Diana’s task for the rest of the evening was to find out what she would have to do to leave her previous company, which after some research, turned out to be far more complicated than anticipated.
Frustrated, Diana began to feel sleepy, so she went to prepare herself a cup of coffee.
As she entered the kitchen, she found that Brian was also there.
“How come you’re still up?” Diana asked as she took out the instant coffee and put a spoonful into her cup.
Watching her, Brian couldn’t help asking, “Do you usually drink instant coffee?”
“Yes,” Diana answered. In France, she was always too busy to go to the café, so she normally just made herself some instant coffee.
Diana poured some water into her cup and stirred. She was about to take a sip when, without warning, Brian grabbed her cup and poured the coffee down the sink.
“What are you doing?” Diana exclaimed.
Brian didn’t say a word and walked away to his room.
“Weirdo!” Diana cursed. Totally confused by Brian’s strange behavior, she took out the instant coffee to make another cup.
Meanwhile, Brian came back with a machine in his hand.
“Do not drink that,” Brian said and took the coffee from Diana’s hands.
“I will prepare fresh coffee for you.” Brian threw the instant coffee into the rubbish bin.
It was then that Diana noticed Brian was holding a proper coffee machine.
“I thought that you didn’t drink coffee?” Diana said.
“Really?” Brian answered, but he was focused on the machine. He carefully prepared everything that he needed, then put the coffee beans into the grinder.
“After I woke up from my coma, I couldn’t remember anything; I had to learn everything again. There were some people who wished to see me fail, to resign as CEO of the company. However, Ken prepared many files for me to get familiar again with the operations of the company. I had to learn all of that inside out so that I could answer people when they questioned me. It was during that time that I started drinking coffee to keep me awake,” Brian explained.
Diana had not realized how hard it must have been for Brian to do that.
“What was I like before?” asked Brian.
“Before?” Diana was unsure how to answer. Things had changed a lot in the last two years. They had both changed a lot too.
“You… you were similar to now,” Diana answered. The conversation was making Diana uncomfortable; she was filled with a strong sense of loss.
The machine stopped automatically. Brian stood up and prepared two cups of wonderfully aromatic coffee.
“Would you like sugar?” Brian asked.
Diana nodded.
Brian rummaged in the cupboards for a while. He looked at Diana apologetically, “I don’t normally take sugar. And it looks like we’re out.”
“It’s okay.” Diana took a sip of the coffee. It was so bitter that Diana couldn’t help grimacing.
But Brian drank it easily; it seemed that he quite enjoyed it.
Diana put down the coffee and turned back to Brian.
“So, how has life been for you in the past two years?”
“Me?” Brian fell into silence. After a few seconds, he spoke.
“Not so bad. I got familiar with all the strangers around me. It is an odd feeling, though, to be told you are something that you don’t remember. For example, everyone told me that I am the CEO of the company and that I am the big, bad boss. And they introduced me to everyone. It is funny to be introduced to your own family.”
Brian laughed sadly.
Somehow, without thinking, Diana reached out her hand and touched Brian’s frowning face. This gesture had them both stunned.
Brian acted quickly. He held Diana’s hands after noticing that she was about to put them down.
“Will you give me the chance to take care of you and Abby?” Brian said earnestly.
“Is that out of guilt or something?”
Brian shook his head. “No, it is out of love. I love you.”
Diana was shocked.
Brian didn’t know why, but he felt Diana was special from the very first day he met her. Later, he learned of Abby’s presence and became even more determined to be with Diana. He had never really believed in true love, yet somehow with Diana, he found he knew it was real.
Sensing the moment was right, Brian leaned in to kiss Diana. Just as their lips were about to meet, Diana backed away and ran back to her bedroom.
Despite this setback, Brian felt full of love. He would be patient with Diana. If she didn’t love him now, it didn’t matter. He had a lot of time to spend with her. The important thing was that he would never let her escape again. That much he was sure of.
Diana ran to her bedroom and closed the door. Her heart was still beating crazily. She wanted to calm herself down, but she just couldn’t.
She had thought that she was more mature than two years ago. But why couldn’t she be like that when she was face to face with Brian? Diana felt frustrated by her emotions.
The next day, Diana woke up early as usual. She opened her eyes and found that Abby was still asleep. To avoid waking her up, Diana didn’t move until she heard someone knocking on the door.
Diana was surprised to find Chaney standing patiently at the front door.
“Chaney, why are you here so early?”
Chaney smiled at her. “I brought breakfast.” His hands were raised in innocence. In fact, Chaney didn’t sleep at all that night. He had been thinking over and over and finally came to a decision.
“Who is that?” Brian asked. He walked out and yawned.
Chaney noticed that Brian didn’t come out of Diana’s bedroom, which made him rather relieved.
“I never knew anybody to come to a girl’s house so early before,” Brian sneered.
“At least I’m not sponging off a girl for cheap rent,” Chaney retorted.
This irritated Brian. “What did you say? I paid the whole rent!”
“Stop it!” Diana was tired of their childish arguments. “I’m going to get some water from the kitchen.”
Seeing Diana walk away, Brian immediately threatens Chaney, “Leave Diana alone!”
“That’s exactly what I was thinking to suggest to you. Get out of Diana’s life!”
The two men stared at each other in a heated standoff.
“Water!” Diana came back with three glasses of water balanced on a tray.
“Diana, could you come to the company with me?” Chaney begged, looking at Brian as he spoke.
“I don’t agree,” Brian answered before Diana uttered a word.
“I am not asking for your opinion,” Chaney said, rolling his eyes.
“Okay,” Diana said, ignoring Brian.
“I said I don’t agree!” Brian raised his voice further.
“Who do you think you are?” Chaney yelled.
Diana ignored Brian and went into her bedroom to take her bag.
“Let’s go,” Diana said to Chaney.
“Did you two hear what I said?” Brian complained.
“Stay at home and look after Abby,” Diana said forcefully. With that, she put her hand on Chaney’s arm, and they walked out together.
Brian gritted his teeth, watching them leave. He was extremely jealous now. But his angry contemplation was disturbed by Abby calling something from the bedroom.
“Mummy?” she shouted.
Brian rushed in without hesitation.