LOVER MONSTER!
31. Subduedness.

"Luckily, now you're with Angela. Even though my boss lost the bet earlier, but it only meant a while. Now, who would have thought my boss was in a relationship with Jake. Truly, fate no one knows. I'm happy for you both."

Dania's words overshadowed Demian's mind. When he was supposed to relax in Bronze, smoke and sip a martini, he thought of the stupid remark instead.

Jessica has nothing to do with Jake. Demian knows it. If Jessica was with Jake, Jessica would definitely kick him out of her bedroom balcony. Expelled him.

Demian knew they weren't together, but listening to someone else say that nonsense, Demian was not at all happy.

"Why are you sulking this afternoon, when the sunset is beautiful. You should relax, Demian."

"???"

"Lake-off. Relax your stiff facial muscles. You're not gonna kill anyone here."

"If you keep talking, I might kill you, Oscar." Demian said as he looked at Oscar, his expression still.

The coming Oscars are already making an unpleasant joke. Demian so wanted to throw the man off the top of Bronze. See, can he still make a stupid joke when his bones are crushed by the concrete floor?

"To kill me, you need to be stronger than me." Oscar seenteng was talking. Although Demian's weight was heavier than her, higher. Oscar is confident that Demian will not be able to defeat him.

"You've got confidence like a blackhole, no basis at all."

"Just like you," Oscar replied. He then chuckled faintly.

Just then, while the sun was setting on the western horizon, fading orange in the Vegas sky, Demian and Oscar stood next to each other. Cigarettes tucked in the lips. They remained silent for quite a long time, observing the beauty of the twilight sun that was slowly leaving Vegas.

"Huuufff," Oscar exhaled cigarette smoke from his mouth, forming a ring of smoke in the air.

"Seeing the sunset is never boring. I believe this is how Jessica Cerise felt yesterday."

Demian's forehead frowned.

"You know what I mean. When Jessica and Jake Allendale enjoy the sunset view on the strip streets, enjoy strawberry ice cream while listening to Latin music played by street musicians. Oooh, the romance." 

Although Oscar flowered about the story of Jessica, Demian next to Oscar listened with narrowed eyes dislike. "I don't know if you're talking honestly or lying right now."

"Where might I lie to my partner. To share trust, I would never lie."

Demian grunting. "Does that mean you were stalking Jessica's trip yesterday?"

"Where possible! Am I lacking a job?" Oscar put his hand on Oscar's shoulder.

"It's Vegas, Demian. Everything that happens in this city always finds its way to my ears."

Slipping Oscar's hand off his shoulder, "I hope that shit stays valid."

Lazy dealing with Oscar who obviously just wants to provoke his emotions, Demian then turns and picks up his red flannel shirt on the bench. He wears the oversized flannel shirt behind his plain black t-shirt that is torn on the neck.

"Where are you going?" ask Oscar.

"I'm going on a date, Oscar. I don't have time to waste my time with you."

"Is not dating also part of wasting time?" Oscar's leaning against the fence.

"You don't know what you're saying."

"I think I know enough. You also know what I'm saying, but it's too arrogant to realize it, right?" Oscar talks like a puzzle.

Demian looked at Oscar for a moment. I don't know if Oscar is still trying to play with his emotions or if he's in a serious situation. Demian could not read the meaning of the sapphire-eyed man at all.

"Don't spend your time with the wrong people, okay?" Oscar returned to his comedic tone. "I don't have a handkerchief to wipe your tears later."

"Whisper!"

*

[Demian, I really need you now.]

A message from Angela was the reason why Demian was in Angela's presence right now. They sat across from each other in a terrace cafe playing pathetic ballad pop music.

The dark atmosphere between them was getting gloomy because of the music. Angela almost shed a tear across the table.

Angela is devastated after she split from Jake, and Demian, Demian could not leave Angela or ignore her invitation to meet.

"I'm sorry, Demian. Because of me.., you've seen my bad side." Angela drowned her face in the palm of her hand. Her tears could no longer be held back. "When I ended our relationship, why haven't I been able to let it go?"

"..."

"I parted with him not just because I stopped loving him, but. You saw that night..."

Hearing Angela's grief, Demian felt her shoulders slump weak. What should he say when the woman he loves cries for another man in front of him?

Demian did not expect him to be strong enough in this situation. Demian thought he would drown in grief as well. Surprisingly, he only felt pity.

"Angela, if parting with Jake is hard enough for you.., what...., don't you want to rethink your decision to separate? I mean.., you can talk about everything.., rework."

"There's nothing to talk about, Demian. You don't get it! Jake, he's.., he can't change!"

"..."

"But I love her so much."

It was a difficult situation.  Demian doesn't know how to help Angela. He could not lightly say 'Don't be sad, move on. There are still many men on this earth,'.

Demian could not push Angela out of her grief with the cheerful words of the main lead.

Demian, rather than someone who is good at giving advice, is a better person at listening.

"..."

"I think I made it..."

Unfortunately, in the last few weeks, Jake Allendale doesn't look like a down-on-his-luck guy. She-in front of Angela, instead meets Jessica. The girl who is none other than Angela's own boss.

"I thought maybe I was the only one who wanted revenge, but I guess, Jake wanted to do the same to me. As if hurting me wasn't enough. He approached the woman in my neighborhood. He approached Jessica to hurt me!"

Angela set her breath that felt tight. He remembers Jake and his voice is blocked. He misses the man, and he hates that longing!

"I don't think Jake's gonna get that bad, Ange." Demian grabbed Angela's hand on the table and rubbed the back of her hand gently. "You mustn't over-think the situation."

"No, Demian. Jake, he wants revenge on me. He wants to make me jealous. If it wasn't for that, do you think she'd be approaching Jessica? That woman doesn't deserve to be with Jake. Jake wasn't even aware of his existence all along." Angela became fiery.

"Jake just wants to hurt me. Jessica was the tool she used to hurt me."

No, wait a minute...

Demian's hand in Angela's fingers stretched. "Even though Jake has bad intentions, do you think Jessica would be that easy to use?"

Also, it was obvious in Demian's eyes that Jake was not a typical man who knew how to manipulate humans. He's not Oscar, duh.

"You don't know women, Demian. Guys like Jake are everybody's dream. Jake can make Jessica bend her knees at her feet in one talk, just so you know."

"I think you don't really know women, Angela. Not everyone has an interest in wealth and good looks."

Especially if it's Jessica. If Jessica takes an interest in Jake, she'll take advantage of Jake's late that night for herself.

But Jessica didn't do that because she had high self-esteem and morale.

"Why are you defending Jessica?" Angela who was previously immersed in grief, now directed a sharp look at Demian. Of all the people who should have defended him, Demian was against him instead. Did Demian not consider her feelings important?

"You're a man I trust a lot, Demian. You know that, right?"

"I know, Angela."

"You think I'm gonna start talking?"

No, but Demian also won't be able to agree to what Angela's talking about. Especially when it comes to Jessica. Demian knows Jessica better than Angela knows her boss.

"I'm sorry, Ange. I just don't want you to think deeply about Jake and Jessica's situation. You and Jake are separated. Also, although I understand forgetting is not as easy as turning the palm of the hand, but, continuing to dissolve in things that are not your business anymore will only end up hurting you yourself."

"I can't just forget Jake, Demian. How could I not think of it if he kept appearing in front of me. I even heard my boss friends gossiping about his name. I'm worried about Jake.., very." Angela's cheeks are wet again.

"Jake will be fine."

The man was an adult, there was nothing to worry about from his existence. Angela shouldn't worry about Jake. No more.

"I've decided" Angela said suddenly. Resolution appeared in his mind out of nowhere. "I'll talk to Jessica."

"Huh?"

"I can't let him get close to Jake."

"Wait, what?" Hello, Angela. The one who approached Jessica was Jake, not the other way around! Demian was a little unaccepting.

"Jake might use Jessica to hurt me, Demian. But, Jake. I don't want Jessica to use Jake for herself."

"Angela, are you aware of what you're saying?"

Angela nodded. "I have to keep them both away. It's for Jake too. I left it not for him to be taken advantage of by a venomous woman."

Demian was at a loss for words. The woman in front of him now, Angela Lancaster, somehow Demian did not recognize the woman at all. Is this the effect of a broken heart? 

No, heartbreak should not change your personality completely. Angela is not a petty woman who will as good as her heart generalizes every human being. She was a plain girl with a cheerful smile. He did not spit poison out of his mouth.

The current Angela.., somehow, is not like Angela.

"Well, whoa, whoa. Look who I found here." a sudden greeting came from Demian's back.

From the direction of the entrance, two women walked side by side. Both of them were quite familiar faces in Demian and Angela's eyes. They stop only when they find Angela and Demian at one of the tables.

They are Dania and Jessica.

'Long live for you, ' Demian was deepened when her eyes met Jessica's emerald bead.

"Oh, the atmosphere is a bit grim..." Dania who greeted first became a bit awkward when she realized Angela's face was swollen.

"I'm sorry we've interfered" Jessica took the initiative to step away from there.

"Oh, yes. Hehehe." Dania raised her hand in front of her chest, as if at gunpoint. A clumsy smile on his face. "Je-Jesse, let's find a table there. Ahahaha, I'll see you..."

"M." Angela did not bother to hide her displeasure. He looked at Dania and Jessica flat.

Just then, as Jessica and Dania passed by their table, Angela suddenly stood up.

"Jessica," Angela's voice came out louder than she expected. The spies who were there also looked.

"Yes?" Jessica looked.

"I'd like to have a four-eye talk with you later." Angela maintained her confidence. Although stared at by many eyes made his legs soften weakly.

"I'm going to empty my time for you, Angela. Me too, have things I want to talk to you about." Jessica chimed in with a smile.

*