But this time? Eland was picking her up on his beloved motorcycle? Anne found it difficult to believe, but her eyes could still discern between reality and hallucination. "Is it because you don't want me to ride on your motorcycle?" The words slipped out spontaneously. As soon as Anne realized it, her eyes widened in disbelief.Eland burst into laughter as a result, which only added to Anne's immense embarrassment. She wanted to break free, but unfortunately, Eland didn't release his grip so easily. Instead, he pulled her closer. With Eland leaning slightly on the motorcycle's shoulder, he partially trapped Anne, who was in front of him, with his free hand."I'm not thinking that way, An." He lightly touched Anne's forehead, giving a gentle push. It wasn't to belittle Anne—oh no, Eland had no intention of doing that. He was just so exasperated by Anne's behavior today. "We can reach the border by nine in the evening if we leave now. As for the return, you'll be exhausted on a motorcyc
Anne's thin smile tugged along with a faint blush on her cheeks. "Sometimes I feel like what you said back then was just a joke.""A joke?" Eland blinked in disbelief. "I joked about my feelings? Wow!" The hands that were once holding each other were released just like that.Anne was immediately taken aback by the unexpected response Eland gave. She shouldn't have spoken without thinking, right? But what could she do when the truth had been bothering her since the first time Eland expressed his feelings?"I wasn't joking, An." Eland sighed deeply. "Why would you doubt me when I genuinely like a girl?""That's not it."Eland chose to remain silent, making Anne regret expressing her doubts. No one spoke after that. The atmosphere that should have been enjoyed with joy by Anne was ruined, right? The girl sighed several times, sometimes glancing at the man who remained unmoved. Leaning against the fence, Anne occasionally noticed Eland's sharp gaze scanning the surroundings.This shouldn'
Eland grinned slightly. The cigarette between his fingers was already halfway burned. Occasionally, he took a puff, but more often it served as a decoration in his hand. It wasn't that he didn't want to experience the nicotine sensation, he just found it too little. Unlike Sam's cigars, which were never far from the storage dashboard. His boss was a rather acute cigar addict. There was always a supply in every corner of the storage, and if not, anything near the ruler could incur his wrath.However, this afternoon, Eland didn't feel like enjoying the cigars he could easily obtain. He preferred to observe the two people engaged in an interesting conversation that ended with a warm embrace. Then, a brief wave of the hand after the black SUV, driven by someone Eland knew, zoomed away.Soon, one of them leisurely approached him. With a wide smile, as if she knew she was being waited for. Eland didn't waste this moment. He quickly discarded the remaining cigarette, stomping it with the tip
"Visiting an old friend," Eland replied casually. He enjoyed the tequila served in front of him with gusto. Occasionally, the man's eyes closed to savor the sensation of Menwai's blend, which was undoubtedly different from Flown. "Not bad. You should try it, An.""I don't like tequila," Anne declined. That was her honest response before her gaze shifted to Bella. The woman's body was thin, her once beautiful wavy blonde hair was no longer there. Her face was much gaunter, as if she hadn't had enough rest."Take me away from here, Eland!" Bella almost bumped into Eland. Her eyes wandered, making sure no one was watching. She knelt slightly, focusing on the man she had known for a long time. She sought the mercy that she believed Eland still possessed.Although... in her heart, what Eland had done was unforgivable, but she could postpone the pain. She had to free herself from the clutches of Bella, the devilish woman, immediately."I'm not here to see you, Bella." Eland brushed off Bell
Remembering Ute does make Anne reflect to some extent. If only Ute had been honest back then, maybe her heartache would have been slightly alleviated. The traces and reasons for why Alfred did that to her could have been explored. The lowest point for someone like Ute couldn't have happened without a reason. Unfortunately... Ute chose to keep it to herself and played a role opposite to Sam's desires.The grave is well-maintained. Anne herself didn't expect Sam to still take care of Uti properly. It's different from Joseph, who was left to die and turn into ashes. But one thing that sends shivers down Anne's spine is that Ute was left to die without any help."To be honest, I hate coming here, Ute, you know that for sure," Eland said amidst the gentle breeze that caressed them this afternoon. His words immediately caught Anne's attention after she had finished placing the bouquet of flowers. "To me, Twin Dragon is family. Family doesn't betray each other, Ute." Eland smirked slightly.
There was one side of Anne that Eland didn't expect. She liked direct physical contact, especially touches. Like now. When Eland carefully placed the bowl in front of Anne, she casually kissed his cheek. Whether she was aware of it or not, it was clear that she was now enjoying the noodles in front of her.Shaking his head softly was all that Eland could do now. Anne's side was truly testing him. Eland had promised himself not to go beyond the limits, no matter how difficult it was to resist.They enjoyed the meal voraciously, well, Anne enjoyed it voraciously. In between bites, she said, "Turns out, your cooking is really delicious. I love it. Will you make it for me again later?""Finish your food first. Don't forget to eat the vegetables," Eland reminded her.Although grumbling, Anne still ate what Eland asked. Eland noticed that Anne's portion of noodles quickly disappeared behind her slightly reddened lips. Perhaps Anne had added more chili slices to her bowl of noodles. Beads of
The passing cars in front of him created a busy scene. He sat there, observing the usual activities happening at the harbor. He enjoyed the occasional sea breeze that brushed against his face. The salty scent carried by the wind accompanied him this afternoon.He used a telescope to observe the activities in the busy corner where many containers were being moved. Large trucks were coming and going in the area under Hugo's supervision this time. In his hands, he held a file that had been checked and confirmed to be accurate without any mistakes. It served as his reference. Occasionally, he grinned and nodded in response to repeated greetings directed at him. Beside him, a table with several fresh fruits and his preferred bottle of alcohol was already prepared."Boss," Zein called in a half-whisper.Hugo glanced briefly while playing with the end of his pen."There's one last car that finished inspection.""Is everything complete?" he asked without needing to look at his conversation pa
Hugo understood Ferdi's concerns."You also understand that the Adre River connects trade routes with Savannah."The man in uniform stared intently at Hugo before finishing his glass. "Sam and Savannah, I can't say they have a good relationship, right?"Hugo nodded quietly. "Savannah is too wild and can divert many allies. Sam keeps his privacy and sets certain boundaries with them. You know that, right?"The sudden loud honk of a truck interrupted their conversation. Ferdi still wanted to talk about the concerns that were on his mind. It wasn't that he would be directly affected if the Twin Dragons were involved in trouble. But there were many things he couldn't let go of, especially when it concerned Sam.This unusual relationship between a gangster and a cop was quite out of the ordinary."I think Boss Sam has his own considerations." Hugo chuckled. "You don't need to worry.""Hopefully," Ferdi grinned thinly. He nodded, dismissing the worries that arose from the photo on his phone