“Why did you do that?”
Even though Lila couldn’t see clearly since her eyes became watery, but she knew very well whose voice was that. “Let go of my hair, Aunt Cara!”
Lila’s aunt didn’t let go, instead she dragged Lila to secluded parking area where not many cars parked. It was a short and painful distance for Lila. Her aunt gave a last hard pull before let go of Lila’s hair.
“I knew you always been ungrateful, but how can you do that to your cousin?” Aunt Cara fumed.
“What did I do?” Lila took few steps away from her aunt’s arm reach. Didn’t afraid to go against her aunt though, but Lila still wanted to respect her aunt as an elder.
Narrowing her eyes, Lila’s aunt moved her hand in motion to smack Lila’s head. Luckily, Lila was quick taking a step back.
Couldn’t take it that she failed to hit Lila, she cursed through her teeth. “You’re really a cunning witch. Pretending that you don’t know what you have done to your cousin.”
“Schedule the meeting on the weekday!” Andrew snarled. “Why they scheduled the board meeting on the goddamn weekend?”“Because they’re free on the weekend.” Andrew’s assistant, Max, replied calmly.“Do I look like I’m free on the weekend?” Andrew snapped. He didn’t want telling anybody that he had to be a bartender every weekend for the whole month because of some stupid bet.“No… You’re free everyday.” Said Andrew’s cousin, Henry, followed with a roar of laughter.Because right now Andrew was not in his office, he was in Henry’s penthouse. And instead of working, he was playing video game. Very much the opposite of what he was trying to present himself.“At least, I earn some money which you heartlessly spending it.”Earn some money was disparaging statement. Andrew was a chairman of some multi-billion worth companies acr
Caring House was a number of buildings situated in a huge area near the farmer village. “Wow…” Lila’s eyes lit. “This is a hospital building.” Andrew told Lila, he kept on driving passed the medium sized building then parked the car in the parking lot behind the building. Lila stepped out of the car as soon as Andrew pulled it into a complete stop and killed the engine. She didn’t know that Andrew was narrowing his eyes at her as he couldn’t do his old gentleman habit because she was busy admiring the scene before her eyes. “And there is where the elders live.” He continued. Behind the hospital building, on the right side was two rows of back to back twin small houses, one row consisted of ten twin houses. On the left side was a garden filled with many kinds of bonsai and stood in the middle was a fountain. “Come, they’re all must be prepared to have lunch. We’ll greet them briefly, then we can have our lunch in the staff’s cafeteria.”
It’s half an hour past six in the afternoon, the sun almost set. Andrew pulled his car in the front of European classic style brick house. “Thank you.” Said Lila to Andrew. He was holding the car door open from the outside. Lila stood firmly on the ground, carrying her bag on the shoulder, she let out a brilliant smile. “I mean it, thank you. You made my day, and I’m sorry we lost the game.” Andrew gave a tilted smile at Lila and looked at her gently. Leaning on the side of the car, he asked. “So, this is your father’s best friend’s house?” Lila nodded once. “Have you consider finding your own place?” “Yea, still looking for the perfect one.” Andrew hummed. “Go on then, you said they’re waiting for you.” “Yea, see you…” Lila waved, then she walked on the gravel path towards the front door. As soon as Lila disappeared inside the house, Andrew got into the car. He didn’t drove away immediately, instead he pulled out his phone and called
Entering the café with a stray kitten in her arms, Lila looked around to find a secluded spot to sit with the kitten, so she didn’t disturb the other customer. Although Lila didn’t have to do that since the café was empty but the man who was lowering his hat to cover his face sitting on the other corner. Walking straight, Lila ordered. “I want strawberry juice, a glass of milk, ice tea, and a glass of warm water…” She paused, looking at the food display. “That tuna panini too.” The waiter nodded, taking Lila’s card. “You want to give the milk for the kitten? You don’t know that kittens are lactose intolerant?” Lila smiled then replied. “I do. And I also know that diluting it isn’t good either.” “Oh…” The waiter’s face looked relief, he quickly processed Lila’s order. “I’ll bring your orders to your table.” Lila took her card back from him. “Thanks.” Soon, the waiter came with Lila’s order then put them all on the table while Lila and t
“Mr. Muller…”The couple halted and turned around the time they heard Lila’s call. They frowned in unison, wondering who Lila was and why she knew the man’s name.“I’m Lila Phillips. I know this is unexpected, showing up in front of you without appointment, but I’ve tried to reach you on the phone, it just didn’t manage.”Since deciding to fight back her idea by attending the University gala dinner, she needed the blood sample. That’s why she took the risk, coming to this town without any appointment with the man who had the rare blood type as Andrews. She couldn’t get it from Andrew yet, so she had to try another source.In the day when she canceled her trip because of her cheating ex-boyfriend, Mr. Muller had agreed to donate his blood. Oddly today, she had a hard time finding him in his workplace or home, even the call she made went straight to voicemail.Like rainbow after
Lila stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was admiring her dress. It fitted perfectly on her, the fabric was soft and the most important was the price didn’t make her wallet cried. Nodding at her reflection, she was ready to go, then went downstairs immediately. Uncle Malcom as the University’s President, choosing not to attend the gala, he watched tv drama with Aunt Becky. The kitten was sleeping on Aunt Becky’s lap. “I’m leaving. Take care of my baby.” Said Lila as she walked by the sitting room. “You better give it a name.” Uncle Malcom voiced his irritation. His tired tone made Lila giggled. Last night when Lila got home, Aunt Becky welcomed her. Lila showed the kitten in the carrier then told her. “I’m adopting this baby.” Aunt Becky smiled brilliantly, taking the carrier. While Uncle Malcom who was sitting with his back facing the front door, choked and threw a fit cough after hearing what Lila had said, thinking L
Under grad students usually made the lobby garden busy for almost twenty-four hour everyday, they come and go through it. But not tonight. The gala had it closed. Lila stepped to the empty lobby alone. Scanning all direction of the lobby, she found nothing. Maybe I was wrong. She concluded. “I’m so impressed.” A voice came, walking from inner lobby to the outside. Lila didn’t have to turn around to see who said it. She knew very well and also hate it. Professor Gustav stood beside her. “First time attending the gala, you manage to get along with the second prince. Wow.” He clapped coldly and out of rhyme. “You should share that kind of skill to the rest of us.” Pretending not to hear a word from him, Lila scanned the empty lobby once again. Her eyes roamed everywhere, except at the man beside her. But Professor Gustav seemed unnoticed, he kept on talking. “Though his speech implied about our special activity,”
The air around Lila’s fist and Professor Gustav’s face stormed sharply. It felt suffocating to Professor Gustav. He finally saw the punch coming, but too shock to make a move. He never thought, the obedient girl he knew all these years could do this kind of blow. Closing his eyes, waiting for the punch to come, he didn’t realize that the storm had stopped and the suffocating air dropped suddenly. Andrew’s large palm held Lila’s punch just an inch from Professor Gustav’s nose. “Don’t!” Andrew shook his head, gazing into Lila’s eyes. “Not worth it.” Few seconds Andrew endured Lila’s deadly glare while still holding her fist. “What are you doing here?” Lila hissed through her teeth, jerking her fist free from Andrew’s grasp. “Saving you…” Having his sense back as the still and silent surrounding assured him that Lila’s punch was aborted, Professor Gustav opened his eyes and blinked few times to calm his shaking nerves. Feeling calm, his cocky attitude back again. “Listen to him,