Chapter 47: Chapter 47

I excitedly told Ashton about Andre and Danny, including Alia. I told him that they were my new friends who I believed could help me out of my slump. This was a new season in my life. Because of them too, I finally started wanting to start a conversation with my father, Sarah, and of course Ashton. Within a day I felt better. That's why I also asked Ashton to go with me to the orphanage tomorrow. I wanted to introduce him to them. But too bad, he couldn't come due to some urgent business. Even so, I was still excited. I had prepared more toys as well as snacks to share.

The next day I went to the orphanage, and apparently Danny and Andre had arrived earlier than me. The two of them were talking to Mrs. Clarissa. Their conversation stopped when they noticed my presence.

"Hello everyone," I greeted as I asked Mrs. Clarissa to help distribute the toys and snacks that I had brought. While I started talking with Danny. "I didn't think you'd come earlier than me,"

"Andre wanted to come here sooner. He's an impatient man," Danny answered, laughing at the reaction Andre gave to his words.

Under my awareness, I was already smiling at the two of them. I really felt familiar with them.

"Oh yeah, before I forget, earlier Mrs. Clarissa told us that Alia had found her cat. She is now asleep after getting tired of playing with it,"

"That's good news," I said with a smile after hearing that. "I hope the cat doesn't disappear again,"

Danny nodded in agreement with my words. We both didn't want to see Alia sad again.

"Do you have any other plans after this? Me and Andre would like to take you to one of the restaurants that just opened nearby,"

I didn't have anything else planned for the day besides meeting them and the orphanage kids, so without thinking I shook my head. The whole trip in the car with them was great. We talked to each other and shared some of our life experiences; neither good nor bad. Andre joined the conversation a few times, but the rest of the time he was just silent and more often directed his gaze out the window. He seemed to have a lot of thoughts going through his head. Even he looked uncomfortable with his sitting position. I'd love to ask what was bothering him, but I was not sure he trusted me enough to tell me. That's why I pretended as if I didn't notice the tension on his face and continued to respond to Danny's words.

Finally we arrived at the restaurant Danny mentioned. It was quite crowded, but lucky we got a seat to eat there. Andre sat right across from me, checking his phone several times. His forehead furrowed and I found him cursing in a whisper.

On the other hand, Danny was acting like he was when I first met him. It made me wonder if he was aware of the anxiety Andre was showing or if he was just acting like he didn't.

We finally ordered food, except for Andre. His face slowly turned gloomy. There were a lot of negative emotions on his face. He looked sad about something. So of course I couldn't enjoy my food properly because of it. His expression touched my heart. I was curious and also felt a strong worry; feelings I had never felt for people I had only known a few days.

What's wrong with Andre? Why am I so curious about him?

"What's wrong, Mabel? You're not listening to me," complained Danny while examining my face.

I drank my glass of my orange juice then shook my head. Danny's spontaneous question made Andre come to observe my face.

"Are you sure you're okay? After arriving here you became unfocused,"

"I just- forget it," I smiled and immediately faked the emotions on my face with a smile.

"Are you sure?" This time it wasn't Danny who asked, but Andre. He stared at me fixedly. The look in his eyes reminded me of someone; to him who had amber eyes as beautiful as his. I blinked my eyes a few times then ignored my thoughts. It had been a few days since that day, and I promised myself to move on and forget about him completely. Even though half of me wished he would come and try to win back my trust. But he really just walked away and made no effort to get me back into his arms.

"How about you? You look distracted today," I asked back to Andre, making our eyes hold each other's figures.

"He's just tired. There have been a lot of problems at the office lately," Danny answered immediately.

I was not satisfied with Danny's answer. There was a great urge inside of me that felt like he was lying. There was something both of them were hiding from me. I shouldn't be curious about it or interfere, but my heart told me it had something to do with me. My logic didn't agree with that considering I didn't know them that deeply, so how could their problems had anything to do with me?

Andre was silent, probably waiting for my reaction to the answer Danny gave. I was sure my expression of dissatisfaction with that answer was obvious. That made the two look at me carefully.

"You guys are really good people, right? I feel like you guys are hiding something from me, something big. You don't intend to kidnap me, do you?"

"Whoa, calm down, Mabel. How could you think that far?" asked Daniel jokingly.

"Because you guys suddenly appeared in my life,"

My answer silenced both of them. It was then that Andre sighed softly, looking super tired. "You're right, we popped into your life suddenly. If I were you, I'd also be anxious to find two strangers suddenly wanting to enter your life."

Andre got the point.

"Andre-" Danny tried to cut off the conversation when Andre raised his hand, signaling for Danny not to cut the conversation.

"There is one thing that bothers me, Mabel. It makes my sleep is no longer quality, my mind doesn't work as it should, and now my appetite has decreased." explained Andre slowly with eyes on my food. His words sounded hollow, he seemed to have lost the hope of living. What actually happened to him?

"That one thing is the result of a mistake I made in the past. Even 'sorry' seems too late to say. And regret doesn't mean anything anymore," continued Andre while forcing a smile. "I lost the woman I love,"

Andre really reminded me of him, Adrian. It was then that I realized how much I missed him. Everything still reminded me of him. The place I stepped on even still made my mind go back to him.

"While I thought that was the worst that's happened to me this year, it turns out there's much worse than that. Her life is now in danger, Mabel." Andre looked at me, for some reason I felt he was addressing it to me.

"What danger do you mean?"

"Someone wants to harm her," added Danny.

"Then you have to warn her to be careful," I blurted out what was on my mind right away.

Instead of agreeing to my suggestion, Andre and Danny just stared at me flatly. That made me raise an eyebrow.

"I mean, I'm sure she'd listen to you if you tried to tell her. Give it a try, I'm sure she'll listen." I insisted. "It's about her life, you have to tell her."

"Would you?" asked Andre which made me make an expression. That made him repeat his question again. "Would you listen if I told you your life was in danger?"

Danny just silent as he rubbed his face in frustration. My mouth closed a moment later as I realized one thing.

"Me? In danger?" I almost wanted to laugh at the repeat. Andre didn't even know much about my life, how could he make such a statement? I was related to Adrian, but the rest of my life was fine.

Andre was clearly observing my expression. He seemed to be able to read how I took his words as non-serious and as a joke. He gently touched his mustache while making sure I kept watching. At that point my heart skipped a beat when I caught him tugging at the end of it, then kept going until it was completely off his face. Danny then did the same thing. I couldn't believe what I saw. Upon realizing the truth, my silence turned to anger.

I couldn't believe Danny was Daniel and Andre was Adrian freakin' Moretti. All this time I had been deceived. They had lied to me, again. Without thinking, I stood up and walked away from there without caring how Adrian kept calling my name. How could he trick me?

"Mabel, stop!" Adrian kept chasing me this time. He didn't give up and kept trying to reach me. But I couldn't control myself anymore, my anger was too much for him and at that time it also exploded. "I know I shouldn't disguise myself as someone else just to meet you. But I couldn't help myself, days gone by without you almost drive me crazy. I know you don't want to see me again, I know that well. For that I'm sorry,"

I kept walking, holding back the tears that were ready to fall a few seconds later. My heart was broken, but at the same time I felt my longing for Adrian soaring. There was a feeling of calm after knowing he was fine that made me want to hug him, but on the other hand I was hurt by his actions. Those were the hardest mixed feelings for me to get over.

"I couldn't hold back when I should have, especially when I said I would leave if you asked me to." Adrian continued, his voice getting heavier. I could feel my legs getting tired and my steps slowing so he finally managed to grab my arm. I turned to face him and his eyes were already staring into mine.

"You really know how to make me cry, Adrian." I said, unable to hold back the tears.

Adrian let go of my arm, came closer and cupped my cheeks. I let him do that for a moment my heart felt like it was getting what it wanted. Even though I hated the fact that I still loved him so much, I had to admit that he was still the one who could make me feel alive again.

"I'm sorry, Mabel. I failed to become the man you dreamed of marrying. I also failed to become the man who should be able to make you happy, give you a normal life without getting into danger. All your adversity came because I was present in your life," Adrian started and my tears flooded my eyes, seeing him hurt by our situation, I felt the same way too. "All I did was hurt you over and over again,"

I closed my eyes, dropping all the tears down my cheeks. Adrian's words this time actually sounded like a farewell, like it was our last meeting. He made me feel like it would be the last time I saw him and felt him that close. The look in his eyes gave many signs that I did not understand. I got scared thinking about tomorrow, because no one knew what would happen.

"I'm sorry for all my failures, Mabel. I love you so much,"

My lips stiffened just to reply to that statement. I wish I could answer as my heart asked me to, but my ego was too high. I knew Adrian wished I would say I love him too. It was clear on his face that he begged my lips to say the same. But all I did was shake my head, betraying my own heart by telling him that my love for him was long over.