Chapter 27

<Layla>

I leaned on his arm.

“Jase, when is your plan to marry me?” I asked slowly. He knows that I had been crushing him for years.

He stops typing on his laptop and looks at his computer for seconds.

“Hey? Are you okay?” I nudged him.

What’s wrong with my question?

He looked at me and loosened his tie.

“I am still busy, and the company needs my full attention; Layla, we’re not in a relationship," he continued what he was doing.

He is answering emails.

I stomped my feet on the ground in annoyance.

“Hello! I am chasing you now! My feelings for you, and everyone knows I am into you. Even my brother Kier gave up on my stubbornness.”

Brother Kier doesn't want us to end up being together. I don't know what his problems are. From my point of view, it's good that I am going to marry one of his friends because they have known each other for a long time.

“I can’t marry you," he said straightforwardly. Ouch! That hurts a lot.

“Why?! If your excuse is that we are not in a relationship, then let's make it official so you can marry me. If you think about my brother Kier, he gave up on my stubbornness and will accept it sooner. He can't do anything if we are already married… Jase, marry me, now!” I demanded him.

He stops what he is doing and looks at him in disbelief.

“Layla, don't lower yourself because of me. I really can't marry you right now.”

“Why can't you?!” I yelled.

“Why?! Because you don't love me?!” I said it like a reproach.

“And what does that kiss mean?! You just kissed me because you are bored?!” I am suppressing my tears. He hurt me how many times I am standing firm and still chasing him despite how hurt I am and lowering myself so much for him.

He didn't answer me.

“And the things that you did for me are nothing to you? What about the flowers and meeting my family? How about when you are fetching me from work?!” I am yelling.

“Why is it hard for you to love me?!”I can just teach my hurt who it should love. Why is loving someone so hurt and complicated? Why?!

Why can't he just love me wholeheartedly?

He turned down my proposal many times, and because Layla was not giving up that easily until I didn’t get what I wanted, I was here again, proposing to him again. I smiled bitterly; I couldn’t count how many times he rejected me.

He wipes my tears, but I push his hand harshly.

“I will court and marry at the right time; I want to be the one who will propose to you," he said in a deep, baritone voice.

He is giving me hope again.

Why is it hard to love?

Why do we need to experience hurtful situations to be happy?

Why do I need to feel this?

“Daddy!”

Kier just arrived in Europe in Italy. He didn’t waste any time and saw his friend.

“Fiero,” Conrad greeted him, and they did a fist bump.

Kier removed his sunglasses. He has jet lag, but he doesn't mind. Business is more important. He can rest later and call his wife before going to bed.

“Where the hell is Yeyuhda?”

Kier traveled from Asia to Europe.

“Who’s calling me?” a deep dark voice heard from upstairs, and a masculine man came from it. He had a tattoo all over his body; he was just wearing a sleeveless shirt.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Yuyahda asked Kier.

Yuyahda has access to the Black market.

“Dimwit, you're not answering my emails.”

“Oh, that?” Yeyuhda scratched his nape.

“I Haven’t opened my emails, and I am busy,” Yeyuhda reasoned.

“No, he is busy with his woman,” Conrad whispered, and they all heard that. It’s not actually a whisper.

Kier furrowed.

Y tapped Conrad's abdomen, sat on the sofa, and they followed him.

“What the hell are you doing here again, Conrad?” Y raises his eyebrow.

“I’m here again to eat. I am damn hungry.”

Yeyuhda gets a beer near the small refrigerator; there’s a small refrigerator since he lazy goto to the bar counter, so he decided to put a fridge near the table.

“You have been here since last week,” Yeyuhda’s voice is in accusation.

“You’re with a woman who is good at cooking,” Conrad lazily replied.

“Leave my woman alone, Conrad,” Yeyuhda’s said seriously.

Conrad whispered to Kier, who was sitting beside him.

“Y gets that woman from the auction; he billionaires just to get that woman. He spends a lot of money just for a girl.”

Y clearly heard what Conrad whispered. It’s loud and clear.

“Stop with that woman! You dimwit. Stop making accusations and conclusions,” Y open all the beer on the table.

“Nate will be here. He will follow me; he will just fix something,” Kier started.

“What do you guys want from us?” Conrad became serious.

Y gets a cigar from his pocket pants and offers them, but Kier refuses.

“I’m planning to change roads. Being Police is quite boring. I need extra challenges and benefits. I need money,” Kier spoke.

“You’re damn rich; what would you ask for?” confusion is written on Y’s face.

“We’re planning to invest,” Kier is really determined.

Y emitted smoke from the cigar.

“Black market is dangerous, and the mafia is protecting us,” Conrad explained.

“I can’t help you with one,” Y refused so quickly.

“If you come here, for that matter, you can go home.”

“I know what I am doing, Y,” Kier relaxed.

“I know you are among the highest ranks in the black market, Y” Kier poured a beer into his glass.

“I did my research and won’t join this kind of thing if I didn’t think about it well,” Kier.

“You’re just putting yourself in danger,” Conrad sighed.

“I am about the money here,” Kier stated.

“And Nate is interested too?” Y asked.

Kier did not answer.

“10 Million is the starting price if you want to invest,” Yeyuhda.

“What?!” Conrad, “What the hell? 3 million dollars is enough.”

Y didn’t mind Conrad's reaction.

“I’ll let you invest and help you get inside, and I’ll protect your identity, and of course, I need to get in return. 10 Million dollars is nothing compared to the money you will receive. It will grow 20 times,” Yeyuhda explains.

Kier tsked.

“You have a peaceful life, if I am not mistaken. Why drag yourself into our mess? Don't join us, Fiero. Our life is already a mess, and you wouldn't like to experience hell,” Yeyuhda advised.

Kier saw the badge on his shoulder.

“Why would I put myself in chaos? Wherein you’re there to protect me. C’mon, this is just investing Y, I won’t interfere with the business inside, and I have my wife. I won’t let her implicate this one. You will do your business and grow my money.”

Y shakes his head.

“You’re really an asshole. I thought you were planning to be one of us?!” That is what he knows, and this is what Conrad told him.

The black market is dirty and risky. If you are stupid, just snap a finger. Your life will be the replacement of your stupidity.

Yeyuhda is protecting a government and government officials.

The government officials are all under Yeyuhda.

“I changed my mind, and I'm here to visit my business and plan to build another one,” Kier simply said.

“Send the money tomorrow together with the money with Nate. The bigger it is, the better,” Yeyuhda said and tsk.

Their money will be returned in a gold bar. Kier is doing dirty business outside and inside the black market.

“We’re planning to visit Asia for relaxation and to see others,” Conrad announced.

“Since you are here, we will go there together,” Conrad added.

They haven’t remembered how they met and became friends, but the only places where they have familiar friends or one interest connected them.

When Shielyn's done changing, the first person he finds is Layla, but she can't find her.

"Ma'am, are you looking for your friend? You're with you?"

She nods at the lady in this store.

"She left while you're changing," the sales lady said,

Shielyn gave her the clothes.

"I won't take this," and Shielyn left.

She doesn't want to spend money on expensive clothes. Clothes won't last long. It's a waste of money for her if she spends thousands of dollars on just one piece of clothing.

She worked hard and wanted to be wise in spending her money.

She left the store and got to the parking lot. She even bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry," She apologized, and the woman just smiled at her. Glad this woman is kind.

She tried to find Layla, but she couldn't see her. She guesses she left her here.

She sighed and tried to find the bodyguard.

The driver is just patiently waiting in the parking lot.

"Ma'am. Sir, is contacting you,” the driver said to Shielyn.

``Why can't he contact you?"

She gets inside.

She's not in the mood.

The driver gets in.

"Ma'am, where's ma'am Layla?" The driver asked her.