- 18 You can't be neutral on a moving train (4)

"Next time, ensure you don't get lost in fantasies about someone you only know from a picture. Conduct a thorough check on the person. A reality check," the woman reproached her with a pointed remark.

Could she truly fall in love with a mere picture? In her case, the answer was a resounding no. Yet, she used this very dilemma as an intriguing plot in one of her novels.

But then, she couldn't help but interject with her own brand of defiance.

"It wasn't just a picture, after all. The man had a collection of videos showcasing his personality. What's all the fuss about?" she retorted, her words laced with a hint of defiance.

Through her visualizations, she had become well-acquainted with the way he conducted himself, his speech patterns, and his thinking. Since she had heard his voice, she could confidently say that she wasn't in love with Dr. Patrice. Typically, it was a man's voice that had the power to capture her heart, yet his voice failed to elicit any such sentiment within her. Unlike Jayden, whose deep, masculine voice never failed to send her senses reeling.

"You should just wait. The right man will come along, someone who truly cares for you," Mimosa couldn't resist but force-feed the waiting game back to Marie-Rose, intending to exact revenge with her words. Her delivery dripped with malice, each syllable a calculated strike, lacking the capacity to realize the difference in situations.

Marie-Rose couldn't help but reflect on the similar advice her spiritual guide had given her since his words had proven to be far from the truth. Without solicitation, he had indirectly assured her, responding to another sorceress's inquiry, that within three years, both of them would find their destined partners. Yet, time had unveiled his lack of true foresight, as she had personally confirmed on numerous other occasions.

In contrast, she herself often received subtle warnings about future events or happenings transpiring in distant places simultaneously. Naturally, she never divulged these revelations. Marie-Rose understood all too well that the gods punished those who shared what was meant for their ears alone. Subsequently, the sorceress had to be cautious, for any interference from outsiders could act as a barrier, blocking the flow of vital information.

According to him, they were destined to encounter men who would go to great lengths for them. But it had never come to pass.

Firstly, she remained single even after those promised three years, adhering to celibacy in the hopes of preserving herself for the supposed man of her dreams.

Then came Alexandre, the only one to have shown any interest in her, and she had naively believed he was the one she had long awaited. Even if he did everything for her, he was not her true love, while the relationship ran aground like a ship.

"We'll assign you to another market," they chuckled, the woman emphasizing, "South America," alluding to the picture of a fellow writer she had shared as a cover on her social media account. The writer bore a striking resemblance to Jayden's friend, Cedric, incidentally. The words held a dual meaning, despite her role in managing the financing activities across various markets through the stock exchange.

"What are you waiting for, Marie-Rose? You're not getting any younger. Do you honestly believe you'll find an attractive man? You should consider settling down with one of the men we've introduced you to. There are so many other options out there rather than Alexandre."

"Frankly, I don't want to have where to choose from. I couldn't care less. They're all the same. There's no one in particular I'm drawn to," she retorted sharply.

'All I know is I want to see Jayden's face once more,' she mused. They were already two weeks into their relationship, and with him still in town, she eagerly awaited their next meeting. The anticipation of the approaching evening consumed her, especially after the previous sleepless night spent obsessing over thoughts of him.

Despite their constant communication via messages, neither of them could quell the growing affection they felt. Barely bidding each other goodnight, she found herself missing him already, a sentiment he reciprocated, as evidenced by the messages he sent her.

"If you think you're so attractive... then go love yourself," Cezar retorted.

"I don't think anything about my appearance, actually I don't think anything at all," she maintained her composure. 'Jayden thinks differently, unlike you who finds me unappealing,' she smirked.

"Alexandre thinks differently, unlike you who finds me unappealing," she repeated the phrase loudly, deflecting his attempt to wound her emotionally.

In a subtle display of their knowledge about her personal life, Emilian and Andre suddenly launched into yet another round of criticizing Alexandre.

"Alexandre truly is despicable." the first one said, in his incessant harping about him.

Venting her frustrations, she mentioned to Cathy:

"They'll take one isolated incident and blow it out of proportion, using it against him to further convince me to end the relationship. All they keep reiterating is how terrible he is," she confided in Cathy, assured that Cathy wouldn't divulge this information to others.

"I wonder what would happen if they knew the truth, that I'm no longer with Alexandre," she mused, yet chose to maintain an air of ambiguity regarding her relationship status.

In reality, Alexandre had been a genuinely wonderful young man. Their parting hadn't stemmed from the reasons they had listed, but rather from her sudden, intense falling in love with Jayden. It had become abundantly clear that Jayden was everything she had ever yearned for.

His personality seamlessly complemented hers, his devilish mischievous nature mirroring her own. Alexandre, on the other hand, had been too serious, too grounded. Their love had been genuine, but it wasn't the love she had truly craved.

Yet here she was, caught in the midst of a comparison that she had long sworn off. She knew she loved Jayden just as deeply as she had loved Alexandre. There was no need to measure their worth against each other or against anyone else.

She didn't need her colleagues' assistance to leave Alexandre. She harbored no fear about ending her relationship. Her self-esteem remained intact, since she has always been acutely aware of what she wanted and what she deserved.

What she truly needed was for them to leave her alone so that she could be with the one her heart had chosen. Whom she still needed to have a serious conversation with.

"You should have moved on from Alexandre by now. Why not try someone else? The girls already have found you a suitable match," Cezar persisted.

"How about finding someone I actually like? Have you considered that?" she countered with unwavering confidence. "I can't be with someone just because he has a good resume. "

"You will never find someone else to love you as he did," the man's exasperation seeped through his words, his insistence fervent.

Did he speak of love when they only met one time? Did he fail to notice her mannerisms? She never chased or pressured men. So what was the source of this stubborn pigheadedness?

She defined true love as the willingness to die so that the other might live. So how could someone boast about a love they were incapable of, when they couldn't even share a slice of pizza or a chocolate bar with her?

"If he truly loved me, he'd just let me be and not insist so much. You know I'm in a relationship with someone else, right? Why do you keep insisting?" Marie-Rose's frustration was evident in her plea, her voice tinged with a mixture of exasperation.

She was done being a trophy, she wanted to be happy.

"You have no idea what love is. You've never experienced true love in your life," he retorted, his voice teetering on the edge of bitterness. "How can one claim that they love when they don't fight for what is rightfully theirs?"

"When you love, it's natural to feel jealous and to prevent others from encroaching on what's yours. One is not meant to feel content when the one they love is with someone else." His voice intensified, carrying a hint of aggressiveness.

"Do you know why some women remain single? Because they never seize the opportunities that come their way. They are too picky, and in the end, they regret rejecting the men who genuinely cared for them," he continued, his words carrying the air of a preacher.

He was talking about love, yet all she learned was that the man wouldn't make the slightest effort for her. It was always her who had to bend and adjust, while he remained steadfast in his ways.

Marie-Rose was resolute; she would never regret not giving a chance to a man she didn't truly like. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

"Women also remain single when there are too many matchmakers trying to set them up. Just like a newborn baby with too many godparents." she snapped. "I aim for the spark. Besides, I'm looking for a heart, not a d*ck. "

"Like the one in the novel with the older woman?" Barbara hinted, referring to her work featuring the troublesome character.

'No, not like in my novel. Like in me and Jayden in reality.' Marie-Rose secretly expressed her exasperation.

However, her supposed friend began inundating her with seemingly harmless remarks that could only stoke the imagination of her relentless stalker.

"Oh, that poor doctor!" she jeered at Marie-Rose once again. "He must have waited so long that his d*ck must be atrophied!" As if Marie-Rose had any chance of dating the love of her life when an army of stalkers trailed her every move. Furthermore, the doctor was not the love of her life - merely a character in a novel.

"I don't think so. I wrote the book rather swiftly!" Marie-Rose elevated the conversation, knowing it was pointless to argue with individuals who couldn't grasp the depths of their own ignorance.

Barbara seethed with frustration at Marie-Rose's response.

Barbara and the others at the office persistently made subtle insinuations, attempting to unsettle her by suggesting she had an interest in Anne's boyfriend, particularly since he had appeared on her book cover. This twist with Dr. Patrice and Marie-Rose's reaction were stepping on her nerves!

"Do you remember that ex-boyfriend of mine, the one you also knew from our university days? He dated an older woman who couldn't have children. No matter how remarkable she was, and she truly was exceptional, he left her because he desired a family."

"Now, he's with a younger woman whom he seems to connect with better. She's simply more beautiful, given her youth. They share common interests such as attending concerts and skiing, so naturally, he feels more content with her because she's far more active," she revealed, underscoring the now all-too-familiar cliché.

"Well, I suppose she just knows how to handle him, considering she's a psychologist," Marie-Rose countered, her tone hinting at a sense of knowing amusement. Weren't they actually presenting her situation? With Cezar in the role of the abandoned woman?

She realized that her companion was purposefully or inadvertently drawing a parallel between Marie-Rose's novel and the experiences of Barbara's ex-boyfriend. Judging from the slight undertone of malice in her voice, it seemed to be the former.

She adopted a mask of preoccupation, wary that her coworkers might also equate her narrative with her own life.

Considering the circumstances, Marie-Rose pondered whether it might be more socially acceptable for them if she were to assert that Margarita and Lucas served as the models for her story. She was convinced that their portrayal would be met with greater openness, especially since Margarita was widely recognized for her exceptional beauty.

"Why not consider that it's Margarita's story I wrote about?" she suggested, hoping to steer the conversation in a more favorable direction. Although Margarita and Lucas weren't the sole example of such a pairing she knew of, she hadn't actually depicted their life in her writing; she had merely employed the concept of an older woman involved with a younger man to craft her story. The plot diverged significantly from their reality.

However, her attempt backfired. Not only was her statement misinterpreted, but her colleagues also rejected the suggestion.

"Now you're changing your testimony. Up until now, the novel was mere fiction, and now you're claiming it's based on reality. You're using Lucas as a guise for the character you're obsessively chasing, instead of focusing on your own life and finding someone more compatible. Do you honestly believe any handsome young man would even consider giving you a chance?"

Sometimes, the skeptics who claim that something is impossible hide behind the facade of friendship, pretending to be acting in your best interests.

But Margarita, sensing the injustice towards Marie-Rose, promptly disassociated herself in order to defend the latter, remarking, "Lucas doesn't speak German," effectively distancing themselves from the characters in Marie-Rose's novel.

"Lucas is as tasty as a Snickers bar. Besides, he is such a radiant individual," Margarita echoed Marie-Rose's own description of her boyfriend, a sentiment she had shared some months ago. At that time, Margarita had exhibited a somewhat hostile demeanor, perhaps under the mistaken assumption that Marie-Rose held an interest in her partner.

It seemed the woman had been misled by some delusional informant, potentially a pawn in Marie-Rose's incessant espionage.

People assumed that Marie-Rose and Margarita were in conflict due to Marie-Rose's apparent disapproval of her own character. However, what they failed to realize was that the writer hadn't depicted the couple as her characters but had used their unconventional relationship as the backdrop for the story.

To clarify her point, she felt compelled to comment, "You see, there are many successful couples where the woman is older."

Amidst it all, Marie-Rose couldn't shake off the fear that her intentions and efforts were being misconstrued.

Rumors, it appeared, traveled at the speed of light. After all, her spiritual guide had phoned her weeks ago with a warning: "You must detach yourself from that boy, Lucas!"