A month has passed by like a flash of light since the things happened between the three. Georgina didn't see Giovanni when she came back. Even when they went back, he never contacted her again. But Jin told her Giovanni went home safely to the country, so she felt relieved. Although things between her and Henrick seemed a little awkward until now, at least they managed to talk like before.
It's already December, the last month of the year. Many things happened, and she lost track of time. Next month, she's going to marry Henrick. They made it earlier than their expected time, so the two were busy preparing for it. But today, she's gone to a place where she spends both good and bad days.
It's the St. Luke High School.
She's taking her things and getting some important documents, but it's been so long since she saw them. It's awkward to face them again.
"We're here." She came back to her senses when Henrick talked. "Go and finish your business inside. I'll be waiting here."
"A-ah..."
"Your friends are there, even your ex, so... Be good and come to me after you finish your business." She flinched and glanced at him but still nodded her head before going out of the car.
"I'll be back,"
"Go on. We're going to meet your mother after this. Make sure to elaborate our plan to them." She nodded her head again and walked inside the school grounds.
The guard whose in front of the gate looked surprised upon seeing him, but she greeted them like usual and walked again. Some students looked at her with the same reaction, while the rest started to murmur at each other while taking their look away.
Georgina headed to the Principal's Office to take the requested document. They talked a few words before she bid farewell and came to the Student Council Office. All the Student Council members stopped what they were doing and stared in her direction with wide-open eyes.
"G-Gina? Gina, you came back." They said in unison as the girls ran to give her a desperate hug.
"I didn't come back. I'm here to take my things."
"What?"
"I won't be coming to school, my reputation got sullied, and I don't want to make the students follow what I just did. It's the last thing I can do as a former Student Council President and a model student. You know what I mean, right?"
"But..."
"You'll be fine without me." She tousles Katie's head before walking straight to her table and taking her things in an empty box. "Joshua, isn't he here?"
"He's on duty. A student fought in the gym a while ago. He's stressed out because some students won't follow us." Louie said.
A brief smile escaped her mouth as she saw a picture frame displayed on her table. It's the first group photo of Student Council members when she became the President. "Be firm when you're scolding them."
"You didn't teach us your way of scolding. You've been doing it alone and received the hate alone." They looked at the front door when someone talked. It's Joshua with frowned brows. "I see. You're not here to come back. You, heartless former President, how can you..."
"I'm sorry for burdening you with all my work. It's an inevitable problem. Sorry, guys."
"Why are you apologizing? We should be the one saying it, you built a quite strong reputation as a Student Council member, and we couldn't maintain it."
"Guys, you don't need to be like me. You could build a better reputation if you worked hard on it. I'm the first to tarnish the name of the Student Council. They looked down on you because of me."
"G-Gina..."
"You're all doing fine. I'm sorry for disappointing you."
"Tsk. Do whatever you want, and stop apologizing for something you didn't do." Joshua gave a brief smile, so Georgina chuckled and fixed her things.
After a few minutes, she bid farewell and headed outside carrying a box. She walked straight to the locker area, which was her last stop. But, even a few meter distance, she saw Marga leaning beside her locker as if waiting for her arrival.
"What are you doing here?" She asked while opening her locker.
"I know you're coming here. Gina, I told you I want to aid you, so take this. It might help you and Van a lot." Marga said, giving her a brown envelope.
Georgina stared at the envelope before looking back at her with confusion. "Why are you giving me that? No, the right question, what are you planning with that witch?"
"Gina, Auntie didn't know about these files, believe me, this time. It's a list of the properties she bought using the money she embezzled in your company and some of those people involved. If you can get a hold of the company affairs, you can see the specific embezzlement transaction, all the persons involved inside and outside the company, and those fake documents she's using to lure people. You should be careful. She already got Warren's shares in the company by force and had the highest shares." Marga said. "I also heard, Zairus is already in contact with Van's father. I don't know their exact plan, but..."
"What?"
"Auntie noticed someone tailing her for quite a long time. She intentionally acted like she didn't know to gather some shreds of evidence. It happened less than two years ago. Van and Jin are all present in the evidence. They used it to blackmail his father to accuse them of criminal harassment and sued them if he didn't follow whatever they wanted."
"What did you say? Are you telling the truth?"
"I am. You're going to marry Henrick in exchange for Auntie to leave Van and his family alone, but she's planning something else."
Georgina tightened the grip on the locker's door as she glared in rage. "I can't believe that evil witch was still playing her game."
"Gina, your mother has many trump cards in her hand. If you pursue to fight her, then I suggest you get ready to accept defeat." Marga said. "You have great help on your side, and it's the Jung family, but your greatest weakness is still Giovanni Javier. Unless you let go of him then,"
"What nonsense are you trying to say? You want me to let go of Van and watch him suffer? He got involved in this dispute because of me. Why would I let him fall alone? If we fail this plan, I must go with him wherever he goes." Georgina chuckled. "Van's my great weakness, but he's also the source of my strength. Unless one of us admits to defeats or goes to jail, I think this game will never end."
"Gina..."
"I made up my mind to play this game she prepared. Van and I accepted her challenge long ago. I'll win, for dad, Van, and myself."
Marga heaves a deep sigh. "Suit yourself. I'll volunteer to be one of the witnesses when the time comes, so make sure to win. I regretted everything I'd done before. Besides, I wanted to repent for those mistakes. Sorry, Gina."
"I accepted your offer, but don't expect me to forgive you easily. You played the biggest role in ruining my relationship with Van."
"I guess Henrick's waiting for you. I'll go ahead. Try to contact your friends if you have spare time. They've been asking me about you." Marga gave her a brief smile before walking away.
She expected her mother not to do what they'd talked about to Van and his family involvement, but she didn't expect her to use the criminal harassment law against them. Georgina gritted her teeth before looking back inside the locker to take everything. But she jolted out with her eyes wide open when she saw a piece of a red rose.
It's deja vu.
A few months ago, she received a piece of red rose too. She looked around the area, but no one seemed suspicious. A long sigh escaped her mouth before taking out the rose and reading the card pasted on it.
To: Georgina Alvarez
To you, who seems to find new love, I'll always cheer for your happiness. This fresh, beautiful red rose that represents my undying love and admiration will get wilted any day, just like me to you. I can't face you with regret, but one day, I'll accept my defeat because it's my destiny. This time, you need to go back to reality. I love you and always be.
Note: Thank you, my love.
Upon reading the last sentence written on the card, she can't help but shed tears unconsciously. She doesn't have proof of where it came from. But the written last sentence gives her a tiny hint. The person who would write such romantic words is no one but Giovanni Javier. A month passed since she contacted him, and she didn't have news on his side.
But, he won't do something like this out of anywhere. The relationship they have is more complicated than other people see.
"Van, where did you go? You keep popping out of nowhere and vanish in a minute."
"What's wrong? Why are you following me?"
Georgina jolts out when she hears Giovanni's voice from behind. She turned around to confirm it but saw his unbothered look of him. He stopped half a meter away from her. They stared at each other as the silence engulfed them.
"V-Van..." She uttered while wiping her tears away, but he looked towards the piece of rose she was holding.
"Van, why did you stop? Is there something that—Gina?!" Kiela pops out behind him as she purposely clings to Giovanni's arm and wears her famous angelic smile. "It's been a while, Gina. Are you going back?"
"I'm not going back. I'm here to take my things. Aren't you lucky? You can take him with you whenever you want." Georgina glanced at her arms that clung to Giovanni before looking straight into her eyes.
"Lucky?" She asked and glanced at Giovanni, who seemed uninterested in their conversation. "Maybe, I am lucky. Anyway, I heard you're going to marry Henrick next month."
Georgina and Giovanni recoiled as she said those words.
"It's a sudden, even for me, but I trust Henrick's decision." She said. "I'll attend your wedding because of Henrick and not you."
"Tsk. You better not come." Georgina mumbled to herself as she looked away.
"Let's go, Kiela. I don't want to stay here any longer."
"Okay. See you around, Gina." A playful grin formed on Kiela's lips as they walked, which made her frown, but Georgina grabbed Giovanni's wrist.
"V-Van..."
"Hey?!" Kiela said while glaring at their hands.
"If you want to say something, say it to Jin. Don't bother me." Giovanni gave her an emotionless look before he yanked her hand and walked with Kiela.