Chapter 3
"Come on, have a seat. Is it cold outside? Your hands are freezing. I'll have the waiter bring you a cup of warm water to warm you up," Alex said.
I stood there, feeling invisible.
But Claire wasn't about to let me off the hook.
She shifted the spotlight onto me.
"Mia, why are you leaving so soon? Come on, let's catch up," Claire said.
She dragged me back into the private room, not giving me any chance to escape.
She started teasing me without restraint. "So, you spent three years studying abroad, huh? Did you ever date any foreigners? I heard they're pretty wild in bed."
Claire's crude nature hadn't changed one bit.
Her behavior was downright nasty, disgusting, and vulgar.
My face went pale. I had no intention of responding.
But Alex couldn't resist twisting the knife.
"Honey, what about me?" Alex teased.
"Alex, you're the best. No one else even comes close," Claire replied.
"Wow, Alex and Claire are flirting right in front of us. Is this premium content or what?" someone joked.
"Come on, let's see a kiss!" others chimed in.
With everyone egging them on, they kissed again.
I never thought Alex, who used to be so well-spoken, would stoop so low.
The saying was right. If you lay down with dogs, you got up with fleas.
Alex felt dirty to me now.
"Uh, I'm still jet-lagged. I think I'll head back and get some rest," I said.
I got up to leave.
But Claire jumped at the chance. "Let me walk you out."
She clung to me like she couldn't let go as we stepped outside.
"Hey, stop right there," she called out.
She dropped the pretense and told me to stay put.
Arms crossed, she sneered, full of arrogance, "Well, well. Mia, bet you never thought I'd actually snag Alex, huh?"
I really couldn't care less, so I didn't reply.
Claire continued, "Alex used to swear he only loved you, but now he's marrying me. Isn't that hilarious? You always claimed I bullied you, but guess what? I'm not done tormenting you, now or ever!"
"You're insane!" After snapping at her, I spun around and walked away.
Sitting in the taxi, I watched the scenery recede outside the window, and my mind was a mess.
Just now, I really wanted to yell at Claire, "You psycho, get the hell out of my face!"
But the shadow she cast over me was something I could never shake off.
If Alex hadn't been there for me, protecting me back then, I probably would've ended up in deep depression.
But somehow, as an adult, I'd grown a lot when it came to managing my emotions.
Her petty scare tactics meant nothing to me now.
But just now, that fear I'd tried so hard to bury came rushing back.
Could it be because of Alex?
That night, jet lag had me wide awake. I couldn't sleep a wink.
The Stone family had been keeping a suite for me all these years.
When I lay in that bed at the Stone residence, everything felt so strange and distant.
Unable to sleep, I got up and pulled out a long-forgotten wooden box from under the bed. Its surface was thick with dust.
I brushed off the dust and opened the box.
Inside were all the love letters I'd written to Alex, along with a little doll he once gave me.
He said that whenever I felt sad, I could squeeze the doll, and it would soak up all my pain for me.
After that, I should hang it up in the sunlight, and it'd bounce right back, like nothing ever happened.
Alex had put so much heart into helping me get through those rough days.
But now, I couldn't wrap my head around it. How could he be the one to bring back all those old fears?
The guy I used to love was marrying the person who made my life hell.
I never saw this coming.
This messed me up way more than I ever thought possible.
Then I fell asleep in a haze.
At dawn, a phone call jolted me awake.
"Mia, you lazy ass, are you up yet? Get your butt over to the café at Tangolia Plaza. I'm buying you coffee," Alex said.
Ever since Alex started hanging out with Claire, he'd gotten way more cocky and reckless.
Gone was that calm, dependable side of him.
He was nothing like the Alex I used to know.
Alright, now that I was back in town, it was time to lay it all out and say what needed to be said, once and for all.
I arrived at the café.
Sunlight bathed Alex's back, and his signature silky hair was gleaming under the rays.
That figure was so familiar, yet suddenly felt like a total stranger.
He turned around, saw me, and waved. "Mia, over here."
When I walked over, Alex did what he always used to. He pulled out my chair, straightened the napkin for me, and even ordered a hot Americano.
I stared at the steaming Americano, not saying a word.
"Why aren't you drinking? Don't you always go for iced Americanos? But it's too early for something cold, so I got you a hot one instead," Alex said.
I let out a sneer.
I never drank Americanos, hot or cold.
They were way too bitter for me. I hated anything bitter.