2. Second News

It had been a week since Diaz had gotten a sudden message from Claire. There was also no news about the woman for a week. Their conversation ended exactly that very second. The first day after the impromptu proposal Diaz was still wondering, the second day he began to wonder why Claire didn't contact him anymore or just to explain why she suddenly sent messages like that. On the third day, there was still a little thing that stuck in Diaz's heart to just forget it. Until the fourth day without news and Diaz was reluctant to contact and ask first, but the man finally decided to forget it. Likewise the fifth and sixth days.

The office was still quiet when Diaz arrived and started his work early until slowly the atmosphere changed with the arrival of one co-worker after another. They greeted Diaz with serious pleasantries behind the cubicle. One or two people offered him coffee as an encouragement to start the day's work, but Diaz politely declined, saying he would get his coffee later. Whether it's making it in the pantry or buying it at the coffee shop available in their office lobby.

At eight to ten, Edwin came in breathlessly, approaching Diaz's desk first instead of the one he had passed at the speed of light.

"Di...! Diaz! I have news that will shock you!" Edwin exclaimed excitedly, trying to lower his voice even though some of their co-workers around them looked curiously, but when they found out that Edwin was chattering, most of them decided to ignore it and return to their respective activities.

Meanwhile Diaz? The man was still faithfully frowning, waiting patiently for Edwin to continue the story in the middle of the breath he was trying to control to calm down.

"You won't believe what I'm about to tell you!"

This is what Diaz doesn't like about Edwin. Too pedantic and stalling, trying to make the dead wonder what he has to say. As a man, Edwin is too dramatic about the situation, even though what he is about to tell is sometimes dramatic, but because of this behavior, people who listen will feel lazy first.

"What the hell? If you want, quick tell me. If not I want to go back to work."

Edwin held Diaz who had already put on his standby position in front of the computer, swallowing his saliva first before saying, "I saw your ex in the lobby."

The wrinkles on Diaz's forehead returned, and the man was getting ready to get up from his chair while muttering, "What else does she want? I've told you many times that we can't go back anymore."

And for the second time in five minutes, Edwin kept Diaz from taking a position other than facing him, keeping the man from going anywhere.

"Get out of the way. I will tell her so she doesn't—"

"She's not here for you."

Diaz's brows knit together, giving him a questioning look that Edwin certainly caught without Diaz making a sound.

"She came here with the Boss, and took the Boss's arm like normal dating people."

And Diaz managed to be stunned, in his chair with a computer screen showing some of his work.

***

Diaz thought what Edwin was saying was bullshit or a hallucination, and it might have made more sense if Edwin had seen it wrong. But during lunch break, Diaz saw clearly and directly. How the ex-lover she was about to marry was now hand in hand with his big boss, they were together and smiling at each other, looking like two people in love in every eye of anyone who saw the two.

The woman seemed to be enjoying her excitement by several employees who intended to greet the big boss—who indirectly greeted her for being right next to the most influential man there. Her smile was still etched on her lips when she met Diaz's eyes, the woman's smile disappeared and after that, she chose to ignore Diaz there—or rather as if they didn't know each other.

Diaz's smile faded slightly. He didn't feel hurt at all or anything, instead, it was more towards gratitude which he mumbled several times in his heart. At least now he knew that leaving her was for the best because Diaz obviously couldn't spend his life with that kind of woman. Diaz is grateful that his marriage with the woman failed, even if his love failed. At first, it was painful. But either way, Diaz knew, there was a silver lining in the pain he felt months ago.

"How is it? Seeing your ex now walking with the boss?" Edwin nudged him who had frozen in the corner of the lobby, the man was carrying two cups of coffee in his hand. One then he gave to Diaz. "A treat for my troubled friend," he mumbled as he moved the coffee into Diaz's hand.

A small snort escaped Diaz's mouth as he received it, "Who's upset? I'm fine," Diaz said as he took a sip of the coffee in his hand.

The two of them walked down the lobby, about to return to their room after their respective tummies were done. Beside him, Edwin who got the answer fixed his eyes on Diaz, glancing at the sanctions whether what his friend said was true or just a self-protection sentence. Isn't that usually the case? Men will be prestige if their ex-lover gets a man who is more successful and even more so than himself.

"Seriously? Don't want to revenge? What are you talking about to the boss so that the boss knows how bad that girl is and leaves her."

"For what? Do you think this is a soap opera? Besides, where do men do that? You watch too many soap operas from a female point of view or what?" Diaz chuckled, pressing the elevator button before a few seconds later the elevator doors opened.

Edwin sneered, disapproving of being accused of such a thing, even so, he remained faithful to follow behind because their goal was the same—to return to the desk.

"But she—"

"Seeing her today I feel grateful. Thankful that I didn't marry her, grateful that I didn't spend my time and life with her. Did you see her arrogant attitude and gaze with the boss' employees? Look at her acting like she doesn't know me at all."

Edwin silently nodded in agreement, pondering Diaz's words in silence as the elevator continued to move towards the floor they were going to. As soon as the elevator opened, Edwin mumbled, "Unfortunately, the boss never caught her accompanying you to the office, and even if he did, the boss might not have noticed because he doesn't care about outsiders. But if the boss finds out, I'm sure the boss won't want to be with your ex either." He said passionately, unfortunately, it was ignored by Diaz's cell phone ringing and screaming from his pants pocket.

Without needing to respond to Edwin's words, Diaz reached for his cell phone. The man was successfully made to frown with the caller's name dancing on the screen.

"Claire?"

"Huh?" Edwin, who responded, threw a questioning look because he didn't know that Diaz didn't hear everything he said. Diaz only raised one hand and left Edwin alone in confusion, watching Diaz's back pass with a hand motion to his ear.

"Hello? Claire?"

"Mr. Diaz? I'm Elise, Ms. Claire's assistant. Excuse me, could Mr. Diaz come over to Massachusetts General Hospital now? I thought Ms. Claire might need you..."