Love Redux: Fated to the Handsome Doctor

The next day, Lara woke up feeling calmer. The chirping of birds outside made her day feel lighter. The aroma of coffee greeted Lara’s sense of smell. It seemed like Mahya’s routine was still the same as usual.

“Coffee?” Mahya offered to Lara, who had just opened her eyes.

“Okay,” Lara replied, smiling at her friend.

Mahya chuckled and then went back to the kitchen to brew Lara a cup of coffee like hers.

Mahya’s attention made Lara feel loved. She remembered Melati. She wondered how the child was doing now.

“Mahya, do you think I should go back home?” Lara asked innocently. She didn’t even think about the possible risks she might face if she dared to do so.

“NO!” Mahya refused firmly. “Do you think why someone would let his wife be tied up right after giving birth? You’re dead, Lara. You have to remember that!” Mahya concluded. Lara just swallowed her words. Mahya’s words were not wrong at all.

“So, what should I do?” Lara started to feel anxious. She wanted to know her child’s fate as soon as possible. Is… he okay?

“Calm down, Lara. I’ll find a way. You have to trust me, okay?” Mahya held Lara’s hand. The girl nodded weakly, then started crying again. Lara really missed the child she hadn’t even touched yet.

“Here’s your coffee. Drink it first,” Mahya handed the cup of coffee to Lara. Her friend now wiped the tears that wet her face. Lara remembered the moments when they lived together while they were students. Mahya was indeed like a mother to Lara. How could Lara ever forget that?

“I’m sorry, Mahya. I’ve been so foolish all this time,” Lara muttered, feeling ashamed. She had ignored Mahya’s words about Seno. Lara felt embarrassed remembering how stubborn she was back then.

“It’s okay. We can’t turn back time. Now, we have to focus on your recovery,” Mahya said, hugging her friend. Lara winced because Mahya accidentally bumped some of her still open wounds.

“Oops! Sorry!”

They then laughed together and finished the coffee together.

***

Mahya bid farewell to Lara, she had to go to work. Lara didn’t mind. She would stay at home peacefully.

“Remember, don’t open the door for strangers, okay?” Mahya said, as if leaving a little child behind.

“Yes, yes… I’m not a toddler anymore, Mahya,” Lara smiled. Mahya was truly worried, she couldn’t bear to leave Lara alone.

“Go on. You’ll be late,” Lara seemed to be driving Mahya away. The girl with a ponytail nodded softly. “Be careful! Food is in the fridge. You just need to warm it up,” Mahya concluded, waving her hand and starting to get into her car.

“Yes! Go!” Lara replied loudly and watched Mahya’s back slowly disappear from view. She quickly closed the door and turned on the television inside.

***

Meanwhile, at the office, Mahya was once again engrossed in her investigation documents. She planned to take these documents home so that James wouldn’t find out. Mahya would pretend to enjoy her new job in the Feature section.

“What are you doing?” James asked after knocking on Mahya’s office door.

“Uh, startled!” Mahya was surprised. She quickly got up and sat in her chair as usual. Earlier, Mahya had been squatting down and putting files into boxes to be taken to her car after work.

“There’s a cockroach!”

“WHAT?!”

James jumped and swept his gaze towards his carpeted floor. “How could there be a cockroach in my clean and sacred building!” James yelled. Mahya just shrugged, trying to hold back her laughter.

“Even when dinosaurs went extinct, they still exist, right! Moreover, it just climbed up to this building, Mr. Boss,” Mahya joked casually while adjusting her sitting position comfortably. Mahya started to turn on her computer.

“You lied to me, didn’t you?” James, more accurately, accused. Mahya just laughed.

“Good-looking men like you are afraid of cockroaches?” Mahya teased. James didn’t get angry. That was because… Mahya called him handsome!

“So-so you think I’m handsome?” James asked, making Mahya more confused.

“Yeah. Quite handsome compared to the taxi drivers,” she said coldly.

“W-what!” James widened his eyes.

Mahya laughed again. “What’s wrong, Mr. CEO? Seems like you’re going through puberty, huh?” Mahya investigated. James’s conversations lately never escaped self-assessment rather than focusing on work.

Mahya began to suspect.

“Maybe… ” Mahya began to guess her boss’s strange behavior. It seemed that James’s syndrome resembled someone she knew when they were in love. “Are you in love?”

“Y-yes?” James looked nervous. Cold sweat started to flow from his temples. James couldn’t speak. Did… Mahya start to know his attraction to her? James felt embarrassed and awkward with everything he was experiencing.

“Well, that’s it! Forget about that cursed engagement! Already cheated and still shameless. Find a new girl, Boss!” Mahya said lightly. James cleared his throat. He couldn’t speak. Apparently, Mahya still didn’t understand James’s attraction to her.

“That’s enough! Get to your work!”

Mahya stuck out her tongue. “You’re the one who suddenly appears. Just disturb my work!” Mahya grumbled as she closed her door tightly. She even put up a sign ‘Do Not Disturb’ on the glass door knob after James left her room.

Mahya had to hurry. She would inform Lara of all her findings when work hours were over.

***

The day was getting late. Lara had been inside the house all day. Mahya did forbid her from wandering around because the situation was still not safe.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

“Ugh… so bored,” Lara complained. Actually, she was used to being indoors. The difference was, Mahya’s house was small and there was no garden or yard. Mahya’s house was an apartment. Completely opposite to Lara’s house, which was spacious and filled with flowers.

Lara remembered her flowers.

“How are my plants?” Lara muttered again. It seemed that she was really dying of curiosity about all the sudden changes. Lara felt like she was in jail.

‘Knock knock’

The sound of knocking on the door from outside was heard. Lara looked happy! Mahya had come!

“One moment….” Lara immediately ran to the door. But, she just realized something was wrong. “Eh, why is Mahya knocking on the door?” she thought. However, Lara had already come to the door. She peeked through the peep-hole. It turned out that… the person knocking was someone she knew!

“Doctor Miriam?”

Lara was surprised. She didn’t expect the doctor to come to Mahya’s house. What should Lara do?

“Excuse me…” the doctor called. She wanted to greet her new neighbor next door.

No answer.

Lara really didn’t open the door for anyone. For the time being, Lara had to hide.

Doctor Miriam knocked on the door again. But, once again, there was no answer. However, a while later… the sound of breaking glassware was heard.

‘Crash!’

“Uh, is anyone there?”