"I heard eating ice cream would make you feel better." Jake smiled as both of them walked the campus grounds together. Natalie seemed fine, her eyes were swollen though. He kept looking at her when she wasn't focusing on him. After talking her out of her depression, she seemed to have smiled a little. He knew it was a way to say she was okay, but deep inside she was falling apart.

"I miss jogging around here" She said a while after. "It's been weeks since I tried waking myself up earlier than expected" She added while smiling wryly.

"You've been lazy lately." Jake laughed. He wanted to make sure Natalie would keep responding. He wanted to keep her smiling even if he knew it was hard.

"I should get you a dog", Jake said smiling. "I bet you'd love one since you had so many pictures with your dog back at home.”

He realized Natalie was getting quiet. When He looked to face her, she was focusing on the ground.

"He gave me one..." She said while keeping her head low. "He named it Bo..."

Jake wished he never said anything about dogs.  He was about to look for another diversion when Natalie smiled and said, "Anyway, should we at least go to a club this Saturday?"

"A club? Are you serious?" Jake asked.

"When wasn't I serious?" She forced out a smile.

"Uh... Now? I mean. You don't go to places like that." Jake said questioningly.

"Well, I do now!" Natalie started skipping ahead of him. She looked happy. He just sighed in relief that at least for a moment, he got hold of her. Jake tried catching up with her. He wanted to make sure that she wasn't joking about the club thing. Suddenly, a car stopped by in front of them. Natalie frozed. It was Nate Walters' car. Jake looked at Natalie immediately and saw how pale her face was. She wasn't moving and it seemed as if she wanted to see him so bad. When she finally realized that it was Nate on the wheel, her shocked expression changed. She was now smiling. She knew he'd come. He was only waiting for the right time. She was about to approach the driver's side when the car horn sounded. She paused for a while and continued to go her way, but the car moved an inch and sounded again. Nate was trying to get rid of them. He was trying to get rid of her. He wasn't planning on seeing her. Not one bit. Jake realized that Nate wasn't going to meet Natalie so he quickly grabbed her hand and went for the side. As soon as they weren't blocking the car, Nate quickly drove the car away from them. Natalie stood there in disbelief.

"What an !!!" Jake exclaimed.

He was furious at how Nate acted. He shouldn't have done that in the first place. While Jake kept cursing Nate for almost hitting Natalie, he prayed that Natalie would think of the brighter side of it. But instead of cursing the man who wanted to hurt her, she was letting her tears fall. She kept staring at the car until it was out of sight; her eyes wet from her tears. She wasn't handling the rejection. After all, she poured every little feeling, every little hope and every little piece of her unto Nate that even after everything; she forgot to leave a tiny piece for herself.

Jake wanted to hug the woman she loved, but hugging her won't soothe the pain she felt this time. She now knew Nate didn't want her. How else could a man hurt a woman in love than by rejecting that love the woman can give?

He stared at her completely helpless. He didn't know what to do this time. As she cried her heart out, all he could do was stay.

"Dammit!" Nate hit the steering wheel. "Why did she have to be on the road?" he asked himself. He was angry at himself for not knowing what to do when Natalie tried to approach him. He was even angrier for pressing the accelerator accidentally. What else could he have done? He wasn't ready to face her. Not after what happened between them. If he didn't want to hurt her, he might as well avoid her. He was afraid that if he met her again, he'd surrender to his true feelings and disappoint his father the second time around.

Sunday- after the incident:

"I don't want you to do what you did yesterday Nate. I raised you not to play around but to earn more money for me." Mr. Walters said as Nate, Kate and Danny ate breakfast at the dining table. "I'm sorry Father. I wasn't really playing around."

Mr. Walters snapped at him. He didn't want him to say another word about the incident. Kate just held Nate's hand as if to signal him to keep his mouth shut. Nate obeyed and continued eating his meal.

"I have a meeting with the Wagner's later. We're planning to merge companies and build W&W Industries Incorporated."

"They'll be meeting you this 10am at Briar Bay Golf Course dad. You mustn’t be late." Kate reminded her father.

"Of course I won't. I've waited long enough for a deal this big." He smiled at the thought.

"That's great dad. Soon Walters Associates Co. will grow and your company will reach other parts of Asia as well. Telecommunications is a big hit nowadays." Nate added as if to try and go with the conversation. Mr. Walters laughed with joy. He always wanted to expand his company and now, with the help of the Wagners, it would finally come true.

"I expect your help Nate. You don't want to disappoint me again, do you?" He said after a while.

"Of course, I will do anything you say as long as it helps the company."

Kate looked at his brother worriedly. She didn't want him to get hurt again. She knew her father's intentions and how it would affect her brother. If only there was a way to help him.

"Good. You'll meet Mr. Wagner's daughter this Saturday. She'll be flying here from Paris. She's a fashion designer who owns a fashion line named Colette. Hmmmmn I forgot her name. Kate?"

"Yvonne Wagner dad, she's just your age. I heard she's very beautiful..." Kate tried to smile.

"You must make sure you do the job right this time. I don't want this to fail. I'm counting on you son, and don't worry about Daniel, they won't know he's your son."

Nate wanted to tell his father he found someone he liked, but as soon as his father told him not to disappoint him again, he knew there was no turning back. He'll have to meet Yvonne. He might have to marry her if it meant money. How will he get to have Natalie? His heart pounded as he thought of her. He should at least call and explain. How could he? He'd only run back to her and make his father hate him more. But he wanted her so bad he was afraid of losing her. He had to lose her. If it meant getting his father's trust back, he had to forget. He had to leave.

 I have to leave you. I have to make you hate me so that I won't be able to hurt you more than you're hurting now. I'm sorry, but I'm a businessman and a businessman wants nothing more than money. He tried fighting the tears as he thought of her. He looked at the rear view mirror and reminded himself of what he should do. He inhaled deeply and went out of the car. As soon as he closed the car door, he smiled and said to himself, "What's love without money." He walked away towards the building while he whistled with joy and content. That's better. At least no one will know you're hurting inside.