Secret Admirer

14. Grin

Ciro paced back and forth in his office, watching through the window as Kayu and June left together. His jaw tightened as a knot of frustration formed in his chest. He couldn't believe June still had the nerve to show up after what had happened.

 Knowing Kayu's nature—trusting, kind, and always willing to see the best in people—made it all the worse. June had cheated on him, and yet there he was, walking away with Kayu as if nothing had happened. Ciro clenched his fist, feeling his anger bubble over.

Without thinking, Ciro grabbed his phone and dialed Buri's number. It rang a few times before Buri picked up, his voice coming through with an almost lazy indifference.

"Hello?"

"It's Ciro," Ciro said, his voice tight. "Why is June still pestering Kayu when you two slept together last night?"

Buri sighed on the other end of the line, sounding completely unbothered. "That's funny. I could ask the same question. June left me without a word this morning. Just up and vanished like nothing happened. Guess your boy doesn't have his priorities sorted, huh?"

Ciro felt a fresh wave of irritation. "You are not getting it, Buri. June is still playing Kayu, acting like he didn't just betray him. I just saw them leave together. What kind of sick game is he playing?"

Buri's tone shifted, sharp now. "Look, Ciro, I didn't force him into anything. He is a grown man. If June is making his own mess, that's on him. I have no interest in letting him go back to Kayu after what happened, so you can drop the lecture. I have done my part."

He too was pissed at June's behavior. He couldn't believe that June would act all high and mighty and leave him just like that.

There was a brief pause, and then Buri hung up without another word.

Ciro stared at the phone, his hand trembling slightly from the frustration. He was mad, but more than that, he was worried. 

Kayu had no idea what kind of deception was unfolding right in front of him, and June was probably spinning some web of lies, getting Kayu to believe in him again. 

Ciro knew Kayu's heart was too big, his loyalty too deep. He wouldn't see June for who he really was, not until it was too late.

And the thought of Kayu, the person who meant so much to him, being strung along by someone who had cheated on him only hours after their engagement, made Ciro's blood boil.

Kayu deserved better—better than June, better than the lies he was probably hearing right now. Ciro felt a strange pang of protectiveness, one that had been simmering for months now. He hated seeing Kayu being played like this.

Just then, his phone buzzed again, snapping him out of his thoughts. It was his mother.

"Ciro, sweetie, are you coming home for dinner tonight?" her warm voice came through the line.

Ciro blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question. His parents had been asking him to come home more often, especially since his breakup with Aya. 

He hadn't gone back for dinner in a long while, avoiding the awkward family conversations about his personal life. But now, something clicked in his mind.

His parents loved Kayu. They had always had a good impression of him—he'd been Ciro's secretary for years, dependable, polite, and respectful. And Ciro knew that Kayu respected his parents as well. 

In fact, Kayu admired them, and it would be nearly impossible for him to turn down an invitation from Ciro's family.

An idea sparked in Ciro's head.

"Actually, Mom," Ciro began, his voice taking on a more casual tone, "why don't you invite Kayu to dinner, too? I think he is free tonight, and I know you guys like him. It would be nice to have him over."

There was a pause on the other end of the line, and then his mother responded with enthusiasm. "Oh, that's a lovely idea! I'll give him a call right now. I am sure he will say yes, Kayu is always so polite. It will be great to see him again!"

Ciro grinned to himself, feeling a wave of satisfaction wash over him. "Thanks, Mom. I will be there, too."

After hanging up, Ciro leaned back in his chair, exhaling deeply. He knew his plan would work. Kayu was too respectful to decline a dinner invitation from his parents, especially when they liked him so much. 

This would get him away from June, at least for tonight. And more importantly, it would give Ciro a chance to make sure Kayu wasn't being manipulated any further.

Feeling a sense of triumph, Ciro stood up and grabbed his jacket, whistling a tune as he made his way to the parking lot. His mood had lifted considerably now that he had a plan in motion. He couldn't let June keep pulling Kayu into his mess. Not after what he had done.

As he walked through the parking lot, he thought back to the time when everything was simpler—before June had come into the picture, when it was just him and Kayu working together. 

Ciro had always trusted Kayu, relied on him, and over the years, that bond had only grown stronger. But somewhere along the way, things had shifted. He had started to notice Kayu in a different way, the little things he did, the quiet loyalty, the warmth he brought into every room.

At first, Ciro hadn't wanted to acknowledge it. He had just come out of a long-term relationship with Aya, and the last thing he needed was more confusion in his life. 

But it was becoming harder and harder to ignore how much he cared about Kayu, not just as a friend or a colleague, but something more.

He didn't know if Kayu felt the same way, and honestly, he wasn't sure if now was the right time to confront those feelings. Especially with June still in the picture, complicating everything.

 But what he did know was that he wasn't going to let June hurt Kayu anymore. Not if he could help it.

Reaching his car, Ciro climbed in and started the engine, his mind still buzzing with thoughts. Tonight would be important. 

He needed to make sure Kayu saw the truth—that June wasn't the person he thought he was. That June had betrayed him, and that maybe, just maybe, there was someone else who truly had his best interests at heart.

Ciro tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, humming the tune of a song that had been stuck in his head. He felt a strange mix of emotions—determination, hope, and a small flicker of excitement at the thought of seeing Kayu at dinner tonight. 

For the first time in a long time, he felt like things were about to change. And this time, he wouldn't let June stand in the way.

With a satisfied grin, Ciro pulled out of the parking lot and drove off, his mind already racing ahead to the evening, where he would finally have the chance to set things right.