My Ex Next Door

Novie tiptoed and watched Ken's figure through the peephole, even his figure was small, she can see the grief in his face, it hurt her but she knows that being with him will bring risk not only to her but to her family as well.

Earlier, after she accompanied John back to his room, the man entered a room which seems to be the bedroom and came out with a phone in his hand.

John handed it to her and sighed.

"This is one of Ken Chu's video where he's killing a person, a shred of evidence I can use to put him behind the bars," John spoke in a serious tone, he sat down next to her and held her hands.

"You can watch the first 30 seconds video where the man was pleading but the rest, don't. I am afraid you will not be able to handle it" he continued.

Novie was puzzled, she stared at him with confusion all over her face.

John pushed the play button, her eyes lowered to the screen and saw the room which seems to be the basement, a man was sitting on the ground with a rope around his body and next to him was a young woman in her twenties tied up as well.

Around them are men with guns and bats in their hands, then the door opened and Novie's eyes widened when she saw Ken walking towards the young girl, he squatted and lifted the girl's face, then he leaned forward to her right ear and whisper something she could not hear.

Novie tilted her head while her heart pulsated like crazy, she knows what is going to happen, she wants to look away but her eyes watched at the screen.

Her shoulder jumped by the sound of the door, she looked at John with her forehead creased.

John got up and she followed, as she was about to open the door, he stops her and sighed.

"Ken killed my father, I know you're wondering how I got the video, I need evidence to put him behind the bars so Novie, tell me what should I do with this video" John spoke while his eyes stared at her.

Novie parted her lips, she doesn't know the answer. She loves Ken and she already accepted his past, but if John gives this video to the police, Ken will go to prison and she doesn't want him to experience that hardship. With all the enemy he made, she's certain that someone will kill him sooner or later.

She gulped, "Don't… don't give this to the police" Novie replied shortly.

John sighed. "Novie, you need to leave him, he will bring danger to you and to your family. If he's enemy will find out about you, they will take you and kill you or worse they will even kill your parents. So Novie, save your family and leave him, look at these" John paused and took the phone from her, he showed different photos of dead people with a shot in their head.

"This is Ken's doing, he always kills his victim in one shot, forehead. He might have changed but the killer version of him will stay, it's in his blood. His whole family is a mess, so Novie you still have a chance to prevent his enemy from killing you and your family. Leave him." John pursued and handed her the phone, her body starts trembling which caused her finger to push the play button.

Novie was baffled, she wants to see Ken but she knows that all of John's words were true.

"You can't be with someone like him" John whispered to her ears and opened the door, when she turned her eyes to the door, Ken's confused face greeted her.

She noticed the gun and the knife he was holding, and at that moment, she realized that John was right, she can't be with someone like him.

So she opened her lips to say that words she knows will bring pain to him.

-

After Novie saw Ken's body walking towards the elevator, she slumped her body on the floor while her back leaned against the wall.

Tears fell from her eyes like a broken faucet, she buried her wet face to her hands and cry all her pain. The pain she's feeling was not because of the words she said, but because of the pain she saw in his face.

She never expected her words could bring that much pain to Ken, his eyes were staring straight at her, swaying with mix emotion, then she remembered the day she left him five years ago, thinking it must be the same pain he felt when she left him.

She has never seen a person with so much pain, she wants to stop him and take her words back but John stops her saying she's doing this for her family safety.

"I hurt him so much John, I can't… his eyes… it's full of pain" she spoke in between her sobs, she doesn't want to hurt him, all she wanted was to make him happy but instead, she caused him more pain.

John pulled her body to hug but another knock on the door interrupted him.

"I will talk to him," John said and got up, Novie walks to the couch and stared at the floor.

"Ken, Novie doesn't--" John was interrupted when Daniella kicked his stomach and choke him.

"Let's see what secrets do you have" Daniella spoke coldly while looking at his eyes. John suddenly remembered Bea's words and immediately slapped Daniella's small body away, he turned around and walks to Novie.

"Let's go Novie" John grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the room but Peyton stopped him.

"Stop if you don't want me to break your legs"

"Daniella, check him" Peyton ordered Daniella to continue but Novie blocks her way.

"Leave him alone, I hurt Ken so you should go after me" she bravely said but her knees are trembling.

"Honestly, all I wanted was to tear your bone into pieces Novie. If you think my brother doesn't deserve you then you're wrong. You don't deserve my bother" Daniella spoke in an icy tone.

Novie gulped and tried to compose her body.

"Before you judge Ken, you should know the whole story, did you really watch the whole video? Try to watch it again. Did the girl die? Ken might have shot her but did you see her dying? Ask yourself Novie." Daniella took a step closer while giving her cold eyes.

"Do you know the real reason why Ken killed the man?"

"Why Ken didn't kill the girl?"

"Why the girl didn't cry after Ken shot her father?"

"Why we only heard the man pleading and not the girl?"

"Why Novie, why?"

Daniella yelled at her, Novie was speechless, she didn't watch the video fully but she already knows how it will end.

"Try to ask the man behind you that question, but once you have the answers don't ever show your face in front of my brother and remember his face, the pain in his eyes when you said those words" saying that Daniella lift a hand and the last thing Novie remembered was the pain in her neck.