Chapter 38

DUKE'S POINT OF VIEW

I watched them leave the mall's parking lot as they went. I took my phone and dialed my manager's number while walking towards my car.

Calling Manager Justin...

"Yes, Duke, what's the matter?"

"May I ask when I will move again to my new condo?"

"Wait, let me check first... It will be on Monday at Lo'tte Palace. Don't worry about it anymore; all the things you still want to keep were in your new condo ahead of time. And for those new pieces of furniture that were delivered today, the mover team will fix everything tomorrow for your arrival on Monday."

"I'll be there tomorrow since I want to see my new condo. I hope it's huge for me, and the most important is soundproofing." Because I don't want my neighbor to get mad at me because of it, just like what happened last time." I opened my car and went in.

"No worries; I double-checked everything before I settled all the payments we had."

"Good, clear my schedule for the rest of the week; tell Director Choi I just want to fix everything on my new condo before I get busy, okay?"

"Clear; don't worry about that."

"Thank you, bye." I dropped the call and went to Lotte Palace. I was looking from my car and saw Odette walking in her pajamas. I shake my head seeing her wearing the same pajama we had a few years ago when she slept over at my house.

She's not just close to me but also my family. She even has more respect for my sister than me. Odette loves to spoil me and my little sister.

Knock! Knock!

I turn my head to see Kiel leaning on my car. I opened the car door and went out.

"Sneaking around?" He said this while looking serious. That's the Kiel I know—the cold man who never wants to get humiliated.

"Nah, I just want to see where I leave for the next couple of years. Why did my persistence threaten you?" He was looking down at me and smirking.

"Nah, who are you for me to threaten? Remember, you always lose to me since we both know who's the more effective actor between us. You always got nominated but never won when I was your competitor."

"You just got lucky, but who do you think will win this time? After all, when your little secret comes out, who do you think will win?"

"Tsk! Blackmailing—that's how you play your cards? You never disappoint me. I get disappointed in you. Since that's how you want to play your card, let me show you how I play mine. Especially your weakness was her." He looked over behind me as I saw Odette coming our way, waving.

"What's happening here?" She said she would high-five me.

"We're just discussing his new project; I heard it will be showing the same day as my new movie," Kiel explained to her, so now he's lying to her. What lies did he tell her just to win her over?

"Oh, shoot, how can I support the two guys in my life if that happens?"

"That's fine if you just had time; you can watch it with me before or after the screening; I can schedule that and close a cinema for your privacy."

"Oh, how sweet Duke, but let me watch it by having normal viewing; no need for those private viewings; I know how much it costs, okay?"

"Silly, you're still cheap, as far as I know; don't worry, it's on me, okay, nothing to worry about."

"If she disagrees, then don't compel her."

"Your boyfriend was kind of hot-headed; are you sure about him?"

"Why, so you can make a move on her? Do you want her?"

"What if I say 'yes"?"

"Then you lose again on me since I was her 'boyfriend," and I won't make such a fool move just to make you have an idea to get into her life. So better back off; you will never win against me; remember that." That's enough. I held her collar and pulled him up. I can see him smirking at me.

"Duke, please stop!" Odette said this while holding my hand, and I turned my head to her.

"You don't deserve this jerk! If you just knew why he chose to accept everything about you guys, you wouldn't love him."

"Duke, don't make any stories." Please let him go."

"Fine!" I threw him away, got in my car, and drove fast out of the Lo'tte Palace. Fuck! That guy is getting on my nerves. It's still not the right time to confess to her everything I know, but I must protect her at all costs. She doesn't have any idea what danger will come to her soon.

I finally arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel parking lot, parked my car, and went out. I was walking through the back door when I saw reporters running my way.

"Duke, can you tell us what your relationship is with Odette Lim?"

"Since when do you guys know each other." I face them with a smile and look into the camera.

"Odette Lim was my childhood best friend; we have known each other since we were four."

"Duke, there is a video going viral where you are singing into an arcade. But you seem to be looking at Odette Lim; only your fans notice it. Are you dedicating the song 'Treat You Better' for her?"

"Oh, about that video. I was singing for her since it was her favorite song by Shawn Mendes, but yes, I also dedicated it to her. Since we have known each other since we were kids. I can see her growing feelings for some guy, but in the end, they just hurt her. Being her shoulder to cry on, I know how to treat her when she's feeling down or sick. But there is nothing malice in that since I see her as my sister too."

They all looked unconvinced when I said, ' I see her as my sister too.' Well, yes, I've liked her since we were kids, but I don't dare to tell her. I don't want our friendship to be ruined just by that thing. I know her well; I know when she likes someone, she just focuses on it and won't look around to see who's truly like her. I was inconspicuous to her all the time.

"Since you said you see her as your sister too, what can you say to Kiel since he was her boyfriend?" As we all know, Kiel was your rival in the showbiz industry."

"You better guard her, so no one gets a chance to get her from you. Or else I can show you how to take care of her. " With one more tear coming to her eyes, I can make your face shoot."

"Ohhhh." They said, I turn and leave the reporters; I go in the elevator and tap the 12th floor. I saw my friends waiting at my door.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"We heard you were moving out, so we decided to have a little party at your place," Lysander said while I was putting my code in.

"And you guys think I will agree with that?"

"Of course, you don't have a choice since we are here." Ezekiel, Daniel, and Lysander went in.

Ezekiel Sternwood is a model-actor who's mostly a girl in his bed. He never gets up his pants at night since he had a lot of fun everywhere, having unknown girls' lips to taste.

Lysander Taylor, one of the members of a boy group, is the main dancer of his group named 'Super M."

Lastly, Daniel Chua is the boyfriend of Kiel's sister, Aria. Better known as Mr. Go Lucky, since he doesn't like to take things seriously and has fun around. He even had three girlfriends, not including Aria Lopez, who was the fourth girlfriend he had.

"That's why you came here with that box of beer. Since when do you guys use your brain up there? I thought you just used your other head down there all the time." Ezekiel sat beside me and put his hand on my shoulder.

"Look, dude, we just saw your viral video, and we know how jealous you are seeing her with him."

"I'm not jealous."

"Are you sure about that? Then, if you're not jealous, why did you ask me to ask Aria where they are? If you're not jealous, why did you follow them like a stalker?" Daniel said, taking a sip of his beer, "I'll open a bottle of mine.

"I'm not stalking, okay, it's just coincidental that I remember I need to buy groceries since I will move, right?" They raised their brows, looked at me, and took a sip of their beer.

"Fine if you say so; I saw you guys having fun earlier, so tell us what you guys did," Lysander said, crossing his legs.

"We just bought groceries, ate lunch, then went to the arcade, and we even ate dinner with her friends."

"And his boyfriend." Ezekiel corrected me.

"Yeah."

"It seems that not just your viral video singing for Odette is viral right now." Lysander showed his phone to us, where I lean Kiel on my car, and after that, the interview I had just a few minutes ago. Thousands of comments and reactions were flooding in. Ezekiel sits beside Lysander.

"How can I not do that after how grumpy his attitude was earlier?" He keeps teasing me by saying I never win against him. And even he doesn't have a chance when it comes to Odette because he's already won her. Like what the fuck he was pointing at to me. Fuck that asshole!"

"Dude, some of the comments are telling me you're jealous of him because he has her attention now rather than with you. Oh, wait, someone, was commenting, 'Why are you acting like that if you just see her as your sister?" You're lying by saying that we can see you getting pissed because he has her now. You had a chance to change everything before, but you chose to stay his best friend. It was commented on by Aurelius Ajax. Boom, bro, your friend is exposing you." Ezekiel laughs, but he stops when I look into his eyes.

"Better shut your mouth. Shit, what should I do?"

"Once Justin found out about it, he could figure out how you change your image immediately, but for now, let's relieve ourselves and enjoy the night." Lysander gets up and shouts, 'Cheers!' We cheer our bottles and, together, drink our beer.

Time passed...

We drink all the bottles in the two boxes while still looking for some hard liquor in my collarettes.

"Daniel, may I ask a serious question?" I said, and he just nodded at me while sipping his beer.

"How do you know a guy is serious about a girl?"

"Why do you want to know if Kiel is serious about her? Well, based on the times I saw those two, Kiel is most likely possessive of her. One time I went to Odette's office for some details for the project, but since I saw him, I started teasing him, and the next thing I knew, he looked jealous. And when I told him, "Wait, I don't remember what exactly I told him, but it seems like this: I will get her from you; you better guard her," I don't know if I remember it right, but sh*t, this makes my head hurt. The next thing I knew, he was punching me on the floor."

"What if he knew you still had three more girlfriends and had not included his sister?"

"Well, he killed me, so better shut your mouth, dude." I acted like I was zipping my mouth; he threw me my pillow, and when Lysander and Ezekiel finally returned from the cellarette, Lysander threw me a glass.

"Fuck dude, did you know how much this glass would get thrown just like that?"

"Nope, I better not know the price. I know you like buying expensive things, so cheers!" He cheers all our glasses and drinks his scotch.

The next day...

Someone was shaking me on my bed, and I saw Lysander on my top.

"Dude, wake up; you need to see this." He said that and showed me his phone. I was rubbing my eyes when I saw the photo of me kissing Odette. It was an old photo of us when we were in high school.

"Dude, they are bashing her; they even call her a slut and a cheater because of this photo."

"Aish! Can you shut your mouth, Lys? Can you see we're still sleeping?" Ezekiel told him to turn around and put a pillow on his face.

"Can you see I'm concerned with Duke? He had a new issue."

"Fuck!" Ezekiel gets up on the couch and sits down, throwing a pillow at Lysander.

"Fuck you, dude." Lys said, "Turn back the pillow to Ezekiel.

"So what's the hot topic now?" Daniel said this while fixing his messy hair.

"Duke's photo went viral."

"Nothing new, Lys; we know how hot Duke was when his photo went viral," Daniel replied to Lysander.

"Well, but the photo was of Duke kissing Odette."

"Whoah!" They both rushed to Lys and looked at the photo.

"When did this happen?" Daniel said, and they all looked at me like I was in the hot seat in the lie detector test.

"It happened way back when we were in high school. And that was our first kiss. It was all of a sudden that time, okay?"

"And?" Ezekiel looked at me with narrow eyes.

"We become a couple."

"Woah!!!" They were all shocked and went to my side.

"Dude, you're freaking insane. How can you still be his best friend after all that happened? Shit, so you mean you're still not moving on with her?" Ezekiel said, "Tap my shoulder."

"Yes, I'm not still over her, even though we had a pretty goodbye to each other when we decided to break up for our future."

"Dude, you better fight for her," Daniel said while walking towards my kitchen.

"That's what I'm going to do, dude."

"Shall we cook or just order food? I'm hungry now." Ezekiel said while rubbing his tummy.

"I still have some stock we can eat for our breakfast, and I just ordered for our lunch."

"I want some coffee; my head hurts. What did you do to our drink, Ezekiel?" Lys said this while getting some coffee beans for my stock room.

"I just added rum to the whisky; why?"

"Fuck you, dude, those are both hard drinks."

Someone rang the doorbell, so I went to my door and looked through the peephole. It was the back of a girl.

I was shocked when I opened the door.