A knock on the door startled Novie as she tried to finish her lesson plan. The door opened and her brother came in, suspicious paints in his eyes.

"Do you know Mr. Chu?" he asked, her brother moved his face closer, interrogating her.

Novie avoided his eyes and went back to her papers, "I don't know what you're talking about." She replied in a straight tone, she knows that if she stuttered, her brother will notice, and knowing him, she's certain he will not stop until he gets the answer.

"Are you sure? You were acting weird. It's either his face struck you so hard or you are hiding something" he continued interrogating her.

She swallowed hard, "really? Tell me, Mr. Sherlock, what's your deduction?" she closed her book and turn to his direction with annoyance.

Her brother sighed and stared at her so deep as if he's thinking, (Whoa! he's really thinking, well this is shocking, I didn't know he has a brain)

Then her brother smiled wickedly and stood up, seeing him grinning like a psychopath, her hearts trembles.

"As I tried to analyze the situation and your reaction, I came up with two answers" her brother patted his chest as if he's proud of himself.

(Yeah, One is you finally realized you have a brain and second you're just as stupid as your muscles!) she blurted inside.

"First, you like him so much that you fell in love which is sad because I don't think he likes your kind" her brother run his eyes over her body, scanning her.

Then he shook his head" Second if he's Ander's friend. It means you have seen him before..." Novie's heart jerked, sweat formed in her forehead.

"Your sweating… ha ha ha… I knew it" her brother folded his hands together while smiling from ear to ear, meanwhile, Novie's body started to tremble.

"What?" she faintly asked, her brother must have figure out her past relationship with Ken.

"You must have scammed him before, so what is it? Did you try to scam his money? or offered him one of those pyramid scams?"

Novie flattened her expression and she can feel her soul coming back, she sighed and took the pillow from her bed and hit him hard.

"Do I look like a scammer? You look more scammer than me" she keeps hitting him.

"And what do you mean that he doesn't like my kind? What am I alien?" she transferred all her frustration to the pillow when her brother seized the pillow from her, she felt the pain in every hit he throws at her.

"Ugh! Stop it, don't you know how to treat a woman" she complained and ran to the door.

"Who said you're a woman?" her brother replied, they were running in the hallway when they saw their father's figure standing on the stairs, they could see the fire in his narrowed eyes.

"We have a visitor, you're embarrassing us," he said and asked them to go downstairs.

The two looked at each other, they both had their face crinkled.

—

Novie tried to compose her body, her parents were sitting in the living room together with Ken.

She discreetly glances at him only to see him staring at her, she sat next to her mother and tried to squeeze her body, blocking Ken's eyes from staring at her

"Mr. Chu, I saw the news about your wedding, are you with your wife?" her mother asked.

"No, we cancelled the wedding" Ken replied.

"Oh! I am sorry to hear that" Novie shut her eyes, she knows her mom, she loves celebrity gossips.

, (Please mother, don't ask! don't ask!) she prayed inside.

"What happened?" her mother moved closer to Ken while her eyes glisten with excitement.

"She realized that I don't love her so we canceled the wedding" Ken responded. When she looked at him, he doesn't seem bothered by her mother's question, (Seriously? can you not be so open to a stranger)

she blurted inside.

"Why? don't you love her? She's pretty and perfect" her mother asked.

There was a moment of silence before Ken replied.

"I am in love with someone else, and I think she had accepted the fact that marriage without love and trust is not going to work" His words hit her hard.

She bites her lower lips and thought (He loves someone else? Who? Me?) she asked herself.

"Mr. Chu, you are so romantic, the woman you love so much must be so lucky to receive that kind of devotion" her mother's expression soften and held Ken's hand.

"What happened? where is that woman?" her mother asked.

Novie widened her eyes, her minds start thinking of a way to interrupt their conversation, but it's too late, Ken already parted his lips to answer her mother's question.

"Five years ago, I met a woman, we fell in love and I proposed to her, Sadly she left me without explanation. So I came here to get her back"

her mother squeal put of romantic excitement, " you are so romantic!, does is mean your past lover is living in this island?" she continued asking.

"Mary stop it" her father said and turned to Ken, "please excuse my wife, you don't need to answer that" he spoke in an apologetic tone.

but Ken shook his head, "that's fine, and yes, shes from here" Novie looked at Ken, their eyes met and she could see his pupil dilated from the distance.

she gulped and looked away.

"what is her name? I know everyone here maybe i can help you"

Novie's body stood up to send Ken a signal not to answer the question, she glared at him in discreet.

She turned silent, she doesn't know what to do or what to say since all her family is looking at her after she got up.

She cleared her throat and looked around trying to find an excuse. when she saw the flowers in the vase, her lips parted to speak.

"I- I forgot to water the plants… I will – will be back" she stuttered and ran outside without waiting for her parent's response, as she opens the door, she could hear her brother's voice.

"Who water that plants in the evening" she slammed the door behind and shut her eyes.

Her body is shivering while Ken's voice play in her mind.

(Get her back)

(Get her back)

(Get her back)

She squat while pulling her hair, (Damn it! Oh my god! What should I do?)

she went to their small garden and walks back and forth, thinking of a way to escape the situation.

Suddenly, she thought of Ken's appearance.

His brown hair and slightly tanned skin, he was wearing a simple black shirt and pants and his broad chest didn't escaped her sight.

She shook her head to remove his figure in her mind, (Seriously! What is he thinking?) she asked herself.

--

Novie blinked after she saw Ken's figure walking closer to her, (yesterday was the most nerve wracking moment of my life) she thought.