Andrienna immediately got up with a bright face when the man confessed.
"How are you? Long time no see, right?"
Ayres Benjamin Natra smiled, looking at Andrienna's face, which seemed pleased with their meeting. He stepped closer, then hugged the woman's body for a moment and sucked in the fragrance of Andrienna's body. His lips curled into a smile, the hug he unconsciously tightened.
"I'm fine." He muttered, tightening his arms as if he didn't want to let go.
"You don't want to let go of my arms? Do you miss me that much?"
Ayres gasped softly, then looked down into her eyes. His smile meant that what the woman said was true.
"How are you? I heard your mother and father died three years ago?"
"Hmm." Andrienna frowned softly, breaking their embrace. "How do you know?"
Ayres gave a small smile, then sat down as Andrienna invited him.
"There's info from our classmate, Jefan, remember?"
"Hmm, oh." Andrienna just nodded. "I'm okay."
Ayres smiled slightly, looking at him, who didn't look back. Andrienna stared at the table's edge, not knowing what to say.
"What's the matter with you? I see you're a little unwell."
"Nothing, Ayres. I'm okay, you know?"
"I know more and more that you're okay, Andrienna. You don't seem excited because of that night." He thought to himself, staring at his friend's face that looked uninspired and still staring at the edge of the table.
Yes, he was the man of the night—the man who had taken everything from Andrienna Callie. The afternoon after he returned from a substantial business with an annoying enemy, Ayres didn't find Andrienna on his bed. All that was left was the perfume bottle cap and a red spot on the bedsheet.
This month his men have been looking everywhere, even the details. However, all they got was info that Andrienna was a rich kid who lived in a boarding house. She meant to live there somehow. He had a hard time getting information because Andrienna was a no-nonsense person. She was also very wealthy, and Ayres was proud to bring what was his first.
"Please, Miss. Chicken rica-rica, stir-fried beef, warm rice, lemon tea, and warm water. Everything has just been removed from the pan. If there is a bad taste correction, please report it to us. Enjoy ..."
"Thank you." Andrienna smiled and took her spoon and fork to start eating.
"You ate all this?" Ayres asked in a curious tone. "Finished?" he continued in disbelief.
"Why? You're just a friend. You don't know who I am, Ayres. Should I tell you everything?"
Ayres was silent, looking at her, who was chewing rice. The fluctuating hormones make Andrienna a little sensitive when someone mentions her eating or her. This is not himself, but for the baby of a man who knows who is in this tummy. She never thought that she would get pregnant without a husband, and that is something she is still sensitive to this day.
"Are you looking for something? Or waiting for something?"
"What?"
"I do not know." Andrienna stared at him blankly. "Haven't we always met, haven't we? But you don't care. Even when I bumped into you at the zebra cos, you didn't care. Even though I was either on purpose or not, I wanted to see your reaction."
"Seriously?" he asked with wide eyes.
So it wasn't an accident?
"No, I'm just kidding." Andrienna stared at him blankly. "You haven't changed, even after all these years."
Ayres looked at her, smiling warmly. "What's wrong, Honey? What's wrong? You've been sensitive since earlier. I asked if you even answered curtly. What's wrong with you?"
Andrienna took a deep breath. "Sorry, I'm a bit sensitive," she said, reaching for a tissue.
"What is it?" Ayres looked at her warmly. "Tell me, what makes you sensitive?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, why not? Maybe I can give you a few things as a solution." Ayres nodded until Andrienna fiddled with the spoon in her hand.
"You know ... about a month ago, I was framed by a man who stole my bag." Andrienna bitterly said, making Ayres smile a barely perceptible faint.
"Then?"
Andrienna sighed slowly. "He did that to me, and he took my innocence. Please, Ayres ..." The woman came closer, took Ayres' wide hand, and held it. "Don't tell anyone, okay? Please don't embarrass me. I'm telling you this because no one I can trust but you. I'm just an isolated person, no parents or siblings. Can you spread my disgrace to others?"
"Wait!" Ayres looked at her face. "A pickpocket trapped you?" he asked sincerely, causing Andrienna to nod slowly.
"Yes, you know? I was framed and given anesthesia until I was unconscious. But in the morning, I woke up in a pathetic state, Ayres. My body aches all over like there are no bones anymore. Please... help me look for who has done that. Sue him. I will help you financially. I will give a lot of capital in the search. You know, I need a friend to do this. I'm afraid of myself, and I can't even report it to the police. Please, Ayres, help me..."
Ayres froze, watching a teardrop from Andrienna's fallen petal.
"Help me, please... I need help to demand justice. Please, Ayres..."
"What's the proof, Andrienna?" Ayres asked doubts. Instead, he couldn't possibly find out who the culprit was, and he was the one himself. "We need solid evidence..."
Andrienna was silent, wiping her tears slowly.
"When did it happen?"
"A month ago, on the left side of the crossroads. At the end of the alley is a small, isolated house. That's where I got my bad luck, Ayres." Andrienna sobbed, her body shaking at the word. "He took it all away from me, in my unconscious state. What can I do? That bastard knows who it is, and I can't see his face because it's dark."
"That's me," Ayres thought, holding Andrienna's hand. "Relax, I'll help, but we need proof. Do you have proof? What were your clothes that night or something?"
"I threw away my clothes that night." Andrienna fell silent as Ayres wiped her tears.
No one paid attention to them, and the cafe customers were busy with their business.
"Calm down, don't cry. We need evidence. What can convince the police to make an arrest?"
"Erm." Andrienna fell silent with the hand she slowly took from Ayres's. "What's the example like?"
"Yeah, things related to that night. It's also been a month, you say. Why didn't you report earlier?" He said that, but his heart smiled because Andrienna didn't report what happened. "Why are you silent?"
Andrienna sobbed quietly. "I'm afraid to say it, so scared."
Ayres sighed. "You should tell the police. They'll protect you too. But now we don't have anything to talk about that night. We need evidence."
"Proof?" Andrienna was silent, remembering her pregnancy. "I know. I had proof that night."
Ayres' eyes widened slightly. "What?"
"I can get pregnant, right?"
"What?!"