We had another round of caterpillar rides of pleasure into the ninth cloud. If it were not for Zed, who already knew I was there, I would have laid there until morning. But since I couldn't afford to make him suspect that I was doing something fishy, I went up and took a quick shower.
"I'll go down to the restaurant and wait for Zed there," I said, looking at Kim, who just lay on the bed, watching me.
"I'll order food and take you home. You're tired already."
"Zed saw me. You know that."
Kim sat up and looked at me. "I should be the one acknowledging you as my wife, not him."
"I don't have to explain. You know better than me."
"Tell him about us as soon as possible," he said, and I got annoyed at how fast he changed his mind.
I picked up my bag angrily and slammed the door shut, leaving him staring at me with a frustrated look. The more I indulged him in bed, the more he became possessive.
I sat down at the restaurant with a heavy heart. I should have been glowing from a highly satisfying post-coital bliss, but there I was, sitting down confused and humiliated.
I fished for my phone from my bag after pulling a deep breath.
"Zed, I'm here at the restaurant. Sorry, I didn't stay long enough. I got exhausted from the flight," I told Zed in my message. He didn't reply, so I presumed he was still on the stage.
I ordered a fruit juice to pay for my stay. But a few minutes later, there were pasta and panini added to the juice I ordered.
"I didn't order this set, "I complained to the waiter.
He smiled and pointed to the one sitting on the far corner with his back on me. I followed the waiter's gaze and realized it was Kim.
"That sir made this order, ma'am. He said the bill is on him."
Damn him. Kim's boldness was already making me nervous. Zed would soon arrive, and Kim's presence there might make him suspect.
"Can you just pack these? I'll just eat these at home."
"Sure, ma'am! The waiter then left as quickly as lightning.
I also took the time to inform Zed that I would just go home ahead. He didn't reply, so I presumed again that he was still speaking before the crowd. I booked a Grab car, and as soon as I had found a driver, the waiter also came in with the food.
I kept glancing at Kim while waiting for the car to arrive. I got so frightened that I kept reciting a prayer that the two men wouldn't cross with each other in this cafe. So, as soon as I got the driver's message, I went out hurriedly and stepped inside the car.
It was only when we pulled out on the highway that I was able to breathe deeply. Kim didn't follow, so I felt like a thorn had been plucked out from my heart. I then realized that the life of a fugitive was never easy if I have to merely see it from my situation.
"Ma'am, someone is following us," the driver cut through my reverie.
I looked at the rearview mirror and saw Kim's car. Then, my phone rang.
"What?! Aren't you going to let me have peace even for a few minutes?" I shouted into the phone.
"Yen? What's wrong?" Zed's voice floated in my ear, and I gasped in nervousness.
Damn him! This is getting worse!
"Sorry, Zed! I thought you were Ara!" I said, biting my lips.
"You're arguing with her?"
"No. Girl thing." I closed my eyes, praying he would take my excuse.
"I see. I'm calling to apologize for not being able to answer. Unfortunately, the open forum took a longer time than expected. Are you home already?"
"Almost."
"Okay, dear. See you soon."
As soon as I ended the call, another call came through. And I sighed when I saw the caller's name.
"Go down from the car and ride with me. I'm sure Zed is still there at the hotel," Kim said.
I felt too exhausted for another fight, so I let the driver stop, and I moved to Kim's car.
"You're too much!' I grumbled as soon as I settled in the car beside him.
"It's not safe for you to ride with just any driver you can find. It's already nighttime."
"Kim, I have been doing this for many years already. So, you don't have to worry anymore."
"I know, but it would be different now that I have found you."
I closed my eyes and stayed silent. This conversation would go nowhere if I reason out.
"Jakara, do you think it's easy for me to imagine that every night, you are with Kim, making love with him?"
I felt a pang of pain when I heard him calling me Jakara. It sounded strange but familiar to my heart. To swerve him out of the topic, I threw back his complaint.
"What about you? You are also with Maezy, who practices all the arts of sex."
Somehow, I felt a sense of discomfort imagining him with Maezy on the bed.
"Arts of sex?" he chuckled. "Where on earth do you get that idea?"
"Maezy showed all your sex toys to us. You even have that nude painting with her."
"Those are hers, not mine. And that nude thing was taken when I was drunk and during my first and last intimacy with her."
I rolled my eyes. He didn't have to lie to me. They lived together for several months already, and they only had one s*x episode? That's ridiculous!
"How can I tolerate s*x with the one who is my foster father's wife unless I have a clouded mind? If it weren't for her claim that she got pregnant after that moment, I wouldn't have decided to live with her."
I accepted his explanation. Who in his right mind would indeed want to have sex with your foster father's wife?
I was convinced that Maezy was indeed a scheming person. If she had successfully tricked Kim into submission to her, it's no wonder if she did it also to many others in the past.