EVELYN SCARLET

"Bayu!" Monica shouted.

Bayu who was standing on the escalator turned to the voice calling him.

Monika waved her hand so Bayu could see her and immediately walked over to Bayu who was deliberately waiting for him.

"At first I thought it wasn't you, but after I noticed it was you," said Monika. "Shopping?" She asked again looking at the bag that Bayu was carrying.

"Just a sports shirt," answered Bayu.

"With who? Alone?" Asked Monika again.

"Yes. Do you want to go shopping?" Bayu asked looking at Monika's hand which was carrying several paper bags.

"Yes, buying some women's needs," replied Monika smiling. "You have eaten?"

"Not yet," said Bayu shortly.

"Shall we eat?" Ask Monika. "Accompany me to eat. Nearby there is a good restaurant, we eat there. Let me pay for it."

Bayu answered by nodding as a sign of agreement.

They then walked together to the restaurant that Monika recommended.

"It's here, this is the restaurant I mean," said Monik. "Come on in," she said.

Bayu followed Monika into a quite luxurious restaurant.

A servant greeted them. "Good afternoon," she greeted with a friendly smile. "Have you made a reservation, sir?" She asked then with a smile that did not leave his lips.

"Not yet, can you find a comfortable table for both of us?" Ask Monika.

"Of course." The waiter then took Monika and Bayu to a table in the corner with a view overlooking the garden. "Please."

After waiting for Monika and Bayu to sit down, the waiter gave them the menu book. "Please, here's the menu book. Call us when you want to order food." Then the servant left the two of them.

"Bayu, what do you want to eat? Just order what you want," said Monika while looking at the menu book she was holding.

"Same with you," answered Bayu.

"Okay, I'll order the same food as me." Monika put down the menu book and called the waiter to order food.

While waiting for the food to come, the two of them talked about many things. Now and then they could hear them laughing. After waiting for the order to arrive for a long time, their food finally arrived. The waiter carefully arranges all the orders on the table.

"Please ladies and gentlemen, the dish is ready. Enjoy." The waiter said welcome.

"Thank you," answered Bayu.

"You're welcome. Excuse me." The servant then left Bayu and Monika.

Monika and Bayu started to eat their food while chatting to continue the conversation earlier.

"Monika, do you like Leo?" asked Bayu suddenly.

Monika, who was busy chewing her food, immediately choked when she heard Bayu's question. Monika quickly took the drinking water in front of her.

"Are you ok?" Bayu asked seeing Monika choking.

"Your question surprised me. Why do you ask like that?" Monika asked again after she managed to control herself again.

"I as Leo's best friend and also as your friend, just worry about your relationship." Bayu drank the juice for a while then continued his speech. "Your closeness with Leo is so close but without status, I've known it for a long time."

Monika was silent, only looking at Bayu who also saw her.

"In the end, you will be hurt because Leo only wants your body. I have known Leo since childhood, our parents are friends. We often spend time together. Leo is a good man but since ..." Bayu stopped talking, his gaze shifted to the garden.

"Since what?" Monika asked curiously because Bayu didn't continue his speech but instead stared blankly at the garden.

"No, it's not good to talk about people," said Bayu.

"Since what Bayu?!" Monika urged curiously.

Bayu looked back at Monika. "Since his parents died. Did you know that Leo's parents died in an accident?"

"I already knew. Didn't that happen when Mr. Leo was young?" Ask Monika. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah, it's been a long time," said Bayu then looked at the contents of his plate which was still full. "Let's finish the food first, then we'll continue again."

For a moment no one spoke again, the two of them were busy with the food on the plate.

"Monika," Bayu called after finishing his food.

"What?" Monika asked while cleaning his lips after he finished eating.

"Do you love Leo?" Bayu asked looking at Monika.

"No! I'm just having fun with him. Mr. Leo needs my body and I need his money, that's all," replied Monika calmly but deep inside it was not the same as what she just said.

"Don't you have income from working as a secretary? I think that's enough to support yourself."

"It's not enough if you have to rely on money as a secretary alone. I have to pay for my younger siblings' tuition so that one day they will become successful people, unlike me," said Monika. "Life without parents is very hard."

Bayu sighed looking at Monika. Now finally Bayu understands, why does Monika want to serve Leo? His responsibility as an older brother without parents made him have to make money like that.

"You have done?" He saw that Monika's plate was empty.

"Yes, I'm very full," replied Monika, rubbing her stomach.

Bayu then called the waiter and gave him his credit card.

"Bayu, why did you pay? I promised to pay it," protested Monika.

"Just me," he replied flatly.

"Thank you Bayu," said Monika without wanting to prolong the problem.

"You're welcome," answered Bayu smiling.

While chatting with Monika while waiting for the credit card to be returned, Bayu saw someone who had just passed his desk.

"Evelyn," he muttered under his breath. Bayu unblinkingly looked at Evelyn to make sure it was Evelyn, Leo's ex-lover.

"Bayu, what do you see?" Asked Monika to look in which direction Bayu was looking.

"Nothing," answered Bayu immediately averting his gaze from Evelyn.

Monika's attention was distracted when the waitress came to return Bayu's credit card.

"Come on, let's go home," said Bayu quickly for fear of being seen by Evelyn.

Out of the restaurant, Monika and Bayu separate because each of them still has business.

After being in his car, Bayu called Leo.

Bayu :

"Hello, Leo."

Leo:

"Hello."

Bayu :

"Where are you?"

Leo:

"In the mansion. What's wrong?"

Bayu :

"We'll talk later. I'm going to your mansion. Don't go anywhere."

After finishing the call, Bayu immediately drove his car to the place where Leo is now.

...

"Bowo!" Leo shouted calling his servant.

"Yes sir."

"Bayu will be here in a moment. When you come, I'll be in your room. Tell Bayu to come to your room!"

"Yes sir," replied Bowo.

Leo then went back into the room after giving orders to his maid.

Not long after, I heard the sound of a car entering the front yard. Pak Bowo immediately came out of the house and greeted Bayu.

"Master Bayu hasn't been here in a long time, how are you?" Pak Bowo asked kindly after seeing Bayu get out of his car.

"I'm good, Bowo," replied Bayu smiling.

"Mr. Bayu is getting stronger," said Bowo, looking at Bayu from top to bottom.

"You're also getting younger," said Bayu, smiling broadly.

"It could be Mr. Bayu. To be more precise, this father is getting older and more wrinkled," replied Bowo, smiling.

"Where is Leo?" asked Bayu.

"Earlier Mr. Leo said that Mr. Bayu came directly to his room."

"Then I'll go straight to his room."

"Yes, sir, please," Bowo invited Bayu to enter.

Inside the room, Leo heard a knock on the door. "Enter."

The door opened and Bayu's face appeared first. Leo, who looked at the open door, immediately ordered Bayu to enter. "Come in Bayu!"

After getting permission, Bayu entered and closed the door again. "You're not going anywhere on holiday?" asked Bayu.

"No, a lot of unfinished work. I'm checking this," Leo pointed at the pile of documents in front of him.

"Once in a while you go out of the house looking for entertainment, look for a good girl. You are only good at finding one-night women," said Bayu sitting in front of Leo.

Leo replied with a sinister smile. "Women? They just need my money," Leo replied casually. "Where are you from?"

"From the Mall, there I met Monika." Bayu paused for a moment to see Leo's expression, but Leo just listened with eyes that kept looking at the document. "Then we have lunch."

Leo remained the same with a casual expression without even commenting.

"I too saw Evelyn." Bayu was silent for a moment. "With Nathan."

"Who?!" Leo immediately saw Bayu. The face that was expressionless before now looked angry.

"Evelyn, I don't know how long they've been in this town," Bayu said.

"Damn it!! How dare they return to this city again. They don't know who they are dealing with?!! Evelyn!! You came to take your own life!!" Leo said with clenched fists.