Chapter 36

Lisa wasn't taken aback by his reply, the last time they met, they had a heated argument and she had stormed out, feeling hurt and angry. But now, she knew she had to apologize if she wanted to salvage their relationship.

"Ethan, I know we didn't part on good terms the other time, and I wanted to apologize for my behavior. I was out of line and I shouldn't have said the things I did."

Ethan furrowed his brows, staring at her with an unreadable expression. Lisa felt a pang of fear, wondering if he was going to reject her apology.

"I still don't get why you're apologizing, you didn't do anything or did you?" Ethan finally asked, his voice cold and distant.

"Yes, I did, Lisa replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "I was upset that you said we weren't friends, but I realize now that I was trying to force a friendship on you. I'm sorry."

Ethan's expression didn't change, but Lisa could sense that he was listening. She took a deep breath and continued.

"I also wanted to talk to you about something else," she said, shifting in her seat. "I've been thinking about getting a studio apartment for my art, and I was hoping to find a place around here. I thought it would be a good way for me to be closer to you, maybe even work together on some projects."

Ethan's eyebrows shot up in surprise, but Lisa couldn't tell if it was a good sign or not. She held her breath, waiting for his response.

"I'm sorry, Lisa, but there aren't any available spots at LIM," Ethan said, his voice still cold.

Lisa felt her heart sink at his words. She had been hoping that Ethan would be more receptive to her idea. But she refused to give up so easily.

Ethan raised an eyebrow in curiosity. " Why do you need a studio though?" he asked.

"Well," she began, her voice laced with enthusiasm, "You might not have noticed but I'm an artist, I love to paint my imaginations, she said between giggles.

Ethan nodded slightly not returning her energy. "That's nice but unfortunately, there are no vacant spots for that here as much as I know". He said

"I understand, but maybe you could help me find a place around this area?" she asked, trying to keep the desperation out of her voice. "I'm sure you know some good places."

Ethan sighed and rubbed his forehead, looking annoyed. "It's not that simple, Lisa," he said. "Finding a place around here is next to impossible."

Lisa felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. It seemed like Ethan was always one step ahead of her, always putting up walls to keep her at bay. But she refused to let him see her weakness.

"I understand, Ethan," she said with a forced smile. "Thanks for your help anyway."

There was a moment of silence between them before Lisa spoke up again, trying to think of a way to break through Ethan's icy exterior.

"Hey, Ethan, do you have some free time today?" she asked, trying to keep her tone casual. She glanced at her watch and saw that it was almost 6pm. "Why don't we grab some dinner together? We could catch up and maybe even talk about some business ideas."

Ethan hesitated for a moment before answering, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I'm sorry, Lisa, but I have somewhere else to be," he replied curtly.

His words hit Lisa hard, causing her heart to sink. She clenched her hands in an attempt to conceal her disappointment.

"Oh, okay," she replied, trying to mask her emotions. "Maybe some other time then."

With that, She rose to her feet, the rage inside of her beginning to bubble up. The fact that Ethan had declined her lunch offer was frustrating, and she was now grappling with feelings of anger and rejection

As she walked out of his office, her mind raced with thoughts of how she could win Ethan's approval. She knew she had a long way to go, but she was determined to keep trying.

On the other hand, Ethan sat back in his chair, staring out the window as he absentmindedly swiveled in his seat. The office felt eerily quiet without Mel's usual banter and jokes. He couldn't help but wonder how she was doing, and his mind kept wandering back to her.

He rubbed his temple, trying to shake off the thoughts, but they persisted. The day had lost its usual spark without her around. As the minutes ticked by, a decision slowly formed in his mind.

Without hesitation, he reached for his phone and pulled it out of his pocket. His fingers moved quickly across the screen as he typed out a message to her. "Hey are you home" he texted hitting send before he could second-guess himself.

few moments later, his phone buzzed with a notification, signaling Mel's response. He eagerly swiped the screen to read her message. "No, I'm actually at the post office. Why do you ask?" she had written in response.

Seeing her response, Ethan hesitated a bit before quickly composing a reply, his mind already racing with plans for their meeting. "I plan to pay you a visit. Wait for me, I will meet you there," he typed out, his heart racing with anticipation.

"Alright president Ethan, I will" Mel replied.

Ethan felt a sense of relief as he saw her text, he was thankful that he had reached out to her before heading straight to her house.

After sending the text, Ethan got up and picked up his suitcase before walking out of the company and getting into his car. As he drove off, he couldn't help but wonder why she was out at the post office, he had given her the day off to rest and not to do otherwise. He also wondered why he was going out of his way to meet with Mel. Well, it was just a friendly gesture. He justified to himself.

****

Meanwhile as Lisa drove off, she could feel her eyes welling up with tears. She had been hoping for a chance to reconnect with Ethan but each time she suggested it, he always turned her down.

Overwhelmed by a sense of confusion and frustration, she pulled over at a quaint coffee shop on the side of the road. Seeking solace in the warm aroma of roasted coffee, she ordered a cup and took a moment to gather her thoughts. After savoring each sip and feeling a slight caffeine rush, she stepped out into the crisp air and made her way back to her car. Taking a deep breath, she fastened her seatbelt and braced herself, ready to hit the road.

Just as she was about to turn the key in ignition, a sleek black Maybach caught her attention as it drove past. Lisa recognized it immediately as Ethan's car, and her grip on the steering wheel tightened

Where was he going? she recalled that he had turned down her lunch invitation with the excuse that he had somewhere else to be. Could it be that he was on his way to the same place he had claimed to be going earlier? She wondered.

Without thinking twice, Lisa started her car and began following the Maybach at a safe distance, not wanting to draw any suspicion.

As she trailed him through the streets, Her heart was pounding with anticipation as she wondered where he could be going.

After a few minutes of driving, Ethan suddenly pulled up at a small grocery store. Lisa watched keenly as he got out of his car and walked inside the store. She wondered what he could be doing there. Was he just picking up some groceries? Or was there something more to it?

Minutes passed by and Ethan emerged from the store carrying a small paper bag in his hand. He got back into his car and drove off again, with Lisa following closely behind

As they continued driving, Ethan suddenly pulled over at the side of the road, close to a nearby Post office. Lisa watched in confusion as he stepped out of his car and walked into the building.

her eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar face. It was Mel, the woman she had clashed with at the spa. Lisa squinted her eyes, trying to make sure it was her. Yes, it was definitely her.

The two appeared to be in the midst of a lively discussion. Lisa felt a sense of jealousy wash over her. Was Ethan in a relationship with that woman? She questioned in her mind.

As Lisa sat there, watching, a memory flashed through her mind. She had arrived in the country, excited to see Ethan but when she went to LIM, she saw him getting into the car with a lady, she could only see their back view making her wonder if Mel was the same lady she saw that day.

Feeling envious, the sight of Ethan and Mel together brought back all those emotions.

Suddenly, her attention was drawn to Mel's hair, it had the same color as the woman she had seen with Ethan before, though hers was styled in a bun. As Mel turned to get into the car, her hair cascaded down her back, swaying with the motion.

"It is her," Lisa realized. "The woman I saw with Ethan the other day, she has the same hair color and length."

Anger boiled inside of her as she continued to watch, "That dirty bitch" she said cursing under her breath at the thought of Mel being involved with Ethan.