Love at the Nth Time

All's Well Not Ends Well

Chapter 53

Nothing had changed in Seth's office aside from the coming of employees from several departments the moment we sat down. Not aware, and she didn't inform me her dad flew to London last Sunday, three days after he was diagnosed at the hospital.

"You fought with him, and why didn't you tell me?" I asked whilst she was busy collecting the information she needed on every document piled in front of her.

"I don't think that's a good time. You need me more," Seth answered quickly, watching the door click as it was closed by another manager.

It was the time my father caused a scene in the house. The old man wanted to take Rocky and Carla with his other woman. No assurance of bringing them back to us, the family that's left to protect each other acted accordingly.

The depth of the memory and the underlying problem affected my family and me. I couldn't talk, seeing Seth, it turned my heart heavy, recalling the almost similarity of playing a woman's heart and as if, hence, it didn't matter. No, contrary to Seth's situation, did it even matter in the first place?

The door clicked and was opened by Win. He greeted me with cheerful arms extending to hug me. I chuckled, approaching him as Seth shot him an obscene nagging from giving me a heart attack, and she was not aware of it.

"All's well that ends well. You both had a good night, I, with a great one!" Win announced enthusiastically, taking the documents to his boss, who was smiling with full teeth. Win teased her. Seth's laughter echoed in the room, which I discovered precious. It melted my heart even though they're talking nonsensically of their hints about what happened last night to both of them.

Seth excused herself as Ms Anna called her to attend a sudden introduction of the manager's morning huddle.

"Are you ready to go to Europe? That's gonna be two years at most," Win stated as he sat down on the other couch in front of mine.

"I'm- I mean, my stuff is ready." He chortled a little.

"And the owner?" I smiled and shook my head.

"Family."

"Your family shouldn't be a hindrance to grabbing a great opportunity. The boss had a lot of plans she could offer you. Better use them to your advantage." Win winked at me.

Two years resembled a long tunnel with no clear destination even though there's a light in the end. The opportunities proposed pressured me more concerning what I could solely do without the support of anyone, specifically Seth. It's like a dead-end with no other choice but to accept what lies ahead at the end.

"What about you Win? What are your plans this Christmas?" I inquired, deliberating my mind on his life. It was full of social gatherings with friends, family, and relatives. Moreover, his sincere boss, Seth, offered a 6-month leave to Macau next year.

He deserved it, and our chattering went on to his romantic relationship, which he had met the last time he took three-weeks leave.

"The guy is bicurious, which never matters to me, so long as we both make a spark, that kind of deep connection, then we're on."

At 14:35, Seth and I left the company and headed to the Mall. Handing me a black card under her name to spend any way I like, those kinds of offers didn't manipulate me. Weird as it might be, however, I ain't materialistic.

Seth frowned and rolled her eyes. "We have a car, we could even rent a van, and you only bought a few pairs of clothes?" she rebuked me, which made me laugh at her irritation.

"I'm only joking when I said I'll make a list of what I want," I reasoned.

"Nope, I took it seriously. Go back there." She eyed me, pointing to the famous clothing shop where she hung around to a boutique next to it. I pouted, her brow raised, a sign that adorable behaviour would not work with her.

Instead, I bought a lot for my mom and siblings, and Seth helped me as I took my time to choose from loads of great varieties displayed.

"What about mobile phones?"

"No, they're still too young," I responded as we strolled around.

"Hah, we're not in the '70s, baby. What was Nathan love doing? Did he like reading books and what kind?"

Later in the evening, we ate in a western restaurant where she reserved a VIP room. Seth pointed to the fork in her hand as she instructed me the right way of using the cutlery for specific food on the table and how a real lady sat in a restaurant that we could mostly see around London and Rome.

"No, don't use the bread knife. Look at the difference. There's a knife for bread and meat."

"I know that."

"But you picked it?"

"Cause you're too perfectionist! I only touched it a little!" I wailed. Seth cracked up.

"You can't escape from my keen eyes." I hissed, glaring at her. She smiled, eating gracefully at her cauliflower. It's only a cauliflower, yet it made me giggle how attractive she could be.

I slumped in the chair, and we both laughed over the etiquette that I find not for me, though Seth could behave along with it comfortably. She had been acting the same way ever since and only now, I ascertained.

Eyes and attention on her, grateful I met her and the first meeting of finding her beautiful in which, like me, would never get a chance to mingle in her world, yet she's the one who approached me.

Memorising every part of her as she ate quietly in front of me, if I had not known anything about her, would this kind of life cross me? What if all of these were merely a dream? Everything that happened where she's a part of it was a delusion?

If this were a dream, I would never wish to wake up, and if my current reality with her was all I could ask for, I solely hoped it would take the nth time.

"We have two days, Celine." She grunted faintly and opened the door of her car. I hopped in as well, along with the start of the engine. "I'll talk to your mom myself," she declared, as she had the position upon the controversy.

"Wait, wait, let me, give me time." She drove the car above the average speed.

"Time? You had all the time, but what did you do?" I had not told Seth about the deal I made with Chaoxiang because I knew she'd choose to face the concern up front, similar to what's happening right now.

Still, scared I was not to tell her the good outcome of what the church did to mom. Leaving the family, only my siblings could depend on my mom. Which would I choose? Mind convinced me to keep it as a secret as possible, as it wouldn't enkindle an impact on how much I felt for Seth.

My hand wiped the tears that fell on my face. There was no courage to fight over the matter as I was already fighting the battle, and I didn't want her to compromise.

"I'm sorry," Seth uttered monotone. I gazed at her with her eyes on the road. A faint smile formed on her lips and a heavy laugh, she shook her head. "I don't wanna expect too much more than this," her voice broke.

The streetlight went green, and as the distance got closer and closer to the place, I told her to drop me off. There was a burden between us that the small space around us became narrow.

The seatbelt clunked as I removed it from mine, and I raised my body to grab her face. Catching her eyes evading me as I stared at her, it hurt to see her carrying an emotion that used to remain for a long time, but it hurt me more because I couldn't grasp it.

"Trust me, okay?" my voice quivered, gulping down the urge not to drop the tears dwelling in my eyes. Seth nodded hesitantly, taking the time to look into my eyes, and showed the gesture. Her eyes closed along with mine as I kissed her lips gently.

I moved away from her a little. Her eyelashes were the same colour as her sandy blonde hair. She cleared her throat and worriedly asked, "Aren't you gonna take the items?" Her regards to trust, I couldn't bear.

I sat down on the seat and glanced at her before I held the door hinge. "No, I'm thinking you may want to visit the house this Sunday," I mumbled, and her hand pulled the door close, grabbing my face as the back thudded on the door. Our eyes read each other's mysterious connection, and her lips met mine again. This time, it was stronger.