The door reverberated when Angela slammed it shut as soon as she got inside her apartment. She closed her eyes, trying so hard to calm herself down as she was still fuming. Her hands trembled that she had to clench it tightly to stop it from shaking. And her heart raced while the scene from earlier kept replaying through her mind.
The feeling of mixed emotions overwhelmed her that she could barely recognize what they were—although she was sure that anger and hurt laced her heart, there was something else that was inexplicable.
Angela placed her hand over her chest, where her heart should be but immediately winced when her thumb brushed against the skin where she was burnt. She hissed and lowered her hand. That certainly brushed her thoughts away.
She took her clothes off as she sauntered towards the bathroom. And as soon as she hit the showers, she let the water cool down her irritated skin.
It was only the first day of the month, and she already cursed December. How could three months go by so fast, yet her memory of Gael while they were back on the island still felt fresh in her mind? As if she only took a break and now she was back to square one. Why now when she was already okay? Why now when she had already started to feel like she could finally let go?
Letting out a tired sigh, she stepped out of the shower and grabbed a tube of aloe vera gel from one of the drawers in the bathroom counter, and then applied a layer of the cool gel onto the reddened skin on her chest.
Angela had already planned a dress to wear for tonight's date. She looked at the black dress hanging in the walk-in closet to her right, and she grimaced when she realized that it had a plunging neckline. Obviously, she could no longer wear that tonight.
"Ugh," she groaned as she stepped inside her closet and started choosing another dress to wear. Her day hadn't gone well since the morning—she slipped in the living room, ripping her yoga mat in the process, and then after her training, she ran into Gael and burnt herself with coffee. Angela wished this day would end faster.
…
At six in the evening, a black car waited for Angela outside her building. It was one of her father's cars that picked her up whenever she had to go on dates, and then sent her home after if she needed a ride. This had already become a routine for her, so she got in the car as soon as she left the building.
Once she arrived in front of the restaurant where she was supposed to meet her date, her phone rang, and she picked it up after seeing that it was her father while remaining inside the vehicle.
"Where are you?" he asked.
"I have just arrived. How's the gala?" She gazed at the restaurant through the tinted window of the car.
"This resort is marvelous. The Parks always know how to throw a party."
"Has it started?"
"The young president of Crown Resort Group just entered the hall with his partner. It should start very soon."
Angela bit her bottom lip. She was supposed to go with her father and brother to the next town tonight—at Crown Resort where the gala was held, but she had to stay because of the scheduled date.
Clicking her tongue, she mumbled, "You left me here when I should be there. You better win the first prize in the raffle for me."
Mr. Su ignored his daughter's babble and changed the subject. "You have met William Park once, haven't you? He looks like a good man. I should include him on the list…"
A frown quickly ghosted her face. "Isn't he a womanizer? He's always seen with different women every time. Why would you want me to meet him?"
"He is? Hmmm… I don't see him with a date tonight. Are you sure we're talking about the same one?"
Rolling her eyes, she massaged her head when she felt an incoming headache. "It doesn't matter who, Dad. I have to go now."
"Alright... Remember to stay respectful and give the man a chance—"
"I know the drill, Dad. I won't humiliate you by being difficult to these people."
She heard a sigh from the other end before her father told her, "Be safe. Call me when you're home. Bye."
After the phone call, Angela went inside the restaurant. She scanned the room and found the man in the picture that she saw in the folder before leaving her apartment—he was sitting at a table by the window and was busy with his phone.
The mirror to her right caught her attention, and she briefly checked her outfit—a powder blue halter knee-length A-line dress with an open back, and she paired it with white open-toe heels. Putting on a bright and charming smile, she turned and strolled towards him.
"Hello, Paul, right? I'm Angela Su," she introduced herself and extended her hand for a shake.
The man was dressed sharply, and much to her surprise, he got up from his chair and kissed her on the cheek. "It's nice to meet you."
The smile instantly slipped from her face when she felt his lips on her skin. Ew. Feeling close already? It didn't matter that he was good looking. She hated it.
While he pulled out a chair for her, she tucked her hair behind her ear and discreetly wiped her cheek with her palm—wishing that she could wipe the same palm onto the man's suit.
Paul sat on his seat and started, "You're very beautiful… I think I have seen you before, but I can't remember—"
"Hmmm… I get that a lot. Maybe I just have a very common face." Angela felt bitchy today, and she was definitely not in the mood to talk about her past where he must have recognized her.
"No, I swear… I would never forget a face like yours." A supercilious smile cast on his face.
She shifted in her seat, feeling uncomfortable with him. He felt like a predator.
Ignoring his incessant prodding, she smiled. "Shall we order?"
...
Unbeknownst to Angela, someone was watching her inside a black Mercedes that was parked across the street.
"Boss?" the man on the driver's seat probed, looking at Gael in the back seat through his rearview mirror. They had followed the woman since she left her building until she was dropped off at the restaurant. Now, they were just sitting inside the car while his boss was throwing daggers with his eyes. He gulped at the thought of the possibilities of how this night could end.
A crease formed between Gael's brows as he stared at Angela. She looked beautiful with her hair down that it was so hard to look away. It had gotten longer since the last time he had seen her three months ago.
Watching her from a distance, his blood boiled at the sight of her with another man who looked very much like a fûckboy. Without even trying, he had already pictured his fist landing on the jackass's face.
"Just… park it. We're not going anywhere," Gael ordered as he remained seated, his longing grey eyes never leaving Angela.
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