FORBIDDEN TO FALL IN LOVE

25. Freeze

Valeda opened the door of her apartment and stepped in first. He looked back as he opened his high heels. "Come in, Dan," he invited Daniel in.

Daniel took off his shoes and placed them neatly next to Valeda's high heels. "Excuse me" he said before going up to the floor of Valeda's apartment.

"Sit down first. I'll make you a drink" said Valeda.

Daniel stared at the white sofa that adorned Valeda's living room. The sofa is very clean and looks soft. In fact, not even touching it, Daniel already knew that the sofa was very expensive.

"What are you thinking until you don't sit down?" valeda asked from his apartment mini bar. "Just sit. That couch doesn't eat humans."

"A... I'm dirty" replied Daniel.

"When do I care?" sahut Valeda grunting. "Sit down! Don't make me tell you to do the same thing many times."

"You're exactly your mother, Val. How terrible!" satirical Daniel.

Valeda poured the coffee into two cups and immediately brought it in front of Daniel. "Your favorite milk coffee" Valeda offered Daniel's cup.

Daniel sipped his coffee slowly. "Hm! Beyond guesswork! Your coffee's good!" praise Daniel.

"I am not served for all things, Dan," said Valeda. "Do you think, just to make a cup of coffee, I'll use someone else's services?"

"I guess, when I enter earlier, I will be greeted by about ten servants in elite uniforms." Daniel sipped his coffee again.

"Excessive!"

Daniel is grumpy to hear that Valeda who does not accept is considered a spoiled child. "Let me remember, you said you had three sisters, right?"

"Yes. Why?" ask Valeda.

"I read all the articles related to your family, but..." Daniel examines Valeda's face. In that brief moment, Daniel weighed in on whether or not he would continue his conversation.

"Tell me. It's free if you don't want to talk right now, when you've started this conversation" Valeda said.

Daniel agreed with Valeda. He was amazed by this woman who always thought simple. "I read, there is nothing great about your three brothers" Daniel finished his sentence. "Your first brother, who was handed over a company owned by your father, seemed to have trouble aligning himself with your father. He's working hard, but people's responses further explain how disappointed they are with how your first brother works."

"Yes," Valeda agreed. "My first brother wasn't as smart as my other two brothers. But, since his status was the firstborn in our family, he earned the special right that every firstborn should get."

"Then, the second one," Daniel continued. "He's bad."

Valeda laughed at Daniel. "Of all the bad words in the world, you chose 'severe' to explain my second brother?"

Daniel shrugged his shoulders. "I couldn't find any other appropriate yet polite words."

Valeda shook his head still while laughing. "Yes, my second brother is the smartest, yet he's useless."

"Then the third one..."

"Saidon, he's a same-sex lover" Valeda said quickly. "I don't know for sure. That's the bird that's circulating."

"Why am I so uncomfortable around them?" ask Daniel. The coffee in his cup was already half gone. He likes Valeda's milk coffee.

Valeda. "I haven't been close to them since I was a child. All three of my sisters were trained to compete with each other, while I was released to do anything because I was a girl. Time just passed by, and so did our relationship."

"It would be too awkward to approach them now" added Daniel, as if he could read Valeda's mind.

DING! DONG!

Valeda and Daniel turned to the door at the same time as the doorbell of Valeda's apartment rang.

"If there's a guest, I'd better go" Daniel said.

"No!" Valeda prevented it quickly. "I'm not waiting for anyone."

"Do you want to be with me?" goda Daniel's.

Valeda's eyes widened. He could not believe what he saw with his own eyes.

DING! DONG!

The doorbell rings back. Valeda swallowed his saliva with great difficulty. He did not want to open the door for the man behind the door.

"Who? Why are you standing here?" Daniel, who saw Valeda, turned to Valeda to find out who was coming.

Valeda turned quickly towards Daniel. "He's Lucas" Valeda replied. "Nonsense of my teeth."

"Why didn't the door open?"

"I don't want to see him" replied Valeda.

Daniel patted Valeda on the back. "I'm here."

"But there's no reason I should see him" Valeda still insisted. She was really reluctant to meet her brother.

"You better meet him now, then let him talk what he wants to say, and it's all done" Daniel said. "Or, you want him to come back here when I'm not around?"

"I'll meet him" Valeda replied and immediately stepped to the door. He felt safer if Daniel was next to him. Daniel will be the perfect shield to protect him from Lucas.

"Hi, Val," said Lucas as the door opened. "How are you?"

"No need to make small talk. What's the matter, Lucas' brother here?" shoot Valeda.

Lucas smiled awkwardly. "I just want to know how you are" he replied. "Can I come in? You're not si-" Lucas stopped. His eyes looked past the top of Valeda's head. "He's..."

Valeda looked back. Daniel followed him to the door. Daniel stroked Valeda's head, then wrapped his hands around Valeda's neck.

"Is he that man?" ask Lucas. His eyes glistened at Daniel.

"And, he's my third brother I told you about," Valeda played the part.

"Lucas?" Daniel pretended not to know.

Valeda. "Yes. Lucas."

"I'm sorry I didn't say hello to you very well" Daniel said. He took off his arms and extended his hand. "My name is Daniel. I'm Valeda's girlfriend."

Lucas's eyebrows are wrinkled. He did not immediately welcome Daniel's hand. Lucas's eyes examined Daniel closely.

Valeda pulls Daniel by the hand, not wanting Daniel to feel ashamed that Lucas did not welcome his hand. "So I can't say what you want to say here" said Valeda.

"Am I interrupting? I'm gonna go in and let you two talk" Daniel tried to pull.

Valeda rubs Daniel's arm. "Stay here. Follow me," whine Valeda.

"Val, what happened to you?" ask Lucas. She herself did not believe that Valeda could be as mushy as other women. "You used to be a firm and authoritative person. Why is he now a love slave to this man?"

"It is impolite to say the word 'slave' to a Valeda" Daniel said. "He is a jewel. Gems worth protecting and loving."

"Don't worry" Lucas said. "Our parents always gave Valeda enough affection. What, new people like you know about our family?"

Daniel smiled as he rubbed his head. "Love, that's never enough. We always want again and again" he said in a calm tone. "If I were new, I might know Valeda better than you." Daniel rubbed Valeda's chin and looked at her deeply.

At first glance, Valeda thought that Daniel would land a kiss for her. For some reason, Valeda doesn't mind and she hates her frozen brain.

"Val, I don't agree you're in a relationship with this man!" great-grandson Lucas, exactly Mrs Emely.

"Do you have the right to ban us?" ask Daniel.

***