Chapter 6

"What do you do now?"

I heaved out a sigh and looked back at the window car. The lanes are bustling with all sorts of cars. The day's too busy for my own liking.

"Go to him this instant. I have to know his condition. I can't sleep tonight knowing that I caused him harm."

Laurie stomped on the accelerator. "Just don't appear to be wary enough to make him suspect you. Chill out. You can do this."

We didn't waste our time and went to Von's residence immediately. We were stopped by the guard in the entrance of the exclusive subdivision but when I showed him my ID and business card, he apologized and let us in. 

We pulled off in front of a big Mediterranean-inspired mansion in the outermost part of the area. With my heart on my sleeves, I pushed the bell button. 

"Jill, do you think it's the best time to visit Trevor? He's for sure trying to get some rest. Maybe we should just come back tomorrow. It's getting pretty late and I still have to catch up a dinner date."

I crossed my arms and tapped my feet impatiently. "You should go now. I don't want to be the reason of your failed arranged marriage. Go now and leave me here. Don't worry, I can manage. I have to at least know if he's okay or not. Geez, the thought of him being sick because of me is making me sick too."

"Now you make me feel like a bad person. What kind of friend leaves her friend all by herself? Forget about that dinner. I ain't leaving you here. Who cares if mosquitoes are feasting on us? Certainly not us!"

I smiled at Laurie who smiled back at me. "Thank you."

A clanking of a metal interrupted us and a female uniformed maid emerged out from the gate. She peered at us curiously.

"Good evening, ma'am. What can I do for you?" she asked politely.

"Hi! Is Trevor already in? I'm her friend. I was so worried about his condition because a colleague informed me that he was hospitalized but when I went to the hospital, they told me that he was discharged already so I was thinking that he had gone home here. Can we come in?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am but Sir Scott is not here."

My rope of patience reached its limit. I raised my brows at the poor woman. "Okay Ms. Whoever you are, I don't care if Trevor instructed you to not tell whoever comes here that he's here but I am an exception. I'm his girlfriend okay so out of the way and let me in."

I pushed her aside and walked briskly along the stoned pathway. 

"Ma'am, Sir Scott is really not here. Ma'am, please don't do this. I'll lose my job. Ma'am, please."

I didn't care to hear her pleads. Heck, no one can stop me from going through each and every room in the house just to see Von but before I could even step inside the living room, a group of men stopped me from going further. I glared at them. 

"Who are you to block me? Didn't you know me? I'm asking you! Didn't you recognize me?! Get out of my way!"

I kicked and slapped the first big man. 

"You don't really care if you all lose your jobs, huh! I said out of my way! Out!"

"Jill, stop this. A friend texted me. Trevor is not really here. He's in Sandy's house." Laurie told me. 

"What?" I turned to look at her mortified face. "Why would he go there?! Of all places, why there?"

Laurie pulled me out of the house. 

"I just received the call now. I was about to tell you when you go berserk. Let's go home for now, Jill. Stay here while I apologize to them. You don't want Trevor to hear about this."

She left me in the car panting for breathe out of anger that it didn't cross my mind about the repercussions of what I have done to his helpers. I just made a scandal which is so me. I just hope that Laurie can resolve this. If I have to pay every people inside then I will do it to prevent Von from learning anything that happened today. 

I waited inside the car for Laurie. Closing my eyes to the sound of the car stereo, I tried to relax but when I remembered about Von being in Sandy's house, it drives my emotions back to the top again. 

Why does it have to be her? Why does it have to be someone he can't have? Why can't it just be me? I am more than willing to give him everything I got. I could love him forever. I'll make him happy. Why can't he see through my love for him? 

Is love as complicated as this? 

After more than fifteen minutes of waiting, Laurie finally came out of the house and got inside the car. 

"So how was it?"

She looked at me and let out a sigh. "I've talked them out of saying anything to Trevor."

I heaved out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness." 

She started the engine. "Where would you like to go? You still want to see Trevor?" she asked me when we passed by the guardhouse. 

"No, I can't see them in my state right now. I need time to regroup myself." I scanned Laurie's clothes. "You wanna go shopping or will you still choose to go to that boring dinner with a too stiff and too formal business associate picked by your dad?"

Laurie laughed. "Evan is not that bad though. He's got sense of humor. He makes me laugh and I don't get bored with him. At least that's what his impression for me in the last two dinner dates that we have. For your question, I think I'd love to shop for a few make up. My collection had nearly ran out."

"Know what Laurie, why are you letting your parents do the decisions for your life. Come on, run it yourself. Refuse if you must. It's not their life. It's yours."

"Coming from you, really? Well Jill, let me ask you a question. Why are you letting your love for Trevor overshadow your reason? Girl, you're bordering into obsession. Can you just quit it off, forget about that man, and find some other guy?"

I grinned. "Have you ever fallen in love, Laurie?"

She glanced at me and then back to the road. "No, I haven't. Never believed about that sort of thing. I mean, really? In this age and time? Love is overrated my friend. I'd rather spend every night of my life listening to my dinner date talking about stock market than let myself go crazy about loving someone who can never be mine. Case in point, you."

I opened my side of the window and then light a cigarette. "You were never in my shoes or any person who had experienced love for you to say that. Wait till you feel it and then come at me saying that." I puffed out a smoke on the window.

"One of the reasons why I agree to go out with the men my parents arranged. In any case that I'll fall in love with them, then a marriage is already on the way. That's it. No tears, no chases, just the beautiful word 'yes'."

"Ah, I wish I could say that. But people are not similar to you my dear Laurie. People like me needs to be an anti-hero to have my happiness. I need to use whatever resources or leverage I have to get my Von. Good thing I have them."

Laurie slowed down and then stopped the car when the red light is on. 

"Don't you have any pride, Jill? You can have any fish you want in the sea. Why go for a fish that's been hooked by another boat?"

"It's because I want it. Happiness for me is fleeting Laurie but when I met Von, everything seems to be falling into place. For the first time in many years, I thanked heavens for putting me in a family of money because I can use it to get what I want. Never mind that I don't have a father or that every shark in the business wants to put us down. Mom can handle that. For the first time in my life, I learned what it means to be truly happy and alive."

Laurie stomped on the accelerator when the light turns green. "Even when it hurts? Even when it means pushing your feelings to them? It's called selfishness, Jill."

I just shrugged my shoulders and picked up another cigarette stick. "Being hurt is part of being in love. When it comes to love, you have to be a true warrior. You have to be willing to accept bites, wounds, and even scars. That's the only way for you to learn."

We parked off into a reserved parking lot for VIP guests inside the mall. I got off the car and handed a waiting personnel of my VIP card. He assisted us to a private elevator.

"Or you could just walk out and forced yourself to move on. Go back to your usual routine. Travel the world, do some modelling stints. I'm sure a year or two would keep Trevor from bugging your mind."

We stepped out from the elevator and into Gucci store. The staff scrambled upon themselves on who would come to assist me. The manager approached us. 

"Good day Ms. Buenaventura. How may I help you madam?"

I dismissively waved my hand at the other employees who immediately went back to their respective stations. 

"The new stocks," I answered.

"Yes, ma'am. This way please."

She led us into the VIP lounge where they served us some refreshments. 

"Where are we, Laurie?" I asked while looking through the racks of clothes. 

"I'm asking you to forego this craziness and go back to your life before Trevor happened. Let's be honest, the guy is crazy for Sandy. You got no chance in him Jill so quit this. You're too beautiful and rich for him."

I sighed. How many times do we have this kind of conversation since I confided to her about our set-up? Maybe a hundred or more. I lost count.

"Easier said than done. Easier said than done, Laurie. I tried okay? I tried everything you said but I always come back to him. Why? Because I'm happy with him. Simple as that. You like anything?"

 

She shook her head. "I haven't worn all my purchases from this shop's recent collection. Back to Trevor. Maybe you should try harder in forgetting about him. Go to a neurologist or a hypnotist. Ask them to make you forget about that guy."

I laughed at her silly suggestion. "You're funny. Ugh, I'm having a hard time selecting one so that means I have to get them all."

"You're carving your own pain, Jill. No matter how I look at it, you are poised to lose this game."

My smile disappeared at what I heard. She struck some nerves in me. "You think so? But what if it'll work? What if he'll love me instead? I'm not a loser Laurie and never will I. I hate losing."

"It's not that easy to change a heart, Jill. We're not talking about the possibility of you getting Trevor cause that will be easy. You can blackmail him, coerce him, use your mother's influence but you're not doing it. You're trying to win him through your efforts. I can see that you wanna get his heart, his love."

I abandoned my pseudo attempt into picking up a good item and gave her my full attention. "What do you mean? What's your point?"

Laurie stood up from her seat and held me by my shoulders. "I'm worried about you after this all ends. We both know it will not end good for you, Jill. You will never left this insanity you're playing without being unscathed. You'll lose both Trevor and yourself. That's what I'm most afraid about."