A/N: As usual, I would recommend putting the video on loop. 

Trust him. Lee supposed that was fair; he was asking the same of her, but her position, from her perspective anyway, demanded that trust more. He had messed with her and caused her trouble in the beginning before he found out about Anita's treachery. To her, he owed her that promise first since he had proven himself to be a dangerous foe. She probably worried that he'd kill or attack her after he dealt with Anita. Well, he would if she proved to be the same as her friend, and that's why he needed her promise too. Not again would he be deceived.

You want me to tell you Anita's plan? Her (e/c) eyes glanced to the note, and she nodded. (F/n) wiped away some of her tears and glanced up to him. A brief nod came from him as did a silent sigh. Nearly, a laugh came from him too. How quickly things changed. His plan of keeping the information from her, letting her figure it out and watching in interest faded away. After what he saw tonight, after what he felt, he couldn't keep going down that path. And, you'll answer truthfully? That time, she gave a nod.

Slowly, she pulled away from him as he began to write more down. Her legs crossed on the bed, and her hands rested on them gently. (F/n) hung her head as she waited. A few more tears fell before she wiped some of them away. When the note was placed in front of her, her heart felt like it might stop. She's going to take away the café from you. Kaleb will become the new manager. You'll be moved to another company, his, if you want it.

Why? Just why? Then again, what she had learned at the restaurant had been bizarre too, hurtfully so. Now, she felt even more lost. Her lips parted to speak but no words came out. Café Rose Tea had been their dream together. Ever since high school, they had been working towards it. They went to their respective schools after graduation to gain further experience in running a café. Kaleb never had been a part of that. He was going to take over his parents' business, so why did he want to manage their café, and why would Anita agree to that? What was she planning to make sure that she got entire ownership of the café before letting Kaleb in?

All this time ... Had she ever actually known Anita? Had she been played the fool since the first day they met? Around her, it felt like glass was shattering. Of course, she didn't have to believe what Lee just wrote to her, but it was hard not to after what happened at the restaurant. Anita had given Tristan a picture of her and had lied about knowing Tristan during culinary school. It seemed that even Kaleb's parents were aware of what was going on. Probably, Tristan's to a degree as well. "I ..." she started out, words leaving her again. She leaned forward and nearly fell off the bed, but Lee reached out and grabbed her waist to stabilize her back on the bed.

Letting go of her, he wrote another note. I know that this doesn't seem real. But, it is. Barely, she responded with a nod of the head. It's your turn now, though. Swear to me what I asked. I'll know if you're lying. Steadily, she peered up to him, and her (e/c) optics met his dark brown ones.

No doubt this was a leap of faith, but what he disclosed to her made sense given what had happened even if she didn't want to believe it, even if she wished this all to be a horrid nightmare. But, she needed help, and he was offering it. Not to mention that he realistically would see and hear what she wouldn't. Anita and Kaleb would think him only a mannequin; they wouldn't mind telling their secrets in front of him. She just hoped that she didn't regret this decision down the road.

Sighing softly, she kept her eyes focused on his. "I swear that I'm not like her. I would never do such a thing to her." Finally, words found her properly again, and only a few more tears fell. No sobs came. Her gaze broke with his, and she stared down to her lap. "But, is this betraying her? Is stopping her? Fooling her? I ..." A hand rested over her left one. (E/c) eyes moved back to his own optics before a note found its way onto her lap shortly after.

No. You're defending yourself. What you worked for. She's the one who performed the betrayal. She went behind your back. You're allowed to defend yourself, (f/n). His hand squeezed hers lightly, and she ... appreciated the gesture. Besides, the fact that you're asking such a question only proves to me that you're not like her. I can tell that you're not lying. You wouldn't sound so broken otherwise, so worried.

"Did you feel like a stranger too?" Her question was quiet, her voice soft. His hand relaxed its grip on hers, and he stared at the wall by the door. Eventually, he wrote a note.

Yes. Admittedly, she was expecting him to ignore the question and to change topics. But, she had her final confirmation. He went through the same thing, but how did he end up like how he was? Tempted, she asked, but he didn't respond that time. Instead, his gaze remained off of her, and she imagined that if it was like her case that the memories were utterly painful.

"Are you doing this because you pity me?"

Yes. And, I don't want see Anita get her way. I don't want you to end up thrown away. I can't let something like that repeat. It's why I had you swear to me. Both of his hands moved to his lap and clenched. I don't take kindly to acts like what Anita is pulling.

"Then ..." Now, she stared to the wall as though it held all of the answers. "What's the end result? How do we go about this? Stop what they're doing? But, what then?" She also could walk away. Abandon Anita before she abandoned her, but that would give Anita what she wanted. Kaleb would manage the business, and they'd be continuing the café. Over time, maybe sooner than later, Anita probably wouldn't even bat an eyelash at what had happened.

Leaning his arms on his thighs, he looked like he was chuckling. Yet somehow, she felt like his laughter contained sadness in it. Perhaps, it was because of the current atmosphere in the room. She didn't know, but it felt painful somehow. A note was tossed to her. What do you want? That was a good question.

"I ... don't know." Now, a bitter laugh parted from her. A pained smile touched her lips. "My friend back? To know that this wasn't all a charade to her?" Her head hung more. "To not feel like a stranger in my own home." (F/n) glanced over to him. "Is that possible?"

Eyes not meeting hers, he looked like he chuckled again. I've watched her. I've watched you. Both of you. I've seen her interact with Kaleb versus you. Would you like the hard, whole truth? Or, just a fraction of it? Now, he met her gaze, and even if his expression was neutral, it felt piercing. Like he knew that a part of her already knew that getting Anita back wouldn't be possible, that their friendship, if it even could be called that, would never be the same.

"Tell me." Her hands tightened around the skirt of her dress. "All of it." (F/n) focused on her lap again and how her muscles tensed as her fingers gripped the fabric. Another tear escaped her. It was silent, but she still saw it splash against her clothing. Her heart still ached, but it needed to listen. Lee averted his eyes back to the wall until he wrote a response.

She uses you. Maybe, some part of her considers you a friend, but you're expendable. She loves Kaleb more than her friendship with you. To retrieve her own happiness, she's willing to sacrifice yours, and she knows that you'll give up yours for hers. Her fingers couldn't tighten around her dress anymore, and she bit her bottom lip to keep herself from sobbing again. Still, her vision was becoming blurry and the note hard to read. You're a true friend, and she exploits that. That's who she is as a person. It's why she's attracted to Kaleb like a moth to a flame. He exploits others for his own happiness, his own desires too. They go to each other because they know that they can use each other for their own gain.

Energy draining from her again, she tilted and leaned against Lee. Even though his limbs were plastic, they felt comforting in that moment. He was someone to lean on, and her eyes looked to more of the note. And, I think that a part of you knows that. Like I mentioned before, but you're too kind to accept that you've been in denial. You've always had your worries about Anita, but you didn't want to leave her. She was your best friend in your eyes, and you didn't want to be alone. But now you've seen what she's like, what she's willing to do for her own benefit, and you can't hide away.

Gradually, her eyes closed. She released her lip, and the note fell from her lap. It swayed back and forth until it hit the ground. His right hand gently rested on top of her head. "... So, what do I do? What I want ... It's not possible." Another note was placed into her right hand.

Fight back. Think of how you want to prevent her from kicking you out. That sounded simpler than it was, and her mind was too shocked from it all to think of a solution in that moment. He took the note from her and added something. She looked to it. I have my own solution, and I'd like to see it through if only a little bit.

Diverting her eyes up, she had a feeling she knew what he was referring to. "You want to kill her? Kill Kaleb?" He nodded. It'd give him great satisfaction. "... No." She shook her head, and she pulled away from him. (F/n) managed to stand on her feet. "There are other ways. And, there's still Tristan." Lee held out another note.

Well if not that, I did mention only a little bit. Perhaps, though, you should first tell me about Tristan. What did you hear? What did you see? She wondered how he planned to kill someone only a little bit, but she supposed talking about Tristan would be a good start. Pushing back some of her hair and some of her tears in the process, she gave a light nod.