SHE RESIGNED AND LEFT

"Oh my gosh! You're seriously leaving me? Why didn't you tell me you ugly duckling?" Jestoni widened his eyes with his hands on his hips, looking like a mother scolding her child.

"I'm sorry. I was planning to give you a surprise." Kaye grinned at him before she handed her farewell gift. "You'll love it." she said before pushing the gift towards him.

"A surprise indeed. I was so surprised I wanted to whack your face." Jestoni said rolling his eyes at her. He grabbed the gift before looking at her with a misty eyes. "Girl, I knew from the start that you would leave since you've got your own company to handle. Don't forget me, okay?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kaye laughed at him looking so devastated. "I'm not going to abandon you. All these years, you're the only one who survived with me. The time we spent together were precious memories. I'll visit you sometime." Kaye said before she pinched his face. "Aside from that, I haven't met your boyfriend yet. I still need to evaluate him."

Jestoni laughed hearing those words from her. It's true that they've been together and were considered the best of friends. Jestoni wanted her to meet his boyfriend but time was very limited for them and Kaye was always busy with the orphanage, foundation, charity works and other stuff.

"I'll introduce you to him soon. He's currently on vacation." Jestoni promised before he unwrapped the gift. "Oh my god! Geez, darling this is pretty. It's beautiful." He was so astonished that he keeps rubbing his face off the bag. It was an Hermes bag limited edition that was released in their spring collection. There are only 50 pieces of this bag in the whole world.

"I knew you'll love it. You've been saving for that and I think it's worth it." Kaye smiled looking at her friend with his heart on his eyes.

"I love it so much. You didn't really have to buy this. It costs hundreds of thousands, but I will accept this even if you think I'm shameless!" Jestoni hugged the bag and then hugged her next. "I can feel now that you're actually leaving."

"We can still see each other in the future. You're so dramatic. I will just take over the company, I'm not dying." she joked at him but Jestoni seemed to look sad and unconvinced.

"Is that really the reason? I thought you're leaving to heal your heart. After all..." he didn't continue his statement after seeing his friend's upset face.

"That's one of the reason. I think a change of environment will help me. I'll be fine. Don't worry." she told him with a faint smile that never reached her eyes. Ivan's sudden disappearance was a huge blow to her. She thought they're warming up with each other.

Expectations and reality were a cruel contrast that she'd never want to experience again.

After her last day at work, everyone that had worked with her and those that were once her trainees bid her goodbye. It was an emotional scene for many who watched her leave. After all, she worked there for almost five years and many people like her straight forward personality.

Jestoni treated her to a meal as they won't be spending much time together in the future. Late in the afternoon, she was with Miss Harley who ditched her work again and invited her for a tea time.

Miss Harley looked at her with mixed emotions visible in her eyes. "It has been six years since we first met." Miss Harley sighed while pouring her a jasmine tea with milk.

"Time flies so fast. I will forever remember you Miss Harley. Whenever time permits, I'll come and visit you." Kaye smiled at the older lady who was also Ivan's auntie.

"Ivan would be sad if he knew this." It was an honest statement from Miss Harley but it pained Kaye so much that she didn't want to hear anything about him at all.

"Let's not talk about him. I'm sure he's busy with other things in mind. By the way Miss Harley, I also came to give you this." Kaye took out a red velvet square-shaped box from her coat pocket.

"What's this for?" Miss Harley asked as she reached the box with a trembling hands. "You didn't have to do this."

"I knew it's important to you and I thought you might want to take it anywhere you go. So..." she trailed im her voice while looking at the woman who was now teary-eyed. "It's not that much. You don't have to cry." she was joking with the older lady, she knew it wasn't because of the price but because of the sentimental value it held.

"Thank you so much. Thank you so much Kaye." Miss Harley grasped on the gift tightly as if her life depends on it. "It's been years. I thought I wouldn't find it and gave up all hope." It was a watch that her late fiancee had. When her parents suppress the man because of his social standing, he pawned his last heirloom that his grandparents gave him. It was very important to him, but he didn't hesitate to pawn it and built this apartment complex for Miss Harley.

Miss Harley had been trying to find it but it was sent overseas for an auction. She didn't have much connections and she didn't want to ask help from her parents either.

It was a great thing that Kaye's mother was actually a friend to the person who bought it. She told the person the story of how it ended up in the auction and in the end, she somehow managed to buy it.

"I'm glad you found it." Kaye said with a smile while giving Miss Harley a gentle pat.

Love can do a lot of things, but in her case, love was evading her.