KEN looked at Laurie and Tyler’s table. Up to this moment, Ken still can’t believe that he would find Laurie easily. And, he didn’t expect that it would be his brother who will bring him to her. When he decided to go here to the Philippines, the first thing that Ken wanted to do is familiarize himself with his mother’s hometown before finding Laurie. But when he heard his brother mentioned Laurie’s name while talking on the phone, Ken’s plans changed. 

At first, he wasn’t sure that the woman Tyler’s talking to on the phone was the same as the woman he’s looking for. But when Tyler asked him how to make a contract for his employee, that’s when Ken got a chance to confirm that it was Laurie, his ex-wife.

The woman has changed a lot from the last time that he saw her. She looked better now… The thought brought pain inside Ken’s chest. He couldn’t accept that the woman he loved most learned to live without him. 

While me? Ken scoffed. I became miserable after she left… I was lost again, alone and desperate… He grabbed the glass of whiskey on the table and drank it. Ken can still remember that night that Laurie just suddenly disappeared in their house. He can still feel the pain he felt when he woke up that his wife was no longer beside him. He clenched his jaw. And, now she’s here, talking to my brother, smiling and laughing with him as if I am not around and watching them.

When Laurie reverted her gaze at him, Ken doesn’t bother to look away. He wanted her to think that he’s watching her every move because that was what he’s really doing. He wanted her to feel uncomfortable with his presence until she couldn’t take it and begged for him to leave her alone. But Ken wouldn’t let her get what she wanted. He’s here for reasons.

He was about to transfer to their table when his phone rang. He picked up and heard Gala’s voice aired in the background. “I’m busy,” he said in a neutral tone. “I’ll call you back—” 

“Again?” Gala complained. The whore doesn’t even try to hide the disappointment in her tone. “You said that we’ll meet today? I thought you wanted to see me?”

“I do, but not now.” He glanced in Laurie’s direction and caught her looking at him. A slow grin formed on Ken’s lips. “I’ll go to your condo tomorrow,” he said, holding Laurie’s stare. “And, make sure that you’re ready for me.”

Before the woman from the other line could answer, Ken ended the call and smirked at Laurie. Her brows were furrowed as if she doesn’t like to see him on the phone with other women. He raised his glass of ram to her and winked. When Laurie blushed, Ken chuckled.

“I’ll go now, Tyler.” He heard Laurie said and rise from her seat. “I’ll see you at your next event.”

“I’ll drive you home, Laurie,” Tyler offered. “It’s late, and it’s not safe for a woman like you to walk in the streets alone.”

“I’m fine, Tyler. Thanks,” she said and was about to walk towards the exit when Ken blocked her way. “Excuse me.”

“Tyler will drive you home, Laurie,” he said to her in a low but commanding voice.

“I’ll take the cab,” she said, looking away. “I’ve been doing this for years. I can take care of myself.”

Ken smiled. “You may stop doing that, Laurie. I’m here now.”

“Stop it, Ken,” she said and walked past him.

Ken and Tyler followed her. They found her on the sidewalk and booking a cab. Based on her annoyed expression, it looked that she has a hard time renting a taxi. Ken walked towards her and called her attention. He knew that Laurie will refuse, but he won’t give up until she has no choice but to say yes.

“Come on. Our ride is free and even safer than the rental cars,” he told her. “Why, Laurie? Don’t tell me that you’re still uncomfortable with me? It’s been years since we broke up—” He stopped when he saw tears shone on the corner of her eyes. “I-I just want to make sure that you’ll get home safe, Laurie.”

Laurie swallowed hard, fighting back her tears. Seeing her like this tightened Ken’s chest. He never saw Laurie cried, not even when their together in France. “Why are you here, Ken? Why do you have to show up again? Are you here to ruin my life?”

That question hit Ken in the chest. He prepared years for this moment, but why does it still feel hard for him to answer her whys? He let out a sigh and looked straight into her eyes. “I’m here for my brother.”

“Does he know it already about…” She hesitated. It seemed that mentioning their marriage before became the most despised word for her. “Does he know?”

“No,” Ken replied in a low voice, almost a whisper. “Tyler doesn’t know anything about us.”

“What the two of you are talking about?” Tyler approached them and asked. “Laurie, I’ll drive you home. I insist.”

Laurie looked at her cell phone screen and simply wiped the tears on her face. The cab renting app on her phone is not responding. “But this is just for now, okay?”

____________________________

LAURIE looked at the window and pretended that Ken wasn’t sitting beside her. She can feel the heat from his body even if there’s a space between them. Laurie’s brows furrowed; maybe it was her body that emanated heat. She shut her eyes; she shouldn’t feel like this just because he’s near to her.

“Laurie, do you have plans tomorrow?” Tyler asked, looking at her in the rearview mirror. “Ken and I will visit our parents in Bulacan. If you’re free, you can come with us.”

Laurie hesitated and thought about her schedule tomorrow. Even if she’s free tomorrow, she wouldn’t want to be with Ken again. “Adelle and I have an appointment with her client tomorrow.”

“I have plans tomorrow too, Tyler,” Ken said suddenly. “We can reschedule it to the next day so Laurie could come with us,” he added, then glanced at her. “Are you still busy on the next day, Laurie?”

Laurie scowled at him. “I’ll see my schedule—”

“Can you book the next day for me, Laurie? We need a hand because we’re preparing something for our parents,” Tyler requested. “I’ll include it in your working hours. So your day won’t be wasted.”

“It’s not what I mean, Tyler. The payment is not an issue, it’s just that…” When she couldn’t find any excuse, she sighed. “Okay, I’ll go with you the next day.”

“Finally, Laurie, you’ll meet my mother,” Ken whispered to her. When she looked at her, the city lights twinkled in his eyes. “This was our plan before, right?”

Laurie looked away, shut her eyes, and turned to the window. “I forgot everything about us, Ken.”

“Really?” he smirked. “Then, why your eyes tell otherwise?”

She looked back at him. How could I forget all those things? “You’re just hallucinating—”

“Are the two of you fighting?” Tyler asked. He was watching them from the rearview mirror. “I can’t hear what the two of you are mumbling at each other, but I can say in your faces that you’re having an argument.”

Ken leaned his back on the seat. “Laurie told me that I should sit in the front and not here because I’m making her uncomfortable.”

Laurie looked at Ken questioningly. What’s your plan, Ken? She didn’t protest with what he said because she also doesn’t know what she would tell Tyler. And, she doesn’t want to lie to him. Tyler is kind, unlike his bastard brother. Laurie looked on the streets and continued pretending that she can’t see Ken. But the thought that Ken was sitting beside her was enough to make her cringe. Is he really here for his brother?

“Tyler, you can drop me in that street,” she said and pointed at the second street from their direction.

“Are you sure? I’ll drive you to your doorstep,” Tyler said.

“That apartment building is where I live,” she said and opened the door as soon as Tyler stopped the car. “Thanks for the ride.”

But Tyler and Ken got off the car too and followed her to the gate. “We’ll leave when you got inside,” Tyler said.

Laurie knotted her forehead. “You can go now—”

“Which of those doors is yours?” Ken asked, looking inside the front yard. “Do they have security there?”

“What are you saying?” Laurie blocked Ken’s view and told him to go back in the car, but the man didn’t budge. “It’s not a five-star hotel to have securities.”

“I need to use the toilet,” Ken suddenly said to her. “Can I use your toilet?”

Laurie knotted her forehead. She knew that Ken was just trying to annoy her because he knew that she wouldn’t fight back. She let out a sigh and glanced at Tyler. The man just shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, but be quick. My landlady doesn’t want visitors at night.”

“Then, we can go here in the morning?” Tyler and Ken asked in a chorus that made Laurie caught her forehead.

She’s starting to question herself why on earth she signed a contract with Tyler.

***