Mag-log inElise, still caught on the peak of her desire, could not understand at first. But when her clarity returned, confusion turned into anger. “What? You cannot? Are you out of your mind?”Gaara turned to her. “Yes. So leave, Elise.”“What is wrong with you?” Her voice rose sharply. She had never been rejected by anyone. Any man she wanted was supposed to be hers to taste, even Vinson. But Gaara? He had stirred her hunger, only to throw her out before anything even began. There was nothing crueler than this.“I do not owe you an answer.”“Oh, so you have a date with that loser?”“Yes. I have a dinner appointment with her,” Gaara replied, calm and controlled, every word steady. A moment ago he had been swept up by heat, yet now his mind was clear again.What am I doing here while Esther is probably waiting? The thought rang through him like a bell.Elise stared at him, stunned. “Are you serious? With Esther? That little bookworm?”“Yes. Leave,” Gaara muttered, impatience slipping through as
Before the dinner at Esther’s house…Gaara checked the watch on his right wrist, a faint curve tugging at the corner of his mouth. He turned off the car engine and climbed out quickly, then ran up the steps to the front door. It was only seven thirty in the evening. He needed just five minutes to change into something more fitting for the invitation he had promised Esther he would attend.It was the same day he had made plans with his friends, a long awaited trip to Vinson’s ranch in Chiba. He had booked the tickets far in advance. Gaara never refused Vinson’s invitation to go there. He loved the place, loved the air and the wide open fields, the beautiful horses he could ride. And at night they would barbecue and drink until they were completely gone. There was no way Gaara would have missed something that enjoyable.The plan had been perfect until Esther suddenly invited him to dinner. The quiet girl who usually stayed guarded had done something completely unexpected. To be honest,
Gaara let out a small laugh and said, “Oh, come on,” smiling in the hope that Esther would mirror the expression. But reality had a cruel sense of humor. Her face only grew more sour, the air around her heavy with unspoken disappointment.“I told you back then that I actually couldn’t make it,” he reminded her gently.“Yeah, but then you added that you’d still come, even if it was late,” Esther shot back. She still remembered every detail of their conversation by the lockers that day.“I did say that. But I finished at two in the morning. I couldn’t just turn back time and knock on your door at that hour. And besides, what would we even do at two in the morning?”“You could’ve at least said something,” Esther snapped again, frustration sharpening her voice.“How was I supposed to know you were still awake?” Gaara countered.“You could’ve called me. Or sent a message.”Gaara grinned at that, amusement lighting his eyes. “So you wanted to see me that badly, huh?”Esther’s head jerked up
Esther was taken aback when she realized that the radiant bride before her was none other than Ms. Sinta, her high school music teacher. And the groom? A friend of Felix’s, someone Esther didn’t recognize. Both of them greeted her with warm smiles, thanking her for attending their wedding reception.“It’s so nice to see you, Esther. I did invite a few alumni, but I haven’t seen the others yet. Thank you for taking the time to come,” the woman said, her face bright with joy.“Ya… wishing you a lifetime of happiness together,” Esther replied, a soft smile tugging at her lips.She then took her seat at the table marked with the name Vinson. For some reason, she couldn’t help but grin every time her eyes fell on the name card. Here she was, occupying the chair meant for him, tasting the food he would have eaten, savoring the richest red velvet she’d ever had, and sipping the champagne that had been meant for him. Everything seemed twice as indulgent, twice as delightful. She didn’t regret
Almost instinctively, Esther pulled her hand back from Felix, leaning away as if they’d just been caught doing something wrong. Felix blinked, taken aback by her sudden reaction, before he noticed the young man stepping out of the elevator, standing right in front of them.“Gaara! You made it!” Felix greeted warmly, a grin on his face that only made Esther’s complexion drain further. She had completely forgotten one critical fact that they all knew each other.Gaara, momentarily stunned by the scene, didn’t even realize he had stepped out of the elevator. His eyes darted between Felix and Esther. “What… what are you doing here?” His question carried a dozen hidden meanings, layered with disbelief, irritation, and something else she couldn’t quite name.“I’m also invited to the wedding,” Felix replied smoothly, as if it were the simplest explanation in the world.Gaara, processing the chaos around him, forced out a strained chuckle. “Oh… yeah, of course.”Before the awkwardness could s
And suddenly, Esther found herself in a taxi with Felix. Just like yesterday, the taxi became the unplanned setting that brought them together.“You must be wondering why I chose a taxi instead of driving myself,” he said, breaking the silence. It was, indeed, a little surprising to see him riding without driving his own car. Especially considering he was a multi-millionaire who bought cars like they were toys.“Yes… honestly, I did think about that,” Esther replied, stiffly.“I only have two cars. One is for the farm, and the other… is Vinson’s Lamborghini,” Felix explained.Unexpectedly, he was the type of wealthy person who remained humble, and Esther secretly admired that.“I don’t like the way people look at me, filled with awe, jealousy, or curiosity. I hate feeling like I have to interpret every glance. It’s easier to just ignore it, but honestly… I’m more comfortable this way,” he continued.As he spoke, Esther realized that Felix was genuinely a good person, someone deserving







