From that day forward Aselia began to secretly observe Yurian’s reactions to phone calls and texts and she could easily discern when it was Frila who had texted him.

There would be this beautiful shine in his eyes whenever he would receive her text. She could swear his cheeks would change their colour too and a warm smile would occupy his lips.

A contented feeling would creep up in Aselia’s heart and settle but still, she would longingly wait for him to tell her about Frila but Yurian never did. It disappointed her but she didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. She stopped spending too much time with him especially at night, thinking he needed to talk to her. She started spending more time with Jaguar.

Yurian felt that and one day asked her about it as both of them were heading home in the car.

"I feel like you are avoiding me. Has anything happened?"

"No, why would you think like that?" Aselia defensively replied.

"Just a hunch. You haven’t been playing games with me or talking like you used to. What’s going on?" he took a left turn and steadied the car.

"Nothing, just busy," Aselia was staring out the window avoiding his gaze.

"You are lying. I can always tell when you lie, so tell me," he answered in a slightly frustrated tone. This angered Aselia a bit. He always demanded to know everything about her life.

Recently, he had taken so many decisions for her without having her say in it but he wasn’t comfortable sharing his secret with her.

"I don’t want to take up too much of your time, you have a girlfriend now and you didn’t even deem your sister worthy enough to share that information," she blurted out before she could stop herself. The car screeched and came to a halt as Yurian hit the brakes with full force. His head jerked to her.

"What are you talking about? What girlfriend?" he asked in an astonished tone. His eyes enlarged in surprise like saucers.

"Frila! Who is she? If not your secret girlfriend," Yurian’s heart almost jumped in his throat at her words and he felt his breathing become rapid.

"How do you know about her?" he quickly asked, scanning her face and looking for any clues as to how much she knew.

"I accidentally saw her caller ID on your phone last week. You don’t talk to girls and I know everyone who is friends with you. So who is she if not a secret girlfriend."

At her answer Yurian cursed himself in his mind, knowing he should be more careful with his phone. Aselia was not dumb and she would be able to piece together things if he went too lax.

"She is not my girlfriend, partner. She is just an acquaintance who owns a video game store in a city I went to for a mission last year. So she keeps me updated on new games, we just share a common interest," Yurian quickly concocted a story and hoped Aselia would believe him.

Aselia squinted at him, she didn’t believe his story but understood he didn’t want to tell her how he actually felt for the girl. Or maybe he hadn’t realised it himself and needed some help. She raised her right eyebrow at him and stated in an authoritative voice:

"Just an acquaintance you say. I want to meet her."

All the colour drained from Yurian’s face and thorns seemed to have filled his throat for he opened his mouth but no words would come out. He blinked at her several times and Aselia held his gaze with an amused look.

"Umm...She lives far away from here, partner. And she is a busy girl. I don’t want to bother her," he finally choked out. His hands tightened around the steering wheel and his ears went red.

Aselia was keenly observing all his reactions and now she was sure he liked the girl but was too shy about it.

"Yurian, I said I want to meet her that means I want to meet her. Arrange it. We can take a few days’ leave and go visit her and I can see for myself if she really owns a video game store or you can invite her here and we can have a peaceful day together. The choice is yours, I won’t back down," she crossed her arms against her chest and stared at him in annoyance.

Yurian frustratedly raked his hands in his hair. This was bad and he knew it. This could end in a disaster and everything they had done so far could unravel.

"I will see what I can do," Yurian replied with gritted teeth and started the car. Aselia hummed in satisfaction, a sly smile spreading on her cherry lips.

They reached home and he went straight to his room. He needed to sort this out as soon as possible.

Esma watched her son frantically going to his room after only a cursory hi and no hugs.

"Whatever happened to him?" she quizzically asked Aselia who was repressing a smile.

"He has been keeping secrets and I am about to find out a juicy one. Just give me a few days and I will tell you something juicy," she winked at Esma who in return couldn’t help but wonder what it was.

Yurian texted Frila as soon as he reached his room and explained everything.

Frila was still at the hotel, going through daily logs and checking if everything was in order when she received a text from Yurian. Reading it her eyes almost popped out of her sockets.

’Meeting Aselia,’ she mumbled to herself breaking out in beads of sweat, her heart rate elevated to dangerous levels. She grabbed a chair and sat down, her hand went to her heart and there was only one thought in her brain.

’Señor is going to be so furious, how am I going to tell him this? Frila, you are finished.’