UNEXPECTED LOVE

UNEXPECTED LOVE - CHAPTER 7

Gian said goodbye. "Bro, I'm going out first, okay?"

"Where are you going?" Lian asked.

"To Mom's, since we don't have work today anyway," Gian said.

"Okay."

A few moments later, Lian finished his breakfast and sat in the living room. After a while, he called Crishane.

"What is it, Sir?"

"Remember this, when we are outside, we need to pretend to be husband and wife, clear? This is part of our legal agreement so people won't ask questions," Lian explained.

"Okay, Sir," Crishane said softly.

"Prepare, we will go out."

"Sir, where are we going?"

"To the mall."

"Why, Sir?"

"We will buy clothes."

"Why do you need to take me to buy your clothes, Sir?"

"Your clothes, I mean. There is a meeting tomorrow at the office, so I will introduce you to my colleagues as part of our arrangement," Lian said.

"I don't want to, Sir," Crishane said.

"Why?"

"Order me anything, just don't make me face them."

"Why not?"

"You will just be embarrassed, Sir."

"You will come with me," Lian insisted.

"I really don't want to, Sir," Crishane said.

"Okay fine, sit here," he ordered and she sat down. "I will just teach you English, if that's what you're shy about."

"Don't, Sir," Crishane said.

"Don't wait for me to get angry," Lian said.

"I really don't want to, Sir."

"Why? Tell me the real reason you don't want to go there," Lian asked.

Crishane didn't answer.

"Crishane, what is it?" Lian asked, his voice louder.

Crishane suddenly ran to the kitchen, and Lian followed her, but kept his distance.

"Sir Lian, what is it?" Crishane said while crying.

"You can still run away from me, huh?" Lian said, but he did not touch her.

"What is it, Sir?" Crishane cried.

"You're still not going to talk to me?" Lian asked.

"Okay, fineee!" Crishane shouted. "You want me to tell you, huh? You want me to be truthful? Yes, it's embarrassing! Not because you are rich and I am just poor, and not because I am weak in English! You know what, huh? Because I am embarrassed of myself! I am embarrassed to pretend in front of many people, to pretend to be a wife, to pretend to people that I'm okay, to pretend that I'm happy!"

Lian was silent. He swallowed hard.

"Oh what? Is that still not enough? Huh? Or do you want me to say kill me instead of torturing me like this? Instead of crushing my personality, instead of making me feel like an animal tied by the neck?" she sobbed.

"What other truth do you want to hear, huh?" Crishane cried.

Lian sighed deeply. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you felt that way."

"You should just be thankful that I helped you and your family," Lian said, but his voice was softer.

"Do you think I'm happy with what you did? Yes, you helped my family but I didn't want it this way! Do you think I should be thankful for the difficult life you gave me? Now I will ask you, the amount you helped my family, in exchange for my life, is that enough? Is my life enough as payment?" Crishane said while still crying.

"Enough. Let's stop," Lian said and went upstairs to his room.

Crishane entered her room and continued crying, while Lian didn't realize his tears had already fallen, as if he felt guilty.

After a while, Lian's phone rang and a text message arrived.

Don Mart said in his message.

"Shiitt," Lian said and threw his phone on the bed out of annoyance.

---

The next morning, Lian left early to go to the meeting, including Gian, so Crishane was alone again at home, but Cristina suddenly visited her again.

"Ehm, Madam, it's you?" Crishane said.

"How are you?" Cristina asked while sitting on the sofa.

"I'm fine po," Crishane said while busy making coffee and preparing food.

After a while, she placed it on the table and also sat down.

"I have something to ask you," Cristina said.

"What is it, Madam?"

"Dad of Lian is calling but he can't contact Lian, did you notice if he changed phone?"

"Oh, Madam, I didn't notice," Crishane said.

"Okay, I'll just ask Gian," Cristina said.

"By the way, Bishel told me about Lian bringing you here, is that true?"

"Yes, Madam," she answered softly.

"Why did you agree to that kind of way?"

"No choice, Madam. That is what Lian wants as exchange, but everything is legal and voluntary. I agreed," Crishane said.

"But while you are here, has anything happened between you?"

"Nothing po. He respects me, Madam," Crishane said.

"Don't worry, I know my son. Even if he doesn't talk to me, believe me, he can't do anything bad to you as long as he sees you as an innocent woman," Cristina said.

"Really, Madam?"

"Yup, just don't make him too angry and just accompany him even though he shows such a bad attitude, there is still conscience left in him."

"Sir Gian mentioned to me the reason why he doesn't treat you well," Crishane said.

"Yes, he blames me for his best friend's death. He was so hurt, because they had many happy memories with that child. He learned many things from him, so he loved that child more than a sibling. They were often together before," Cristina told.

"He used to be a good person, an obedient son, and respectful to others, generous, and loving to parents. It's just that since his best friend died, that's when his change started and his bad attitude got worse when me and his daddy separated," Cristina added.

"Is that so, that's why he's like that, but I also feel, Madam, that he is really a good person. It's just that he wants to act bad because I think he also blames himself for his best friend's death," Crishane said.

"It seems like that," Cristina said.

"That's why I often see him alone," Crishane said.

"Can I ask a favor from you, Crishane?"

"What is it, Madam?"

"Just help me accompany him, and convince him to forgive me," Cristina said.

"Okay, Madam, I will try," Crishane said.

"Thank you very much," Cristina said while holding Crishane's hand. "I think the day will come that you will get along again. What child can bear his own mother?"

"Thank you," Crishane said.

"And, just call me Tita from now on," Cristina said.

"Huh, it's embarrassing," Crishane said.

"Don't be shy. In truth, I really like your personality," Cristina said and she hugged Crishane.

"You know, you remind me of my best friend before," Cristina said.

"Really?" Crishane asked.

"Ehm, we were classmates since elementary, until high school, college and until we finished being a Teacher. It's just that since then we separated because I married Mart, my boyfriend then, the father of Lian and Gian, but when I gave birth to Gian, my best friend also gave birth to her second child, so we met again, and since then we often met, she had her eldest child with her and I had Lian with me," Cristina told.

"Is that so?" Crishane was wondering why it seemed to match the story of her mother before about her best friend Riss whose name was similar to Crishane's name and Lian's name that seemed to match the name of her friend before named Iyan...

Because of what Cristina was telling, Crishane became too curious, so she asked her again.

"What are their names?" Crishane asked.

"Finella, my best friend, and Anne, her eldest, Lian's best friend," Cristina said.

Just by hearing her mother's name, Crishane was sure that they were their missing friends from before, but she chose to keep it secret because she was ashamed to admit it. They are poor, and she has not achieved anything, especially since she agreed to Lian's offer just to help her family.