My parents took me that day.
I'm now back in the city, and it's been almost a month since the huge conflict happened in the Maldives. A lot of things changed, and I've never felt so good until today. It was never part of my idea; I just gave in to what they wanted. This time, I just know that this is for my own good.
I may not be back to my normal routine as a college student, but at least I have my whole life back now. I dropped out of all of my subjects and just joined my brother to focus on one thing: to cure what's happening in my head. We recently found out that the serum before had a bad effect on me, and it hit me every single damn time because I injected myself too many times a day. I'm now one of his lab partners in the huge laboratory that my parents made for him as a gift.
It is a huge gift that helps people cure their disease or any kind of illness.
There's always been a huge responsibility connected to my brother's name, and he always knew about it. We are now already working on our own because he pushed me to work and told me to put everything I learned about science into helping people just like him.
My friend, Rylie, and Luke's girlfriend, Maureen, are always here helping us in the lab. They already graduated like a week ago from the university, and if I could continue it, I could possibly be one of them, enjoying life with a college diploma. But it doesn't bother me anymore, as I'm content with my life today.
I never imagined I would feel this kind of thing again.
All my life, I've been subject to harmful things, and even traumatic experiences have come my way. I never thought I would surpass all of it, and it leads me here to help and inspire people to keep going. From being a bad one, my brother pushed me to be a good influence for everyone, and I've never been more satisfied with the idea of it.
I'm now on my way back to the mansion to visit my parents for the first time in two weeks. We have already talked about what happened, and now I'm already fine talking to them. At first, I thought my Dad would never forgive me, but when I went home with them, that day became the most unforgettable moment of my life. I saw my father crying from relief, saying that he's been trying to keep his emotions bottled up just to be the strongest support system for my mother during our crucial time in the Maldives. I've also felt the same thing about them since that day, and I hope that no one will be hurt by them.
That time became the most important detail that healed my past trauma. After that incident, they told me that they needed rest, and I let them have it when we got back here.
The moment I got back, I felt a strange sense of missing a place that already felt like home to me. When those things suddenly popped into my head, all I ever did was look at the picture that I kept when I got back. I developed them and put them in a mini album that I personally made.
In that way, I could still have them in my memories. My first night back in the city was scary. I was all alone in my apartment when I got up to go to my kitchen. I saw nothing, and it felt like I was used to having people lurking around the kitchen.
Those sleepless nights became bearable when Rylie and Maureen started to sleep there whenever they had free time at night. They also help me a lot in pointing out what's true and what's just a dream from all the memories that will pop up in my head all of a sudden.
After a month of struggle, I'm now a better woman. Of course, sometimes I would think of him, but before I left the Maldives, I told him that I wanted to heal myself, and that's what he also wanted to do at that time, so we both had time to heal and change for the better.
I'm now all better and just waiting for him to come along again.
After all that happened to us later on, I realized that I could learn to love him. This is not by force, but this is what I wanted to do ever since I woke up one day realizing that I needed him in my life. He became one of the fondest memories of my life, and I will never waste those times I had with him. I know we can help each other this time. In a healthy way and far from the rush and secretive tactics before.
I came back to my senses when I heard Jamaica's voice outside. She's busy gardening, but when my car stopped in front of the mansion, she immediately yelled at me.
"Hey, you!" She said before she hugged me briefly. "I didn't expect that you'd be here today. What's the agenda, huh?
I laughed at what she said and just raised the basket full of red wine. Her eyes immediately sparkled at what she saw.
"I just noticed that the mansion is already out of stock with liquor, so I brought some," I said as a joke.
"You know what? You're the only girl who has the right mind in this family," she teased before we both headed inside.
The double doors opened, and my eyebrows furrowed as I saw lots of helpers cleaning the whole empty ballroom.
"What's the event?" I asked them, but they just gasped when they saw me, and so they lowered their heads and continued to clean every corner of the room, along with the grand staircase.
We went straight to the second floor of the library, where Jamaica told me where my parents were. I'm excited to see the both of them!
I was about to open the door to the library when I heard another voice inside. My mind almost stopped functioning when I recognized that voice.
It's him!
I'm certain that it's him.
I stopped Jamaica from opening the door, and I put my head close to the door to hear what they were talking about. I'm getting really nervous just thinking that he's here in the mansion on the same day I've decided to visit my parents. What a coincidence, right?
I couldn't hear anything at all, as I just injected the serum that I used to have to keep my temperature warm and show some human features.
I'm starting to get irritated, but when I heard his loud footsteps approaching the door, I slightly panicked and pulled Jamaica to hide in the nearest room.
"What the hell is—"
I cover her mouth and shush her.
I can now clearly hear his voice, and that voice never fails to soothe my soul.
Jamaica had already figured out what I did, so she remained quiet the whole time.
"I promise I'll do everything," I heard him say.
"Prove to us everything you've got," Dad said.
Those were the last conversations they had before I heard the door closing again. We went out of the room next to the library, and I warned Jamaica not to say anything, so she agreed. We went into the library and saw my Dad sipping on the wine in his glass.
"Dad," I called him, and I gave him a hug. "I've missed you."
"What brings you here in broad daylight, huh?" He asked before he offered me a seat. On the other hand, my cousin left me all alone here.
"I just brought some wine and a package from Luke to both you and Mom; that's all," I said while I was looking around to find some clues about what they talked about earlier.
"So Ysmael was just here about a minute ago; did you meet him in the hallway outside?" Dad asked out of nowhere, and so I was startled a little.
"Ysmael? I actually haven't seen you in a while up until today, so the answer is no, Dad," I said.
"I was actually happy to see him earlier," Dad said as he walked towards the floor-to-ceiling window while looking from afar. "He paid us a visit and offered us an apology after all the misunderstandings that happened before. I was actually surprised though since I'm also about to visit him in his penthouse to express my apologies too. He's been a kind man all along, Adi. No wonder you fell for him."
Dad's words today felt so different from his usual self. I just gave him a simple "yes" and let out an almost nervous laugh.
I never thought those words would come out of my Dad's mouth. Is there something wrong?
Something must be weird out here.
I walked towards my Dad and stood beside him. I was trying to figure things out when I saw him smiling while I was still walking towards him. He's looking down on the lawn.
"Dad, is there something wrong?" I asked before turning my head to look down, only to gasp and cover my lips.
What is happening?
I saw him on the lawn, standing while looking in my direction. He's wearing a semi-formal look with a white polo paired with black slacks and black leather shoes. I'm quite confused, but when my Dad tapped my shoulders, I looked at him.
"Dad, what is happening?" I asked confusingly.
"Go downstairs and be happy with him, my little one."
With those words, I hugged my Dad so tight before I ran downstairs to get out and face him. I almost forgot that I was wearing high heels, and when I was already in front of him, I felt my eyes almost tearing up.
"What are you doing here?" I asked with a trembling voice.
"I got here about an hour ago; just tell your father how I'm planning to marry you again," he said before he sighed.
"Adi, you never left my mind the day you went home. I gave you time because that's what we need that moment, and seeing how far you have become, I felt so proud at the decisions we made for ourselves. You're always in my heart, and in every thing that I do, I always put you in mind that I'm doing this because I wanted to be with you again. I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life, love. You're all that I ever need, and you're the ray of sunshine that comes right through me. You save me from my misery, and I've never felt so satisfied rather than to be with you for the whole lifetime."
My tears fell, and I gasped softly as I saw him slowly kneeling on one knee.
For the first time in my life, everything felt so right.
I'm trying to contain all of the emotions in my mind right now as I walk closer to him. I don't know what to say now. All I could say was that I wanted to be with him until my very last breath.
I have suffered alone my whole life, but with him, I felt safe. He's the only best thing that happened to me, and I will never regret how we met or how we handled things, and I'll look forward to the things that we will face together in the future.
He's the only man I want, and he's the man worth fighting for until the very end.
Up to this day, I'll be forever grateful for the love he gave and the love we have shared.
"Adi," he called out to my name before he let out a small red velvet box. He opened it, and what was inside was a minimalist diamond ring that looked angelic and elegant at the same time.
"Adi, will you marry me?"
I finally let out my sobs in response to the question he just asked. He made me feel special the whole time I was with him. He built a part of me that never used to have something to hold on to.
I slowly nodded to him and spoke.
"Yes."
His smile widens, and he instantly holds me for a hug.
"I love you."
"And I love you more, creep."
From nothing that has turned into something. He's one beautiful artist who set my mind to be a good one.
He's my hope and love.
With him, the love we have will last.