With a smile, Anthony replied lovingly,"In my eyes, you will always be my little girl."
Sheryl felt no happiness when she heard the sweet words from her boyfriend. Instead, she felt heavy in her heart. She thanked him, said bye and hung up the hotel phone.
"You're so lucky. Your boyfriend regularly calls you every night. Look at me, I'm alone and no one cares about me," Sue sighed while walking out of the bathroom, toweling her wet hair.
"Are you sure?" Sheryl asked while looking at her friend. She walked to Sue and put her arm around her neck. "You still have me. I always care about you," she grinned.
"I'm serious," Sue responded. The two women laughed and joked while lying head to head on the bed. After a short while, they were silent. Sheryl asked abruptly,"Mimi, how does it feel to be in love?"
"Seriously? You are the one with a boyfriend. Why ask your single friend that question? Are you kidding me? "Are you trying to be smart with me?" Sue pouted her lips, grumbling.
"Don't get me wrong. I just feel.. confused," Sheryl explained. 'Since I lost my memory, Anthony has always been by my side. But, do I really love him?' she questioned herself inside.
Sheryl couldn't figure out her true feelings towards Anthony. Perhaps, she just got used to having him around. She couldn't delineate companionship from love anymore.
The feeling was totally different when Charles held her hand. She found herself blushed and her heart pounded fast. She wasn't sure if that was love. But, she was sure she never felt the same way with Anthony.
"Mimi, since I lost my memory, Anthony has always been with me. The first time I regained consciousness he was there. He told me that he was my boyfriend, but... I never felt that there was a deep chemistry between us. I just feel secure to have him around. I don't think the feeling I harbor for him is love. I'm confused," Sheryl blurted out her thoughts.
While she looked at the ceiling, her eyes narrowed. 'Perhaps, I've already regarded him as my elder brother, ' she thought.
"Do you have any idea what you are talking about?" Sue scowled at her best friend. "Now listen to me. Love is a luxury not everyone can afford. People like us should find someone who will marry us and treat us very well. We can't be hopeless romantics because true love only appears in dramas or novels. Anthony and you are meant for each other. He will be a good husband. Don't think too much dear," Sue lectured with so much emotion.
Sue already noticed Sheryl's weird behavior just recently.
When they were in America, Sheryl never raised questions like these. Sue assumed that something happened to her. Whatever that "something" was, it definitely changed her.
Out of concern, Sue rolled over and asked,"Sher, what's up? Did something happen to you?"
"Nothing... at all," Sheryl replied, avoiding Sue's suspicious gaze. "I just feel something is missing between me and Anthony. I'm wondering... if I really love him," Sheryl said.
"No girl, you're lying," Sue retorted firmly, staring at her friend. "You must be hiding something from me."
"No, I'm not," Sheryl replied nervously, staring back at Sue. As for her acquaintances with Charles, she intended to keep her confidant in the dark. She didn't want Sue to misinterpret her relationship with Charles.
Besides, she hadn't figured out her feelings for Charlie's father yet.
"Is that so?" Sue asked in disbelief. "Sher, you said you would never keep secrets from me." she narrowed her eyes and looked over at Sheryl.
"Yeah, I said so. You're such a good observant, how could I fool you?" Sheryl joked with an impish smile. "Go dry your hair now. I'm gonna take a shower," she urged.
She had no intention of confiding her feelings towards Charles to anyone.
In a presidential suite of a hotel at the twenty-second floor, the heavy breathing and deep moans of a man and a woman's voices resounded inside. After a fierce lovemaking, George felt exhausted and rested his naked, sweaty and muscular body on top of a very unfamiliar-looking woman.
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