Chapter 37: Chapter 37

“Myra?”

A tinge of guilt occupied his heart as he recognised the perfect figure of his girlfriend as she sat gracefully at the sofa. She was wearing a peach dress and in her hands lay a magazine. It was probably the first time Hart had ever seen his girlfriend so engrossed in reading.

She hadn’t heard him so he called her name a second time, louder this time. Myra almost jumped, amusing him.

“Why didn’t you call me?” He gently placed a hand on her lap. Myra shivered at his touch.

“You left your cell phone at home. I came to return it to you,” she spoke innocently.

“Since you’re here, would you like to join me for an early lunch?”

“Er, I… Am I bothering you?”

“I’m not busy today. Come, let’s go,” He tugged on her hand, taking her out of the premises as he saw Mrs Hoo heading their way. Myra quickly replaced the magazine on the table, hurrying after him in her heels. The clacking of her heels on the marble floor irritated him more than anything, but he was glad to be out of her range of vision.

Once they were in the car, Hart immediately took his cell phone from her and scrolled the call log. There was not a single call from Waley and he hesitated to call her number. Shouldn’t he clarify things with her? He nervously took a glance at Myra who was attempting to catch her breath.

“What’s wrong, Hart?”

How was he going to tell her that he simply wished to talk to Waley to end things? He paused and took a deep breath.

“Waley resigned. I wanted to tell her, we were over, but she was gone before I could.”

Myra appeared indifferent, making Hart wonder what was possibly on her mind. Not a single bit of jealousy could be seen on her face. She bit on her lower lip unconsciously, as if solving a Math equation.

“This all… seems very unexpected, isn’t it?”

He placed an arm on her shoulder. “Myra, it’s just a matter of time. I believe we are meant for each other.”

“That’s what I wish to believe too,” Myra stared at him blankly. At first sight, he could tell she was unsure. But even he was not confident of this relationship.

Regardless of her previous mistakes, he needed to work harder to gain her trust now that he had spoiled it in the first place. The sex these days were sweet, but it still lacked the passion and sexual intimacy that they once had.

The car was still parked in Hart’s office’s staff parking lot. He seized the chance to place his lips possessively on hers, receiving no resistance from her. As usual, his fingers wandered around her dress, reaching into her gaping neckline to fondle her smooth skin.

Myra’s flushed pink cheeks made him desire her more. He teased her further, earning a pinch from her.

“Hart, what if someone sees?” she questioned as he moved his lips downwards to kiss her neck.

“I don’t care, I’m addicted,” he smirked.

She was still blushing. “Let’s get out of here, Hart.”

Hart almost halted the car outside the japanese restaurant he went before with Waley, when he realised his blunder. Myra eyed him strangely, as if she had managed to figure something out, but then he started moving the car again and she acted like nothing had happened. Maybe she didn’t like the food there, he thought. Everyone had their own preferences, after all.

When they alighted from the vehicle, they were outside a megamall. Hart explained that this was one of the sites of a project his uncle’s company was involved in. Myra understood from Hart that supplying technology to a very difficult client was a taxing job, and the only time he had with her was during Friday nights to the weekend.

“I’ve never heard you tell me this,” Myra seemed surprised. He took her hand and kissed it before she could draw her hand back.

“Myra, we all make mistakes. But we’re still together, and that is what matters.”

With his enthusiasm, Myra seemed convinced, although he did not know the reason why she kept staring at her flat tummy. He presumed that she had some digestive issues the night before. Maybe he could take her to a traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy later to resolve her issues.

“I hope this all works out. And the lawyer you mentioned. When can I see him?”

“I’ll make plans for tonight. How soon is the wedding?”

They made their way into the elevator, not paying attention to the couple already inside. At the mention of the word wedding, the couple turned towards them. The woman, looking very Asian with her sharp nose and narrow eyes, and a figure devoid of any possible fats, seemed very suspicious. But it was the man that shocked them both. Handsome, but carried arrogance with him as he walked: no other than Jake Yu!

Hart and Myra immediately stopped discussing the wedding as soon as they realised Jake was present. The Asian woman instantaneously pulled Jake closer to her, muttering something about not wanting to be around poor folk.

Jake reprimanded his female partner.

“Yuna, they aren’t poor folk. This is Myra, my childhood friend, and her friend Hatta Baderan, the assistant manager of the company I’m now dealing with.”

Myra’s lips curled into an O shape as she heard the words from his mouth. Jake was doing business with Hart? Given his resentment for Hart, this wouldn’t work too well.

“Okay, fine! I apologise,” Yuna retorted madly. “Whenever we go out, all you do is bicker with me!”

She rubbed her even flatter stomach, glaring furiously at Jake. Jake didn’t seem to be bothered about her temper. In fact, his voice sounded rather cool.

“You should manage your own temper. Don’t forget what happened the other day, when you almost ended up in hospital. What if I came a few minutes late, what would have happened?”

Hart pretended to have not heard anything. Did this couple always wash their dirty linen in public, or Jake purposely said it for Myra to hear?

Yuna scowled but Jake’s lecture seemed to have worked in silencing her. Then, Hart felt a tug on his sleeve.

“Let’s just get off here,” Myra pointed to the next floor. “We can take the escalator. I can’t stand being here a single minute more.”

“Wait,” Jake said as they were about to exit the elevator. “I’d like to talk to you privately, Myra.”

“Er… me?” Myra’s eyes diverted from watching Jake to Yuna’s direction. Yuna crossed her legs proudly, ignoring her.

“It won’t take long, I promise.”

She glanced towards Hart for approval. “Hart, will you be okay to wait for me a while?”

Hart was just as cool as Jake, although his heart thought otherwise. “I’ll wait for you, baby.”

Myra leaned over and kissed Hart abruptly on the cheek. “See you in a bit.” She waved as Hart and Yuna left the elevator to wait for their respective partners at the waiting area of the thirteenth floor.

“Mr Baderan, am I right?”

Hart was astonished to hear Yuna calling out to him. He knew little about Yuna, just that she was now Jake Yu’s business associate and involved in some of his business dealings. She was also a spokesperson for some of his products. Yuna gestured for Hart to follow her, which he did.

The thirteenth floor didn’t have many stalls as the megamall was still new. This enabled them to have some privacy as they spoke.

“I presume you have heard about Jake’s wedding,” she began.

“And I have,” Hart calmly responded. “And what is your take on the wedding?”

Yuna’s emotionless eyes sparkled with desire. “I have a proposal for you, Mr Baderan.”

He halted his footsteps, staring back at her. What exactly did she have in mind?

…………………………………………………………

In the elevator, Myra tapped her fingers nervously on her dress. Her hands were getting clammy due to the suspense between them. Jake took his time to speak, pressing the buttons of the elevator so that it moved continuously.

“Jake, so, what do you want to talk about?”

He took a few large steps towards her, before seizing her chin suddenly and forcing her to look into his eyes.

“What am I to you, Myra?”

She gasped, but the intensity of his stares compelled her to answer him. Stammering, she told him her answer.

“You were my childhood friend, Jake. Someone important in my heart that I will never forget.”

“That’s it? Just a friend? That night…”

“I don’t remember, Jake. I was drunk!”

He released her so rapidly that she almost lost her footing. She quickly grabbed onto her side of the elevator wall to support herself.

“We were both drunk!” he objected, hammering his fist into the opposite wall in his frustration. “I heard you say, take me, Jake!”

“Did I?”

“Yes!” he insisted. “How could you have forgotten what happened that entire time?”

She gave no answer and instead crossed her arms in front of her.

He demanded again, “So are you insisting that there’s no feelings between us? And you love Hatta Baderan?”

“Yes!” she shouted, incensed. “How many times must I answer you, Jake? Those kisses between us were a mistake, Jake! Hart and I made up, and even if I marry you, it will only be a political marriage and nothing else! And you have Yuna right now!”

“Then I insist on making another mistake with you, Myra!” Jake responded coldly, although his hotness resonated within him. In a flash, he had pinned her against the wall, forcing his lips upon her. She pushed him with her might, refusing to accept his kisses.

“Stop, Jake! It’s over between us!”

He was determined not to let her go, but she rammed her fist against the button that led to the thirteenth floor, and fortunately for her, the door opened.

Before he could do anything more to convince Myra through his passionate kisses, he felt a massive blow land across his face. The world around him spinned faster than he could absorb what had just occurred, and in no time, he was seeing stars.

Just his luck.