"I'm sorry Sied, you are a good friend...but I don't love you more than a friend."

"Is it because of Eli, right?"

Sophia nod, "Yes."

I brushed my hands on my hair, feeling irritated and hurt. Why it has to be my best friend? Why my first love need to fall in-love to my bestfriend?

Maybe this is my karma for being a player before. Damn!

"It's not Eli's fault... It's me who fall in-love at him first. He don't know that I love him... actually I can't tell him that."

"Why? it's obvious he's in-love at you too."

That's the most painful part, I knew Eli loves Sophia too. I confessed to Sophia first before Eli does, hoping she'll choose me but maybe I hope too much.

"He... don't want to hurt you.", Sophia's voice start to tremble. "For Eli you are more than just a bestfriend, you are a precious brother. A brother he can't betrayed and hurt even at his own expense."

"Damn!", I said frustratedly.

Elizalde Andrade is my childhood bestfriend, he's the son of our family's driver and his mother served as a personal assistant of my mother. His family is one of the most loyal and trustworthy servants of us, that's why when his parents died, my parents took him and treated him as their own son, he just refused to be adopted by my parents. For him it's too much and he don't want to put me on a worst position as a future heir of Seymoure's Group of Companies (SGC).

We treated each other us brother, we're on each other side in bad times or good times. And now, he's giving up his own happiness for me? How I can take my brother's happiness?

I am willing to fight fair and square on him if I have a chance to Sophia. But now that I knew they love each other, what can I do? It's my lost.

"Seid... please don't tell him. I don't want him to avoid me, from the start he keep building you up on me and he's hoping that we'll have a good relationship in the future."

"What a stupid guy.", I murmured. "Hey, Sophia"

"Huh...yes?"

"Are you sure about him? Will you really be happy to be with him?"

"Yes.", she answered firmly.

I sighed, "Fine. I'll help you to get him."

"Huh? what? but why?"

"Well, we're brothers though not by blood. And as his brother I wish for his happiness and it's you."

"Seid..."

"I won't say I am fine that it's not hurting me. I got my heart broken just a while ago you know but... you two are both important to me. Just promise me you two will be happy, that's enough for me. And as for my broken heart, don't worry about it. For sure time will heal it."

"Thank you, Seid...thank you so much."

"Don't thank me yet. We still need to knock the head of that stupid Eli and make him realize his wrong decision. Let's go?"

"Yes!"

"..id"

"Seidfrid!"

I blink a couples of times and realize that I lost in my thought for a while.

"Are you okay?", the woman on top of me asked. "You suddenly just stop moving there."

"I'm fine."

"Really then we can continue right? Well, you're still ready down here.", she said while groping my front.

"I think we better not.", I lightly shove her out of me, take and put my clothes on.

"Hey, what are you doing?! don't tell me your leaving me hanging here?"

"I'm sorry, I am not in the mood now.", I said coldly and left her after I put money on the night table.

Well, how I can have sex with other woman after remembering my unrequited love?

But I wonder why now? it's been more than 10yrs. since I saw her and her family.

Sophia and Eli got married after they found out that Sophia was two months pregnant. We're just third year college that time, they both decide to stop studying for the mean time.

My parents respect Eli's decision to leave the mansion and start a new life with his wife. Dad took and trained Eli in one of our hotel, the next year Eli continue his study while working under Dad's supervision. After a few years, they offered him a work abroad as general manager in one of our hotel in Dubai.

After their daughter's 4th birthday they left the country and since then I never saw them again.

"Seid."

"Hm?", I asked my personal secretary/driver/adviser/friend, William.

"We're here. And I think you have a guest."

When I look outside, there is someone near the gate of my house. From the silhouette, it's a girl...a young girl.

"I didn't know you like young girl now. Did you change your preference?", he teased me.

William is my secretary since I started working for SGC and he knew all of my doings and escapades with differents women. And he knew I never laid my hands on woman younger than me especially to a minor.

I went outside and walked towards the young girl.

"Excuse me, do you need something?", I asked her.

And when she looked up on me, I felt my world stop. Her eyes are red and puffy from crying, but I can still recognized her face. How can I not? She has the same face of the woman I loved for a long time.

"...Sophia? but how..."

"M-Mister Seymoure...help my Mom...please.."

•••♡♡♡•••

SEID's POV

"Why you didn't tell me?", I asked Sophia while holding her hand.

She's lying in bed, paled and skinny.

"L-long time no see, S-Seid.", she said in low hoarse voice and force smile.

I can feel the pain from her, gone the cheerful Sophia I knew. Her eyes are dull and tired, her hair are almost gone, her lips are dry and pale and she barelt can lift her hand.

"What happened Sophia? What happened for damn f*cking ten years?! Where is Eli?"

Her eyes start to become teary, "I'm sorry... we d-didn't tell you anything because we don't want to bother you and your family. We received already too much from all of you, we can't let us to bother you everytime."

She stop for a while and smile at me, "We're doing good at first... after Eli resigned from the hotel... he started to manage his own restaurant... it's just a small business but we're happy to manage it."

"And after a few years our business start to boom. We even able to open another branch... everything is fine until he met this g-guy."

"Guy?"

"His schoolmate from college, he encouraged Eli to invest in this business. I told him to think about it a lot of times but you know him...he gave his trust to his friend 100%. He start to invest with that guy, there's no problem in the beginning but last year... he start to demand a big amount as investment which Eli gave thinking he's a trustworthy friend and business partner. B-but after he received the money, he just disappeared. And worst, we found out that he also took a huge amount of money from the money under their business name, as a business partner... the responsibility of paying the debt went to Eli. And we found out that I have a cancer."

"Eli decided to sell one of the restaurant since he can't make a loan from bank due to his current debt. We used the money for my treatment... he became busy from taking care of me, our daughter and our remaining business. He told me to keep everything from you and your family, I believe on him I know he can do it, you know Eli he never stop until he reach his goal. B-but he died before reaching his goal, he got stabbed by one of the employee he fired because he can't afford to pay them due to our situation."

I was shocked from what I heard, Eli was dead?

"A-are you k-kidding me? why you didn't told us sooner?!"

"I want to Seid, I really want to tell you. I know how important Eli for you but I was in the hospital, my relatives took over our business, since I can't manage it properly. Then I-last month my doctor told me that I only have three months or else... left. The first thing enter my mind is my daughter, Sophie. She's too young, I can't just left her behind..."

"Don't say that! You'll live more, Sophia. I won't let you die... no...not you too. I will do everything to prolong your life, to save you. Please don't say that...I lost Eli already."

Sophia carefully brushed the tears fall down on my cheeks, "Seid... I decided to look for you... to personally ask you...please take care of my daugther when I die--"

"I will take care both of you. So don't say anything about death. Think about your daughter what she'll feel once she lost her mother too."

"Thank you...but I know my body. I almost reach my limit, that's why I want to spend my remaining days with my daughter happily. And now I knew you are there for her, I can leave her without regret because I how she's in a good hands."

"I'm sorry Sophia...if only I didn't cut my communication with you and Eli...if only I didn't declined his invitation to have a vacation with you all... I'm sorry... I told you I'll be happy for both of you... but when you left I felt a relief, I thought it's a chance for me to forget you..."

"It's not your fault. Eli knew that you're hurting inside. That's why he accepted the offer work abroad. He was happy and contented to have a talk with you even for a short time. He knew how busy you are especially when you start to work in SGC. He's maybe disappointed whenever you decline his invitation, but he understand you and think that one day you'll come to us willingly. He's always wish for your happiness."

I felt a fang of pain in my heart. For the past years I am so drown in work and how to forget my unrequited love for Sophia. I even cut my time of communication with Eli. If only those time I talked to him, I asked his situation, if only I accept his invitation maybe he won't hesitate to tell me his problem. Maybe I can help him and he won't die.

"Seid, where is Sophie?"

"I let her take a rest in the mansion. Don't worry I have trustworthy person to take care of her for the meantime."

"Thank you."

"I was so surprised when I saw her outside my house while crying. At first, I thought she was you but when she asked for my help and told me that you're in hospital I just realize how many years have been past. She's so young when I last saw her, I even forgot that she's your carbon copy especially now she's almost like your teenager self before."

"Yeah, but she took her stubborness and hobbies to her Dad. Oh, even her affection towards you is the same with Eli."

"She knew about me?"

"Of course, there's no day that Eli forgot to talk about you to Sophie. And she even asked us that she wants to meet you in person, one of the reason why Eli keep invitating you to have a vacation with us."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"You look so tired, Sophia. I think I better go now so you can take a rest. I'll be back tomorrow, okay? And I don't want to hear you talk about death anymore. I'll look a better hospital for you."

I hired a private nurse for Sophia and settled all her bills in the hospital then process a request for transfer.

"Will, I need a full report of what really happened to Eli. I need every detail even the smallest one."

"Yes, Young Master. And how about Sir Eli's daughter?"

"She'll stay with me for the meantime. I want you to look also a school for her. It's still early of school year for sure she can catch up with the lesson."

"Okay."

At the mansion:

I saw Sophie sleeping on the couch.

"Young Master, I told her to sleep on her room but she insist to wait for you. She said, she need to give you something.", the head of maid said.

I sighed, "I understand. I'll take care of her, you can take a rest now."

"Okay, Young Master. Good night."

As I look at Sophie, I can't deny how she looks like her mother when she was young. But she got her brown wavy hair from her father, Eli.

Just remembering about Eli makes me feel guilty for everything happening now to his beloved family. If only I can do something for them.

"M-Mister...?"

I didn't noticed that Sophie's alwready awake. She's looking at me with a sleepy eyes and her eyes are light brown same with her hair.

"Sorry, did I disturb your sleep?"

"...hmm...nope. Ah, how's Mom?"

"She's fine. And I'll transfer her to other hospital after all the process for request to transfer."

"Thank you, Mister..."

"You can call me Uncle Seid.", I said while ruffling her hair, "I just notice now you got your eyes from Eli... it's really beautiful just like you."

"...t-thank you...", she said with a blush.

"You really look like Sofia."

"..."

"By the way, you need something to gave to me?"

"...ow... n-nothing m-much... I just thought I need to pay you for helping us... Mister."

"Silly. Your parents are precious friends of mine. I am happy to help you. It's already late, you better sleep in your room. Tomorrow, I'll ask my secretary to bring you for shopping, buy everything you need while staying here okay?"

Sophie just nod.

•••❤❤❤•••