Chapter 102

102 Can We Be Together?

It had been almost two weeks, Arthur had not come to Kalea’s apartment without saying a clear reason. Kalea did not ask any further because she did not want to make the man uncomfortable. After all, it was not the first time Arthur had done it either. However, she suspects that Arthur is trying to get close to his ex-girlfriend, Aurora Claire.

“So you already know about Arthur’s past?” Zeline asked while eating cookies made by Kalea.

Today, Zeline graciously accepted Kalea’s invitation to stay at the girl’s penthouse. After twice Kalea was rejected by Zeline, and this time her efforts paid off. The blonde girl was also quite concerned, especially when Kalea was begging with a sad face like a hungry dog.

“Yes. After that night, he came to my house and pulled me back here. He told me about that woman,” Kalea answered flatly, her hazel eyes still focused on the film series they were watching.

“Looks like they’re really going to be together again,” Zeline said, making Kalea immediately turn to her.

“You think so too? Zeline, his ex-boyfriend is really very gorgeous! Looks like God was in a good mood when created her,” Kalea muttered, her expression deep in thought and a little pity for herself for being insecure about Aurora’s beauty.

“Don’t be crazy, Lea. Then what about you? God was in a bad mood when He created you?”

“... your words seem to make it clear that I’m ugly,” Kalea said.

“I’m joking. Basically, what would you do if they were really together? You’d just give up?” Zeline asked, pointing cookies with a red velvet flavor at her friend. One of the other reasons that made her accept Kalea’s invitation was because there were lots of delicious foods made by the brunette girl. Any food that Kalea makes is unquestionably tasty.

.....

Kalea blinked, she frowned in thought for a moment. “What do you mean? Of course, I’ll back down. I’m not a beautiful female rival like Arthur’s ex-girlfriend,” the girl replied.

“So weak.”

“Hey, I’m just a sugar baby, not Arthur’s lover. Of course, my position is different from her.”

“But Lea, there’s something I want to ask you,” Zeline said suddenly serious. Kalea was also involved in the serious atmosphere.

“W-what?”

“How did you feel when Arthur told you about his past?”

Kalea was silent, she did not know how to describe her feelings at that time to Zeline. Actually, she is still trying to understand her own feelings, whether she really only thought of Arthur as a sugar daddy or something else, Kalea still did not understand.

“You like him?” Zeline asked again, breaking Kalea’s daydream.

“H-huh? That’s impossible!”

“Just be honest, actually it’s not a strange thing in a sugar dating relationship,” Zeline said casually, continuing to devour cookies until the remaining half of the tin. She had already guessed that there was something more between Kalea and Arthur’s relationship. Well, it’s hard to resist the man’s charm.

“He’s very nice,” Kalea said quietly.

“I know it.”

“What he’s been doing all this time is actually wrong, but I can’t really blame him. Because he’s afraid to love someone sincerely and then make his possessive nature appear again.”

Zeline who wanted to eat her cookies again stopped and then turned to Kalea with a lazy look. “So do you like him or not?”

“I told you not.”

“Don’t deny, after all, it’s only me here. There’s no sound tracker, right?” Zeline asked lightly.

“Besides, liking him is useless. Instead of me being his toy, it’s better if I date myself,” Kalea grumbled, snatching the cake tin from Zeline’s hand.

“Huh? Did you forget? You’ve become his toy.”

“Ah, thanks for reminding me. Argh! I don’t know, Zeline. I don’t want to hope for anything from him, because in the end I’ll be the one getting hurt, right?” Kalea whispered suddenly gloomy. Unknowingly said that she liked Arthur.

Zeline only looked at the change in her friend’s attitude, she no longer asked about Kalea’s feelings because it was very clear from the girl’s words and attitude. Even though Kalea was still avoiding the complicated reality.

***

Arthur walked into a familiar five-star restaurant in his memory. The last time he came here was about ten years ago when he was in college.

A waiter approached him and said, “Good evening, sir. Have you made a reservation?”

“Yes, by the name of Aurora Claire.”

“Okay, let me take you.”

Arthur smiled back at the waiter, then followed him to the table that had been ordered. His eyes stopped at a woman who was waiting for him at a table with a view of the city shining at night. The table had always been their favorite at the time.

The woman turned and now their eyes met with a sweet smile that makes her face even more charming. Arthur thanked the waiter and sat down in the chair in front of the woman.

“You came on time!” she exclaimed, looking very pleased with Arthur’s arrival.

“Really? I think I’m late,” Arthur replied casually and then opened the menu book as if he did not want to make a lot of small talk. After confirming his order, Arthur raised a hand to call the waiter. “You’ve also decided what to eat, right? Aurora?” Arthur asked, smiling so thinly it was barely visible.

“O-oh, yes. Just like you,” Aurora answered awkwardly.

Arthur did not ask further and told the waiter what their orders were. However, Aurora is surprised when Arthur does not match their orders but orders her favorite food at the restaurant.

Aurora bit her lower lip, looking at Arthur with teary eyes. She did not think he would remember her favorite food. And after the maid left, Arthur was a little surprised to see Aurora look like she wanted to cry.

“Are you okay?”

“Hm? Oh, yeah! I’m perfectly fine,” Aurora replied, smiling very sweetly. “Sorry. I interrupted your time again; for some reason I want to go to this restaurant again after the last time I went with you,” the woman said, trying to be nostalgic and hoping that Arthur would still remember their memories together here.

Of course, Arthur still remembers. He tried his best to avoid the restaurant, which was their routine place when they were still dating. He even asked Juan to blacklist this restaurant so that there would be no dinner with anyone.

“Arthur,” Aurora called, her face serious.

“Yes?”

“Um ... actually I wanted to ask this a few days ago. Do you have a boyfriend?” Aurora asked, looking at Arthur expectantly. She wished he would say no, especially since they’d been together for almost two weeks, which made her wish for Arthur to be by her side again.

Arthur smiled meaningfully, looking at Aurora’s beautiful face, which he never got tired of seeing even when he still loved her very much. There is no obvious change, Aurora is even more beautiful in her thirties. It’s strange if his ex-girlfriend is not married or even has a lover. It was strange to wait for the toxic man who had restrained her like a pet to even hit Aurora at that time. Arthur really did not understand this woman’s mindset.

“I don’t have that kind of relationship,” Arthur answered simply.

“Then who’s the woman you brought to Janice’s wedding? She is beautiful and seems very young,” Aurora asked again, very curious and wanting to get a lot of information from the man.

“I told you she was ... my friend.” This time Arthur answered quite doubtfully, his tongue seemed not to accept that he thought of Kalea as just a friend, even though it was a lie.

Aurora looked happy, but she neutralized her facial expression so it wouldn’t be too visible. “So the rumors of you messing with a lot of women are true?”

“Well, you could say that. I don’t want the past to happen again.”

Arthur’s words seemed to offend on purpose. That man keeps playing with her feelings. One moment was happy, then sad, and it happened again and again. “Sorry, I traumatized you.”

“You should be the one who is traumatized. Why do you still want to be with me while you are being tormented, as long as we are dating? “You are not free when you are with me, Aurora,” Arthur said, his face irritated.

“It wasn’t me who thought that, it was you. Didn’t I always say that I was absolutely fine?” Aurora replied, smiling bitterly. She dared to hold Arthur’s hand, and luckily she was not pushed away at all by the man. “To this day, I still love you, Arthur. I know you did all these things because you didn’t want to lose me, you were so disappointed that you unknowingly hit me.”

Arthur bit his lower lip, staring at the woman in disbelief. The woman who had a big influence on his life so far. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to neutralize the feeling that was rumbling in his chest. He returned the woman’s grip with both hands, which surprised Aurora. “Are you sure you want to start over with me? Don’t you think things can go back to the way they used to be? I can make you feel no longer free again.”

“As long as we still love each other, it doesn’t matter to me. I just want to be with you, Arthur.”