Chapter 34

The new day at Nani's office began with a quiet tension hanging in the air. He was sitting at his desk, reviewing some documents, when his phone buzzed. It was Sky.

Nani picked up the phone, his voice warm. "Sky. How's my favorite troublemaker doing today?"

Sky's voice came through the phone, light and casual at first. "Not much. You know, the usual. How about you? Everything going alright over there?"

Nani chuckled softly, leaning back in his chair. "Same old. Just the usual chaos."

There was a brief pause on Sky's end before his tone shifted, a hint of uncertainty slipping through. "Actually... I don't know if I'm just being paranoid, but I've had this weird feeling. . Like... there are two men following me around. But they're not always around, so maybe I'm just overthinking it."

Nani's eyes narrowed, irritation flashing across his face. He shot a quick glance at Win, who was clearly eavesdropping from the couch.

He exhaled sharply, trying to keep his voice calm "Sky, I'm sure you're just overthinking it. There's nothing to worry about."

Sky's voice dropped a little, as if unsure whether to trust his own instincts. "You really think so?"

"Of course" Nani reassured him, his voice softening. "You've got enough on your plate with your final coming up. Focus on that, Don't let your mind wander too much."

Sky's tone softened as well, a small sigh escaping him. "I didn't think you'd remember about the final... but... I guess you do."

A small smile tugged at Nani's lips. "I'm the one who helped you prepare, Sky. How could I forget?"

There was a beat of silence before Sky's voice returned, quieter now, almost hesitant. "I've been missing you... a little too much, every day."

The words caught Nani off guard, and for a moment, it felt like the world paused. That simple sentence was enough to make Nani almost wanted to drop everything and fly to Italy, to be there with Sky in that instant. But he held back, fighting the urge with a quiet breath, knowing he couldn't let his emotions dictate his actions.

"Idiot" Nani chuckled softly, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I miss you too, more than you know."

As soon as the call ended, Nani tossed the phone onto his desk, his gaze sharp as he looked at Win.

"Win, what did I tell you?" Nani asked coolly, his voice lacking the usual heat but heavy with underlying frustration. "Make sure Sky doesn't notice. And yet, here we are."

Win, sensing the shift in Nani's tone, sighed and leaned back in. "It's not the men's fault, Nani. It's just about your kid... he's smarter than we give him credit for."

Nani exhaled slowly, his eyes flickering with concern. He glanced at the phone again, frustration simmering beneath the surface. "That kid... always makes things harder than they need to be."

Nani's mind briefly flashed to Perth's unresolved frustration, he probably hadn't let it go yet. Nani picked up the phone again, intending to call Chimon. But when the call went unanswered, his frustration deepened.

--

Chimon, he'd been avoiding Perth's calls, trying to steer clear of the man who was always lurking around, both figuratively and literally. But today, it seemed the inevitable had caught up with him.

Chimon walked into a local cafe, hoping for a quiet moment to himself, when he felt a presence behind him. Before he could even react, he heard the cold voice he'd been dreading.

"Chimon. We need to talk."

Chimon turned around, facing Perth.

"You've been avoiding me like the plague."

Chimon's expression hardened, but he didn't show any sign of surprise. "I told you before, Perth. leave me alone."

Perth stepped closer, his gaze cold and unyielding. "You don't get to ignore me. Not after everything we've been through. You're just as much a part of this as I am. So stop pretending you don't feel anything."

Chimon's jaw clenched, but he was careful not to show too much emotion. "I feel nothing. Now, leave me alone."

Perth grabbed his arm, holding him in place. "You really think it's that simple, huh? Running away from me won't solve anything. You owe me answers."

Chimon felt the tension rising, the frustration bubbling to the surface. He yanked his arm away, but Perth's grip was firm.

"I don't owe you anything. And for the record, I don't want to talk to you, let alone deal with whatever this is between us."

Perth's eyes narrowed, frustration clearly evident. "Why won't you admit it, Chimon? You're just running from the truth."

Chimon, feeling cornered, took a deep breath. He was trying so hard to avoid everything connected to Perth, but in this moment, something snapped.

"You want the truth, Perth? Fine. I'm not running from you. I'm running from everything you've dragged me into. And if you really want to know... Nani is my cousin. That's the truth. He's the one who's been looking out for me. Not you. Not anyone else."

The words slipped out before Chimon could stop them, and the moment they did, he froze, realizing what he had just admitted. Chimon stepped back, his heart racing. He cursed under his breath.

"Just stay out of my life, Perth. We're done." Chimon muttered, trying to regain control of the situation.

But Perth wasn't backing down. "We're far from done, Chimon. And now, I know where to find you. Nani... I'll have to pay him a visit next time."

Chimon's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly turned on his heel, walking away without another word. But as he left, he knew that the truth had just opened a new door and it was one that neither of them could close again.

Chimon walked through the narrow streets, the weight of his encounter with Perth heavy on his shoulders. His mind was a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts and emotions.

He wanted to run, escape but Every step he took felt like it was bringing him closer to a confrontation he wasn't ready for. He didn't know what to do anymore. He hated how confused and vulnerable he felt.

"Why am I like this?" Chimon muttered to himself, frustration seeping into his voice. "Why can't I just being brave enough to run away from him?"

Finally, in a moment of desperation, he found himself standing outside Nani's office building. He hadn't planned on this, he hadn't even thought it through but he knew Nani was his safest bet right now. He needed a place to hide, somewhere Perth couldn't find him. Chimon didn't knock. He just walked in.

Nani was at his desk, but the moment his eyes landed on Chimon, the look of surprise quickly faded to concern. "Chimon?"

"Nani... I need your help."

Nani straightened up in his chair, his eyes narrowing.

"I can't deal with him anymore. I need somewhere to go where he can't find me."

Nani stood up, a look of understanding crossing his face. He didn't ask questions. he just walked around the desk, his eyes never leaving Chimon's face.

"Stay with me as long as you need" Nani said, his voice steady and firm. " I'm not letting Perth anywhere near you."

Just as Nani's words settled in the room, the door to the office swung open with a light creak, and in walked Win and Dew, laughing and talking to each other. They paused when they saw Chimon standing there, looking visibly distressed.

Win's eyes immediately scanned the situation, narrowing when he noticed Chimon's tense posture.

"Whoa, what's going on here?"