October Three Weeks Before Halloween Party

Karina's POV

Karina's Office 12:00 pm

"Amelia, may I request for Wonyoung? tell her to come to my office please, thank you." 

I became really emotional during my first day of work, this is already my second week from the day I came back here. All my colleagues and staff welcomed me with open arms and it feels really great to be reunited with them again. I am so ready for the milestones we are about to take on and I look forward to the new challenges that we would encounter as a team.

So far I am enjoying my position as the new creative director of the company, stepping down as the editor-in-chief is something that I have decided on and I have fully accepted. I choose to put myself before anything else and it is the best thing to do. I promise that my mental health will always comes first.

**knock knock knock**

"Please come in." I went back to my seat and I set aside the articles and photos that I am reviewing. "You may sit down." I asked Wonyoung to come see me in my office as I have been wanting to discuss some important things with her.

"Good afternoon Karina. How are you?"

"I am very well thank you for asking. You?"

"I'm good. So how do you find Amelia, is she reaching your standards?"

"I must say that she is doing a great job, she keeps up with me. She is very alert and clever."

Amelia, she is my new assistant and the replacement of Liv. Liv was working for me when I was the editor-in-chief, she was also involved in the commotion that happened years ago and the reason why Winter got incarcerated, she was the one who called the cops on her. We did not terminate her employment because there's no grounds for us to remove her, she has nothing to do with what happened. She was just doing her job and it was purely my fault that things got out of hand.

"Do you have any idea about what happened to Liv?" I had to ask Wonyoung since no one in the office can tell me why she resigned two months after I left for LA. "Well, it is like an open secret."

"Please, do tell." I know that I can trust Wonyoung, she is technically my right hand here at the office. She is more than a colleague and she is my friend. "Alright but promise me that you will keep it to yourself. It's a sensitive matter that is quite embarrassing."

"My lips are sealed. So what happened to her?"

"She got kick out of her apartment. She was forced to resign when she cannot find a new place to stay in. All the open apartment listings did not accept her. Even the agents have stopped accommodating her."

"How the hell did that happen if she got good standing? You know how high her remuneration is, she rents solo but she never had a problem with paying."

"I know, that's why I'm wondering why it happened to Liv."

"Like all the town houses and condominiums in the entire city did not accept her? how is that possible? Did she have a bad record in her former apartment?"

"Uhm I heard there's a strife with the agent but it was nothing major, I'm not really sure about that. You asked if those are the aparments in Manhattan who didn't accept? Karina even in Jersey she literally failed to get a new place. I am not making this up. She had a hard time looking for a house so she was forced to go back to Idaho. It's like she was banned and it is bizarre. It was as if she got put into a tenant blacklist all over New York."

"That's strange. I didn't know that something like that could happen."

"Same thought."

I can't believe the things that I am hearing from Wonyoung about my former assistant. Although I am slowly having a suspicion of what really happened to her. Olivia or Liv as we call her, there are only two persons I know that are holding a serious grudge against her, one of them is my snail puppy Winter but I doubt if she can do something like that and the other one is my best friend, Giselle.

Everybody knows how Giselle does things. Normally, a person forgives and doesn't forget, but with her it is a different story. She doesn't easily forgive and she never forgets. Besides, I remember her mentioning to me that she threatened to kick Liv out of Manhattan. I think I've connected the dots on why she was having a hard time looking for a new apartment. I seriously need to talk to Giselle about this.

"What is it that you want to tell me? Amelia said it is important." Wonyoung continued. "Yes about that, excuse me." I went to lock the door because I don't want anyone coming in my room.

What we're gonna talk about this afternoon is something very personal to me and I would like to ask her a favor.

"Are you done with your lunch?" I asked her, "Yes I am."

"Wonyoung, this matter that we will be talking about is not related to work. I will be asking you some favors and you will do it only if you want to."

"Of course Karina,"

"Which neighborhood are you living in at the moment?"

"Still in Yorkville, I have no plans of moving, I like it there."

"That's good to hear. I am not gonna beat around the bush but please promise me, don't let anyone know about this."

"You have my word."

"Okay uhh, Winter is currently living here in New York."

"What? like she is staying here now?"

"Yes"

"but she got her visa revoked, how was she able to come back? Where is she?"

"Apparently she reapplied. She is living in Williamsburg but I don't know her address. Maybe she is working or studying here, I am not sure. Wonyoung the favor that I am about to ask you, you have to promise me that you are not going to share it with anyone else, especially your mom. I am serious. This is not related to your job here in my company and I am talking to you now, as a friend."

"You are kinda freaking me out Karina but okay, tell me about it."

"Sorry. You know what happened to me and Winter right?"

"Yeah I heard that you got back together." 

"No. Not totally but we have sorted things out, she has forgiven me and now we are okay. We have decided to take a break from each other so we can start on a clean slate."

"It's nice to hear these things from you Karina, you have this positive aura. I am glad that you are doing well and you've managed to pull through."

"Yes I am still alive. If it wasn't for you I would have died, so thank you so much for saving me."

"It's nothing, really and I won't let that happen to you."

"Thank you Wonyoung."

"Welcome Karina. Please continue,"

"We have both agreed with the decision and I guess we are doing okay on our own. Although there is a catch. Winter has no idea that I am here. She doesn't know that we are based here in New York, permanently. I did not tell her that the Manila satellite office got cancelled."

"Why didn't you tell her though?"

"That's our agreement, we will not let each other know our whereabouts so we can do what we are supposed to do. It just happened that she decided to come here of all places."

"Karina I don't mean to scare you but I think I have seen this before, or I have read it somewhere that mutually disconnecting from each other is another way of achieving a healthy break up. You are aware of what a healthy break up may lead to, right?"

"What's your point?"

"Most people who choose that path, they would end up having a decent relationship with their former partners, but they will never get back together. They usually end up being friends. I know how much you like Winter, but don't you think that it's a wrong move?"

"How is that a wrong move?"

"Because you might get used to being apart and eventually you'll decide to live life separately."

"Oh my god you are the second person to tell me this."

"It happens, I know some friends who went through it. They developed a good relationship, but as friends."

"I trust Winter when she said that she will always come back to me."

"I don't mean to be negative but it is better to be aware of the possibilities."

"Thank you for your concern."

"So about her not knowing where you are,"

"I am planning to keep it that way and I'm gonna need your help."

"Okay, and how may I help you?"

"Winter should not find out that we are in the same state as hers. Hindi niya dapat malaman na pati ikaw, you are living here in New york. If she finds out about you, she'll eventually learn that I am also here, there is a chance that we may not accomplish what we are supposed to do. It's not gonna be healthy for the both of us. We might get back together out of impulse without moving on from the past. Do you get my point? I'm sorry for getting you involved again."

"Don't mind it. It's not a big deal and I understand Karina but what exactly do you want me to do?"

"I know that you may find it pathetic but please listen to me. There are places that you might see each other. She is in Williamsburg so for sure Winter spends time in Brooklyn. If she is studying now, most definitely she will always go to Lower Manhattan. Also I just want to let you know. She went to New York with Anna Kim."

"Winter left you for Anna Kim? Oh my god, that's an issue. That's a very hot tea about Anna, damn."

"What? Hey no!! They are friends like they're very close, the two of them are like sisters. Winter follows her around. Do you personally know her?"

"Yes I know Anna although we are not close but we have common friends. How the hell did Winter become friends with a famous dj? Like how did she know her, that's too random."

"It's a long story, it happened way back college days. If I may ask, you mentioned that you have common friends, who specifically?"

"Yujin An and I also know Yunjin. Yunjin or the Jennifer Huh she is Anna's best friend, she is familiar because we always see her at auctions for a cause and fashion events."

"You mean Yujin the model? and of course I know Yunjin, the socialite. I have met her before, I know her parents."

"Yeah we have lots of common friends but I go out with Yujin the most."

"You always go to clubs and bars, you sure you haven't seen Winter even once? She's been here for three months already."

"Maybe Winter doesn't go out that much or she is busy working."

"Wonyoung, you mean there is a chance that my snail puppy is friends with these girls?"

"I'm sorry, you're talking about puppies and snails? I'm getting confused here Karina."

"Snail puppy, that's what I call my Winter."

"Oh pet names, kinda didn't expect that from you." I noticed that Wonyoung murmured something that I didn't quite understand. "Come again?"

"Nothing. They are Anna's friends so, she probably goes out with them."

"Hmm, okay. Are these ladies straight?"

"The last time I checked they are, why'd you ask?"

"Nothing."

"What do you want me to do exactly Karina?"

"About that, she should never find out that you are here. She will have a hunch about you working here if she sees you or worse she might approach you."

"Did Winter mention to you that she owes me dinner? but that was years ago, she probably has forgotten about it."

"Huh? Which Winter?"

"Winter Kim"

"As in Winter my wife?"

"Yeah, as in Winter, your ex girlfriend or wife, whatever."

"And she owes you dinner? why?"

"That was too long ago I forgot about it already. It's not important let's not talk about it."

"She was probably messing with you, don't mind her. Now about the favor. I am asking you to be wary of your surroundings and, if it is possible, could you please limit your night outs? You know, socialization and those kinds of things, try to lessen it for now. I do apologize in advance if it looks like I am controlling you. I'm so sorry Wonyoung it's just that, I didn't see it coming. Apparently everyone here knows each other. Our industry and Anna's they're interconnected. It's like they revolve in the same circle. The world is becoming too small for me and Winter."

"You know what that means? It's the universe working it's thing, you are destined to meet here."

"I agree with you. You know what I have learned from everything that happened to us?"

"okay?"

"I've learned that you cannot control fate, but you can defy it."

"What?"

"Yeah. It's hard to explain but it is possible."

"Hmm that's new. So this favor, how long should I do it? Like, don't you have plans of showing yourself, you're basically hiding from her."

"We still need time."

"It could've been easier for you if Winter is not friends with Anna."

"Yes! I thought so."

"I kinda don't get the idea of you taking a break honestly because I assumed that you already got back with her. I don't wanna pry so I am not gonna be asking you about that anymore."

"We are giving each other space to heal because what happened to us is so tragic but after that, if we might get the chance to see each other again and we are both ready. We will give it another shot."

"I don't mean to sound negative but, it's more complicated than you think. What if Winter is already dating?"

"I don't think she will do something like that and she promised that she's gonna come back."

"Did the two of you set a limit on how long are you going to take a break?"

"No, because we will let it happen naturally."

"There's a lot of beautiful people here Karina and you, you can literally go out with anyone you like."

"Nope I only want Winter. She is my wife, I need no one but her."

"How come you are so sure about this?"

"Because," I showed her the note, the one that Winter gave me the day she left. "I am hanging onto this and I believe her. Go on you may read it." I gave her the picture and she started reading the note aloud. "We may not be together for now but you should know that I will always come back to you baby. I look forward to the day that I can start a new life with you again. Please wait for me. Winter wrote this?"

"Yes she did. She even wrote the zip code for me to see." I proudly answered. "How sure are you that she's the one who wrote this, what if she's being hostaged and she was forced to leave a note?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"There's a lot of things that can happen Karina, one of them is human trafficking. How sure are you that she is in New York, do you have proof? what if someone is going to lure you into sending ransom money in exchange of Winter?"

"What the hell are you saying? Why are you so negative Wonyoung? where'd you get all of this idea, what have you been watching lately?"

"True Crime Investigation, I watch it during weekdays when I do my night routine."

"Oh god. I thought your gonna find it romantic that's why I let you read it. You didn't have to play detectives."

"Hahahaha I'm sorry, I just got carried away."

"What I'm trying to say is, I know that Winter will come back to me once we are both ready. We just need to be away from each other for now so we can have a good restart. We have been through a lot and you've witnessed it."

"Okay I got it but oh my god I didn't know that Winter is the type who could be painfully cheesy. No offense but what was written on that note is kinda cringey Karina. Honestly if someone gave that to me I'd be like, eww get lost."

"Hahahaha okay it's time for you to shut up. My snail puppy is just like that, she is sweet and affectionate when it comes to me. Don't judge her."

"Gross"

"Hahahaha god you are so mean."

"You using pet names to call Winter is just so odd, maybe because I am used to see you being so uptight and strict."

"What? I am not uptight and strict."

"I hate to break it to you but yes ma'am you are strict. I'm talking about before alright, now you've become so calm and composed."

"I'm sorry about that and thank you really, you were able to keep up with whatever that is."

"It's okay at least you are doing better now. So which places should we be wary of again?"

"As I was saying, Winter is living in Brooklyn, she appreciates art, she goes to Lower Manhattan most definitely. So try to avoid going to Soho, Noho, Tribeca, Bowery, Greenwich, Chelsea, Gramercy, Midtown, Garment District, Meat Packing District the entire Brooklyn neighborhood et cetera."

"Where the hell would I go then Karina?!!"

"Bronx or you can even go to Harle