Chapter 116 - The Ring

6 years ago, she jumped on the plane with her heart shattered into million pieces.

Holding a slim chance to survive, she didn’t know how to live again but she refused to give up.

For her baby, she would live.

She would live again.

And Damien found her.

When she was hopeless and almost lifeless, Damien saved her.

He lifted her up and never left her side.

He slowly picked up her shattered pieces and tried to put them back again even if he bleeds.

She knew Damien would keep trying to fix her heart even if it takes a lifetime.

Realizing everything, she was sure of her decision now.

Damien deserved her love.

“This is for you.” Damien stopped the car in front of her house. He reached a small box to her.

With a puzzled expression, Arabella tilted her head to the side.

“What’s this?” She asked with a bright smile.

“Hmmm… A gift?” Damien replied with a pleasant expression.

Arabella frowned.

“A gift on our first day?” She laughed softly. “Aren’t gifts for anniversaries only?” She joked. That’s what she knew.

“Well… I just kinda woke up like a generous person today. So, I bought you a gift.” He bluffed.

“Okay, thank you very much, my generous boyfriend.” Her eyes sparkled when she joked with him.

“What? What did you call me? Can you say it again?” Damien got so excited hearing her.

“Oh no! I didn’t say anything.” Arabella laughed softly. She was teasing Damien.

“Please….” He was pleading cutely. Damien was good-looking but a bit aloof but she didn’t know he had a cute childish side.

“I didn’t know you look cuter than Adam when you beg. Hahaha.” She really couldn’t stop teasing him. He seemed changed over a night. But she like the cute child-like Damien. She found him funny and cool.

“Okay… Stop laughing at me now. I should have recorded it! Please open the box.” Damien sounded bubbly with a sweet smile.

Arabella shook the box first before opening and she tilted her head towards it to hear what’s inside the box.

Damien found her cute too when she’s acting childish. He had never seen her laughed repetitively.

With all curiosity and a little excitement, Arabella slowly loosened the silver ribbon and opened the small box.

Then her eyes widened seeing a shimmering round thing in the box.

It’s a ring.

Damien then got it, held her hand, and kissed it tenderly. Arabella suddenly felt awkward but quickly regained her cool. She needed to get used to this thing with Damien as they were in a relationship now.

“Arabella, this is my love for you. Wear my love wherever you go. As I promised you, I will never leave you and Adam.” Damien expressed wholeheartedly.

The awkwardness was there but with Damien’s sincerity, she appreciated his sweetness. She didn’t notice it when they were just friends and neighbors. He helped her a lot and he never took advantage of her or ask something to his advantage.

After his words, he put the ring to her delicate finger.

It was beautiful.

“Promise me that you will never take it off, Will you?” Damien’s eyes were pleading and serious.

She didn’t know what to reply. The sincerity of his voice made her feel guilty. A pang of guilt that wouldn’t die inside her. She had to try her best to love Damien as to how much he loved her otherwise it would be unfair for him.

“I promise.” The words came out without any backbone. She hated it but it’s the only thing she could do to appease him.

Hearing her answer, Damien kissed her hand again and went out of the car to open her door then, he escorted her to her house.

“It’s getting late. Good night. Can I join you for breakfast?” This was the only time Damien had asked her permission. He always sneaked in her house almost every breakfast. He’s very lazy to cook his breakfast as he had no one to share.

“Why do I feel weird when you are asking that? Hehehe…” She couldn’t help but let go of a soft laugh.

“Alright.” He laughed as well. “You win!” Damien raised his two hands to surrender the argument.

“Have you decided to tell Adam about us?” Then his expression had become serious.

“Yes. Let’s tell them tomorrow at breakfast.” She was confident that Adam would be happy with her decision. In his school, Damien was his father. So, there’s no reason that Adam would oppose their relationship.

Damien’s smile faded a bit and she saw it but she tried not to pick on him. He may be worried about Adam’s expression.

“Are you okay?” She asked immediately.

“Ah… Yeah. Let’s announce it tomorrow then.” His smile was back again. “Goodnight!” Then he added.

The night ended with a tight hug and a soft kiss on her forehead.

Arabella went to check on Adam. He was already sleeping when someone knocked on the door.

“May I come in?” Lira asked.

“Yes please.” She frowned wondering what’s Lira’s matter at 10 p.m.

“Hmmm…Ms. J, I am going out tonight.” Lira sneaked inside the room quickly wearing a sexy red mini dress.

“Oh...” Arabella was speechless and surprised at the same time. Not because she was going out late at night but because of her dress. It was a different Lira in front of her. Way too different from the Lira who was simple and innocent. Her cleavage and her long white legs were exposed. The girl in front is very seductive and stunningly beautiful.

“I mean okay. But who are you going with?” She was curious to know as to why she dressed up super sexy and she’s a bit worried about it.

“Hmmm… My boyfriend.” Lira smiled brightly to put off Arabella’s worries about her.

“Okay!” Arabella agreed. Of course, Lira deserved to be happy as well and she had no right to interfere with her personal life. “Just always take care of yourself, Okay? You know what I mean.” She added as she still couldn’t help to worry about her.

“Don’t worry. I will. Thanks for the reminder and don’t wait for me. Good night.” Lira was wearing her smile until she got out of the house.

Her cab was already waiting for her outside. She booked it online in advance.

Tonight, she had nowhere to go.

Looking at her window earlier, she knew her boss and Damien were officially together. The ring that Damien gave to her was his love. By accepting it, she thought it would not hurt her anymore but she was wrong. It was hurting so bad that she couldn’t breathe. So, she decided to go out and let her sorrows be drowned with alcohol.

“To the BZ Bar, please.” Lira told to the driver. She had to kill her feelings for Damien and needed to accept that he already had a girlfriend.

‘But what about their kiss that night?’

She could still feel the warmth of his kiss and his touch. His embrace in the dark. His pleasurable scent. The more she thought about these, the more she felt her heart was clenched hard.

Tonight, she would drink like there’s tomorrow. She would party and flirt with someone. She was determined to get over him. Hoping tomorrow things would be different. Things would be better and there’s no pain in her heart.

At 2 a.m.

Damien just finished his work and he was about to go to bed when his phone rang.

He frowned with a yawn.

Who could be calling this late?

He quickly took his phone and checked out the caller.

Lira.

He frowned and hesitated to answer.

Why she was calling him? He didn’t want to answer but something was urging him to slide the answer button on his phone.

What if something happened in Arabella’s house?

Thinking of this, he picked up.

“What is it?” He sounded sarcastic as he didn’t want to give her any hope in him.

“Sir, this is the bartender of BZ bar, the owner of this phone was very drunk. She was already sleeping on the table. Please come to pick her up as we are about to close. Thanks.” The man sounded on the other line.

Damien’s sleepy mood was instantly gone. “How did you contact me?” He asked puzzled.

Why him? Why not Arabella?

“My customer said to call you before she passed out. She said you are the one who’s responsible for this.” The man said what Lira had told him.

“Sir, you must come now. I think your girlfriend is in danger as there’s one table with men who keep on staring at your sleeping girlfriend.” The boy added with worries in his tone.

“I’ll be right there. Please take care of her for a while.” Damien instantly stood up and strode away wearing his pajamas.

He looked at Arabella’s house. It was dark that meant they were already sleeping. He never thought Lira would go out this late.

Arriving at the bar,

“You are just a bartender here, do not middle in our business! This place is very uncomfortable to sleep in. We will take the girl.” The man in his 40s was pointing angrily to the young boy who was blocking his way. He seemed to be the bartender who called him.

“Sir, her boyfriend is coming to get this girl. Please don’t do any bad to her.” The boy bravely replied to the 3 drunk men but his face was nervous.

“Get out of my way!” The drunk man violently pushed the boy away.

“You idiot! That girl is not going to sleep here if she had a boyfriend.” The man shouted and pointed at Lira who was unconsciously sitting and her upper body was hugging the table.

“I am her boyfriend. Do you have a problem with that?” Damien sounded from behind. He just arrived on time.

He saw Lira was sleeping and the men were staring at her lustfully. Damien frowned at what he saw. He couldn’t blame those men to have desires for her as her long legs were exposed and her white back was almost bare. He felt a bit angry at the sight of her then he quickly took off his black coat and cover her.

Seeing Damien, the boy felt relieved. He was the one who was tasked to close the bar at 3 a.m. The men strode out suddenly with no words but their faces showed disappointments. Things would have been messy if Damien didn’t come on time. Now, he can close the bar in peace.

Damien assisted Lira to his car.

“Damien.” Lira uttered with her eyes closed.

“Damien.” She repeated it.

He looked at her and he was bothered with her dress. Her cleavage was almost popping out and she kept on scratching her legs that made the hem of her dress go up.

He tried his best not to look at her but she kept on calling his name and whenever his stare landed on her face, it went down to her body. He had a hard time taking it off. Even driving was hard for him to concentrate.

At first, he planned to bring her back to Arabella’s house but he didn’t want to disturb Arabella and Damien as it’s already 3:45 a.m. So, without any choice, he brought the drunk Lira to his house. Lira hooked her arm to his neck while walking in a zigzag.

When they arrived in the living room, Damien gently put Lira down but Lira’s other hand unexpectedly clutched his neck and he was instantly pulled towards her on the sofa.

He struggled to give up but Lira hugged him tightly. Her eyes were closed when he reached the lampshade near him.

The warm light from the lampshades brought him to see her up close. Her kissable lips, her pointed nose, and refined brows. He could also feel her softness as his hard body smashed her under him.

“Damien.” Lira uttered his name again.

“Please help me to forget you.” Lira was talking to her sleep. Her tone was staggering and obviously in pain.

Then after a while, tears came rolling down her cheeks.

Unexpectedly, Damien kissed her.

He kissed her again.