Chapter 238 - The Further, The Closer

"So you are more concerned with your friend than me?" Oscar said sarcastically, his words stabbed from across the phone.

Hearing that sentence, Lisa was immediately lost for words. She didn't know what to answer. She was afraid of uttering the wrong words, afraid of making the man's emotions heated up and exploded like a volcano. Lisa muttered while racking her brains for the right answer.

"Th... That's not it, Oscar! Problem is Andien is in a difficult condition! For three days in a row she was crying uncontrollably and almost throwing things around her. I'm afraid Andien will injure herself," Lisa replied stammering.

Oscar sighed from across. The man was also speechless.

"Oscar, I want to ask you something," Lisa said, breaking the silence, "Is it true that Petersson Communication company is no longer collaborating with Colors Advertising?"

The question seemed to manifest as a spear that stabbed right at Oscar's chest, impaling his heart through the back. He then fell silent when he heard Lisa's question just now. 

"Don't say it's because of me?" Lisa asked boldly and without thinking.

"What do you think?" Oscar replied briefly. The man sounded colder from before.

"Of course I don't know! That's why I asked!" Lisa raised her voice a little, the woman seemed nervous about the call.

"I don't want to answer, it's a company's secret," Oscar replied curtly.

"Oscar, the reason I haven't resigned from Colors Advertising is because Rangga hasn't found another financial manager who can replace my position there! Trust me, my relationship with Rangga is nothing more than friends and that of a boss and an employee. You have to believe me!" Lisa couldn't hold back her anxiety anymore. 

There was no voice from across the phone, either because Oscar was thinking of coming up with a good reply or completely at a loss for words.

"Hello? Oscar? Are you still there? Hello?" 

"Yes?" Oscar replied in a low, limp voice. His that sounded sluggish made Lisa even more restless and sorry for upsetting him.

"Trust me, Rangga and I are just friends. Nothing more than that!" Lisa gripped her cell phone tightly, her palms started to sweat and almost made her cell phone tucked.

"Okay, I trust you, Lisa," Oscar replied curtly. His tone sounded more steady and confident. Even though he knew and understood that Lisa and Rangga were only friends, sometimes he worried that Rangga would take Lisa from his side. But as long as Lisa chose and loved him as her lover and showed no signs of cheating, it'd be enough proof for him of the woman's love.

Lisa breathed a sigh of relief from across the phone, the woman then smiled and said, "Thank goodness, thank you, Oscar! Thank you for trusting me!"

"So, when will you come back to the boarding house?" Oscar asked, changing the subject.

"I still don't know, maybe when Andien is getting better, I'll let you know again. Trust me!" 

It'd been a week since Lisa hadn't returned to her boarding house but it felt like she hadn't been back in years. She still didn't have the guts to refuse her ex-husband's invitation to make love while she felt like she wasn't in her prime. She was still afraid to make the man disappointed and leave her. 

For a moment, Lisa said to her mind that she shouldn't have contacted Oscar tonight. Now she thought that she made him worry.

"You still owe me 7 days of making love. Remember that when you come back!" Oscar replied sternly from across.

Hearing the sentence just now made Lisa even more excited. The more she avoided him, the closer the day when he would collect her debt felt. Once again, Lisa felt that she was so stupid to avoid the man instead of telling the truth.

But she couldn't reverse what had already happened. This was the consequence of running away from reality that she chose.

Lisa took a deep breath from across the phone. Her tongue felt so tight, she didn't know what else to say. "Are you sure you still want to collect that debt from me when I come back?"

"Of course, I'm a man of my words. I won't break my promises, especially with the woman I love," Oscar replied confidently.

A few moments later, the call suddenly cut off by itself. Lisa was surprised and pressed the number buttons on her cell phone screen. "Ugh, my internet quota runs out! No doubt the call's breaking up!"

Lisa took a deep breath as she leaned her chin on the window. She stared at the view of the capital city, sparkling at night with a blank gaze. Occasionally, she looked up at the sparkling star-studded night sky. The soft glowing starlight slowly carried her into the quiet reverie as if the light rays were hypnotizing her.

'I don't understand myself. Since my ex-husband came back to my life, I feel like I've been so obedient and devoted to him. Is this love?'

Suddenly, Andien's hand tapped Lisa's shoulder, waking her from her lonely daydream. "Heyyyy, turns out you haven't slept yet. What are you doing giggling over the phone?" Andien teased, grinning mischievously.

"You dog! You shocked me like a thief!" Lisa shouted in shock from where she was daydreaming.

"Hey, language. So you still can't sleep because you miss him inside you? You avoided him but then why do you miss him?"

"Ugh it's not your business, Ndien! After all, what are you doing suddenly waking up like that?! You've slept like a baby just a while ago?" Lisa asked, looking a little annoyed when Andien caught her talking to Oscar. Her face immediately flushed red, holding back embarrassment.

"Look at a mirror, won't you? Your face is bright red. Are you embarrassed? Uh oh, someone's excited because she's returned to her ex-husband!" Andien teased with a half-dead ignorant face.

"Shut up, you mutt! Who said I'm excited? I'm just a little unwell so my face is red," Lisa said, hiding her embarrassment from Andien.

"Funny, don't try to lie to me, Lisa. I know you're worried that Oscar doesn't believe that you and Rangga are just friends, right? You're afraid he's jealous, right?"

"Alright, it's enough I don't want to hear you rambling any longer, it's better if you just go back to sleep. I'm not in the mood for joking anymore!" Lisa jerked, staring at Andien sharply. She got up from where she was sitting then dropped her body on the bed.

"Ugh, you don't have to give me that sulk. I just want to know..." 

"Shut up, Ndien! Go to sleep, you still have to work tomorrow!" Lisa said again.

"But I'm curious about it. How wild is Oscar in the bed to make you tired until you avoid him like this?"

Hearing this very personal question made Lisa surprised and even more annoyed. She threw a pillow while saying, "Watch your mouth when you ask! That's what you got for asking about my privacy. You don't need to know!"

"You know, I'm just asking, I mean... How is it possible? How could he make you tired until you avoid him just because he demanded sex?! Just how wild is this guy in bed?"

"Do you want to know how wild Oscar is? What if I lend him a day for you to try?" Lisa replied sarcastically and sharply. Her facial expression was irritated.

"Oh my God! I don't want to be killed by him, hihi," Andien said ignorantly.. "Sorry, I just want to cheer you up so you will relax a little. After all, how long do you want to avoid Oscar?"