𝟑𝟎 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐥

~~ 43. ~~

"I thought... I.." She stammered.

"Don't get me wrong. We are just friends. We had a history together, I know but that is long gone. We have to grow and move on. I have someone else and I love her. We can only be friends. I can't promise you anything else." He made his point clear to her.

"Okay." She agreed nodding. And she stepped back further. "Okay." She picked up her bag and hurriedly left the office without any goodbye.

           Demilade just rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh of relief when she was out of the door.

           She doesn't seriously think he could still have anything to do with her after almost ten years. What does she think of him? A fool? He wasn't a fool. Just because he let her back into his life doesn't mean he is gullible. Yes, she was his friend and also someone he love for a long time. But she made her decision when she can't keep up with him and couldn't endure with him anymore. She can't come into his life again. There was no room for her. She had closed the door when she left him to marry someone else.

             He loves someone else now and even if he had not admitted it to her he still does.

           He sighed and asked his bodyguard to take his bag inside the house. And one of them did. He answered the call.

"Hello, Yimika." He said flatly. He is not giving her any false hope.

"Demmy, I'm sorry for how I acted at your office. I didn't mean to act that way. I don't know what came over me." She apologized in a low tone.

"Fine. I just hope you understand we can't be anything more than friends." He told her.

"Okay." There was reluctance in the way she said it. But he was still less concerned. His mind is made up. If she tries any other unnecessary move, he will have to sever all ties with her.

            And he ended the call.

            He looked around the compound and walked inside the house. He placed the phone on the chair and slumped it on the armchair. He takes off his blazer, loses his tie and takes it off. He unbuttoned three of the shirt buttons. He leaned his head on the headrest with his eyes close. He was so exhausted.

          He was still resting with his eyes closed when he started perceiving the scent of fried rice. Deborah must be at work. Then he realized he was hungry. He had only taken one hamburger at lunch. He didn't go out for lunch that day.

           He opened his eyes and started packing the belongings that he dropped on the chair to go to his room to shower and change his clothes. Then he heard a crashing sound. He quickly get up and was worried that Deborah might have hurt herself. And he hurried to the kitchen.

          But Deborah was nowhere to be found. Lola was the one in the kitchen. She was standing in front of the top black cabinet where ceramic plates are kept which was open. There was a broken piece of china plates all over the floor surrounding her. The top cupboard was open and it look like she was about to take plates from it and probably some of them slipped from her hand.

           She seems perplexed about what to do. She didn't even know about his presence in the kitchen. She bent down to quickly gather the broken piece when one of them pierced her finger and blood gush out of the injured part. She groaned in pain.

          Demilade quickly hurried to her side and he held her hand that was bleeding.

"What the hell Lola?" He cussed angrily. "Why do you use your hands?" And he huffed angrily.

            Lola was staring at him. She was shocked to see him. She didn't even know when he get back and she was getting some funny feeling in the pit of her stomach with the way he was touching her with so much care like she was some fragile thing.

          She watched him sigh and muttered something before standing up. He went over to the other side of the kitchen and opened one of the cabinets on the floor and he brought out a first aid box.

           He came back to her side. She was perplexed by his concern. She didn't expect him to feel so concerned because of a small cut. And this made her speechless.

       He took her injured finger and he quickly stopped the bleeding and plastered the wound. Lola just stood watching him, dazzled.

"Is it okay?" He asked looking at her hand.

        She nodded. "Yes. The.. Thank you."

"You should be careful. " He advised and he peered up at her when she take her hand from his.

            She was staring at him. Her face holds different emotions. Her stomach churned at the way he stare at her. And they stare at each other for what seemed like forever.

      And they didn't know who take the first step but the next thing was their lips connected with each other.