HIS OBSESSION

4. Inconvenience

Karen body stiffened on spot, her eyes wavered and her lips shuddered as she stared down at the man whose face was definitely all she had in her head some years back.

Spending the moment between them to explore nothing but vain as the silence drag on for a little while before the abrupt interference from Martin who looked as though he was left in the middle.

"Do you guys know each other?" He asked, gesturing with his hands for a chair he pulled out for Karen by his side.

"Ye.."

"No, he just seemed like someone I knew but it's not" she cuts in before the completion of his statement.

"Cool, settle down. I'll introduce you to my friend"

"Oh, okay" she forced her statement, not feeling the energy to seat down again.

She wished there was something, a thing that could drag her out of her as she would do anything not to spend another minute in here with him.

The thoughts of eating dinner with him and his friend in here tonight bothers her to the point of no control and yes, they were fighting the same feeling.

He on the other hand was feeling uneasy, a part of him was happy, in fact, ecstatic about seeing her for the first time in 4 years and she's still the same, nothing changed except for the boldness in her act.

"Did I make a mistake?" Martin, who tries to understand to situation even though he wouldn't get it if no one tells him leaned over to her side to ask.

"No, I'm the one with the problem I guess" she smiled, reaching to grab the water jug so she could serve herself.

Just at the same time her hands touched the jug handle, she felt the swing and warmth of his hands touched hers briskly and as she tries to jerk away without hesitation, the water made a splash all over her hands.

"Hey, are you okay?" Martin pulled up from his seat with tissues in his hands.

"I'm fine, it's just," she compressed her lips sheepishly, she didn't like how she was feeling at all.

Some minutes passed, she's trying and has successfully overlooked the fact that Jake was seating right across her. She was bent on making the best night with Martin even though an intruder is here just like she has tagged him in her thoughts.

After the little introduction between them, Martin would be so mad if he knew they knew each other after all his efforts to introduce them to one another.

"I'm on a diet, I'll just have this drink" she said with a smile, not waiting to hear his side of response. She sipped her juice slowly as she could.

Karen tried to get up so she could pick her call but felt scared that he might come after her so she hurriedly ended the call and sent a text to Martin.

"Man, we'll be back" Martin tapped Jake on his shoulder and grabbed Karen's hand as they headed towards a private corner in the restaurant.

"Eem... I'm sorry I had to call you away from your friend..."

"It's fine, I would've never let you come if I was aware he'd be here at this time" He said, feeling apologetic.

"I.. guess you'll be giving me more time to think about your proposal, I don't want to jump into...No, please, just hear me out" Karen stoped her real conversation when she saw the changes in his facial expression.

"I don't think I'm ready to have another man in my life and... but I still got to think hard about it"

"I'm just too excited to hear your response, I'll be okay, do you want me to see you out?"

"I'm sorry but No, we'll talk on the phone" she brushes her fingers on his wrist and slowly made a movement through the backdoor of the restaurant.

In fear, she went ahead to pick her deliveries, although it wasn't the time yet but she'd rather wait for her delivery than stay in the same place with him.

Figures, she actually had a response to give Martin but there was a change of thoughts the minute she saw what made her whole life crumbled. It wasn't for the best but she'd not have anything to do with someone related to him, not after trusting his best friend!

Martin got back to the table with his eyes searching for his friend who seemed to have left after waiting too long for him to come back.

Jake hopped into his car and leaned backwards after turning the ignition switch, his hands glued to his steering wheel whilst the cold breeze flashing his hair in a wave.

He made an uncomfortable groaning sounds whilst reminiscing about the brisk moments they have in there.

If he was so capable to acquire what would take any Mafia boss to acquire in 12 months in just 2 days, why wasn't he able to find out where she stays?, That she actually resides in the same country he just built his company at?

Heavy loads of worries sat on his heart as he kept staring at the busy streets of Wellington.

Why should I go after her?

What would I say to her?

Is there any reason for us to be involved in any conversation again?

He asked himself as he gawk into her direction from his front mirror, where she was busy waving down for taxis.

In the end, there was no better response than seeking out to her, with the key words of only wanting to know about his daughter.

He drives after the taxi that she boarded whilst listening to a very depressed soul music on his car radio that he angrily turned off because it was just relating to him.

"Ma'am, can you call me later??" He had a difficult time making a U turn at the four way intersection when Kylie's call came through.

"You have a visitor, guess I've done my part"he couldn't even hear a word before the call ended.

The taxi finally parked in front of a big boutique with the tag *Holla* on the big screen sitting prettily in front of it, he had to ask himself what she could be doing here at this time of the night.

Curiosity in bound with the need to talk to her, he hopped down and followed right after her.

"Hey, you're here" says a woman in her thirties, before walking up to meet Karen, she already asked some of her workers to bring what was needed.

"Yes, did I make you wait for me?"

"No,.." Tessy hummed with a smile, taking slow peeks at the heavenly sight standing not so far behind Karen.

Karen who noticed the way Tessy was looking tried to swivel her head to see what was going on.

"You didn't tell me you brought your..."

"Don't even make that mistake, I don't know him!" She strongly stood her grounds.

It'd be counted as lying if she query or yell at him for following her after saying she didn't know him so the only resort was to act like he didn't exist.

"Thank you for this, I'll put a smile on someone's face" Both Tessy and Karen pulled into each other's embrace after she received her goods.

Karen didn't spare Jake a glance as she walked out of the boutique and straight towards where she'd easily get a cab.

"This isn't Manhattan, you'll get arrested for stalking me!" Karen finally cursed out after seeing him not wanting to stop.

"I mean no harm, can we just have a simple conversation in my car?"

"I know you have a car, you don't need to tell me and there's no reason for me to have a conversation with you!"

"How's my baby?, Kendall?"

"Are you feeling to happy because I stand here and talk with you?, Do you think you have the rights to ask about my daughter when you have no relation with her?!!" Karen yelled on top of her voices, drawing as much attention as she wants.

"Kendall is our daughter..."

"And?" She arched her brows, scoffing and forcing a smile.

"Do you want me to prove to you that she's my daughter and not our?" He didn't say a word.

Karen twirl her lips and flared her nose, dialing her daughter's line after using the private code.

"Hello?" There was this kind of feeling that Jake got the minute he heard her voice.

"Hi, this is from your school, we'll love to talk to your dad and.."

"My school?, Are you sure?, Because it's already in my file that I only have a mom, you definitely must have made a mistake" That was all Karen needed before ending the call.

"How...how can you do this to our daughter?, You made her erase me fro..."

"Aren't you ashamed?" She shades, exhaling deeply.

"We should really never have anything to talk about, if you're here for an holiday, permit me to file our official divorce and child custody decision. Maybe after that, you'll realize that I actually want nothing to do with you or your daughter!" Yes, she didn't forget Kylie but also didn't count her as her daughter.

"You didn't have to bring up the past, I'm not surprised tho" he let out a loud hiss before walking out on her.

She did the same but it was after he had left.

Karen felt so tired and thought of taking the faster route so she could meet up with any available Uber driver that she already booked on the app.

With the tiny loads in her hand, she furthered with her journey. Not knowing there was more trouble ahead of the nights.

Karen's eyes shut when the dim light of a very bright flash light flashed to her eyes, she covered her face over a little to see where it was coming from and the next she knew was that three men standing in front of her.

"Pretty woman" The middle man reached his hands out to touch her hair, being the sensitive type. Karen slapped his hands and stepped away from them.

"You're bold, nice" they all cackled as if there was something funny.

"You're blocking my way, can you just shift to a side!"

"Does this face looks like one that's here to joke?, Snatch her things" ordered the second man.

No amount of struggles and scream could save her bag from getting snatched, she didn't want this to go further than just bag so she turned and began to run away from them.

Blaming herself at how stupid she was for thinking this dark and quiet place was the best for her to get home earlier.

A bite of regret filled her lips when she remembered her son who must have been anticipating when she'd be back at home.

"Don't run, we all have our jobs here" a groan fled her lips when suddenly he snatched her wrist in his hands.

"You just don't do this with anyone, let me go!!"

Karen got a chance to run as faster than earlier when she successfully kicked his balls and throw her shoes alternatively at the other two.

Her legs carry her as fast as she can...

"Ohhhh" Karen shrieked as she jumped in front of a reckless driver who already hit her before pressing on his break pad.

The men who saw the scene took off to their heels, dropping off everything they took from her.

Jake has lost his mind, he froze on his seat and was totally clueless of what to do after realizing who he had hit with his car.

Realization hits him again and in no time, he sped out of the car and rushed down to her.

"Karen?"

"Karen??" She blacked out!