EIGHT

"Cassie Malloy!"

A woman's loud voice made Cassie look back reflexively and immediately waved her hand excitedly. The thirty-two-year-old woman then turned around and walked hastily to her old friend, who for several years had disappeared from the entertainment world who had both catapulted their names.

“Theresia! My God, I can't believe we can meet again after all this time you decided to take a hiatus from the entertainment world. How are you?" said Cassie excited. The woman hugged her friend's tightly and immediately dragged her to the nearest chair to channel all her longing for a long time.

"I'm good, how about you? You have changed now, you shine even more after that handsome and rich man married you four years ago.”

Cassie blushed in front of her friend and waved her hands in the air to deny it all. According to her, she was still the same after Zillion married her because she never thought that her marriage to Zillion would bring about so many changes to her life.

"You're too much. I'm still the same as before. You yourself, how is your life now? I was surprised when I heard your decision to choose a vacuum after Rein married you."

“I want to be a housewife. You know that Noah is very active at the age of four. As a mother I felt that I had to keep an eye on his growth and development. That's my son."

Theresia pointed to a little boy who was running with his father. The little man did look very active with a small toy car in his right hand and a ninja robot in his left.

"Hello handsome man, what's your name?" Cassie asked softly to Noah, who immediately clung to his mother's lap. The little boy glanced at Cassie's face, then he hid his face shyly without welcoming Cassie's stretching hand.

“Cassie, how are you? Long time no see."

Rein greeted Cassie pleasantly when the man had sat beside his wife, lifting Noah's body to sit on his lap.

"I am good. Your son is quite shy, just like his mother," added Cassie jokingly. The two young women laughed together while trying to interact with Noah who was not used to Cassie's presence.

"Noah, let's greet Aunt Cassie."

The young mother then pulled Noah's hand a little to want to wave her hand at Cassie, though he was still shy and seemed reluctant to do so.

"Wahh... your son is very cute and adorable, if my husband saw him he would definitely like it. My husband really wanted a child."

"Then?" asked Theresia, curious.

Actually she was quite curious, why a perfect woman like Cassie did not have a child at her four-year marriage. Yet that woman clearly has everything. Money, handsome husband, career, and other things that women out there always want. Deciding to conceive was definitely not something that was difficult in her opinion for the perfect Cassie Malloy to do.

“I just don't want it. I'm still under contract with Victoria Secret until next year, that's the fastest. But it could be that up to two years from now I'm still under contract with Victoria Secret. It depends on my current performance. I've always wanted this job offer, so when my manager told me the good news, I didn't have to think twice about saying yes. At that moment I immediately received an offer from one of the Victoria Secret representatives based in Chicago."

"But why are you still thinking about work? Doesn't your husband already have everything? You should start focusing on your family."

"Why does everyone always think like that," snorted Cassie slightly irritated.

Theresia was actually not the first to say that. There were dozens of people who advised her to leave the entertainment world and start focusing on her personal relationships. But all of that is not solely because of the material. What she is currently doing is worth more than material and she feels that this opportunity will not come to her twice.

"Actually, this is not because of the material. I decided to keep my career because I felt this was a rare opportunity that wouldn't come twice. The day I was getting older. Later there will be many new models whose popularity will definitely skyrocket beyond my current popularity. So I feel like I have to take that opportunity now before I can no longer grab it.

“After all, having children is not something difficult. I can put it off for another two or three years after my contract is over. Apart from that, Zillion didn't mind either. He loves me very much, and he wouldn't mind if he had to wait a little longer to have the child he wanted so badly," said Cassie at length.

To be honest, Theresia didn't really agree with the statement made by her friend, but she chose not to interfere too much because she was sure that Cassie was more than mature to determine her own path. After all, why should she think about other people's lives when her own life is not completely straight.

Previously she and her husband were married because of their temporary relationship. Pregnant after Rein slept with her several times made her have to force Rein to marry her. She did not want to raise the baby alone and got a bad impression from her family who still clung to the conservative thinking of eastern society. With various reasons and drama, she finally won Rein to accompany her in raising the child she had conceived.

But even so, until now she hasn't gotten Rein's love yet. The man still had the love for his ex-wife that she had not heard of for a long time. Finally, she got the news that the woman has remarried and is living happily with her husband who is a great technician in the nuclear field. But still, her husband could not just let the image of his ex-wife leave his mind.

Various ways she had done so that the man would want to look at her and not keep looking back for something he would never get again. But all the efforts she has put in so far have still come to nothing. Rein still can't give love to her and just carries out his role as a father to Noah. It is sad to see her household relationship which is full of falsehood. In front of the camera they embraces each other and smiles, while behind the camera they are just like a pair of friends taking care of a small child.

"Mommy milk." Noah whined spoiled and made Theresia immediately grabbed Noah's baby bag which contained all of Noah's supplies.

“Your son is very smart, different from the son of Zillion's troublesome best friend. A few days ago I was unlucky because of the arrival of that bad boy with his parents at my house. The child is scribbling the walls of my house. And his parents didn't do anything after that. I'm really annoyed with them. But Zillion defended them and said that if it is usually done by children."

Theresia chuckled softly as she stroked the top of Noah's head gently. It was to her that Noah and the boy Cassie had been talking about were the same. Even all the walls in his house are full of various kinds of abstract images created by Noah.

"Noah is the same, but he's a little shy with strangers he just met."

"It's Noah's birthday next week anyway."

Rein suddenly joined in the conversation with his wife and friends with the intention of inviting the woman to his son's birthday party which will be on the fourth of next week.

"We want you to come together with your husband, can you?"

"Sure. Of course I can. Surely there will be lots of adorable children. But I hope they are really adorable and won't turn into terrible little monsters. "

Rein laughed in response to what Cassie said while shaking his head in disapproval because he was sure all children were the same. They are terrible and can transform into small monsters whenever they want.

-00-

After closing her car door, Caroline walked calmly into her house carrying a paper bag containing two servings of Aleyna's favorite meat burger. Tonight, again she came home late. Whereas before that she had planned many things to do with Aleyna after coming home from work, but unfortunately all plans ended in chaos. Zillion Malloy held her long enough at the bar restaurant they had eaten in before with sad stories that she didn't know whether they were real or just the man's creation. Because she did not see any signs of sadness on his face, instead she saw a lonely face that was clearly printed on his face.

"Where have you been?"

"Oh hi, where's Aleyna?" asked Caroline eagerly.

Her strength today is drained quite a lot because of some problematic clients she is handling today. She wanted to immediately run into her room and dive into her comfortable soft bed, and fall asleep there until the next morning without interruption. However, it was clear that she could not do it. Aleyna still needed her, she had to accompany Aleyna after Jihoo came home.

"In the back yard, feeding the fish."

"Fish? Since when did she have fish?" asked Caroline incredulously. She actually doesn't like having pets in her house, but Aleyna loves it. The little girl always nagged her to have a pet. And because of the whining from her little daughter, finally last year she bought a very cute kitten for her daughter's birthday. But luckily the cat left.

She was really grateful when one month later the cat could not be found anywhere. Suddenly the cat disappeared from her house and made Aleyna cry hysterically all day long. However, the problem was easily resolved because Aaron immediately calmed Aleyna down with a variety of powerful seductions to relieve Aleyna's very loud crying.

"I bought it, she kept pointing at the little fish when I asked her to buy fish at the market. I've cooked for dinner, Aleyna's also eaten."

Caroline nodded in resignation and only gave her thumb in response because she was lazy to speak. She was tired, and she was eager to run to her room to lie comfortably on her very — seductive soft bed.

"Then take this home, I bought it for you earlier. But if you guys already eat, you better take it home. I've also eaten with my client."

"Client?" Jihoo asked, stopping her steps. Caroline turned briefly towards Jihoo, then shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly as she walked off towards her room on the second floor.

"Which client can take you away out of counseling hours?"

"An annoying client that I really can't avoid and I have to go along with him."

"Who? A man?" asked Jihoo again stopping her steps. Caroline glared sharply at Jihoo and decided not to answer the chatty man's question. Moreover, if she was determined to answer it, that man would increasingly harass her with endless questions later. And it's very troublesome for her!

"Remember your professional code of ethics, you still remember it, don't you?"

"Hmm, just go home. I am tired," replied Caroline from the second floor.

The woman with unsteady steps immediately walked towards her room while thinking about the words Jihoo had said earlier. She really had to be careful with that man. Not because a man is bad or something, but she could make mistakes like some cases that have happened to her fellow professions.

"Mommy."

Out of nowhere Aleyna suddenly came and bumped into her body. In a pampered manner, the little girl hugged her mother's flat stomach while leaning her head comfortably there.

"Mommy, Aleyna has fish."

Caroline stroked Aleyna's long hair softly and nodded her head in understanding. As long as her daughter is happy, she will grant Aleyna whatever wishes. Including keeping a pet she really doesn't like. She hated taking care of weak creatures who would eventually die in vain at her hands if she dared to take care of them. But it can't be helped, it's for her daughter. So she had to do it.

"Honey, you can raise fish, but remember, don't forget to feed your fish so they don't die."

“Ok mommy! Aleyna will definitely take good care of Aleyna fish. Mommy, Aleyna wants milk." whined spoiled Aleyna.

"Wait a minute, Mommy will make milk for you after Mommy changes Mommy's clothes."

Aleyna immediately untied her hand link on Caroline's waist and ran towards her room on the second floor. The girl jogged with her cute little steps, then opened her bag to pick up a set of picture books given by Aaron. When opening her bag, accidentally a paper fell out of her drawing book insert. With a puzzled frown, she picked up the folded white paper and placed it on her desk, along with several piles of books that she deliberately arranged there so that she wouldn't get scolded by her mommy for making a mess of her room.