Chapter 20: Old Rival

Alexa stopped writing because she was crying in her scene in the book. She pinned the pen in the page book, closed it, and let out a sigh. "I will make coffee first." She got up and left her room.
Meanwhile, Jack was at a restaurant because he had talked to someone about a company. And when it was over, he didn’t leave that restaurant first; someone sat down again in the chair in front of him, and in between was a table.
I was surprised because I didn't know the person in front of me. "Yes?"
The stranger smiled at me and leaned back in his chair. "Good afternoon to you!" He greeted.
I hesitated, but I asked him, "Excuse me! Do I know you?"
"No. I just wanted to talk to you." "About what?" I was still confused by my sudden conversation with him.
"Do you want to see her?"
I frowned. "Who?"
"You're looking for someone, aren't you?"
I suddenly doubted the person in front of me because of what he said. I didn't let anyone know about Alexa except Glen and his team, so I felt a little nervous about how he found out about that. "How did you know I had someone to find for?"
"You'll see her soon," the stranger said immediately.
I, on the other hand, couldn't understand what the man was saying. "What are you saying? Are you part of Glen's team, so you know the information is so confidential? I only told them that because they were the ones I hired to look for a person, but how do you know that information? "
He stared at me in the eye as if reading my whole being. He didn't even blink an eye while staring at me. "Be careful in the next few days because something might happen that you didn't expect, and I'm sure you'll regret it." The stranger stood up and walked away as if nothing had happened, and no word came out of my mouth because I was stunned and confused. "Is that man okay? Does he have powers to know the future?" But eventually, I got up and left the restaurant and went to the parking lot.
But as I took the key from my coat pocket, I was bumped by the man in front of me. "Sorry..." I apologized and bowed. But when I was about to step away, the man called me.
"Jack."
I stopped immediately and turned around, but I didn't know who he called. "Why do so many people seem to be approaching me now that I don't know them and they seem to know me?" I said it in my mind as I was trying to figure out who the man closest to where I was standing was.
"Do I know you too?" I asked hesitantly because of the weirdo and because they knew me.
After that, they went to the side of the parking lot to talk. "Why do you know me?" I asked the man.
He smiled and turned to me. "You're quick to forget. If you threatened me back then, it was like we were close, and now you don't know who I am. Do you really not recognize me?" I was still staring at the man in front of me while my forehand frowned, but I still couldn't remember who was in front of me. now. "No," I simply replied.
"It's because it's been a few years, so maybe you don't remember me anymore, and we did not really become friends back then." He laughed. "I'm Ryan; we are batchmates in high school. I'm sure you'll remember me because I was Alexa's crush when we were in high school, and you were the one who secretly became her admirer. "
I came a little closer to him when I realized that this was the one who had Alexa's crush back then. "Wait! It's you!" I smiled while pointing at him.
Ryan just shook his head. "I knew it. When it comes to Alexa, he remembers," Ryan said to himself while shaking his head. "Hello, It's been a year."
"How are you now?" I asked.
"It's okay, I already have a family and a child."
"Really? "Congratulations then!" I'm happily said.
But it seems that Ryan thought he would try to joke with Jack. He will see if Jack still has feelings for Alexa or if he already has a girlfriend or a wife now.
"Yes, Jack, Alexa, and I already have a child," he said without hesitation. But he didn't expect that Jack's earlier smile was slowly fading when he mentioned Alexa. Jack, on the other hand, seemed to have his heart pounded by what Ryan told him because he didn't expect it.
"Alexa was our batchmate in high school." I was still making sure. Ryan nodded in response. "Congrats then. You too will end up together eventually." I keep on not being affected while speaking.
Ryan observed Jack, and he saw how it reacted, and it didn't seem happy that his wife's name was Alexa. "Why don't you seem happy? Do you know the Alexa I'm referring to? "
I frowned at Ryan. "Alexa, the one about whom I warned you not to come near. Is there anyone else?"
Ryan laughed softly. "Of course there is. The Alexa I'm referring to isn't the Alexa Larson you want; we have a batchmate who has the same name as Alexa, but she's not her." I took a deep breath. "I thought—,"
Ryan spoke suddenly. "It's Alexa Larson."
I nodded. "No, they're different, and I followed what you said until we graduated, but it looks like you didn't confess to her at that time. What really happened, and you didn't say?"
I smiled a little. "I was scared because she might not accept me either."
"Your courage threatens me, but when it comes to Alexa, you're like a gentle sheep. By the way, how is your life now?"
"I'm the CEO of my own company."
"Awesome. I thought you weren't taking life seriously. Look now, you're a CEO."
I looked at it badly. "I'm smarter than you. I'm not just lazy; I have a higher IQ than you," I boast. "Tsk, not either." Ryan was smiling while saying that. "But I ask you. Do you already have a family or a girlfriend?"
"Nothing yet," I replied shortly.
Ryan folded his arms. "I don't think you can move on to Alexa yet. Have you seen each other again?"
"Not yet."
Ryan frowned. "Actually, I saw her the other day at the mall shopping."
I became alerted by what he was saying. "Where is the place?" I asked nervously.
"It's also just near here."
"Do you know where she lives?" On my face, you can see that I really want to know where Alexa really is.
Ryan shook his head. "No, it's just a coincidence that I saw her that day and just talked. But I don't know where she lives." I sighed. "Is that so?"
"But just in case, maybe just near the mall where we're meeting the place where she lives."
Ryan gave the address of the mall to Jack and told him he might see Alexa nearby. "I saw her at that mall. If you want to go there, I'm not sure if you'll meet, but I'm sure she'll come back there. I've got a feeling that she's often shopping there for her groceries. I just don't know when she will come back there again. "
I looked at the paper with the address that Ryan had given me. "But thanks for this anyway, I somehow know where she is, and it's easy to find just in case."
Ryan raised his hand to check the time on his watch. "Sorry, but I have to leave. My wife is waiting for me."
I just nodded at Ryan, and he started to walk away. I also quickly got into my car and left. While Ryan was walking, he forgot to give something to Jack, so he hurried back to their place where they were talking a minute ago, but Jack was no longer there, and even if he looked around, it was completely gone. "I forgot that I have Alexa's number on my phone. If I remember right away, maybe I just gave Alexa's number, not the address where the mall is. If that's the case and he hasn't seen Alexa yet, I'll just give him the phone number if we meet again," he said himself, then walked away and left the parking lot.