Chapter 17 - 17 Dr. Harry Si……he meets the Moon first; is he a rival or a friend

Because she looks like Luna…. My ex-wife…. My Luna… Louie just replied to his question.... Louie looks at the woman lying in bed, now his thoughts if full of doubts. He have doubts towards Sofia…. Towards the Su family…. And to Luna… He don't know where to start his investigation. He can't talk to the Lee couple who is working at Villa 8 because they seem avoiding him every time they bumped to each other; even the other servants that he used to know are also serving that Villa but still they keep their mouth shut if he asked them about Luna.

Sofia slowly opened her eyes, when she saw Louie she begun to sob as she waits for his embrace by she only got a cold shoulder. Louie my dear, what happen? Why are you mad at me? She ask him. Louie just sighed. No, you do nothing; maybe I'm just tried. So how are you now? Do you feel any pain? What happened earlier? Sofia's eyes enlighten as she knows how much Louie loves her for the question she just received from him…. Louie really cares for me….. And he really loves me she thought. ​​

Louie, I may sound crazy but Luna is here a while ago. She disguise herself as a nurse and she talks to me…. and I feel scared, I'm scared what if she takes you away from me…. what if she will ruin our marriage. She told Louie and her tears are flowing to her eyes…. Louie tried to console her by his embrace but he can't because he can still remember those pictures just have been circulating in media and social media is still fresh. He didn't know if he feels pity or disgusted to the woman he marries and love. He thought, if he didn't give up on Luna, he will not be devastated like this; he also knows that the reputation of the Chen family is now ruined because of her, because of her scandal. Louie just pats her back as he console her, his mind tells him to ask her right away, but his heart says no…. it says wait for more information, for more proof of his wife's infidelity.

There is no one here when I came. And Harry already checked the CCTV footages; there no woman or a nurse came here to check on you…. You may be dreaming, you should take your rest now okay…. I'll be back later, I need to see Harry and Kim for security purposes on this hospital. Sofia nodded and follow the Louie's order. She lay down to bed and close her eyes; Louie stood up from the hospital bed and walks out the room. He went to Harry's office wherein his other friends awaits for him.

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Harry Si's Office

Louie enters Harry's office where Ethan and Kim also awaits for him. They need to discourse the top about what happened a while ago to Sofia. But before he settle on his seat so0mething caught the corner of his eyes…. A framed picture of dried rose….. A black rose….. That's the first time he saw that hanging on Harry's office; Harry where that came from? Ethan asked him. What? Oh! The framed black rose, I took it from Café Elise, at Cape Town here at City A. it was left by the maiden I've met there 6 years ago. It was a birthday present to her by one of her friends but she left it in a hurry when she got a call from her grandfather, so I took it, preserved it and framed it. It is a simple keepsake from her. She is very pretty…. No she is very beautiful, simple and full of mystery kind of a girl. I fell smitten with her that time. And even I met her once more I can recognize her because of her smile. Harry explained to his friends. Why did you ask it suddenly….. It's been hanging in that wall for 6 years and you only notice it right now? He questioned Ethan.

Louie suddenly speaks for the group; because that black rose is the reason why Sofia got crazy to her wits a while ago…. Louie suddenly took out the black rose that Audrey left on the top of the hospital bed. Harry was astonished when he saw it….. But how can it be? Is it the woman from 6 years ago got have to do something about what is happening to the two families? We also received a black rose from a package this morning and before we came here my car, Ethan's and my parent's car have the same flower on the hood of the car….. So Harry, will you help us? Louie ask him in pleading tone.

We suspect that the new owners of Villa 8 has something to do with it, we only experience all this phenomenon when they arrive the city, Kim Tang added. Harry thinks deeply. As he wants to help his friends, he also wants to find out who dares to give a scare to the hospital. Yes, I will help you guys but we need to be careful about this. I may be the king of the underworld here at City A but the people you want to investigate are HADES people….. He told them. With curiosity Ethan ask for further enlightenment of who or what is this HADES…..

HADES is a big mafia organization in Italy and City of Wise, an organization of the elites, royalties and powerful people. No one dares offend the people of HADES especially the immediate family of the founder; the founder of it is King Rupert Vallini. He passed it on to his son Duke Lawrence Vallini who is now known as the merciless, ruthless, cold hearted and cruel leader of the organization. Harry explained to them…. So you mean we will be get a hard time to infiltrate to this family and to the HADES group. Kim Tang questioned him. Harry nodded. They all went to silence. Everyone thinks of a way to how they can get an information's towards the organization. All information's about the identities of King Rupert and Duke Lawrence family is classified and even their government can't unveiled it to anyone. Their organization is highly recognize both by the government and the community itself; and even I have one of the best hackers here in City A, I can't penetrate to their information system because it is highly secured. Harry added.

Sofia told me that Luna disguised herself as a nurse a while ago and visited her, Louie suddenly breaks the silence enveloping the entire room. I really don't know what to do right now…. And we still need to investigate about the media uproar about Sofia's scandal. Ethan blurted out. The IT Department already blocked the news about the photos and even in the social media, it seems that the culprit wants to ruin Sofia's image Louie, Kim Tang said. This gives me a migraine; said Ethan whom gives a deep g.r.o.a.n.e.d. But Louie….. Louie is just silent….. He was a bit doubtful for what will be the outcome of their search…. What if Luna is alive? What will he do? Can he divorce Sofia and pursue his ex – wife again….

Let's call it a day, and may be by tomorrow we can have a better plan to solve to the problem. Louie you take care of your wife; and you two…. Go home and think any other ways how we can befriended those persons whom you have mentioned to me earlier. And as for me, I have to contact my men to conduct further research about them. Harry ordered them.

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Harry's office

Louie's group already left his office; he stands up and went to the wall where the framed black rose is, he gave a deep sighed as he recalls the woman with great smile….. The one who gives him a fast heartbeat that time…. It gives him butterflies on his stomach as he remembered the face of the woman. He didn't get a chance to know her name; all he knows about her is that she likes the black rose, loves to drink coffee while reading a book and that day is her birthday. That day is their first and last encounter, he always goes to that café just have the hopes to bumped onto her again.

**FLASHBACK OF HARRY**

Café Elise, at Cape Town

Excuse me Miss, if you don't mind may I join you if you don't have a company? The place is jumped pack with many customers and I would like to seat here in the café just for a while because I only have a 2 hours break from my work. Harry asked with a pleading tone to the woman who is sitting in the right corner table. She was reading a book "Merchant of Venice" while having a coffee. The woman looks up then smiled….. Sure Sir, you may join me. The woman smiled at him. Harry's body become stiff as he saw how she smiled at him…. It's the brightest and lovely smile he had ever saw. It is not a full of flirtatious smile he always received from other woman he met. Her smile is so innocent, she seems that this woman doesn't know who he was and he thought that may be this woman is new around the area.

Harry immediately sat down as he was already mesmerized to the girls smile…. He keeps on glancing on her as he feels that the woman doesn't care if she has a company or not…. Before Harry doesn't like women, he is not a gay but he is not just interested to women who are vicious. Who throws themselves just to get his attention? Who will scheme something just to become his girlfriend, climb his bed or just simply get unto his pants. But this woman in front of him is different to the girls he met. Ahem! He coughs, he wants to get his attention of the girl in front of him. Suddenly the woman looks up on him, puts down her book and raise her hand as if she will order for something. Excuse, as she ask the waiter. Sir can I have a ginger tea with a honey on it, then a chicken sandwich for two, and an apple crumble that has no whipped cream on top. Thank you sir. The waiter wrote on his pad for her order and left.

You must eat a less sweet dessert for you have a cough and you must not drink anything cold so that it will not damage your throat. She suddenly blurted out as she started to communicate with him. Harry blushed as he didn't know how to answer her. The waiter gave her orders, she just simply handed the ginger tea and chicken sandwich to him…. Here, eat this sandwich and drink the tea…. It's my treat for you. Why are you treating me a meal? Aren't you afraid of me? I'm a stranger? He asked her. She just smiled and answered him. Don't throw questions so rapidly, you can ask it to me one at a time…. Then she giggled.

Suddenly she pause for a moment…. For your first question, why am I treating you a meal….. Well today is my birthday and I don't have a family to celebrate it with…..? My maternal grandparents are so busy preparing for my upcoming arrange marriage with a man whom I still didn't met; so it means that I'm totally marrying a stranger. I'm also treating you because this is my last day of becoming single because next month I will be a married woman. For your second and third question; no I'm not afraid of you… you look so decent and handsome… like a Greek God with a features of tall, dark and handsome…. You seems to be a caring and loving person. And if you are a stranger so be it… we are just talking for today but I'm marrying a stranger… then that will be worst part of my life…. I'm much more afraid to marry a stranger than meeting someone like you…. You know what love is? Love is like a barren place, and reaching out for human faith is…. Is like a journey and I just don't have a map….. She explained in just a bit that makes Harry so amaze to her. She is very intelligent Harry thought and not only that… she speaks with a tongue of puzzle knowledge.

Then out of nowhere someone shouted... Moon!!!!!! Moon!!!!! A lady run towards their table... she stand up and hugged the woman on here side….. Cassie how are you? She asked as her friend pants to get her breathing in a regular rhythm. Moon I'm so sorry if I can't celebrate your birthday today…. I have a fly to Europe for the upcoming fashion show there. And you knew that this is my dream right. The woman who she just called Moon nodded. Yes, Cassie I know that and you don't have to explain everything to me…. just call me when you get there okay…. Then they embrace to each other. Oh, by the way I have a gift for you…. She handed a box and she spoke up about what's inside the box. Moon my gift to you is Fed by the waters of the Euphrates, it is an extremely rare flower grown in the village of Halfeti near the historical Urfa province, presents a unique natural beauty. The flower growing in that region requires a certain pH level, and even though it blooms red, it turns to black as the summer season progresses. Cassie explained to her. Moon opened the box and saw the precious item inside… Oh Cassie, thank you for your gift….. She hug her tightly…. Thank you so much girl and she smiled. Harry is just staring to them. He doesn't want to interrupt to their simple kind of reunion. I'll be back the day before your wedding Moon, Cassie told her. But she sighed. I really have to go now Moon, wait for my call okay. Then her friend leaves her….. She sat down on her chair and still gazing to the black rose inside the box.

It seems that your friends loves you dearly Ms. Moon. Harry tells her. She smiled to him…. Yes they do love me and I loved them also…. They are very important to my life. Happy Birthday Ms. Moon, Harry greets her. I'm sorry I didn't bring any gifts for you, I don't know your likes…. He again told her….. Sir a simple greeting is enough for me… as long as you greet me, and remembers me on my birthday… its okay with me… that will be a greatest gift for me….. She replied…..

Is it your name really Moon? Harry chuckles while asking her, then she giggles... No, that's not my name… it was my nickname….. They just called me Moon because of my real name and my face looks like a full moon….. Then they both laugh... actually my name is....before she finished her statement her phone rings…. She answered it.... Hello…. Yes I'm their granddaughter…. What do you mean by accident? Where? What hospital? Oh okay I'm coming…. She stood up and took out some cash pay for the meal they have….. Sorry Sir, but I have to go now…. My grandparents needs me… maybe someday we will meet again….. Then she got all her things and left….. But suddenly she turned her back to see Harry's gazing eyes on her….. Let's meet here on Friday… same time as now…. Same table okay…. Then she smiled and run.

Harry just smiled as he was left alone on the table… it looks like he was dumped by his date….. But he suddenly saw the box that her friend gave to her…. The black rose is still inside…. She left the gift…. Harry took the gift, she went to the counter and ask for reservation of the particular spot on the café. Since they will meet on Friday… he will keep the gift, preserve it and returned it to her... maybe by that time he will get her name…. he will get information's about her as he wants to pursue her to be his girl. Harry felt his c.h.e.s.t… it constrict tightly but he is not in pain…. Happiness maybe….. Then he thought…. Is this what they called LOVE? Do I fall for her on first sight? Oh…. I love her smile…. And her eyes is full of mysteries….

But Friday came and he was at that spot… she never come….. He do some researches about a girl named Ms. Moon but she was nowhere to be found. Harry promised to himself that he will find her, even if it takes time… he will definitely find her…

**END FLASHBACK **

Harry sighed deeply… I hope the woman who is involved to this ruckus is not you Ms. Moon… but even you are involved or if you are the one who cause all of this… I will protect you….. I will protect you even I turn the world upside down….. That's how deep my love and longing for you.

And whoever that girl named Luna just like Louie have said that she is his ex-wife….. If ever you are the same person, it will not stop me for loving you Ms. Moon… I'm willing to give up my friendship for Louie just to be with you, to keep you mine...he have lost you now….… I will be here for you Ms. Moon.... He stroked the framed black rose as he close his eyes and reminisce Ms. Moon's smile...

I may be Louie's friend but when it comes to you… I will be his rival….. I will not let you go away from my clasped….. I will fight for you Moon…..

Harry suddenly sang some lyrics of the song "Moon and Back by Savage Garden";

I would fly you to the moon and back

If you'll be, if you'll be my baby

I've got a ticket for a world where we belong

So would you be my baby?