THE LOVE OF MY LIFE
81. Proposal???

The sound of knocking on the bedroom door made Nayla wake up from her seat and immediately open the room door after turning off the computer she had just used.

"Ah, you're Roy? What's up?" welcome Nayla after opening the door.

"I have business with other agencies, and we're probably going home tonight. Would you like to come along? We can have dinner outside" asked Rory.

"Ehmm, I'm just here" replied Nayla.

"But, no one is accompanying you here" explained Rory.

"I would be uncomfortable if I went with you, Roy, instead" Nayla said.

"But what if something happens to you?" reply Rory's worried.

"I'll call you right away" Nayla said.

"You sure?" ask Rory to make sure.

Nayla nodded slowly.

"Alright, then rest. I'll order you some food for your dinner later" Rory rubbed Nayla's head.

"Ehh, no need Roy. I'll eat out later," refused Nayla.

"Together someone?" search Rory.

"I don't think so" replied Nayla hesitatingly.

"What do you really want to say, hm?" asked Rory frowning.

"Actually, I have an appointment with someone. He's my friend, and we haven't seen each other in a long time. I'll just meet him" said Nayla.

"Is he a man? Or women?" ask Rory.

"Both" answered Nayla.

"Then the driver will drive you. I'll ask him to come back after dropping us off" Rory said.

"No need, Roy. Really am. I can take a taxi" refused Nayla.

"Why should I take a taxi? You can use my car if you don't want to go with the driver" Rory said.

"I don't want to drive" replied Nayla.

"Well, if that's what you want. Call me when you're done. Maybe I can pick you up later," Rory said.

Nayla nodded slowly. Before leaving, Rory kissed Nayla on the forehead, then rubbed her face.

"I'm leaving" he said.

"Be careful" said Nayla, answered with a nod of her head.

Nayla closes the door when Rory is no longer visible. He immediately changed his clothes and straightened his hair.

After returning from a trip to Paris, Nayla lives with Rory and the others in the same building. The room is well prepared. Starting from the clothes and everything needed to adjust the situation.

Nayla stared at her own reflection. Plain shirt left open without buttons with matching colored interior.

Meanwhile, Rory and her friend are waiting in the car at the corner of the road. Waiting for Nayla to come out.

"Do you still suspect Nayla?" ask Thomas to Rory.

"No. I just want to know what he's really hiding. The reason he was acting so strange the first time he lived here, and the reason why he was always looking for an excuse to leave," explained Rory.

"He always seemed uncomfortable when I asked, which is why I asked my parents not to ask him that question,"

"The plan you're doing now, is it because you heard him calling someone?" ask Thomas.

"Yes, I accidentally heard he was going out today by mentioning the promise he had made" Rory said.

"Talking about your parents, I didn't think he was preparing a gift for your parents" Ethan said.

"I was surprised when he gave them the gift, and he gave the gift that could be said to be the only one" Nathan said.

"Well, they never stopped talking about Nayla after that" Kevin continued.

"Sstt, Nayla is out" Thomas said.

They noticed Nayla stepping out of the building. His hand waved calling for a taxi and immediately got on after the taxi stopped in front of him.

They told the driver to follow Nayla when the taxi started moving.

Nayla asks for a taxi to take her to the office where she works. His hand pressed the phone to contact someone.

"Don't ask too many questions! I'll be at the office for a second. Can you get me a hat or something so I can get into my room unhindered?" pinta Nayla as soon as the call is connected.

"I'll be waiting for you downstairs" she replied.

"Thank you" Nayla replied and immediately turned off her phone.

The taxi began to slow down and pulled over in front of the office where Nayla worked. Not far from the entrance, Adrian had been waiting for him.

"Sorry sir, can you wait? You just keep the argometer on," Pinta Nayla was polite.

"Sure miss, I don't mind waiting" greeted the friendly taxi driver.

Nayla smiled thankfully and immediately entered the company of Adrian. Heading to his study where his boss had been waiting.

"How you doing, Nay?" ask Darwin.

"I'm good sir, thank you," replied Nayla.

"A lot of things have happened lately, Adrian even to the point of difficulty just to meet you," said Darwin.

"I myself have no other choice either" replied Nayla sighing softly.

"I just want to confirm your request about the book to be published this time, are you sure?" ask Darwin.

"I'm sure, sir," Nayla replied without hesitation.

"Alright, you just have to sign this. Don't worry, I made this contract as detailed as possible. You can still keep your identity a secret because I'm providing a requirement for anyone who's going to buy your book" Darwin said.

"Thank you very much, sir," welcome Nayla.

Nayla nodded and left with Adrian. They walked in silence until they reached the exit.

"I'm sorry for burdening you, Adrian" said Nayla.

"Don't say words like I'm someone else to you. I understand his condition. And you don't have to worry about your apartment, I'll take care of it" Adrian said sincerely.

"Thank you very much" said Nayla.

Nayla immediately got into the taxi again and waved lightly at Adrian who immediately replied to her.

"You've done a lot for me, now it's my turn" murmured Adrian.

Adrian turned around and went back into the office after the taxi Nayla was riding away. Until he does not realize Rory's car is back to follow Nayla.

"What's he doing? He wasn't fired, was he?" ethan asked, opening his voice.

"Of course, maybe if it's about work, he'll answer when asked," Rory said.

His eyes kept watching the taxi that kept walking towards the building where they were staying. However, the taxi stopped in front of a flower shop not far from the building.

Rory stared in silence as Nayla smiled brightly with a large bouquet of red Carnations and Amarylis in her hand and immediately returned to the taxi.

The taxi continued to walk past the building where Rory lived. Those who saw Nayla were busy with their own thoughts. Until, when the taxi that was riding Nayla stopped, making them choked.

The taxi stopped at the parking lot of a cemetery. Nayla got out of the taxi after telling the driver to wait.

Exhaling slowly and putting a smile on her face, Nayla stepped in.

Rory goes down and follows Nayla, followed by all her friends. Walking slowly and keeping their distance, they hid behind a tree not far from where Nayla was. It made them faintly hear Nayla speak as if someone was in front of her.

"Are you okay as long as I don't come? I hope you're not mad at me" Nayla said on her knees.

"So many things happened, sometimes I lost my time to visit my sister. It seems I still suck at timing," Nayla laughed softly and placed a bouquet of flowers over her sister's grave.

"Does Nick remember the building where you worked? For a few days, I stayed there. At first, I thought I could see my sister if I stayed there," took a slow breath.

"The flower shop, the crossroads, I really wish I could see you just once, but still you don't see me,"

"This bracelet,," Nayla raised her hand to stare at the circular bracelet on her wrist.

"I felt it was time to let it go when it was lost to me. Because I believe my brother will not leave me. But, again he brought this bracelet back to me, and tried hard to fix it"

"He even had friends who were so good to me that they took care of me when I was sick. Among them was one person who looked a lot like Nick's sister," Nayla smiled slightly.

"If he's a little faster to get angry than big brother, but the way he's protecting someone is the same way Nick's legs protect me. In fact, when I wasn't wearing this bracelet and he was around me, I felt like my brother was there, too,"

"Including when he was arguing with Chris. Hahhh, (sighs softly and laughs short) I know you won't like it because I stopped calling Chris big brother, but I can promise Nick one thing,"

"I'll call Chris brother again if Nick's feet see me once, because I miss Nick's and Chris' old brother so much" Nayla smiled again, she opened her eyes to hold back her tears.

"Now that I also understand, I will live better. And sister see, right? I don't cry easily anymore. Because I was so sure that sister never left me and was always by my side" Nayla started to stand up.

"I'll spend more time coming to visit my sister, see you again, Nick's sister,"

Nayla closed her eyes for a moment, then smiled as she felt the wind gently blow down her face.

With that, Nayla left the tomb with a faint smile on her face. While Rory is still stuck in his hiding place.

"Is this what he's been hiding all this time?" his his hiss while rubbing his face.

"We'd better get back to the car, before we lose Nayla" Thomas said.

None of them could open their voices, they simply walked away from the cemetery after looking briefly at the tomb with flowers on it, and praying in silence.

They followed Nayla in silence. Their minds were still trying to digest what he had just seen.

'Is this the figure I doubted from the beginning? All my words turned out to be a knife that slashed his heart," Martin said.

'So this is what he meant by clearly understanding what I was feeling? But I thought it was just a prank, in fact he felt something much more hurt than me, Kevin's inner self.

'Who has always smiled without burden? It's hard to believe this if I don't see it, ' Ethan's mind.

"Actually, I knew this when the incident happened" Thomas said.

"And you just shut up?" welcome Rory to sound upset.

"Then what? I have to say it while you're being influenced by the rumors?" toilet Thomas.

Rory again choked, Thomas words felt slapped on his face.

"Now is not the time to talk about this, I'll tell you later. All I'm asking you now is, stop assuming without a clear basis before you properly investigate" Thomas said.

Rory fell silent, again feeling a crushing blow. Something he could not deny even if he wanted to.

When it was getting dark, the taxi Nayla was riding on started to pull over. Nayla got out and the taxi left.

"It looks like this is where Nayla is going to meet the person she said she was" Thomas murmured.

Nayla walked inside which looked like an empty and slightly dark alley. There's only a light at the end of that alley. They immediately followed Nayla with a feeling of worry.

At the end of the alley, a table and a pair of chairs had been prepared with candlelight illuminating the table and decorated with red roses.

A man in an old ash suit immediately turned his head when he heard Nayla's footsteps.

"You're coming?" welcome the man with a bright smile.

"You know me, Antony. I promised I'd come, of course I'd come" Nayla said.

Antony stepped closer to Nayla. The smile on his face turned into a nervous smile. When they were only a few inches away, Antony grabbed both of Nayla's hands.

"What?" Nayla raised her eyebrows confused.

"WILL YOU MARRY ME,???"

"...."

"..."

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