Emma's voice was laced with sadness as she said, "Nelly, don't be sad". I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. "I was stuck in traffic on the way to the engagement, and by the time I arrived, everything had already fallen apart, and you had already gone home."
Nelly sighed, trying to process her emotions. "It's fine, Emma". Maybe he was right to act that way. "I mean, if I was told I'd get engaged without being asked, I'd be upset too." Emma raised an eyebrow. "He could've declined without hurting and embarrassing you, though". "No one was putting a gun to his head to say yes after all." So what's with all that drama?.
Emma nodded, her expression softening. "I was going crazy with worry". "I'm so sorry I wasn't there to support you, Nelly."
Nelly smiled weakly. "It's okay, Emma". "You're here now, and that means a lot to me."
Emma smiled at her and glanced around the room, noticing Nelly's mom was no longer there. "Hey, where's your mom"? "She was just here a minute ago."
Nelly replied, "Oh, she went into town to pick up some fresh herbs for dinner". She'll be back soon."
Emma nodded, making a mental note to thank Nelly's mom for keeping her updated on everything. "Okay, cool". "I'm glad she's taking care of you, Nelly". "You deserve it."
Nelly smiled, feeling grateful for her mom's support and Emma's friendship. "Thanks, Emma". "That means a lot, coming from you".
The two friends sat in silence for a moment, the tension between them palpable. Then Emma's expression turned fierce. "He was so lucky I wasn't there". If I was, "I would've pulled out his teeth!" she exclaimed, her eyes flashing with anger.
Nelly couldn't help but laugh at Emma's dramatic declaration. "Oh, Emma, you're such a loyal friend". "I appreciate your anger on my behalf."
Emma smiled, her expression softening. "Anytime, Nelly". "That's what friends are for". Now, let's focus on moving forward and doing something fun today, because I won't let you stay indoors for another week.
Timothy's point of view.
Alex walked into Timothy's office, taking a seat in the chair across from his friend's desk. "Hey, Tim". "How was your trip?"
Timothy leaned back in his chair, a sly grin spreading across his face. "It was good". The hotel is coming along great. "But you know what the highlight was?"
Alex raised an eyebrow. "What was the hi
Timothy chuckled. "My aunt's surprise engagement party for me and...that girl."
Alex's eyes widened. "What girl?"
Timothy shrugged. "You know, the one my aunt is obsessed with me marrying". "What's her name again"?. Yeah Nelly".
Oh, the girl your Auntie keeps sending pictures of? Alex laughed. "That's amazing". "So, what are you going to do now?"
Timothy's expression turned mischievous. "I'm going to play along". "See how it goes."
Alex raised an eyebrow. "You're not going to try to get out of it?"
Timothy shrugged. "Nah, I'll just go with the flow". Get to know her. "Who knows, maybe I'll even have some fun."
Alex chuckled. "You're impossible, Tim". "But hey, strang things do happen, right?"
Timothy grinned. "Yeah, they do".
"Are you getting lunch"? "I'm starving," Alex asked.
"No, you go ahead". "I need to focus on this paperwork," Timothy replied, gesturing to the files on his desk.
"Alright", "I ran into Alice, and she was inquiring about you," Alex said, scanning through some files. "If she found out about the engagement, she'd be devastated." She still has strong feelings for you. "She's been pestering me nonstop to get you to talk to her."
Timothy rolled his eyes. "Me and Alice are done, and I mean it". "Stop giving her attention, or she will keep coming."
Alex pretended to look sad, and Timothy smirked. "You're not fooling anyone, Alex."
Just then, Alex's gaze drifted to the door as Rachel, Timothy's personal assistant, walked in. Her tight skirt accentuated her curves, and her high heels made her legs seem endless. Alex's eyes lingered on her before he turned back to Timothy.
"The merger with Smith Industries is finalized, so will you come with me to the celebration dinner, ?" Alex said.
Timothy rubbed his temples, looking tired. "I can't, I have a lot to do this week."
Rachel interrupted, her voice professional. "Sir, you have a meeting with the board—"
Timothy cut her off without looking up. "Reschedule for next week, Rachel". "I have somewhere to be now."
As Rachel left, Alex couldn't help but steal another glance at her curves. Timothy threw a pen at Alex to get his attention.
"Focus, man!" Timothy said, laughing.
Alex chuckled and shook his head. "You're a lucky man, Timothy". "You've got a great woman, and you're not even appreciating it.". Timothy shook his head and smirked.
"Where are you off to?" Alex asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
"I'm heading out of town to check on the hotel's progress," Timothy replied, standing up and adjusting his tie to feel more relaxed.
As they walked out of Timothy's office together, Alex nodded thoughtfully. "So how is Auntie Francisca?".
She's fine and well, Timothy said.
"OK, send my regards to her". Alex said.
As they strolled through the office, colleagues glanced up, nodding in respect. Timothy's leadership and vision were evident, and Alex felt proud to be his friend and business partner.
"Hey, drive safely, okay?" Alex said, as they reached the exit. "And don't forget to enjoy the view from the top."
Timothy chuckled, flashing a confident smile. "Will do, Alex". "Take care of things here while I'm away."
With that, Timothy headed out, leaving Alex to wonder what other exciting developments lay ahead for them.
As Timothy's car crunched up the winding driveway, Auntie Francisca watched from the window, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions. The mansion, with its high ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and marble floors, seemed to glow in the fading light. The walls, adorned with intricate moldings and priceless artwork, whispered secrets of the past. Timothy's arrival stirred up memories, both fond and painful.
As he stepped out of the car, Auntie Francisca swept out of the front door, a warm smile on her face. "Welcome, son!" she exclaimed, opening her arms for a hug. Timothy returned her embrace, though his eyes betrayed a hint of unease.
After their warm greeting, Auntie Francisca led Timothy into the mansion's grand entrance, where a sweeping staircase curved upward, leading to bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and private balconies. The air was thick with tension, as Auntie Francisca's gentle persistence had finally worn Timothy down, bringing him back after so much effort.
Later, in the library, Auntie Francisca's expression turned stern, her eyes clouding over with a mix of disappointment and determination. "Timothy, I'm glad you're here". "We need to talk about the engagement party." Timothy shrugged, feeling no remorse for his actions. He had rejected Nelly's proposal without hesitation, and the memory didn't haunt him. In fact, he had barely given it a second thought.
"Timothy, you owe Nelly and her mother an apology," Auntie Francisca said, her voice firm but laced with a hint of sadness. "Your behavior was unacceptable, and I won't have it". "You need to make things right."
Timothy raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "Why"? "I didn't promise her anything". "You brought up this whole idea."
Auntie Francisca's expression turned stern. "That may be true, but you still humiliated her in front of her family and the guests". "You need to take responsibility for your actions and apologize."
Timothy sighed, knowing he had no choice. He would have to pretend to be sorry, face Nelly and her mother, and apologize for his past actions. He didn't feel remorseful, but he would do it to appease Auntie Francisca and move forward. Little did he know, this was only the beginning of a journey that would challenge his perceptions and emotions.
After following the description of the address, here I was standing outside Nelly's house, knowing I had to apologize for my behavior at the ceremony. My auntie had insisted I make amends, and I didn't want to disappoint her. I respected her and didn't want to be the reason for hurting her. I knocked on the door, putting on a charming smile.
Nelly's mom, Suzan, answered, her expression stern. "Good day, ma," I said, trying to sound sincere. "I'm Timothy". "I came to see Nelly and apologize for my actions."
Suzan looked me up and down before letting me in. "I know who you are," she said, her voice firm. "What do you want"? "You want to hurt my daughter again?"
I followed her in, pretending to be remorseful. "No, ma'am". I promise I'm here to make things right. "I was wrong to treat Nelly the way I did, and I want to apologize in person for my actions, ma'am, I apologize for my behavior." I said the words, but they meant nothing to me. I was just going through the motions to appease my auntie.
Suzan raised an eyebrow. "I don't need your apology, it's my daughter who needs it". "Besides, Nelly's not home."
I nodded politely. "I understand. But I'd like to wait for her, if that's okay with you. "I really need to speak with her and apologize." "I said it to convince Suzan, but I didn't really care about seeing Nelly".
Suzan hesitated, clearly not wanting me to stay. But I insisted, keeping up the act. "Please, ma'am". I'll wait as long as it takes. "I want to make things right with Nelly." In reality, I just wanted to get this over with and report back to my auntie. I waited for Nelly in the humble living room of her family's home. The walls were painted a warm yellow, and the furniture was simple but clean. A worn couch sat against one wall, with a coffee table in front of it. Two armchairs completed the seating arrangement. The room was tidy, and the decor suggested a middle-class family - not too fancy, but comfortable. Family photos adorned the walls, showing Nelly and her mom smiling and happy.
As I sat on the couch, I noticed a few pictures of a baby on the coffee table. I picked one up, and my eyes widened slightly - the baby was adorable! Big brown eyes and a toothy grin stared back at me. I realized these must be Nelly's childhood pictures.
I stared at the picture, genuinely charmed by the baby's cuteness. For a moment, I forgot about my apology mission and just enjoyed the photo.
Suzan, Nelly's mom, came into the room occasionally to check on me. She would nod curtly and then leave again, clearly not trusting me. I didn't blame her. I wouldn't trust myself either if I were her.
As I continued to look at the baby's picture, I heard a noise from the front door opening. At first, it was just a faint sound, but then I heard the unmistakable sound of laughter coming from two female voices. My heart didn't skip a beat, and I didn't feel any excitement or nervousness. I just turned around, expecting to see who it was.
But as I turned, I was taken aback by the sight before me. Nelly walked into the room with a big smile on her face, her eyes sparkling with amusement. She was wearing a short white summer dress, which was now stained with clay mud in the pit. Her face had smudges of face paint on her cheeks and forehead, giving her a playful, carefree look. Her hair was packed in a rough bun, a few stray strands framing her face. It was clear she had just come from a pottery activity, and there was something free-spirited about her that caught my attention.
Her friend Emma was with her, and they were both laughing and chatting like they were sharing a private joke. Nelly was carried away by laughter, completely distracted at the moment, and didn't even notice me standing there. Emma had to nudge her to acknowledge my presence.
"Nelly, look who's here," Emma said, nodding in my direction.
Nelly's eyes followed Emma's gaze, and suddenly, she froze. Her smile faltered, and her eyes widened in shock as she took in the sight of me standing in her living room. She looked like she had seen a ghost.
Emma excused herself, giving me a glaring look before turning to Nelly. "I'll leave you two alone," she said, her tone icy.
Nelly and I stared at each other, the tension between us palpable. But our stare was distracted by Suzan, who cleared her throat to get our attention.
"Nelly, where have you been"? "I've been calling you," Suzan said, her voice firm but concerned.
Nelly rubbed her palms on her hips, bringing out her phone to confirm, still looking shocked. "Oh, sorry mom, my phone battery was low."
Suzan nodded, her eyes flicking at me before returning to Nelly. "Okay, then". "Timothy is here for you". "I'll leave you both alone."
With that, she turned and left the sitting room, leaving Nelly and Timothy alone in an awkward silence.
Timothy cleared his throat, breaking the awkward silence. "Hello, Nelly," he said in a nonchalant tone, his eyes scanning her from head to toe. "You look like you had a blast today." He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Nelly, still struggling to find her voice, blushed and stuttered, "hey, it's just a fun park." She looked down, her eyes darting to the floor. "Sorry if I kept you waiting." "Please have a seat". She gestured
Timothy's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he responded, his tone casual. "No need to apologize, I'm the one who showed up unannounced." He declined her offer to sit, his eyes never leaving hers. "I'll stand, thanks."
As he checked his watch, Nelly's confusion grew. "So, what did you want to talk about?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Timothy's expression turned serious, his eyes locking onto hers. "I'll go straight to the point". "The engagement was a shock, and I have to admit, you and Auntie got me good." He chuckled, a low, husky sound. "So I'm here to apologize for my behavior". "Not that you deserve it, but...." He trailed off, his gaze never wavering.
Nelly's voice was laced with sadness as she spoke, "You're right, I don't deserve it". I was wrong to put so much pressure on you without your consent. "It was selfish of me."
Timothy's expression darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. He had expected Nelly to be defensive, to argue with him, but instead, she agreed with him, acknowledging her fault. It wasn't the reaction he wanted, and it only fueled his frustration.
"Stop acting like you care, Nelly," he whispered, his voice low and menacing. "You don't know the first thing about me."
But then, his tone shifted, and he added, "Despite that, I'm willing to give you a chance". "Let's see where this leads, no promises, just getting to know each other." His hands rested on her shoulders, his touch sending a shiver down her spine.
Nelly's eyes widened, unsure of how to respond to Timothy's sudden change in demeanor. She felt a mix of emotions: fear, uncertainty, and a hint of hope.
With a final glance, Timothy turned to leave, his movements fluid and confident. "My job here is done," he said over his shoulder, leaving Nelly feeling both relieved and uncertain.
As the door closed behind him, Nelly couldn't help but wonder what she had just gotten herself into. The weight of Timothy's words settled upon her, a mix of emotions swirling in her chest. She felt a spark of hope, but it was tempered by the fear of getting hurt again.