It was nearly noon and the sun was blazing in the sky but the gentle breeze that swept on the road
carried a pleasant coolness. Seeing the two cars parked in the middle of the road, the other cars
behind that of Jonas's began to take a detour.
Emily glanced at Jonas's chiseled jaw and the tiny stubbles that were peeping out. That was when she
realized that she was obsessed with him.
"Is anything wrong?"
Jonas frowned and looked at his watch again. Emily did not miss the anxiety in his eyes. She was
determined to stop Jonas from attending Melinda's book launch event.
"Yeah, I don't know what happened. It's not starting. I don't know how to check the car and see if
something is wrong with it. Can you help me?"
Emily asked as she raked her eyes across Jonas's face, trying to read his expression. He nodded and
got out to inspect her car.
"Is something wrong with the car?" Emily asked as she followed Jonas.
"Give me the keys."
Emily handed the keys and Jonas tried starting the engine but it screeched loudly and refused to start.
Just when Jonas tried starting the car again, he saw a picture of him and Emily, when they were young,
hanging in the car.
Emily bit her lip with excitement when she caught Jonas glancing at the photo. She had hung the
picture on purpose to find out if Jonas still cared about the relationship they had in the past.
His jaw tightened as he looked at the picture and finally pulled it apart. Emily's eyes widened with
shock. She wanted to stop him but her legs refused to move.
"Jonas…" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"I don't want you to hang this in the car. It could cause unnecessary misunderstandings."
Emily's heart sank. She couldn't snap out of the shock. Jonas held the picture and glanced at her
coldly.
He wasn't immature to rip the photo but he knew that Emily shouldn't have hung the picture in the car
where everyone could see.
"Yes… err... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I won't do that again, I promise,"
Emily said shakily as she put the pendant inside her bag.
Her curly hair was a little dry due to long neglect. She was weak as she had not taken good care of her
health. Her chin was narrow and bony as she had lost a lot of weight.
"I can't figure out what is wrong with the car. You can ask someone to help you repair it."
Jonas frowned at his clothes that were stained and wrinkled. He sensed that something was wrong but
he didn't want to waste his time here.
"Oh, okay."
Emily took her phone and glanced at the wallpaper. It was a picture of her with Jonas that she had
taken at his place. Emily wasn't afraid of Melinda then. Although Jonas was always cold, she felt safe
and secure around him.
She felt that Jonas always had her back. She was sure that her plan would work and she could have
him back.
But the pictures meant nothing to Jonas. He was standing on the pavement, staring at a distance,
wondering what was going on.
He felt that there was a reason behind Emily's actions.
All the guests had arrived at the venue of the book launch event. The walls were filled with autographs,
and the crew brought small gifts for the people who had come to attend the event.
"Melinda, the event is about to start. Hasn't he come yet?" the editor asked anxiously.
"I think he is on his way," Melinda said as she glanced at her phone.
She called Jonas for the hundredth time but there was no answer.
She wondered if something had happened to him. Jonas had never failed to attend the call and
Melinda became terrified.
"What's wrong? Are you nervous? You were fine a few minutes ago. Is something wrong?" the editor
asked as he saw Melinda's trembling hands.
"Chill! Nobody is going to wage a war against you. It's your big day and you should enjoy every
moment of it," she joked. Melinda forced a smile and excused herself to go to the washroom. She
wanted to splash cold water on her face to calm her tense nerves but she couldn't. Her perfect makeup
would come off.
Melinda closed her eyes, took deep breaths, and gradually calmed down.
She tried calling Jonas for one last time but he didn't answer. She pursed her lips and thought for a
while before she sent a message to Kent, asking for help.
They had planned the book launch in a manner where they would reveal the mysterious guest in the
end. Melinda knew that the event would collapse without the guest. She needed someone to save her
from the humiliation.
Jonas was still trying to repair Emily's car. The cellphone on the black sports car that was parked next
to Emily's blared with a phone call.
Jonas had consulted a friend to help him repair the car. He finally found the reason behind the problem
and grabbed the tools from the car. Jonas followed his friend's instruction and Emily's car roared to life.
"Jonas, thank you." Emily smiled gratefully.
She took a handkerchief and tried wiping the sweat beads that had lined on Jonas's forehead. But he
stopped her.
"You… Err... here, take it." Emily gave the handkerchief to Jonas.
She couldn't accept that Jonas had moved away from her because of Melinda.
"No, just give me a piece of tissue," Jonas mumbled.
Emily snatched the handkerchief and went inside the car to grab him some tissues.
She also took a bottle of water and gave it to Jonas. He washed his hands until it was squeaky-clean.
Jonas tidied his shirt. A frown lined on his forehead as he couldn't smooth the wrinkles on his shirt.
"Jonas, thank you so much. If you don't mind, can I invite you for dinner as a token of appreciation?"
Emily asked, hoping Jonas would say yes. She checked the time and breathed a sigh of relief. It was
already late and there was no chance for Jonas to attend the book launch.
"No, thanks,"
Jonas said as he crumpled the tissue and aimed it at the trashcan on the road. The tissue fell right into
it.
"Why are you still here?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah, I'll leave now..."
Emily mumbled as she turned to say goodbye to Jonas but he had already left without looking back.
Jonas got into the car and slammed the steering wheel angrily.
The car that had been blocking the intersection had left. Jonas glanced at his watch.
It was eleven o'clock in the evening. He knew that he couldn't make it to Melinda's book launch
irrespective of how fast he drove.
Jonas picked the phone and saw the missed calls from Melinda. His heart sank.
The book launch came to an end as Melinda finished answering all the questions. Everyone was more
curious to find the mystery man than listening to Melinda's answers.
Everyone guessed that Jonas would make a dramatic entry. But the hall fell silent when Kent entered.
"The mysterious guest is none other than Kent," Melinda announced, smiling at him. "I believe all of
you are familiar with the novel. Kent is my senior in college, but more than that he is a wonderful friend
who changed my life. It was him who guided me towards the path of literature and believed in me when
no one else did." The hall broke into thunderous applause.
Melinda turned to look at Kent. "Thank you for being a spark of light during the darkest days of my life."
Melinda meant every word she said. She was grateful to him for having her back every time she fell.
All she had to do was one phone call and Kent was here to her rescue by posing as the mystery man.
Kent spoke about Melinda's talent and everyone listened to him intently. Melinda heaved a sigh of relief
as the even came to an end without a hitch.
"I'm proud of you," Kent finally said.
He was happy to witness Melinda's achievement. She had become stronger and Kent admired how
she managed to handle everything gracefully.
The interview was over and the reporters left one after the other. Melinda plopped on a chair and
closed her eyes. She could finally rest.
"Is your wife mad at you for coming here?" Melinda asked, nervously.
"My wife is your biggest fan. She said that she wouldn't let me in if I don't return with a signed copy of
your book. Will you do the honors, Ma'am?" Kent joked.
"Of course I will." Melinda chuckled.
Her phone rang and Kent noticed that the smile on her face fell when she saw the screen.
"Kent, I need to take this call."
Melinda scurried to a corner and hid behind a pillar. She swallowed loudly when she saw her phone
blink with Jonas's name.
She picked the call as her heart began to drum wildly in her chest.
"Mellie, where are you?" Jonas asked. He knew that the launch event had come to an end and thus
didn't mention anything about it.
Melinda was relieved to hear his voice but anger rose from the pit of her stomach.
"Jonas, do you still remember your promise?"
Melinda asked angrily.
Jonas could sense the unconcealed disappointment in Melinda's voice. This wasn't the first time he had
let her down. Melinda was mad at herself for trusting him again.
"Mellie, I'm sorry. I was on my way to the event but something happened."
Although it was late, Jonas still drove to the venue. He regretted disappointing Melinda but couldn't
muster the courage to tell her the truth.
Melinda felt that Jonas was hiding something from her.
"Do you think that you can get away with everything by apologizing?"
Melinda had endured a lot of pain and suffering because of Jonas and an apology meant nothing to
her.
"I met Emily on my way here..." he trailed off.
She picked the call as her heart began to drum wildly in her chest.
"Mellie, where are you?" Jonas asked. He knew that the launch event had come to an end and thus
didn't mention anything about it.
Melinda was relieved to hear his voice but anger rose from the pit of her stomach.
"Jonas, do you still remember your promise?"
Melinda asked angrily.
Jonas could sense the unconcealed disappointment in Melinda's voice. This wasn't the first time he had
let her down. Melinda was mad at herself for trusting him again.
"Mellie, I'm sorry. | was on my way to the event but something happened."
Although it was late, Jonas still drove to the venue. He regretted disappointing Melinda but couldn't
muster the courage to tell her the truth.
Melinda felt that Jonas was hiding something from her.
"Do you think that you can get away with everything by apologizing?"
Melinda had endured a lot of pain and suffering because of Jonas and an apology meant nothing to
her.
"| met Emily on my way here..." he trailed off.
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