Chapter 104 - Home At Last

"Are you not afraid?"

Hayri couldn't take the worry off his mind and even if the jail wasn't a safe place either for a case like his, to be a state witness posed greater risk as it would validate the evidences. The protection program was sure but somehow, evil intentions would always win the battle.

"I could no longer change the fact that I am already into this. Besides, I'm already old. To see you successful and happy is already enough to make me go down to my grave in peace. "

"I don't like to hear that, dad. Of course, I want you to walk down the aisle with me on my wedding day and to personally care for my children. How about it? Would you rather like the idea better?"

"Yes, yes but I would like to meet first the luckiest woman who stole my son's heart. " Hayri chuckled as he also heard his dad laughing.

"Yes, dad. I have to say goodbye for now. I'm currently on a date..." He smiled wickedly at Allie who rolled her eyes as soon as he finished his statement.

"Bye son. Be sure she'd say yes to your marriage proposal."

Allie was more worried now. How would Hayri accept his failure soon? How would he accept the reality about her personality? With all the ways he pampered her, it would only be right for him to expect that she was going to accept his love soon. He was being aggressive lately, treating her as his own already. She was already debating within herself about when was the best time to confess. Would it be before their arrival so that Hayri would have the chance to remove her ownership to the ship? Or would she just complete the celebration before pulling the lever off the bomb she's going to throw at him?

"Dear, you heard what dad said, right?" Hayri happily recapped his dad's demand to have them married..

Allie smiled weakly as he looked down on him. He seemed to be enjoying the moment of laying down his head in her lap. He must had assumed that they were already into a special relationship since he had successfully kissed her a couple of times and held her like she was his own already.

"Hayri, I'm already married. In fact, I already have a daughter."

Hayri was quick to negate her statement. He had looked into her personal details and confirmed that she was still single.

"Then I won't mind if the one you would be cheating around is me."

" My husband would kill me if he'd found it out and would probably call our marriage off. "

"Then I'm more than willing to accept you."

Allie knew that he didn't believe her but it was not yet the right time to push the truth into him.

"What is the progress of your search for Allyza?" She tested the waters, anyway, she was already a step closer to revealing the truth to him.

"No progress yet." He answered lazily, making her feel he wasn't interested in it anymore.

"Do you want me to help you find her?" She held her breath as she waited for an answer but tried hard to be as expressionless as possible.

"Why would you do that?" Hayri brought his brows together, wondering what was in her mind.

"To get things done and over with. "

She honestly answered him. She's already tired of living under the shadows of fear. She's already losing a husband because of this and another delay, would also risk the loss of her child. Or, had she already lost her child to Jane?

____

During the days that followed while the ship gracefully moved upon the waters, Hayri also intensified his romantic approaches to Allie. They dined in different restaurants and spent leisure hours in entertainment and relaxation areas. He took her to a dance in the grand ballroom or sang with her in KTV lounges. He taught her some difficult swimming strokes and dropped with her in the slides. They watched the daily sunrise and sunsets while sipping on their cups of tea together and basked in the moonlight in their balcony.

Every moment was dearly spent with each other until Hayri could feel that Allie's defenses finally worn out. Even during the nights when one time she woke up to find him lying down beside her, she no longer protested. She even no longer resisted when he cuddled her while they slept. She now even smiled when he woke her up in the morning with his kisses.

Days passed by and they finally reached the Asian waters. And as agreed, a private helicopter picked them up to take them home ahead. Allie became emotional as they finally touched the soil of Cebu. It's already almost six years when she left and many things had changed. And she knew that a big change also happened in her own home and in her marriage with Ajie.

"I'll fetch you later and take you home." Hayri said after he helped her with her luggages inside her hotel room.

"I'll call you then when I'm free." Her lips twisted into a curve which was both a half smile and a half cry. She knew that this would be the last time she would ever see Hayri's lavish care for her. Today would be the last day she would be Zheena in his eyes, the last moment of his great respect for her. After this, everything would take a 360 degree turn.

"Okay." Hayri thought that the sense of melancholy he saw in her now was because she missed home. Until now, Allie had been silent about her personal details and he chose to respect her. He bent down to give her a quick parting kiss but to his surprise, Allie instantly took over the initiative to kiss him deeply while he kept swallowing her salty tears!

"Thank you for everything, Hayri. I will always miss you. " She said as she gazed tearfully into his eyes.

Hayri frowned at the hidden meaning of her words but he chose to ignore it. He could wait until Allie was ready to confess.

"I will miss you as well. Call me if you'll need me."

As soon as Hayri left, Allie did not.waste time. Few minutes after, she was already sitting down in front of Atty. Manloza's desk.

"I'm sorry, Miss Allyza. " Atty Manloza gave out a sad smile as she handed her a piece of envelope.