"So," Leah trailed off, her voice sounded hesitant. "It was not like those romance films where two women are fighting for a single man, right?"
"We were, before," I replied, a nostalgic smile slowly forming on my face as I suddenly remembered my college days – when Ansel and I had just started dating, and when Christina was still the least of our worries.
Those were one of my happiest memories, and if I'm asked right now if I'd choose to go back to that time and opt not to meet Ansel to prevent myself from experiencing all the hurt I suffered from the past few years, I would still want to meet him.
I loved him with all that I am, and experiencing life with him made me who I am right now.
"But that was not the case right now," I continued.
"So you were just not in good terms, and as a result, you have hot coffee all over you," Rachel responded, a hint of confusion evident in her voice.
I smiled sheepishly at her, unable to respond to her words since I don't know how to start answering their unspoken questions. I don't want to completely reveal my horrible past, yet I also don't want to leave them hanging by not saying enough to satisfy their curiosity.
I told myself that I would be honest with them, but how should I start?
"Then, if it's not because of you fighting over some guy, then what prompted that?" Leah replied while gesturing at my coffee-stained blouse.
"As you saw earlier, we were not exactly on good terms," I started after sighing inwardly. "Well, obviously, that is an understatement," I said, rolling my eyes at my remark. "We already hate each other the first time we met back when we were still college students."
"Was it because of Sir Caesar?" Leah inquired.
"Yes," I responded. "Ansel and I were already dating at that time, and I didn't know back then that he was engaged to Christina."
"Wow, that's some cliché movie plot," Leah said, her eyes wide with amusement.
"Right, that's also what I thought at that time," I said while shaking my head. "And when both of us found out about each other's existence, we inevitably hated each other."
Christina immediately dismissed my presence upon seeing me for the first time and did not even consider me as a threat. She instantly branded me as a gold-digger pining for Ansel just because of his status, and that, I, according to her, verbatim, 'wouldn't last for a week.'
"When I asked Ansel about Christina, he told me that his engagement with her was fully arranged by their families and that he does not have any intention of fulfilling their wishes," I said, continuing my narration. "I believed Ansel's words, and I decided to avoid Christina at all costs because I don't want to create any trouble for Ansel."
"But Christina thought otherwise," I said, sighing. "She's the type of person who confronts the people that she hates, and she hated me with all her might, plus, it also doesn't help that I have a pretty sharp tongue."
Leah and Rachel chuckled at my last remark. After the issue with the project team, I have been quite comfortable around the two whenever we converse with each other through our group chat, and they pretty much had already experienced how direct I am.
"So that exacerbated her hatred for me, and even until now that I'm divorced from Ansel, she still hates my guts."
The two merely nodded as a response to my mini-speech, and subsequently, Rachel inquired, "Is their engagement right now still an arranged one?"
"That, I don't know," I said while shaking my head. "I also just found out a few days ago that they were still engaged."
"Wow, how many years has it been," Leah said, shocked at the small revelation. "So it must have hurt her pride that you got married to him."
I sighed before saying, "I guess, but she made sure that I experience how much she despised my existence." I shook my head, remembering the moment I lost everything because of what she did.
There was a short silence between the three of us, and it was Leah who broke it by saying, "I think their engagement right now is still arranged by their parents."
I frowned at her words, and asked, "Why would you think so?"
"Because if they are truly marrying for love, she would not feel antagonistic against you anymore," Leah explained. "From what I saw earlier, it feels like she still hates you, and maybe it's because she's threatened by your presence."
"So are you implying that Christina feels threatened around Alina, and it could be because Sir Caesar still loves Alina?" Rachel responded, her eyebrows furrowed.
My eyes widened at Rachel's words, and I immediately blurted out, "that would be impossible."
"Why not?" Rachel asked.
"Because," I paused and shifted my gaze towards my hand on my lap. I know that they think that Ansel and I divorced because of our differences, and I don't know exactly how I should explain the reason why it would be impossible for Ansel to even feel an ounce of love for me without divulging too much information about our messy separation.
I know that I should at least tell them a small truth, but they are better off not knowing anything because of that family.
"Because he lost his love for me," I continued, unable to form a proper explanation for my denial, and with a soft and shaky voice, I said, "And I was the reason why that happened."
Silence weighed above the three of us, and I could feel their eyes staring at me. I knew they wanted to ask for clarification, but perhaps seeing the state I am right now, the two opted not to.
"So why were you and Christina together earlier?" Rachel asked, changing the topic, perhaps hoping to lighten the mood.
But answering her question might further dampen the mood.
"Because," I paused, inhaling deeply before I continued. "I found out that she was the one behind the rumors."
The two widened their eyes in shock because of my revelation, and soon enough, I was immediately barraged with questions.
"Why didn't you say that before? I would have landed a slap or two on her earlier!" Leah exclaimed.
"Why would she do such a malicious thing?" Rachel asked, her voice laced with disbelief. "How did you find out?"
"Would you believe me if I tell you that she actually called to tell me about it?" I said while trying to hold in my laughter, and Rachel and Leah merely stared at me incredulously. "And I met her today because I wanted to confront her about it."
"So, what did she say?" Leah asked, her eyes filled with anticipation.
"She told me before that she would make me regret ever returning." I started, remembering my first encounter with Christina after five years. "I have been in Japan for a few years now, and I only came back because of my mother and because of the contract with the Chadwick group."
"I would honestly prefer not to meet her while I'm here, but I guess fate just hates me," I said while chuckling at my poor attempt to make a joke. "And I guess, spreading all those rumors about me was her attempt to make me regret returning."
I paused for a few seconds, debating whether I should tell them the real reason why I met Christina today. Though the three of us had been really friendly with each other, I'm still not quite sure if I should tell them the truth as they might not be that accepting of my methods.
And honestly, I'm scared of oversharing my personal thoughts and emotions, fearing that I might get betrayed in the future.
Hence, choosing the safer road, I said, "Then earlier, we got into a quite heated conversation, and I must admit that it was partially my fault because I kept riling her up, then soon enough, I found myself drenched in brewed coffee."
"You should really watch that mouth of yours before you get into huge trouble," Leah said teasingly while shaking her head.
"Says the person who speaks everything that comes to her mind," Rachel said while rolling her eyes at Leah, then she shifted her gaze towards me and said, "So, what exactly did you tell her to deserve being splashed with coffee?"
I bit my lip, trying my best to fight the smile forming on my lips, making their eyes sparkle with interest at what I'm about to say. I said a lot of things to Christina earlier to rile her up, but among those provocations, there was one thing that I said that truly started to enrage her.
"What is it?" Leah pressed eagerly.
"I might have told her that Ansel invited me for dinner," I said, smiling sheepishly at the two. Their eyes widened at what I said, and before they could speak, I continued, "His invitation was merely to thank me for the favor I did for the project team." I paused and shifted my gaze towards my hand on my lap. "But I might have insinuated that he invited me for a date."
Leah and Rachel laughed simultaneously after my admission. Saying those words out loud made me realize how childish I was earlier, and I could only cover my face with my hands as I suddenly felt a wave of embarrassment wash over me.
"I admit, I think I deserve that coffee," I said with my hand still covering my face.
"Girl, I think you really deserved it," Leah said in between her laughter.
"She already feels threatened over you, and you still had the gall to rile her up like that," Rachel said, her eyes sparkling in amusement.
"I know," I said while rolling my eyes at the two. "But I—"
The door of the staff room suddenly opened, and a female employee peeked through the opening. She looked quite frightened when she said, "are you finished with the first aid?"
We have been talking for a while now that we almost forgot that we were in the staff room of a coffee shop. The three of us stared at each other before we laughed simultaneously after realizing that we've been hogging the staff room and that the employees must have been wanting to enter the room for a while now but were apprehensive to do so.
"I'm sorry," I said while smiling apologetically at the timid-looking girl. "We'll leave now."
We fixed our things instantly while holding our laughter in, and before we left the coffee shop, I thanked the manager and the other staff for their help and also apologized for the commotion that we made earlier.
I've been frequenting this coffee shop lately, and I wouldn't want to get banned from entering here again.
Once outside the coffee shop, Leah stretched her arms upward and said, "I'd kill for a drink."
"Same," Rachel seconded Leah's implicit suggestion.
"Can I change my shirt first before going?" I said, beaming at the two.