Chapter 11 Couch 2

---CONTINUATION OF FLASHBACK---

Mara clenched her teeth. She glanced at the pay to cash check before focusing her angry gaze on him. “I did the same thing to your male cashier two weeks ago. You were there. I demanded to talk to you, but you just walked past me. What makes this particular employee of yours special that you’re willing to pay me in exchange for my apology?”

Sean pressed his lips. He did not want to answer that question.

"I'm not going to apologize, Sean. Not in this lifetime. ” He grabbed the check, then marched out of the office.

“You have a unique way of breaking someone’s heart, Sean,” Miguel said, shaking his head and then went out of his office.

Sean grabbed his bag from the desk and followed Miguel out.

His eyes automatically searched for Thera but she was no longer at the counter, she was not even serving the customers.

She must be crying her heart out in the restroom. Sean knew Mara intentionally humiliated Thera. He saw the jealousy in Mara’s eyes the day they posted in the bulletin that Thera won the coupon during Tea Caf’s anniversary. For sure, Mara did not like the date they set-up, and even Thera’s sudden employment as a cashier into Tea Caf as cashier slash barista.

'What makes this particular employee of yours special that you’re willing to pay for my apology?'

Sean shook his head. There was nothing special about Thera. It was just that he felt sorry she was treated badly and she could not even defend herself. It happened because he intends to get close to her.

Sean noticed the tricycle that pulled over in front of the café. A tall, lean guy stepped out. The guy used a plastic folder to cover his head from the rain. Sean's eyebrows furrowed when he peeked through the glass wall of the coffee shop.

Sean could not remember where he had seen him before but he looked familiar. He was wearing a school uniform and a black backpack.

“That lazy girl didn’t really go to work? What a pain in the ass!”

Sean's ears caught those words as he pushed the door open.

“You’re Thera’s workmate, right?” the guy asked before he could even walk past him.

Sean stopped and turned to him. He did not respond and just studied his face. So, it was Thera he was referring to as lazy and a pain in the ass.

“I saw you here last time. Remember me? I was that guy who handed our water bill to Thera. Are you a waiter?” He gave him a once-over. “Though, you don’t look like one. Barista?”

Sean remained silent. The guy glanced inside the café again.

“Thera said she’s on duty right now, but I can’t see her inside. It seems that she lied. Maybe she’s wandering somewhere, having fun. Damn it, she has a pile of laundry to wash at home.”

His forehead furrowed. Laundry?

“Is she your maid?”

Sean could not believe Thera was also working as a part-time maid.

The guy laughed.

“Do you think only maids do such a thing? She has to do that in exchange for free lodging. Ah, anyway… If you see her, tell her not to go home tonight. I have a visitor and we could not be disturbed. She decides first where to stay overnight."

The guy tapped him on the shoulder and left. Sean heaved a sigh. How many more people can take advantage of Thera in just one day?

That night, despite the heavy rain, Sean found himself parked in the car opposite the house where Thera was staying. It did not take too long before a tricycle stopped in front of the house. The guy he met at the café got off with a girl. The two started kissing even before they could make it inside the house.

Thera came inside the coffee shop before midnight. She did not bother to turn on the lights and headed immediately to the sofa. She was groping every table and chair she walked past. Her forehead knotted when her hand landed on something warm and hard.

“Take your hands off me,” Sean commanded.

Thera’s eyes grew wide. She quickly withdraws her hands. She knew the voice even though the man had only spoken to her twice.

One was a few weeks ago. She was lucky enough to win the winning raffle coupon arranged by Sean and Tan’s Tea Caf for its anniversary. She won, well, a short dinner date with Sean De Marco.

Thera bit her lower lip when the whole area lit up and Sean’s formal face greeted her. He lay the centralized remote control down on the table. She wished for the ground to swallow her when she realized what she touched earlier. Sean's thigh covered with his denim jeans.

Thera was feeling anxious as she watched Sean leave the couch. He headed to the counter. Tensed, she clasped her hands and played with the silver ring tucked into her finger.

What was Sean doing at Tea Caf when he was supposed to be on his way to Manila? She heard him tell his friend in the afternoon that he was leaving early to attend a meeting.

What if he tells her to leave the café? It was still raining hard and she has nowhere to go. The motel was not an option. She's scared even to think about it. She had never set her feet to a place like that.

What if Sean thought that she was up to something? What if he was thinking she was there to rob the café? Well, she could not blame him. She did look like that. She entered the Tea Caf at midnight and she did not bother to turn on the lights.

“Sir…” Thera called. She needs to explain.

Her heart started to thump when he turned to her. He looked straight at her with those piercing dark eyes.

“Make a cup of coffee for yourself and wait here,” he said. Sean went to his office, while Thera though still anxious helped herself with the coffee.

After making coffee for both of them, Thera nervously sat on a stool. She held the cup while it was still on the table. After a short while, Sean came out of his office. She was surprised to see him carrying a pillow and comforter. He laid it down on the couch before walking towards her and handed over a paper bag.

Confused, Thera took a peek and saw a white t-shirt, hoodie jacket, and a pajama inside the bag. She looked up at him.

“You can stay here for tonight. Change your clothes and use the couch. Keep the lights on.”

She did not know what to say. How did he know that she would spend the night there? And these clothes? Like her, will Sean sleep there too? She tensed at the thought.

“Do you have anything to say?” he asked when he realized she kept staring at him “Thera…”

She was pulled out of her reverie. “Sir, can we just turn the lights off?”

---END OF FLASHBACK---