When I received a message from Malachi, I was a bit surprised.
He said he came back early and asked when I was free to meet.
My close friend Iyana would be there too.
No time like the present, so I suggested we meet today.
On the way, I kept thinking about how to explain things to Malachi and also how to explain things to my friend Iyana.
In the restaurant, before Iyana arrived, I quickly apologized and explained everything to him.
He stirred his coffee leisurely, took a sip, and then glanced at me, "It's fine. I don't like you either."
Huh? Why does this seem different from before? What happened to the gentle doctor?
"Tell Iyana later."
"Tell Iyana later."
We both spoke at the same time, then paused, stunned.
After a moment of silence, relying on my strong intuition, I tentatively asked, "Uh, the person you like… it wouldn't happen to be Iyana, right?"
He looked up at me and said nothing.
His silence was as good as confirmation.
I suddenly realized what had felt off before.
So Iyana has no idea that Malachi likes her!
"Maybe I should…?" I thought about giving Iyana a hint.
"No need for you to get involved."
When Iyana arrived, and I saw that Malachi had no intention of speaking up, I had no choice but to explain. Fortunately, Iyana only expressed regret and wasn't angry.
I quietly sighed in relief, then saw Iyana pat Malachi on the shoulder: "It's okay, bro. I'll introduce you to someone else next time."
Bro?
Under my surprised gaze, Iyana smiled: "He's my half-brother."
On the way back, we got stuck in traffic, so by the time I got back to the neighborhood, it was already dark.
I punched in the code to unlock the door, and the inside was pitch black. I was wondering why Rhys wasn't home when, before I could close the door, someone grabbed me from behind.
"I thought you weren't coming back," Rhys's voice was a bit hoarse, and he reeked of alcohol.
He let go, and the door automatically closed, plunging the room into darkness.
I tried to turn on the light, but he stopped me. His chin rested on my shoulder, and his breath tickled my neck.
"Let go of me first," I said, struggling slightly.
He loosened his grip, then turned me around and hugged me tightly.
Me:...
He let go but didn't really let go.
"Rhys, if you have something to say, let's talk—just turn on the light first…"
"Paige, have you fallen for someone else?" he suddenly asked.
I froze, and before I could respond, he continued:
"I won't make you cry anymore, I won't break your makeup, and I'll reply to your messages right away. Whenever I have free time, I'll be with you… Please, don't like someone else, okay?"
His voice in my ear was filled with apologies and pleading. This was probably the first time I'd seen him like this.
I sighed helplessly and wrapped my arms around his neck, asking, "Will you still be as stubborn in the future?"
Those typical "straight guy" behaviors really could lead to conflicts, and once the conflicts accumulated, they would inevitably explode again.
He shook his head, hugged me even tighter, and whispered softly in my ear, "Everything is up to you."
