Alone
CHAPTER 43
He stood in front of the door of their condominium unit for several minutes before he decided to leave.
He knew they knew where Ariella was but he couldn't convince them to point out where Ariella was.
He stayed inside the car with his hands on the steering wheel as he leaned his head against it.
It seemed that his thoughts were deeper than the well that lasted for several minutes.
He wants to go back to the condominium unit but he knows that Ariella's father will only get more angry with him.
He had been in the car for an hour. He wants to see Ariella come out of that building, so he didn't leave yet.
He had a strong hunch that she was there, so no matter what happened, he would wait. If the whole day passes without him seeing Ariella from the building, he will still come back the next day to talk to his father-in-law again.
A few more minutes passed and his waiting ended when he saw Ariella come out.
He immediately recognized Ariella because he had already memorized his wife.
It seemed to him that Ariella was going somewhere, so he didn't flake anymore. He got out of the car and immediately approached her.
As soon as he was far away from Ariella, he was seen immediately, so Ariella hurried to leave.
He walked quickly to follow her and stop her.
"My wife, please stop," he said until he reached Ariella.
He held her hand which caused her to stop.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"My wife, please," he begged. "I am sorry, my wife. Please, forgive me. I'm only human and make mistakes."
"You chose to do what you knew was wrong."
He held both of her hands and knelt down.
Many passers-by looked at them. There are some who think that he is proposing to her so they are receiving support from people. But that was not the real event.
"What are you doing? Stand up. People look at us. It's embarrassing," she said weakly as she forced him to stand up.
"I will only stand up when you say that you forgive me and that you are going back home, you will not leave me again," he insisted.
Because of this scene, they became the focus of people who thought it was a sweet moment.
"If you don't want to stand, let me leave," he said emphatically.
“Please, no. Please, come back to me. I don't know what to do if I don't have you in my life.”
Ariella kept glancing at the people around them. She feels the shame so much that she forces Anton to stop what he is doing.
"Get up, please. Let's talk in your car, okay? Just get up. It's embarrassing.”
Anton followed her wishes.
When they were in the car, Anton tried to drive but Ariella immediately stopped him.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Driving home to our house," he replied while still holding the steering wheel with his hands.
"We will just talk, okay? If you want to go home, go ahead, but I won't go with you," she said seriously with a hint of contempt.
"Please, my wife. Let's go home now. How can we fix this and be okay if you keep avoiding and leaving me?”
Her eyebrows furrowed when she looked at Anton. "So, it is my fault that we're not okay? That I'm leaving and avoiding you?” she asked irritably.
"N-n-no. I didn't say that," he insisted.
"Who is to blame for everything? Would all this have happened if you had chosen to do the right thing? You should know that!” she scolded.
"I know I was wrong, that's why I'm doing my best to fix this- for us to be okay again," Anton gently explained to her.
Her face was still grim even though she wasn't looking at Anton.
"We will be okay but not like before," she said, slightly calmed down.
"But why?"
She suddenly looked at Anton when he asked that. She stared into Anton's eyes for a few seconds before she spoke.
"Because you've broken my trust, and it's hard to get it back."
Anton was about to speak but the words he was about to say suddenly retreated.
He just met Ariella's meaningful look at him.
It took almost a minute for them to look at each other before Ariella turned her gaze to the front again.
"I am sorry," Anton said softly. Ariella looked at him for a moment before returning her gaze to the front.
She didn't say a word, but just let out a deep sigh.
"I hope someday you forgive me. I can wait until the day comes when you forgive me," Anton said softly.
Ariella remained silent but she was listening to what Anton was saying. Maybe she ran out of words to say so she couldn't speak.
"I know I hurt you emotionally, ruined your trust for me..." he looked at Ariella and this time Ariella looked at him without realizing it. "...but I am really sorry for everything. When the day comes that you have forgiven me, come back to me."
No words came out of Ariella's mouth, but just looked into Anton's bright eyes. At that moment, she could see the sadness in Anton's eyes even though he didn't say it.
It was like she felt guilty….but she didn't let it happen.
She looked away when she felt like she was about to burst into tears. It was as if someone had shot an arrow through her chest very fast.
Her chest seemed to tighten suddenly.
"I have to go," she said, then properly hung the sling of her bag on her shoulder.
He opened the car door but didn't get out yet.
"My wife," he softly and weakly called.
She did not turn to him but waited for Anton to say more.
"...I love you," he continued.
Those words are not sweetened with sugar but with coffee beans. Her chest tightened because of the sincerity she felt when Anton said that.
She didn't speak, but got out of the car.
Anton didn't take his eyes off her until she slowly walked away.
He didn't know what else to do. He lost the will to face the day now that Ariella wasn't by his side. He looks like a wilted vegetable.
He is alone in a huge house but what is the point of a very huge house if the only woman who makes him happy is not there? His world seemed to lose color.
He didn't know what to do.
He always gets drunk and can't eat well. He could only sleep because he was so drunk. How will he manage to eat if Ariella is not with him?
He always wondered where Ariella was and what she was doing, but as Ariella wanted, he let her think properly.
It's only been three days since they last talked but it seems like he's been missing her for a year.
"Hello," he said when suddenly someone called him from an unknown number.
A few seconds passed before the person he talked to on the phone call spoke.
"Hello," replied a woman.
