My Ex Next Door

Novie brushed her palms together, confused with what's happening.

"He's still alive right?" she asked Ken who seemed not bothered by the situation, the man looked at her and shrugged his shoulder.

Novie's expression went poker, she switched her eyes to Leo who's still writing, as if no one came in.

"Leo, what are you doing?" she asked and walked to his direction, the little boy didn't bother to look at her.

"I am almost finish Aunt Novie, I just need to sign the last paper and..." Leo spoke in slow motion while his hand was busy flipping the pages.

"Done!" Leo blurted and wave the paper in the air. Novie was confused.

She tried to get the paper from him but the boy grabbed Ethan's wrist and drag him out of the office, before leaving she heard Leo asking Ethan where is the Admin office located.

The two kids didn't bother to close the door as they rushed out of the office, Novie turned to Ken.

"What is happening here? He's still alive right?" she asked Ken one more time.

Ken walked to the principal's direction and kicked the pillow on his face, his face shifted in disappointment.

"Unfortunately, yeah. Bad grass is really hard to kill huh!" Ken replied with his mouth twisted.

Novie went panic, she squatted on the floor to check his pulse but Ken stopped her.

"Let Alexa do it" He put Alexa down and let the girl handle it.

"Does she know how to check it?" Novie asked in confusion.

"Yes, their mother's taught them, don't worry he's not their first victim" Ken replied, unsympathetic with the situation.

Novie blinked, her lower lip quivered in nervous, unsure what to do.

Alexa sat on the floor and stared at the Principal, then her finger pokes the principal's eyes.

Novie's jaw went slack, disbelief with Alexa's action, the girl kept on poking the principals' eyes as if it was a doll then later slap the principal's cheek repeatedly.

Novie's face turned scarlet, she doesn't know whether to laugh or get angry.

"I thought she knows how to check it?" Novie asked Ken, the man looked at her, his heavy eyebrow were snapped together.

"I thought so too," he replied and turned to Alex.

"Lexi, don't you know how to check a person's pulse? I thought your mother taught you that?" the little girl got up and patted her butt to remove the dust on her skirt.

"I don't need to learn, Ethan and Leo will do it for me. Mommy said all I need to do is to learn how to control the boys" Alexa's round eyes blink, her brown pupils turned ash gray showing how exhausted she was.

"Uncle Ken, let's go and eat." then Alexa held Ken's hand while the other seized Novie's hand.

"Let's go. He will survive, it's only tranquilizer, not a venom" Alexa dragged them out of the office without waiting for their response.

"What about him?" Novie asked while walking away, when she looked at Ken and saw the darkness under his lashes, she decided to shut up. If she insisted on helping John, she's certain that she'll need to spend the whole night explaining herself.

–

Novie went back to her class while Ken and the triplets went back home after her mother called that the triplets father (Evan Su) is in the house.

After they left, Novie went to the Principal's office to check on him, it's not because she's worried but she doesn't want the triplets to be in trouble.

She knocked on the door, seconds later, it opened and John' s pissed off expression greeted her.

"Hi" She smiled awkwardly, she folded her palm together and wait for him to speak.

"Hi, I just met the kids and they are something," John spoke and widened the door for her.

"Don't you have a class?" he asked, Novie entered the room and occupy one of the chairs.

"Yes, but the students are taking notes so I thought of checking on you. Are you all right?" she asked in a worried voice.

The man chuckled, "Don't worry about my body, but I think my job is about to end. I received a call from the Department of Education asking me to report on Monday"

John sat on the chair while massaging his neck.

Novie suddenly remembered that Leo stood on the chair, and it was full of dust. Since John was wearing a black slack, she's certain that if he stand up, his butt will look like he had been sitting on the playground.

She sighed and hung her head, guilty.

"I just came here to make sure you're all right, Anyway I should get going" as she said those words, her body got up from the chair and walk to the door, but before her hand reaches the doorknob, John spoke.

"Can I take you out on a dinner this Saturday?", those words made Novie's eyes widened in shock, she gulped and turned her back.

"No, I have a boyfriend Mr. Castro" she exclaimed.

John got up and walks to her direction, then he removes her hand from holding the doorknob and push her body against the wall.

(!)

Novie was shocked, she put her hand on his chest and push him away but the man keeps on leaning closer.

"Please, Mr. Castro let me go, if you don't I will shout here" she stuttered.

She paled and tried to push him away but the man was too strong.

Panic overtook her mind, adrenaline rush throughout her body but she's too small and petite to fight back.

"Please… let me go" tears shimmered in her eyes as she thought of what can happen, when she stared at his eyes, the man's expression was too dark and that made her whole body shivered, scared of what he can do.

"Let you go? Your boyfriend, do you know what kind of man he was? Do you know how many women asked him the same question and end up dead? Do you really know the real Ken Chu?"

(!)

Novie's eyes went round, while her mind started thinking of what his cousin was saying before.

(He's a dangerous man Novie, Don't involve yourself to him)

Those words were on repeat playing in her head, she gulped while her knees weakened.

Her body slumped on the floor.

John squatted and held her shoulders.

"The feeling you have inside, a lot of women felt the same but unlike you, they were unlucky. They didn't escape the terror of Ken Chu. So before you involved yourself to his kind, make sure you're ready to face the consequences."

"Do you think your parents will be proud if they find out that your boyfriend was the former boss of Blue Dragon Organization, who terrorized the whole country?" John grinned wickedly.

"Novie, I apologize for what I did earlier but I want to show you how Ken Chu was before. Before he met you" Then John stood up, he extended his hand but Novie refuse it.

She walks out of his office without a soul, while all of his words keeps on playing in her head.

Finally, she reached the classroom. Her eyes looked at her students who are staring at her with a question on their faces.

At that moment, she realized that she has been crying all along.

She wiped her tears and sat down, her whole body was shaking but her heart feel all the pain.

She has been warned by her cousin but she ignored it, a regret feeling formed in her heart.

Novie was not sure whether she regrets meeting Ken or regret coming to John's office and find out the truth.

After some hours, the bell rang, students rushed outside to their parents that's been waiting for them.

Novie gathered all her books and decided to leave, while driving her mind was full of confusion.

She decided to stop next to the beach, she looked around and found the tree she used to hang out before with Mila.

She sat on the ground and stared at the water with the reflection of the sunset.

Her mind has decided. She knows that Ken was a ruthless man before, she might not have the number of how many people he had killed but she knows one thing, Ken loves her as much as she does.

So whatever his past was, she will accept it and face the consequences.

She exhaled all the fresh air from the sea and stared at the sun. She dialed Ken's number, when the man answered, a smile curved up her lips while her heart pounded with excitement.

"Ken, I will tell my father about our relationship later. Are you ok with that?" there was a moment of silence before Ken replied.

"Can't wait"