Charmaine returned home and found a note from Natalie apologizing for not being here on her first day back from Shanghai and that she had a date with Kenneth.  The note also asked that Charmaine wait up for her because she won't be out that late and wanted to catch up.  Putting aside the note, Charmaine went into her room and plopped herself down on the bed.  Closing her eyes, her mind replayed the earlier scene with Raymond.  She still could not believe that Raymond had dismissed her as if… as if she was a nobody.  His entire behavior towards her since the moment they saw Jazz was different from the person she had grown to love in the past two weeks.

However, Charmaine wasn't going to let him know how his aloofness affected her.  When the initial shock was over, she immediately became all business-like and began going over things with Jazz.  They spent close to an hour working and during that time Raymond did not show his face again.  After every little detail was spelled out to Jazz, Charmaine had no more excuses to remain.  With a heavy heart she walked to the front door but stopped to direct a look at Raymond's closed bedroom door.  She debated on whether to knock and say goodbye or just walk away quietly.  She chose the latter.  After bidding goodbye to Jazz she left.  It was as the door closed behind her that she heard Raymond's voice from within.  She wanted to ring the bell, go back in and demand to know why he was acting this way with her.  But his words, although muffled by the door, prevented her from doing exactly that.  He had said to Jazz that he was happy to finally be rid of that "pesky, annoying woman."  Meaning her.  Pressing firmly close from crying, Charmaine turned and left.

Now back in the familiarity of her own surroundings, Charmaine realized that she had been expecting this from Raymond.  She always knew they weren't going to last.  He was Raymond Lam, hottest star of his generation.  He was going places and with that meant new and exciting women that would come and go.  What did she have to offer him?  Nothing, Charmaine thought sadly.  Still, a small part of her wanted the fairy tale ending she had always dreamed of with the man she loved.  That man being Raymond Lam.  No sense in dwelling over it now.  It won't change the fact or make things easier on her.  Raymond had already spoken and its time for her to move on.  Think of it as experience.  Now she can't say she never experienced love.  Fighting back her tears, Charmaine inhaled a shattering breath and ped her bag.  She had taken out a small pile of clothes when her cell phone rang.  Without looking at the caller ID she answered the call and froze when she heard Raymond's voice on the other end.

"Hi Charmaine," Raymond greeted softly, sweetly.

Clenching the phone in her hand, Charmaine asked briskly, "Why are you calling me?"

Raymond spoke, his voice still soft but there was a teasing note to it this time, "I miss you and want to talk to you."

"You've already said everything," Charmaine responded curtly and was incensed when she heard Raymond laughing.  "What's so funny?"

"Charmaine, you're not seriously mad about what happened before are you?" Raymond asked in a false chiding tone.

"Mad?  Why should I be?" Charmaine fired back sarcastically.  Hardening her voice, she added, "I've known all along that it was just a fling between us and that once we returned to Hong Kong it'll end."

While Charmaine's voice was hard and firm, Raymond could detect the underlying hurt in it and it bothered him tremendously.  "I thought you believe and trust in me," he said quietly.  "And I thought you love me.  Is this how you show it?  By pushing me away the first chance you get?"

Taken aback by his accusation, Charmaine said tersely, "I don’t know what you're trying to say.  Especially since you made it clear that it's over between us."

"I did no such thing!" Raymond practically shouted.  After a brief silence, he softened his tone and said, "I meant what I said in Shanghai.  I want to be with you."

With a tiny burst of hope bubbling in her, Charmaine asked faintly, "Then why did you treat me so impersonally back in your apartment earlier?"  She heard him sigh with exasperation and didn't think he was going to answer her question but he did.

"The past two weeks together in Shanghai… I told you things that no one else knows.  I thought you, of all people, should understand me."

Completely baffled by his words, Charmaine pressed, "Can you just tell me why?"

"Not over the phone," Raymond said.  "Come back to my apartment and I'll answer all your questions."

Charmaine was torn on what to do.  There wasn't any explanation that could justify his earlier actions.  Yet, she also didn't want to give up on him so easily.  Call her a lovesick fool but the truth was, she was crazy in love with him and do not want to lose him at all if there was any chance of them being together.  "Alright, I'll come over."

Raymond smiled and even though Charmaine couldn't see that cheery smile, she could hear it in his voice when he said, "Great!  I can't wait to see you.  I know you've only been gone for about an hour but I miss you terribly."

A beginning of a smile lit her face when she heard the heartfelt enthusiasm in his voice.  "Same here," she murmured softly.  "I'll see you in a bit."  She was about to hang up when Raymond spoke again.

In a soft sultry voice, Raymond said, "Charmaine, when you come over do not ring my bell.  I'll leave keys for the backdoor underneath the doormat.  Go in from there."

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Kevin walked into the bar and found Myolie sitting alone in a corner table.  As he made his way towards her he noted the half dozen of empty beer bottles scattered across the small round table.  "I'm glad you decided to wait for me," he joked and plucked the bottle that she was holding out of her hand.

"Give that back!" Myolie screeched and attempted to grab it back but Kevin held it far away from her.

"I'll give it back once you've answered a few questions," Kevin said sternly.

Myolie was about to demand it back but caught the hard glare in Kevin's eyes.  Knowing already how stubborn he can be, she dropped her hand and leaned back against her chair.  "Go ahead and ask but make it short."

Setting the bottle on the table, Kevin asked, "Why?"

Puzzled by his question, Myolie returned with impatience, "Why what?"

Kevin made a sweeping gesture at the empty beer bottles on the table and inquired, "Why are you drinking so much?  I thought you were over Raymond Lam?"

Myolie erupted into giggles and sputtered, "You think that I… that I'm heartbroken over him?"

"Aren't you?" Kevin countered, his eyes boring into hers, daring her to lie.

Myolie immediately sobered and she responded in a calm fashion, "No I'm not.  I couldn't care less about him or his newest plaything."

Kevin instantly came to Charmaine's defense and hissed, "Don't call her that."  Even though Charmaine had jilted him for Raymond Lam, Kevin held no ill feelings towards them.  In fact, he sincerely wished the best for Charmaine and prayed that Raymond would not hurt her.

Seeing the dark scowl on Kevin's face, Myolie knew she shouldn't have said that.  She didn't know why she did.  She was passed the stage of being angry or jealous of Charmaine.  She knew if it wasn't Charmaine then it would be another woman in Raymond's life.  Hasn't it always been that way for Raymond?  How many women could Myolie hate for being in his life?  "I'm sorry Kevin," Myolie said softly, "I didn't mean it that way."

Kevin heard the sincerity in her voice and accepted her apology.  "So are you going to tell me what's bothering you?"

"I was hoping to get this role in a new series but they decided to use someone else instead!" Myolie wailed.  "And she's a newbie too!"

Kevin bit back a smile.  Damn, women are definitely fickle creatures.  Getting upset over losing a role is definitely not something a man would do, or him at least.  But when he saw that Myolie was truly upset by this, he checked himself in and said soothingly, "Think of it this way: it's the series' loss for not casting you."

Myolie made a loud sound and complained, "But don't you understand?!  They picked a newbie… someone unknown to play a leading role… over me!  My career is over!"

Kevin didn't hide his smile this time as he asked, "Aren't you overreacting a bit?  So you lost this role, you'll get another."

Rolling her eyes, Myolie huffed, "What if I don't get any more?  I'm not exactly the hottest female star out there.  I can't compete with any of the younger starlets either."

Grabbing a handful of peanuts from a bowl Kevin popped one into his mouth and said, "Well, I think none of the other starlets can compete with you.  You have your own style and I'm positive the directors will eventually see that."

With Kevin's praise bringing her confidence back, Myolie asked timidly, "Do you really think so?"

Kevin locked his eyes with her and said softly, "I don't think.  I know it."

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Charmaine arrived on Raymond's floor and as instructed she walked to the backdoor.  Scanning the hall to make sure no one was around, she deftly retrieved the key underneath the doormat.  She used the key and entered.  She found herself in a small room with only a sofa and an end table as its furnishing.  A lamp on the end table was on.  Just as she took another step into the room, a door off to the side opened to reveal Raymond.

Raymond smiled upon seeing her.  "What do you think of this secret passage?" he asked playfully while he advanced towards her.

Charmaine couldn't seem to breathe at the sight of him.  He was dressed in a robe tied loosely at the waist but what mesmerized her was the intense way he was staring at her.  It made her forget everything and everyone but him.  "Raymond," she whispered his name as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.