AMBERT WAS SORT of expecting that reaction—or rejection— from Layla as he stared at his phone, at the message of Layla telling him that she would never fall in love with him. And he thought, like what many had been telling him, that he was a lovable guy. What surprised him a bit was that she still delayed telling him that. She could have told him that while she was chewing on a crab leg meat he prepared for her. She probably thought it was awkward to reject him again while they were having that little celebratory dinner. They were supposed to be rejoicing, and rejecting him right there and then would dampen the celebration. It was like turning a happy wedding into a funeral—where Ambert was the corpse. He hadn’t sent her a reply. But no, he wouldn’t bother asking Layla to reconsider. He knew Nancy’s decision wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t change how Layla’s impression on him and on what she thought of him.But what did she really think of him? A player, perhaps, just out to pla

AMBERT WOULDN’T DENY that Sadie’s eyes were the most seductive eyes he had seen and for a moment there, he felt lost and confused while staring at them. And she really was beautiful. She was even prettier in the flesh than in the photo. And she was tall, too, probably shorter by just an inch or two to Nadia. Brian stood up like a good soldier upon seeing his commander, kissed Nadia on the cheek, and sat beside him while Nadia and Sadie sat across from them. It felt like the place just became a garden and two beautiful flowers just sprouted from the two chairs in front of Ambert and Brian. Sadie was holding her cell phone but not looking at it. Both were dressed casually. Nadia wore a pink hoodie over a T-shirt and a pair of walking shorts while Ember wore a white skirt and a black spaghetti strap tank top.Sadie’s eyes glimmered at him like two happy spotlights. Her phone beeped and she didn’t take her eyes off him.“Order what you like girls,” Brian told the two women.“Oh, we alread

AMBERT STARED AT Sadie again and waited for the punch line.Nothing came.“Dylan Wilson is your ex-boyfriend,” he wanted to confirm, and the confirmation, once he got it, would sprout many complications and implications.“Yes,” she affirmed and flashed her alluring smile. Why are you here? he wanted to ask her but he kept his mouth shut. She promised to tell him a truthful story and he would let her finish it without interruptions.“Don’t get upset, Dylan being my ex-boyfriend and being Olivia’s girlfriend now and you being Olivia’s ex-boyfriend have nothing to do with me wanting to know you. None, nada, zilch, absolutely zero. Firstly, I broke up with him, I dumped him, I wanted him out of my life. I’m not here for revenge, like hooking up with you so we can plan how to hurt them or break them up. I don’t care about him. I don’t care about Olivia and their relationship. But maybe, I should be grateful to them because I got to know you through them. You see, when he became Olivia’s b

“PLEASE DON’T DO that,” Ambert said in voice that he failed to stop sounding alarmed. “Just tell me when she’s absent, and I will try to visit you during those days. I think she loves her job. And it’s hard to find a job you love these days.” Anika laughed. “Mister, you’re so funny. You should have known that I was just kidding,” she admonished him. “I’m not petty. Even if you’re my son, I won’t begrudge her for rejecting you and making you cry.” “I didn’t cry,” he snapped. “We don’t know that,” she quipped and chuckled. “And I’m sure you’re old enough and smart enough to forget a woman. You easily dispatched Olivia from your heart, repeat it regarding Layla and you’ll be fine. Layla’s a model employee, hardworking, doesn’t complain. In fact, I’m thinking of promoting her.”“You want her to replace you as the host?”Anika laughed. “Sometimes, I wanna choke you to death.”“I mean, she’d be a good replacement once you set your sight on other worthier

LAYLA CAUGHT HER breath and rushed out of her room. She ran down the stairs and went to the living area where she saw Lillian already walking towards the door.“Lillian,” she called her sister, almost in a whisper while hiding in the wooden partition that separated the living room from the dining area. Luckily, Lillian heard her and glanced at her while she continued walking.She signaled for her to stop, and she stopped. Then, she motioned her to come to her.“What?” Lillian asked her as she approached her. One of her sister’s eyebrows was raised, probably perplexed at her agitated appearance. “And why do you look so tense?”She pointed at the door. “Allan,” she said, still in a soft voice.“Allan?”“Allan’s at the door.”Lillian’s eyes widened. “Allan, your ex?” she asked in an alarmed and a bit loud voice. Layla was still was young, around fourteen, at the time of Layla’s relationship with him and she saw very little of Allan then. But in the last few years, he would pop up once in