Chapter 9: Drunken BK
1477 Words
“NO!” She looked at BK after hearing his answer.
“Just this once, because I want to repay my debt of gratitude to him.” She had asked permission to leave him behind since she’d agreed to go strolling with Max. It was the least she could do to repay his help.
He pulled something from his pocket. “Here, just pay with this.”
She frowned when he handed her his card.
“Are you thinking straight, BK? A debt of gratitude, paid with money?”
“Yes. It’s possible, right? So you won’t have to think too much.”
She shook her head at him. “So now everything’s about money, is that it?” She bumped into him and grabbed her bag. He could do what he wanted. As for her, she was leaving. It was final. She’d go see Max at the spot he mentioned in the text.
“Daphne!”
She turned to him. She was already at the dorm entrance. “Lock up before you leave,” she told him.
“Damn! I told you not to go!” he shouted, moving toward her.
“Don’t yell at me, BK. Do I meddle in what you do? No, right?” He stopped. “Isn’t this what we agreed on? Then follow it. Because I am—every single time.” With that, she turned her back on him. She left the door open. He was still there anyway.
She met Max right outside her dorm. He came to pick her up, apparently.
“Let’s go,” she told him.
He smiled at her and walked alongside her.
“Good thing your unofficial husband agreed.” She laughed at the term unofficial.
“He didn’t, actually. So I threw his womanizing back at him.”
“You’ve gotten bold, huh? Last time we were in Hawaii, you were the obedient wife. I was close to giving you an award.” She shot him a look for laughing so hard.
“Fine, laugh it up.” She elbowed him, annoyed.
They were about to turn a corner when she noticed a man in a car. His face was familiar. She stopped, and so did Max. He was in side view.
Her lips parted when he turned in their direction. Their eyes met briefly before he drove off.
“You know him?”
“Ahm, no. But he helped me once.”
“With what?”
She looked at him. “To find my real father.”
“Really? So you’re here to look for your dad?” She nodded, a little saddened.
“Let’s hurry, so we can go around more,” she told him to change the topic. She didn’t want to dwell on things that would make her sad. She’d just enjoy the rest of the day.
They visited several museums before deciding to eat street food. The places were nearby, so they just walked. Max would pause here and there when he saw she was out of breath. They didn’t skip the fish market either. It had tons of seafood, and many were ready to eat. She passed by it before but never got to enter since her plans were different then. Now, she could go anywhere.
The next stop was Bergen Cathedral, and finally, Gamlehaugen—the Royal Residence of Bergen. They only visited what was close by. Max wanted to hike, but he had just recovered from illness. What a shame. There was even a cable car in Ulriken, but he was worried she’d relapse. What they saw was enough.
She got home past nine that night. She was thankful BK wasn’t in the dorm anymore. But he left a note. He’d asked her to meet him at a restaurant at seven. But it was already past nine. He must be gone.
She looked for her phone in her bag. She rubbed her temple when she saw it was off. Only had 10% left earlier.
Her lips parted seeing the string of messages from BK.
So he’d chatted too, aside from leaving the note.
She pressed the call button to ring him, but he didn’t pick up. She tried three times before someone finally answered. Her lips parted when it wasn’t BK who picked up. It was the same guy who delivered the envelope—and the one she saw earlier! Did he and BK know each other?
“Hi! BK?” she asked.
He smiled sweetly at her. “Did you miss your husband?”
She grinned at the question. “Not really. Where is he?”
She could hear loud laughter in the background. It sounded like there were a lot of them. If she wasn’t mistaken, they were in a hotel or suite, judging by what she saw on the camera. His grip on the phone was a bit shaky.
“Hey, Hernandez! Wake up! Your wife said she didn’t miss you! If I were you, I’d go back to the Philippines.”
“Is he drunk?” she asked when the guy turned the camera to BK.
BK was slouched on the sofa, mouth open.
“He just had a drink, Ma’am. Don’t worry.” The guy laughed again. Some voices in the background urged him to go, or else he’d get left behind. She suddenly grew worried for her husband.
“W-where are you?” she asked.
He answered quickly, so she guided herself back out. It was a bit far, so she looked for transport. It was a five-star hotel in Bergen. Well, they all looked rich enough to afford that.
She hadn’t even gotten out of the car yet when she saw the familiar guy exit the hotel. He waved upon seeing her. She approached him.
“Daphne Hernandez?” he said with a smile.
She hesitantly nodded. Why Hernandez? Oh right, she was married to BK.
“Y-you, what’s your name?”
“Paul. Paul Madrid.” He held his hand out. Right, she remembered that name from when she looked him up on social media.
She followed him quietly.
Could he be a friend of BK’s? If so, did that mean BK had him deliver the envelope? And that BK already knew where her real father was?
They were silent all the way to the elevator. She didn’t know—maybe he could tell she was thinking.
“Thank you,” she said at last. He turned to her and smiled.
“For what?”
“For the envelope, you left at the dorm,” she told him.
“Oh. So, you already know it was from me?”
“I just realized when I saw you near my dorm earlier.”
“Okay. Anyway, it’s my job.” He stepped back and stood level with her. He leaned against the elevator wall.
“Okay.” She looked at him. Only now did she realize he was handsome. Especially when he smiled. But it seemed like her husband was even more handsome. She winced. Why did it sound weird to her when she thought that BK was more attractive?
“Are you friends with BK?”
A small smile crossed his lips as he turned to her. “Yup. But I’m older than him.”
“Ah, okay.” Seemed like it. But probably not by much.
She turned her gaze to the elevator door when she heard the bell. Time to get off.
Daphne couldn’t help but be amazed upon entering the unit. It looked so elegant. Well, it was a 5-star hotel, after all.
Her mouth fell open again when she saw four more Adonis-like men lounging on the sofa, each holding a wine glass.
“Oh, Mr. Hernandez’s wife is here,” said one guy, laughing.
She wanted to stare at them a little longer but remembered she had come for BK.
“Where is BK?” she asked them.
The second guy, who was next to Paul, pointed his lips toward a door. “Go in. Looks like Mr. Hernandez needs you,” he said with meaning. She wasn’t in the mood to joke, so she turned away from them.
Shaking her head, she approached the bed where she saw BK asleep.
She hadn’t even gotten close when she heard the door lock. She turned to it in confusion.
BK groaned, drawing her attention back. She approached and sat on the bed. He really did look drunk.
She was about to touch his face when he opened his eyes. His gaze was soft, confirming he was drunk. He looked at her hand in mid-air.
She gasped when he grabbed the bed and pulled her down. She landed on his chest. She could hear her husband’s rapid heartbeat.
“BK.”
“Daph.”
They said each other’s names almost at the same time.
- Writer
