"This way, sir." Jade shyly showed them the way to the mountainside.

    It was exactly six in the morning when Jess fetched Jade at her place. They have a schedule trip with Dr. Kerie and his team and that is to visit Mother Tess'' home orphanage.

    It was Jess who talked with Dr. Kerie if they can sponsor or at least check the children''s situation. He also managed to have Jade meet the doctors and luckily, the talk went smoothly. They agreed to see with their eyes and see how they could help them.

    "Please bear with the rocky and narrow road. We still have a long way to go and there is no other mode of transportation that could help everyone reach the destination." Jade continued. "Please be careful everyone."

    "Don''t worry about us. We are used to roads and places like this. We''ve been there than that." Dr. Kerie smiled at the worried woman.

    Jade cracked a force smile.

    "So, I bet you are used to this kind of journey since you''ve been here a million times." The doctor asked.

    "Kinda." She replied.

    "Oh, I could say you''re amazing!" Dr. Kerie yelped proudly. "Honestly, I can''t believe a beauty like you to have the patience to stay in a place like this. And I think you''re not originally from here." He added.

    Jade jerked in surprise. They could tell? How? No one, not even Jess suspects her from the beginning. But how could this man do?

    "How can you say that?" Jess was intrigued since he was with them listening the entire time.

    "I can tell just by her look." The doctor grinned meaningfully. "Modesty aside, I''ve been into a lot of places and I can tell, just by one glance, if a person is an alien like me."

    Jess looked at the woman who gulped inconspicuously. Now she''s sweating profusely. They did not even make it halfway but she''s sweating a lot. It''s not like her!

    Jade, on the other hand, felt a bit nervous. Did doctor Kerie visited Z city? Well, he should have been! It was the capital of the country and he must have gone there a thousand times! Is it possible that he knew Marcus, or even met him before? Enchanteur Chemicals is an international brand so he must have heard about him and possibly, have heard a lot about him. Did he know about Marcus'' personal life? Cause if he does, there is a big possibility that he must have known her from the start!

    Base on his meaningful words and the kind of grin he gave earlier, looks like he knew something!

    She silently breathes out an amount of air before smiling at them. "You sure know a lot." She chuckled. "I wish I could travel the world just like you. It has been one of my dreams." She tried to avoid the important topic.

    "Do you love travelling too? If you want, you can join us. You''ll be perfect as my personal ?ssistant." The doctor uttered in excitement.

    Jade was about to respond playfully but Jess suddenly intervene in a serious manner.

    "That is definitely a good idea but I still prefer miss Jade to stay close to me." He genuinely smiled. With his words, he clearly points his intention to keep pursuing the woman and his deep devotion was not hidden to dr. Kerie''s scrutinizing gaze.

    "Looks like someone''s afraid to lose a misplaced lamb here." The doctor chuckled. "But don''t give your whole heart into matters such as love. Because you will never know what happens tomorrow." His words came to Jess as a warning and Jade was able to grasp his intention too.

    Did he know? She instantly asked herself. His words… his phrase… seems like it has a profound meaning!

    Dr. Kerie must have sense the woman''s uneasiness therefore he tried to reason out the statement he just uttered. "I''m just saying things base on my experience, you know." He grinned.

    "Looks like you have a story to tell, sir. Would you mind sharing it? I might learn a lot of lesson from you." Jess suggested.

    "I''d like to hear it as well, brother." His brother-in-law who just catch up with them few seconds ago alluded.

    "Well, there''s nothing to hear much about it. I guess I just fell in love with a woman whose heart and soul belongs to somebody else." Dr. Kerie replied.

    "You mean the great doctor Kerie was once rejected?!" His brother-in-law teased him. "Oh! That''s too unbelievable!" He laughs.

    "Shut up!" He tried to push the man away from him.

    "What happened sir?" Jess inquired.

    "Nothing much." He continued. "We were friends for a long time but she also knew about the special feelings I have for her. However, she''s in love with another guy from our class back when we were college. Although the man b?r?ly knew her, her heart and soul already belong to him. She never gave up on him despites knowing that he got engaged after our graduation."

    "What happened to her then? Did they get married in the end?" His brother-in-law asked.

    "No. That man whom he loved for years married his long-time fiancée. And because of her devotion to him, she decided to stay single until she dies."

    "That''s… absurd! Simply crazy." His brother-in-law yelped. "I guess she was the reason why you turn down all the marriage proposal from the distinguished families before and until now. Are you still hoping she''ll look at you as a potential husband?" He was curious.

    "Maybe. But I don''t care about any of that now. I''m already contented of what we are today." He meaningfully smiled and unknowingly stared at the direction of a middle-aged woman who is with a group of other physicians before them.

    The others look at the direction of his eyes and they immediately understood who he was pertaining to. She''s definitely a beauty, clothe with grace and humility!

    Too bad for his first love!

    "I really don''t understand her at first." Dr. Kerie continued walking after a few seconds. He only took his eyes off them when the woman looked at their direction. "I also thought she was too stupid to waste her heart to someone like that person. But as I age, I think I got to understand her."

    "How is that so?" Jess replied. Jade also wants to asked a few questions but Jess keeps on asking a lot so she didn''t bother.

    "Well, there are a lot of people like her in the whole universe. They may be stupid in other people''s eyes but for them, that''s just how they love. Some women only have one heart for one person. Even if that person keeps on hurting them, they could accept it and will bear all the pain."

    Jess suddenly looked at the woman beside him who seems to be in daze.

    Well, true enough. Jade instantly thought of Marcus. She must admit, she still has that kind of feeling towards him despites everything…. Despites all the pain.

    She can relate to the woman in doctor Kerie''s story.

    "So, if I were you…." Out of nowhere, doctor Kerie suddenly taps Jess'' shoulder. Then he meaningfully winks at him without finishing his statement.

    As for Jade, she can hear voices around her but she couldn''t understand any of them. She may be walking but her thoughts are from afar.

    ***********************************

    "Where is he? Where did he go?" Marcus raised his brows, confused.

    "To the mountainside?!" He yelped unbelievingly. He just learned that Dr. Kerie and his team is heading to the orphanage which is located at the outskirt mountain of the city. Worst, they''ll be staying there for a few more days.

    He cursed aloud. He should secure the Paris project now so he could plan his next move on Jade.

    Should he just follow them there? Hmmm… Marcus was in deep thought.