LOVER MONSTER!
22. Other Mysteries.

For some reason that Jessica did not know, Angela looked at him with an expression that harbored suspicion and displeasure. Jessica doesn't know what's wrong.

Is this because Jessica met Jake and interacted with him through a short chat, or because of Demian? Wait, Demian shouldn't count because their closeness is a secret.

Then, is this because of Jake?

Jessica did not understand. I mean, aren't Angela and Jake separated? Jessica is very confident and very aware of the reality because she witnessed for herself how Angela dumped Jake. That night, without regret, Angela turns her back to leave Jake.

Tsk.., this is starting to make Jessica uncomfortable. Jessica doesn't like to involve personal problems on the job. If Angela's problem really concerns Jake, then it's personal. Angela shouldn't stare at him like a cockroach in her bathtub.

"Jesse," Ethan calls Jessica's attention. "I have some special news for you."

"What's that?"

"The Las Vegas Guide Room website alludes to Elixir on one of its pages as one of the cafes that must be visited by tourists visiting Vegas."

"Eh?" Jessica stunned. The Las Vegas Guide Room-or LVGR is a local site that promotes the city of Vegas either to tourists, or to Vegas residents themselves. Jessica often reads content on LVGR, and never imagined that Elixir would be mentioned there.

"When did they come by?" Jessica does not remember ever receiving an important guest from LVGR to the point that she got a promotion from the site.

"I don't know either" said Ethan. He handed over the tab to Jessica. "I just read this article this morning, my sister who passed this information on to me."

"Well, who's the author?" Jessica pun-with excited-scroll the screen tab to find the name of the journalist who has been kindly promoting Elixir.

When Jessica's finger stopped scrolling the screen to the top of the article, a small blue-tipped printed name was listed next to the article's title-Oscar Brown.

"Oscar Brown's..." Jessica recited the name with a stifled smile. "Is he a hero? Seriously, yaaaa???? I wish I could meet him and experience him face to face."

Although the article only mentioned Elixir in two short paragraphs, Jessica felt the man's sincerity in each of her typing. This small promotion meant a lot to Jessica, not only because it helped Elixir's name rise, but because Jessica could understand Elixir's point of view in the eyes of others.

"Ah, I must perpetuate this article." Jessica clenched her hands full of enthusiasm, "This is the first step for Elixir to become a five-star cafe."

"Hopefully, hopefully." Ethan supports the ideal. A smile bloomed on her face when she saw Jessica being extremely cheerful.

"We should celebrate this, Ethan!" jessica said again. "How about we go to Hello Bar tonight?"

"I don't mind," Dania-appeared from when-to-switch agreed. He grabbed Jessica and put half his weight on Jessica's shoulders. They staggered together.

"I'll let Elli know later" Ethan said.

"All right, then..."

While Jessica was dominated by bliss, a man in the corner of the bar sipped his coffee with a joking grin playing on his face. The man-Oscar Brown, watched Jessica from the corner of his eyes and nodded in astonishment.

'So that's your toy, Demian. Not bad either.'

*

Demian's business at Carson is almost done.

Leaving aside the fact that while there Demian had to be immersed in a pile of attention-grabbing work, Demian had not forgotten Vegas at all. Or rather, Angela?

In two weeks of sluggish moves, Angela has not stopped contacting Demian. He routinely questioned Demian's news and reminded Demian to always maintain health. For some occasions, Demian even called overnight with Angela.

They discussed a light topic about Angela's daily life. Sometimes, even heavy topics slip there and Angela will not be able to make a sound because the stuffing becomes more dominant.

Angela, from Demian's knowledge, still harbors a deep sadness for her relationship with Jake which runs aground in the middle of the road. I don't know what their problem is, Angela never wants to talk.

The situation would be easier if Jake Allendale cheated on him and became an asshole. Demian could come at the man directly and step on his face like a doormat. Unfortunately, that situation did not happen. Something more complicated-something only Angela and Jake know is why they parted ways.

"Haaaah," thought Angela, Demian's heart was like a giant rock. Heavy loads gathered on his chest.

"I heard from Oscar you were so impatient to get home, it looks like Oscar was telling the truth." Adam-chaotic Oscar-followed Demian to Carson. The platinum blonde handed a cup of coffee to Demian who sat languishing on the sofa.

"You and Oscar talk a lot, apparently." Demian criticizes Adam.

"If it's about you, Demian. Oscar is the most interested."

"I hope he finds out I have no interest in the same sex," Demian's reply left Adam stunned. What the fuck?

"You know what kind of interest Oscar gives you is different than what you think, right?"

"Come, you think?"

Adam thunts. "If it wasn't for your family background, which Oscar might care about you."

"Nonsense."

Demian grabbed the coffee cup on the table and sipped its contents slightly. The bitter taste that seeped in his tongue made Demian so reminded of one girl who had never contacted him at all. Jessica Cerise's.

'She must have had fun because I've never visited her, ' Demian was a bit irritated at the thought of Jessica's carefree face. Demian preferred it when the girl whined in annoyance nearby, with her emerald eyes sparkling with a sultry glow.

"Talk about Vegas..., we'll be back tomorrow, right? Ah..., thinking of the trip home, I got tired first." Adam interrupted Demian's daydream with his complaint. "Oh..., different from me, you must be in an enthusiastic position, right? Because you're so impatient to go home."

Demian-ignoring Adam-gets out the window. The view of Carson's town unraveled down there, shrinking small under their feet.

Carson is a beautiful and quieter city than Vegas. Demian was quite comfortable being there, of course. He enjoyed the serenity that the city created. But, as Adam said, something about Vegas made Demian want to go home.

Not that Demian was reluctant to leave Vegas and put his dependency on his city of sinners. Demian was just so used to it. He enjoyed all the chaos that happened there, all the fanfare that filled his ears. Every blood spill he had, every wound and every person he visited there made him want to come back soon.

Demian was impatient.

"I was wondering, are you looking forward to going home because you want to see that woman?"

A lady? What does Adam mean by Angela? Demian's forehead was in astonishment.

"You know what I mean, the cafe owner..." Adam changed his sitting position to cross legs. He leaned back on the sofa and noticed Demian's reaction which from astonishment became even more astonished.

"Jessica Cerise, if I'm not mistaken?" Adam remembered. "Oscar asked me to find information about the woman."

"Truly impressive, I'm afraid Oscar is really in love with me." Demian was irritated by the excessive curiosity Oscar had shown him.

"Oscar finds information about the people who surround you for your own good." Adam defended Oscar, again and again. "You yourself know what kind of life you left in Italy. You can't trust anyone here."

"Yayayaya," Demian rolled her eyes. He couldn't argue with Adam when it came to his own background.

"So, what did you find out about Jessica?"

Adam was silent for a while when Demian asked him. He's hiding something behind his bench, Demian knows it. 

"Nothing special" said Adam. After making a long break.

"You sure?"

"You can ask Oscar about the details, I'm not comfortable with having to talk about people's past that I don't really recognize."

Demian looked at Adam with a sharp glance, but Adam remained silent.

Tau if the answer will only come out if he searches for Oscar, Demian also ended the topic of Jessica to get there. Demian regained attention on her phone when she received a message from Angela.

[I think Jake is in a relationship with my boss. Demian, am I so easily forgotten?]

Jake... with Jessica?

*