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Chapter 6

"Mom! Why did you do that?!” I shouted at him. His eyes immediately glazed over. In just a little while, I will lose my respect for him!

"What's going on here?" I pulled Michael away from there when I heard my stepmother's voice. Daddy's wife is a witch, Mommy is worse. Really useless!

"Why did you pull me and didn't even move away?!" I asked him annoyed.

We went upstairs and when I saw a servant I ordered him to get an ice compress. I opened the door of a guest room The girl I ordered also acted quickly and the room where she took the picture was nearby. I made Engineer Michael sit on the bed. I was just stunned when he looked at me.

"I'm fine," he said simply.

"Here it is, Young Lady." I violently grabbed it from the woman and sat next to her.

"Your cheeks are red. Are you still fine with that? Why didn't you just let it go? You're too carefree, aren't you!” I shouted at him. He just shrugged his shoulders. I reached his face but he had no intention of bending down so I stood up just to reach him. I looked directly at him. He didn't even flinch when I applied the ice compress to him. He just stared at me. I'm restless. I drown in his eyes every time I meet him. I frowned when he put both of his palms on the bed behind him so he was slightly moving away from me. "Don't move!" I shouted and grabbed his jaw. But he is also very naughty because he keeps walking away from me. “Michael, one!” I warned him.

I pulled his necktie but I only felt guilty when I saw his red cheeks. I don't want to increase my arrears with him.

I just held her hair and tweaked it. His eyebrows met. I tightened it but he didn't complain though. I don't think he is hurt.

"Sit on my lap," he said softly.

"What makes you so lucky? That's not a seat," I said teasingly.

“Fine. You are the one who will be in trouble."

"If only you would come closer to me!" I said. He grabbed my hand in his hair and pulled me closer to him. I sat on his lap. My eyes widened. I held him by his shoulder and I was about to stand up, but he bent down and pressed my hand that was holding an ice compress.

That way I didn't struggle anymore. It's just that his face is closer to mine. His fragrant and hot breath hits me. He even looked at my whole face, lingering on my lips.

He adjusted my sitting position and I had no choice but to let him. My shoulder jumped when I felt his hand on my waist.

"You're very beautiful..." he whispered and when I stared at him. His eyes were watering and he seemed to be sleepy because of his slow blinking.

I was deafened again by the force of the drum in my chest. I took a deep breath. I need to do this because my Mommy herself slapped him. Even though he seems childish and really naughty, I can't let his cheek just be swollen. It's still soft and smooth. Also visible because he is white.

"I know, right," I said and rolled my eyes. I closed my mouth tightly because of him touching my waist so our faces came closer. Just a few wrong moves and my lips will hit his. "Don't be naughty," I gently disobeyed him.

One of his hands moved to my cheek and my neck went numb. His palm was hot and rough caressing my right cheek. I let him again until he pulled the hair from my face and tucked it behind my ear.

The room seems to be getting smaller because the air conditioner has no power. I'm sweating, huh?

"You're 27 years old, and I'm 25 but still... Age doesn't matter," he said.

"Tell me. Why didn't you just say no?” I asked him. He shrugged his shoulder.

"Aside from I don't want to disappoint my grandfather. I'm interested in you," he said straight forward. I sighed again.

"You know what? No one is interested in me. Especially in my life? It's boring. You see, I come from a broken family. Dad has his own family and so does Mommy. I grew up in my aunt's pod and she became my mother and father. I have nothing to be proud of you either. I don't have a permanent address. Can't be fixed in one place also because I'm always in another country. I'm not perfect either," I said that I didn't know why I shared all that with him.

"But that's interesting, because... Despite what happened to you, you still survived all the trials. New Marie. Do you know I met a lot of beautiful girls but you're the most beautiful of them all?" he asked me and I rolled my eyes again. There is no connection to what I told him. Psh.

"Stop flattering me," I said flatly and removed the thing from his cheek. I was about to leave his lap but his arm tightened around my waist. "You've been here for a while, ah," I promised with raised eyebrows.

I put my palm on his chest to push him but he grabbed it and brought it to his lips. He kissed the back of my hand.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Novy Marie," he said and I felt like I was stiff because of his gentle kiss on my cheek. My heart is softening and only now... Only now that a man introduced himself to me like that he did.

I'm staring at the handsome face of the engineer

I'm eye to eye now. His eyes are cold but I can see the twinkle in his eyes. Enjoying the beautiful view in front of me right now, I couldn't help myself cupping his jaw, with my left hand because he was still holding another one.

"Don't you have anything to say? I'd like you to introduce me too," he promised in a low tone.

"You know me, huh," I uttered and shoved one finger into his lofty nose.

"I still want to hear your name from your lips," he said and when I bowed down he lifted my chin up and our eyes met. That nailed it on his red lips.

"Why are you so importunate?" I said. He just smiled at me just to melt my heart. I'm still a cold girl but this engineer can soften my heart. "Okay, fine. I'm Novy Marie V. Bongon, 27 years old. Can I kiss you?” suddenly I asked and my finger landed on his lips, it was also soft. I saw the redness of both his cheeks and his eyes were rolling. Until he picked me up and made me sit on the bed.

I looked at him in awe and just saw his fingers rubbing on his hair. When I realized what I said I also felt the heat of my cheeks. Where did I get the courage to tell him? But because I was too tempted to kiss him. I feel like I want to taste it. When it turns red, it looks like a candy and it looks sweet.

“Uhm... You... You're just joking, right? You didn't mean to tell me that, did you?" he asked more.

"Hmm... Nope, huh... I just wanna kiss you," I said directly. It's true that I want to kiss him. Why do I have these feelings right away?

"God... This woman..." he said and he seemed annoyed? Did he get mad at me because I just wanted to kiss him?

"Sorry. Is that a bad idea?” I asked him guiltily.

“Miss... Do you like that to guys—”

"Nope, huh! I like this only because of you! I just want to taste your lips! I feel like it's an apple... So...” I said and stared at his lips again.

"P-Please... Stop it. Let's just go back to the party," he begged me then his voice stuttered. I rolled my eyes.

"Ang damot, tss," I said emphatically making her lips part. I extended my hand to him to help him stand. "Just help me, please."

He took a deep breath and walked towards me. I immediately felt the electricity coming from his hands and he frowned. I was annoyed when he let go of my hand and was surprised that he even looked at his palm.

In my annoyance, I just stood up and bumped him on his shoulder. His art, huh?

When I left the guest room, he immediately followed me. I immediately felt his hand on my back. I even looked at his emotionless face. It's like it was red just a moment ago and then I just see—

"Miss, the party is here, oh," he said because I was going in a different direction and because he walked with me, he was also with me.

"I'm hungry. I don't want to go to the party. It's just you," I promised flatly. Because I have no intention of going back there.

"Miss." I pushed him in his chest because he pulled my elbow but it was in a gentle way. "Miss, even if you and your father don't have a good relationship and you don't like him, let him go at least for now. It's his birthday."

“Fine!” I closed my eyes tightly because he could command and please me like this!

The people we left earlier at the table were still smiling. I'm referring to Don Brill, Tita Mommy and Devi.

I never saw Mommy and my stepmom there. But his family is still here. My only sibling even waved at me. I made him suffer. He just scratched the back of his neck.

"You two sit down and finish your meal," said Aunt Mommy.

He even helped me to sit, so the three immediately watched it. Don Brill was only happier when he saw the gentlemanly nature of his grandson. Hey, they might also think that Engineer Michael and I did something because we both got better.

Eh, for nothing! The kiss is the other one. Psh.

I raised my eyebrows when Michael opened the lid of the salt jar. He added a little salt to my rice and I just watched because just now...

I just met someone like him who is super attentive. It seems like he was just teasing me. Dad, I have never seen him like this. I think it will be honored by other people.

"You're hungry, right?" I nodded. "Now eat," he said and gave me the spoon. "Are you sure that you only want rice?" he asked me and I nodded again.

"I'm allergic because of chili," I said and he was stunned but eventually he just nodded.

"Okay. Noted that, I won't eat anymore aside from this rice," he said. When I started eating rice, he did the same.

He didn't even eat the dish and then he took one bite after another. Is it really okay for him to eat without a dish? Even just salt?

I stopped eating when our three companions were looking at us.

"What?" I asked with surprise on my face. Devi just shrugged her shoulders, while Aunt Mommy just smiled and Don Brill continued to eat.

I even elbowed the person next to me who quickly grabbed my elbow. "What is it?" he asked in a soft voice.

"Why are you pretending? There are so many dishes, oh," I said and snorted it at him.

"I'm fine with this," he just answered and I didn't pay attention to him anymore. He said it was okay for him to eat that. He will take care of that.

"Anyway, cos. Are you serious that you haven't prepared a gift for your Dad?" my cousin asked me. I shook my head.

"You know me, Devi," I just said and looked at Don Brill. "Grandpa. Maybe it's possible to take back the sin—” I hadn't finished what I was going to say when Michael suddenly threw me some rice. My eyes widened because he still used his spoon.

I'm not hating, huh? Because that's just surprising. He wanted to kiss but he even used his spoon so it was like an indirect kiss. Well he is.

"Sorry about that, Grandpa. We're already talking about this. Right, miss?” he asked me but I couldn't answer because there was a lot of rice in my mouth. So what I did was I just gave a thumbs up even though I was about to say no.

I still saw Devi refrain from laughing. This man made me lonely. It's annoying. It seems that he is the only one who likes arranged marriage, eh.

"Oh, come on, Novyann. Let's dance," the Grandpa of the engineer next to me invited my aunt mommy and he immediately stood up. Then he accepted her hand.

"Go ahead. You too, coz,” Devi pushed us away. I was not going to ignore him anymore but Michael grabbed my hand and stood me up. I gave up too.

He took me to the dance floor where many couples were already dancing there. Because the music played is good and makes you feel good.

Take your time

We still have one more night

Take my hand, hold me tight

And never let go

I stared at him again. He brought my two arms to his shoulders but they just wrapped around him and when he lowered his hand to my waist he pulled me closer to him. I still breathed weakly because my chest hit his. I distanced myself a little.

I'll be here

Go ahead dry your tears

Promise me one more thing

You'll be alright

He didn't stop looking at me either. He is serious again and his face is emotionless. Thank you, he is handsome. Psh.

"Why did I just meet you now?" he suddenly asked me.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked him back and stroked his neck but he just pulled my elbow. I snorted and he looked down there, it was also transferred to my face.

"Why did we just meet now? And why not before?" he asked again.

To Be Continued...