“Okay, I can do this,” she took a deep breath and tried to relax. She wished she could be in a quiet room, but with the noise around, she had to get used to it.271Please respect copyright.PENANAHtzJpv7QuN
271Please respect copyright.PENANAy0ALVEA9Ny
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“Hello, am I interrupting anything?” came a voice, bringing her out of her thoughts.271Please respect copyright.PENANA2K73KS55mS
271Please respect copyright.PENANAqzoJJ4pMUX
271Please respect copyright.PENANALFIfi9GMxT
Angel quickly opened her eyes in fright and found a smartly dressed man standing in front of her. He wore a silver-grey suit that fit well on his body. His clear blue eyes looked at her anxiously, and Angel couldn’t help but stare at his kind, round face with his blonde hair cropped around his head leaving a reasonable amount of hair in the front and middle. A few strands of his hair fell in curls just above his left eye.271Please respect copyright.PENANAN9z1hAXonA
271Please respect copyright.PENANADU35YW37ih
271Please respect copyright.PENANAs1ROoR7dfZ
“Uh-yes, I’m fine,” Angel quickly answered as she felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment.271Please respect copyright.PENANA5O3Ze4ttRe
271Please respect copyright.PENANA4oQBG3RD6B
271Please respect copyright.PENANAnybEfgPXHU
“You’re the new girl, right?”271Please respect copyright.PENANA51YV3tpZ08
271Please respect copyright.PENANA7siEgaeLm0
271Please respect copyright.PENANA6iBpAd1OcO
Angel didn’t know what to say as she felt she would drop the files in her hands. The man in front of her is gorgeous. And judging by the way his suit fit well on his body, he definitely does workouts at the gym or something. She told herself to pull herself together.271Please respect copyright.PENANAi1vbahnI2x
271Please respect copyright.PENANAfAVD6pkxn2
271Please respect copyright.PENANA376vRYZ85Q
“Yes, I am,” she quickly answered again. “Angel Barclay, nice to meet you. You’re…?”271Please respect copyright.PENANALorf8kjr0J
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3j9EJp7mnX
271Please respect copyright.PENANABGZVQTYSlf
“Derrick,” the man quickly drew out his hand to give her a handshake. Angel had to carry the files with her one arm to draw out the other. They shook hands. “I wasn’t in the architecture department when you passed by. I just heard we've a new girl in town.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA8dyCqOwR6Y
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFYbOzQXmPP
271Please respect copyright.PENANAhXecQ8sCST
“Oh,” Angel felt her cheeks heat up even more. “I didn’t know I would still be the talk of the department.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAsOLC3ZJlKX
271Please respect copyright.PENANAAVxAPSu21O
271Please respect copyright.PENANAcqbX9l46xL
“With your looks, you’ll be the talk for a month. I can guarantee that.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAt5zhq4T0Fy
271Please respect copyright.PENANAyi2wVvImZw
271Please respect copyright.PENANAN3O9enwxRs
Angel nervously chuckled. “Don’t say that. I personally don't think so.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAnq4ilI7izs
271Please respect copyright.PENANA9kveTlfu4y
271Please respect copyright.PENANA2mWuXpZUUt
“Well, I do.” He looked at the files in her hands. “May I carry them for you? They look heavy.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAywjsYegWqw
271Please respect copyright.PENANAo35l5PPCeq
271Please respect copyright.PENANAUh1Yrtf9A5
“Ah, no thanks,” Angel quickly refused. “They aren’t heavy at all.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAWNcCy6ZG0C
271Please respect copyright.PENANAsLpxHQwdz5
271Please respect copyright.PENANAe0sXTmLxML
“You sure? Here, let me help.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAzHsYNAyKsL
271Please respect copyright.PENANAjVnZdHt7d8
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFxySL1HvPz
Derrick came closer and took the three huge files from her hands. Angel felt like a huge weight has been lifted. She hadn’t realised how heavy the files were until now.271Please respect copyright.PENANAUFdoX8s6zx
271Please respect copyright.PENANAdKw9YWiOeS
271Please respect copyright.PENANAAb7ggA0Ijb
“Thanks,” Angel managed to say.271Please respect copyright.PENANAZCLlTFnfIz
271Please respect copyright.PENANAK1YSWHtiXI
271Please respect copyright.PENANAnTCSkZt4Aw
“Are you walking over to your desk?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAkXB3t0K0ep
271Please respect copyright.PENANAbEEowjVYzZ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAenQbYtoSvJ
“Ah, yes, I am.” Angel led the way to her cubicle in the main work area. She could feel a number of eyes on her and a few whispers here and there.271Please respect copyright.PENANA6koS4OUDt6
271Please respect copyright.PENANA0GjP58jMvq
271Please respect copyright.PENANAWXjVszxOe9
Derrick put the files on her desk. “I see you’ve a lot to work on.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAfnv2wcbFfM
271Please respect copyright.PENANAocwuIaCEbk
271Please respect copyright.PENANAYg3JuCmJ5L
“Not really,” Angel said, trying to shake off the feeling she's getting from people around her. She started to rub the back of her neck. “Just trying to familiarise myself with what I’ll be doing around here.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAXxa5RBcEwA
271Please respect copyright.PENANAYZXGVjvLdN
271Please respect copyright.PENANAM7Af41cQck
“I hear you'll be working closely with Mrs. Lance. You better buckle up. The woman is hard to please.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAocy4LxaIjS
271Please respect copyright.PENANAUAZXuL5oQ8
271Please respect copyright.PENANATvpETzWW6R
“Ya, I’ve been warned. But I’ll do all I can to work hard.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAuqdKpHNOe9
271Please respect copyright.PENANA7OCD5x3pGH
271Please respect copyright.PENANAkbXXhbRPPV
Derrick gave her a kind smile. “Well, I’ll leave you to it, Miss Barclay. Hey, if you’re up for it, you and I can go out for lunch with the others from my department.”271Please respect copyright.PENANACGgwztZ4P1
271Please respect copyright.PENANAGf8DhbYtsK
271Please respect copyright.PENANAaWPYX5c7jg
“Thanks, but I’ll have to decline. I already made plans with someone today.” Angel stared at her phone on the desk. Eric sent a text a few minutes ago inviting her to lunch, so she couldn’t turn him down.271Please respect copyright.PENANAjAAZyJ8UnV
271Please respect copyright.PENANAuSIS3GYiO6
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“Ah, I see. People are already asking you out?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAM4wahlcj7P
271Please respect copyright.PENANAdEWDhz3POk
271Please respect copyright.PENANAwiwYosGzhk
Angel found herself blushing even more. “It’s not like that,” she managed to say. “It’s just between friends, nothing special.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAvzqByZKt6M
271Please respect copyright.PENANArLvriBM9aA
271Please respect copyright.PENANARZCXs5F2Be
Derrick raised an eyebrow and a smile soon came across his face. “Maybe another time. How does that sound?”271Please respect copyright.PENANA76oK8ljg92
271Please respect copyright.PENANAlTdn7VmWI1
271Please respect copyright.PENANARbI4PJx9qs
Angel quickly shook her head. “That will be great. Thanks for helping me carry these files.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAb0Cz6YymQL
271Please respect copyright.PENANATXNWNuEsP8
271Please respect copyright.PENANAbixPzxo1SO
“You’re welcome. It’s nice meeting you. I’ll see you around?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAsaIcej231N
271Please respect copyright.PENANAYgDT3uGXXe
271Please respect copyright.PENANAjjfP2AAZhr
“Ya, I’ll see you.”271Please respect copyright.PENANASKVoDcOd2R
271Please respect copyright.PENANAXkSdVBgdyz
271Please respect copyright.PENANApzIk1YcR5K
Derrick gave her a wave and started to walk out of the work area. Before Angel could take her seat, she could’ve swore that he had turned to look at her before disappearing out of sight. She didn’t want to think too much about it.271Please respect copyright.PENANAOA2waraCNY
271Please respect copyright.PENANAUSO6lG40uV
271Please respect copyright.PENANAMIWwEPjkEo
She looked at the files in front of her and knew she had a lot to do. She better get to work now before work starts to pile up. She got one file and placed it in front of her when she heard:271Please respect copyright.PENANAcLzVHll5e2
271Please respect copyright.PENANAwMsfsCk6Xv
271Please respect copyright.PENANAEbZFu5nWk2
“Excuse me, it’s Angel, right?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAfXTeQZIat4
271Please respect copyright.PENANAtWGhPXv1zk
271Please respect copyright.PENANAyLkOfTO3D1
Angel turned around and found a young lady, an African American like her, seated at her desk opposite Angel’s cubicle. Her skin colour is darker than Angel’s, like that of dark chocolate. She had black, kinky hair tied above her head and leaving a huge tuft of hair. She wore glasses with a blue frame and wore a black suit with a white blouse and matching black high-heels. Angel couldn’t help but feel intimidated by the lady’s beauty.271Please respect copyright.PENANAbJryKKEFqt
271Please respect copyright.PENANAMwlBqizoUh
271Please respect copyright.PENANAmEMk9urAr9
“Yes, it is," said Angel as she fully turned around in her seat and drew her arm out. "Your name is-?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAvFOMBMofnw
271Please respect copyright.PENANAzG7aRCRgqR
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3wuihIS9vn
"Sabrina," said the lady as she leaned forward and shook hands with Angel. "I see a lot of people really want to know you."271Please respect copyright.PENANAqB6PqCZSv5
271Please respect copyright.PENANASYSdh0ND4g
271Please respect copyright.PENANAv1HTrnpXu5
"Maybe it's because I'm new here," said Angel, trying her best to stress a point kindly.271Please respect copyright.PENANA95rXJV00yj
271Please respect copyright.PENANAJl2MTF4zZj
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVu9P5KSXX7
"Or maybe it's because you're just too pretty," Sabrina gave Angel a flashy smile.271Please respect copyright.PENANAchT0thfkOd
271Please respect copyright.PENANAW2M03PotJQ
271Please respect copyright.PENANA1pyZ15Ywsn
Angel playfully shrugged her shoulders. "I can't be too sure about that."271Please respect copyright.PENANACvWSedZpcj
271Please respect copyright.PENANAZgql1vnhP9
271Please respect copyright.PENANANhro6WApYo
"It's because you don't see it. The person you were talking to just now, he's really hard to come by. A lot of ladies around here try to get his attention. For him to actually ask you out for lunch will probably leave a lot of people here speechless."271Please respect copyright.PENANAVkpNnnoX2v
271Please respect copyright.PENANAM6449bBKhf
271Please respect copyright.PENANA8U7BQFRfkS
Angel raised an eyebrow. "Really? Why do you say so? You make it sound like he's an introvert when he seems like a really outgoing person."271Please respect copyright.PENANAA3Z2PztC03
271Please respect copyright.PENANAH8upQ1T4SC
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3qCTUY3a8F
"He is. It's just that he has his own circle of friends. When many ladies try to get close, he pulls away. He's acquainted with a lot of us, but none of us have ever gotten close to him."271Please respect copyright.PENANARYVz1GotID
271Please respect copyright.PENANAogkQqxj290
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"Okay, but what does that have to do with me? I just met him."271Please respect copyright.PENANAJY7eAjIyfZ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAbYBLjlydTp
271Please respect copyright.PENANAJrTgZgw2Sy
"Him escorting you here and asking you out for lunch is actually the first time I've seen him try to engage a lady in a conversation. He rarely does, unless he is talking about work."271Please respect copyright.PENANABp3S4RZW1t
271Please respect copyright.PENANAADwJwjM1yO
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"Oh, I see. But that doesn't mean he likes me or anything, right?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAuA6IrGNTRM
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVCRMgd9H3O
271Please respect copyright.PENANAxIUhu1HTdA
Sabrina shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows with men. One minute they're leading you on, the next they aren't. But with Derrick, he might really like you."271Please respect copyright.PENANAplZ2Y2XQ6D
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3sCjO3wvA6
271Please respect copyright.PENANAIN10SihCrt
"He doesn't have a girlfriend, does he?" came another female with blonde hair and striking blue eyes. She stood in the aisle with papers in her hands. She seemed to have popped out out of nowhere.271Please respect copyright.PENANAqP5YH3lrcq
271Please respect copyright.PENANA68RupcBb1j
271Please respect copyright.PENANAXaX6pDBQFe
"Not that I know of," Sabrina answered her. "Angel, this is Beatrix."271Please respect copyright.PENANAYd9DJro5hW
271Please respect copyright.PENANATH1tVjUHVA
271Please respect copyright.PENANAyFjOzeE99Z
"Oh, sorry for butting in in your conversation," said Beatrix, looking at Angel and raising her hand apologetically. "Where are my manners?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAX4Yx8qf1yX
271Please respect copyright.PENANA6R69ahxgFd
271Please respect copyright.PENANAex3wrmAmxx
"It's okay," said Angel. "It's nice to meet you, Beatrix."271Please respect copyright.PENANAEmcwurn0hL
271Please respect copyright.PENANAa0NGTYlrFf
271Please respect copyright.PENANAKjntAkIzUE
"Nice meeting you too. Just like Sabrina said, I'm also shocked Derrick actually talked to you so casually and actually asked you out for lunch."271Please respect copyright.PENANAg619EZPPtZ
271Please respect copyright.PENANADkTehlIM0Z
271Please respect copyright.PENANAcg16vxuRLa
"You see," Sabrina said to Angel with a smile on her face.271Please respect copyright.PENANAqlix62EhXp
271Please respect copyright.PENANAS9Q6rXDTp7
271Please respect copyright.PENANAPAkrkeTrF3
"I'm not going to say anything," said Angel. "You obviously know him better than I do."271Please respect copyright.PENANAUyaNURks4r
271Please respect copyright.PENANAofgyJvofL3
271Please respect copyright.PENANA45kcuBB1kW
"Just admit it. He has his eye on you."271Please respect copyright.PENANAtbhHxZslvz
271Please respect copyright.PENANAdURv3BFc9f
271Please respect copyright.PENANAsH745MKvY0
Angel blushed. She looked to the floor, hoping that the other two wouldn’t notice.271Please respect copyright.PENANAQ6fW9hgwHn
271Please respect copyright.PENANAbl544ysYFc
271Please respect copyright.PENANAAGbOvfNCwv
"If you managed to get his attention, what more of the other male folk around here who are single?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAqdhZSsxXdz
271Please respect copyright.PENANAzQ2HzcSWsf
271Please respect copyright.PENANALrwLwgnHiJ
"Let's not talk about that," said Angel as she quickly spun around in her chair. “The last thing I need right now is to worry about who likes me.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAwYp1DcaW8B
271Please respect copyright.PENANAofx8Ng5hf5
271Please respect copyright.PENANAYQnwoV0Hkh
“Was it like this at your previous workplace? I hear you worked for some editing company, right?” Beatrix asked.271Please respect copyright.PENANA94OO0td41w
271Please respect copyright.PENANAK6mLPulLxt
271Please respect copyright.PENANAyV6qRYj1En
Looks like they got their information from HR, Angel thought before she turned around to look at the two ladies. “As far as I can remember, no. Most men were married, so, I didn’t have any problems.” Except Mark, of course. She made sure not to say that out loud.271Please respect copyright.PENANAZKwO9WzraK
271Please respect copyright.PENANA5eKhoXoCK7
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“Anyway, since you’re close with Eric and Leo, I bet you have their attention too,” said Sabrina.271Please respect copyright.PENANAc6RUqGnwYr
271Please respect copyright.PENANAhGDgPFyI10
271Please respect copyright.PENANA7fFpHwQsf1
“Oh, no, I don’t think so,” Angel was quick to deny.271Please respect copyright.PENANA8LNn5l3c0E
271Please respect copyright.PENANAYP7Yyd0znm
271Please respect copyright.PENANArKYx6ckoeS
“They are very good-looking and all the ladies wouldn’t mind getting close to them. But just like Derrick, they also don’t like to get too close. Eric's better since he’s outgoing and all. But Leo keeps to himself. He seems like a no nonsense person and he was pretty serious with his relationship with Kim until they called off the wedding.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAv3ZLrmlXY1
271Please respect copyright.PENANA89JBgQc5Wf
271Please respect copyright.PENANAOVwjtlsZgt
Angel didn’t want to hear any more of this. If only they knew that the reason why that happened is because of Carly.271Please respect copyright.PENANAY6MoWonXCj
271Please respect copyright.PENANAQlCiCH5qaH
271Please respect copyright.PENANAoPJPviagGT
“Do you know why that happened, Angel?” Beatrix asked. “You’re close to the family, so you should know the reason.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA1XnVzC23Ce
271Please respect copyright.PENANAaRpNRnNTif
271Please respect copyright.PENANAdqGDh9QvTQ
“I can’t answer that.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAwVLoCpKq5o
271Please respect copyright.PENANAmMBsGMkLRQ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAhtA9S5aIDY
Sabrina drew herself closer, dragging the chair with her. “Why not?” she asked. “Is it that bad?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAaio4Es4F9O
271Please respect copyright.PENANAZzoaFwbkHb
271Please respect copyright.PENANAZFSpCMfRTP
“No one actually knows why Leo broke things off with Kim, and so does she.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAwdeoulLhqF
271Please respect copyright.PENANA2Mvf5Yd2kF
271Please respect copyright.PENANAYE3PDNaB73
“Oh, darn!” Beatrix clicked her tongue. “Everyone around here also says the same thing.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAYdSaYJA0Nn
271Please respect copyright.PENANAHxxJdUB1aV
271Please respect copyright.PENANAMuow4aHq8M
Good, Angel thought. It’s best she went with this. No one in the McDonell mansion knows the truth except for her, Eric, Carly and Leo. The more people think of it as a mystery, the better.271Please respect copyright.PENANAEzCtDrkpue
271Please respect copyright.PENANA4YaL61m2lj
271Please respect copyright.PENANARknEbSNOFO
“You see, Leo keeps things to himself,” said Sabrina. “As much as he is good looking, I feel he has such an attitude. You feel it sometimes when he talks to you, though he isn’t always like that.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAxblMJym9l9
271Please respect copyright.PENANAYPY0bNQS90
271Please respect copyright.PENANALNDBol7oAb
“Well, he does have an attitude, I can agree on that," said Angel.271Please respect copyright.PENANAfQVjHeW9A9
271Please respect copyright.PENANAhU42H8HGXz
271Please respect copyright.PENANAjZuGgexl7m
“How do you handle him? Doesn’t he get on your nerves?” Beatrix asked.271Please respect copyright.PENANA0Gy0Fs48o8
271Please respect copyright.PENANAm2z8PLCbkd
271Please respect copyright.PENANAmoI8ESVXQU
“Sometimes. But he isn’t that bad.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAx00Ylt6mAA
271Please respect copyright.PENANAC86FMFtDJ1
271Please respect copyright.PENANAexgK3cqfbN
“Ya, I see how he’s close with his family, especially Eric,” said Sabrina. “I just wish he was more outgoing, you know.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAYJPTfP6QTe
271Please respect copyright.PENANAjknqB4HlX5
271Please respect copyright.PENANARqQjH9OUyL
You and me both, Angel thought. “I better start working on these files.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAaDHsoUiFZW
271Please respect copyright.PENANAl6XzvGVQCe
271Please respect copyright.PENANAQ55r6tHNp8
“Oh, ya, sure,” said Beatrix, “sorry for disturbing you.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAmt8IBO8nke
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3sj5UGxFnw
271Please respect copyright.PENANAiT12CxYRyi
“Not a problem.” Angel quickly swirled round in her chair to face the file in front of her. She really needed to get some work done. She didn’t expect to be in engaged in so much talk on her first day. She still felt uneasy as she heard a whisper across the room and thought she had heard someone mention her name. She had to agree with Derrick. She would be the talk of the office for a while.271Please respect copyright.PENANAVPGd6jGB2a
271Please respect copyright.PENANAi7xrQ2XDPB
271Please respect copyright.PENANAeDvmZNmnJ6
She closed her eyes shaking off the feeling so as to try and focus on work. She always did this, even at the editing company when she sometimes felt anxious or pressured. When she opened them, she went straight to work on the files.271Please respect copyright.PENANAnGMMwqDJsW
271Please respect copyright.PENANAAa4EAYq5Bi
271Please respect copyright.PENANA2NMpCN8IHt
***271Please respect copyright.PENANAlxjEz3xq08
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271Please respect copyright.PENANA23AuvjTJtR
Leo heard the phone on his desk vibrate. He wondered if it’s Eric sending him a text that he couldn’t find what he went to look for. Leo sighed. He now wished his father was handling this meeting with Eric and not him. With Eric out of the office for a while, now is the time he can try and catch up on work, especially with answering his emails on his iMac.271Please respect copyright.PENANAnDSP1gWKOI
271Please respect copyright.PENANA57U0JCMF4h
271Please respect copyright.PENANAjoqqZ401Gv
His eyes left the computer screen and he went on to look at his phone. A sudden feeling came over, telling him that it might not be Eric who sent him a message. Could it be his father? If he wanted anything from Leo, he would've called. Maybe it’s his mother? No, he shook his head. It can’t be her. Just like his father, she would’ve called. Could it be Carly? It might, he thought positively. Maybe she thought of texting him.271Please respect copyright.PENANA4NgEOozch7
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271Please respect copyright.PENANAQl91ENOCoj
He quickly took his phone and turned on the screen to find the message isn’t from Carly. It's from Kim. He felt like putting his phone aside and getting back to work. Instead, he unlocked the phone to read her message and it was nothing but a simple “Hello.” He rolled his eyes as he wished he had never bumped into her at the café this morning. Should he ignore the message? As much as he wanted to, he still had to say something. He didn’t want to seem rude like he does sometimes.271Please respect copyright.PENANAJAIB2J9tA4
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He texted her back and quickly put his phone down on the desk, hoping that she wouldn’t text back, but she did. Leo couldn’t help but groan.271Please respect copyright.PENANAzu3OVxZrP2
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFLE0reuAMq
271Please respect copyright.PENANAenD29I9LwF
A knock soon came at the door and before Leo could tell the person to come in, the door flew open and Eric walked in with papers in his hands. Leo groaned even more, throwing his head back onto his chair.271Please respect copyright.PENANA8W3ptQ0mXD
271Please respect copyright.PENANA5yOxctWcwv
271Please respect copyright.PENANAnrh3WbjnPy
“What’s up with you, grumpy?” Eric asked as he came to sit on the chair, facing Leo.271Please respect copyright.PENANAlkGndyEDuU
271Please respect copyright.PENANAP6gFQ8u1ba
271Please respect copyright.PENANA550NvsuqjD
“Why don’t you ever knock when you come in?” Leo asked as he folded his arms.271Please respect copyright.PENANAi2e6Fq4nt9
271Please respect copyright.PENANA9xVWox7pP2
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“I’m sorry, but I already know you’re used to it. So what’s up?”271Please respect copyright.PENANA5bOG6MMeqs
271Please respect copyright.PENANAeV2nDpbnsC
271Please respect copyright.PENANAtiMAVXh6Ph
Leo looked at Eric. His cousin knew him better than anyone. He took a deep breath and leaned his elbows on the table.271Please respect copyright.PENANAU9m6ncD57d
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271Please respect copyright.PENANA1PWByyJ8rz
“Kim texted me,” he said.271Please respect copyright.PENANAYSyyDPWjZT
271Please respect copyright.PENANAgAnjYIZiUW
271Please respect copyright.PENANAi7fihNsU95
“Whoa, Kim texted you?” Eric for some reason didn’t look at all surprised. “How come?”271Please respect copyright.PENANANrGMifVOg9
271Please respect copyright.PENANAyYZcZJKgry
271Please respect copyright.PENANA61Oi06efAY
“Angel and I met her at the café where we bought croissants.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAazn88uURGk
271Please respect copyright.PENANA6fTmGMk3Fb
271Please respect copyright.PENANArwttEjNHzZ
“Why didn’t you tell me?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAn1xLUWVXLw
271Please respect copyright.PENANAqTZE1bBM9r
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“It didn’t matter then, but it does now. She just texted me.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAcZzPlrhRIp
271Please respect copyright.PENANA0lWabsXLai
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVg0gu38ooq
“What did she say?”271Please respect copyright.PENANArg2jV65hai
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271Please respect copyright.PENANAGsifW4lakN
“Just a simple hello.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAK7PdJXpWzl
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271Please respect copyright.PENANA1aeN6f1BEy
“And did you reply?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAfXOpHjhRyu
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“Of course, I did.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA8JATSEQEYm
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271Please respect copyright.PENANAwjiUW8334y
“And…?”271Please respect copyright.PENANA6NvPSJAJrD
271Please respect copyright.PENANAO8lwMIFjyV
271Please respect copyright.PENANAWRNPq96KtD
“She texted back and I haven’t read the message.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAq3X73e37Vy
271Please respect copyright.PENANAoDcLVEetnO
271Please respect copyright.PENANAb927QA7bS4
“You better see what that message says.”271Please respect copyright.PENANABbv2jr25p2
271Please respect copyright.PENANA5kf2OSBZwl
271Please respect copyright.PENANASRRAMaA6kH
“And what if I don’t want to? It’s pretty obvious that she wants to hook up for lunch or something.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAHe7XpsyXRk
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3McMtJjR0Z
271Please respect copyright.PENANARP4os4SGPE
“You’re right. I’m impressed with how much you know women, nowadays.” Eric gave him an encouraging smile.271Please respect copyright.PENANASkGPzukkqK
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFQKY2HqIWW
271Please respect copyright.PENANA42PEI5Gw8n
“Don’t flatter me. What am I going to do? I don’t want to meet her, that’s if she does ask that we should.”271Please respect copyright.PENANArnT4R9IZGQ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAUh7UErYBiv
271Please respect copyright.PENANAyZ1CeTZkOR
“You’ll never know what you’ve to do if you don’t read the message.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAxVc7PziRNC
271Please respect copyright.PENANA5w2o3YWb3D
271Please respect copyright.PENANAj3O7hUl6nu
“You’re right.” Leo took his phone and unlocked it. When he read the message, he suddenly had a gloomy look. “She wants us to meet.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAOgWx7fca1K
271Please respect copyright.PENANAAWuX6ROKkP
271Please respect copyright.PENANAmU01FQdals
“She really must be desperate, huh?” Eric raised his eyebrows. “Who can blame her? Being dumped on your wedding day to such a handsome man like you wasn’t what she expected.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA9Kgc413sBf
271Please respect copyright.PENANAIS8zpPpnDJ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVtTyDq1ajJ
“You aren’t making me feel any better. Besides, I apologised. I don’t know what she wants me to do.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAW1RPJnybJC
271Please respect copyright.PENANAXNN0CF9ZyQ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAejiHX5dYaR
“She needs an answer from you. That’s what.” Eric leaned back on the chair. "You never told her why you left on your wedding day. In fact, everyone keeps asking me that question and I always say that I don’t know.”271Please respect copyright.PENANApyDaiL7Guy
271Please respect copyright.PENANA74bXvYzeSv
271Please respect copyright.PENANAO2cFJaQ6g7
“The less who know, the better.”271Please respect copyright.PENANANRGCb0d1Wt
271Please respect copyright.PENANAN7M8f772LW
271Please respect copyright.PENANAqSPW2Q98Kq
“Sooner or later, you’ll have to tell Kim the truth. If anything, she deserves it more than anyone.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAdqDlibcz7T
271Please respect copyright.PENANA8qEKGmtbnn
271Please respect copyright.PENANAOpNeKsfIwD
Leo didn’t say anything as he looked down at his phone on the table. He took it and started to tap away, then he quickly put it down.271Please respect copyright.PENANAqrhjqdVoks
271Please respect copyright.PENANAhoPyrOopLs
271Please respect copyright.PENANAkp0WFqi8dY
“What did you tell her?” Eric couldn’t help but look on curiously at Leo’s phone.271Please respect copyright.PENANAoiREy3f0tL
271Please respect copyright.PENANAaZdwV9kG24
271Please respect copyright.PENANAnQlmJx8hNx
“I told her we can meet,” Leo answered,271Please respect copyright.PENANAo0KaZzilnR
271Please respect copyright.PENANAxBl2zLquoM
271Please respect copyright.PENANAaLBrPsJSBH
“WHAT!” Eric held his head, not believing what Leo said. “I don’t believe you. Let me see the message.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAsJG5PqFoD5
271Please respect copyright.PENANAT03wrHdsGr
271Please respect copyright.PENANAWJ8Yssqry8
Leo groaned, but he got his phone, unlocked it and gave Eric. When Eric read it for himself, he stared at Leo.271Please respect copyright.PENANACSytDxCDgE
271Please respect copyright.PENANAgGHC7RIXk7
271Please respect copyright.PENANAcxH10FFOWm
“You’re serious,” he said as he gave Leo back his phone. “Are you finally going to tell her the truth?”271Please respect copyright.PENANApoaegRrFOH
271Please respect copyright.PENANAZ7HLztRgPg
271Please respect copyright.PENANAe6egZyDLsX
“On that part, I don’t know,” Leo answered as he leaned back on his chair, deep in thought.271Please respect copyright.PENANAHLoIUkLL2I
271Please respect copyright.PENANAkRjKwVEQIH
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFFHNUSvZOt
“Well, if you tell her, it will finally give her the chance to move on, don’t you think?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAeQ1Hcrn3CV
271Please respect copyright.PENANA4hyrFVqMve
271Please respect copyright.PENANAGXA4Vz9MBP
“If I do tell her, she’ll kill me.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAhsTSq91BP3
271Please respect copyright.PENANA7A2nYRjDGJ
271Please respect copyright.PENANA5eYCtyQIuN
“It’s typical of a woman. Even I would kill you. I wouldn’t like to know that the reason why my man left me was because he fell in love with someone else.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAijgiMABct3
271Please respect copyright.PENANAQjlPGqd4lO
271Please respect copyright.PENANAfblOKDvFbx
Leo chuckled to himself as he stared at the ceiling. “I still remember that day. Gosh, all of that happened so suddenly.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAv2T0Bx5GwM
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVikygK1AOZ
271Please respect copyright.PENANA65A3C7Gunx
“I thought you had gone mad, but looking at you now, you seem to have made the right decision. You don’t look regretful for leaving Kim.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA4ajNNlTzS7
271Please respect copyright.PENANAToAbuZ0tnX
271Please respect copyright.PENANAvClOaATceL
“I think it was the right thing to do.” Leo now had his eyes on Eric. “If anything, I feel like I really didn’t love her at all.”271Please respect copyright.PENANATEn9DvXBko
271Please respect copyright.PENANA4UfDl7NawK
271Please respect copyright.PENANAZJ3dwmdKi7
Eric smiled. “Grandma will be glad if she heard those words coming out of that mouth of yours.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA4jnLztagBD
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFBDZE3fRL3
271Please respect copyright.PENANAswghR6ISec
“I know. Seems like she was right after all. Kim was never good for me.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA0AQT0csyZh
271Please respect copyright.PENANAJEAC8JukH4
271Please respect copyright.PENANAazAw3r8PV6
“Wait until she finds out that you’re actually in love with Carly.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA6qL6WFPJQ3
271Please respect copyright.PENANAMRJpfaGDa7
271Please respect copyright.PENANAxbqJPoUZOk
The two cousins looked at each other, imagining the scenario. Eric reacted first.271Please respect copyright.PENANAHBvHnQVGaX
271Please respect copyright.PENANAU69wkP72eG
271Please respect copyright.PENANAXx5SKQoRU9
“No, I don’t want to imagine it,” he said as he shook his head. “Something tells me it won’t be a good one.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAOaSDJX0Eek
271Please respect copyright.PENANABdisBdHHJp
271Please respect copyright.PENANAiF9CcvDKEw
“I agree,” said Leo as he rubbed the temple of his head. “I don’t want to imagine my mother, though.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAkFUSFauShW
271Please respect copyright.PENANAgXSpjBn9ho
271Please respect copyright.PENANAeCa7kJEmQW
“That one is pretty obvious; I don’t have to imagine it, that’s if I want my head to explode.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAd8DjO3NQ2Q
271Please respect copyright.PENANAWayH6sm5CI
271Please respect copyright.PENANACmTxyVyUGY
The two laughed.271Please respect copyright.PENANAOXrPTyzlpO
271Please respect copyright.PENANAUFGbgWLkae
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3dIdtp629K
“Okay, okay, let’s get back to work,” said Eric, wiping away a tear in his eye. “Remember, we’ve to finish these arrangements before lunch.”271Please respect copyright.PENANADgqjAKWN9J
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVnM1mNZNOj
271Please respect copyright.PENANAYXs4YFfqu1
“You’re right,” said Leo as he went on to look at his screen and switched windows from his email to an open document.271Please respect copyright.PENANAYScnkOgEFI
271Please respect copyright.PENANA6cN4LVrApy
271Please respect copyright.PENANAWBUrTDMQZ2
A brief silence passed between them when they suddenly burst out laughing at the same time.271Please respect copyright.PENANAmJgqKu4B0C
271Please respect copyright.PENANAfOwtVLpJxp
271Please respect copyright.PENANAMfzzFJfRqy
***271Please respect copyright.PENANAxk939CMkkY
271Please respect copyright.PENANAQy9JWZMaiU
271Please respect copyright.PENANAKyKF91Ky8q
"Hey, Miranda, are you okay?"271Please respect copyright.PENANAJAQaxU8P4g
271Please respect copyright.PENANAWi3uSZCdUS
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3GoX08qjGT
Miranda quickly turned to the person who spoke to her. It's Brad. She rolled her eyes. “Oh, it’s you,” she said, turning her head to look elsewhere.271Please respect copyright.PENANAkRoWa9mQvb
271Please respect copyright.PENANAncBBZuAatA
271Please respect copyright.PENANAcrv9saO9pT
Miranda was seated on a chair in the lecture room. They were waiting for their next lecture as the previous one ended minutes ago. She had been going through her phone to pass time when she was supposed to be studying. God knows just how behind she is.271Please respect copyright.PENANAtAHR7zGEph
271Please respect copyright.PENANA4sqBp0U1BQ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAw5e1NSSLbP
“Scoot over,” Brad insisted as he moved his body closer to hers, forcing her to move.271Please respect copyright.PENANA2Vlh2k5CUQ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAAa46zIabAZ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAstHzPq5e5P
Miranda moved over to the next chair which was empty and Brad finally managed to sit next to her.271Please respect copyright.PENANAHR5dXvmaqM
271Please respect copyright.PENANAh9xup4opKz
271Please respect copyright.PENANAVwujpdNgnk
“What were you looking at?” he asked as he tried to see what's on Miranda’s phone.271Please respect copyright.PENANABMcj2eoH3Q
271Please respect copyright.PENANAfaddoyMwj7
271Please respect copyright.PENANAgD4irEBzUT
“Nothing, why do you want to know?” she asked, holding her phone tight and facing her body the other way to avoid him from looking.271Please respect copyright.PENANApzqbQETS6P
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3Ghe8rSAfw
271Please respect copyright.PENANAbXJ7yVR8Zn
“You seem really fixed on it. I want to see what’s caught your interest.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAvgriQ9Bji6
271Please respect copyright.PENANA2rjHlDpwAX
271Please respect copyright.PENANAZtlb8utUml
“Like I told you, it’s nothing. So why don’t you just mind your business?”271Please respect copyright.PENANA49Vp4vbGrF
271Please respect copyright.PENANAcgvTXu2mvo
271Please respect copyright.PENANAZKthdCNmqu
“I would, but I’m not going to this time.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAHEVSsJks9J
271Please respect copyright.PENANAuoVEi3wYGQ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAX1mTWTZGlK
“You never do.” Miranda gave him a gloomy look.271Please respect copyright.PENANAf5T4SwNmNP
271Please respect copyright.PENANAS5qm2NiBZ0
271Please respect copyright.PENANAvnYOhEqsEr
“I say that because something’s been different about you lately.”271Please respect copyright.PENANApXmbKCEN2R
271Please respect copyright.PENANAZWpP3f3X9I
271Please respect copyright.PENANAJDlLKt6reJ
She raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAJzUxPcdWyr
271Please respect copyright.PENANAwj0gVZPZXl
271Please respect copyright.PENANAHYBtBCkMKz
“Well…,” Brad placed his elbow on the table with his hand supporting the side of his face so as to get a good look at Miranda. “You’re barely concentrating in class these days. And last week when we were handing in our assignments, you were late. You were so lucky that the madam took pity on you and accepted it.”271Please respect copyright.PENANABnHeLUj22s
271Please respect copyright.PENANAAWUKRe8N3O
271Please respect copyright.PENANAXExu3xLC6w
“I had a slight problem with my laptop, that’s all.”271Please respect copyright.PENANACMivUzSsXM
271Please respect copyright.PENANAblTyqkk0e1
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFgcMXJhEcm
Brad scoffed. “Nah, that’s not it.” He wagged his index finger in front of her face. Miranda got irritated that she pushed his hand away. “Something is keeping you distracted.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAv81vz0W3KK
271Please respect copyright.PENANANW256k18zH
271Please respect copyright.PENANAEvByN1X2Ux
“I’m just busy, that’s all.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAMZEyrMLedc
271Please respect copyright.PENANAvU8gi5ZEM2
271Please respect copyright.PENANAuMfhUYHlYo
“There’s a difference between being busy and getting distracted. And you, my friend, are distracted.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAF1bgRRKU29
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFVck8IQSVm
271Please respect copyright.PENANAmWDztN3wyD
Miranda rolled her eyes at him and looked down at her phone before she went on to look in front of her.271Please respect copyright.PENANARPhUOGRO6K
271Please respect copyright.PENANAL3qQUql944
271Please respect copyright.PENANAoE7uQ1wIGu
“So what were you looking at on that phone of yours?” Brad went on to ask.271Please respect copyright.PENANALKZQS2LUSK
271Please respect copyright.PENANA6wSEktoUxE
271Please respect copyright.PENANA8ezNsJvbLs
Miranda looked at him through the corner of her eye. “You really don’t listen, do you?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAUXJFmiWnPN
271Please respect copyright.PENANAMYGOZvA78v
271Please respect copyright.PENANAby17gGYito
“I thought I saw you looking at a guy's photo on Instagram just now. I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere.”271Please respect copyright.PENANACDXujtpBNn
271Please respect copyright.PENANA5hR6QrTR55
271Please respect copyright.PENANAlqQEIFJttj
Miranda felt like standing up from her seat to go elsewhere, but she soon felt Brad hold her free hand, pinning her in place. It’s like he knew what she was about to do and he did the only thing possible to pin her down.271Please respect copyright.PENANArsntq8G6YT
271Please respect copyright.PENANACzYiN3YedG
271Please respect copyright.PENANA1A7hmDDdfj
“Let go of me, Brad,” she warned him.271Please respect copyright.PENANA7W0zmkdGlk
271Please respect copyright.PENANAyBV7xSZrH8
271Please respect copyright.PENANAoexk6FJ02y
“And what if I don’t want to?” he asked with a smirk on his face.271Please respect copyright.PENANANjTG7j346h
271Please respect copyright.PENANAZtOvF7DNhi
271Please respect copyright.PENANAjW1IlBiYQB
“You’re hurting me. Why are you being such a prick?”271Please respect copyright.PENANA2AIWRHH7p0
271Please respect copyright.PENANANg7UGWS3rU
271Please respect copyright.PENANAHICkjXAgIY
“It’s because I’m worried about you. Something is up and I need to know what it is. Is it that man you keep looking at on your phone? Mind you, I’ve seen you looking at him time and time again.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAYwe3ONYIlJ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAucszqyobkR
271Please respect copyright.PENANAbFOOqozYOe
Miranda felt her cheeks heat up. She couldn’t tell Brad about her sudden interest in Leo McDonell. Brad just said he looked familiar. And if he kept looking at her phone, he might realise who he is. She had to think of something.271Please respect copyright.PENANAthbOSh5J5o
271Please respect copyright.PENANACeGijiep1S
271Please respect copyright.PENANAKL17quI3ZC
“You’re worried over nothing,” she said. “Just some celebrity that I follow on Instagram. I think he’s really cute and that’s why I look at his photos.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAS13eQ8rR4B
271Please respect copyright.PENANAobcFPZIZpc
271Please respect copyright.PENANArFBojglCpb
Brad stared at her for a second. Miranda knew she had told him part of the truth. But she couldn’t go into detail or else she might say something about Leo. If he knew, she didn’t know what he would do.271Please respect copyright.PENANAsgBjZpkvK0
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFjEJIO0r9g
271Please respect copyright.PENANAnV4oTNfdJV
“Girls and your stupid crushes,” he said as he finally let go of her hand. “When will you ever let it go?”271Please respect copyright.PENANANzUk632YZu
271Please respect copyright.PENANAPionBz5OX9
271Please respect copyright.PENANA07dnJwwxNv
“When the time is right,” said Miranda, doing her best not to sound nervous.271Please respect copyright.PENANAIZPTX75Lsj
271Please respect copyright.PENANAWRRD9558CD
271Please respect copyright.PENANAKwnKRdbdFr
“So who is this guy, anyway?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAffH6nFbrC6
271Please respect copyright.PENANABcZLfXpu2c
271Please respect copyright.PENANAj6VxIK9mzc
She was afraid he was going to ask that. So when their lecturer walked through the door of the theatre, she let out a silent sigh of relief. Everyone who was still up and about went to their seats, and the lecture begun.271Please respect copyright.PENANAdqGWeP11Qw
271Please respect copyright.PENANAd8r86I38o7
271Please respect copyright.PENANATI8Bk8VO5S
***271Please respect copyright.PENANAsEE82z6TMo
271Please respect copyright.PENANAXBldTzmW5S
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFy0wmVMKup
It’s finally lunch time, and Eric couldn’t wait to get out of the office with Angel and go somewhere nice. He had been in Leo’s office preparing for the meeting with the Chinese. Now that they're done, he couldn’t wait to leave.271Please respect copyright.PENANAW7w9FHbMLj
271Please respect copyright.PENANAaGNt4QAUJe
271Please respect copyright.PENANAuy4WDDCWkc
“Whoa, where do you think you’re going?” Leo asked, still seated behind his desk.271Please respect copyright.PENANAfuJDwb19kX
271Please respect copyright.PENANAdJnCkLwd3W
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3rNGFIcN8s
“I’m going out for lunch,” Eric answered, heading for the door.271Please respect copyright.PENANAM5Ow8fTRxP
271Please respect copyright.PENANAB1NTtWYZ7G
271Please respect copyright.PENANA8Vf3AoaQkK
“You look like you’re going to the bathroom.”271Please respect copyright.PENANACzR60U3z3M
271Please respect copyright.PENANAWvMKMU4VTZ
271Please respect copyright.PENANAwJ7G3t1rJQ
“I’m taking Angel out,” Eric said with a proud look on his face.271Please respect copyright.PENANAI64G1ut1qt
271Please respect copyright.PENANAC8eJTNGjgD
271Please respect copyright.PENANAry3HnGHwYC
Leo couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Oh, you’re going out with Angel, then?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAyQCo93swOS
271Please respect copyright.PENANAJ6cCMMlD0b
271Please respect copyright.PENANAKsrI3XcN8m
“Yep. Wipe that sour look on your face. Or are you upset that you have to go out with Kim?”271Please respect copyright.PENANA2goaIZM0r5
271Please respect copyright.PENANAzL1pfyX3wp
271Please respect copyright.PENANA5ZFdJeI7wX
“I couldn’t care less about that. Besides, having lunch with Angel doesn’t appeal to me.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA5Eo03FRUuE
271Please respect copyright.PENANA5A2lnIqhD5
271Please respect copyright.PENANAyve53ce3Ud
“That’s because you don’t like her. Mind you, having lunch with Angel is way better than having it with Kim.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAJ0L8yHoP8p
271Please respect copyright.PENANA0X2dB0t6Q5
271Please respect copyright.PENANAS1Z3xEnR2b
The look on Leo’s face became grim. Even when he didn’t want to admit it, he knew Eric is right. He cleared his throat. “If you ask me there isn’t much of a difference.”271Please respect copyright.PENANALBn3uq2czL
271Please respect copyright.PENANARK9EfnjPm4
271Please respect copyright.PENANApR8PPYVgqE
It's Eric’s turn to roll his eyes. “You know, if you gave yourself time to actually know Angel instead of fighting with her all the time, you’ll find that she’s okay to be with than Kim.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2B9V0KyNx
271Please respect copyright.PENANAYDsPsX32KM
271Please respect copyright.PENANARr0etRu6yR
“I beg to differ.” Leo’s face became even more serious.271Please respect copyright.PENANAVzdH1PtEJI
271Please respect copyright.PENANAQF0NnloIKF
271Please respect copyright.PENANAILIDv1YxNW
“I’ve to go now,” said Eric as he reached the door and held the knob. “Tell me how things go with Kim, okay? And try not to start an argument with her, wherever you will be.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAsKiWf4VlUU
271Please respect copyright.PENANATcoF1r8uC6
271Please respect copyright.PENANAmPPEjnugce
“I won’t.”271Please respect copyright.PENANANh5OLlIxse
271Please respect copyright.PENANAOSSOYGc1Zb
271Please respect copyright.PENANAyvHtnliUP2
Eric gave his cousin a concerned look. “I sure hope so. I’m off. See you later.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAcy7HB9Gxun
271Please respect copyright.PENANAAhdMTuORNN
271Please respect copyright.PENANAiofA0RGHTW
Leo gave him a nod and Eric quickly rushed out of the door like an excited young boy who had been told he could go outside and play with his friends. Even when Leo felt irritated by Eric’s enthusiasm, he couldn’t help but envy him a little. The man is in love, Leo thought to himself. Even when he knew he loved Carly, he didn’t experience the kind of lovey-dovey nonsense Eric is in right now. Is that what he admired? The crazy feeling of liking someone that you couldn’t wait to see them?271Please respect copyright.PENANANrCR0ql7Zf
271Please respect copyright.PENANAzbTIAqxpND
271Please respect copyright.PENANAgA6TtyCRBc
Leo shook his head. People are different and express love in different ways, he concluded. There’s no doubt in his mind that he loved Carly. Besides, he thought to himself, I don’t think Eric likes Angel to that extent. Maybe what he feels for her might pass in due time. Leo thought again, and concluded that Eric’s feelings towards Angel aren’t going to pass any time soon.271Please respect copyright.PENANAnpv1cna75F
271Please respect copyright.PENANAb7LQjaCSwI
271Please respect copyright.PENANAO2FdHyZkLO
He soon got up from his seat as he also had to prepare himself to go and meet Kim. He didn’t know how his lunch with her is going to go. Before that, he thought he could lie to her that something came up to avoid any drama. But he couldn’t do that now. He would look like a coward. Something he doesn’t want to be.271Please respect copyright.PENANAKaThxLjiXW
271Please respect copyright.PENANAFEVrkcO1AN
271Please respect copyright.PENANAHT6aHnGAtq
He walked up to the door and got his jacket on the coat hanger. And with a deep breath, he opened the door and walked out.271Please respect copyright.PENANAnwOiSXzlLT
271Please respect copyright.PENANALYMKixhTVq
271Please respect copyright.PENANAokgeg9bpAg
***271Please respect copyright.PENANALQXDc9fEbr
271Please respect copyright.PENANAqufOyal5pS
271Please respect copyright.PENANAOZV2uY9Dxm
“I bet you’re hungry, huh?” Eric asked as he and Angel finally got out of the complex building.271Please respect copyright.PENANAPIlZnMPIvn
271Please respect copyright.PENANAnbblhHhTzd
271Please respect copyright.PENANAOgHwFuCBAr
"You can say that again,” she said turning to look at Eric. "I’m so famished for my first day.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA5J9DRtMzng
271Please respect copyright.PENANA20XIZg5VmP
271Please respect copyright.PENANAKSMBy9ZRqx
"I get what you mean. So many people keep asking me about you.” Eric had his hands in his pockets as he stared up at the sky. "You’ve made quite a reputation for someone on their first day.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAL5EbgsVWGV
271Please respect copyright.PENANALyyfeoFYCP
271Please respect copyright.PENANAvCkQWzL5JS
"All that will pass.” Angel smiled at Eric. "It’s just the first day. By the end of the week, everyone would’ve forgotten that I even existed.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAXRy5aBSEwJ
271Please respect copyright.PENANApZPXwKPbh0
271Please respect copyright.PENANAHA6b09yGnq
"I doubt that. People will forget, but it’s no question that you’ll still be the talk of the office. I mean, you’ll obviously be classified as the most beautiful female member of staff.” Eric now had his eyes on her as he chuckled.271Please respect copyright.PENANAPXQghAINO5
271Please respect copyright.PENANAECUpJjMpkw
271Please respect copyright.PENANA3sCRoeijMZ
Angel playfully punched him on the arm. "What are you saying? There are many beautiful women at the company. If you ask me, their beauty is intimidating.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAI5sb8lKEiU
271Please respect copyright.PENANApXWbLVwe9a
271Please respect copyright.PENANAMbK7UW3G10
"That’s because you miss the big picture,” Eric stopped walking as he now held her arm to stop her as well. "You really are very beautiful, you do know that, right?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAvbWXLlsVPf
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Angel couldn’t say anything as she continued to look at Eric. Her heart started to flutter and felt her cheeks heat up. She found all of this awkward as she started to look around. She looked back at Eric, wondering how to tell him that they were standing in the middle of the street and might be in the way. But the look he continued to give her left her speechless.271Please respect copyright.PENANAjcPGEdt6kR
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"I wish you could see what I see,” he said in a whisper. Even with all the bustling of people about and the hooting of the car horns, Angel got what he said. That made her cheeks heat up even more. She cleared her throat.271Please respect copyright.PENANAYMjTQHMfEH
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"Ummm, Eric, we’re standing in the way,” she said. "This isn’t the time or the place for this, don’t you think?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAbUGzpb3g9G
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"Oh,” Eric forgot they were in the middle of the sidewalk, with people moving around. "I totally forgot that we were here in the first place. I must have spaced out a bit.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAlmwf3CEXTr
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Angel cleared her throat again as she looked down at her feet for a brief moment. "That must be it. Come on, weren’t you taking me out for lunch? I’m starving.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAGAY0XtGLpG
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Eric nervously chuckled and at the same time scratched the back of his head. "I shouldn’t keep a lady waiting. Sorry about that.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAgj1DJbkb9E
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"Not at all.” She tried her best not to look like she had been flattered, but her cheeks continued to blush, making her even more nervous.271Please respect copyright.PENANAPfatsqed75
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They continued their walk down the sidewalk when Eric said, "I mean what I said, though. I hope you aren’t offended or anything.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAMwVdzmDHTs
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They stopped at the traffic lights and they waited for the walk sign to light up when Angel turned to look at Eric. "No, don’t worry,” she said.271Please respect copyright.PENANAGp12ulIirY
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The light soon went green and the pedestrians who stood at the edge of the sidewalk crossed the road to the other side.271Please respect copyright.PENANAyRirkMp3B9
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"I’m glad,” said Eric. "I thought you would be upset or something.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAH1cCIruksX
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"I’ve received such comments before, so I’m not.”271Please respect copyright.PENANANPERzARNxf
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Eric clicked his tongue as he shrugged. "You would, obviously. I also shouldn’t be surprised.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA0586ABojEm
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Angel tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. She couldn’t tell Eric that his approach was different from the ones she had encountered before. Even from Mark. She felt her cheeks heat up even more by the thought of it. It's best, she thought, that I don’t say anything.271Please respect copyright.PENANAACWrHQWdXA
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"Let me take you to my favourite restaurant nearby,” Eric continued as he smiled at her. "You’ll love it. And you can order whatever you like.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAq3eu0B0MVH
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Angel couldn’t help but chuckle. "Don’t be so silly,” she said. "As much as that offer sounds tempting, it’s pretty obvious that I won’t be that careless.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAsxs8NoJ48G
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"Well, the food is on me, so I won’t mind if you order countless dishes.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAy08vzlrK15
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"Thanks,” this time she laughed. "But even if I’m so hungry, I don’t eat that much.”271Please respect copyright.PENANASzS2r5Jz6e
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"Just letting you know that the offer is on the table. Ah! Here we are.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAfu9bSUXuGc
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They stopped in front of a small restaurant. From outside, it might not look like a five-star restaurant, but for some reason, Angel found it almost elegant as she looked through the huge glass window. The décor is simple but had a touch of elegance. White chairs and tables covered with white cloths with beautiful gold embroidery on them. Elegant flowers of different colours and types sat on different tables, making the place look more romantic. This scene reminded her of the place she went for lunch with Mark last week.271Please respect copyright.PENANAT3I7tVKX2h
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"Shall we?” Eric held the door to the restaurant open as he waited for her.271Please respect copyright.PENANA9aE3LoKl6d
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Angel shook herself from her daydream and went through the open door.271Please respect copyright.PENANAEqUahrtYge
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She started to look around the place when a smartly dressed male waiter, approached her. Eric stood behind her after closing the door. Immediately, the male waiter smiled at Eric like they know each other. Angel shouldn’t be surprised. Eric did say he liked coming here.271Please respect copyright.PENANAI9MQy7WoVV
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‘"Hello, sir,” said the young waiter with a wide smile. "I see you came with company. Will you be taking the usual table?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAlKQjZckypb
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"That’s if it’s free,” Eric answered.271Please respect copyright.PENANAsP4pj1dMQs
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"Well, you’re just in luck. Please, follow me.”271Please respect copyright.PENANA4EmAgCOtF1
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Angel couldn’t ignore the way the waiter addressed them with so much courtesy. He led them to one of the tables by the corner, close to the window. When they neared the table, Eric drew out a chair for her to sit and Angel did likewise. Eric sat on the other side of the table, facing her. He told the waiter to serve them a glass of water as they looked through the menu before ordering.271Please respect copyright.PENANAPLCuVQRdLS
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"The waiter seems to know you very well,” said Angel as she picked up the menu card on the table.271Please respect copyright.PENANAFHyw504QQZ
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"I come here a lot,” said Eric as he also picked up the other menu on his side.271Please respect copyright.PENANAQDmmngBOlV
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Angel said nothing as she smiled and looked at the menu.271Please respect copyright.PENANAlCihAyrQ38
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"It’s sad that Leo couldn’t join us,” said Eric.271Please respect copyright.PENANAr2MPDWF8D1
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Angel looked at Eric. "Why do you say so? Were you scared that the two of us would start a fight in the restaurant?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAAuj0fOOrLi
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Eric laughed. "No, I didn’t think that way in the least. If there is one thing I know for sure, you two can behave yourselves in a public place like this one. I wasn’t going to worry at all.”271Please respect copyright.PENANALNcjcn3tOC
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Angel made a face because she knew Eric is right. She looked back at the menu when Eric put up a funny face. "So then, why did you say that?”271Please respect copyright.PENANASpczH9XeVM
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"Because he’s having lunch with Kim. He must be heading to her as we speak.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAFEdmmJgl8y
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Angel raised her eyes from the menu. "Kim? We met her when we went to buy croissants this morning.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAtwUUYXBj5f
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"He told me. She actually texted him that she wanted to meet. And he agreed to do so.”271Please respect copyright.PENANArN3II5Wspx
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"That’s so unlike him,” she looked towards the waiter who had brought them glasses of water. He asked if they were ready to order, and they both said they weren’t.271Please respect copyright.PENANAj6B6KluTTd
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"I know, right?” Eric agreed with Angel after the waiter left. "I think he’s doing the right thing. Maybe he'll finally get to tell her the truth.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAnCXGY5uy5N
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Angel didn’t say anything as she thought about it. "Do you think he will? I mean, him going to see her is already unbelievable as it is.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAEPeKJmLCh5
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Eric shrugged. "Who knows. If he does tell her, I think she’ll be at peace, right? But she’ll probably freak out and would want to know who it is.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAsE4sEztiiJ
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"Now that you mention it, I fear it will turn out to be a disaster.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAFAKHArRYJX
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"You’re probably right,” Eric looked up at the ceiling, deep in thought. "That’s if Leo does tell her the truth and mentions that it's actually Carly he’s now in love with.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAfXaKHWTo76
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The two looked at each other in silence as they thought of the scenario. Eric groaned in frustration as he quickly pulled his phone out from the pocket.271Please respect copyright.PENANAzcqFIMwM3e
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"What are you doing?” Angel asked.271Please respect copyright.PENANAVYUuZVZ4Qd
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"Calling Leo so that he won’t tell Kim the truth,” Eric answered as he looked through his phone.271Please respect copyright.PENANAEtY7EAOT4G
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"I think we’re just overthinking things. What if he doesn’t say anything? Or what if he does but doesn’t mention Carly’s name? If Leo is in line with what we just thought, the best is not to mention Carly.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAIhOsOrgPSa
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"You’re probably right,” Eric put his phone aside on the table and looked at Angel.271Please respect copyright.PENANASZduZUEOVw
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Angel continued to stare at him, but then, she put the menu on the table and started to play with her fingers. She bit her lower lip. "On second thought, I think you better give him a call. Just in case.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAzqyVN292HG
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"I agree.” Eric quickly took his phone and went on to call Leo.271Please respect copyright.PENANAfBnMPnUVWH
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He had his phone to the ear when the ringing tone of Leo’s phone came up. He started to get worried in the moments that passed as the phone kept ringing. Could Leo already be with Kim at this very minute? He looked at Angel who looked back anxiously. She also started to worry. And just when Eric thought Leo wasn’t going to pick the call, he heard the cracking sound at the other end of the line.271Please respect copyright.PENANAbnGoh9Ytcs
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"Hello?” came Leo’s voice.271Please respect copyright.PENANA9UVq4ujCmr
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"Thank goodness, you picked the call,” said Eric. "We were starting to get worried.”271Please respect copyright.PENANATAqXgSbWbO
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"By ‘we’ you mean, you and Angel?” Leo sounded unconvinced.271Please respect copyright.PENANAnRoylh1AXQ
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"It might seem unbelievable, but it’s true.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAvP8Ar9MWx4
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Leo sighed. "Get to the point. Why are you calling me?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAOjYu9AtYMr
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"Are you heading to lunch with Kim right now?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAYHLzl7wEUl
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"I was about to enter the car and head there. What’s up?”271Please respect copyright.PENANApbcrhZZUQU
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"Quick question. Are you going to tell Kim the truth?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAYTZAfIk8S4
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"The truth about what? Why I didn’t marry her?”271Please respect copyright.PENANAoyLPQfD8Iw
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"Yes.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAXCvWJOTm8O
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"Weren’t you the one saying I should? What’s wrong? Are you getting second thoughts or you think I might screw this up?”271Please respect copyright.PENANA3kOk0BhVv7
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"Uh…,” Eric hesitated as his eyes found Angel who had been looking at him the entire time. Judging by Leo’s statement, he felt like he didn’t have to worry at all.271Please respect copyright.PENANAVJS17AqFBY
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"Nah, you got this all under control,” Eric quickly pointed out. "I trust that you’ll do the right thing.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAKBSkgfrE5I
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Leo murmured and Eric knew he had just got on his nerves. "I don’t know why you’re scared, but I already know what I'm going to do. And if I'm going to tell her the truth, then you shouldn’t be bothered about it.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAKuSLomeSLm
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"I believe you. You’ve a nice lunch.” Eric cut the call.271Please respect copyright.PENANAd3pAF8GZLv
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"What did he say?” Angel quickly asked.271Please respect copyright.PENANAt1q1vLLyuv
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"That he’s got everything under control,” he answered. "I believe him. If he really is going to tell her the truth, I don’t think he’ll tell her he’s actually in love with Carly. If he does, then Kim will tell aunt, and she’ll be furious.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAIra3KvK4uz
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Angel cleared her throat before she said, "not only that. Once she finds out, she’ll realise that before Carly and I moved in, we had all known each other and have been pretending this whole time. And they might end up finding the truth about how Leo and Carly met.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAvvJCIUs5vf
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The two looked at each other in silence, again. They both shook their heads as they picked up their menus.271Please respect copyright.PENANAUvkeSKXVIO
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"Leo has this under control,” Eric assured her. "We’ve nothing to worry about.”271Please respect copyright.PENANAch7QkCLkLK
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"Ya, you’re right,” said Angel as she looked at the menu, holding it tight. She really hoped that Eric is right.