2 Minutes, 23 Seconds

1' 57"

"Stacey, you can't do this to me!" Van asserted with the little confidence he has left as beads of sweat start to form on his forehead.

"Oh, of course I can, my dear!" Stacey took out her handkerchief from her bag and gently patted Van's face and paused on his jaw as she stared at his trembling lips. She brushed her thumb against it which made it close into a thin line.

Stacey only smirked. For her, Van is just overreacting. She applauded herself in her mind for creating such a perfect plan where she won't ever lose. She holds him by the neck now and there's nothing he can do but obey her.

While on their way back to the coffee shop where Stacey left her dad, she already dropped hints as to what is supposed to happen tonight, tomorrow and on the next days concerning Van. She also suggested that he should calm down a bit since she had decided a few things for him beforehand and that he shouldn't be worrying too much. She's a girl scout when it comes to these kinds of things.

Van massaged his temples as Stacey held the door open for him to the coffee shop. The moment he stepped in, he knew that something big is about to happen. And, as soon his eyes met her father's, he figured that he shouldn't have come in the first place but here he is, trying his best to calm himself. When he sat in front of Mr. Aguirre, he let himself examine him visually as fast as possible. The lines on his face indicate how stressed out he is about his failed marriage about nine years ago, his company and the daughter he loved despite her not being his. Van slightly turned his head to glance at Stacey who was now busy checking out the good-looking barista over the counter. He looked back at Mr. Aguirre, giving him the kind of look that's simply telling him that all of this is his fault. He's the one who made the sweet, innocent Stacey into this kind of young woman. Anyway, he could only blame him.

Mr. Aguirre coughed to get the attention of everyone on the table. "Let's make this short. I won't beat around the bush," he started, slightly loosening his tie then clearing his throat again.

Before everything else, Van tried to get as much information as he could based on how Stacey and her father's actions. Right now, Stacey is just calm, as if she was sure of everything happening. Stacey looks like she's about to drop a bomb any minute though. With that smirk of hers that's almost completely plastered on her face, everything atrocious is possible. Mr. Aguirre, on the other hand, looks rather infirm of his purpose in being here with them, which is quite suspicious. Knowing Stacey, this is surely nothing beneficial to him.

"I want you to leave your sister and live with my daughter instead."

There goes the bomb. Van thought he has gone deaf for a second right there.

"E-Excuse me? What did you say?" He still asked even if he knew he heard him just right.

"Live with me in my apartment. You heard him," Stacey repeated in the most blasé way while rolling her eyes before checking her reflection on her vintage compact mirror.

His mouth hung wide open in confusion and in fear that this is really happening.

"W-What?" Van asked again, almost whispering which made Stacey slam her hand on the table. It surely caught other customers' attention but she is Stacey and she doesn't give a single damn; that he knows too well. In his peripheral vision, he saw Mr. Aguirre flinch a little but he was too busy processing what they were both saying to him.

"You heard him. You. Are. Gonna. Live. With me. Simple." Stacey stated it like it was the easiest thing to do on earth. He can't just leave his sister and do what she's saying. He can never do that especially when he promised to Eury that he will never leave her. That's the only thing that's currently replaying on his mind. He had a promise he should keep no matter what.