Chapter 89 - Closer to The Truth

The trip home was silent but Allie could hear the loud and painful poundings of her heart. Her fear to get caught halted her urge to cry as she felt their presence just in front of her. She could feel him placing her hand on Cherry's knee as she steered the wheels, the way he always did when they were together. He was now within her reach, and she was even too excited about it but the truth of his betrayal ruined it all. How she wish she coud be brave enough to confront them! But her pride dictated her to swallow up her pain and humiliation silently. She would never beg for his affection. She would never force herself into someone who didn't love her anymore.

Before she knew it, Cherry pulled over to the private entrance of their office home. She hurriedly sat up to get out ahead before Ajie would come out. But then she heard Cherry asked something which abruptly stopped her heartbeat.

"Zheen, shall I inform Sir Dioko about you? He would sure be mad at me if I keep anything from him. "

Before Allie could reply as she was suddenly confused on how to answer her, Ajie returned her question with another question.

"Sir Dioko? " He looked at Cherry squarely with furrowed brows which also made her confused.

"Yes, Sir Hayri or Louise Dioko. " Cherry stared at Ajie with equally questioning arch of her brows but Ajie just took a deep breath and kept his silence.

Allie held her breath in annoyance but she could, in no way, blame Cherry. She didn't know anything and anyone's innocence would sometimes cause trouble than peace. Lost in her thought, Ajie opened up the door unnoticed and she was only brought back to reality when she saw Ajie bending down to lift her up. She was about to protest but then she remembered that if she would speak up, Ajie could surely recognize her voice. She looked up at him just as Ajie also glanced up and their eyes met. She saw his eyes flickered and narrowed, as if he recognized her gaze.

"Miss Zheen, let me lift you up.. "

He said while his eyes lingered on her. She could not refuse so she nodded.

"Please, hold on to my shoulders."

He said and his warm breath caressed her face.

All of a sudden, she wanted to pull down his head and kiss him deeply just as she did a thousand times before. He was rightfully and legally hers and there should be no one else to savor his lips except her. She placed an arm above her shoulders but her whirlwind fantasies made her claw on his neck, instead. She may had closed her eyes but she knew that Ajie was feasting his eyes on her.

"This way, Adrian. " Cherry's voice broke into her reverie and before she knew it, Ajie placed her gently on her bed. He then removed her shoes and tucked her under the covers.

"Miss Zheen, how about removing your covers so that your breathing wouldn't be constricted?"

Before she could muster an answer, Cherry's voice over his shoulders saved her.

"Leave her to me, Adrian. Just wait for me on the couch outside. "

There was hesitation in Ajie's expression but in the end, he still turned his back and went out. Allie heaved out a sigh as soon as he left. She could see that Cherry was also wondering why she was covering herself but just like Ajie, she also chose to keep her silence.

"Thanks, Che. You may now leave me. " Her smile must had reflected in her eyes because Cherry also smiled back.

"No, I would die in guilt if I will leave you here. " Cherry protested with a firm voice.

"I'm already okay. " Allie insisted.

"Zheen, may I ask a favor? Don't say no, please. " She said while clasping her palms together, ignoring Allie's last statement.

"Can I just invite Adrian over to stay with us? It's like this. We really didn't expect that we would meet again this way. We were close friends way back in college so we have a lot to catch up but we cannot afford to leave you. "

Seeing that she would less likely win the argument as this was also what she would do if she were in Cherry's place, she agreed.

"You may use the guestroom." She offered but her heart instantly bled. Would she just be listening to their moans and groans in the next room?

"Whaaaat? No. We will just stay outside your bedroom and talk until morning before I'll send him back to his hotel. "

" But you can't have your privacy. I know how you missed each other and I would understand if..."

To her amazement, Cherry giggled.

"Zheena, what are you talking about? We were just friends and we didn't have any special relationship though our friendship meant a lot to me. "

"Really? " Allie gaped in the revelation but thinking about those photos and videos, she couldn't fully trust her words.

"Yes. We would love it if you can join us. You also want to know my story, right? " Allie stared at her in disbelief. Did it mean that all her heartaches were unnecessary after all? What about the videos?

"Okay but please help yourselves with the dinner. Just cook whatever you can find in the kitchen. " She completely conceded even if she was too afraid to witness their intimacies.

"Thank you, Zheen. I love you. "

Cherry jumped up for joy and then disappeared.

Allie quickly stood up and changed into her home clothes but slipped into another trenchcoat to cover her whole body. She then peeped into her glass door to steal a glimpse of Ajie. And there she saw him leaning on the backrest with tired face, his leg crossed over the other. His eyes were closed and her hands folded over his head. Obviously, those five years of toil and hardwork had made his face and appearance look more matured than his actual age. But he still had that face which Mr. Lopez called as "every woman's dream".

After her dinner by the bed which Cherry brought her and theirs on her mini living room, the two started telling their stories from where they left each other almost six years ago.

Ajie suggested that they should

move to the coffee table so that they could still watch her. The table was situated by the window near and across her bedroom door giving her chance also to see and hear them very well.

"Adrian, I wanna thank again Jeff's dad for acting out the plan well. While the rescue team swarmed over the place to rescue me, they didn't know that I was hiding in the cabin. No one suspected that a sack of sand dressed in a woman's clothes was the dummy thrown instead into the sea..."