Sari was feeling extremely depressed.

It had been over a week now that Kyle hardly talked to her.

The phone calls she got were always cut short and now?

When she tried to call, it went straight to voice mail.

Kyle said he was really, really busy as there was something going on in the company that he had to settle.

But surely, that didn't mean he couldn't be more attentive?

The insecurities she had just kept on piling.

It didn't help that Dina had an online subscription to Country Tz's major newspapers. Three, to be exact.

There had been no news about anything happening at the Smith industries company. The only huge news that they got was about the Elite Five.

Xing Han breaking off his engagement. Ali getting married.

In fact, there was no news about Kyle. At all.

Was he really in Country Tz?

Would he really have missed Ali's wedding?

It was during this time that the person who gave her the greatest comfort was Hamdan, the guy that she had met at the mixer she helped Dina with.

She had told him she had a boyfriend, but he said he just wanted to get to know her. Be her friend.

Sari didn't see anything wrong with that.

It wasn't like she couldn't have those of the opposite sex as friends, right? She had a boyfriend, but it didn't mean she could not mix around.

So long as the boundaries were set, and the other party knew that she wasn't interested in any way, it was fine.

She even found the words of Grace to be annoying. What has her, having Hamdan as a friend, got anything to do with anyone?

She wasn't doing anything wrong.

Yet, the words of Grace rang in her mind, 'If you have any problems, you talk it out with your boyfriend, and not another boy."

Sari scoffed at that.

Since the one that was causing her problems was her boyfriend, how could she ask him? She wanted to know a male's perspective and Hamdan gave her that.

Unfortunately, Sari fell into one of the most common mistakes couples make. Be it those who are in a relationship or those who have been married for quite some time.

She didn't think she was cheating on Kyle but in reality, she was.

When a person confides in another - especially one of the opposite sex - then, an 'emotional affair' has happened. The person you should confide in, is your beloved. No relationship is perfect.

Everyone will fight. Everyone will have unhappiness.

There will always be something that he, or she, does which annoys or makes one feel insecure. To save the relationship, you are to communicate it and talk to your beloved. If the other party is not willing, or clams up .. then it's best you simply walk away from such a relationship.

Kyle may have been abrupt in his speech sometimes, but he was confident that Sari would tell him if something was wrong. After all, before he left, he had told her to always be open with him.

He trusted her so much that there was not a single doubt in his mind about her feelings for him. He was sure that she would always talk to him. He made himself open to her and promised her the truth. Always.

So why would he suspect her of anything?

Yet, she was finding comfort, and solace, in the 'arms' of another guy. Though they never did have any physical contact, her closeness to Hamdan affected the level of intimacy with Kyle, creating an emotional distance that she never realised.

All she knew, was that she was feeling lonely and depressed and Hamdan helped alleviate that.

They were only talking, and he always made her feel better after she talked to him. With Hamdan, she didn't have to wonder or think.

She was just herself, baring all.

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Kyle stood frozen at the scene in front of him.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his hands were white, devoid of blood.

In front of him, was Sari at the outside cafe table with a guy. Just the two of them. From the looks of it, they were having fun. She was laughing, he was laughing. The entire atmosphere was too painful to see.

He was fighting the urge to rush over there, smash the guy's face and drag Sari away. He took several deep breaths, with his eyes closed, as he struggled to bring down the infamous Smith Anger.

She was just with a friend.

Nothing more.

Sure, she was laughing unreservedly, but that is normal.

Friends laughed together.

Kyle clenched his teeth and after five minutes, he finally managed to slow down his heartbeat and calm himself down.

Only when he got his emotions under control did he walk over to their table, slow and steady.

He wasn't close yet, but his sharp ears could already hear what they were saying.

"It's good to see you laugh," Hamdan said with a smile.

Kyle could see that stupid face, smiling at his girlfriend. Sari's back was to him, so she didn't know that he was approaching.

"Thank you, Hamdan," Sari said, her familiar sweet voice wafting through the air and hitting Kyle straight in the heart.

"You are a good friend," she said.

Hamdan suddenly reached out and held her hand, saying, "Sari, I know you have a boyfriend but he's not here right now. He's caused you so much pain. Why not break up with him and be with me?"

Kyle stopped, his ears not believing what he was hearing.

What would Sari's answer be?

He waited and cursed.

Damn it.

Why wasn't she rejecting him immediately?

"Oh Hamdan," Sari finally said, "I like you, I really do ... but ..."

"Then stay with me. I will make you happy, unlike your stupid boyfriend that just makes you cry," Hamdan said earnestly.