((Dorry))I nearly dropped the wine glass I was holding when a loud honk echoed from outside the house.At first, I ignored it. But when the honking continued—one after another, disturbing the entire neighborhood—I had no choice but to go outside.“Ms. Dorry, Sir Nelson is in a taxi. Looks like he’s drunk,” the guard greeted me, his gaze fixed on me without blinking.Maybe he was surprised by how I looked. They had never seen me like this—flushed from drinking too much. And now, here comes Nelson, drunk as well.“Should I open the gate, Ms. Dorry, or not?” he asked hesitantly, scratching his head.“Open it,” I said firmly.I had given them strict orders earlier not to let Nelson in. But since he was drunk, even if I didn’t want to see him right now, I had no choice. No matter how much I despised him, I didn’t want anything bad to happen to him out there.Sometimes, I don’t even understand myself. My determination to make Nelson suffer is still there, my focus remains unchanged, yet my
"Sir Nelson,” Jac said calmly, signaling the barista before sitting beside me.“Why did you leave your group?” I asked drowsily, picking up the shot glass and downing the kamikaze in one gulp.“Because Sir Diego asked me to keep an eye on you, sir. He’s afraid you might drink the whole bar dry.”I chuckled. “Diego’s really something, isn’t he? Still as thoughtful as ever. No matter how much I tried to convince him to stay and drink with me, he wouldn’t budge. Said he didn’t want to upset his wife. Good for them. They still love each other so much.” I let out a deep sigh. “I envy them.”“By the way, sir, I apologize for not telling you that the person I contacted to watch over Ms. Dorry was Sir Diego. I wanted it to be a surprise.”I smiled again. I’d been smiling a lot, but behind each one was a sadness that felt like it was eating me alive.“The way you’re apologizing, it’s like you committed some grave offense. What you did was actually great—I have someone to share my burdens with
“If you never really came back, Dorry, why is there a record of you at this hospital? You were confined here three years ago. What really happened to you? Why won’t you even let us know about that?”Dorry and Diego both turned their eyes to me. Diego looked puzzled, while Dorry’s gaze was anxious, her restless eyes giving her away.“Why can’t you answer me?”I stepped closer to her bed, not breaking eye contact. Even Diego couldn’t take his eyes off her.“What exactly are you hiding? Instead of answering the questions in my head, you’ve only made them multiply. It’s getting more confusing. What is your secret, Dorry?”Diego tapped my shoulder as if trying to calm me down. I knew he could feel the turmoil inside me. He’s known, even from the beginning, how much pain Dorry has caused me. That’s why I know he understands exactly how I feel now.“And why does it matter to you if I’m hiding something, Nelson? What’s it to you if I come back or not? ” She let out a bitter laugh. “And coming
My ears were ringing. I could now hear Dorry’s soft giggles like she was being tickled. Whoever was with her inside didn’t seem to be holding back their flirting."Open your mouth. This is sweet, like me.""Stop it, you’re so flirty. Someone might hear you, and it’s—”“Oh, really now!” I barked as I flung the door open. Dorry’s eyes widened for a moment but quickly turned into a scowl. And to my annoyance, she didn’t say a word. Her eyes, though, were sharp, as if trying to shoo me away, but she kept sneaking glances at the man with her, who, oddly enough, looked completely unbothered by my presence.He didn’t even turn around. Sure, he flinched when I entered, but now he was back to peeling an apple, shrugging as if nothing happened.I wanted to keep my cool today. I didn’t want to start a fight with Dorry because I needed to talk to her and apologize.But damn it! This?! This is what I walk in on? Them flirting like that? What husband wouldn’t feel their blood boil? Who wouldn’t get
"Sir Nelson, we’re here," Jac announced as the car came to a stop.I took a deep breath before stepping out. Just like the De Vedra mansion, it had been years since I last set foot in this building. No one here knew me except my aunt and her family.It was almost funny. After all these years, the building remained unchanged. The exteriors looked ancient—not just the exteriors; even the interiors had stayed the same. The De Vedras were supposedly the wealthiest family in the country, yet the building looked dilapidated. Despite being the largest retail and banking corporation, they couldn't even afford renovations. A clear sign of corruption among those in charge."Sir, where would you like to go first?" Jac asked, scanning the area as if taking mental notes. We ensured that our presence would leave an impression on everyone here."This building is enormous, sir, but I’m sure we won’t get lost."I responded with a sly grin, noting how Jac had deliberately spoken loud enough for others
Jane was one of the rebound relationships I had, just to forget about Dorry back then. But no matter how many rebound girlfriends I had, none of them could erase what I still felt for Dorry.“You’re so self-centered, Nelson as if we never had anything between us,” she said, rubbing her belly.I just scratched my head and smiled, though it was a sarcastic smile. Out of all my rebounds, she was the one who lasted the longest.“In fairness, though,” she added, playfully hitting me on the arm. “You’re still handsome. You’re even more handsome now. And it seems like you smell better too, compared to before.”I scratched my head again, giving her a forced smile. I wasn’t in the mood to chat. Even Jac, who had been quiet beside me, rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. We were about to leave, but Jane blocked our way.“You’re so quiet. How have you been, Nelson? If I had known we’d meet again, I wouldn’t have made you my wedding godfather. You could’ve been the godfather of my second ba