One for Three

Chapter 58

An hour later, the doorbell rang, and Kaori looked at me expectantly.
"So, tell me. What happened last night? I almost strangled him when he showed up at our door." Her voice sounded irritated but also very curious.

I closed my eyes for a moment and followed her to the table. Memories of the painful encounter from the previous night flooded my mind. The image of him disappearing into his bedroom with another woman was seared into my memory.

"He didn't come home alone," I began, grinding my teeth, my voice laced with bitterness. Kaori's eyes widened in surprise. "I fell asleep on his sofa, and when he came home around 2 AM, he had a woman with him... Unfortunately, I left the lights and TV on, so he immediately got suspicious and confronted me... He was angry... and threw me out... then he disappeared into the bedroom with his companion. So much for your plan."

Kaori exhaled and pulled out her phone. She seemed upset and determined. The look in her eyes told me she had something in mind and wouldn't settle for this situation.

"What are you planning?" I asked quietly.

"Finding out where they are. They've been off my radar for seven hours now." She quickly tapped on her phone, her forehead furrowing in concentration before she held the phone to her ear.

"Sweetheart, where are you?... Sapporo?... Are you serious? Why?... That's over the top! Tell him to pack up his diva and come back immediately, or you'll really get to know me!... He can't run forever!... She's been trying to talk to him the whole time, but he's being his usual self... Oh, he did that... No... You know as well as I do... Talk later."

I knew that Diamond and Kunzite had a commanding presence, but seeing Kaori assert herself so forcefully was new to me. She could be quite intimidating with that tone. Until now, I had always seen her as a cheerful woman who didn't care much for the power games of men. But seeing her now, I could definitely believe she was the one pulling the strings in the background.

Kaori put her phone on the table and pursed her lips briefly. The tension in the air was palpable. She clearly wanted to take control and regain some leverage.

"They've gone to Sapporo. Diamond wanted to head back to Davao, but since he has to be at the trial tomorrow, they settled on Sapporo. Kunzite is trying to get him to return this afternoon. But your appearance last night really threw him off. That's good." Her grin widened. "By the way, he threw his companion out untouched. I thought you should know." A small spark of relief washed over me.

So, I was right: He hadn't slept with her.

"And what do you suggest now? I mean, he fled almost to the other end of the country in the middle of the night..." My voice sounded tired and broken. I buried my face in my hands, looking to Kaori for help.

"That was just a knee-jerk reaction. Trust me, he'll come back. He's just not used to being surprised, and your presence was the last thing he expected. That's why he was so defensive. Attack is their best defense." Her words echoed in my mind as I tried to find a glimmer of hope.

She tapped on her phone again and looked at me expectantly. "What exactly were you going to say to him last night if things hadn't escalated?" she probed. Her gaze was intense, and I felt a strange sensation as she asked this question.

I searched deep within myself, my thoughts a whirlwind. The feelings welling up inside me were hard to describe: doubt, longing, uncertainty, anger, and love.

"I wanted answers from him because he's sending me mixed signals. On one hand, he shows that he cares and is there for me, but then... you know how he is."

"And why the sudden change of heart? Why are these answers so important now?" Her questions felt almost like an interrogation, and I couldn't help but wonder what she was planning.