Chapter 14 Then vs Now

"... and the official product release would be on XXXX. I, Jonathan Gonzalez, COO of the HE Corporation, together with the CEO Mr. Hernandez and other officers, will be expecting each of you to attend the launching. That's all, good day."

Everyone applauded respectively as the Chief Operations Officer, Jonathan Gonzalez, ended his speech. One of them was Ari, the woman who likes her boss secretly.

Jonathan heaved out a sigh as he tugged his tie loose while glancing at the people around the table who were now getting up and heading out of the office. At last, the presentation has ended and he would only have to worry about its launch next week. He could finally breathe a little more once it was done.

Well, not totally, considering he'd be engaged tomorrow... with the person who still hates him to the core: Stefani.

It has been two days since they have last seen each other and even when Jonathan tried to call Stefani, Stefani would always either hang up or yell at him how she hates him over the phone. Jonathan couldn't apologize properly for what he did since he had been too busy with his work. There were just too many to look at and consider that before he knew it, hours and days had already gone quickly.

Jonathan knew he was wrong. Stefani was still young and that kiss probably had shocked and angered her for real. But how could Jonathan resist those irresistible soft lips?

The office was almost empty when Jonathan reluctantly grabbed his phone from his pocket. Should he try again? Considering the day and time, Stefani would still be at school. She would probably shout, curse, and send death threats at Jonathan by the second she answered the call. But to hell with that, Jonathan wanted to hear her voice.

Sighing out, Jonathan pressed his lips together and let his thumb hover over the green call button on the screen. He was just about to press it when someone suddenly spoke behind him.

"Umm, sir, it’s already break time. Should we go get lunch together?" Ari offered. She was indeed shameless. No wonder no one approaches her even in their office.

Jonathan cleared his throat before he answered respectfully. "Sorry, Miss Go, I have to go somewhere so I believe I couldn't accompany you today."

Ari looked dejected and was about to talk more when the door suddenly opened and let in a woman in an extravagant pair of clothes with caramel shades.

"Oh! Jonathan!" Jane beamed and strode towards Jonathan and Ari. She wore a fashionable dress, paired with boots and a high-class bag. No one would actually believe she worked with a high rank in another HE Group branch somewhere in another state, and by her attitude towards almost everyone, no one would believe she was already married.

Jane approached the two and saw Ari for the first time. She couldn't help but check the lady from head to toe. Jonathan could only sigh, not really fond of having too many women around him.

"Who are you?" Jane curiously asked Ari after she removed her glasses. She then glanced at Jonathan, expecting an answer.

"Her name's Ari. She works here under the Operation Department. Ari, this is Jane, she's my older sister," Jonathan tried to look not too exhausted as he introduced the two women to each other.

"Nice to meet you, big sis," Ari shyly said after retracting her hand from the handshake. Jane smiled at her and was about to speak more when Jonathan grabbed her arm.

"Right, now we have to go. Sorry, Ari. Excuse us," Jonathan politely excused him and Jane while dragging his sister out.

"The hell was that? Psh. Oh right! I heard Nini's school festival would be this coming week. I also heard there would be booths and all that school-related stuff... Ahhh, it reminds me of our youth days. It sure is great to be young... Say, do you still remember our high school days?" Jane looked like she was totally enjoying the talk but all Jonathan could do was sigh. Not that he didn't like school festivals, he just found them all less productive since one couldn't gain that much upon joining. Jonathan would rather study for the upcoming exams rather than spend his time wandering around the noisy so-called festival.

They were already inside a restaurant near the Lee building and Jane still kept on talking while they were eating.

"Also, I heard Stef would be performing a dance group or something."

Jonathan halted in his movement. Jane raised her eyebrow and observed her brother's reaction.

"Ah, don't tell me you two still haven't made up? Aish. Just what happened exactly?" Jane asked as she took a sip on her juice.

Jonathan hasn't told her what really happened that day, thinking she has a big mouth and she'd probably tease Jonathan until the end of the world.

"I kissed her," Jonathan directly answered, now not too scared of the coming teasing. "I kissed Stefani."

Jane almost choked on her drink. "K-Kiss… W-What?!"

Jonathan sighed and looked at Jane seriously, "I said I kissed Stefani. I kissed my fiancee, my bride, future wife. Is there something wrong with that?"

Jane choked again, her eyes widening. When did Jonathan become this bold?

"Hey!! Are you crazy? You stupid monkey! Of course she would be shocked! So this is the reason why you two still haven’t talked since then…? Whoa, you’re crazy! Jonathan, how can you do that to Stefani, huh? Have you lost your mind? Oh my poor baby Nini..." Jane looked like a mother who just heard that her daughter ate something poisonous. Jane looked at Jonathan like he was a rotten eggplant.

Jonathan sighed again. "I know... Also, she's mad about the number of times I did it."

Jane shook her head with eyes wide open. She absolutely could not believe it. Her very strict, frigid, least passionate brother was talking about the number of kisses he had with his younger fiancee. Is this some prank or something?

"She said I kissed her before I had a fever, but I couldn't remember any of it. Now she's too mad at me she won’t even speak to me. She always either hangs up or just yells at me over the phone. Just how much she hates me? Just what should I do to make her see me in a different way, in a better way? Say, how is it that she’s so good to you but she always says she hates me? What did you do to tame her? I… I also want to get along with her..."

All Jonathan wanted was to be treated by Stefani in a good way. They would be engaged tomorrow, they would soon be married too. Can't they really get along with each other?

Jane watched her brother's face change from being cold and emotionless to a complete worrying and pained expression. She took a sip on her juice as she digested each word Jonathan just confessed about his true thoughts and feelings.

Indeed, only Stefani had this kind of effect on Jonathan. Only Stefani has the power to shake Jonathan and bring the deepest feelings he was hiding inside. Jane, being the person who had watched Jonathan grow up, had known this fact for a long time ago.

FLASHBACK

Jane went out of the small house and picked out the letters from the mailbox beside the white picket fence near the front gate. She was drinking her coffee while reading a magazine on the kitchen counter when Jonathan suddenly appeared in front of her.

"It's still early and you don't have class. Go back to sleep." Jane was 19 at that time and Jonathan was 15. It has been one year since they had left the country and started living in a foreign land, all for academic and other study purposes.

Jonathan looked hesitant before he spoke. "Is there- Is there anything from her?"

Jane closed the magazine and checked the letters spread on the counter. With a heavy heart, she responded. "There isn't."

Jonathan looked like he was about to cry right there, but every time it happened, he would clench his fists and look away, not letting anyone be able to see his weak side.

The same scenario happened again and again, until Jonathan finally graduated and stopped asking Jane whether Stefani had responded to his messages or not.

And Jane could only watch as Jonathan's eyes became duller and colder as days, months, years, passed by.

Now, Jane watched her twenty-four-year-old brother sighed redundantly across her. She smiled and with a hopeful heart, spoke. "Shall we go?"

Jonathan looked at her with a questioning look. "Where?"

Jane looked at her brother with a soft and knowing smile. "To where your heart wanted the most.”