Part 1: A white night (Ruby)

Kevin and I are heading back to my apartment. I ask Kev to get Chris to come down to my place. I really need to prepare my mood. Chris cannot find out that it’s just a lie. I have to make him believe. This is even so much harder when I had to talk to Anna. At that time, I was ready to let Rudy go. Right now, I am not ready to break his heart this way. I am going to the bathroom to turn on the shower and bath myself with a cold water to steer my pain away. I still wear my clothes. I just need to diverse the pain in my heart to become an instant headache due to the cold water. It’s so hard for me to fall in love with Christian earlier and even harder to admit my feelings to him before at the airport. I never thought that this must come to an end. I know that Anthony is the one I love the most now but I still don’t want to hurt Christian this way. Now that I already commit myself to Anthony, I need to be ready to steer another men away from my life. This is only a fair thing to do.

I am changing into a dry cloth and put a towel over my head. My hair is still wet. I go to the living room and find that both Kevin and Christian are already there. Chris walks towards me and says

“Where is the hair dryer? I will help you to dry your hair out.”

I am looking at him. I already regret what I am about to say to him later on. I glance at Kevin. He seems understand that I don’t have the heart to do this to Chris. I really need his help. I couldn’t do this alone. Kevin suddenly stands up and says

“Let me dry her hair. I used to do it every day when we were in Sydney.”

I look at Kev’s eyes deeply and wonder when did he ever dry my hair before? He never dried my hair, not even once. He is blinking his eyes as a sign to ask me to cooperate with him. I am taking the hair dryer from my room and hand it to Kevin instead to Christian.

Kevin asks me to sit on the couch. He starts to dry my hairs. After a while, he says

“I am sorry that we both have betrayed you since the beginning. We only took the advantage of living at your place and use all the facilities. Behind you, we used to fool around in your house. This is how I used to do when drying her hair.”

Suddenly, he kisses my hair and then my neck on the right. He kisses my right ear while whispering

“Work with me. This is the only way for you to have the bravery to make him hate you.”

He is touching my left cheek and makes me to turn around my head towards him. He kisses me on my mouth and I pretend to enjoy it. Honestly, it’s disgusting. It’s like kissing with my own brother, only weirder. I couldn’t control some of my tears to fall down but Kev is really helping me a lot. He puts his hand around my cheek and whenever my tears start to fall, he is sweeping them right away. We stop kissing after a while and look at Chris. Chris doesn’t give us any response.

I am afraid of his reaction. I thought that he is going to punch him or even throw him out of the window. Instead he gives us his calm reaction and says

“Cut it out guys! I know both of you too well. Don’t forget that I have known Kevin for years. I know that he won’t fool around with the girl I love.”

I don’t know how to answer Chris. It seems that this is even harder than I thought. The kiss was made for nothing. It was pointless. I even have to do it in a more extreme method. I really need to break his heart harder. I thought that we could still be friends.

Kev sits down and he finally says:

“I am not as good as you think. I have been using you to live the life I want. Everything is easier when I am friends with Christian Wong. Ruby and I have planned all of these from the start. You can keep denying it but it doesn’t make any difference. Both of us will still leave you even you don’t choose to believe the ugly truth.”

Chris seems confuse and he finally starts to believe it a little.

“Explain to me!”

“Everything changed when my parents cannot longer able to support my tuition. I couldn’t rely only on my small income from the part time job. I want to live my life well. Did you know that I also used May to get to you? I made her fall in love with me. I rejected her so you won’t get suspicious that I am after your family fortune. I helped you with your paper, and even did your exam for you. Everything I did was for a purpose. I know that my tuition fee is only a small change for you. That’s the real reason behind our friendship. I need your financial support. I even got my current job because the manager knew that I am your friend. But the fact is I never see you as a real friend.”

I know that Kev made up this lies to help me. I can’t believe that he is sacrificing himself for me. Their friendship will be over. I really don’t want Kev to suffer over this.

“No wait! It’s not like that!” I cut Kevin’s explanation. This time, he really went too far.

“No Rub. We really need to tell him the truth. I don’t want to pretend anymore. I already have a stable income now. I don’t want to follow him like a little puppy anymore. I can take care of you. I might not able to give the life as fancy as Chris can give you. But at least, both of us don’t need to pretend to like him anymore.”

Kev then continues to tell his lies

“When Ruby came, I know in a second that you liked her. I even started to hate you even more. You didn’t care to ask me what I would feel about you chasing her. You knew I have adored her but you didn’t even have the courtesy to ask me. I loved her. I have loved her since a long time ago. I gave up because I thought Roy and Anthony were a better fit for her. But, when I found out that you also liked her, I knew that I shouldn’t give up on her easily. You both were a wrong foot from start. You didn’t deserve a girl like her. I only helped you to get Ruby for a purpose. I used Ruby for a greater good to get your family fortune. Everything was just a set up.”

I am cutting Kevin’s explanation. I want Chris to put the blame on me not on Kev.

“Actually, no! Kevin was also a victim. It wasn’t purely like that. Kevin didn’t know that I seduced him to help me to get you. I was the one who was after your family fortune, not Kev. I knew that he liked me all along. I dumped Roy because I found out that you were much richer than him. First, I came to get Roy back but after I was succeed; I saw that you began to fell for me. Since then, I already set a new objective. I want to have all of your fortune instead of Roy’s. If we are married, I know that I will be the one who become the President Director. You never care about your family business. June and Amy will also be too young. The BOD will not give them any support. When your mother invited me to work at Wong, everything was going according my plan perfectly. I use your sympathy to get to you.

Chris starts to grip his canned beer. The water spills all over the floor. He seems furious. I really feel awful about hurting his heart like this but I don’t want him to have a huge misunderstanding to Kevin. It’s not fair. Kev really treats him as his best friend. He is his only friend.

“I used Kevin because I know that he wouldn’t betray me because of his feelings towards me. He didn’t even reject when I asked him a favor to make us closer. Everything was just my plan to get you. However, things must be put to an end when the one that I truly love got into an accident. I only love one man in my life and it’s Anthony. It’s never you and it is also never Roy or Kev or even Rudy. I know from the beginning that only Anthony who will never hurt my heart forever. Now, you know everything. It’s your decision if you want to sack me from the company. I can submit my resignation letter first thing on Monday morning. In regards to Kevin, he is just one of my chess piece to get to you. He didn’t want to help me in the first place but I persuaded him by giving what he wants. I think you can understand what I mean.”

Kev looks at me and shakes his head as a sign that I went too far. I know that he doesn’t agree if I have to leave the company. He knows that I count on my monthly income to pay for the hospital fee. But, I just don’t want to take any money related to Chris anymore.

I feel far more than awful now. I don’t want to become the same girl who I just described to Chris. I’d rather die starving than having to use any facilities from Chris from now on since I already destroyed his feeling like this. I even took the only friend he had. I want to say a thousand times of “I am sorry” but I cannot do it during this instance. He finally speaks after a moment of silence.

“Kev, please leave us for a while. I want to talk to Ruby alone. I will deal with you later.”

“No, I am not leaving anywhere without her.” Says Kevin

Suddenly, Chris punches Kev so many times in the face and in his body. I don’t want either one of them to get hurt. Chris even throws down a dining chair forcefully towards Kevin. I run and try to block it with my body. My hands also try to cover his head. The chair hit my upper back and my lower head a bit. It’s painful but the pain is nothing compare to the pain inside my heart earlier.

Suddenly, Kev pulls Chris and shouts at him

“What are you doing?  Why did you do that? Rub, are you ok? Did it hit your head?”

I feel dizzy and try to touch the back of my head. Suddenly, I don’t have the strength stand up anymore. I fall and Christian catches me with his arms. I am touching my head it feels wet. I see my hands and they are blood all over my hands.

Chris carries me and put me to sit on the couch.

“Where is the first aid kit?”

Kev asks my maid and brings the first aid kit. He brings a towel with him. He also asks the maid to buy some more roller bandage and Betadine. He wants to help me by putting the towel at the back of my head but Chris yells at him

“Don’t touch her! Don’t make me to ask you twice to leave the room! Please leave now!!!”

I don’t want any fights to happen anymore. I finally ask Kev to leave.

“Kev, leave us. I also need to talk to him alone. I am really ok. It’s just a small bump!”

“My phone is ready at anytime. You just call me and I will be here in one minute.” Says Kev

Chris takes care of me and wipes the blood using my towel. He also put an alcohol. It feels smarting.

He finally says

“I am sorry to have thrown a chair at you. I lost control of myself earlier. I didn’t mean to hurt either of you physically. When you told me that you gave what Kev always wanted, I lost my temper. I am really sorry. We should go to the hospital tomorrow to do a full examination on your head. Does it still hurt now? I am really sorry.”

I look at him while he is wrapping my head with a roller bandage.

“It’s ok. We hurt you first. I know that you get easily jealous. It’s my entire fault from the beginning. I don’t deserve your kind attention like this. The injury in my head is not a big deal. I don’t need to go to the hospital. It’s just a scratch and a little bump.”

He finally hugs me and says

“Rub, I don’t care if you use me. I could give all my fortune for you if they mean so much to you. I can forgive Kev and let him continue to stay in the house. The only thing I am asking you is just stay by my side. I don’t care if you use me to live the life you want. I feel happy when you are beside me. For the first time in my life, I truly feel happy. Please don’t take my only happiness away from me. I don’t want to live without you by my side. These past few days have been hard to live. I don’t want to go back to my old life. Please Rub… Please….”

I know that he is telling me the truth. I am really touched but I must try to let go of his hug but he locks his hand. If we continue to hug like this, the fort in my heart will start to crumble. He whispers to me while still hugging me tightly

“You know that I even haven’t got a chance to hear you saying that you love me. I don’t want us to end so soon. I love you Rub… I really love you with all my heart.”

I don’t know how to gather a much more bravery and give a cruel act to hurt him in this condition. I know that I have to become a heartless girl. When he lets go of the hug and when I look into his eyes, I finally know how to make him hate me. This is still a gambling but if it’s working, I know that he will hate me to death. I speak to myself in my heart

“Chris, I am sorry but this is what I have to do now. Please forgive me. This is for your own good and for Anthony.”

I finally give a reply to him using my coldest expression

“Ok! I will stay by your side but I have one condition. I can even say I love you if still want it.”

“What is it?”

“I still want to marry Anthony, the only man I love. You also need to accept that my heart only belongs to him. I can be your mistress, I can come by to your place every now and then but I cannot force myself to marry someone I never love. I am only willing to do anything with you because I value your money, not you.”

Chris suddenly slaps me hard on my right face. I really want to cry but I have to hold it a little longer. This act is working. He starts to hate me. He starts to look down on me. He starts to see me as a material girl. I have to hold on. It’s only a few minutes more and everything will be over. I would never think that I can open my mouth to say such despicable words. I am loathing myself.

I look at his eyes. He seems to regret his action before, regret that he just slap my face. He started to touch my right cheek, the one that he slapped me just now. Before anything gets even more complicated, I ask him to leave instead.

“Please go.. I know that you won’t accept it. Please go and this will be the last time for us to meet each other. As I said before, I will put my resignation letter on Monday. You won’t see me again in your life. You can feel that I am disgusting. But, please forgive Kevin. He is only one of my greedy victims. He really treats you like a friend. I was the one who persuaded him. You know him longer than you know me. You should trust your judgment when you chose him as your friend before.”

Chris suddenly stands up and pulls me up to stand beside the couch. He screams

“Ok! If that’s what you want. Now tell me! How much?”

“I beg your pardon.” I am confused why he is asking me “how much?”

“How much do I have to pay you for a one night stand?”

I am pushing his body as far as I can but he pulls me back.

“Is a hundred million enough? Or are you asking me for more? Name the price and you should do anything to please me. You told me that you only care about money. Fine! If you want to be my mistress, you need to get yourself ready. I want you now.”

He starts to kiss me forcedly on my mouth and then all over my face and my neck. I am trying to pull him away but he is too powerful. He even starts to unbutton my shirt. He is touching my back and even starts to touch my thigh. I really begin to panic. He opens his t-shirt in front of me and starts to kiss me even more brutal.

Suddenly, I remember the night on the cruise where there was a drunken man who tried to force me. I never expect that Chris can be as dangerous as him. I must have hurt him badly. I scream and try to reach my phone but it’s too far. I remember that I left it in my room. I cannot make a call to Kev and ask for a help. I start to cry hysterically. There is nothing scarier for a girl to go through such a horror experience like this.

“Chris, please stop. Please don’t be like this. Please stop… please stop… I am begging you to stop.. I am so scared.. Please stop… ”

I beg him to stop this madness and couldn’t hold my emotions to cry and scream even louder. Few seconds later, Chris finally stops kissing me. I don’t dare to look at him. I just sit on the floor, hugging my own feet and cry loudly. Chris caresses my hair and says with a much softer emotion

“I am sorry. I am really sorry. Please stop crying. I won’t do it again. Don’t cry. I am really sorry.”

I couldn’t bear to have him touch me again now. I am hitting his hands and ask him to go away from me. I am so afraid and I couldn’t get myself to calm down. I know that it’s never his intention to force me like before. He just lost his common sense. He did that because I challenged him. I hurt him too much. I am still crying. Few of the buttons in my shirt are still undone. I am trying to tight them but my hands are shaking badly. I cannot tight them together.

Kev walks in to my apartment. He must have waited outside. He runs towards the living room and says loudly

“I heard about the screaming. What happened to Ruby? Is she alright?”

I lift my head up and look at Kev. I am glad that he is here. He sees that Chris is half naked and turns his head to look at me. He sees that some of the buttons on my shirt are even undone.

“What did you do? How dare of you to do that to Ruby?” He points his finger to Chris. Kev punches him twice on his face. Then, Kev is taking off his jacket and put it to cover my body. He hugs me and says

“Everything is alright. It’s over. I am here. Don’t be afraid. I will take care of everything. No one can touch you without your approval. I am sorry that I didn’t come earlier when I heard you’re screaming at the first time. I thought that you just had a regular fight with Chris. I am so sorry… I am sorry to have to deal with this alone.”

Chris puts on his t shirt back. I know that he feels bad about what happens. I want to let him know that I can understand why he did that to me before. I want to say that I forgive him. But, nothing is coming out from my mouth. I don’t even have the strength to catch my breath normally. Now, I really have to let Chris go from my life. Suddenly, I remember about how Anthony got an accident. I run towards Chris and grab his right hand

“Please don’t do anything reckless. Promise me that you will go straight to the apartment upstairs. You owe me for what just happened. Promise me that you will take a good care of yourself.”

I am really scared that something bad will happen to him like it did to Anthony. He is looking at me with his coldest look. I am so scared to see him like this.

He pushes me hard and luckily Kevin was there to catch me. He says

“Don’t touch me anymore! I won’t let you to touch me ever again. I don’t need your fake sympathy. I told you once that the only thing scares me the most is to lose you. I am not afraid of death and I am not afraid of losing my fortune. Now that I already lost you, I am no longer fee afraid of anything else. You can get marry with any man you like; I won’t even care a little bit. I will make all of you who betrayed me to suffer a hundred times more than you have done to me.”

Kev puts his arm around me and says

“Ruby, don’t worry. Chris can take care of himself well. He has not made a revenge on me yet. He will live to see me suffer and make me regret for what I did to him. I know him too well. But Chris, leave Ruby out of this. This is a fight between us as gentlemen. Don’t involve a weak girl like Ruby.”

Chris then starts to laugh at him and says

“Is she weak? Why am I feeling as if I am the weaker one? I will give no more mercy to both of you!”

Chris leaves the apartment and bangs the door loudly. I begin to lose my balance to even stand up. Kev lifts me up in his arm and brings me to sit down on the couch.

“I will make you something warm to drink.”

He gives me a glass of hot coco. I feel slightly better after I am taking a zip. I am still shaking. Chris’ reaction from before really frighten me. I am not sure it’s because he tried to force me or when he said that he has nothing to fear now. I am so concern about him. I am scared that he will do anything reckless like Anthony did before.

“I am ok. You better go and have a check on Christian. I don’t want anything bad happened to him. Please go. I told Chris that I only used you. I told him that you are innocent.

If his emotion is going down, he will forgive you right away. He has known you for years. Your relationship with him is so much deeper and longer.”

Kev puts his arm on me and says

“Sometimes, you really are too naïve. Do you expect Chris to forgive what happened and still be friends with me? Not anyone have a big heart like you Ruby. You can forgive about whatever anyone did to you in a second. Chris is not the same. He is spiteful. If you are kind to him, he will treat you even better. But, if you are mean to him, you won’t stand a chance against him. That’s why in Sydney, everyone is so afraid to offend him. He is known as the black mafia from Jakarta.”

I continue to calm her feelings and get her to understand our positions. She needs to be ready.

“Rub, it is always easier for him to forgive you because she really wants you in his life. For me, I won’t stand a chance. I will move my things tomorrow morning when he is already asleep. Can I stay at your place for a while? I will wait until you and Anthony got engaged and leave to Sydney. I want to support any decisions you make. Let me protect you until Anthony gets better. Chris will not let things go easily. He might start his revenge on you by giving you a hard time at the office.”

I couldn’t thank Kevin enough. He is willing to sacrifice his friendship with Chris. It means even he is moving to Sydney later, he won’t be able to stay at Christian’s place anymore. I stare at him and say

“You can stay here as long as you like. I will ask my maid to prepare Anthony’s room for you. Thank you.. Thank you for everything. I want to go to sleep first. Today has been a long day”

I am going to my bed room and put my face on my pillow and crying. It feels awful to hurt Chris just now. I never wish that everything didn’t end up like this. I don’t know how many hours I am spending in my room crying. When I wake up and see the time, it’s already 10.00 AM. I must have fallen asleep early on. I must getting ready to go to the hospital.

Part 2: A white news (Kevin)

I know that Ruby’s crying on her room. I didn’t come in because I want to give her some space. I could only imagine what she is feeling at the moment. It’s already 04.00 AM and I can still hear her crying from her room. The sound is just unbearable to hear. I decide to pick up my things before Ruby wakes up later and hope that Chris is not at the apartment. I open the key to his apartment and find that Chris has already waited for me. He is sitting on the dining room. They are more than 10 canned beers which lying around everywhere. He has been drinking a lot.

“I only come by to pick up my things. I will move from your place for now on. I also won’t stay at your place also when I come back to Sydney. Thank you for everything. You have been a very good friend to me when I had none. I am sorry but I hope that someday you can forgive me.”

Chris suddenly stands up. He is drunk.

“Why did you do this to me? You know that I only have loved one woman in my life. It’s Ruby. Why did you do this to me? You can have my everything but why did you take the only thing I valued the most? I know that I love her.”

I look at him and really feel bad for the guy. I finally give a reply to Chris.

“Because she is the only girl I love too. I have told you about this but you didn’t choose to believe me. I really love her. I could give up everything for you but not her.”

He grabs and pulls my t shirt. He says

“How about Lily? I thought that you had chosen Lily.”

“I only chose Lily because I couldn’t have Ruby. She is only her replacement.”

I know that I have to continue this act to help Ruby. Lily was never her replacement. I liked her in her own terms. However, it’s true that I chose Lily because I knew that I am not a compatible boyfriend for Ruby compares the other men who have chased her.

Chris continues to say

“I thought that you had retreat your feelings to Ruby because you valued our friendship. I thought that I owed you my life, my happiness. I thought that you are my best friend. But, you fooled me! Both of you have fooled me! I thought that Ruby is the most sincere girl I’d ever met in my life. I was wrong! She is even worse than those bitches. She made me in love with her and threw me away for another man like I am nothing for her. She is too cruel. She made me change but she still left me.”

I know that it’s useless for me to make a conversation with Chris. He is too drunk to even stand up properly. I feel bad for Ruby and Christian. Both of them need to deal with their own pain.

I carry his body to lie down on the couch and put a blanket to cover him. He is still calling Ruby’s name. At some point, he even says “Ruby, please don’t leave me.”

I know that it would be too hard for Chris to delete Ruby from his life. He must experience amnesia to forget all about Ruby and get his life back.

I pack up my things and go back to Ruby’s apartment. I know that both of Chris and Ruby just had one of the hardest nights in their life. I think that I need to talk to Anthony and let him know beforehand about Ruby’s condition. He is the only person who understands Ruby inside and out.

I wouldn’t ask Anthony to let Ruby go as it’s already Ruby’s commitment to choose him. I am also sure that Anthony can take care of her better than any men including Chris. I am going to the hospital and the time is 07.00 AM. A male nurse just went out from Anthony’s room holding a tray.

I hear his conversation with his Doctor unintentionally. I couldn’t hear it clearly but it’s something about his MRI result. He’s having a severe brain concussion due to the accident and the injuries on his legs are also hard to recover but he can work it out through the therapy.

“How long? How much longer do I have the time to live?” says Anthony to the foreign Doctor.

“Maybe two or three months top. I have to double check and do another examination. I also want to make a consultation with another brain specialist. About your eyes, you will lose you sight even worse day by day. It will get decrease until one day; you will lose 100% of your sight. I am sorry. The only thing I can do is to postpone it. I also will maintain the level of internal bleeding in your brain. We can do an operation but the chance for it to succeed is less than 20%.”

Anthony then gives her a reply

“I won’t do the operation. Please don’t tell anyone about this, especially to Ruby. Please act that everything is fine at the moment. I don’t want her to worry. Please just postpone it as long as you can. I will make every moment valuable. Three months should do it.”

“We will not divulge any information without your approval. We will keep this under the strictest confidential. However, our advice is for you to tell your immediate family. You will need their support to undergo the therapy.”

The foreign doctor walks outside the room. I am hiding in the corridor next to his room. I couldn’t believe what I have just heard. Anthony did not recover well from the accident.

He even only had two to three months to live. How can this happen? This is too cruel. What will happen to Ruby’s life? She already told me that she couldn’t live without him.

I knock Anthony’s room and sit beside him.

“I am sure that you remember me. I am Ruby’s close friend from Sydney. We met more than 10 years ago when Roy broke up with Ruby. I heard about your conversation with the foreign Doctor. I am sorry to hear that. I am sure that we can always seek a second opinion.”

Anthony continues to listen to me

“However, the reason I come here is to tell you that Ruby had a rough night. She really tried everything she could to make Chris to hate her instead of continue to love her. She had chosen you and she commits herself to do whatever it takes in order to be with you with no distraction from Chris. Knowing Chris, he wouldn’t let her go easily. She has made him hate her until Chris was trying to force her last night.”

Anthony cuts the conversation and says

“What? He tried to force her last night? How? What happened?”

“She is fine now. Nothing bad happened but Ruby was shaken up a bit. Chris stopped it early enough. He still loves her and he knows that doing that kind of thing will scare Ruby for life. He won’t do it. He just lost his temper and consciousness. I don’t know what Ruby talked to him after I left but it certainly pulled a trigger for him to do it.”

Anthony is crying and he is mumbling

“She shouldn’t have done that. It’s too dangerous. I am not worth it at all. My love will eventually kill her and not even make her happy.”

I put my hand on his shoulder and says

“No. I think she made the right choice. That’s why I was there to support her. The only problem is I don’t know what will be Christian’s reaction at the office to her. He will treat her badly because he wants Ruby to suffer. I am still not sure but I can try my best to protect her because I am not working at the office. I also don’t know whether Ruby can cope to hear the terrible news about your true condition. Are you sure that you don’t want her to know?”

Anthony is grabbing a glass of water beside his bed and start to drink. He says

“No, definitely not now. I know that I have been too selfish. Even though I didn’t force her to break up with Christian, my accident got her to make the painful decision. I know that she is too afraid to lose me. I am also afraid what will happen to her should I have to leave her alone in this world. Now, I know that she will be in good hands. I know that you love her and you will take my place to stand by her side as her best friend. You won’t be as selfish as me to want her more. I know that she could live without me if she could have your support. I am dying soon. I want to live my life with her for the next two months, that’s my last wish and hope. Afterwards, she could choose any different life. She could be with the one she really loves. Kevin, the two of us can only stay as her best men but she will end up marrying someone she truly loves. Allow me to be selfish for the next two months. I want to live the rest of my short life with her.”

My eyes are teary right now. I didn’t even cry last night seeing Chris and Ruby but Anthony’s love for Ruby really touches my heart. I understand now that why Ruby loves Anthony so badly. He is really a good man to love, even the best I’d ever met in my life. He knows it all along that Ruby is never his to have. He only wants to taste a little bit of happiness. He wants to feel what’s like to be Ruby’s lover for a few months. At the end, what he cares is only for Ruby to reach her happiness and nothing more.

I talk to Anthony to give him an encouragement.

“You need to be able to walk. You need to see the world with her and take her wherever you want to. I am sure that you will have your moment with her. She loves you too. She loves you very much. Although it may not be like the same way she used to love Chris, I can tell that she loves you more than she ever loves anyone in this world. I am sure that you can feel that.”

I continue to persuade him to get a second opinion from another doctor.

“We can try to find a cure for you. We can go to Singapore. They have the best brain specialists over there. We can always hope that the operation will succeed. We can still prevent this. It’s not too late.”

Anthony finally gives me a reply

“No. It’s better this way. Two or three months with Ruby are more than enough for me. She needs to move on with her life without me. She needs to find her own happiness.”

I raise my voice to Anthony

“I am only scared that she will lose hope when she has to lose you in the future. I could never take your place. She only looks at me as one of her close friends nothing more. What if she is losing her will to live? What if she cannot accept that you leave her forever?”

Anthony smiles at me and says

“You still have two to three months to make her trust you like the way she trusts me. I know that you can do it. I will also help you. I will let you know every little thing about what she likes and what she doesn’t like. But, you have you to promise me. You won’t fall in love with her in a hard way. You won’t follow my step and force her to love you back. Promise me that you won’t force her to do anything against her will. You will always keep your feelings to yourself. She doesn’t need any more burdens. What she needs is your selfless support, the one I cannot give at the moment.”

I am nodding my head. I go outside his room and crying like a baby. This is the first time for me to cry like this. I am just so touched by the way Ruby and Anthony loves each other. They have the biggest heart in the world. They love each other with their own unique way. Now, I really understand about the unconditional love between Ruby and Anthony. One is willing to put her happiness to save his life and the other one is willing to sacrifice his life to give her happiness.

I am taking a taxi to go to Ruby’s apartment. It’s already 10.30 AM. The maid tells me that she is taking a shower. I am waiting to have a breakfast together with her in the dining room.

“Morning!” she says to me.

I see her face and she has a black eye. “Morning!” I reply to her with an enthusiasm tone. I want her to have a better mood today.

“What are you going to do today? It’s a beautiful Sunday!”

“I will spend a whole day at the hospital. Anthony will have some therapy at 12.00 PM. Have you had any slept? You look tired. You can rest in that room. It’s already cleaned. It’s small but I hope that you can get use to live here soon.”

I am smiling at Rub and says

“This apartment is more than fine. I used to sleep in a cubical before I met Chris. I am really tired now. I think that I am going to sleep after eating this delicious pancake with you. Your maid certainly can cook better than you.”

We are eating together silently. We don’t discuss about what has happened last night. It was too painful for the both of us. After a while, she rushes herself to go to the hospital. I am going to my new room and falling asleep in an instant.

Part 3: A White Flag (Anthony)

I never thought that I would leave the world so fast. If I knew last year that I only have another year left to leave, I wouldn’t leave Ruby’s side for a second. Next week is Ruby’s birthday. I want to plan a special birthday surprise for her. I need to be able to walk on her birthday. I will try as hard as I can. I cannot believe that she was merely forced by Chris last night in order to make him hate her. She must have done that for me. Thank you my Ruby. Now, I know how important I am in your life and it’s enough. I will leave the world in peace, knowing that you love me too.

I never regret anything in my life. I know that my mother will have Ruby’s support for the rest of her life. Ruby loves her as much as she loves her own mother. The only thing that I am worried is Ruby. How can she handle my death in the future? I don’t want her to lose the will to live.

I see the door open and she comes in wearing a white short dress. She looks really beautiful.

“Hi! How are you feeling today? Don’t forget that you will have your first therapy today at 12.00 PM. Did Prof. Wendy come by this morning? I am sorry that I over slept this morning. I didn’t have enough sleep yesterday.” says Ruby.

“Rub, can you come here for a while?” I ask Ruby to come close to me.

She is sitting down on my bed. I suddenly hug her. I want the time stops now. I want to die in her arms. I want to be with the one I love.

“What happened?” she asks me curiously

“Nothing. I just want to hug you. I miss you so much. Thank you for everything. Thank you for coming by to see me every day. Thank you for your love to me.”

“I miss you too. Did you sleep well? Have you eaten your breakfast yet?”

I am still not letting go of her. I want to cherish every moment with her.

“I have eaten the hospital meal. But from now on, you have to cook for me at least once a day. Otherwise, I don’t want to eat a whole day.”

“You are becoming arbitrarily. What happens? Did the nurse give you an injection for children below 12 years old?”

She is giving me her cutest laugh ever. I just adore her so much!

“Nothing. I just want to act spoilt as long as I am in the hospital. It’s your turn now to spoil me.”

Ruby is laughing. It’s been a long time to see her smiling like this. I am holding her right hand and say

“Rub, when you are alone, are you thinking of me?”

She is smiling to me and nodding her head. I continue to speak to her

“You know that as soon as I wake up, I check my phone, hoping there’s a message from you. Can you please text me every night before you went to sleep now?”

“Of course! But you have to promise me that you will do your therapies well. Sometimes, I even slept with my phones at my hand when we were texting. I didn’t give a reply for you not because I fell asleep but because I never want our conversation to end.”

My eyes are teary but Ruby cannot see me crying. There is so many more request that I want to ask Ruby but I don’t want her to feel suspicious. We begin to have a regular conversation for a while. I ask her about how her work is lately and why I haven’t seen Amy, Karen or Matthew. She told me what happened. I need to call Amy to straight things up. Suddenly, I remember about Kevin. I need her to rely on Kevin more and more slowly.

“Rub, Kevin is not a bad guy at all. Do you like hanging around with him?”

She is then staring at me and answers

“What do you mean?”

“I mean as friends. Now that I am your boyfriend, I cannot stay as your best friend or big brother anymore. Maybe, he can take my place. He can be our best man if we are getting married.”

Ruby looks at me and smile

“Maybe. You know that no one is able to take your place. Kevin has done a lot for me but I am not sure whether he cut up for the job. Being my guardian angel is just for my Anthony.”

I am smiling to hear what Ruby said. Some parts of me are glad that she considers me that I am the only one. The other part of me is sad because I know that I am leaving her soon enough.

We go to the therapy room together. It’s harder than I thought. My feet don’t have the strength as it used to have. It’s really hard for me to even take one step. I really want to raise a white flag to the doctors. The pain is unbearable. But, every time I think about Ruby, it gives me the strength to carry on. I have to be able to walk again. I have to be able to walk with her on her birthday. At least if I lose my sight on the next few weeks, I could still hold her hands to walk her down the aisle. I wouldn’t ask her to marry me of course knowing that I only have a few months to leave. But, I really want to know how it feels to marry her. I will only ask her to practice to walk with me and not in a real marriage ceremony.

Ruby stays with me until late of night. I ask her to come home even though she wants to spend the night to accompany me. I need someone else to help me to take care of a few things. I need to tell someone the truth about of condition. I have to prepare my death will, my insurance legacy and other things. I wonder who should I call but at the end I decide to call Amy and ask her to come by in the morning.

Amy came by at 07.00 AM before she goes to work. I let her know what happened and ask her to keep this confidential, especially in front of Ruby. I give her all the information about my bank account, insurance account and even all assets, gold bars and bonds under my name. I ask her to get a lawyer as soon as possible. She is crying to hear that I only have a few months to live.

“What do you want to achieve in life that you haven’t got a chance to had until now?” asks Amy

“I want to spend walking down the aisle with Ruby wearing white. I know that I am too selfish. I even cause her to break up with your cousin in the most painful way. Although I want to have the real marriage, I cannot force her to marry someone who is dying in a few months. I will ask her to practice and walk with me.”

“You know Amy, I am glad that I only have a few months to live. Otherwise, I will become too selfish wanting to live with Ruby for a long time. I will force her to stay by my side even though I might not be the one she loves. By having a few months more to live, It means that she can start living her true life after I am gone.”

Amy is shaking her head. She burst into tears. I finally request her to take care of Ruby.

“Promise me that you will also taking care of her. I know that you and Ruby had some disagreement before. I didn’t blame you but you have to promise me to never hit her anymore. If I am gone, she will have only you, Karen, Mat and Kevin. You guys need to stay by her side. You know that what scares me the most is when she told me that she couldn’t live in the same world where I don’t exist. I am so scared that she will do a reckless stupid move. Please promise me that you will look after her. She needs everybody’s support.”

Amy is nodding her head. She is still crying. She finally says

“Don’t worry. I know what to do. In the mean while, I will prepare the lawyer to come here tomorrow morning.”

I am going to do the therapy again this afternoon. I am even asking the nurse to set the therapy twice in a day. I want to have a speedy recovery. I don’t want to spend my days at the hospital for too long. It’s just a waste of time. Suddenly, I am feeling a severe headache. My head spins badly. It’s so painful. I am beeping the nurse and Prof. Wendy comes in to give me an injection. She asks me how do I feel and I tell her the pain about what happened earlier.

“I had a severe headache. The pain is even worse than having the therapy.”

Prof. Wendy then told me that it might be due to the side effect from the concussion. She asks the nurse to add a stronger dose of the pain killer. After I am stabilized, they are leaving me to rest. My tears start to fall as I really don’t want Ruby to see me like this. She gets frighten easily. I need to arrange the best plan for her life. What if two months is not enough to settle things perfectly? I start to write a diary for Ruby to read in the future. I want her to have something to remember me by.

August 22, 2012

Dear Ruby,

Today is the second day of my therapy. I asked the nurse to schedule it twice a day instead of once. I want to walk as fast as I can. I want to walk with you and hold your hands like we used to.

I am sorry that I didn’t tell you earlier about my disease. I don’t have the heart to tell you that I am leaving you soon. I wish that things could turn out differently. I really want to grow old with you but I have to raise a white flag to the cruel fate.

Ruby, starts your life now. Even though I am not by your side, I will always stay in your heart. My love with leaves you happiness. Don’t lose a will to live but starts living your life fruitfully. I love you and I will always love you even though we are not living in the same world.

Love, Anthony.

Part 4: A white war (Christian)

I would never trust anyone in my whole life. Two persons who I value the most in my life have betrayed me. They never even love me with from the beginning. Kevin and Ruby are just the same with others. They only love my money, not me. I won’t let things go easily. I have to stop Ruby for submitting her resignation letter. I want her to feel at least 10% of the pain she caused me to have.

I come to the office at 07.00 AM. No one has even arrived yet except for the cleaning service. One hour later, Ruby comes in to my office. I ask her to sit down. As I have expected, she hands me the letter. It is my turn to start making my revenge now:

“I don’t know that you are this coward!” I talk to Ruby.

“I don’t understand. What do you mean?”

“Do want to run away from me? You still have an obligation to work professionally here. My mom helped you to get the best doctor for your father and Anthony. Now, you already get what you need yet you decide to leave the company when it needs you. I don’t know that you are this coward and selfish. I know that you are a material girl but I thought you are still a professional worker.”

She is quiet for a while. By looking at her expression, I know that her face is becoming pale and paler. I don’t care. This is only a beginning. I need to teach both of them what pain feels like.

“Ok! If you think that the company still needs me and it is ok for you to see me at the office every day, I will stay. Is there anything I can do for you now?”

“Yes. I need you to ask Kevin to work for me as well. My mother asks me to handle the Boggota’s case. I need to hire an IT specialist on my team. Rudy needs to concentrate on the SAP project. I cannot put him on my time. Here is a list of some new positions that you need to hire within a week. We need to run this case as soon as we can.”

“One week? It’s impossible. 79 new people? Can I ask any agency or head hunters to help me with the lower level positions such as the mining engineer, and so on?”

“Sure! But, you need to get my approval on this head hunter’s rate. I don’t want to use more than 20% fee. You can start working on it right now. In the mean while, you need to see my secretary to fill you in more information on the Bogotta’s case. It’s mainly the new joint venture between our company and CAR mining, one of the biggest mining companies in Asia. I am sure that you are already familiar with CAR. The most important position to fill in is to get a senior geologist.”

I know that geologists are very hard to find even within two to three months period. It’s hard to get them to do the interview as they are based on site. Usually, they also request to join with two months notice period. I am asking Ruby to recruit them in one week is for a purpose and that’s to make her working life miserable.

“But….” Ruby is trying to negotiate the time boundary and I cut her off before she even speaks.

“You may go now. Ask Kevin to come in an hour. I will have an important meeting at 10.00 AM.”

“Noted Pak! I will do as you say”

She even calls me with Pak. It’s a very formal greeting when you want to address your superior.

She doesn’t call me by name anymore. I am waiting for Kevin to come in and half an hour later, he comes in without knocking the door as always. I put down my laptop and say

“Next time, please knock on my door first before you come in. After all, I am still the General Manager in the company. You may sit down.”

Kevin sits down and before I can speak another word, he already cuts me of

“I know what you are trying to do. You are trying to make your revenge on us. I don’t mind… I know that I owe you too much. But, you shouldn’t go too far with Ruby. At the end, it’s you who will regret everything. It will be too late for you to turn back time.”

I really hate when the two of them is trying to back each other up. It really proves that they really did something behind my back. I put on my cold expression and give him a warning

“You don’t have to care about the way I treat Ruby now. It’s none of your business. I want to offer you a job based on project while you are still in Indonesia. You can reject it but if you choose to join the company, you can monitor Ruby as well. It’s your option to accept or reject the offer.”

Kevin answers me only in a second. It’s so fast that I am even surprise that he is making the decision so very quick. He must have loved her very much. Both of us really love the same person.

“I will take the offer! When can I start working? Ruby has told me about the position and a little bit of information on the Bogotta’s case.”

“You can start today. I need you to do your first job by going to the site at Kalimantan for 3 days. You can leave using the last flight today after you understand about the Bogotta’s case better. I need you to observe the site and install an IT networking there. I want to be able to make a video conference with the workers there. You also need to make the new supervisor our company email.”

“Do you assign me to go because you want me to leave Ruby? What will you do to her?”

Kevin is still Kevin. He really can read my mind.

“You don’t have to know. You just need to follow my orders. Please go as I am really busy at the moment.”

Kevin walks out from my office. I start to throw things from my table. It also hurts me to play tricks to both of my closest friends. One of them is even the girl I love. I call my secretary to let her know my next move.

“Catherine, please come in immediately.”

Cat walks in and I give my instructions clearly to her.

“I want you to give a hard time to Ibu Ruby. You can do anything as you please. You can also ask another co worker to do it as well. Tell them that this order comes from me. Anyone who does it well will be given a reward of Rp. 20.000.000. In the mean while, I want you to make a fake draft of the agreement letter between our company and a fake head hunter with the fee of 15%. Please include the list the positions that we need to find in the agreement. You will give this to Ibu Ruby and ask her to sign immediately. Tell her that I already approve this matter and this agreement is a way for me to help her. She will understand. Don’t leave her place until she signs the paper.”

“One more thing! I want you to call to the hospital and stop all the payment to help Ruby’s father and Anthony. Please also ask Prof. Wendy to go back as we won’t need her anymore.”

Cat seems to hesitate to do the things I have said. I even give her a threat if she doesn’t do thing as I say, I will have her job as well. She comes out from my office. So far, my plan is working.

I want to make Ruby to understand what it feels like to beg someone. What it feels like to give all your heart but you have nothing in return. I never want to stop Anthony’s medication. I just want her to beg me and feel the pain of being rejected. At the end, I will still ask Prof. Wendy to cure the guy. I am sure that he can survive without her supervision for several days.

I am reading the Bogotta’s case for a while before having the meeting with the managers for Bogotta.  Cat walks into my room and hands me the document which has been signed by Ruby. I will use this to frame her later on. This is a fake head hunter agency. It means that everyone will think that she taking off their fees to corrupt the money. By signing this, it means that she still trusts me. I ask Cat whether Ruby checked about the document. She said that once Cat told her that this is my order; she signed it right away without even looking at the document. She really fell for the trap.

I come home to the office early today as I need to get my mind of Ruby. I am going to the hard rock café to get some drinks. I stay there alone until about 12.00 PM. My cell phone is beeping. There is one new message. It turns out that it’s from Cat.

“Pak, I had completed your instruction by spreading the orders to give Ibu Ruby a hard time. Mr. Yeoh’s secretary just texted me that Ibu Ruby has been locked in the ladies toilet at 28th floor since 04.00 PM. I will transfer her reward as agreed by tomorrow. The cleaning service will free Ibu Ruby in the morning.”

I read the message twice and make sure that I am reading it right. What I meant by giving Ruby a hard time is by giving her a pile of work, not locking her in a girl’s bathroom for 8 hours like this. I am driving as fast as I can to go to the office. The security is surprised to see me and asks what’s going on. I tell him to give me the keys to the ladies toilet on 28th floor.

I am running as fast as I can and open the toilet immediately. It turns out that they have blocked her door using the mops. I open the door to her toilet and finds that she is even unconscious. Her body is half wet. Her hands are injured. They are also blood. I hug her, call her name to wake her up and couldn’t express my fear after seeing her like this. I am the one who caused her to experience the bullying. I carry her immediately and drive her to the hospital.

The doctor in the emergency room has changed her wet cloth with the patient’s uniform. They also have rolled the injury on her hand. She has a slight fever. She must be starving, wet and felt cold in the ladies toilet. The doctor also informs me that the reason for her to faint is because she is running out of breath. I remember that the air con will be turned off at 11.00 PM every night. Therefore, she has asthma attack around 1 hour before my arrival. I couldn’t imagine what would happen to her if I came by late to get her. She is now given oxygen. I open her bag and see that all her things are wet including her cell phone. That’s why she couldn’t call anyone. I wonder whether I have gone too far.

I hold her hands and say

“If only you are willing to say that you love me, if only you can let me know that your feelings for me are true, I am willing to stop, forgive everything and ask you to stay by my side.”

Suddenly, Kevin is running towards the emergency room. He is looking to see Ruby right away. He looks concerns. I thought that he already got on a plane going to Kalimantan.

“What’s going on? If Cindy didn’t give me a call, I wouldn’t know that you can do such a low things like this. She is only a girl, a weak girl! You should go against me!”

The male nurse asks Kev to lower his foce. He drags me to go outside the hospital. We are now outside the emergency aisle. He starts to punch me for several times.

“What is it that you want? Do you want her to die because you can’t have her? Tell me, what do you want from her? Do you have any idea what she has been through? I already told you not to go too far. It would be too late if you don’t even have a chance to have her at the end.”

I am really angry. Kev acts as if he still cares about my feelings. I punch him in the face and shout

“I never want her to die. This was an accident. I don’t know that they can lock her in the toilet for 8 hours. But, I really want you to die instead of her! If you still want to live, you have to disappear from her life as soon as the Bogotta’s case is over. I want to have your words. Otherwise, I will do many worse things to her. I will make her life miserable. Tomorrow morning, both of you come to my office. I will have an important announcement to make. Be at my office at 09.00 AM sharp!”

I am driving my car to leave Ruby and Kev. I know that Ruby now is in a good hand. I am hitting my steers for several times. I would never jeopardize her health or even her life. I am calling Cat even though I know that it’s already late. I tell her to cancel my orders. I don’t want anyone to give Ruby a hard time at the office anymore. I need to act alone. I need to make sure that her health isn’t affected by this.

Kevin and Ruby are both entering my office at 09.00 AM sharp. I begin to talk to Kevin about the way he disobeyed my instruction yesterday.

“You disobeyed my instruction to go to the site yesterday. I want you to leave today as planned and for as soon as possible. You need to set up the internet and office network as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would be difficult for us to monitor their jobs.”

Kev answers me

“I am sorry. I cannot leave anywhere without Ruby, not after what you did to her last night. I am sorry. I couldn’t take that risk.”

I finally throw him the document which Ruby just signed yesterday.

“Look at this and you can reconsider to disobey my instruction again.”

“What do you mean?” Ruby finally opens her mouth to speak to me.

“This is just a regular letter of agreement with a head hunter. Your secretary told me that you wanted to help me because we need to recruit many people for Bogotta in a really short time.”

I am answering Ruby and wonder what she would feel if she knew that everything was just a set up. I want her to understand my feeling the other night. I want her to understand how I felt when she said everything was a set up that night. I want her to feel as if her world has crumbled like mine.

“Everything was just a set up. The name of the company is a fake. This is only made as evidence to frame you. Everyone will think that you wanted to corrupt the company’s money. The name of the head hunter is not real. It’s your fault that you didn’t even double check.”

Her tears start to fall down from her face. She says

“I didn’t check it because I trust you.”

I know that she is feeling the pain I felt that night. Suddenly, I don’t have the heart to continue this cruel revenge. I talk to Kevin instead of looking at her. I really can’t see her crying in front of me.

“Kev, if you still insist not going and do as I say, I will process this to our legal department. She will go to prison. Do you want to disobey my orders again now or you will leave here now?”

Kev looks at me and says

“I don’t believe that you even tricked her to sign. If you really want me to go from her life, you can just kidnap me and throw my body in the river. Don’t do anything to frame her like this. As I said before, you will be sorry later.”

Kevin’s cell phone is ringing. He answers it and it seems that it’s really serious. He hangs up the phone. He rises his voice to me.

“Did you really stop Anthony’s medication? I don’t blame you if you stopped to pay for the hospital. I know that Aunt Betty has asked Cindy to pay both Anthony and Ruby’s father treatment. But, did you really ask Prof. Wendy to go back to her country? Did you really do that?”

I look at both of them and put my coldest expression.

“Yes, I did. Anthony didn’t deserve to get this facility. It’s not my responsibility to take care of him. Prof. Wendy would not have been here if I didn’t ask my mother to invite her. I did it because of Ruby. I thought that she’s worth for me to help her. Now, I know that you two have been setting me up, why do I need to care about Anthony’s life? It’s not my business anymore.”

Suddenly Ruby walks towards me. She is now standing close to me. I am still sitting on my desk. I can’t believe what I see next from her movement. She is kneeling in front of me. She says

“I am sorry. I know that I have hurt your feelings deeply. I am really sorry. You can do anything to me. You can put me into prison. You can make me to do anything as you please. But, please don’t ask Prof. Wendy to go yet. Anthony still needs her. He can’t walk at the moment. He really needs Prof. Wendy to continue his treatment. I will pay her by myself. Please don’t ask her to go.”

She bursts into her tears and starts crying badly. I can see her tears dropping to the floor. I never want to see her kneeling like this. I thought when I see her begging me; I can feel the sign of a victory. It turns out I even feel worse. My heart aches even more when I see her crying.

Suddenly, Kev moves from his chair and starts lifting Ruby in order for her to stand up.

“Ruby, don’t beg him anymore. Stand up! He doesn’t deserve you to beg him like this.”

Ruby gives a weak reply to Kev “Kev, please… Please go now and obey whatever orders Chris is giving you. I am begging you to go. Don’t worry about me. This is the only way for him not to make Prof. Wendy leave Anthony’s side. I am begging you. Please leave me…”

I put on a cold face and give my reply to her

“I wouldn’t fall for your tears anymore. I wouldn’t trust a girl who uses her body in order to get what she wants. What did you do to Kev in order for Kev to defend you like this? Tell me! How many times did you sleep with him? What did you do to make guys willing to give their life for you?”

Suddenly, Kev pulls my shirt and starts to punch my head. He yells at me

“I cannot stand it anymore! Do you know that Anthony is dying? He only has two more months to live. Asking Prof. Wendy to go back is not funny at all! The only way we can postpone his death is through her medication. Ruby never betrayed you. She did all of this because she wanted you to hate her so you can leave your peaceful live with a better person. She asked me to help her to put an act in front of you that night because she knew that she couldn’t have lied to you alone! She left you because Anthony got an accident and it scared her to lose him.”

“Do you know the real reason why Anthony got an accident? It’s because Ruby told Anthony that she wanted to be with you. You are really stupid! How can you say something like that to Ruby? Did you remember that she used to work at the night shift to give you the damn golf set? Did you remember all the things that she has done in order to make you happy? You are really a bastard!!! You don’t deserve her love at all.”

He punched me again on my body. He never hits me this hard. Kev really lost it this time. I don’t know how to react from his previous explanation. Anthony’s dying because Ruby wanted to be with me? Is it true that Ruby’s feeling for me has been real? What have I done? I even accused her to to use her body and even sleep with my best friend. I should have known her all along. She is Ruby. She is a girl who always sacrifices herself for other’s happiness. How can I forget about the golf set? I even said those unforgivable words to her. I humiliated her. I almost caused her to die last night.

I turn my head to look at Ruby. She is still kneeling in front of my seat. I lift her up and ask her to stand up while apologizing to her.

“I am really sorry. Rub, look at me. I am sorry. I am really sorry.”

What scares me is Ruby’s reaction at the moment. She is just kneeling without even crying. I ask her to stand up but her body is freezing. Kev approaches her and touches her face.

“Rub, I am sorry that I have been hiding about Anthony’s real condition to you. I am just afraid that you will be depressed. We are doing all we can do to help Anthony. Do you want me to accompany you to the hospital to see him? We can seek for a second opinion. We can go to Singapore, we can search for another Brain Specialist. Although Prof. Wendy is one of the best in the field, we can always find a better one.”

Ruby’s reaction is still the same. She doesn’t move and doesn’t shed any tears either. She is just kneeling in front of my seat. Kev is still sitting beside her on the floor. He is holding her hand.

“Rub, please talk to me. Don’t scare me like this. Please say something, anything.”

We are waiting for Ruby’s reaction for more than two hours but she is still kneeling on the floor and doesn’t move even a bit. She stares on the floor. Kev punches his grip against the wall. He is sorry that he told Ruby about Anthony’s real condition. I call Cat from my office and say

“Cat, please ask Prof. Wendy to stay with Anthony no matter what. Please process to continue paying his medication with also Ruby’s father’s hospital fee. You need to go to the hospital and gather all the data immediately. Go to Singapore and bring all the data to Mount Elizabeth hospital, Glen Eagles Hospital and even Mount Arvenia Hospital. You have to bring all the data including photo and blood test. Consult them with all Brain Specialist available. Please do this immediately.”

Suddenly Ruby is standing up and starts to speak to me

“There is no need for you to do that. Kev is lying. Anthony is not sick at all. I will bring him home. I will take care of him from now. You can discharge all the hospital facilities as you like. I will pay all the hospital fees by myself. I will find a better doctor by myself. You can do as you please.”

She is walking out towards my office and Kev runs after her “Where are you going? What are you doing now?”

“Don’t worry. I am not going anywhere. I am just packing my things and stop working. Chris can do anything to keep me but I will still choose to leave. He can sue me, file me or even report me to the police. I don’t care. He can do as he likes. I will resign from my post with an immediate effect.”

“I will go with you. I will help you to unpack your things. We can go straight to the hospital. I won’t work at Wong anymore. Please let me stay by your side.”

“No! Please leave me alone. I don’t want anyone beside me right now. Let go of my hand.”

Ruby walks out through the door. Kev sits down on my office couch. I ask him to tell me everything. I want him to tell me the whole truth. As Kev begins to tell me the whole story, my mind is full with Ruby’s reaction early on. I really have sent her against a death sentence.