Black Swan's

Engagement (Fourty Four)

Tonight the atmosphere in the house of Aciel looks more alive and crowded. In particular Aciel invited Jessica and her fiance, as well as Sian to dinner at her home. And this time the atmosphere of dinner at his house became more special because in the circle of adults there was one little girl who was enjoying the meat steak with greed.

            “Yeah..she littered her white dress with barbeque sauce!” exciting Jessica excited. A designer always sees clothes as everything. And seeing Ciara's clothes that had been filled with steak sauce horrified Jessica. He reflexively threw his white napkin at Ciara who was sitting right

opposite, but unfortunately, the napkin just landed in the middle of a spacious dining table. Eden who saw it immediately took the napkin that Jessica threw while saying softly to her daughter, “Honey, eat slowly. Uncle Sian won't snatch it from you.” Eden's tease while wiping the remnants of the sauce in Ciara's mouth. He himself felt sorry for wearing the white dress Ciara because the dress would definitely not be worn again by Ciara.

            “Yeah... Did you never feed him Ed? Appetite like you.” comments Sian jahil. Eden only gave a small smile in response to Sian's exclamation and resumed eating. He's actually pretty awkward being at this table with Jessica and Aciel. The two people somehow made her unable to help but make her nervous like this. Especially since then, Aciel continues to watch him with his brown eyes are very sharp, eyes that always be a shadow of Eden wherever he goes.

            “Can you get me a salad.”

            Aciel suddenly thrust his empty plate towards Eden and asked Eden to take a salad that was located quite close from Eden position. It inevitably makes Eden more awkward and clumsy. It was as if she was eating food for her husband.

            “Daddy... Ciara want it.”

            Ciara suddenly shouted, pulling several times the end of the Aciel shirt while pointing at a cup cake located in the middle of the table. Eden who felt the cup cake was close enough to his position took the initiative to take it for Ciara. And as he reached out his hand to pick up the cup cake by accident

his fingertips came into contact with Aciel. It turned out that the man was also reaching for the same cup cake for Ciara. Instantly Eden's body was like being stung by an electric volt that made him tremble immediately. His body was only stiff in place with his hand still stuck out on the cup cake plate, although Aciel had already put away his hand since then.

            “Do you also want cup cake?” goda Sian. He knows Eden is nervous at the moment because of the touch of Aciel in his hand. And that made Sian could not help but tease Eden.

            “Don't tease Eden, pity her Sian.” Kimpal Kris suddenly with a strange smile. Jessica who saw it immediately glanced at Aciel who had since looked calm with all the commotion created by Sian and the occasional Kris. Unfortunately, he had to resist disappointment because the man again managed to hide his emotions behind his flat face.

           “Ahh... daddy, dirty daddy shirt.”

            Ciara exclaimed in fear as she pointed at the arm of Aciel's shirt that was hit by the splash of sauce. Everyone who was there immediately stared at Aciel and Ciara alternately with intense gazes that were quite alarming. As for Eden, he himself began to look wary and would actually advance to secure Ciara if Aciel dared to yell at his son. But unexpectedly, Aciel turned out to do nothing. He only smiled slightly as he stroked Ciara's head slowly.

            “It's okay princess, this won't be too visible on the black daddy shirt. Continue eating, hmm?”

            Suddenly everyone immediately looked at each other with a surprised look that they could not hide in the slightest. For the first time an Aciel did not commit violence against someone who had harmed him. But for a Lutherford Ciara, it was an exception.

            “Darling, do you know what to do?”

            Eden gave Ciara the code to take responsibility for her actions. And the little girl immediately came down from her chair to pick up a piece of tissue that was on the small table next to the dining table. Then with a slightly stiff movement, Ciara cleaned the Aciel shirt from the splash of barbeque sauce she ate.

            “Already. Dady's clothes are clean.” exclaimed Ciara girang while walking towards her chair. The people who were there were immediately stunned by Eden's teaching and also Ciara's responsible attitude. They did not expect that Ciara would have a very responsible nature, which is rarely owned by most children in general. And when she saw that, Aciel felt stunned because her own daughter could do something that she could never do all this time. Responsible, something that looks easy, but actually very heavy to do. Especially for a jerk like him who always relied on his wealth to cover up all his mistakes.

            “Thank you dear, now daddy's clothes are clean.” said Aciel stiffly while peeping chuby cheeks Ciara slowly.

            Eden who saw it felt his chest rumble, full of emotions that overflowed until he felt like crying. This was an interaction between father and son that was so heartwarming for him. I don't know because of what. Maybe because he almost never saw that tender Aciel in someone. Even with him, Aciel

 always show coldness full of annoying intimidation.

            “Your daughter is very sweet. You taught him very well Ed.” praise Sian sincerely. Eden only smiled slightly in response to Sian while bowing her head to hide her various kinds of pride and her sense of hilarity for Ciara.

            “You're lucky Ace has Eden and Ciara. Quickly marry Eden, if you don't want others to take her again.”

            “He does not want.

            Unexpectedly, Aciel this time responded to Sian's chatter and made Eden choke instantly. Even the man said it expressionlessly and really looked spontaneous to the point of making Sian glare at him.

            “Drink, don't be too nervous.” says Jessica kalem. This time they are more friendly and do not curse each other like before. Although Eden initially showed a little cynical attitude to Jessica, but in the end he chose to forget everything and consider Jessica like a friend.

            “Thanks. There is food that is suddenly swallowed.” said Eden sounds silly.in It feels like he wants to elbow Aciel's waist hard if only the man sat next to him, but unfortunately the man chose to sit to the left of Ciara while occasionally observing his little daughter who was busy eating her own food.

            “So you don't want Ed, why? Do you already have a candidate for Ciara's father?”

            “Sian! We're eating, don't talk about weird things like that.”

            “If you don't have a candidate why don't you accept Aciel? That jerk loves you so much.”

            “Sian, don't say rudely in front of my son.” Aciel's sweat is fierce. Instantly Sian immediately bent his lips tightly while whispering sorry to Eden.

            “I will definitely marry Eden someday. I make sure this time there will be no more pest intruders in his life.” said Aciel full of determination with serious nosebleed that immediately made Eden wary.

-00-

            “Here is cold, you can get sick.”

            Eden felt a blanket draped over her shoulder and followed by the appearance of Aciel by her side. After a noisy and embarrassing dinner, they all went home and left a still awkward silence between Aciel and Eden. Actually only Eden felt it, Aciel looks like normal with his flat face unreadable.

            “You didn't sleep?”

            “Then go, return to your jobs.” Eden sneered at Aciel as her hands moved around the blanket that Aciel had just wrapped around her shoulder. He was touched by the attitude of Aciel who was still paying attention to small things like this.

            “I don't want to do anything. Ciara, how's it going so far?”

            Eden turned his head briefly towards Aciel, then he again set his eyes on the night view above the balcony of his room.

            “Alright. Ciara is a smart and sincerity child. I hope you didn't have a bad influence on Ciara.”

            “I'm trying it. You haven't told me how your life has been.”

            “What is important?” Again Eden exclaimed cynically without looking at Aciel in the slightest. Eden's eyes were just straight ahead with a tense body that looked stiff. Somehow Eden can not be completely relaxed if it is too close to Aciel.

            “Important, and I want to know.” replied Aciel firmly. Eden seemed to sigh slowly, then he began to tell how his life had been in France.

            “I live as usual, I started my career as a designer because I was getting tired of modeling life. I want to try something new.” added Eden.

            “Since when did you stay in France?”

            “Since Ciara hasn't even been a year. After Zyan died, I decided to get out of Zyan's parents' house. Although it is actually heavy, because I have considered them like my own parents.” said Eden sadly. He still remembered how Zyan's parents' attitude changed as soon as Zyan died. It was certainly the main consideration of Eden to leave the house of Zyan's parents.

            “What happened to Zyan?”

            “Entahlah. Police only said that a truck was speeding and hit the front body of the car Zyan was using. Then Zyan's car rolled several times on the asphalt upside down. You know, it's very shocking news, as well as sad. At that time I was incessantly blaming myself for his death. I feel like an unlucky bearer in the Zyan family, because in addition to getting their son to marry me, they also have to lose Zyan in a tragic way.” Eden recalls sadly. His heart cramped again every time he remembered Zyan's death. The man was too sincere in love with her and considered her a precious woman.

            “That's been his destiny, don't blame yourself too much. Does Ciara know about Zyan?”

            “Ciara did not know Zyan as her father yet, she was still very small at that time.”

            Aciel gave a small nod and slightly restored her hair to the side. He was confused by his own attitude. He wanted to approach Eden in a gentle way, but he felt it did not work for him. All the advice given by Sian will only be a useless lesson with no meaningful results.

            “I want to be his father.”

            “Isn't that already?”

            Aciel involuntarily clenched his hand in a frenzied manner behind the pocket of his trousers looked crumpled. Until when he had to be patient to face the defensive attitude of Eden who considered him an enemy. He then tried once again to be soft on Eden by voicing his heart's sincere intentions for the woman. “Come we get married.”

            “Hahh... Don't you have any other words besides that?” ask Eden pushy. He was tired of hearing those words from Aciel. And more nauseating, he had to see the flat face of Aciel that seemed without sincerity in front of him. How could the man ask her to get married but with a face that does not sound convincing at all.

            “Tomorrow we get married.” said Aciel unexpectedly. Eden increasingly sighed lazily beside Aciel while looking at the man full of hostility.

            “Marriage is easy, as long as you know. But that is not the essence of marriage, all the processes in it that make marriage more meaningful. Even life after the wedding will be more difficult than all the process, so do not be too rash if you want to decide on a wedding.”

            “I do not know what makes it very difficult to accept me.” said Aciel with a flat face, but if viewed further, there will be so much frustration behind her sad brown eyes.

            “Of course all things related to you. Are you trying to be stupid? Never mind Ace, forget your bullshit wishful thinking. Live like the usual Aciel, who is haughty and without commitment. Then let go of me. I can't live like this continuously. One day Ciara will grow up and make things complicated. So before all that happens, let's finish this.”

            “Are you forcing me to separate from my own daughter? You're selfish.” hiss Aciel full of emotion. Eden suddenly felt confused with the man beside her because instantly the emotions of Aciel became explosive like this. The man even blatantly raised a fist on the balcony guardrail to make Eden stunned for a moment. But Eden did not let it drag on for too long, he straightened out this misunderstanding on Aciel so that the man did not think that he would keep Ciara away from his own father.

            “You'll still be his father anytime, but let me go. Didn't you get paid for your three blood bags? I have served you a few days ago.” said Eden slowly while turning her face the other way. It is he himself who doctrines himself as a slave *** belongs to Aciel, and he himself will also be offended by his speech.

            “Then your body is too cheap for my three blood bags.”

            “Then you can touch me until you are satisfied. Do now! Do it now if you really want it!” challenge Eden with emotion. Instantly Aciel squeezed Eden's body and body and the balcony guardrail until Eden felt tight because it was difficult to breathe.

            “This is not what I want from you. Although your body is tempting, but I am not a petty man who only uses a woman's body. At least once in my life, I wanted to do something right. I want to treat women better, and be a decent father to my daughter. Just so you know Eden, I live with so much guilt for ruining you. Indeed your father allowed me to do anything to you to make you a strong woman. But in the end I realized that I had exceeded the limit. And I have also engaged my own lust to educate you. That's something that

wrong, which I shouldn't have done. Look Ciara, you shouldn't be this selfish mother! Everyone has a past, but you don't just live with the past. There is a lot of happiness in the future that you need to see, and Ciara's future depends on you.”

            Eden was silent on the spot after Aciel slapped him with a long sentence full of emotions that had just been thrown by Aciel this time. Did that man all along also suffer with his regrets?

            “Yes I am selfish, even cruel. I made you scold your own father, I poisoned Jessica, and I've tricked a lot of people into taking revenge on you. Just so you know, I don't want to be like this either. I want my normal life back, and I just want to stay out of trouble with you. I'm tired Ace! Very tired!”

            Aciel pushed Eden's body so hard that she hit the balcony wall after she also had the same emotion as him. Maybe this is not the time to talk about their problems that have not been resolved in the past. This time he would step back, give room to Eden and let the woman think with her common sense.

            “Think of all good Eden. You want tenderness, or violence. You must know that I never accepted rejection, so no matter what happens you will one day marry me. It's just rough or soft, it depends on you.”

            Aciel left Eden just like that in a gripping silence. Eden felt her whole mind was empty, and she could not think of anything after Aciel threatened her. In the end, Aciel will definitely force him, but this time he is quite satisfied because finally he can shout himself all his mistakes in front of Aciel, he said, and make the man know if all this time he regretted having done that evil thing in the past.