Leo opened the cupboard in his bathroom and reached for his dry shaver. He turned to the mirror and was about to turn the razor on when his eyes caught the dark circles around his eyes. He didn't realize it was that bad. He sighed as he remembered his sleepless night. He was so troubled by the thought of Charmaine and that child that sleep evaded him til the morning sun comes.
Staring straight at the mirror, the man remembered Charmaine's face when she looked at him. She didn't change at all; still the doe-eyed girl he met before who was always looking lively but still graceful. If anything has changed, it was how she tried to distance herself from him, very different from the clingy young girl she was before.
Back then, she would hold his hand or hug his arm whenever they were together. She would always make him feel her presence everytime. She used to take the initiative to talk to him, and she never held back in expressing her affection. She would always give him gifts and tells him she likes him. But what about now? The enthusiasm in her eyes whenever he's around her has now seemed to disappear. Instead, she refused to meet his eyes and would do anything just to get away from him. Her heart seemed to have drifted away from him already... Can he really still woo her back?
***
"Xiaomin? I can't believe it! When did you arrive?!" Laura welcomed Charmaine as she entered the Ji mansion with Luke. It has been years since they last met and she's now more beautiful than before.
"Hi Laura! We just got back yesterday. Is Grandpa home?" she immediately asked. Laura is Leo's little sister, who was two years younger than him. She used to be Jienna's close friend during collage.
Laura raised her brow. Charmaine sure have changed through the years. She always asked for Leo first back then. "Well, Grandpa still have something on. Please have a seat first." Laura gestured for them to come in. She then glanced at the little boy hiding behind Charmaine, and was about to asked about his identity when Leo's voice suddenly resonated from above the stairs.
"Laura, please get them some desserts." Leo requested.
Laura turned to his brother in amusement. It's not early anymore. Shouldn't her brother be at the office now? She found it odd that the workaholic President is skipping work!
Seeing as Laura wasn't moving an inch, Leo hurriedly approached her and whispered something to her ear. Laura just nodded and went to the kitchen.
"Please sit down." he said to his guests. Charmaine nodded and pulled Luke to a seat and silently stayed there. "How have you been all this years?" he asked.
"Good." she replied.
Leo Ji narrowed his eyes. That's all she has to say? She left for more than five years and all she say is 'good'? "I heard you've been dating lately... with a co-worker?" he inquired.
Charmaine thought for a while. What co-worker? and dating? Was he talking about Drei? But how did he know about him? "Where did you hear it from?" she asked. If Leo knows about Andrei, then there's a big possibility he already knows about Luke's true identity!
Leo frowned. She didn't deny it? So, was it true? He was just about to answer Charmaine's question when Laura suddenly walked in holding a tray of desserts. She served both the mother and son a parfait glass of ice cream each.
Charmaine stared at the white ice cream topped with chocolate syrup, and then turned to Laura. Was it just a coincidence? "You... remembered I like vanilla ice cream?" she asked.
Laura chuckled. "No! My brought that home yesterday. I thought he bought it for me. Turns out it's for you." Laura replied before leaving them to talk.
Charmaine turned to Leo. He really bought it for her? He still remembers her favorites? --Wait! What remember? He didn't even know his favorites! He wasn't interested in knowing her preferences! Maybe it's just a coincidence.... but..... how could that be? Leo only eats ice cream if it's mocha flavored. Why would he buy vanilla?
Noticing how Charmaine stared at the glass of ice cream, Leo Ji frowned. "What's wrong? You don't like vanilla anymore?" he asked.
Charmaine snapped out of her daze. She shook her head and started digging in. Of course she likes it! She was just momentarily overwhelmed as Leo had never bought anything with her in mind before!
Seeing that Charmaine started eating her share, Leo turned to the little boy who was sitting silently beside his mom. He was very quiet, as if in deep thought, but also watching all their moves. "How about you? What flavor do you like?" he asked. "You should start eating that too." he said with a smile.
Luke just nodded and started eating too. Charmaine on the other hand felt as if she swallowed her heart when she saw how gentle Leo treated Luke. She was so nervous that she started eating her ice cream in larger scoops, and so she finished her share in just a very short time! Could it be that he really knew?
"Charmaine, are you alright?" Leo asked when he noticed Charmaine's face turning pale. "Is there something wrong with the ice cream?" Nervous, Charmaine only answered him with a short 'No'. "Alright. Since you're done eating, why don't you head upstairs first? Grandpa must be done with the phonecall now. You can check on him and I'm gonna stay with Luke here."
Charmaine was just too nervous to reply. She didn't want to leave Luke alone with him. What if he takes him away? Could she really trust Leo Ji?
"What? I'm not gonna eat him up!" he jested. "Go on! Grandpa must be waiting for you!"
Charmaine was hesitant, but she was left with no choice. Left with nothing to refute, she went to meet the old man and left Luke with Leo in the living room. Whatever happens, Grandpa Ji would still side with her, right?
Leo glanced at the empty parfait glass and then to the one Luke was still holding. He just needs to wait for Luke to finish eating before he could collect the used dessert spoons and send them to the Lab, along with his own DNA samples...