All he had wanted was to shift the focus from himself to Ford, but somehow, he had managed to do the exact opposite. Now the attention was back on him, and Ford was beginning to suspect something was off.
He needed to think fast.
Plastering a smile on his face, he quickly replied, "Oh, yes. I saw Lily outside the boutique, so I asked what brought her there. She told me she was shopping for someone. And that 'someone' just happened to be your new wife." He let out a lighthearted laugh, hoping it would make everything seem casual.
Ford smiled back, chuckling along with him. But even as he laughed, something about Kelvin's response didn't sit right. It felt off—too conveniently explained, too smooth. Still, he decided not to overthink it.
"It's nothing much. No need to laugh," Ford said, shaking his head. "She needed help, so I had to step in. Moreover, she's my wife." He smiled slightly, the faintest hint of a blush creeping onto his face.
Kelvin, catching the shift in his expression, grinned. "Wait—don't tell me you're already falling for her?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.
He was relieved that Ford had bought into his lie. He had no idea what he would have done if Ford had kept pressing him. Right now, he was just grateful that the topic was shifting away from him and onto Ford instead.
"Falling? How can you even think that?" Ford scoffed immediately, his tone defensive. "I can't fall for her. I'm just helping out. That's all."
Kelvin studied his friend for a moment before bursting into laughter. He could smell the lie in Ford's words, but he chose to let it go. There was no need to push further—especially not when he was still trying to keep his own secrets hidden.
Better to leave things as they were.
"Lily—that girl is something else. So she really can't keep her mouth shut?" Ford muttered with a small smile as he continued working.
Kelvin chuckled. "Please don't scold her. I had to force her to tell me. And besides, I know she probably told me because she figured you would have told me anyway," he said, quickly jumping to Lily's defense.
Ford scoffed. "Now you're taking her side? Alright then," he said, shaking his head before turning his attention back to his work.
Kelvin considered denying it but decided it was best to let things be. Some battles weren't worth fighting.
"Oh, yes! Before I forget," Kelvin suddenly said, his voice rising with excitement. "Guess who's in town? You'll never believe who I saw yesterday."
Ford didn't even look up. His expression remained neutral, but there was a subtle shift in his demeanor. "Sia," he replied flatly.
Kelvin's grin faltered slightly. "Wait—how did you know? Oh, my bad, she must have told you," he said, realizing the obvious.
"Of course she did," Ford said, his tone laced with something between frustration and indifference. "I just don't understand why she's back—or why she even bothered telling me in the first place. The last thing I need right now is her drama and all the problems that come with her." He sighed heavily, rubbing his temple. "Especially now that Elena is living with me."
Kelvin studied his friend's face, noticing the slight tension in his jaw. He could tell Ford wasn't just annoyed—there was something deeper beneath his words. Something unresolved.
"Exactly, my friend. You remember how toxic and daring she can be. Sia never takes no for an answer—it took you a whole lot just to get rid of her," Kelvin said, his tone laced with concern.
Ford let out a deep sigh, his fingers tightening around the pen in his hand.
"Well, I heard her mom remarried, and her new husband is an assemblyman. I think that's what brought them back to the States," Kelvin continued, watching Ford's expression closely.
Ford's brow furrowed. "An assemblyman?" he repeated, clearly surprised.
"I'm serious," Kelvin confirmed with a nod.
For a moment, both men fell into silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Ford stared blankly at the documents in front of him, the weight of unwanted memories pressing down on him. But with a shake of his head, he pushed the thoughts aside and refocused on his work.
Kelvin, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, decided to lighten the mood. "Looks like this is giving you a tough time. Your secretary should be helping you out with this… Oh wait—my bad, I forgot you sacked her," he said, bursting into laughter.
Ford shot him an unimpressed look but didn't stop what he was doing.
"Yes, I fired her. She was incompetent," he stated firmly, flipping through the pages in front of him.
Kelvin smirked. "And now you're stuck doing all this alone. Good luck with that."
Ford let out a sigh, finally admitting, "But honestly, I do need an extra hand. I'll have to put up an announcement for the hiring of a new secretary." His voice carried a note of exhaustion as he rubbed his temple.
Kelvin grinned. "Make sure you hire someone who won't run away after two weeks."
Ford rolled his eyes, knowing his friend wouldn't stop taunting him.
Suddenly, Ford's phone beeped. A new message came in.
Hello baby, I'm on my way to your house.
"What?!" Ford jolted upright, his eyes widening in shock.
Kelvin, noticing his friend's reaction, immediately frowned. "What's the matter? What's got you so worked up?" he asked, concern lacing his voice. But before Ford could even respond, Kelvin snatched the phone from his hand.
Reading the message, Kelvin's expression mirrored Ford's. His eyes widened. "Wait—your house? But Elena is at home!" he reminded him urgently.
"What are you still doing? Text her! Ask her where she is! Tell her you're not home and that she should meet you somewhere else," Kelvin suggested, speaking quickly, his tone filled with urgency.
"But I don't want to see her," Ford groaned, running a hand through his hair.
Kelvin's frustration flared. "What are you saying? So you'd rather let her show up at your house? Because you know she'll definitely go there," he snapped.
Ford sighed, his fingers hovering over his phone screen. "Then give me a better option," he said, his voice tense, eyes still locked onto the screen.
Kelvin scoffed. "A better option? We don't have time to sit around thinking of a better option! By now, she's probably near your house. Or do you have some genius plan you're not sharing?" he asked, exasperated.
Without waiting for Ford's response, Kelvin grabbed the phone from his hands, his fingers moving swiftly over the screen as he typed furiously.
"There. I told her to meet you outside. That it's best," he said firmly, handing the phone back.
Ford stared at the screen, then at Kelvin, doubt clouding his face. "Are you sure she'll buy that?" he asked, his voice uncertain.
The two friends starred at eachother. Both oblivious of what would happen next.