"Which magic trick was that?" I asked, curious, because I hadn't noticed when the ring made its way onto my finger. I was so overwhelmed with joy that I couldn't find the words to express my feelings. My eyes welled up with tears, and he gently wiped them away, kissing my eyelid.
With a teasing smile, I said, "Raymond, I'm so sorry, but I can't be your wife. I'm not ready for marriage." As soon as I said it, his face turned red, and disappointment washed over him.
He slowly released my hands, his eyes brimming with tears. He was stunned by my rejection, especially after everything we'd shared. I almost burst into laughter, but his serious reaction caught me off guard. I stood up from the bed, watching as he trudged toward the door, stumbling like he'd had too much to drink.
As he walked away, there was a sudden pop, and words appeared in the air: "I would gladly like to spend my life with you."
He turned, confused, just as I collapsed onto the bed, laughing uncontrollably. I will never forget the look on his face that day. He stood frozen by the door, shaking his head in disbelief. I ran to him and hugged him tightly, still giggling.
In a playful tone, he said, "I guess I should return your ring then. You've changed your mind, haven't you?" I hid my hands behind my back and dashed away, laughing. Later, we went on a date to celebrate our proposal, entering a restaurant on the main street. But as we stepped inside, Raymond hesitated.
He spotted his colleagues at a nearby table. I noticed his discomfort and suggested we go somewhere else, but he insisted it was fine. I could tell he was trying to hide his unease, pretending everything was okay. It saddened me, other men would be proud to be with me, so why was he ashamed?
I asked him if he was alright, but he gave me a forced smile, assuring me everything was fine. I pretended not to notice, though it was obvious to me. He ate quickly and we left, hoping to avoid further attention. When we got home, his face looked pale, and I decided not to bring up the incident at the restaurant.
"Now that you're my fiancé, why don't you move in with me at the villa?" I suggested. "I should've asked you earlier, but it slipped my mind. Come stay with me tonight, and you can bring your stuff tomorrow."
"Jasmine, I'd love to, but I haven't packed yet. Let's wait until tomorrow," he replied.
"It's not like the apartment is far. You can stay at the villa tonight, and we'll move your things tomorrow. I want to start living with you now."
I was too convincing for him to refuse. He took my hand, and we went inside together. Despite his calm demeanor, I could tell something was bothering him. I couldn't figure out what it was, but I was determined to find out before our wedding.
Even though I was a CEO, I always woke up early to fulfill my duties as a fiancée before heading to work. That evening, there was a dinner for all CEOs. I knew Nicolas would be there, but I hoped not to run into him. I networked with business owners and investors until I spotted him.
"Hello, Jasmine," he said, approaching me. "I saw you from afar and wanted to talk."
A wave of anger washed over me. "What is he doing here?" I thought. I immediately confronted him, demanding to know why he was speaking to me. His smile only irritated me further.
"I saw the news and knew the reports were lies," he said. "I believe in you. You're a good person and a great boss. Don't let their false claims get to you."
"Thank you, but why the sudden kindness?" I asked, my voice sharp. "I don't buy your words, so please leave me alone."
I was confused by his sudden change in behavior. After the dinner, I went back to the hospital and decided to visit Raymond's department. I found him sitting alone at his desk. As I approached, I decided to have a little fun. I snuck up behind him and shouted in his ear to see how startled he would be.
He smiled when he saw me, and we chatted like lovers. But as soon as his colleagues entered, he immediately withdrew, pushing my hand away and standing up, pretending I was ordering him around.
I stood frozen, confused. The director asked if everything was alright, and I pretended I was just there to visit her. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had done something wrong.
That evening, I served him supper, but when I returned to clean the table, I found his plate untouched. He was staring at me, tears in his eyes.
"Why did you act like that today? Are you embarrassed that I'm your woman?"
"What?" he replied, looking confused. "No, that's not it. After I went on TV, they kept badmouthing you, so I told them we broke up to stop their disrespect."
"But you should've told me," I said, feeling hurt. "We're supposed to be in this together. You don't trust me to handle my own business, why are you trying to do my job for me, and not even doing it right."
The next morning, I left for Asia to handle some investment issues for a new branch. I didn't tell Raymond before I left, my anger taking over. When I arrived, the project supervisor told me that all of our investors had pulled out, and he suspected someone was sabotaging us.
I made some calls, but there was no new information. Raymond's face kept running through my mind, so I rushed home to make things right with him. I needed to clear my mind before dealing with the hospital.
I went straight to the hospital when I returned, and found Raymond talking to his colleagues at the front desk. I walked up to him, took his face in my hands, and kissed him deeply.
"This is my fiancé," I said, facing everyone in the room. "If anyone has a problem with that, they can speak now or forever hold their peace."