"Marry me".
Luliyah looked at Kelvin with her mouth agape. She was sure her ears were having trouble. Or maybe she was hallucinating? Looked like she was too exhausted today so her brain was not right. How could Kelvin propose to her like this?
She scratched her head even though it didn't itch. She felt a little stupid, thinking that this handsome, rich and mysterious man just proposed to her.
Kelvin watched Luliyah's move, waiting for her answer. It seems that Luliyah did not hear what he said, or maybe she could not believe what she heard. Kelvin decided to make it clear one more time.
"Marry me and I will help you," Kelvin said for the second time.
Only then did Luliyah realize that she heard correctly at first. Kelvin did propose to her!
"But ...but..." Luliyah stuttered. She din't think that something like this would happen so she didn't know what to react to. Her mouth opened, closed and opened again because she didn't know what to say.
After confirming that Luliyah truly understood his intentions, Kelvin was silent. He waited until Luliyah could digest the current situation. He knew that his sudden proposal was a great shock to Luliyah.
Meanwhile, Luliyah took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. She was completely flustered and her mind was in chaos, as if Kelvin had just sent a tidal wave that has ravaged her mind.
She racked her brain, trying to find out what the man in front of her was thinking. But she didn't understand why Kelvin just proposed to her all of a sudden. She had come to ask Kelvin for assistance, but this was not what she thought of. What does this man want?
"Why are you asking me to marry you?" She asked.
Actually, Kelvin himself didn't know why he proposed to her this way. All he knew was that he only wanted to protect Luliyah. He doesn't want anything to happen to her. He wanted to make sure Luliyah was always safe, and the safe place was with him.
He didn't know how to explain all this to Luliyah. Plus, didn't remember it at all. He could only let that feeling hide tightly in his heart. He was the only person known to this feeling.
Seeing Kelvin not answering his question, Luliyah said, "But marriage is something sacred. Marriage is not something that can be used as a business proposal or contract, It's not a game."
"I'm not playing around," Kelvin replied curtly.
"Then why?"She asked again
"I want to take responsibility for what I did last night." Kelvin replied. He only used the events of the other night as an excuse.
Remembering that night, Luliyah's face immediately turned red. In fact, all of this was her fault. It was her fault that she entered someone else's room and asked for help from the man under the influence of the medicine she was drugged with. But Kelvin was heartened and wanted to take responsibility for his actions.
"It's not your fault," Luliyah said softly, It's all because ....."
Luliyah was silent and looked down. She remembered that the person who caused all that happened was Natali, Kelvin's fiancee. How could she possibly tell Kelvin that her step sister did this to him?
Kelvin glanced at Luliyah who suddenly fell silent and did not finish her sentence. He knew what Luliyah was thinking. The woman was so gentle and kind that she didn't want other people to feel hurt. Luliyah didn't dare finish her words because she was afraid that Kelvin would get hurt.
"I'm sure you already know who did it," Kelvin said calmly.
Luliyah looked up, seeing Kelvin's still calm face. She immediately understood that Kelvin also knew who had done all of thus.
"Do you know why Natali did all this?" She asked, Natali is your fiancee. Why would she do this to her own fiance? She spoke of the question quietly as if speaking to herself. That question still bugged her mind and until now, she has not gotten the answer yet.
"I know." That was all of Kelvin's answer.
Luliyah's eyes widened, 'Kelvin found out why Natali did this!'
She paused and waited for Kelvin to say it, but it seems the man has no intention of explaining it to her.
"I can help you pay all of your mother's hospital expenses. I can also help you to get revenge on the person who did this to you." Kelvin assured her.
Luliyah was pensive after hearing Kelvin's words. 'Revenge...'
Never once did she think of seeking revenge. She also went to Natali only to demand an explanation as to why Natali did all this to her. She looked for Kelvin and found him because she wanted to ask for assistance to support her mother, not to take revenge on Natali.
But Luliyah recalled what Natali did to her. She remembered Mona's maltreatment when she tried to ask Natali for an explanation. Mona has beaten her up without giving her a chance to defend herself.
She remembered the news that was shown by Mona. Her name and photo was included in the widely circulated news. She was labeled a cheap woman, a woman who seduced someone else's fiance.
Luliyah felt that all this treatment was unfair. She didn't deserve this kind of treatment.
Does she want to take revenge on those people?
"But I ...." Doubts still haunted Luliyah's heart. Marriage was not something trivial. Marriage is not a game that can be used as a tool of revenge. She would spend her entire life with one man and worse, she didn't even love the man in front of her.
Was it worth trading her freedom for all of this?
Kelvin could clearly see the doubts on Luliyah's face. He knew that Luliyah was uncertain because she had to marry someone she didn't know. The woman hesitated because she had to marry a man she didn't love.
This made Kelvin even more sure that Luliyah was not pretending. Luliyah really didn't know him! This woman really didn't remember anything! He would ask Harris to find out what really happened to Luliyah, that made her to forget him.
"The choice is yours," Kelvin said simply.
Kelvin did not force Luliyah directly to marry him. His attitude just now made Luliyah feel scared. He didn't want to look too harsh so that it made her run away from him.
Even so, he did not give Luliyah another choice. He cornered Luliyah who really needed his help so that the woman would fall into his arms.
Luliyah stared intently at Kelvin, trying to figure out what he was really thinking. But Kelvin looked back at her very calmly and expressionlessly, leaving Luliyah at loss for what his true intentions were. This man was so mysterious.
Silence enveloped the room as the two of them sank into each other's gazes.
Luliyah knew that she had no other choice. Kelvin was the only hope to pay for her mother's medical condition.
She desperately needed this help, but she also couldn't marry a stranger. She didn't know Kelvin and didn't love him!
'Oh, I thought marriage was for people who love and adore each other?' Luliyah kept on thinking.
Should she marry a man she doesn't love for just help or money?