The door suddenly opened, startling Ryan a bit. He clutched the duvet tightly. “Ryan, we…,” Chris trailed off when his eyes darted to Pearl and then to Ryan. He coughed, seemingly not aware of what had happened last night. Perhaps he was also drunk.
“I can see this is the wrong time. I’ll come back later,” He turned to walk away, feeling sorry for Emily. He didn’t think his cousin had a playboy streak in him but now seeing him, obviously naked underneath that duvet and with Pearl in the room also!
He could already make out what had happened between them. “Wait,” Ryan called out. His words made Chris stop just before touching the door knob.
Ryan almost groaned. He could already imagine what Chris must be thinking. He himself is starting to think that coming to Singapore wasn’t as good as he’d been expecting. He’s just been getting into a series of misunderstandings with one another.
“What were you about to say huh? What happened?”
Chris turned around when Ryan said this. His eyes widened a little to see that Ryan was standing just behind him. His eyes involuntarily darted downwards and he secretly heaved a sigh of relief to see that the latter isn’t naked as he thought.
Perhaps what he was thinking didn’t happen between the two. “Hey! Keep your head up! What are you staring at?” Ryan accused but not a tiny bit of shame appeared on his face.
Chris coughed again and looked up at him. He frowned when he saw Pearl ogling at Ryan’s… ass from the corner of his eyes! He glanced at her but was confused when he saw that she wasn’t even looking at them.
She was packing a suitcase… He shrugged, thinking he’d just imagined it. “Ryan, we have to leave right away,” He finally said. He was expecting Ryan to react, at least show a look of surprise but as expected of the KRAL, he even looked unamused.
The opposite reaction Chris had been expecting. Nevertheless, he still asked, “Why?” Just a curt question. Chris frowned. ‘Why are you so cold?’ he couldn’t help thinking.
“I’m listening. Why do we have to leave right away?” Ryan nudged him, jolting him out of his thoughts.
“You know that international brand you’ve been trying to get a contract with?” Chris asked and Ryan finally frowned. Which one? There are tons of them.
“Which one? Be more specific with your words,” He appeared impatient. “The one Wilson’s are also trying to get.”
That did it. Ryan’s frown widened. The Wilsons! That’s the name he detests the most in this world. No matter how he tries to take over that company, they are always a step ahead of him!
He certainly can’t accept the fact that he as the KRAL can’t beat a mere human. “What about it?” His tone sounded cold and detached but his eyes appeared intrigued.
“Ryan… There’s a piece of insider news that they are sending a representative to each company. Both ours and Wilson’s. It seems the old man can’t decide so he wants to put us to the test,” Chris explained and Ryan listened attentively. Both were so focused that they didn’t notice the knowing smile on Pearl’s face.
“They are expected to arrive in a few hours but our meeting will be very early tomorrow. I already booked an early flight for us. If I had delayed just a bit, we’d have to wait till later and we won’t get back home in time considering the difference in our time region,” Chris progressed, glancing at his wristwatch.
“What happened to the jet?” Ryan asked. “It has some technical faults. I’ve already put out an order to get a new here but that won’t be available in time too so it’s better if we just travel back home the old-fashioned way. By using the public plane,” Chris turned while saying this.
Ryan nodded even though the latter couldn’t see him. “Be downstairs in thirty minutes, our plane will take off exactly one hour from now,” Chris waved, before shutting the door behind him.
Ryan released a whoosh of breath. He turned to Pearl to say something to her but stopped when he saw her folding clothes. He also noticed the unclosed suitcase beside her.
“Are you travelling somewhere?” His eyebrows unintentionally rose. Seems like that’s one of his diehard habits.
“Yes,” Pearl gave him a short response, obviously not planning to elaborate her words.
“Safe journey then. See you… Whenever I see you,” Ryan bade goodbye and wrapped a smaller bedspread he randomly found around himself before leaving.
If he had been just a minute late in the room, he would have heard Pearl whispering back to him, “See you too… In the next few hours.”
****
Emily coiled on the bed with an uncomfortable expression. She suddenly feels so ill. Not like her body is aching or something. She’s just got this terrible headache coupled with this stomach ache that’s making it so hard for her to stand up from the bed.
“Sis… Sister… Are you alright?” She could hear Lena whispering faintly but she couldn’t make out the words nor did she have the strength to open her eyes.
“Sister!!,” Lena’s shout made her from and finally say, “It… Hurts… It hurts badly.” Even so, she was still stuttering.
Lena seemed to panic. She stood up and rushed out of the room not bothering to smoothen her hair that looked like bees honeycomb.
She soon came back with her mother. “Mom… See… This is how she’s been behaving since I woke up. Actually, it’s her moans of pain that woke me up,” Lena looked and sounded scared.
Mrs Jones frowned and sat on the bed. She reached out and felt Emily’s temperature but it was normal. She wasn’t burning up. She looked at Emily and suddenly remembered the package of sea foods she brought back home the previous day.
That must be it. “Lena… Go to the kitchen cupboards. Open the first one on the left side and bring the bottle of medicine you see,” She instructed.
.
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….