Mr Carlos Huo, She's Your Wife

"Who is the 'old man' you referred to?" Hayden asked as he was surprised by Debbie's response when she answered his call.

"Never mind, I was referring to no one in particular," Debbie replied casually. "What made you call?"

"I've been in Y City for a couple of days now. I have no plans tonight, so I'm thinking maybe we can have dinner together."

"Oh, sorry. I'm out of town. I'm on a trip."

Hayden hadn't expected her response. For a moment, he was in a daze but soon realized that Debbie was such a travel gal. He remembered how much she enjoyed going to places. She had visited different tourist destinations, more than he ever had. He envied her determination and her free spirit.

"Oh! I see. It's okay. Anyways, my schedule will be cleared out early next month. How about I take you to England for a vacation then?"

"No, thanks." Debbie turned him down immediately. "I've been busy lately. I have all these different classes every day. I had to make time for this trip."

Debbie was telling the truth. When her trip was over, she would once again be occupied with dance, yoga, English, and other classes.

"Debbie, don't lie to me. I know you. You always hate studying. You're just trying to blow me off by making up those classes."

"No, I'm not. That's the old me. People change. Now I have yoga, dance, English, Advanced Mathematics, and so on, but I don't learn martial arts anymore."

For a moment, there was only silence at the other end of the line. "You used to say you will never quit martial arts. My mom and I once asked you to quit, but you refused. Why now?"

Hayden knew how much she used to hate those classes she just mentioned.

Debbie smiled and said, "Because I don't have to protect you anymore." One of the reasons why she had worked hard on martial arts was to protect Hayden and his sister, Portia Gu, who was frail like a willow leaf.

16 and their relationship lasted for two years. Just a few days before her 18th birthday, for some unknown reasons they broke up. During those two years, being

for her bravery, she got ridiculed by Hayden himself. "You are not womanly at all," Hayden had said

Deb. I didn't treat you well before. I didn't treasure what we had. I've regretted it. I've missed you for the past three years. Can we start over?" Hayden apologized, his voice full of

had left him, but none of them truly loved him as Debbie

thoughtful in a way that, even though she didn't know how to cook, to make sure

learned that Hayden's mom liked quiet girls, she had always reminded herself to be quiet in front of his

got kidnapped or blackmailed a lot, or sometimes into some other kinds of trouble. All those times, Debbie tried her best to protect him, no matter how dangerous

party, she drank his alcohol for him, just because drinking was bad for his health and she wanted him to stay healthy. Thus, at first she could only handle 50

done so many things for

her, that girl who had loved him like a fool. Now he was back, and he wanted her back. He promised himself that he would never let her

name, it hurt. She was the one who gave and gave in their relationship, but in the end,

she reminisced about their past, but she was over him now. She had moved on. Except for the pain, she didn't

her attention. There was cake, icy pudding, and multi-layer steamed bread. Durian flavor was her favorite. She remembered how Hayden hated

he had eaten the snack with her even though he despised it. She knew by

specifically ordered crispy durian cakes and durian pancakes for Debbie the other day when they were eating on the fifth floor of Alioth Building.

several years older than Debbie, Carlos was thoughtful in many things. He would ask Julie to make durian dishes or desserts at the villa now

room for the first time, he had caught her immediately. After that, she had tried to sneak into his room again, but he never busted her. To think about it, Debbie thought maybe it was not that he didn't know that she was sneaking

She had come to Portia

When she was sleeping alone in the guest room that night, suddenly thunder roared and lightning flashed. She was too scared to sleep. But she couldn't go to Hayden's room. That would be inappropriate. So she knocked on the door of Portia Gu's room

her dismay, however, Portia Gu pushed her out of her room impatiently and locked the door. "Don't interrupt my sleep again!" she had warned her. She remembered how scared she was that night. She had

missed

phone screen. There was one missed call from Carlos. She made

had passed. Carlos still didn't call.