched Sean's shoulder in a familiar gesture as if they were so close. Now Via's heart wanted to jump, beating with a painful rhythm. Not to mention when Sean returned the woman's smile sensually, further stabbing Via's chest with thousands of daggers.

Via had just stepped back to end the hurt, when suddenly Luna Star's operational manager, Daren Osbert, hugged the woman from behind. 

Both seemed to laugh and ignore Sean who shook his head, and accidentally turned to Via who was still frozen not far from there. Sean's eyes flashed in surprise as soon as their eyes were locked, Via's heart suddenly blossomed once Sean threw a faint smile at her, making Via relieved because it was just a prejudice.

Sean's steps were about to lead to Via, but stopped when he realized they were no longer alone.

Via also understood and replied to Sean with the same faint smile before walking in the opposite direction, away from them. Although filled with disappointment, Via knew herself. Sean was in control of their relationship. If the man said it was over, then their love chapter was forcibly ended. Although with heavy-hearted, Via decided to go home to calm down herself.

On the way, Via's cell phone rang, indicating a notification had just arrived.

Still feeling lazy, Via opened the cellphone indifferently and then read the message at a glance, but her heart pounded when she saw the sender's name listed.

[Sean: Whatever you cook I'll eat it. I'll leave today's dinner menu to you, Chef.]

He said those sweet words , making Via chuckle getting a call from Chef, it was a tease.

[Sean: By the way, you look really pretty in that lemon yellow dress. Is that new? I've never seen you in that dress before.]

Via's face turned red, realizing that Sean was always paying attention to what she was wearing and had memorized the patterns of almost all the clothes in the closet.

[Sean: Daren is celebrating his birthday with his girlfriend, they invited me to eat together, luckily you asked for today's menu, I almost accepted it.]

Via's heart was relieved, because it was just a misunderstanding, and Via's smile was getting wider because Sean preferred to be with her.

[Sean: Take care of your health, don't be too tired.  I don’t want you'll be sick again.]

The messages were sent sequentially in close time, making Via's smile widened uncontrollably.  Even the surroundings turning pink, earned praise that was rarely given. For some reason, lately Sean liked to throw compliments that tossed Via into the air. After arriving at the apartment, Via also replied to the messages one by one.