A week has passed since the night I left Dylan. I spent my time at Bella's house, whom I only knew about from Daniel. Observing Daniel's behavior, I don't feel like Daniel is just an ordinary friend, especially since nobody else knows about this house except Daniel himself. According to Daniel, this house is the best place for me to hide from James. Knowing his intention to harm Bella, I have to be careful.
Several times, I tried to find Mom but failed. Dad also seems unsuccessful and is still searching for her. Most likely, Mom has moved to another country, so that anyone else wouldn't find her. Honestly, I feel relieved that Mom is far away. I do feel guilty for failing my quest to reunite Mom and Dad, but after knowing James' evil deeds, I worry and fear for my family's safety. It's better for Mom to be far away from now.
I sit alone by the poolside, unable to sleep.
"Dylan..." Uttering that name always makes my tears fall. Throughout this week, I haven't stopped thinking about Dylan. My heart aches remembering him. A week feels like a year without Dylan's presence. I thought I would be fine. I thought I could forget him quickly. But I was wrong.
The longer I stay, the more I miss him. Being alone in this big mansion reminds me of how I spent my time with Dylan. I was always with him at every moment. This is what people call a dangerous habit. I wipe away my tears. It's not Dylan's fault. I'm the one who pushed him away. I'm the one who didn't take his hand when he asked me to run away.
"It's too late to regret, Hanna." I smile to myself.
Ring!
The ringing phone call interrupts my reverie. I get up and answer the phone.
"Bella?" Dad's voice comes through.
"Dad? What's wrong with the sudden call?"
"What? Dad?"
"No, I mean, Thomas. What's wrong? Did you already find her?"
"No, I need your help. Urgent. See you tomorrow at the usual cafe. I'll wait for you there. Don't be late!" Before I could reply, Dad hung up. I'm stunned. Urgent? If it's not about Mom, then what could it be?
"Don't think anything, Hanna. Don't stress yourself out. Let's sleep. You need sleep." I sigh and return to my bedroom.
"What did you say? Me pretending to be your new girlfriend?" I gaped in surprise at Dad's request.
"Yup. Help me. I can't find anyone else except you. Just pretend and make a scene. Make them hate you. That's all. Simple and easy, isn't it?"
I remained silent, pondering. I understood Dad's plan. He just wanted to buy some time. Surely, they didn't know that Dad was still looking for Mom, considering he was doing it discreetly.
"If I succeed, then what will happen?" I asked curiously.
"I just need him to kick me out of the house or remove my name from the registered family. That's all I need."
"Seriously?"
Dad nodded.
"I don't want to be rich. I just need her, Bella. Please help me," Dad pleaded.
I fell silent.
Surely Dad wouldn't have imagined that money and wealth would cause his relationship with Mom, which once flourished but now withers. Money also led him to debt and gambling, making even me resent him. Dad, who lived in this era, was a very innocent man who believed that love was the most important thing in life until he forgot other important things. That is... Love cannot make our stomachs full.
No. I couldn't let all of that repeat. I thought for a moment and then smiled.
"Fine. I'd agree. When should I meet him?"
"Now," Dad grinned.
My eyes widened.
"What? Now?"
"Before that, let's buy clothes first."
"Wait, what if we are late?"
"That's what we want." Dad grinned mischievously.
The dress Dad picked for me was quite predictable. A nightclub dress, but even more daring. You know, as a symbol of audacity. As planned, we were very, very late. It was so late that we missed lunch. Dad and I walked arm in arm like lovers, and my demeanor was enough to make everyone there stare without blinking, and my eyes met with Mr. President's, who looked at me as if he wanted to swallow me whole.
"Oops, we're late, honey..."
"Both of you, see me in my room. Now!" he barked loudly before storming off upstairs.
I saw Dad smile. Ignoring the gazes of others, Dad took my hand and led me upstairs to meet Mr. President.
Slap became Dad's first food as soon as he met Mr. President. I was stunned.
"Such an insolent bastard."
Dad said nothing, as if he had expected it.
"Then let me go. Kick me out of this hell!" Dad fought back.
Mr. President fell silent. His eagle eyes were sharp as they looked at Dad.
"Err... Excuse me?" I raised my hand in the air. Mr. President's eagle eyes shifted to me.
"Who are you to interrupt us?"
"Thomas, I think you should go now. I have something to talk about with our Mr. President."
Dad's eyes widened as he looked at me. He gave me a nod and a wink, but I deliberately ignored it. In the end, I pulled him out of the room myself.
"Bella, what are you doing?"
I slammed the door in his face.
"Finally he's gone. Gosh, I can't stand him," I muttered loudly. Deliberately.
"What are you doing right now?"
"Wait, before that, please sit down. I have something to talk to you about." I casually took a seat on the sofa. Without saying a word, he complied.
"By the way, Mr. President, I'm not Thomas's girlfriend. He paid me to pretend to be his girlfriend to annoy you. Such a bastard guy, isn't he?"
"I know. Is that what you want to talk about?"
"Relax, Mr. President. We still have a lot of time. Plus, I need coffee. Can I?"
"I have no time to waste on you. If this is not important, you better leave right now."
I sighed. My face turned serious.
"Mr. President, I know you need Thomas to continue your legacy. You are hard on him because you want him to be a better leader in the future. You always want the best for him, even though he's not your real son. Am I right?"
Mr. President's expression changed. His face seemed to be surprised by my words.
"Don't speak like you know me," he said firmly.
"I know. Mr. President, I come here to make a deal with you."
"A deal? What deal?"
"I can persuade him to be the person you want him to be, but in return, you must let him marry the girl of his choice. That's my condition."
"There's no way I'll do that!" Mr. President objected.
"Then you'll lose him forever, Mr. President. You said you want him to be a good leader. But you know, as my mom once said, the higher someone is, the lonelier they become. That's why they need someone they can lean on. Someone who can be their shoulder."
Mr. President fell silent.
"Thomas is a good and smart guy. Just because he marries someone he loves doesn't mean he can't be a good leader. You know his quality, Mr. President."
"Fine," Mr. President sighed deeply.
"But if you fail, our deal is over."
My lips curled into a smile.
"Sure. Um, Mr. President, it's not that I don't believe in you. But can we make our deal a black-and-white deal?"
I grinned.
"Here, a gift!" I presented the deal paper to Thomas in the car.
"What is this?"
"Read it."
His eyes widened.
"What are you doing? What is this?" Dad suddenly raised his voice. 
"Are you crazy? Who are you to do this? Why don't you just do what I'm asking, huh? Why make it complicated? I said I wanted to leave that family. Don't you hear me? Are you dumb? What the hell with this deal?"
I tapped Dad's head with my hand. 
"Auch, that hurts!"
"The crazy person is you, Thomas. You said you wanted to marry her. I'm helping you right now!"
"Helping me? Yeah, I want to marry her. But didn't you hear me? I said I wanted to start all over again. I want to start a new life with her without his money! Don't you understand me?"
I hugged myself.
"Thomas, listen to me. Why do you think she took the money? Yup, because of her two kids. Two! You said what? Want to start all over again? What can you do to provide her with two children? Becoming a husband and father at the same time is not as easy as you think, Thomas, especially when you start with zero. You love her. You must not want her to live in poverty. Am I right?" I convinced Dad.
"But if I accept this, I'll lose her forever..." Dad gripped the steering wheel. Holding back emotions within.
"No. You won't lose her."
"How can you be so sure?"
I know. Because Dad is Mom's first love. Mom once told me before that meeting Dad is the happiest thing happened in her life.
"I know. I have a way to make sure she comes back to you again."
"How?"
"Promise me that you'll be a good leader first."
"Fine." Dad nodded.
I breathed a sigh of relief.