Chapter 117 - Dinner That Ends In Tears
Time flies very quickly, it'd been a month since the unpleasant incident that happened to Lisa in the hallway. Oscar didn't follow Lisa at all or bother her during that time. Finally, Lisa was able to breathe easily for a while. Even though her hunch said she still had to be vigilant.
Today, Lisa invited Andien to eat together at a barbecue restaurant. Sales from her online shop had increased rapidly in the last seven months. She even got a bonus from the sales target, it'd be a shame if she didn't use it to treat her friend!
After leaving Vira's studio, Lisa immediately ordered an online taxi and left. She sent a message to Andien, telling her friend when she had left.
Andien was seen arriving at the restaurant still wearing her office clothes. It looked like the woman hadn't had the time to go home and change clothes, Lisa thought.
Andien approached Lisa with hasty steps. She sat down and took a deep breath.
"I'm so sorry, the traffic jam was terrible! I never thought it would be that bad. I'm not late right?" Andien asked, feeling a little guilty.
Lisa snorted. "Just relax Ndien, this person is not a formal event! I want to treat you, my shop is selling well again!"
Hearing this, Andien felt happy too. She smiled and congratulated Lisa's efforts and persistence since she quit working as an office worker.
Lisa gestured for the menu. A waiter then came over and took the order.
The waiter then came again with a bottle of wine to accompany their dinner.
"Lis, are you crazy? Did you seriously buy this wine?!" Andien shouted in shock when the bottle of alcoholic drink was placed in front of her.
"It's not real barbecue if you don't have wine Ndien!" Lisa said as she poured the wine into the glass. "So how are you, Ndien? Is that two-faced devil still bothering you?"
"I have good news, Lis! Clara finally resigned from Petersson Communication! It's all thanks to the audit," Andien said cheerfully.
Lisa was happy to hear the news. Finally, the devil woman's bad deeds were repaid!
"Then what is her fate now? Sleeping under a bridge?" Lisa asked mockingly.
"I don't know, what is clear is that the office has returned to its lively atmosphere since the devil left. I can sleep better when I get home from work!" Andien replied while sipping wine.
"Congratulations, Ndien, I am very happy to hear it. You're finally free!"
"I swear I feel like I'm reborn again!"
When a waiter came to them with a tray of meat cutlets, the two women looked happy and stunned. They joked with each other accompanied by a glass of wine and delicious cuts of meat that they were ready to grill.
During the dinner, Andien suddenly leaned over and asked, "How are you doing, Lis? I haven't met you for a long time, haven't heard any news from you either!"
Hearing that simple question made Lisa's memory come back to memory a month ago, when she walked down a dark alley.
There was a sense of discomfort stabbing her heart when the memory came back to her. Lisa was silent for a moment, putting down her chopsticks and plate.
The woman lowered her head as if she was caught doing something indecent by her mother.
'Should I tell Andien about Oscar a month ago?'
Seeing her daydreaming best friend, Andien snapped her fingers in front of Lisa's face. "Lis! Why are you stunned? You are not hurt, right?"
The snap of those fingers woke Lisa from her reverie. She stared blankly at Andien's eyes, speechless and at a loss for words.
"Sorry if my question makes you uncomfortable. I just miss you and I'm a little worried," said Andien softly.
Lisa shook her head. "It's okay, Ndien, it's not your fault. The problem is, I don't know how to tell you..."
Lisa rolled her eyes and looked up at the restaurant's ceiling. Andien immediately recognized the gesture. Something had happened to Lisa!
"Lis, if you have a problem, please tell me. This time I can help!"
Lisa crossed her arms while tilting her head. "It's not that I don't want to, it's just... My story is a bit awful and a little scary and embarrassing."
Andien looked at her suspiciously.
"Lis, were you..."
"Oscar attacked me a month ago..." Lisa finally spoke up. Her face suddenly flushed red with shame. She closed her mouth and endured the extreme shame.
"You mean, he bothered you?" Andien asked, still not understanding.
"No, that bastard tried to rape me!" Lisa whispered. Now her face was getting redder in shame.
Andien was shocked, her eyes were bulging until her mouth fell open. The chopsticks she was holding suddenly fell from her grasp.
"Lis! Why didn't you tell me? That's a crime! You can report him to the police!"
Lisa started to have tears in her eyes. She really didn't know what to do but endure the shame of being the victim.
"I'm really embarrassed, Ndien! I don't want to be held by that one bastard!" she whined until she shed tears.
"Lisa…You didn't tell me this for a month. You didn't even bother reporting it, why is that?" Andien was increasingly worried that her friend would become pregnant again.
"Fortunately, he had not entered me, he only had his fingers. I'm really embarrassed! I'm dirty Ndien! I felt so dirty!" Lisa covered her face with her hands. She tried to hold back the tears from breaking free. She didn't want to attract the attention of other visitors.
"Lis, you're still the victim. He assaulted you, you didn't do anything wrong!" Andien said, trying to calm Lisa down.
"But not everyone will think like you! People will likely blame me! They will say that I didn't take care of myself, or that I was 'asking for it' by wearing sexy clothes and seducing the boy. Girls like me would always take the blame!"
Andien rose from where she sat and embraced her friend. She also calmed Lisa down by gently rubbing her friend's back sympathetically.
Lisa finally broke down in tears. Several visitors near their table began to glance at the two women.
"It's okay, take it slow, take a look," said Andien softly.
"The reason I didn't tell you was because I was afraid you would call me a whore and blame me though I was the victim!" Lisa replied, still sobbing.
"Alright, calm down, Lis... Just calm down... It's been a month since the attack, it'll be hard to report this case!"
"That's why, Ndien. There was no one at that time. No eye witnesses. I don't have solid evidence!" Lisa added.
Andien hugged her best friend tightly. The energy that was channeled from Andien's body to Lisa made her calm down a little. Her crying then gradually subsided.
"Next time that bastard annoys you again, you just call me or Dimas. I will definitely help you, I'm also sure Dimas will do the same!"
"Thank you very much, Ndien. Sorry, I've kept this secret from you," Lisa answered languidly.
"It's okay..."
After having dinner together, Lisa returned to a boarding house she rented. Her online store sales were making a fortune.
She opened the door to the boarding house and fell on the bed. She was still sad when the unpleasant memory came back.
That night, Lisa couldn't sleep peacefully.. She still imagined Oscar's terrifying figure who could attack her again at any time.
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