Cherry and Allie shared the same office room, only that Allie's office was separated from her's by a private cubicle. Though it was completely insulated from the outside noise coming from Cherry's place itself, she could always choose to spy on any conversation if she would open the glass window covered by a thick curtain which hanged on the outer wall.Oftentimes, when she needed to ask something from Cherry, she would just slide up the window and pull the curtain to the side. If she had to avoid clients or other investors especially when she was hurrying, she could also take an exit from a door inside her office which directly opened to a private parking space outside the building.
Watching Cherry and Ajie hugging emotionally now from the monitor, she hurriedly but carefully slid up the window without making a slightest noise. She couldn't be seen though because of the curtain. Each thug of her heartbeats now seemed like endless thrusts of heavy iron balls against her chest, creating painful blows. How stupid of her! Why didn't she realize it earlier? The name Cherry Perez never registered in her mind. For more than five years now, recalling this name would always leave her heart stash up in two but she failed to discern it right at the very first moment she met her. . .Perhaps because, her mind was closed to the knowledge that her existence had ended the moment she jumped into the sea. Never did she thought or had taken the possibility, granting the cited reasons for the failure of the search and rescue operation, that she would still live.
However, she was glad she didn't recognized her. She wouldn't have enjoyed their friendship and that she wouldn't have enjoyed the blessing of knowing her. Her dedication and her brilliance made Rough Seas achieved that unexpected growth in those five years of running it. She operated, not only in the whole country of Turkey, but throughout the whole Europe as well. And now, they were about to expand to their own beloved country.
Aside from that, she would have been tortured by her ugly thoughts of her and Ajie and she wouldn't have trusted her. Also because, at the mention of her name, her mind would then fill up the images of Ajie's betrayal on her. Though her photos held resemblance to her actual features, she was far more beautiful and attractive in person.
Here comes the irony of it. She had fully trusted her without a slightest doubt that she was the woman Ajie loved so dearly. How foolish of her to believe that she was the only woman he had loved and the only woman he had touched. Only to wake up from the painful reality through that video Andrew sent her. He couldn't deny it, he was even wearing his favorite shirt on.
Knowing Cherry for five years, even considering her as her bestfriend, confidante and trustee, she could now understand why Ajie loved her. She was not only sweet, thoughtful, good -natured and brilliant, she was also stunningly beautiful even without make up.
"Adrian, thank you so much helping me escape. If not because of you, I could have not enjoyed this freedom. " Cherry looked up to him with tears in her eyes and Ajie reached out lovingly to wipe it.
Ajie chuckled out softly and hugged her once again. "So happy to see you again, Che. Been missing you so badly."
Cherry got more emotional and she comfortably rested her chin on his shoulder with her arms sticking to his back like leeches. "Miss you so much, too. "
After those few tormenting minutes of hugging each other which for Allie seemed like eternity, they released each other and Cherry returned to her seat behind her desk. Their conversation became clearer to her now.
"Any news about Andrew? " Cherry said as soon as she settled comfortably in her swivel chair.
"It seems that you miss him more than me. "Ajie sat down comfortably before her with a leg crossed over the other.
"No way. Loving him was the greatest mistake I made in my life. "
" Stick on the lessons you have learned. You can't deny it. You shared good times together. "
"I don't want to recall it. "She said sadly.
"So you loved me more than him? "Ajie looked at her with teasing eyes to which Cherry laughed out loud.
"Yes, Adrian. I loved you and I don't deny that. I would have gone crazy if not for that stupid feeling I had with you. "
Ajie frowned at her answer. "Stupid?"
"Yes, because you are married. I wish Andrew showed you the diary. I wrote Allie's number there and the details of where to find her. "
"Yea, but that part was not included."
"Really? If ever I'll see him again, I will really crush him. " She swore, gritting her molars.
"Crush him into your arms? " He made a face which made Cherry laugh.
"Crazy! " Cherry exclaimed while throwing a crumpled paper into his face.
Ajie avoided it by catching it with his hand and said something which made Allie's heart bleed. "Stop it, Che. Talking about him make me jealous. "
"You're crazier than ever. " She exclaimed and giggled afterwards. It seemed that Cherry was reminded of something in the past and his statement reminded her of that.
"How about you, Adrian? " Allie could see the joy in his eyes fading into sorrowful glints.
" It's a long story, Che. Take me to a place we could hang out for the whole night. We have so many things to catch up with. "
"I'll try to ask Miss Kiamko's permission first. I have promised Sir Hayri to accompany her at her house for two nights. "
"Who is Sir Hayri? Is she Miss Kiamko's husband or boyfriend? "
"Her employer. " She answered briefly.
"But he asked you to accompany her? An employer wouldn't be that thoughtful to his employees. "
"That's gossiping, Adrian. We have no right to question them. "
"I understand. "
Cherry chuckled out in seeing his reluctance to stop the topic. It gave her the impression that his acceptance to the partnership was not because of his interest in it but perhaps because of his obvious attraction to Zheena.
"Now, let's go to back to business. I am given the honor to discuss everyrhing to you. And I hope that at the end of our discussion, you will sign up a contract with us. Because if you won't, I will feel that I'm not good enough. " Cherry laughed out loudly this time.
"It's not about how good you are but about how beautiful you are in attracting your prospects. " He also chuckled out as he argued with her.
"I'll put that in mind. " She answered with a smile while her eyes were on the slides projected at the white pull down screen by the wall across them.
Allie was already sobbing bitterly when they started to discuss the business side. Those tender eyes when he looked at Cherry were like daggers thrown into her heart. Hearing him say that he missed her so badly and stopping her from talking about Andrew was like a death decree to her ears. Perhaps, if they were not in the office they would already be kissing passionately. Those pictures and the video were after all real and not photoshopped...