Chap 11
“I’m not acting strange. Medusa is too arrogant. I can’t stand her having a relationship with Uncle Gladwin, especially when she openly insults you. Who does she think she is?”
“But it didn’t have to be so confrontational, right?”
Abigail just shrugged. They were now in the living room where a long bench filled with plenty of food was served, and dinner began after a few words from the party organizers.
Flavia was still at Gladwin’s residence, helping the household assistants clean up the leftovers of the guests while some men continued the drinking session in the backyard.
“Are you staying overnight?” Abigail asked, carrying a dirty plate in her hands.
“No, I’ll be heading home,” Flavia replied, placing the plate on the bar table, which would later be washed by the assistants.
“Why? I was planning to stay here and not go back to the apartment.”
“There’s still work I need to finish,” Flavia said casually.
“Work or…” Abigail paused her statement.
“Abby, stop teasing me.”
Abigail chuckled. “It’s your fault for always avoiding when ‘he’ is around.” Abigail said, winking in the direction of Gladwin, who was walking in front of them.
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“Where is the old Flavia? Didn’t you say you wanted to fight?”
“That Flavia is gone since five years ago,” Flavia replied with a melancholic tone.
“Oh, come on, Via. What’s wrong with fighting again?” Abigail whined. She couldn’t just let two people she loved be like this.
“Abby…” Flavia stopped her activity. She looked at Abigail, who also looked at Flavia with her sharp gaze. “You know that everything has changed since five years ago. I’m not the old Flavia anymore. There’s nothing left for me to be proud of in front of him. I don’t deserve to chase after him. He’s more deserving for someone else.” Flavia smiled sadly again.
“Via…”
“Abby, let it go,” she pleaded. Abigail raised both her hands parallel to her head, a sign that she surrendered. Flavia and her stubbornness were not something Abigail could argue with.
A few moments later, Flavia packed her belongings and prepared to leave.
“How are you getting home?” Abigail, who was playing with her phone, now focused on Flavia.
“I don’t know. Do you want to take me home?” Flavia coaxed with a playful tone.
“I don’t want to. I’m tired. So, it’s better for you to stay here.” Abigail continued to persuade her, causing Flavia to pout playfully. She knew that her parents had left some time ago, leaving her behind, thinking that Flavia would stay at Gladwin’s residence.
“Abby…” she whined again.
“Just ask Uncle to take you. He’ll surely do it.” Abigail still didn’t want to give in. The girl even lay down, turning her back to Flavia.
“Well, if that’s the case,” Flavia answered resignedly. Abigail smiled and turned around, thinking that she had won and Flavia chose to stay. However, her assumption was wrong. The girl continued to walk away from the room.
“Hey, Via. Where are you going?” Abigail shouted.
“Home, taking a taxi,” she replied without turning around, making Abigail fume. Quickly, Abigail grabbed her jacket from the wardrobe and car keys from her bag. She chased after her, intending to take Flavia home, but her steps halted at the bottom of the stairs.
“Gladwin, please take Phoebe home,” Mrs. Julie’s voice was heard calling Gladwin. “Honey, where are you going?” The question now shifted to Flavia.
“Home, Grandma.”
“Why are you going home? I thought you were staying here.”
“No, Grandma. I have work that I need to finish. I left the files at home, so I want to go back.” Flavia explained again.
“How are you getting home? Your parents have already left, thinking you’d stay here.” Mrs. Julie informed.
“I’ll go home using an online taxi, Grandma,” she replied again and kissed her grandmother’s cheek.
“Are you going home with someone?” Gladwin, who was now holding Phoebe, asked.
“I don’t know. Do you want to take me home?” Flavia cajoled playfully.
“No need. I’m tired. So it’s better if you just stay here.” Abigail persisted, making Flavia pout. She knew that her parents had left some time ago, leaving her behind because they thought Flavia would stay at Gladwin’s residence.
“Abby…” she whined again.
“Just ask Uncle to take you. He’ll surely do it.” Abigail still didn’t want to give in. The girl even lay down, turning her back to Flavia.
“Well, if that’s the case,” Flavia answered resignedly. Abigail smiled and turned around, thinking that she had won and Flavia chose to stay. However, her assumption was wrong. The girl continued to walk away from the room.
“Hey, Via. Where are you going?” Abigail shouted.
“Home, taking a taxi,” she replied without turning around, making Abigail fume. Quickly, Abigail grabbed her jacket from the wardrobe and car keys from her bag. She chased after her, intending to take Flavia home, but her steps halted at the bottom of the stairs.
“Gladwin, please take Phoebe home,” Mrs. Julie’s voice was heard calling Gladwin. “Honey, where are you going?” The question now shifted to Flavia.
“Home, Grandma.”
“Why are you going home? I thought you were staying here.”
“No, Grandma. I have work that I need to finish. I left the files at home, so I want to go back.” Flavia explained again.
“How are you getting home? Your parents have already left, thinking you’d stay here.” Mrs. Julie informed.
“I’ll go home using an online taxi, Grandma,” she replied again and kissed her grandmother’s cheek.
“Are you going home with someone?” Gladwin, who was now holding Phoebe, asked.
“I don’t know. Do you want to take me home?” Flavia cajoled playfully.
“I don’t want to. I’m tired. So, it’s better for you to stay here.” Abigail tried to persuade her, making Flavia pout playfully. She knew that both of her parents had left some time ago, assuming Flavia would stay at Gladwin’s residence.
“Abby…” she whined again.
“Just ask Uncle to take you. He’ll surely agree.” Abigail was determined not to give in. The girl even lay down, turning her back to Flavia.
“Fine then,” Flavia surrendered. Abigail smiled, thinking she had won, and Flavia chose to stay. But her assumption was wrong. Flavia continued to stride out of the room.
“Hey, Via. Where are you going?” Abigail shouted.
“Home, taking a taxi,” she replied without turning, leaving Abigail fuming. Quickly, Abigail grabbed her jacket from the closet and car keys from her bag. She chased after Flavia, intending to take her home, but her steps halted at the staircase.
“Gladwin, please take Phoebe home,” Mrs. Julie’s voice called Gladwin. “Oh, dear. Where are you going?” The question now shifted to Flavia.
“Home, Grandma.”
“Why go home? I thought you were staying here.”
“No, Grandma. There’s work I have to do. I left the files at home. So, I’ll just go home.” Flavia explained again.
“How are you going home? Your mom and dad have already gone. They thought you were staying here,” Mrs. Julie informed.
“I’m going home using an online taxi, Grandma,” she replied and kissed her grandma’s cheek.
“Come home with me,” Gladwin answered from the other side of the room.
“No need, Uncle. Besides, I’ve already ordered a taxi through the app.” She politely declined. She then walked towards the door, but Gladwin stopped her.
“I’ll take you.” It was a command, not an offer. “Besides, it’s not safe to take a taxi at night.” Gladwin continued, holding Flavia’s arm and leading her to the front door.
Phoebe, who was waiting for Gladwin, suddenly lost her smile when she saw Gladwin leading Flavia. “Flavia?” she asked, looking at Gladwin and Flavia alternately. Flavia, feeling uneasy, immediately released her uncle’s hand.
“Uncle, just take Aunt Phoebe. I’ll take a taxi.”
“No, you can’t. Besides, your things are still in my car. And I also need to talk to your dad. So now, get into the car. Just cancel your order.” He ordered again.
Flavia hesitated. She glanced at Phoebe, who looked at her disapprovingly. But to avoid causing more trouble, Flavia finally opened the back door of the car and sat there, intentionally giving Gladwin and Phoebe a chance to get closer.
For a moment, Flavia felt the sharp gaze Gladwin cast her way, but she ignored it, and in return, she got a smile from Phoebe.
Throughout the journey, Flavia chose to play with her phone, letting Phoebe monopolize the conversation. Flavia didn’t pay attention to Gladwin’s expression, but he sounded like he was responding minimally.
“After the contract with the current hospital is over, I’ll also move to the hospital where you work. Then we’ll see each other more often,” the woman said enthusiastically, touching Gladwin’s arm affectionately. Instantly, Flavia shifted her gaze to avoid feeling jealous.
When Phoebe decided to move to the hospital where Gladwin was working, Flavia decided to change the hospital where she usually went for routine check-ups to avoid that man.