Episode 3

"Sya, Disya..!"

Dina and Vivi were searching for their friend Disya in the room, but she was nowhere to be found. Since last night, Dina and Vivi had been alone, but due to their situation not being much different from Disya's, they hadn't realized their friend hadn't returned to the room, only noticing her absence this morning after waking up.

"Where could Disya be?" asked a worried Vivi.

"How should I know? I've been with you since morning," Dina responded, biting her fingernails in worry and panic.

They had also gone out earlier to look for Disya, thinking perhaps the girl had mistakenly entered another room, drunk as she was.

But their friend was not to be found.

Drt...Drt...

The sound of a vibrating phone made them both reach for their own, exchanging glances when they realized it wasn't either of theirs.

Tracing the sound, they spotted a phone that had just lit up—it was Disya's, plugged into the charger.

"This is her phone, could it be?" Dina and Vivi's eyes both turned to one door in particular—the bathroom.

They took a deep breath, "She must be sleeping in there." Dina sprawled languidly on the bed, while Vivi walked toward the bathroom door, certain that Disya was inside.

Click

Vivi peeked her head in and, sure enough, there was Disya, asleep in the bathtub.

"The princess's habit of sleeping in water," Vivi shook her head.

Disya's habit of dozing off in the bathtub when exhausted never changed, and now, her fatigue consumed both her body and soul.

Who would have thought that her vacation would lead to actions beyond her imagination?

Meanwhile, at Heathrow Airport, Adam was just boarding a flight back to his homeland. Sitting in his seat, Adam retrieved something from the pocket of his heavy clothing.

A pearl earring—he'd found it on the hotel bed before leaving, and Adam was certain it belonged to the woman he'd spent a passionate night with.

"Such a beautiful earring," Adam mused with a faint smile.

Slipping the earring back into his pocket, Adam sent a message to Arfin, his childhood friend, assistant, and business partner. Although only a few months his senior, as they were born in the same year, Arfin had over time become more like family, admired by Adam for pursuing his own talents rather than relying on his parents' growing resort business.

"London is a place I will never forget."

Having had her fill of sleep, Disya finally emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a bathrobe.

Her hunger was clear by her wide-open eyes; she hadn't eaten since morning, having overslept in a stranger's room.

"Hey, sleeping beauty's awake," Vivi said from her spot on the sofa, her gaze on the girl who had just stepped out from the bathroom.

"I'm starving, Vi," Disya stated bluntly.

"The Dugong's prepared, Dina should be here any moment with food, she went out with Jino to buy some."

Disya simply nodded, moving towards her suitcase for a change of clothing.

"Sya, where did you sleep last night?"

Vivi's query stalled Disya's hand, which had been about to unzip her suitcase.

"We didn't know you didn't come home last night, only realized this morning," Vivi continued, causing Disya's heartbeat to quicken.

She wasn't sure what to say.

"I slept in—"

Click

"Food's here!"

Suddenly, Dina's voice called from outside, arms laden with food, saving Disya from having to answer.

"Ah, Sya, you're up?" Dina asked, half-joking.

Disya rolled her eyes lazily, "As if you don't know Disya," Vivi responded for her.

Dina just shrugged, placing the food where Vivi sat.

"Wait, let me change," Disya said, re-entering the bathroom to change her clothes.

"Why go all the way in for that; isn't it unusual?" Dina wondered, watching Disya disappear into the bathroom.

"Probably got her period," replied Vivi nonchalantly.

Dina simply let out an "Oh."

Inside the bathroom\, Disya applied concealer to hide the *kiss marks* on her neck and visible chest.

"It'd be a disaster if they saw this." After applying the concealer on the visible areas of her chest, she was thankful she had a top that covered her shoulders, which also bore many marks left by Adam.

"I look like I've been mauled," Disya sighed as she finished concealing the traces Adam had left.

"I can't imagine what he's like in bed with a wife or a partner," she mused while tidying her things. "But wait, is that man single or married?" she thought again.

"No more worrying about it," Disya quickly exited the bathroom; her stomach was demanding to be filled.

"Finally, I can eat," Disya joined her friends, taking her seat between them, causing Dina and Vivi to shift to give her space.

"I'm so hungry," she declared, devouring the food placed before her without ceremony. Her friends could only shake their heads.

"You're such a glutton, but I don't get how you keep getting sexier," Dina said, baffled by Disya's indiscriminate eating habits.

"I'm insecure around you, Sya. I want to eat more but fear gaining weight."

Hahahaha

Both laughed at Vivi's comment. Among the three, Vivi was the most conscious about food and her weight. She used to be a bit bigger, but she had worked hard to slim down to her current ideal weight, and as she said, "Gaining weight is easy, losing it is hard."

"It's fine Vi, Kiki's head over heels for you anyway," Disya teased.

Vivi just pouted; Disya was right because Kiki had always been there for her.

"Oh, speaking of which, I found a job opportunity at the biggest company in town, you guys know who owns it, right?" Vivi's smile was meaningful.

"Don't tell me it's owned by the guy I'm thinking of?" Dina looked earnestly at Vivi.

"Yep," Vivi nodded. "They're opening positions for five people at the head office and branches—three at the main and two in the branches, and their management teams match our degrees. So, are you in?" Vivi gazed at her two friends, who seemed contemplative.

But five seconds later, they looked at each other and smiled in unison.

"We fight together again, to achieve success together."

They high-fived. They had previously strived together in college, attaining high grades, and now they would strive towards success again.

What successes they would find, none could tell, but they each had their paths to follow.

***This work has been signed with NovelToon, and piracy such as reprinting without permission is strictly prohibited.***

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***