Chapter 89: Signal.

A month had passed since Dua's discharge from the hospital. Though she was meant to leave weeks earlier, Steven had insisted on prolonging her stay, ensuring she took the necessary time to rest and recuperate. With her baby bump becoming more pronounced, Dua found herself receiving an abundance of care and attention from everyone around her. She had missed an entire month of school, but her friends supported her unwaveringly, sending lecture notes, videos, and even helping her with assignments. It felt almost as if she hadn't missed a single day of class.

As she lazily lounged in bed, her phone began to ring, lighting up the screen with Maya's name.

"Hi, Maya!" Dua answered, her voice bright.

"Hi, Dua!" Maya replied, exasperation clear in her tone. "Could you tell these men in black to let us in? They’re blocking our way!"

"Men in black?" Dua blinked in confusion before it clicked. "You’re at my house?!"

"Yeah!" Maya confirmed.

"Give the phone to the bodyguard," Dua instructed, and after a brief shuffle, Maya passed the phone over.

"Good morning, ma'am," the bodyguard greeted.

"Let them through," Dua ordered, a smile spreading across her face.

"Yes, ma'am," he replied before Dua hung up, excitement bubbling within her as she hurried downstairs to greet her friends.

As she opened the door, a wave of joy washed over her. Her friends burst into wide smiles, their eyes brightening when they saw her. “Surprise!” they chorused, laughter ringing melodiously in her ears.

“Wow, you guys are so sneaky!” Dua exclaimed as she stepped aside to let them in. “I can’t believe you came to visit without telling me!”

Maya wrapped her arms around Dua tightly, while Lila and Jay followed suit, each embracing her warmly.

But then Lena’s eyes widened as she looked at Dua’s baby bump. “You’re pregnant?!” she burst out.

“Surprise,” Dua said, her smile turning a bit awkward.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Jay accused playfully.

“I wanted it to be a surprise!” Dua defended herself.

“That’s not funny, Dua,” Maya said, concern flickering in her eyes.

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” Dua relented, and they all smiled, showering her with congratulations.

"Before we settle down, is your husband home?" Maya asked.

"My husband's heart isn't as stony as you all think," Dua replied with a playful smile, hoping to sway her friends’ opinions.

"That's easy for you to say," Jay chirped in with a teasing tone, raising an eyebrow.

"It really isn’t," Dua argued, her voice firm yet light.

"At least answer the question," Lena urged, crossing her arms.

"Fine!" Dua relented after a brief pause. "I don't think he's home." She wished desperately that her friends could see Steven as she did—soft, loving, and so much more than his stiff exterior.

"So what if I'm home?" came Steven’s voice, reverberating from the entrance of the kitchen like a sudden thunderclap. Startled, Dua’s friends jolted in their seats.

"Shit!" Lena muttered under her breath, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"Fuck!" Jay cursed silently, wide-eyed.

"We're screwed," Maya whispered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dua turned to face Steven, her heart racing. "You’re home?"

Ignoring her, he focused his intense gaze on Jay. "You," he pointed, commanding everyone’s attention. "Who are you?"

"He's my friend." Dua replied.

"Let him speak for himself." Steven countered.

"Um, I’m Jay, your wife’s friend and classmate," Jay stammered, his confidence wavering under Steven's scrutiny.

"And what's your motive?" Steven questioned, his tone icy.

"What?" Jay blinked, clearly confused.

"I’m gonna go straight to the point: Stay away from my wife. Make sure your heart doesn’t even flutter for her," Steven said, his jaw tightening.

"He’s gay," Dua interjected quickly, a hint of desperation in her voice.

"He’s a man," Steven countered with a disapproving glance.

Dua scoffed, shooting him a look of disbelief that spoke volumes.

Turning his cold stare to Lena and Maya, Steven softened slightly. "You’re welcome to my home. I’ve prepared lunch if you’d like to join me at the dining table," he offered with a stiff smile.

"No, thank you. We'll pass," Lena replied, her fingers fidgeting nervously.

"Yeah," Maya nodded in agreement, sharing a glance of discomfort with Lena.

With a nod, Steven attempted to retreat to the kitchen, but Dua spoke up. “I insist, guys. Let’s have lunch.”

“Dua…” Lena began, her tone hesitant.

“Please,” Dua pleaded, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. The warmth in her voice melted their resolve, and after a moment of reluctant agreement, they followed her into the dining area, where the kitchen was filled with the delightful aroma of delicious dishes.

As they settled at the table adorned with mouthwatering delicacies, the air fell silent, each of them acutely aware of the tension hanging in the room. Only Steven, seemingly unfazed, focused on his lunch, diligently adding food to Dua’s plate, urging her to eat while completely oblivious to the way his presence made the others feel.

Noticing her friends' discomfort, Dua leaned over, attempting to discreetly signal Steven by stepping on his foot. Clueless, he simply shifted his foot away, thinking he was disturbing her.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be or something important to do?” Dua tried again, frustration creeping into her tone.

“None,” Steven replied, much to Dua’s surprise. It earned an incredulous scoff from her.

“Are you really that knuckleheaded?” she thought, feeling exasperated.

“Knucklehead, go to the bedroom; you're making my friends uncomfortable,” Dua stated more firmly, trying to make her point clear.

Steven paused, lifting his head to scan the room, noticing for the first time the way his presence had affected her friends. With a brief nod, he excused himself, and an audible wave of relief swept over the trio.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Dua apologized sincerely, her brow furrowing with concern. “I didn’t mean for you to feel awkward.”

“No, there’s really no need to apologize,” Lena said quickly. “We’re actually thankful that he welcomed us into his house and didn’t turn out to be the Devil we all recognize him to be.”

“Exactly,” Maya chimed in, her smile wide.

“But it’s clear he hates me,” Jay said.

“He doesn’t," Maya replied, shaking her head. "He’s just jealous. He doesn’t want anyone to snatch his wife away from him.”

"Evidence of how much he loves you, Dua,” Lena smiled warmly at her friend.

"Girl, you are so lucky," Maya said, her eyes sparkling with envy. Dua's cheeks flushed a soft pink at the compliment.

"Please, do try some, everyone," Dua urged, her voice warm with excitement.

Maya was the first to dive in, her eyes widening as she tasted the dish. "Oh my gosh, this is amazing!" she exclaimed, practically beaming as she passed a forkful to Jay and Lena.

Lena's eyes lit up in disbelief as she took her first bite, quickly savoring another to ensure she hadn’t imagined the burst of flavor. "WOW!" she exclaimed, her enthusiasm infectious. "This is absolutely incredible!”

Jay was momentarily speechless, his eyes scanning the plate as he tried to find the right words to articulate his delight. "This is..." he trailed off, searching for an appropriate description.

"Fantastic," Maya chimed in, nodding vigorously in agreement.

Dua smiled at their reactions, her heart swelling with joy. "I’m so glad you all like it!" she said, the warmth of their shared meal lifting her spirits even higher.

"If you taste heaven like this every day, I see no reason you shouldn't be glowing the way you do," Jay remarked with a playful smirk, his eyes sparkling.

Maya cleared her throat, a hint of mischief dancing in her gaze. "If I were you, I'd take that back before you find yourself in a world of trouble," she said, raising an eyebrow playfully.

Jay pursed his lips, darting his eyes around cautiously as if checking for an unseen presence. "Yeah, I might want to watch my back if Steven’s around."

Dua let out a soft laugh, the sound lightening the earlier tension in the room. She watched her friends continue to relish the food, their faces lighting up with delight as they exchanged stories and laughter. The camaraderie wrapped around them like a warm embrace, filling the room with an infectious sense of joy. In that moment, all the worries of the world faded away, leaving only the comforting essence of friendship and shared happiness.