Chapter: Don’t lie to me

Anna went home in the middle of the night, She was tired and exhausted yet she enjoyed it enough to forget what happened on Saturday night.

But after she lies down on her bed…

she was bombarded by so many frightening thoughts that night... Anna covered her face with a blanket; her body shivering and she was already in the depth of despair... she burst out and cried.

after a couple of hours, she fell asleep.

Anna woke up after her alarm snoozed again, she wasn't ready to go to school but they had an examination today, and she hadn't read or reviewed it yet. Her head spinning and her puffy eyes were heavy and swollen. she sat down first and took a deep breath then went to the bathroom and opened the shower.

She let the waterfall on into her head to cool off and overthink again, she hadn't moved on about Saturday night.

After a long time, she stayed there. someone knocked on the door

"Anna, hurry up," her sister said "I'm going to be late," Diane says

she didn't bother to answer her sister, she continued thinking of an answer

" Anna?" her sister called her again " Are you okay?" she wondered

" I'm coming" she answered and walked out the door

"hey !" Diane call her

"What happened?" she asked

"nothing" she replied and walked away

"you sure? you didn't come home yesterday " she noticed "You sure you're okay ?" she asked Anna

Anna looked back and shrugged her shoulder

"nothing happened?" she worried and noticed that Anna kept isolating herself since they got a house.

"Nothing! You're just being paranoid" she lied, she knew that her sister smelled something about her... " I'm wrecked about my upcoming final exams...thesis everything about school" her excuse "I'm going ... " she said and walked away from her sister

"okay " her sister nodded " take care "

after she changed her clothes and packed her things, Anna went to school. She was late for her first class. They are already taking their quizzes. Anna sat down on her chair, feeling all her classmates were looking at her and they kept wondering what happened to her because it was her first time being late for her class. She took the test questionnaire on her desk and answered all the questions but she was not sure if the answers are right, she didn't remember some of them and was unable to focus.

after a long time of answering the question, her clinical professor came to her and took the test paper.

"finished or not finished... our time is up Ms. Rodriguez ____ " She took the test paper together with Anna's answer sheet "Seriously? what happened?" she was intrigued

"I woke up late, I'm sorry Maam_____" she apologizes

"it's okay, don't do that next time... you know my rules..." she said " or else you are not allowed to take the exam" She smirks

"yes ma'am " she answered politely

her professor walked away and her friends came to her and asked what happened, she told them nothing, she kept it to herself and didn't share to anyone her problems with them. she invited them into the library to read and study for their next quiz.

Anna sat in the cubicle, while her friends sat next to her cubicle. they are all focusing on their reviews for the next quizzes.

Anna read between the lines in the medical-surgical textbook, but she didn't understand it, she kept reading the textbook but her mind kept thinking about the recent happened about engagement. She suddenly leaned on the book and took a deep breath. She's tired and sleepy, she's out of any idea how she can overcome this situation.

she stood up and excused herself to her friends for a moment.

while walking in the hallway, she felt her phone was vibrating in her pocket. someone calling her, she grabbed her phone and checked who it was.

Anna was shocked when she saw the name of Tom on the screen of her mobile phone, he was calling her, she didn't know what to do, her heartbeat skipped for a bit and she started to palpitate.

she was frightened of him. She ignored the call but kept thinking about what would happen if she's not going to answer him.

a moment ago, she got a message from Daniel, He was checking on her if she was doing fine or not. she replied hastily and told him how she felt.

Daniel is her safety box, he is the only one who can understand her feelings for now and she feels safe with him.

Daniel called her after he read her reply.

He felt empathy for her and comforted her, he wanted Anna to be strong especially right now. he stayed on the line until Anna felt alright.

Anna was relieved for a moment after talking to her friend.

she came back to the library and focused on her studies.

after waiting a long time for their next subject, they went back to their classroom and took the long quizzes that were given to them.

a long day was exhausting for them, their brains fogged and they felt drained after taking the long quizzes.

Anna went home after that.

while walking to the subdivision she saw a car parked on their front gate. she knew that car and she started to palpitate again. her lean body was shaking, she wanted to turn back but Tom got out of his car

he seem anxious and angry.

he closed the door and looked at her. He walked towards her and grabbed her arms

" What did you do?" he angrily asked to her

" I...di...did nothing!" she stuttered and replied to him

"that's bullshit Anna ?" she pushed her to the boot of the car "Don't you dare to lie to me Anna," he said

Anna was hurt when her back was hit on the boot of the car, she didn't show him that she was in hurt.

" This is the part of your plan?" he grinned and grasped her collar " Chairman Yang and Your plan isn't it ?"

"No, " she said " I didn't know about it... promise," she said " I have no idea about that night... he asked me to come but don't have any idea that he will do that"

Tom calmed himself and took a deep breath, he looked at her

he moved backward and sat on the boot

At that moment they were both quiet and didn't want to interrupt the sound of silence, Anna remained stood beside him. Tom covered his face with his hands and later on, he put his hand on his head

" haisst .... I'm sorry... " Tom said " I lost my temper_______ and that night.. I haven't met her, though I followed her she flew back to Paris..." he explained and slowly scratched his head " I was trying to contact her... but her phone was off"

he secretly wiped his tears

" if I knew that this would have happened, I ... I... I would not agree on him " Tom regret

Anna remained silent and felt guilty, she knew that was the plan but she never knew it was too soon. she clenched her fist tightly, and she felt like an antagonist character who snatched someone's boyfriend... she didn't want to be like that, it was not a part of her dream to be a reason or to be a third party in a relationship.

she looked at Tom

"Daniel told me everything, I'm sure you were in a difficult situation too"

Anna couldn't look at him directly into his eyes, every time she caught him looking at her, she looked away and gulped. She felt there's something sharp-edged struck on her heart because she lied to him, she betrayed him... she didn't tell the truth from the beginning.

she pity him, she wanted to comfort him but she remained silent and stood beside him. she didn't move an inch because she didn't know what to do or how to start

"Does your family know about it?" he asked politely

"NO!" She replied "Even a single thing, I didn't tell them" continued "It's useless anyway"

Tom nodded and stood up

" you must be really tired ... go inside," he said

Anna nodded and walked away

"Hey, next time answer my call," he said

"I'm sorry," she said.... and turned back

Tom shakes his head " Nah!"

"I mean it... I am sorry for what happened that day ?"

"Nah... I know you were a victim too... I will find a way that Chairman will stop bothering on us ... " he said " I'm am sorry I brought you this..." he continued " stupid" he chuckled

"Tom... I ...I..." She wanted to tell the truth

Tom walked towards her

"It's late... you better take some rest... let me handle this, it's our war and not yours," he said "it will be alright Anna, focused on your study okay.." he assured her and patted her on her head

"Good night," he said and got inside his car and drove away.

Anna looked at him from far away

and went inside her home.

Meanwhile, Tom while driving his car, went home and directly went to Chairman Yang's study room.

Chairman Yang is still in the garden. he knew Tom was coming for him

Tom arrived, parked his car, and went inside the house, he's looking for Chairman Yang,

He opened the door but no one was around. Tom walked towards the study table and he noticed the brown envelope, it was opened and there was an old picture, faded on every edge of the picture. there are two young male in their mid-twentieth standing in front of their company.

it was Chairman Yang in his mid-twentieth but he didn't know who was with.

He checked what was inside the envelope and saw Anna's photo was sitting beside the fish pond, she's still young maybe that time she was still in high school.

when Tom lifted the brown envelope to check if there was a paper inside, he noticed that there is a contract under the envelope, he didn't read it, but it was the last page of the contract.

his eyes widened when he saw Anna's signature over the printed name. Tom couldn't believe it, he chuckled and a moment after he read what was the last page of the contract he was apoplectic.

He felt betrayed.

"What are you doing in here?" Chairman Yang asked while standing at the door

Chairman Yang saw what was Tom holding that time, He set him up, He knew Tom was coming so he already put them on the table.

He stayed calm and walked toward him

"since when did you learn to touch my thing?" he asked

"What is the meaning of this?" he intrigued "Where is the other?" he continued "She signed ... what is this Chairman Yang?" he asked while holding the last page of the contract

"you know what is, why bother to ask me" he replied

" What?" he wanted to hear the truth " Chairman Yang!" he shouted to him

"Uhuh!" Chairman Yang interrupted him "You smart Tom...You know what is the meaning of that," he said and sat down on the chair

"Does Anna know your plan?" he wanted a confirmation

"Chairman Yang slowly exhaled

"so?" he replied

"What?" since when?" he asked

"since ___ when you meet her," he answered

Tom was disappointed and his body was trembling, he was angry

he started to scramble the contract and threw it into Chairman Yang's face

"This is bullshit," he said "This is not true... this is not Anna," he said

"well it doesn't bother me... all I know is you were engaged to her last Saturday night and she is your fiancé now" he sarcastically said

"why she ?"

Chairman Yang smirks" and whom shall I choose .... her ?" he's talking about Mildred " That's not going to happen... Never" he was irritated

"This is not either will happen, me and her_________ NEVER ! " he replied angrily "You are wasting your time Chairman Yang, you are old enough, you are supposed to be enjoying now"

he said and walked away.

"Don't try me, young man !" Chairman Yang shouted at him

he drove his car and went to his house at Forbes Park.

"YOU ARE A LIAR ANNA," He said angrily to himself while looking at her photo on his mobile phone. " I will ruin your life " he murmured

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