Ribbon Cutting and Opening Ceremony (3)

Michael continued babbling, he told her about the gifts he delivered but returned to him because no one wanted to receive it from her household and that he thought she already returned aboard without saying goodbye to him, he even asked for another chance to her dismissing that fact that Zoey already rejected him during his confession at the wedding.

He sounds like a broken record. Saying nonsense to her. When Zoey finished what is on her plate, she stood there and went to get another serving. Hosting indeed drain her energy. Impromptu hosting killed many of her brain cells. Only food can help her replenish her senses.

Seeing that Zoey walked away from him, Michael immediately followed her behind, not leaving a single step or move of her unattended. He thought that would disappear again under his surveillance.

Zoey was scooping a spoonful of carbonara in her plate when Michael reached her. There then he continues lecturing her for not advising him where she was going.

When her limit reached its peak, she wants to push him away and say, "As if you care, asshole!" Or, "Do I know you? Will you stop harassing me?" Or perhaps this line, "Find someone to fuck with and leave me alone!"

But all of it remained in her hot-headed mind. She kept in mind that this is an important gathering and her making a scene will cost her humiliation and embarrassment.

In the end, she continues ignoring him.

From afar, while talking to some investors, Nickel saw how Michael disturbs Zoey. When he saw him following her to the buffet table, a knot was formed on his face. Investors thought that Nickel disagreed with them. They are trying to rub their elbow to the COO of Asian-Sealed Corporation to gain some influence. They stopped talking and observed Nickel while gazing a different direction.

Some tried to follow his gaze but unable to identify who or what he is looking at.

Lost in confusion, some of them excuse themselves to prevent anger him.

When the investors started to leave him, Nickel when straight to their table. Michael already occupied his before seat, hence he went Zoey's other side. He remembered that Zoey once introduced him as his boyfriend to him. Following the act may put this guy to stop his annoying manners.

Zoey is currently slurping the pasta from her carbonara, leaving some sauce on her mouth. He took the napkin on the top of the table and wipes it. Zoey startled from his act, her wide eyes looked at him, a question of his sudden reappearance.

"Babe be careful not to slip the sauce to your dress." Nickel gave her mango juice because she was choking after being startled by him. He patted her back to help her ease her food suffocation.

Inexplicably, Zoey was flabbergasted with two things: first is him like a mushroom who unexpectedly appeared beside her, Zoey compared him to a bubble and a mushroom. He can disappear instantly like a bubble or reappear like a growing mushroom in the wilderness of a forest. He comes and goes for short. And second is that he is still keeping their act of boy and girl relationship. She thought that it was just a prompt slip of the tongue when she told Michael that he is her boyfriend just to stop him from disturbing her.

When Zoey stopped coughing then Nickel stop patting her back.

Zoey was wearing a formal suit for today's event. She then looked at him with confused eyes when he thanked Michael for accompanying his girl.

"Thank you, Mr. Cortez, for staying beside her. I was pulled by our investors for small talk, leaving her alone eating here."

Nickel still paid him respect as he is their collaborator and somehow be considered as a business partner. Furthermost even emotions started to form inside his chest he still keeps an act of thanking him.

After Leo and Shane's European honeymoon, Nickel phones him and curiously ask the story behind Zoey and Michael to his best friend.

Unaware of their association with each other, Leo thought that Nickel was just curious about his cousin and Shane's best friends weird and cold interactions.

He was told that once upon a time these two were the "it couple" from their school, considered as the most ideal couple, but shit happens and Michael cheated on her with her own best friend. After they had graduated from high school, Zoey didn't abide to stay in the country and flew away to Montana to continue her degree and career.

It was said that after eight years this is the first time Zoey stepped a foot in her motherland.

Having a tiny glimpsed of their story, Nickel doesn't want her to stay in the same place with this bastard. How could a guy cheat with this girl, the girl he's been secretly admiring ever since he first laid his eyes on her.

Other's lost, other's gain.

However, when Michael witness how Nickel wipes her mouth and pat her back, jealousy wanted to eat him up. But reminded that if he put a scene higher up from Orb will reprimand him and will cut him to be an associate with their biggest collaborator.

He may also lose his chance to see and meet Zoey.