OKAY YOU GUYS CAN KILL ME NOW.

I break my promise again and wasn't be able to update during my birthday.

But this is the fastest I could do!

Enjoy!

Erza put the laptop on the coffee table next to her or else his laptop would fall and shatter to pieces—Even though she'd want to see it shattered into pieces. She wanted to shout, she wanted to flee to the kitchen and throw a knife to whoever did this… But, would that help?

Tomorrow… How could she go to work tomorrow? Gossips spread as fast as lightning in an office that most employees were women.

"Jellal…" Erza said, her voice was shaking and she had no intention to hide it "You… How can this happen? What did Simon said to you?"

Jellal sighed, he looked at Erza as if he had nothing to do with this, "Simon said that paparazzi were there at the party, or should I say; always there at the party. Every year."

Erza looked at him deeply to his brown eyes. "You planned this, didn't you?" Jellal didn't even flinch, he looked as calm as ever, what? Doesn't he feel at least a little bit guilty? "You asked me to come to your annual party to lure the paparazzi, so my company will fall and you get all the glory?" Erza asked. Jellal diverted his eyes to everything in the room but not Erza's eyes. Why can't you look at me, Jellal? "ANSWER ME, JELLAL!" Erza snapped; she couldn't take this anymore. That company was her life, was her everything, and she couldn't let it fall.

Jellal didn't answer nor did he look at Erza's face at all.

"You know what, Jellal? This is the LONGEST conversation we had, and, wow! I can't believe that I'm glad you didn't talk to me for a whole year!" Erza shouted again, calmer but anger still dominated her completely. "Tonight, I'm sleeping elsewhere. And when I'm back tomorrow, I want things to go back as the way it was." Erza said. She grabbed her bag, filled it with one night clothes and fled out of her apartment.

She just needed time to calm down.

She ended up in the farthest hotel she could reach by feet.

She slumped herself into the single size bed in the hotel room. This is just madness, she thought. Somehow she didn't feel like going to work at all… If only she didn't come to that party, this wouldn't have happened. What should she say to her employees? Would they think she's a traitor for marrying company's enemy? Would they go on a strike or make petitions to force her to leave? Oh… Wait. She MADE that company, so more likely her employees would leave and make her bankrupt by a second.

She tossed and turned. She couldn't get it out of her head, she couldn't sleep at all. She took her phone and looked at the clock; it's already 2 in the morning. No missed call—What was she thinking? There's no way Jellal would call her. And it's not like Jellal had her number or anything. They never really talked until last week, of course they're not in the 'exchanging phone numbers' term.

She snapped back from her thoughts when her phone suddenly vibrated.

"Who the heck would call me at 2 in the morning?" She wanted to believe that it's Jellal, but at the same time, she didn't want to talk to him, at least not now… The phone kept vibrating as if it demanded nothing but to be picked up. She sat up from her sleeping position. Her hands were clenched, just calm down, she said to herself. And finally she braced herself to click the answer call button.

"Erza! I'm glad you answered!" Erza's eyes widen. This is NOT Jellal's voice. She looked at the screen but the number is unknown, who is this person?

"Umm… Who am I speaking with?" Erza asked

"Oh, yes, sorry I forgot. I'm Simon. Sorry that I called you so late."

"Oh," Erza answered coldly. Somehow, she felt that Simon also the mastermind behind this "You should be sorry. I'm going back to sleep."

"Erza! Please wait and listen to me."

"Why should I?'"

"Because part of this was my fault."

"And most of this was Jellal's fault." Erza continued the sentence herself

"What? You thought that? Jellal had nothing to do with it."

"I know you're Jellal's friend and I know probably Jellal asked you to say this to me. And more importantly, from where did you get my number? Simon, if you really feel guilty about whatever you did then please leave me alone."

"Erza, you don't have to believe what I say, but please listen to my part of story first," Simon pleaded. Erza stayed silence, she didn't want to hear anything anymore, but she couldn't make herself cut the phone as Simon already start talking—as if he took her silence as a yes. "The week before the party, Jellal said that he wanted to take you to the party, he didn't tell me why. He just said he wanted to. I was about to remind him that he completely forgot about the paparazzi that always come to the company's party, but he already hung up and then his personal phone broke, I couldn't talk to him until the party. I thought he wouldn't really take you there, but he did. I was about to tell him about that at the party but he thought I would've talked about…" Suddenly Simon coughed. Erza frowned but he immediately continued "Something else… But somehow I didn't really see many reporters there so I thought it would be alright. But when I came home, the news was already there at the websites. So Jellal had nothing to do with this."

"You know, the more you tell me this, the more suspicious it sounds. The reason why Jellal asked me to the party was none other to lure the paparazzi, right?"

"No, Erza. Jellal was—"

"Just, stop it Simon. Please. I don't want to talk about this anymore. Don't worry, tomorrow I'll be back as if nothing happened. Just let me think in peace tonight—"

"Jellal took you to the party because he wanted to finally become a husband and wife with you." Simon said before Erza cut off the phone. She froze "I think that was his reason."

"You think?"

"Y-Yeah. Because Jellal… about you…"

"Stop it, Simon." Erza said "I won't hear your bluffs." She immediately hung up.

Erza threw herself in the bed, crumpling inside the blanket like a worm. To be honest, she would actually buy that story Simon told if Jellal looked even slightly guilty. Sadly, he decided to keep that poker face of his. Jellal was just being Jellal, like always.

The phone started buzzing again. She hated the fact that when she wanted to be alone, people just couldn't let her. She grabbed her phone and intended to block Simon's number until few days, but her hand froze.

Calling…
Mrs. Fernandes

"Hello, Erza speaking…"

"Erza dear! How are you?"

"I'm great, Mrs. Fernandes. How are you?"

"Oh, please. I told you to call me mother, didn't I?"

"I-Indeed, mother…"

"That's more like it. So, Erza. I'm about to go to your apartment right now. I was thinking I want to crash at my son's house, meeting my only son and his beloved wife. So, how about it? Or both or you are 'busy' right now? If yes, I can come tomorrow."

Yeah, me and Jellal will never be 'busy'. Like, if you know what I mean.

"Erza?"

"Yes, mother… I… I'm…" She could say that she's 'busy' but that's embarrassing, especially when you're talking to your in-law, but if she said she's not, she'd have to come home… And now.

"Ah, I suggest you're busy, eh? Well, newlywed. I understand… Just tell Jellal, I miss him so much."

"No, actually, mother…" Erza just couldn't stand lying. Lying to a mother never felt good, no? "Where are you right now?"

"I'm still at the airport. I'm sitting in the taxi right now. I thought I should contact you first—telling that I'm in the country. Actually I did call Jellal but it seemed his phone was broken. But I can go straight to the hotel and visit tomorrow, no big deal."

"Well, actually both of us are not busy, mother. Come straight to our apartment."

"Really? I'm glad. See you, dear."

"See you…" Erza gulped. She wore back her shirt, jeans and coat. She immediately grabbed the bag and walked to the receptionist and checked out. She ran to the house as fast as she could, ignoring the drunk men who flirted with her on the way. She just had to arrive, fast.

Her breath seemed like it almost ran out. She knocked the door twice then clicked the bell once. She gulped again, gathering all the breath she could right now.

The door slammed open. It was Jellal, of course. He was still wearing the shirt from the tux and his tie was hanging around his neck messily. His blue hair was even messier than when he woke up in the morning. And he smelled, like cigarette. Wait, Jellal smoked?

His forehead was showing off the frowns, he was sweating. He blinked twice to make sure Erza was not a mirage. He looked shocked yet relieved for a split second but then he returned back into the poker faced Jellal.

"I thought you'll be back tomorrow."

"Something came up, and we need to prepare, FAST." Erza said. "Your mother is coming here."

"What? Mother? Isn't she in England?"

"Well, she called me saying she's here and wanted to meet you. Well anyway go take a brisk shower, I'll prepare a drink for your mother. Could you make sure the spare room is all tidy? Thanks." Erza said without even looking at Jellal.

Jellal didn't respond, and he just disappeared.

"I'll have to act, all over again." She mumbled.

"I miss you both of you so much!" Jellal's mother hugged both Jellal and Erza at the same time.

"Me too, mother." Jellal said with a smile "Here, I'll put your luggage to your room."

"Mother, I made milk tea. Would you like some?" Erza said

"Oh, I love tea." She said with a bright smile

"Here," Erza put the cup of milk tea on the dining table as Jellal's mother sat there "Tell me if it's too sweet…"

"Oh, I like sweet. No worries." She said and she gulped the tea "Mmn, perfect."

"What are you drinking, mother?" Jellal said as he grabbed the seat across his mother's and sat there

"Milk tea, darling. Would you like some?"

"No, thanks. I just came back from my company party and I'm stuffed." Jellal said with a smile

Liar. He didn't even look at the food there. Erza thought.

Erza stood there in the kitchen, she looked around and decided to make herself a coffee "So…" She could hear Jellal's mother talk clearly from here "When can I expect the grandchildren?"

"Well—" Jellal was about to answer but it he could swear there was a loud noise coming from the kitchen area. He walked there and saw Erza sitting on the floor, picking up—luckily—plastic cups that probably fell. "What happened?" He asked

"Nothing, the cups from the cabinet fell." Erza said as she stood up. She walked pass Jellal and put a cup of coffee on the dining table with a sachet of creamer and a sachet of sugar next to the cup.

"Oh?" Jellal's mother said "How nice of her, Jellal. She made coffee for you." She said

"Ah, no, that's for—"

Erza looked at Jellal who was about to deny it "Of course, I'm sure he's tired." Erza said, smiling at her husband "Drink ahead, honey."

Jellal couldn't say anything as he sat back and took the sugar sachet and put it in his coffee. Erza grabbed a stool from the kitchen and put it next to the dining table as the three of them chatted—awkwardly if I may add—until Jellal's mother had to go to sleep.

Morning arrived.

Jellal expected a normal good morning from Erza, but even with his mother in the house, she didn't say it to him. She didn't even open the curtains of their room. And it seemed that her side of the bed was barely touched. She didn't sleep there last night, did she?

"Oh, Jellal! Good morning, darling." Jellal's mother said "Come, eat breakfast with us."

Compared from the other times, today the table was filled with a lot of foods that look amazingly delicious even though he was sure Erza wasn't the best cook. Not for his taste.

Jellal walked to the chair as Erza immediately put a cup of coffee on the table and a sugar sachet next to it. "Good morning, Jellal." She said but immediately walked away.

He noticed that now she only gave him the sugar sachet. Jellal stood there, deep in thoughts

"Mmmn! Jellal, you're lucky to have Erza as your wife! She's a great cook." Jellal's mother said

"Sorry." Jellal immediately said "I'm going outside. I have…. Work, yeah." He said. Then again, like always—not even minding that his mother was there—he fled.

Erza stood there dumbfounded… Her husband left him with her mother-in-law! That's number one in 'THINGS HUSBAND SHOULD NEVER DO' list. And today is Sunday! He does NOT have work on Sundays.

"This tamagoyaki… Isn't it too sweet, darling?" Jellal's mother immediately said

"Oh, really?" Erza gulped

"Yeah. Everything is sweet. Or more like, it's flavor-y. It's my taste, but Jellal…"

"Jellal…?"

"He used to hate it so much—flavor-y cooking, in the end he cooked for himself because I can't fit his taste." She said "Erza's cooking always has strong seasonings. I thought to myself, poor Erza has to suit my son's egoism."

"Oh, no." Erza said "He never complained." Because we never talked, Erza continued

"It's all good, then. I guess he came to like it in the end after all." She nodded few times and continued eating "Oh, Erza… I want to ask, though…"

Erza looked at her, is it about grandchildren again? What should I answer?

"Don't you plan on quitting your job?"

Erza couldn't say anything. Yesterday came to her mind. It made her head went dizzy.

"I…"

"Oh, no… I just wanted to ask." Jellal's mother said "It's not like I'm forcing you to quit, dear. I know how hard you made that company."

"Yeah…" Erza sat on the chair across Jellal's mother, looking down.

"You don't eat, dear?"

"I…" It was dark…

And everything went blank.

Teehee, I updated 2 chapters in a row!

Move to the 5th chapter!

Sincerely,

Keiko Amano