Chapter 13: Chapter 13

ZED'S POV

My three-year run away to other countries got wasted after a wild moment with Yen. If I already had enough trouble getting her off my mind before, that multiplied after I gave in to my intense yearning for her. Yet, I know I must stop before everything gets out of hand.

A knock on the door jolts me out of my thoughts. I look up, thinking it's just the staff banging his vacuum cleaner on the door. But another louder round follows. I draw out a deep breath then exhale before I force myself out of the chair.

Walking to the door, I open it wide. And to my surprise, Ella's face greets my eyes. Then, perhaps noticing my expression, she smiles and says, "I told you I'd be back for dinner."

"You have money. Is there a problem?" I frown. She shouldn't have come back for unimportant matters.

"Yes, but-" Ella stops, her face turning pale.

"But?"

"I  just want to have dinner with you, if you don't mind."

I sigh, running my fingers through my hair. I'm sure she's not too stupid to notice my sense of annoyance.

"Ella, let me make this clear with you. You may spend all my money on that card; I don't mind. But I don't want you coming to see me if you're not in trouble." If she feels insulted, I don't mind at all.

Ella stares at me, apparently shocked at my rudeness. Drops of tears immediately gather at the corner of her eyes.

"I'm sorry," I say, suddenly feeling guilty. It's not Ella's fault I am like this. So, she shouldn't be the object of my bitterness. But I have already come this far, and I don't want to go all over again.

Tears trickle down her face, but she quickly brushes them away with a finger. "I just want to eat grilled fish, but I don't know where to go."

Oh, my goodness! Just for a grilled fish, she's troubling me.

"Grilled fish? Isn't that available in the hotel's restaurant?"

"I don't see their grill bars." The corners of her lips curve into a pout, but it makes her prettier. Most of the women get ugly when crying, but she's different. And I suddenly find her amusing.

"How do grill bars make a difference?" I gape at her, waiting for her reply.

"The taste."

Ridiculous! I pull my brows, making my forehead crease. And then a realization hits me. An intense obsession with food isn't usual for women unless they are pregnant. And here am I, punishing her for a fault she has not done.

"Okay. Give me a few minutes."

I leave her at the door, and I head directly to the bathroom. I still feel so sticky all over, even if my profuse sweating from getting intimate with Yen has stopped already. Taking a quick shower, I brush my teeth next. Yen's taste still sticks all over my palate, and I can even smell her when I breathe.

I gather my brows into a frown when I see  Ella sitting on the couch across from my bed. She looks up, and her eyes drop on the center of my pelvis. I hurriedly look down, remembering I'm only wearing a white, skimpy towel.

"I'm sorry," she mumbles but looks away.

I get conscious of my half-nude appearance, especially when my little pet springs outward right away. I quickly turn around.

"Ella, I need to change."

"But I can't go out. Someone is ordering pasta in Spanish sardines. It's killing me," Ella explains, throwing her hands right away on her face.

Pasta in olive oil and Spanish sardines is indeed on our menu.

Ella confirms my suspicion. She indeed is pregnant. Why can't I understand? Yen was like this before.

"I can't see you now."

This woman is testing my limits. How can she be unafraid to stay in a room with a man?

"Do you know it is dangerous to stay inside a room with a naked man?"

She shrugs. "You're an exemption."

I sigh. There's no way I can win against this stubborn woman. So, I grab a piece of underwear from the drawer, then change into a pair of denim pants and an olive shirt. Unfortunately, the room has no partition wall, but I get the idea of having one right now.

"You may now open your eyes," I smirk as I watch her peering through the slits between her fingers. Then, grabbing another towel from the closet, I rub my hair dry.

She smiles shyly after taking off her hands from her face, realizing I am watching her. Then, her forehead wrinkles as her eyes fall somewhere else. I follow her eyes and see how crumpled the sheets are. At the bedside table lies Yen's lacy, black bra that I took off from her.

"Let's go," I tell her. I don't want her to suspect anything.

"The lady who was here, is she your girlfriend?" she asks, and I cringe in discomfort.

"No."

"Ah, I know now," she shrugs, but her eyes are still on the bra.

"What do you know?" I ask, pacing towards the door. Then, holding the handle with my right hand, I turn to look at her face as she answers.

"If she's not your girlfriend, then she's perhaps-"

I cut her words. "Stop presuming."

I lead the way to the parking lot with her following behind me. Then, opening the door to the passenger seat, I wait until she settles comfortably before closing the door. Walking around to the driver's side, I take my seat behind the steering wheel.

"Have you bought a phone?" I ask as I put on my seatbelt. I suddenly recall that I issued a check because of it.

"Yes, it's here," she answers, showing me the unit that is still inside the box.

I turn on the engine first. Then, looking at it closely, I hold my breath when I see the label of the box.

iPhone 13 Pro Max.

"You have good taste," I say, looking away.

I don't want her to see the glints of regret on my face. Despite her elegance and sophisticated aura, I still think I might have wasted my fortune with this stranger.

"My lost phone is also like this."

I nod. Then, my eyes wander to her lap. I see she hasn't fastened her seatbelt. I reach for the buckle,  pulling and wrapping the strap around her. Only when I pull myself upright, do I realize that my face is so close to her.

I feel her holding her breath. Yet, I don't feel sorry. Fastening seatbelts was one of the routines I did for Yen. I took care of her like precious porcelain, almost forgetting that she was an adult, not a child. I was even the one who put shoes on her feet, massaged her tired limbs after work, and the one who did all the household work. However, no matter how much I treated her like a queen, she still slipped from my hand.

I allow myself to get lost in Yen's memories until I see the huge signage of a grill house.

"We're here," I tell Ella, and her face lights up as she sees the signage in front of the restaurant's cottage-like facade.

I pull over to the parking space closest to the restaurant. Ella also unfastens her seatbelt as she looks over with a happy face. I chuckle.

"Craving so badly?" I ask, turning off the ignition.

"It has been in my mind lately."

"Let's go."

Perhaps expecting that I always behave like a gentleman, Ella waits until I open the door for her. She even extends a hand, telling me to offer mine for her to hold onto.

"Zed!" a familiar voice comes squealing the moment we step inside the restaurant.

My lips stretch to a wide grin as I see Ara, Yen's best friend. "Ara! You're also here? Just when?"

Ara has been in Canada for almost four years already. She manages Mr. Yuki's education facilities until now -- a break gifted to her by Mr. Yuki after the heartaches she went through.

Mr. Yuki was the ex-husband of Maezy before she became Mr. Kim Mori's mistress. The old man broke up with her when he learned that she slept with Ara's boyfriend, the personal driver she hired in his absence. It was not enough that she was fooling around with James Mori and had a son with him; she also deceived Mr. Kim Mori by letting him believe the child was his.

"Just the other day." She throws her arms around, wrapping me into a tight hug.

"I see you've moved on already," she smiles, looking at Ella. Ara is still the tactless woman I know, always speaking without thinking first.

“Ara, meet Ella,” I say, looking at Ella. "Ella, this is Ara, my best friend."

Ara's smile grows wider before she kisses Ella on her cheek. Then, she tugs my arm and whispers, "Kim and Yen are also here."

I almost turn around, but I am already too late. Yen, my ex-wife, and Kim, her new husband, are both looking at us.