Raymond had been listening attentively to what Ron was saying when he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up.  Without meaning to he lifted his head and saw her.  Charmaine was standing a few feet away staring at him with an expression that resembles a rabbit about to be eaten by a wolf.  He could feel his pulse soar and his heart pummel as he drank in the lovely sight of her.  He had missed her.  Very very much.  He pushed his chair back with the intent of running to her when he saw who she was with.  It was as if someone poured a bucket of iced water over his head.  Why was she with Ben Wong?  Upon close scrutiny, he realized that not only was she with Ben Wong, they were holding hands.  Holding hands!  Ignoring common courtesy and the people around them, Raymond surged to his feet and stalked towards them.  He saw the color drain from Charmaine's face when he stopped directly in front of her.  The pale, ghostly sight of her made his heart twist and he forgot his anger.  "Where have you been all this time?  I've been driving myself mad trying to find you," he told her softly, desperately.

Charmaine glanced nervously up at Ben for his reaction but he remained calm, smiling at Raymond with a cocky expression.  "Hi Raymond," she said timidly, hesitantly.  She looked beyond him to his table and saw that Gigi, Mandy and Ron was present as well and watching them with wide-eye curiosity.

"Can you answer my question?" Raymond asked, his tone firm.

Kenneth walked to stand in front of Raymond.  Putting a hand on Raymond's shoulder, he began subtly guiding him to the side of the room, "Can I have a word with you?"

Raymond brushed Kenneth's hand off and gave him a scathing look.  "Why didn't you tell me?  I thought you were my friend?"

"I am!" Kenneth proclaimed.  He looked helplessly over at Ron but Ron didn't offer any assistance.  In fact, he too had on a look of betrayal on his face.

Returning his gaze to Charmaine, Raymond repeated his earlier question.  "Where have you been all this time?"

When Charmaine didn't answer but stood looking numbly with her head down, Ben took charge.  "Lam Sir, I hate to interrupt your lunch.  My wife and I will dine elsewhere."

The room out for a few seconds as Ben's words registered.  "Wife?" Raymond echoed with disbelief.  Narrowing his eyes at Charmaine, he implored, "Tell me he's lying.  Tell me this is a sick joke.  You can't possibly be his wife."

Ben seemed to relish the shock and anger on Raymond's face.  Smiling from ear to ear, he dropped Charmaine's hand and brought his arm around her shoulders pulling her to lean slightly against him.  "It's true.  Charmaine is my wife.  We were married two weeks ago."

"I don't believe it!"  Raymond looked beseechingly at Charmaine.  His face ashen like hers.  "Please tell me he's lying," he urged softly.  "You love me not him.  Please."

Charmaine swallowed the lump in and forced herself to speak.  With her eyes blinking furiously to stop her tears from spilling, she whispered, "I'm sorry Raymond.  I am indeed Bens' wife."

Raymond's breath halted at her admission.  His Charmaine, the only woman he had ever loved was married to another man.  Not just any man but Ben Wong!  "Why him?" he demanded quietly.  "I don't get it."

Charmaine had never wanted so much to let go and cry.  To hold Raymond in her arms and tell him how much she loves and misses him.  That she married Ben to help him.  But she knew she can't do either.  When she left Raymond that afternoon without a word she felt as if her heart had been stabbed a thousand times over.  Now, seeing the anguish and torment on his face, her heart feels a million times worse and she knew nothing could ever repair it.  Swallowing another lump in , she lifted her chin with a braveness she didn't feel.  In a crisp, curt voice, she said haughtily, "I'm sorry you have to find out about it this way.  To be honest, I was seeing you and Ben at the same time.  That night when you saw us downstairs my building, we were on a date.  I lied to you because I couldn't make up my mind who I love more.  When I realized it was Ben, I agreed to marry him."

Raymond's expression did an abrupt change.  No longer was he looking down at her with desperation and agony, his face was now cold and aloof, mirroring what he was feeling on the inside.  Curling his hands into fists at his sides, he glared at her and seethed, "You were two-timing me?"

Charmaine kept up her charade.  She flicked a glance at Mandy and retorted sarcastically, "Well, I learned it from you."

It seemed like the world had stopped before his eyes as Raymond took a clear look at the woman he had been madly in love with.  It had all been a lie.  Charmaine's innocence, her sweet-loving nature, her love for him.  All lies!  Giving her an icy look of contempt, he hissed, "I hope I never have to see you again."  He turned to look at his mom and said, "Let's find another place to eat."

Gigi, Mandy and Ron hurried out of their chairs and towards the French doors which leads back into the main dining room.  Raymond was last in line.  At the threshold he stopped to turn around.  Smiling bitterly at Ben and Charmaine he said, "By the way, congratulations on your marriage."  With those last words he was gone.

The air seemed to have thickened after Raymond left and Charmaine had to inhale forcibly with each breath.  What had she done?  She would never be able to forget the pain on Raymond's face.  Not to mention her own.

"Is everything alright?" Ben cooed softly from beside her.

Charmaine came back to her senses.  Wiping away the last of her emotions, she gave Ben a timid smile and said, "Yes.  I-I just didn't expected to run into h-him."

Ben accepted her answer without any further questions.  Reaching for her hand he led her to a table and seated her.  "Let's eat," he announced and passed the menus around.  Ben was remarkable in that he can easily transition from one scenario to the next without any flicker of emotion.

Charmaine couldn't.  She suddenly stood up and in a shaky voice, said, "If you'll excuse me.  I need to use the ladies room."  She left without waiting for a response.

Kenneth watched her retreating back.  Something just didn't seem right with the whole marriage thing between Charmaine and his brother.  During Charmaine's exchange with Raymond, he had kept a close eye on Charmaine's face.  What he saw told him that she was still very much in love with Raymond.  He had to get to the bottom of this.

----------------------------------------------

At night, Charmaine sat alone in bed recalling every sordid details of her encounter with Raymond earlier that day.  She can't get the image of him looking hatefully at her out of her mind.  She didn't want to be reminded of him in that way.  She only wanted memories of their happier times together.  As tears began to form in her eyes there was a knock on her door.  Quickly brushing them away with her fingers she went to answer it.  She was surprised to see Kenneth.  "Yes?"

Kenneth shifted awkwardly and said, "I saw that your light is still on.  Can I talk to you?"

It was already past midnight and the entire household has returned to their respective rooms.  It was a weird time for a talk.  Confused by his sudden appearance at the late hour, Charmaine inquired softly, "About what?"

Ignoring her question, Kenneth stepped into her room and said softly, "It won't take long.  I just needed some clarifications on some things."

Charmaine looked at him in awe.  Not because of what he was asking but the manner in which he was speaking to her.  "Sure."  She closed the door quietly and turned to face him.

"Charmaine, tell me the truth.  Did you marry my brother because you love him or are you after his money?"

Charmaine looked away and said bleakly, "Does it matter?"

Kenneth saw something flash across her face.  Guilt?  Shame?  He can't tell.  "I used to think we were friends," he remarked in a low whisper.

"We still are," Charmaine emphasized turning to look at him with a tender expression.  "I will always think of you as my friend."

Looking closely at her, Kenneth began to recite his suspicions.  "After leaving the restaurant today I spent most of my afternoon going over dates and all that has happened recently.  First, with Raymond's mother going to the hospital and needing surgery.  Your sudden disappearance.  An anonymous donation for Auntie's surgery and the most shocking is your sudden marriage to my brother.  I may be obtuse but I can also be astute at times when it calls for it."  Stopping to give Charmaine a meaningful look, Kenneth concluded, "You married my brother to save Auntie.  The anonymous donation was from my brother wasn't it?"

Charmaine managed a nervous laugh, "Of course not.  You have a wild imagination."

Looking at her steadily Kenneth said, "You don't have to deny it any more.  Judging from your reaction this afternoon I can also safely say that you still love Raymond."

For the first time since agreeing to Ben's proposal, Charmaine released all her pent up emotions and frustrations in the only way she knew how to do it.  She covered her face with her hands and cried.  "I'm sorry Kenneth," she said in between sobs.

Surprised by her apology, Kenneth asked, "Why are you apologizing to me?"

Sniffing a sob, Charmaine uncovered her face and said earnestly, "I know it isn't fair to Ben right now with my feelings for Raymond.  He's aware of all that and is willing to give me time to accept him.  I know in time I would learn to love him as I did Raymond."

Kenneth didn't say anything.  He stood regarding her for a few minutes before turning to the door.  "Goodnight."

"Kenneth!" Charmaine called out to him.  Walking briskly towards him she whimpered, "Promise me you won't tell Raymond any of this.  He can't find out.  Please!"

The devastation and anxiety on Charmaine's face gnawed at him.  With great reluctance he nodded his head.  "I promise I won't say a word."