One More Chance
Chapter 111: Recalling the past

~~~I can hold my breath. I can bite my tongue. I can stay awake for days if that's what you want. I can fake a smile. I can force a laugh. I can dance and play the part if that's what you want. I can do it. But I'm only human and I bleed when I fall down. I'm only human and I crash and I break down. Your words in my head, knives in my heart. You build me up and then I fall apart, 'cause I'm only human~~~

-Christina Perri-

"Well, I just thought it to be funny because these past few days I've always had a passenger with almost the same expression when they told me to take them to that company. So I wonder, what's in that building that makes almost all my passengers haggard and stress?" I just gulped but didn't answer his question.

"Uhm... do you also work in that company?"

I let out another sigh after hearing his question. Deep in my mind, I also wonder if when can he notice that I want to have a quiet and peaceful ride?

"Nope." I chose to answer while facing the window.

"Ahh..."

"My husband owned that company."

"Huh? Your husband owned that comp---" Surprised was laced in his voice and from the corner of my eyes, I saw the way he covered his mouth in surprise, but I chose to ignore him.

I emphasized the word husband and I don't care whatever he might think after that, I just hope he won't open his mouth again.

And when the atmosphere inside the cab became quiet, I leaned against my seat and closed my eyes. What happened inside the coffee shop and Gerry's revelation came back to my mind.

***

FLASHBACK...

"W-What? What the hell are you talking about? W-What do you mean the room has a hidden camera that night?" My eyes went wide as soon as Gerry, the bartender told me that there was a hidden camera installed in the room where the incident happened a few years ago.

I haven't heard all the details yet, but beads of cold sweats have started forming all over my body and my inner guts already telling me that the next words he's going to say are something I wouldn't want to hear.

We are inside the cake shop and sitting in the far corner, where he took us earlier to talk.

"I'm sorry, Sam, I didn't know there was a hidden camera---"

"But it was you who recommended that room to me, so how would I suppose to believe you that you didn't know there was a camera?" I whispered-yelled as I don't want to catch everyone's attention. I tried to calm myself and formed my fists under the table. "I didn't know one of my co-workers installed a hidden camera right after I checked the room and went to inform you that night."

"O-Oh, my God!" The scene and the worst-case scenarios started to dance in my head. "W-What happened after that? How did you catch him, I mean, how did you know it was him?"

"He was my roommate then and one night when I got home, I found him watching something weird on his laptop and I was shocked when I saw it was a video, a sex video to be exact and it was you and that man you told me to put a sleeping pill on his drink---" "But you put a sex-enhancing drug instead! Do you even know what happened that night?" I gulped at the sudden anger surged my nerves.

"Yes," he nodded, lowering his head. "I saw what happened in the video.

It took me a few seconds to catch my breath again. It's so embarrassing to talk about that damn video, but I have no choice.

"What did he do to that footage, I mean, to that fucking video? Did he... did he..." I couldn't even mention the word.

But to my surprise, he nodded and that suddenly took all my strength that day.

"Yes, he was about to upload the video, but when he recognized who the man was, he used it to blackmailed him and demanded a huge amount of money---"

"Wait! Y-You mean to say your friend recognized Luke Williams from the video?"

He nodded. "I've already warned him what might happen to him if he continued his plan but he didn't listen to me. He carried out his plan, but it surprised him when he got home and couldn't find the flash drive anymore."

"Why? What happened?"

"Mr Williams asked me to destroy the video and burn the flashdrive and I did. I don't want to be an accessory to the crime." He stopped for a few seconds and looked at me. "But he escaped. He escaped when Mr Williams filed a case against him. He was only found four years ago and your husband went out of his way to put him in jail."

My eyebrows suddenly knitted in confusion.

"What did you say? Did you just mention the word husband?" I asked with a frown.

"Yes, I mentioned the word husband, why? Isn't he your husband? I remember he told me that you got married and you have a daughter, a beautiful daughter---"

"So that means he knew it all this time?" I asked under my breath, but he heard it.

"He found out the video a week after the incident and I found out you two got married because we bumped into each other maybe four or three years ago---"

He didn't get the chance to continue what he was about to say when I slammed my hands over the table. I looked at him with fierce eyes as if I wanted to tear off all the parts of his body.

"He knew about it! He knew

everything that happened! He found

out the truth a week after that night

a

and yet he pretended as if he didn't know anything! He blamed me and loathed me for what happened when who

all this time, it should be me hated him!" I screamed at the shocked bartender with unshed tears around my eyes. I've already lost care if all the people stared at me and wondered if I was some kind of a bipolar or mentally ill person.

"Sam, calm down. People are watching you right now." Francis opened his mouth for the first time.

But I don't care whether everyone's staring at me. I've already made up my mind. I should talk to him!

"Wait, Sam? Where are you going?" He asked and stood up from his seat to follow me.

But I ignored him and kept going until I got to the entrance and made my way towards the street. END OF FLASHBACK...

"Miss, we've reached the WIA-Com building."

My eyes snapped open and straightened my back when the driver called my attention. I immediately looked out of the window to check if we were already in front of the building and I couldn't help letting out a deep sigh when I saw the huge and tall building right in front of my eyes.

I took a hundred dollars from my wallet and gave it to him.

"Keep the change," I said as I placed the dollar in his hand before he could even open his mouth.

"O-Oh... thanks, Miss." He said with a wide smile that almost reached his ears.

I just nodded as a reply and was about to open the door...

"Good luck."

I stopped in an instant and turned to him.

"What?"

"I mean, may all the good luck be on your way today as you step out of my cab and thank you so much for your generosity."

And for the first time since I met the

bartender, a smile painted on my lips. I like his personality. I regret judging him immediately in my head earlier and if I just don't have an important thing to do, I would probably stay seated inside his cab and have a chit-chat with him, but I have no time left.

"I just hope so," I said flashing him a genuine smile and then finally got out of the cab.

Anger shot up all over my body the moment I walked into the building and saw the huge name of the company behind the information desk. Williams International Advertising Company.

"Tss!" I sneered and didn't wait for any second and half-walk-half-run towards the lift before it closed.

There were three employees inside when I entered and two of them were female and one was gay. And to my surprise, their chosen topic was the CEO of their company. They were debating whether Luke was still single or already married. "He's still single!" The first female employee said.

-'Tss! You're wrong!'- I mentally said.

"Nope, trust me, he's already married. I saw a wedding ring on his finger."

-Well, yes, he's married! He's still married to this woman in front of you guys, who will surely slap the hell out of him once I get out of this lift!'-

"No, he's not. Wearing a ring doesn't mean he's married."

"Haist! It doesn't matter to me whether he's still single or not, I still like him. He's so perfect, you know? He's rich, handsome, gentleman and not to mention his sinful luscious body is really worth dying for---oh, my God!"