Chapter 2

“I’m fine. Sorry, I'm just spacing out,” Lalita replied, lowering her head.

Don’t want to see anyone, Lalita decided to leave immediately. All she wants is to sleep and forget everything…

Fortunately, exhaustion allowed Lalita to fall into a deep sleep. She didn’t wake up until 6:15 p.m.

“Thank goodness it’s not past dinner time yet,” she murmured.

She quickly showered and got ready to head to the hotel restaurant.

At least food could help improve her shattered mood a little, right?

Just as Lalita sat down and began serving herself some food, suddenly...

“I’ll join you.”

Thump!

“Brian?”

Lalita is startled when she realizes that her childhood friend is standing in front of her.

Not much had changed about him. Except that Brian had become more handsome, muscular, and mature...?

At the same time, Brian immediately sat down across from Lalita.

“No one’s sitting here, right? As far as I know, you came here alone earlier, crying, Lit?” Brian asked casually.

Lalita’s eyes widened.

Double kill!

Don’t tell me the man she had bumped into earlier was Brian?

That meant he had seen her looking absolutely terrible earlier?

Lalita wanted to bury herself alive. She keeps trying to stay as cool as she can.

“How have you been, Lita?”

“I’m good. How about you?” Lalita asked, finally managing to regain her composure.

Brian stared deeply into her eyes.

“Bad...” he replied.

“Why?”

“Mom and Dad are trying to set me up with one of their colleagues’ daughters again. They’re dying to hold a grandchild. Tsk!” he complained.

“Hahaha...”

Seeing Brian’s annoyed expression, which is exactly the same as it had been when they were kids, Lalita burst out laughing.

She was just surprised that she could still laugh despite everything that had happened.

“Hey!” Brian scolded, making Lalita stop laughing.

“Sorry,” Lalita said. “Just go along with it, then. You know how persistent your mom is. Just like you, she’ll chase after whatever she wants until she gets it.”

“I don’t want to marry someone I don’t even know, Litaaa.”

“Then get to know her first. Or you could just date one of your female friends and marry her. Easy, right?”

Brian flashed a wide grin, making Lalita feel relieved.

However, that relief didn’t last long because Brian suddenly stared deeply at her.

“Then why don’t we get married?”

“Cough!”

Lalita, who had just taken a bite of crab soup, suddenly choked.

“Drink this first.”

Brian quickly pushed a glass of sweet iced tea to her. Lalita grabbed it with trembling hands.

Yet her eyes never left Brian’s face.

She still couldn’t believe that this man is exactly the same as he had been back then.

His sense of humor is completely outrageous!

“Could you not take your jokes this far?” Lalita scolded after finally calming down.

Instead of feeling guilty, Brian merely shrugged.

“You’re the one who said I should ask a female friend to marry me. You’re my female friend. I’m just taking your advice. Better than marrying some woman I don’t even know, right?”

Lalita immediately pointed her finger at Brian’s face.

“I’m getting married, already.”

She made sure to show him the ring on her ring finger.

“To Aldo?”

Brian’s expression changed immediately. For some reason, his face hardened.

“How do you know?”

“I am working at your dad’s company now,” he replied. “I’ve seen you come to the office several times, but I couldn’t approach you because I happened to be on my way to the meeting outside the office.”

“Ohhhh...”

Lalita nodded slowly, starting to understand.

To be honest, she felt a tiny bit disappointed that Brian hadn’t approached her. But she chose not to make a big deal out of it, considering that they hadn’t been particularly close since college.

Of course, that was because Aldo didn’t like her having male friends!

“If I can give you some advice, just break up with Aldo, Lita,” Brian suddenly said. “He’s not good. You’d be better off with me.”

Lalita smiled at his words.

“Thanks so much for the offer, Brian. But I don’t need to marry someone else just to escape Aldo. I can simply tell Dad that he cheated on me. Dad will kick him out of the company immediately.”

She spoke with confidence.

After all, her father loved her so much.

Lalita believed that her father would always stand by her side.

Besides, Citra wasn’t even Hadi’s biological daughter.

“I’m heading out first, Brian. I hope you find a good partner. Why don’t you at least get to know the girl your parents are trying to set you up with?”

Lalita turned around and walked away. Her heart felt a little lighter, and she was ready to head to the hospital to get herself checked.

Unfortunately, she didn’t realize that she had left Brian behind, silently staring at her retreating figure.