I had my reasons

"Kim Berlin? Sounds more like Kimberly." Amanda paused and began to laugh. 

"What were her parents thinking naming her Berlin? So funny" She made a show of whispering to Tom by inching closer, but her voice was loud and audible.

Lisa did not let her words affect her but she felt the urge to stop the car and throw her out. Or better still, snap her neck.

'Relax. Let is slide. She is not worth it.' She reminded herself and focused on driving instead.

Besides, the had also promised her boss she was never going to act rashly for the time being. 

"It's a unique name. Have you eaten yet or you want us to eat first?" Tom quickly moved from the topic before she could ask anything else about Lisa. 

"I ate already. What about you?" She placed a hand on his upper arm and gave him an adorable look.

If she had acted this way around him four years ago, his heart would have burst from over excitement. But surprisingly, he felt numb to her touches now.

"I don't like having breakfasts" He gave her a look as if trying to remind her of something. 

"Oh yea. That's right. I remember. You're a lunch and dinner boy." She began to giggle once again.

"We're here" Lisa announced as the car slowed down in front of a large gate painted in pure white.

A security man who looked more like a bouncer, came over to check who they were and once Tom gave him a card, he allowed them enter.

The compound was really big. They saw flowers, trees, and everything one could think of that made a place look lovely.

They must have put in a whole lot of effort to make the place suitable and comfortable for the elderly people. 

But Lisa was not impressed. She thought they were being hypocritical. 

This place was built and only reserved for the relatives and friends of the socialites in the country. After building this place with the taxes paid by the citizens, they were still discriminated.

There were other nursing homes in the country. If Mr Hwang wanted to really be hypocritical, why didn't he go there instead of coming here?

As she drove past the entrance, she saw a whole lot of people there: Reporters, politicians, their families and many others.

She had been directed by the Security man earlier on where to park the car so she stopped at the car park.

Others were also arriving at almost the same time but she was thankful the park wasn't crowded with people.

Amanda was busy touching up her face with make-up while also waiting for Lisa to open her side of the door for her. 

But she noticed Lisa did not move after getting down from the car. Instead, Tom asked her to come out through his corner after opening the door and getting down.

She forced out a smile and got down from the car while trying not to glare at Lisa.

"Amanda!" A young lady who had just gotten down from the car opposite theirs called her excitedly before rushing to pull her into a hug. 

The lady looked to be in her late twenties just like Amanda. But she had a really unique trait — brown skin, brown hair, brown eyes. 

Even Lisa who didn't like to pay much attention to people could not deny the fact that she was pretty despite wearing a plain gown, flat shoes, and natural face. 

"Selena! Oh my God!" Amanda also wrapped her in a hug and once they broke free, they began to chatter away without bothering to introduce the other to their partners. 

There was a young man standing beside Selena just like Tom who was standing beside Lisa. 

When Tom noticed that the ladies were not planning to end their conversation anytime soon, in fact, they were already walking hand-in-hand, totally forgetting about everyone else.

The young man who had come with Selena followed the ladies but Tom stayed back.

"Hey. Sorry about her." He turned to say to Lisa who had been standing there quietly.

Lisa was a bit surprised to hear him apologize to her on behalf of someone else. 

Did anyone ever cared about how she felt or whether or not her feelings were hurt?

Maybe he wasn't so stupid after all. She took a mental note to remind herself to stop seeing him as 'stupid'.

"It's fine" She replied flatly.

"Since I am here, you should take this opportunity to go out. Have fun or do anything at all. When I'm ready to leave, I'll call you. You can leave with the car." 

Tom had no idea how grateful Lisa was. She had not wanted to join them in this whole thing in the first place.

She saw him move closer and closer and closer until he was standing in front of her.

Then, he dipped a hand into his pocket, took her hand, and placed his wallet on it. 

Her first instinct was to push him away when he first touched her wrist. But she tried to remain calm, reminding herself that it was not a 'danger alert'.

"You should spend as much money as you want. But if you spend too much, it'll be deducted from your salary"

He began to laugh when he saw her staring at him with what could pass for her confused look.

He could not contain his feeling to know he was able to rile up an emotion out of her.

"You should hurry. Have fun." He added before stepping away from her. 

Immediately he took a few steps back, she released the breath she had no idea she had been holding.

"I can't take it" She said in a low voice that surprised her.

When she tried to return the wallet, he refused it. He told her he had already given it to her and it was either she spent it or give it back to him when she came back.

Having no other option, she entered inside the car.

Immediately she drove off, he placed a call across to the private investigator. 

If he wanted to know more about her private life concerning who she was dating, then he had to allow her go out and have fun. 

"She just left now." He informed him and smiled after he disconnected the call.

"I still find it hard to believe what I just saw. Did you just give Germany your wallet?" Joel asked with an exaggerated gasp as he appeared behind Tom with Anna beside him.

"We all saw it." Anna stated.

"But he had never given me his wallet before" Joel said with a pout. 

"Shut up" She scolded before turning to look at Tom.

"Be careful. Did you forget you were both in an open space? What if one of those nosy reporters around had taken a photo of the both of you together?"

"I had my reasons" Tom said uninterestedly. "And why should I be bothered about the reporters when she is my bodyguard?"

Joel began to chuckle. "Bodyguard indeed!"

Tom did not want to start this conversation with them so he quickly asked something else.

"Why are you both coming together? You both didn't hang out without me did you?" 

"He's trying to shy away from the topic." Joel whispered aloud to Anna.