Daddy My Son's
58. Joe and Nickholas

Joe deliberately took a seat in the corner of the smoking area room. From there he can still keep an eye on Virranda who is taking care of Verrel who has not finished lunch.

"I'm sorry, I don't smoke" Joe said, as Nickholas offered him a pack of cigarettes.

Nickholas was stunned, his outstretched hand he pulled back, then put his cigarette pack into his pants pocket.

"You don't smoke? Or don't have more money to buy it?" nickolas said with a mocking smile, but no intention to underestimate.

A faint smile rose at the end of Joe's lips, responding to Nickholas' words. He took his eyes off Virranda and Verrel who always had his attention. He looked at Nickholas face, looked at the face of the man who seemed to casually accept his gaze.

"You're right Nick, I don't have any more money to buy it. Since childhood, I used to use every dollar I had just for the needs of life. The harshness of life, and the difficulty of foraging every day made me not dare to burn money in vain, "sober Joe said. At first glance, his struggle in the past to be able to survive again crossed his mind.

Nickholas was silent for a moment. He who was born into a rich family, never felt difficult to find food. Every mealtime, he always saw his housekeepers preparing delicious and nutritious food for himself, his brothers and his master.

But that does not mean he does not understand the difficult life lived by people who have a middle to lower economic standard of living. He had several schoolmates, including Vienna, who had economic difficulties when his parents went bankrupt. He and Virranda are often asked for help.

"Actually I've known you a long time Joe?" nicholas said, ending the silence between them.

Joe looked at Nickholas, the man's words were quite surprising, because he felt that they had never known each other before.

"Do you know me?" joe asked with his look.

"Yes. I've seen you fill out shows at cafes when me and a few of my friends gather." said Nickholas, making Joe finally understand why the man knew him. He is often asked by some cafe owners to fill events, especially if there are cafe customers who make their events there.

"And I also know that you're one of those rich lonely women in droves" added Nickholas, looking closely at Joe's face, who was not surprised at all to hear his words.

"Then, what do you mean call me here? Do you just want to discuss my personal issues?" ask Joe flat. It turns out that his best friend only wants to dismantle the dark side of his life in the past only his inner self.

"No. Not at all. I'm not interested in your past Joe" Nickholas said no less flatly.

"I just want to make sure that Virranda has a reliable husband, who can protect herself from people who can harm her at any time" Nickholas said, staring straight at Joe's dark bead.

"You speak as if to say, that you have more concern for the woman who is my wife. Do you like it?" press Joe along staring straight at the bead eyes of the interlocutor.

"You're right Joe. But you don't have to worry, I'm not one of those men who likes to ruin married women's households. Especially my own best friend."

"As far as I know, Virranda's husband is a cafe singer, that's what I heard from Vienna. As soon as I saw you back then, I remembered that you were the cafe singer I'd seen so often."

"Since then, I've been trying to figure out who you really are Joe. Turns out, you're a breng*ek guy, it felt like I wanted to beat you up back then. But, it turns out that I found something more surprising than you. I really didn't expect it -" Nickolas stopped his words, sighed, remembering the unfortunate fate that befell Virranda, his best friend, who once occupied a part of his heart.

Opening up, and building a relationship with Shen's secretary, is his attempt to let go of his unrequited feelings, as he can see, all along Virranda only considers him a friend, nothing more, and will never think more.

"I want you to come to this address" Nickholas brought his phone closer to Joe.

"I'm sure you know very well who the owner is. Because you used to be one of them" Nickholas said again, pulling back his phone that Joe had finished seeing.

"I still don't understand what you mean?" joe was not interested. He suspected that Nickholas wanted to trap him, telling him to come to such a place again, his mind.

"Yesterday, when I was about to take Secretary Shen to lunch, I saw Virranda's veiled face. And it happened after master Ferdinand came to see him, which I heard from Shen's secretary." said Nickholas, staring at Virranda who was chatting with Shen's secretary.

Joe was silent for a moment, he recalled his fight with Ferdinand last night. His heart was so hot and furious, for catching the man wet out of his wife's room with his innocent look.

"I don't think it's a coincidence that I met you here Joe. I want you to know for yourself, who sold your wife? And who bought it?" Nickolas looked back at Joe's face, which was still adorned with several bruises on his face.

"What did you say?" Joe gasped, the words were too painful to hear, seemed to penetrate to his heart, the wife he loved was once considered similar to the goods sold.

"I don't have to repeat my words anymore Joe. If I were you. I'll find out the truth. Because that is your pride as a husband. Husband who must maintain the honor of your wife," pointed Nickholas, right in Joe's chest that was fixed in his seat.

"I'll excuse you. They must have finished lunch a long time ago and were waiting for us. Remember Joe, you have to go there." Nickolas stood up, without waiting for Joe's reply, he passed away immediately.

Joe stared at Nickholas. The pain was still so deep in his chest, considering the honor of his wife who was traded in such a manner.

Virranda may not know this, her mind. Because as he remembered, his wife only told him if there was a man who slept with her until she conceived Verrel in her womb.

Is this one of the punishments for him? Inner Joe, for ever selling himself? So he got a wife who was treated like that. I don't know, Joe's trying to get all those thoughts out of his head.

"Virranda, how sorry are you?" inner Joe. He tried to organize his heart, not wanting to be too late in his feelings, nor too eager to linger there, Virranda and Verrel must have been waiting for him, his mind, while glancing out the glass. Sure enough Virranda and Verrel were staring at him from their dining table.

Seriate...👉