404: All this time, I was jealous of myself

All this time, I was jealous of myself

[PRESENT TIME]0

Hera could still remember that time they had to drop off the boy on the side of the road because they were being chased. To not implicate the boy in their deadly situation, Vicenzo could only take the boy as far as he could. 

Now that she thought about it, Dominic mentioned this detail in passing. However, she didn't put too much thought into it. Moreover, she almost forgot about that boy, despite thinking about him for quite some time after they parted. Her life kept her occupied, especially when she lost her mother and became the don of the organization. 

This memory almost slipped her mind until she saw Dominic's childhood photos. 

'Just what are the odds, huh?' she wondered, still speechless and confused about what to feel about this discovery.

"I'm getting worried now."

Suddenly, a woman's voice brought Heaven back to the current lapse. When the latter turned her head, her brows knitted.

"Why are you here...?" Heaven trailed off, looking around, only to find herself in the garden. 'Right... I excused myself from Mother when Butler Fu came to discuss something with her, and I met Ivy on my way back.'

Only then did Heaven realize how lost in thought she was, that she didn't even know how she and Ivy got into the mansion's garden. Everything that happened after making her discovery was a blur.

"Sorry," she sighed. "I was just thinking of something."

"I figured." Ivy let out a short chuckle, leaning against the armrest on the other side of the bench. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Heaven immediately shook her head. "Don't mind me. I'm alright and I'll figure it out, eventually."

"Well, if that is what you want. Just know that I can lend an ear whenever you're ready."

"Thanks."

Ivy shrugged. "Anyway, I bet you were surprised about Silas."

"Who wouldn't?" Heaven cast her a nonchalant side-eye. "His resemblance to my husband is discomforting, and I was never told about him."

"They probably thought he wouldn't come back this soon." Ivy let out a chuckle. "He's quite troublesome."

"Mhm. I heard."

Ivy let out a deep exhale, swirling the wine in her hand as if she was deep in thought. Meanwhile, Heaven assessed the former discreetly.

"By the way, I didn't know you would be here," said Heaven, warranting a smile from the woman. "You could've told me, so I wouldn't be surprised."

"I didn't plan to go, but my parents told me I should. I decided last minute." Ivy pressed her lips into a thin line. "Sorry."

"Why are you saying sorry?"

"Just felt like I should if I don't want to lose my only girl friend." 

"Do you see me as a shallow person?"

"Haha. It's not like that, but rather, I don't know how to keep friends. That's why I'm being cautious. It wouldn't harm anyone if I apologized."

"You're weird." Heaven shook her head, drawing another deep breath as she peeled her gaze from Ivy. She looked ahead, eyes on the flowerbed nearby. "So? Is there any progress in this love you've been chasing?"

"Haha. There's no progress. He's like a wall."

Heaven cocked her head back, eyes on Ivy. "Seriously? You should give up if he's like that."

"After all these years..." Ivy pouted. "I told you. I want to do my best and exhaust myself until I'm confident enough to say I did everything, but my best wasn't good enough."

"I don't want to comment anymore."

"I already know there's a possibility I'm just simply wasting my time, but who knows?"

Again, Heaven slid her head to the woman beside her. "Did you think you would get him if you kept chasing after him?"

"Well... if you put yourself in my situation, do you really think it's not worth it?"

A moment of silence befell the two of them as Heaven's voice didn't roll out of her throat. Putting herself in Ivy's shoes, she would probably do the same. If Hera met Dominic back then, she was certain she would chase after Dominic until the latter would give in. 

"Is he really that worth it?" asked Heaven after a moment of silence. 

"He is." Ivy smiled subtly as her cheek turned a little pinkish. "Weirdly, I liked him the moment I laid my eyes on him, and even after years, he's always at the back of my head. Of course, I don't think about him every second of every day, but there was never I day I will never think of him."

"You are married and from what I've seen, you and Dom looked very in love," she added, facing Heaven squarely. "Is this normal? I mean, is my situation in liking someone this much normal? Or is this just a mere obsession?"

"Mhm..." Heaven rocked her head. "You love him more than you expected."

Ivy bit her lips as she leaned back, swaying her foot to and fro as her leg was resting over the other. "Should I propose?"

"What?"

"I already confessed and showered him with affection. Although most of the time, he ignores them, I think it's about time to propose."

"..." Heaven deadpanned, looking at her friend in dismay. 'I can't believe my very first friend is this ridiculous and nonsense. I don't want to question why I kept attracting such people.' 

"All your efforts so far were either ignored or refused. What makes you think proposing marriage is the right course of action?"

"Well… that's the only thing I haven't done yet."

"Ivy, have you ever thought that you're doing everything incorrectly?"

"What do you mean?"

"Had he ever consented to everything?"

Ivy didn't answer, blinking almost innocently.

"Extravagance isn't enough to get a person's heart. People are different. Some preferred gifts, while others wanted quality time or service. You should know more about him, his life and dislikes, his moods and such. Slow things down, will you?" advised Heaven, shaking her head as her impression of Ivy was slowly straying away from what she originally had. "Sometimes, playing your cards all at the same time will only overwhelm the other person and get the opposite effect of what we want."

Ivy furrowed her brows, absorbing all the advice from her friend. Heaven recalled her advice and reminded herself to act wisely, given the shared childhood memory with Dominic. 

'All this time… I can't believe I'm jealous of me.' 

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