Love Doesn't Have a Price - Chapter Seventeen

Giving up doesn't always mean you are weak; sometimes it means that you are strong enough to let go.

-- Unknown

Love Doesn’t Have A Price

Chapter Seventeen: Turnabout’s Fair Play

Her apartment looked depressingly stable when she re-entered it. The signs that nobody had lived in it for the past eight months were everywhere, from the fine layer of dust covering open surfaces, to the musty smell of windows not having been opened for a long time.

Apart from that it looked exactly the way she had left it, she was surprised to realise that she was not overly happy about this fact.

Casting it off as childish foolishness she released her luggage on the carpeted floor and immediately crossed to her fridge. The stench of off food and milk was overwhelming over here. A sigh escaped her as she held one hand to her nose whilst the other pulled out the off products and immediately dumped them in the bin.

She wished silently that she had though to clean out her fridge before she left, but rebuked it as she realised that she could never have conceived the need to be away so long. It was after all, supposed to have been a weeklong business trip, tops.

Opening the doors to her balcony to allow some of the fresh autumn air stream in she walked the garbage out to the chute and hoped fervently that it burned.

Showering and dressing simply in pink tracksuit pants a white tank top with a pink tracksuit jacket that cut off halfway she exited her apartment.

Entering her silver Maybach 57, Tomoyo’s wedding present to her that hadn’t yet been shipped over, she drove down to the studio. There was a large line there, models from all around the world trying on their outfits for Tomoyo’s new show in a few weeks. A couple waved to her, several came across and greeted her, congratulating her on marrying and wondering whether she thought she would get pregnant soon.

Sakura took each comment with a smile and a politely vague answer; it was only a matter of time before it got out into the papers that she and her husband had split.

Breaking away from them she crossed the studio to Tomoyo’s personal office and stepped inside, waving at her assistant Leo cheekily as he tried to stop her from going in.

She entered to find a bare office, one without any signs that someone had resided in it recently.

A slightly puffing Leo entered behind her sending her a reproachful look, “That’s what I was going to tell you Sakura, Miss Daidouji’s not here, she left early this morning.”

“Oh, where for?”

“She’s gone to England.”

I

It was late when Sakura returned to her apartment, the sun had set hours ago and the streetlamps illuminating the streets set a warm glow to her surroundings. Tossing her keys to the valet Sakura stepped from her car and entered the elevator.

Her apartment was on the fifth floor and it took her all of ten seconds to reach it. The door opened and she found a face staring back at her.

Letting out a shrill scream she smashed her finger into the down button.

“Sakura chill, it’s just me.”

Her mouth formed an “o” as she recognised the voice. “Mei Ling?”

By now the elevator doors were closing and she shoved her finger on the open button quickly.

“What are you doing here?”

Mei Ling placed her hands on her hips huffily, “I want to know what happened.”

Sakura grimaced. “Oh, that.”

Scowling as Sakura stepped out and unlocked the door to her apartment Mei Ling replied sarcastically, “Yeah, that.”

Opening the door and placing her groceries on the counter Sakura asked politely if Mei Ling would like some coffee.

“No, I just want to know what happened.”

“Well I need some coffee so you can wait a minute.” Sakura responded with a sigh.

When she’d finally prepared her self the heavily sweetened brew and sat down Sakura began. Ten minutes later when she was finished Mei Ling exploded.

“Why would you just let him think that? Why not say something in your defence?”

Sakura smiled at her bitterly. “Because I’m sick of it.”

Mei Ling stared at her silently, “What?”

Taking a deep breath Sakura repeated herself, meeting Mei Ling’s eyes.

“It never ends,” she explained at Mei Ling’s quizzical look, “Syaoran never trusted me to begin with, he’s been proven wrong on many counts now and has never once said he’s sorry. Syaoran doesn’t trust me, and as long as he doesn’t trust me then this will never work.”

Mei Ling looked down ashamed, “I know he has his faults and I know he jumps to conclusions too quickly, but Sakura you two were perfect together.”

Sakura shrugged. “Maybe we were, but I can’t do it.”

“You’re upset about this aren’t you?” Mei Ling queried gently.

“Am I that transparent?”

“You haven’t cried yet have you?”

Sakura looked at the ground, “No.”

Pulling her into a strong hug Mei Ling stood and smiled, “I think I need to go see someone.”

Nodding Sakura watched as she left. Releasing a gentle smile she flipped on the TV and for the first time since they’d broken up, she cried.

I

Speaking English was not something Tomoyo had needed to do for a while. Still, the foreign words came back to her easily and her voice held little trace of an accent.

“Hello,” a taxi driver commented smiling at her, “Do you need a ride?”

She smiled back, “I do but I’m not sure where to yet.”

“Oh?” he cocked a brow in confusion.

“I have to find out where my friend, Hiiragizawa lives first.” Hooking a loose strand of hair around her ear she looked around for some sort of telephone.

“Hiiragizawa? I can take you there.”

She frowned, “You know where it is?”

He grinned, “Every cabbie in England knows where that house is ma’am.”

Her mouth formed an “o” as the man helped her into her car. Within half an hour she knew exactly why.

The Hiiragizawa estate was one of those extremely large, extremely old mansions. One of the kinds that had mostly crumbled down over the years.

As she got out the taxi driver smiled gently, “I’ll just wait here shall I?”

“I don’t seen any immediate need for you too, but you can if you want.”

Ok, so now Tomoyo thought the taxi driver was just a little odd. Why would she want him to wait when she wouldn’t be back for a while.

Stepping towards the gate she hit the button and waited as the fuzzy sound erupted.

“Yes?”

“I’m here to see Eriol Hiiragizawa?”

“Do you have an appointment?”

Tomoyo frowned, she hadn’t considered that. “No, I’m a friend of his from Japan.”

“I’m sorry but-“

“Oh give it a break Toady,” Another voice cut in, “Let her in.”

“Of course.” The gate opened and the cab driver who was looking at her in something akin to amazement carried her bags to the door before practically running back to the car.

The door was thrown open and a stiff middle aged man exited and picked up her bags, followed by a tall beautiful girl with dark red hair.

Tomoyo was taken aback by the sight of her. A part of her was hurt and another part annoyed. Eriol had never mentioned that he had a girlfriend. Dressed in a cream cashmere sweater and jeans the woman looked every inch the beautiful society wife.

“So, is there a reason you’re here?” she rattled off moving aside to let her in.

Walking through the beautiful large corridor until she reached the formal sitting room and sat. Indicating the plush cream sofa across from her she asked for some tea and cake to be served.

“Let me guess. Reporter? You’re too classy to be a love-sick fan or fortune hunter.”

Tomoyo forced a smile, “Actually I’m not. I’m a …business partner of Eriol’s.”

“He’s due to be home any minute.” Her voice was polite but her eyes hard. She didn’t believe one word Tomoyo was saying.

“You speak English well for a Japanese.” The woman stated as the tea was set on the coffee table in front of them. Picking up a cup she sipped it gently.

Adding a small amount of cream and sugar to hers Tomoyo sipped at the Tea as well, studying the woman opposite her.

After sitting and watching each other for ten minutes or so a voice sounded through the doorway.

“Nakuru, Todee says that you let some fortune seeker in-“ he cut off staring at Tomoyo in confusion.

She didn’t rise or even smile at him, Nakuru’s presence across the room was too clear.

“Nakuru, this is Daidouji Tomoyo, Tomoyo this is my cousin Nakuru.”

“So you do know her Eriol?” Nakuru grinned, “That’s great, she seems like such a nice person.”

“She is.” A bittersweet smile rested on his lips, “So what exactly is it you’re here for Tomoyo?”

She sat back. What was she here for exactly?

I

It was late, he wasn’t sure how late, he’d been working non-stop that day, trying to bury the memories of his wife as far away as possible.

Sighing Syaoran saved the document he was working on and shut off the computer. The door opened as he did.

“Hello Syaoran.”

The voice made his blood run cold.

“Aiko.”

She smiled, fiddling with her loose blonde hair.

“What are you doing here?”

She crossed the room to stand in front of him. “I heard about your wife, I came to see how you’re doing.”

He glanced at her sceptically.

“Oh come on baby,” she cooed resting one thin hip against his chair, an arm slung around his shoulders. “I know we had some bad times, but we’re still friends.”

He shifted, pushing her away and standing. “I find that hard to believe Aiko.”

“But its true.” This was whispered as she slid her way to him, pushing her curved figure against his body.

“You think that as soon as I break up I’m going to come running back to you Aiko?” he scoffed, “I won’t. So you can stop sending me your little photo’s.”

She gasped and pulled back, “How did you know?”

“Come on, you’re a possessive bitch Aiko, I find it hard to believe that the day after my marriage’s breakdown when not even my family knows yet, you do.”
Her face twisted. “Fine Syaoran, you know, you’re not even worth all my trouble.”

I

The door opened to his office for the second time that night. Not that the woman walking through it this time knew that. She was only interested in one thing, finding the owner of this office and smacking some sense into him.

“What do I owe this pleasure too?” he asked sarcastically.

“You are an idiot.” She pronounced carefully, dropping into the couch opposite him.

“Yes I know.”

She was slightly taken aback by that.

“But then so are you.”

She grimaced. “So you know about Jace.”

“Yes.” He replied looking up for the first time since she’d entered, “I know about Jace.”

“It’s a completely different situation.”

He shrugged.

“You know Syaoran. You lost the best thing that ever happened to you, and you’re going to have to live with that for the rest of your life.”

It wasn’t until she was walking from the elevator that the full implication of her words hit her. Entering the car she changed her route, heading out to find Jason.