Chapter 1. Questioning The Marriage Proposal

Plok! Plok! Plok!

"Wow! I didn't expect to get a very romantic show like this."

Instantly Elle's body shook violently and her blood felt like it was rushing when she heard the baritone voice that she recognized so well again. Even though her body was frozen, Elle tried to lift her head slowly.

Under the bright lighting of the restaurant lights, Elle saw the face that had appeared countless times in her dreams again. The situation was now awkward.

***

A few hours earlier.

Today was Elle's first day out of Archie's 'confinement'. After being at home for some time, Archie finally took Elle out for a big meal at a restaurant with the excuse of helping to increase Elle's appetite.

Yes, after returning from the hospital after Elle gave birth some time ago, Archie gave Elle a series of 'confinements'. Archie would not let Elle work hard so that Elle would not get tired, Archie would not let Elle go out of the house when the weather was hot. Archie even controlled what Elle could and could not eat.

Archie did all of that because since after giving birth until while Elle was breastfeeding, her body condition was not good. While living abroad, Archie was the one who took care of Elle and her twins.

Now Archie and Elle were in a restaurant with a very beautiful decoration. The restaurant lights shone warmly and looked very nice. The two of them chose seats near the window and Archie handed Elle the menu after they sat facing each other.

"Order anything, celebrate your freedom," Archie said with a charming smile that would make every woman melt if she saw it.

Elle felt very bad for Archie. During this year, she had become accustomed to going in and out of luxury restaurants that she thought were previously unaffordable for her.

Elle looked at Archie and smiled then said, "Today I will treat you. Just think of this as a form of my gratitude for having bothered you so much all this time."

Elle, who now earns her own money from her hard work, feels confident. She feels grateful to Archie because since she called that time until now, Archie has always taken care of her.

Archie who heard Elle say that could only laugh and say nothing, but he also did not refuse it. He immediately ordered food and drinks for him and Elle.

A few moments later, the waiter came with their orders. A portion of tenderloin steak with mushroom sauce for Elle and a portion of US prime rib eye steak served with salad and aus j sauce.

The food looked so delicious and appetizing to Elle. Without waiting long, Elle grabbed a fork and knife, then cut the steak into several pieces and then ate it in one big mouthful.

However, after only a few mouthfuls, Elle's appetite suddenly disappeared when she heard Archie say a few sentences.

"Eleonora ...." Archie suddenly grabbed Elle's hand. "What did I say at the hospital that time when will I get the answer?"

Degh!

Elle's hands suddenly stiffened, her heart beat faster. Elle took a deep breath to regain her composure. She put down the fork and knife in her right and left hands and then lifted her head which had been bowed.

She could see the man in front of her was very handsome, dressed in clothes that fit her athletic body shape that every woman dreams of. His eyes stared softly at her.

Elle remembered the day she gave birth to her twins, Archie proposed to her. However, because of exhaustion after giving birth to two children, coupled with crying continuously, she finally fell asleep without realizing it.

After that, an incident occurred when her little daughter was sick and she was busy taking care of her so that regarding Archie's proposal, she forgot about it and had not given an answer until now.

However, Elle actually did not completely forget about Archie's proposal. She had thought about it until she was tied up with 'how to respond to Archie'.

Because Archie never discussed it, Elle pretended to be stupid. Now Archie started asking about it again, it seemed that this time Elle could no longer fool him.

"Archie ...." Elle started to open her mouth after licking her lips. "You can get better than me ...."

Elle paused her words. She seemed to be thinking.

After her arrival with Archie in Berlin—the city they currently live in. Elle came to know how big Archie's power was. In fact, his business was bigger when compared to Dirk's family.

She was a woman who had been divorced and even married twice and had 2 children.

She came from a simple family to the point that Dirk's family said that she deliberately married a man who had more power and authority than her son just to climb higher. To raise the family's social status.

Even though Archie was very good to her, Elle didn't dare to believe it because the two men who had entered her previous life had given her really painful pain and still left a mark in her heart. Especially the pain given by Galant.

"Eleo—" Seeing Elle not continuing her words and was stunned, Archie called her and was about to speak, but Elle interrupted him before he finished his sentence.

"Archie, I know you've been very good to me. Really very good. I thank you for—"

Archie, who was not satisfied because his sentence was cut off earlier, interrupted Elle. "I don't need your gratitude."

Elle smiled and nodded, then said, "I know... that's why I never thanked you."

Elle pulled back the hand that was held by Archie, then she tidied her slightly annoying hair and tucked it behind her ear.

She looked at Archie who was sitting in front of her and said, "I've been married twice and failed. Now I never think about doing it again for the third time. For me now, being alone is the best decision. Although I'm not really alone now. Now I have 2 children."

Remembering her two children, the smile on Elle's face widened. If previously what was attached to Elle's heart was hatred, but with the presence of her two children, that hatred had changed into self-motivation to provide the best life for her two children.

"How can you be sure that our marriage will fail?" Archie asked while looking at Elle with a serious look.

"Elle, God has brought us together for the third time. He even brought us together again with you being alone again. I have to believe that this is all God's destiny." Archie continued his words.

Elle sighed. She felt helpless. "This can't be explained by words. Who meets who is not fate!

Archie... we are both adults. Now I am a mother of two children. There are many problems in reality that must be considered carefully before making a decision, not fate."

"You said problems in reality? So far, what problems have we not been able to solve together when problems in reality come? Try to say it!"