Bryan is patiently waiting for Hailey to speak. He already conveys his feelings to her, but she remains silent, so then, he went on.

  "I deserved to be beaten up. This is not enough to mend your broken heart that I've caused you."

  On the other line, Hailey pressed her mouth before she spoke up. "I didn't call you to talk about that, Bryan."

  The guy was a bit disappointed, but he remained enthusiastic. Since Hailey called him first, he won't waste his chance to talk to her longer!

  "Okay. Is this about the projects? Don't worry. I promised to work harder than I did before. I promised you that I would not cause trouble anymore."

  "I would be glad if that is true, Bryan," Hailey commented in a plain tone.

  Bryan could feel Hailey's cold treatment. But it made him happy that she cares to phone him very early in the morning. He knew that still night in Dubai.

  "Yes, I will! And you can assure that I'll behave now. Please, Hail…… I regret what I've done. So please, don't hate me completely." He begged. Bryan is full of courage at this moment. He seizes all the opportunities that he could get closer to her again.

  Hailey gritted her teeth. Suddenly, she felt ridiculous upon listening to Bryan's pleas. It sounds childish!

  "Let's not talk about that, Bryan. I didn't call you for this. I have one thing I want you to do for me."

  "Anything, Hail! I'll do it for you!" It thrills him. Bryan forgets that he had injuries after he was beaten up last night. But his joy is soon to wane.

  "I don't want you to mention to dad or anyone that I have a boyfriend."

  Bryan had a mixed feeling at this moment. He isn't sure either to be happy or to be sad. But a glint of hope remains in his eyes.

  Hail, do you really have a boyfriend? Or are you doing this to hurt me?

  Having these thoughts, Bryan contorted a smirk on the corner of his mouth. If Hailey is only doing this to make him jealous, then he still has a chance to coax her. All he needs to do is to be very careful not to trigger her bad moods.

  "Don't worry, Hail. I'm still the same Bryan that you could trust and rely on. I know I hurt you. But let me prove that it won't happen again. Please believe me. You are the only woman I love!"

  "Like what I've said, Bryan. I didn't phone you to talk about us. In a perfect time, I will introduce my boyfriend to dad. So I am warning you not to meddle in my relationship. That's all I wanted to say. I am hanging up now; I have many things to do."

  Bryan's shoulder dropped on his sides. He could see how his heart was crushed. He clenched his jaw and ignored the striking pain in his mouth. Not only that, but he felt furious that, in the end, Hailey is only protecting this man.

  And who is he anyway? Why does Hailey be very concerned about this man? What she's afraid about?

  He needs to find out soon! And he has a plan!

  Bryan is determined to know the truth, but he didn't know that he was under James surveillance which is watching him closely.

  *

  Dubai, UAE

  After Hailey places down her phone, she hurls a long breath and releases it.

  From her floor-ceiling window, the night horizon from her apartment is magnificent. And the city underneath was still sleeping peacefully.

  It was three in the morning while seven o'clock in Australia. She still has a few hours before her day began here in Dubai, but she couldn't take another nap. She was troubled with many things.

  Hailey remained standing near the window, the door of her bedroom open, and two delicate arms hugged her from the back.

  "Hail……" It was Kelly who was hugging her.

  After Andre decides to accompany her, she quickly sends Pitt a message to arrange a private plane to come back to Dubai with Kelly.

  Gladly, they arrived before her plane landed.

  She has to be very careful not to let Andre know what she has been doing this passing year. She isn't prepared to explain to Andre as she knew that he would dig a pit for Vince.

  "Hail…… I've noticed how sad you are after you visited Australia. You didn't show it around Andre and Pitt, and you are trying to hide it from me, but you can't fool me. I am your twin."

  Hailey chuckled. She reached Kelly's arm and rubbed it. "Let us take a seat on the bed first."

  "Okay." Kelly followed her, and the two of them sat opposite from each other.

  "Bryan talked to me," she began.

  Kelly's face instantly twisted with disgust. "And what he wants from you?"

  "He asked me to start over."

  "The nerve! He has a thick face! Next time you go home to Australia. I will come along with you to beat him up!"

  Hailey parted her lips into a smile upon hearing Kelly's fret. She reached the girl's hand and said, "Don't worry. Bryan and I are long over. The only feelings I have left in my heart are sadness that our friendship hurt because of what happened a year ago. Although……"

  "Although what? Do you believe his reasons?" Kelly gaped at her intently.

  "I'll be honest, Kell…… I wanted to believe in him."

  After that night, and a few months had passed, she slowly realized something. How if Bryan honestly didn't mean to cheat on her? How if it's a mistake, but it's not his choice?

  However, when her head started clearing out, and the pain didn't hurt her that much anymore, she found herself falling in love with someone else, and the reason that Bryan's matter doesn't make her concerned any longer.

  "But Hail, you saw the video!"

  "I know. It's just that Bryan is persistent lately. He is begging me to forgive him. He confessed to me that I am only the woman he loves."

  "But Eva is his long-time girlfriend! So what does he mean that you are the only woman he loves? Then why did he always reunite with her again? Honestly, I'm sick of that woman! How many times they broke up and got back together? He is my cousin, but he doesn't deserve you! If that happens to me? I will never be with a man whose ex-girlfriends would hunt me!"

  Hailey giggled at the last sentence Kelly had expressed. She senses something.

  "Is that speech for me, or are you referring to someone's ex-girlfriends?" Hailey's tone is teasing that made Kelly widen her eyes. Her big brown eyes are popping out from astonishment.

  "You're kidding. Why did the topic suddenly point at me?" Kelly waves her right hand, and then her index finger points at her chest.

  Hailey shrugged a shoulder and mouthed, "Nothing. I know someone who has lots of girlfriends at the same time."

  "Jeez." Kelly rolled her eyes. She wanted to change the topic. "Back to you…… So? Are you going back with Bryan?"

  "No. Never. Even if he didn't get back together with Eva, I have no plan in starting over with him."

  "Are you sure?" Kelly gives her a suspicious look.

  "Yes, I am sure." Because before I could move on, I found the man I want to give my whole life to him.

  However, she could not voice it out to Kelly that she has a boyfriend. A real one.

  Not to mention, she is living with him! But sooner or later, she needs to tell her the truth.

  "Anyway, regarding our new branch." Hailey changes the topic. She didn't want to talk about Bryan anymore.

  "Well, since you were also living in Metro City. I will let you handle our new branch. Our Asian business partners are already preparing everything for the lunch of our store. And they also began looking for a place to rent for our sister branch office. But I suggested buying a building instead. What do you think?"

  "Hm. Not a bad idea. Maybe I should assign Keith with this matter. I will consult him."

  "It would be great that we can appoint someone you trust into this! Well then, since this is the plan we will go to discuss later, maybe it's time to get some hours of sleep?" Kelly suggested. She stretched her arms and yawned before crawling toward the pillow and lying down.

  Hailey agreed. She also lay down on her spot. But it takes her half an hour before she falls asleep. She has been missing Vince.

  *

  DAVIES-VARGHESE Inc. UAE Main Branch

  In the afternoon, Hailey lounging in her office with a tea in her hand. Her eyes were mesmerized looking at the clouds that covered the city.

  Since her company rented on top of this building, she has this beautiful view above the clouds.

  She was reading reports from Bruce and then contemplated when a light knocks on the door, her secretary had announced.

  "Miss Davies, Miss Fraine has arrived."

  "Great! Let her in." Hailey put down her mug. She leaned back on her chair.

  The secretary bowed before she left the room. Soon after, a beautiful woman with short hair stepped inside.

  The woman casually looked around at this luxurious office, and she was impressed how the ambiance belonged to a royal person.

  Anyway, the person she is going to meet today is the DV owner. A self-made multimillionaire woman despite being an heiress of a big corporation.

  After her eyes feasted on the expensive furniture, her gaze landed on an accent chair facing the floor-ceiling window; she approached the woman seated in that chair and greeted her politely.

  "Good afternoon, Miss Davies. My name is Fraine Michaels……"

  The woman stops introducing herself after she recognizes the woman in front of her.

  "Aren't you Vincent Shen's girlfriend?"

  "Nice to meet you, Miss Fraine Michaels."