Chapter 20

*TRISTAN* Since she still wasn’t waking up,I had no choice but to vent my anger on the doctor. I felt he wasn’t doing his best! “You fucking quack!You said she’s stressed but she should wake up by now.You said her condition isn’t enough to leave her comatose so why hasn’t she woken up yet?!I give you one more day,if she still doesn’t wake up,then you can forget about being my doctor!” I was so at myself.At how angry I was. I didn’t love Cora. So why was I so infuriated? Was it sympathy perhaps? It must be sympathy! Yeah, it was sympathy. I was still human afterall. I tried to comfort myself with these thoughts. Two days passed,but Cora still didn’t wake up.I started contemplating on bringing doctors abroad to come examine her. I stood in front of the bed that she was lying in. I stared at her face.There was a deep frown on it like she was having a bad dream.Sometimes she looks calm and other times,troubled. Was she having a nightmare about me perhaps? Her long eyelashes covered her eyes,leaving a shadow in them.Her face was flawless,and her black hair was scattered on the bed like a waterfall. Her red lips moved,slightly,and I couldn’t help but lean down and place a gentle kiss on it. I just wanted to make her feel calm and safe. Nothing more. It was not until the third morning that Cora woke up.I had gone to deal with something important when my housekeeper called to inform me. As I went through the document on the table,I finally recalled that Phoebe appears to be mad at me. When Cora had passed out at the hallway,she had insisted that Cora was just pretending to get me to feel pity for her. But Cora didn’t appear to be pretending,and even if she was,I still wanted her to open her eyes and tell me she was okay. I glanced at my phone thinking about calling Phoebe but then I decided against it.I do not even know why I was around her,it might appear that we were having an affair but apart from that drunken night,I haven’t touched her. I can’t even bring myself to.I am not really attracted to her.So why was I still letting her stick around me? To spite Cora? To make Cora jealous? I don’t know,I just…this divorce is hard to accept,I never thought it’d be this hard. I headed home and then I got a text from Phoebe. Phoebe:If you want me to forgive you for tending to your ex-wife and leaving me alone,then get me the diamond ring I had asked for. I rolled my eyes and decided to get it.Maybe I could also get something for Cora too. I came by the largest jewelry store nearby,which happened to be owned by Alvin. I do not consider him my friend or cousin anymore and I really did not want to see him right now. But it seem he was at the shop when I heard his voice. “Tristan.” My fist clenched as I turned to face him. Fucking great. I nodded curtly at him and headed for the exit but he stopped me. “Why are you leaving already?I suppose you came here to get some jewelries.” “I did but I must go elsewhere because your store do not have the diamond ring I need.” “You didn’t even check our collections.” I frowned at him.”In that case,you must have the well-known koinor diamond.” “Are you really here to buy anything or to pick a fight with me?”Alvin snapped. I scoffed.”Do you think you’re seriously worth my time?” I could see that he was pissed but he knew better than to provoke me. No one even this city ever wanted to cross me. He might be related to me but he wasn’t a Godoy through and through. “We do not have what you need.You can leave.”He said to me. I went out of the shop without hesitation.If I had spent any second in there,I would have punched the smug look out of his face but a scandal wasn’t what I needed right now. I went to another store and got the diamond ring. There were many ways to please woman but the highest of all was money and gifts. After buying the diamond ring,I thought about Cora who was at my house. I recalled how happy she had been when I got her a diamond jewelry for her birthday last year. Should I get her a diamond ring too? Recalling how Alvin was all over her now made me upset. I was angry and confused. She had such bad taste. Even if she wanted to replace me now. Why Alvin? I was so much better than him.He doesn’t hold a candle to me. When I paid the bill,an idea occurred to me,I said to the shop attendant. “I want to buy a pair.The other side should be smaller.” Cora’s fingers were really slender. I rubbed my temple reeling in how much I knew her. I sent Phoebe’s gift to her through the delivery man and I hurried home to see the one person I was missing. It was bizarre. ************ *CORA* When I woke up a second time that day,I was still sleepy and the headache was still there.After drinking the yogurt and cake made by Winnie,I had gone back to my room and I fell asleep. All of a suddden,my phone rang out. With sleepy eyes,I reached for it and picked up. “Hello,Dylan.” “Finally,I got a hold of you.I’ve been trying to reach you for the past two days.Zoe told me what happened at the restaurant.How Tristan showed up with his lover?Are you still at his house?Tell me,Cora,what’s going on.” I sat up and leaned against the pillow. “A lot.”I let out. Only with Dylan could I put my pride aside and speak out my inner thoughts. “I need to have a word with him!If a word isn’t enough,I need to beat him up!What the fuck is his problem?!” I knew Dylan very well.He was a man of his word and wasn’t afraid of anything. His family was also wealthy,almost comparable to Godoy Group. But unlike the spoiled rich second-generation,he was always vigorous and resolute,making friends with others wholeheartedly. However,from childhood to adulthood,there were only few people who could dare approach Dylan because of his powerful family background. “You don’t have to speak to him.I can handle him.Trust me.”I made my tone unquestioned on purpose. I really didn’t want to drag my friends into this mess. We chatted for a while and he invited me to dinner which I agreed. ********* I was dressed up in a white dress by the time Dylan came to pick me up at the front of Tristan’s villa. He looked unhappy when he saw me. “You’ve lost weight.”He informed me. “I know.I haven’t had much of an appetite lately and I barely sleep.I think I have insomnia now.” “You keep trying to act so strong and refusing my help…” “I can take care of myself,Dylan.Really…” “But it doesn’t…” “Please,can we drop this?” “Fine but you have to promise to eat everything I order tonight.” I smiled and nodded.”I promise.” Dylan drove a white Audi A8.I had always known that he was different from other people in high society. Dylan didn’t care about appearance,the price and practicality.He bought things that he loves,not caring if anyone found it classy enough. He could wear a T-shirt that wasn’t expensive.He really didn’t care who he was. But it had always been impossibky for me to be as carefree as him.When I was small,my father always reminded me that I was his only child and only heiress so I have to behave some certain way,eat elegantly and all that.That was why I schooled abroad to avoid him. And when I came back,I had to fall in love with Tristan.He too always reminded me that as his wife,I was the image of Godoy group. Tristan was a white hardheaded man and I wondered what ever possessed me to think that I could change him. Today, Dylan was wearing an unknown casual T-shirt and jeans. I noticed that he ass not as fair as before. “Did you rub yourself in chocolate before coming here?”I teased. He laughed.”I keep telling everyone that I don’t know what happened to my skin but you have to keep this a secret.Actually,I went to Las Vegas last month,I was basking in the sunlight for a long time not knowing that sunscreen I was applying was fake.” I burst into laughter.”How can you not know that?” He shrugged.”I was having serious skin reactions and I had to go to the hospital which confirmed the fake product I had been applying.” “Well, serves your right,you barely pay attention to what you buy,are you even human?Maybe this might teach you to be more careful about products and other things.” He eyed me.”Serves me right?I still have the sunscreen with me,I might just secretly apply it on you.” I gasped on laughed.”Why did you become so mean,Dylan?Anyway,you’re bluffing,you can’t do shit.” “Yep,your skin is too beautiful to be ruined.” I found that cheesy coming from him and I gave him the side-eye. He laughed. I was in a much better mood now and I was so happy to have him as my friend. During dinner,Dylan forced me to eat a lot,hoping I could gain some weight. After we had a good meal,he sent me back to the villa. Holding the box of chocolate he had bought for me,I stood on the stairs of the villa and waved goodbye to him as he drove away. Smiling,I turned around just to collide with the chest of a man. Gasping,I looked up to see Tristan. “Who was that?”He asked,looking pissed as usual. I moved to the side and intended to walk away but he grabbed hold of my hand. “Who was that?” “My friend.” “I have been at home since noon waiting for you and you were out with a friend?!”He thundered. I grimaced.”Sometimes,it feels like you forget that we’re divorced,and for an ex-husband,don’t you think you’re doing too much?”