Isabel thanked Kristy and headed home, eagerly anticipating her husband's return to find her waiting for him. She was hopeful that this plan would succeed this time.
"Thank you so much," Isabel said with a smile before turning to leave.
Upon Isabel's departure, Kristy phoned her son and arranged to have dinner together that afternoon. She specified a restaurant where she would be waiting for him, sending him the address.
"Hey, honey, would you like to have dinner with me this afternoon?" Kristy asked over the phone. "I'll be waiting for you at that lovely restaurant on Maine Street. I'll text you the address."
Lilian and Maureen prepared themselves, and upon Maureen's return from the office, they both made their way to an agency where Ryan awaited them. Upon their arrival, he informed them that he had viewed the house and was now waiting for Lilian to see it as well.
"Hey, Lilian, I've checked out the house," Ryan said, looking expectantly at her. "I think you'll like it once you see it for yourself."
Initially, Ryan failed to notice the woman accompanying Lilian, as he was focused on his friend. Lilian noticed this and mentioned that she liked the house, finding it suitable for herself and her children. She proceeded to make the payment and sign the necessary paperwork for the house.
"Ryan, this is my friend, Maureen," Lilian said, gesturing towards her companion.
"Nice to meet you, Maureen," Ryan said warmly.
Lilian smiled, appreciating the mutual acknowledgment between Ryan and Maureen.
"Shall we go for lunch together?" Ryan proposed as they got into the car.
Ryan and his companions were already seated when Kristy arrived. Initially, she did not spot Lilian, but upon overhearing a nearby conversation, she turned her head and immediately recognized them.
"Is that... Lilian?" Kristy murmured to herself in surprise.
She was taken aback to see that the cheerful one among the three was Lilian. Where had she been all these years?
Kristy recalled the past events when she discovered that she had been set up and that both she and her son were involved in the scheme, but she had not seen Lilian since that time.
Kristy felt a wave of discomfort wash over her as she laid eyes on Lilian. Her guilt gnawed at her, compelling her to stand up, but just then, her son arrived and took his seat across from her.
"Mom, what's wrong?" Alex asked, noticing his mother's unease.
She gently tapped her son and gestured towards where Lilian sat with her friends.
"Look over there," Kristy whispered to Alex, her voice barely above a murmur, directing his attention to Lilian's table.
Alex's eyes fixed on the spot she had pointed to.
He was taken aback, his hands shaking slightly. It was his ex-wife, Lilian. She appeared content in the company of her friends, obliviously enjoying her meal with her fork, unaware of the curious glances directed her way.
"Is that... Lilian?" Alex gasped, his voice filled with disbelief.
As the waiter approached to take their orders, Alex and his mother placed their requests. However, Kristy found herself in a daze after seeing Lilian.
"I... I can't believe it's her," Alex muttered, his mind racing with thoughts.
He had spent months trying to find her, to no avail, until eventually giving up. He wondered if she had met with some misfortune or perhaps left the country.
But how would she afford a plane ticket to leave the country? She was penniless and not even allowed to take a single needle from the house. Yet, as he saw her now, she appeared stunning, and beautiful and exuded a newfound maturity. She carried herself with elegance, leaving Alex to ponder how she had managed over the past five years.
He couldn't shake off the regret for his past actions and the hurtful behavior he had directed towards her years ago. It dawned on him later that his true feelings lay with her, not Isabel. His love for her had grown, but by the time he realized it, it was too late. She had already left, and he couldn't find her to offer his heartfelt apologies.
"Alex, focus," Kristy's voice broke through his reverie, drawing her son's attention back to the present moment. However, he found it hard to divert his gaze from Lilian once more.
Turning to his mother as the waiter served their dishes, Alex inadvertently found his eyes drifting back to Lilian.
Absent-mindedly, his fork began selecting food from the shared dishes rather than his plate, a moment that left Kristy feeling embarrassed.
She gave his hand a light pinch, bringing him back to reality. Just as he was about to bring the chopsticks to his mouth, his mother gently pulled his hands down.
Looking down, he realized he was trying to eat with an empty fork, feeling a wave of embarrassment wash over him. He decided to refocus on his meal.
Lilian was nearly finished with her food, but her attention was fixated on the budding chemistry between Ryan and Maureen. He was interested in her, who was pretending not to notice. Deep down, she wished for things to work out between her two friends.
As the meal came to an end, Ryan got up to settle the bill. Lilian mentioned her intention to buy a car, and Maureen agreed, citing the need for a vehicle to easily get around town.
When they stood up, Lilian's eyes met Alex's, and she quickly looked away. She had distanced herself from her past, especially those who had caused her pain and interfered with her happiness.
"Hi, Lilian," Alex called out, unaware of when he addressed her. Lilian shot him a fierce glare and narrowed her eyes. Her friends paused their conversations and directed their attention to the man who seemed familiar with Lilian.
"Hello. And who might you be?" Lilian feigned ignorance, intensifying Alex's embarrassment. Could she truly be acting as if she didn't recognize him?
"I'm your ex-husband, Alex," he sheepishly responded. Ryan and Maureen exchanged glances, silently expressing their thoughts.
"So, this is the man who schemed against others to destroy his wife and then discarded her like trash?"
"My ex-husband?" Lilian turned to Maureen, a look of confusion on her face. "I had a husband before who became an ex?" Her words seemed to suggest a case of amnesia to onlookers.
Other patrons in the restaurant grew curious about the unfolding conversation and awaited Maureen's response.
"You mean the fool who conspired with others to frame his wife and divorce her simply because he found comfort in the arms of his sister-in-law?"
"Was that what you wanted to ask me?" Maureen replied, shooting a scornful look at the man seated across from her. In her eyes, he didn't even deserve to be called a husband.
"Oh, yes! That's a perfect way to describe the fool who sits with his oblivious mother for lunch. Nice to see you again, ex-husband," Lilian said with a sly grin before turning away with her friends.
Others nearby caught on to the situation. Alex was the target of the harsh words exchanged between the two friends, and various critical remarks began to reach his ears.
"A dreadful excuse for a husband and a disloyal man."
"He sleeps with his sister-in-law and divorces his wife."
"Maybe that's his sugar mama."
"Some men will stick their manhood in anything with a gap between its legs."
Kristy struggled to contain the boiling anger within her.
"I'm leaving..." Kristy uttered in annoyance as she rose to leave.
Alex quickly followed after her. They settled their bills in a rush and headed for the exit.
As they hastened away, unkind remarks pierced the air.
"They're probably off to a nearby hotel to have some fun…"
"How shameless, an older woman with a man half her age…"
"Does an older woman make you more comfortable than your sister-in-law?"
Alex opened the car door, and his mother got in beside him.
"This is all your fault," Kristy accused.
"Why couldn't you just pretend you didn't know Lilian?"