Jake's existence is twisted in complexity. On the surface he appears like any other person, but beneath the mask of his so called normal life, lies ugliness. He dreams to escape this harsh reality, he wants to experience the joy of living like a tru...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
A big and bright chandelier hung in the middle of a vast hall, providing the room with a lavish vibe. The place was filled with well-known and wealthy people dressed in luxury brands.
Jay also looked handsome in his Prada suit. Even though he worked in a private company, he held a position that paid him well enough to afford at least a suit from a luxury brand.
He straightened himself and brushed his clothes when he saw the assemblyman approaching him and his boss. His boss was friends with this person, and the assemblyman sponsored the company to some extent, which was the reason Jay and his boss were invited to this party.
"Wish you a very happy birthday, sir," Jay said and handed a flower bouquet to the assemblyman, who politely passed it to his assistant to place it with other gifts.
A small talk ensued before the assemblyman left to greet other guests. Now that the main purpose of coming to the party was over, Jay could look around and enjoy some good food and expensive drinks.
'That dog looks familiar,' Jay thought upon seeing a cute female Border Collie. She was wearing a bow clip, which made her look extra adorable. He was amused to see a dog playing elegantly with guests at such a grand party.
'That dog probably belongs to the assemblyman, but why does it feel like I've seen her somewhere?'
Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks as she stared at something. She barked twice before excitedly running toward the entry. Jay's eyes followed her.
"Layla!" She jumped on the man who had just entered, and that guy looked as excited as the dog. "My baby, how have you been?"
Wait a minute. 'What is Jake doing here?'
---
"Layla, my baby, how have you been?" Jake was ecstatic to finally meet his dog after so long. He crouched down to pat the dog and gave her belly rubs. Jake was so happy upon seeing her that he forgot about the surroundings and the situation.
"Even today, your priority is Layla, huh?"
"Dad," Jake stood up and hugged his father. "Happy birthday, old man," he teased, making his father laugh.
The assemblyman was delighted to see his son after months. Jake hardly came back home since he was always busy with office work.
Mr. Sim never understood why his son worked as an employee when he could be the boss of an already successful business. The old man was ready to give Jake any of his business franchises if he asked for it, but Jake never did. He wondered why Jake lived such a simple life when he could enjoy a lavish one, like his brother who happened to handle most of the family's businesses.
Jake's father had given up on trying to bring him back home. Every time Jake was asked to return home, he claimed to find contentment in living a middle-class life.
---
"She won't leave you; why don't you take her with you?" Jake's dad said. They were at the exit. The party had ended two hours ago, and now Jake was about to return home when Layla started acting up; she didn't want Jake to go.
"I can't, Dad. I'm mostly at the office. Who'll take care of her when I'm not home?" Jake reasoned, yet this was not the whole case; it was one of the reasons but not the complete truth.
The reason Jake didn't want to take Layla home, despite missing her twenty-four seven, was that he didn't want her to be exposed to traumatizing violence.
Jake knew that Layla would get depressed if she saw abuse against her beloved owner, and in the worst-case scenario, she might also become a victim of Myung's anger, something Jake absolutely couldn't let happen.
Jake crouched down to Layla, lovingly scratching her ears with both hands. "I'll be leaving now, baby. Don't miss me too much, okay?... I love you," he said and kissed her forehead.
Jake hated to say goodbye to Layla, but her life couldn't be put at risk. He was well aware that his princess would be treated like royalty here, which is why it was the best option to let her stay with his dad.
"Please take good care of her, Dad, and yourself as well," he said to Mr. Sim's caretaker. The other person laughed and asked him the same.
Finally, when Layla sat down, upset, Jake got ready to leave. These few hours of happiness would be enough for him to keep going until he experienced it again.
