Chapter 148 - Set Up

Slowly but steadily ten days passed by...

After shedding tears of anguish by keeping herself confined in her room, Eva tried her best to sober her broken heart. In this anticipated period of over a week, Clara tried her best to cheer her best friend in such a tough phase of her life. She was careful enough never to mention Zeus in front of her. She tried to indulge herself in watching movies, series while Clara was away at her work so that her mind and heart won't be left empty alone. Even though doing the best she could, some pain is always unforgettable.

At night, though Clara used to share her bedroom along with her, every day Eva couldn't get a blink of sleep in her eyes until late at night. Tears of despair rolled down the corner of her eyes as she glanced at her phone screen wallpaper which she still couldn't change. The amicable wide smile of Zeus was even heartwrenching for her to look at but it was the only solace in her grief.

All those beautiful memories lived and cherished together used to flash in her vision. The happy memories were abundant enough to make her lament with the agony of regret and despair. Though her heart couldn't let go of him...but she was scared of admitting her true feelings for the person because each time she tried to embrace her emotions, the scars embedded deep down in her heart throbbed in pain. 

Helplessly covering her mouth with her palm, trying hard not to make a sound while weeping bitterly she tried her best to let out that emotional turbulence at night. Little did she knew, every single day Clara would observe her mourning silently from behind. Her heart would break apart to see her suffering in hell every night while she tried to stretch out her arm and tap her shoulder to console her broken self...but her arm would stop in the midway.

A heavy glum period of 10 days was finally over. Clara finally decided to come up with a plan to help her fall out of the situation and she was preparing herself to confront her at the breakfast table.

Seated right opposite to her, Eva was gulping down the croissant she had prepared for her. It was one of her favorites and she was well aware of it.

"Umm, Eva...I...I want to tell you about something..." She sounded nervous, squirming her feet beneath the table.

"Yes?"

"Errr, I...want you to meet someone today." Gulping down some water, she hurriedly spat it out.

"Someone?"

"Well, look...don't get me wrong. But...the person is a really good man, Eva."

Hearing her answer, all of a sudden Eva stopped eating and raised her chin up gawking at her sharply. Her eyebrows were scrunched and somehow her words sounded very skeptical to her. "Clara, could you be a little clear about it?" She seemed very palpitated.

Taking a deep huff of breath out, she continued her explanation. "I am talking about Mr. Eric, he is my colleague and possibly we are 2 years apart in age. He is one of the most hardworking men I ever encountered in my life. Not only that, he is overly ambitious and this month he is being promoted to our Chief Manager of the Sales department. Look, he isn't a workaholic at all! Based on his handsome yet elegant appearance, almost every month any female colleague will get a huge crush on him but he prefers to stay aloof--"

"Clara, why are you telling me all these?" Before she could complete her sentence, Eva laid her back against the chair and crossed her arms over her chest. Somehow she sounded a bit bothered while tossing her query.

"Umm, yes...I mean... Mr. Eric is really a gentleman, Eva. I have worked with him for over 5 years and the person really has a kind heart too! To be honest, he...he is looking for a stable relationship and I want you to meet him today." Trying her best to stay calm, she answered her.

For a few seconds, an awkward silence persisted between them which transformed the calm atmosphere into quite intense. Eva was glaring at her with a displeased expression on her face while Clara was trying to avert her gaze away from her.

"So it means, you want me to go on a blind date with that man, don't you?" Quite distinctly, she asked.

"Ye-Yes." 

"Sorry, but I decline it." Taking a deep huff of breath out, she answered quickly in a thick, domineering tone.

Somewhere deep in her heart, Clara was expecting the kind of answer from her. Silently she gulped the rest amount of the water from the glass and straightened her back against the chair.

"May I ask why?" She reciprocated.

"Huh?"

"Why won't you go? What's the reason?" This time, her voice sounded quite irked.

Eva quietly gawked in her eyes looking a little surprised at her reciprocation. She took a huff of breath in and mumbled in a low pitch, "you know the reason quite well, Clara. How can I go on a blind date when I am not prepared myself?"

"So are you going to cry over him every day and night, regretting your life decisions and torment yourself to the core! Is this all you want?" She snapped.

"Clara...I don't mean it--"

"Eva if something is causing you such unbearable misery, you should let go of that pain! Why are you willingly torturing yourself and expecting me to sit back and watch you ruining yourself all over? Bottling up your emotions like this...how will you survive ahead? How can I let you breaking into pieces every day little by little?" 

Hearing her loud yet fervent grumbling, Eva stared at her with her dark eyes glistening in tears. She lowered down her head with a guilt-stricken face and tapped her feet, palpitating in anxiety.

"Eva, think rationally! Zeus is not the only man left in this world! If you can't accept him...why don't you let him go? It's not sinful to seek one's own happiness! It's not immoral to seek a fresh start! Why don't you give your heart a new chance and meet that man? Trust me, I won't set you up with any weird guy! Mr. Eric is really a good man and your broken heart will be mended beautifully if you stay with him!" Her voice sounded very ardent as she mumbled it aloud, desperately trying hard to convince her for the blind date.

"I...I can't do it, Clara... I need some time to make myself prepared for it..." She murmured anxiously, lowering her gaze down from her.

Staring intensely at her for a few seconds, she took a deep breath in and stood up from the chair. Eva was still sitting nervously and looking at her, she muttered her remark. 

"Eva...if you keep holding onto your pain like this, you will forever live with regret. We are solely responsible for choosing our happiness. Don't deprive yourself of seeking it. Mr. Eric will be waiting for you past evening in the Marino cafe. I leave it to your decision whether to meet him or not... I won't force you, Eva. I will head to my work now. See you later, bestie." Her facial eloquence looked a bit sad as she turned her face away, slowly walking towards the entrance.

She still sat all numb on the chair alone facing her eyes down which were glistening in tears. As soon as she walked past the door, a drop of warm tear dripped down the ridge of her nose as she clenched her fist, helplessly. 

......

It was almost 7.30 pm. Sitting inside his giant cabinet, burying his face within files and his iPad, Zeus was staring at some papers flicking a pen in his hand. He wasn't aware of the time it was already and solely focusing on his work.

Since the day Eva walked out of his life, the majority of his time he was investing in the office. Most of his time he was devoted to his work. With a vague excuse that keeping himself busy would help his broken heart to mend itself, he was pushing himself too hard. But not even a single moment passed by when he didn't reminisce of the one he silently cherished in his heart.

His time schedules were messed up. He had developed a severe addiction to smoking to cope up with his inner torments which were directly affecting his mental and physical health. While shifting his gaze up from the iPad screen, he grabbed the packet of cigarette lying beside him on the table and picked out one from it.

KNOCK KNOCK!

When he was about to lit up the cigarette with his metal wolf-head crafted lighter, the sudden door-knock on the door of his cabinet bothered him a bit too much. He was already in a bad mood since the morning and the interruption further elevated her grumpy temper.

"Damn...now who is here to piss me off?" He wondered, frowning his eyebrows while removing the cigarette from his mouth.