Chapter Ten: What are you doing in my room?

As he drove home, his mind was a swirl of unanswered questions.

  Who was that guy?

Was he her boyfriend?

Had they gotten back together?

He couldn't help but feel unsettled and out of sorts.

He knew he wasn't in any state to go back to the office and be productive. Maybe a night of rest would help him clear his head. Perhaps by tomorrow, he would be back to his usual self-focused, hard-working, and maybe she would be out of his head and mind.

Both sanity and rationality had completely ditched him since he set his eyes on her. He could not even control his thoughts; he could stop them from running parallel. His mind was colluded with images of her.

Just from her seat in front of him, speaking, he already had a million and one images running wild in his head. Her familiar faint lavender scent still lingered around him, making him go crazy. It was like he could still feel her presence like she was seated next to him, but if only that were true.

She was in the club having fun and Mr. Kim was the one seated next to him. If only he could open up to her now and tell her how she had turned his thoughts upside down since that fateful collision. He felt like he was lost, lost to his feelings.

The car pulled over in front of his family's mansion in Staten Island.

"You can go home for the night Kim."

"Okay, sir."

"And," he paused, rethinking the action he was about to take, but he couldn't think so he blurted it out;

"Send a confirmation letter to Anna Briggs. Tell her she got the job."

"Should I send it now or in the morning?"

Leo turned and glared at him. Without saying any other word, he walked out.

"In the morning it is." Mr. Kim mouthed to himself.

As he walked through the door, his mother, Caitlin, greeted him with a warm smile. "There he is, right on time!" she said. He smiled back and hugged her.

Sitting across from his mother was Eunice, a woman he had once been involved with. Her presence sent a jolt of electricity through his body, and he felt his cheeks redden. She smiled at him, her eyes glinting with a familiarity that made him feel trapped.

"We were just talking about you, right Eunice?" Caitlin said and turned to Eunice.

"Yes, he has grown to be a fine man." She replied with a smile and cast her lustful eyes on him.

In just that moment, the faint glow of happy thoughts and images was clouded by one figure he was trying to avoid.

"I will be in my room mother." He said and disappeared up the stairs.

Finally in the solace of his room. he walked into the bathroom and freshened up. Leo dried himself off and wrapped a towel around his waist, stepping out of the bathroom to see Eunice standing by the bed. He felt a momentary flash of panic as he realized he was still damp and half-naked. "What are you doing in my room, Eunice?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even.

"We used to spend time together, just like this," she said, her eyes drifting up and down his body.

"It's been a while since I saw you dressed scantily." Eunice's voice floated to his ear in the barely lit room.

"What are you doing here Eunice?" he asked again, his voice slightly raised.

"I thought I'd drop by, and spend the night with your family like we used to. Reminisce on old memories."

"That was a long time ago," he said, moving to the dresser to grab some clothes. "We're not the same people we were back then, and I'd appreciate it if you'd respect my privacy now." He kept his back to her as he spoke, unwilling to meet her gaze.

"You don't have to act like I'm a stranger," she said, her voice taking on a pleading tone. "We've shared so much. Why can't we at least be friends?"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in rekindling any sort of relationship with you".

"Look Leo, it gonna take more than harsh words to put me off." She blurted out.

"We're done here," he said abruptly, turning away from her and heading towards his bed. He collapsed onto the mattress, closing his eyes and trying to clear his head. All he could see was her face - the same face that had once given him comfort but had since become a source of pain and anger. He knew he had to forget about her, to move on with his life. But the memories of their meeting kept him from letting go completely.

Eunice stood there, frozen in place. She felt a sharp pain in her chest as if her heart was breaking. She knew he was upset, and she had hurt him with her words. But she couldn't let him go. He was hers - he had always been hers.

Ever since he was a child, she had made sure to keep him close, even when he went to school in England. She had people watching him, warning off any girls who got too close. She saw it as protecting her territory, not as some childish game.

.

She had to make him see how much she cared about him, and how much he needed her. He would come around eventually - she was sure of it. She just needed to be patient and persistent. And maybe a little bit manipulative. She let out a small, evil laugh as she turned and walked away, plotting her next move.

She could already see him in her arms, planting kisses on her forehead. She beams with a smile as she walks out looking like someone who just won a lottery.

"There you are," Caitlin said, finally spotting Eunice. "I've been looking for you."

Eunice smiled and waved. "I was just talking to your son in his room."

"Eunice, you work too hard!" Caitlin said with a frown. "You should consider taking a break."

"You know what?" Eunice said, a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I think we should all go on a vacation.

"You know what?"

"I have a better idea," Eunice said. "Why don't we all go on a vacation together? I think we could all use some time off. It'll be a nice break from the everyday stress. And who knows, maybe we'll even have some fun!"

Caitlin pondered for a moment, then her eyes lit up. "You know what? I think that's a brilliant idea! It'll be great to get away from the city and relax. And I bet Leo could use a break too.

"I don't know," Caitlin said, a hint of doubt in her voice. "My son has so much work to do. He's so busy, and he's always so focused. I'm not sure if he'd be willing to take a break."

"Oh, I'm sure he'd be up for it," Eunice said confidently. "It's not healthy for anyone to work without taking some time to recharge.

"And besides," Eunice continued, "we could all use some quality family time. It'd be great to spend some time together, just the three of us. We could go somewhere fun and relaxing, like a tropical island or a mountain resort. What do you think?"

Caitlin nodded slowly, the idea starting to grow on her. "I think that could be nice." She paused. "But where would we go? There are so many options. How would we decide?"

"Let's make a list of possibilities," Eunice suggested. "We could write down all the places that sound interesting and then narrow it down from there. What do you think?"

"That's a great idea," Caitlin said, her excitement growing. "We could make a pros and cons list for each place. That would help us narrow it down."

"And we could even do a little research on each place," Eunice added. "Look at pictures and read reviews. That way we could even use a random number generator to pick the final destination," Eunice suggested, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "That would add an element of surprise. It could be like an adventure!"

"That sounds so fun!" Caitlin said, her voice bubbling with excitement. "Let's do it! We can make a whole event out of it. It'll be like a fun project."

Eunice grinned. "We'll need snacks and drinks. And maybe some music.

They both giggled and walked away, down the stairs.