FORBIDDEN TO FALL IN LOVE

6. Second Matter

Valeda did not flinch at the box beside his plate. He had a bad feeling about the box. The man standing next to her, seemed to have a friendly and serious aura. So there's no way that it's a surprise box that contains creepy pop-up dolls.

"What's this?" ask Valeda. In an instant, his appetite disappeared.

The man smiled widely, then opened the box he had just placed. A necklace bearing a red diamond pomegranate, glistening under the light of a restaurant lamp.

"Receive it, Miss," he said with a puffed up chest.

Valeda put down his spoon and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You haven't even introduced yourself yet" Valeda replied. "How can I be sure that you're not one of my colleagues who gives bribes?"

The man moved and sat in front of Valeda. "You don't know who I am?" ask her with a frown. "All the diamond lovers and the upper class know me very well."

"I'm not a diamond lover," answered Valeda lazily. He was most disliked by the person who boasted of himself like the man before him.

"Yes, you don't really like diamonds. But, since from now on we will be in frequent contact, you should get used to my diamonds, "he replied.

"Your name, Sir?" Valeda. He was more interested in the names of the people in front of him.

"Hahaha, sorry!" the man laughed softly.

Valeda smiled wryly in response to his interlocutor's sense of humor. According to Valeda, their conversation was nothing funny. He did not understand why his interlocutor was laughing.

"My name is Raphael" the man continued. "I am the son of the owner of the jewel."

Valeda nodded once, then continued eating. He tried to finish what he ordered.

"You hungry?" ask Raphael.

Valeda swallowed the food in his mouth. He rubbed the tip of his lips first before replying. "Are we not here to eat?" the answer.

Raphael rubbed his pointy chin. He nodded, confirming Valeda's words. "Well, I'll order something too."

Valeda raised his hand to call the restaurant waiter. As soon as the waiter reached his table, he handed a black card over the tray the maid had brought.

"Please wait, miss," said the waiter and retreated.

"What do you mean?" ask Raphael. The smile on his face disappeared.

Valeda glanced at the tiny, circular watch on his left wrist. "I'm done with dinner" Valeda replied casually.

"You sulking?" Raphael grunting.

"For what?" Valeda asked back.

"Well, I get it. I'm half an hour late. Even though I've brought the diamond as an apology, apparently your pride is higher than that" Raphael replied. "Because you're beautiful, I'll tolerate it. Especially when we will be a couple. But don't be like this often. The beautiful women of this world are not just you,"

Valeda almost stopped breathing hearing Raphael's reply. Apparently, Mrs Emely's second-choice person was as insane as the first.

"I'll send five more diamond necklaces straight to your house tonight. So, don't be angry anymore" Raphael continued.

Valeda did not blink looking at the man before her. Not out of awe, but out of disbelief in what he hears. How cheap is Valeda's self-esteem in front of the newly known man?

"Why not find another beautiful woman who is interested in your diamond necklace?" ask Valeda.

Raphael did not answer. He just looked at Valeda straight with a faint smile.

The waiter went back to Valeda's desk. "Please, Miss," he thrusts a tray of card holders.

Valeda grabbed his card and stood as handsome as possible. Although he was not interested in making a good impression to soften the atmosphere, Valeda still maintained his elegance like a white goose. "Please enjoy your dinner, Mr. Raphael. I hope, we don't meet again, because I don't like diamonds." Valeda threw a knotty smile, then passed from his desk.

"Wait!" a pair of hands pushed the elevator door shut.

Valeda gasped and took a few steps back, thinking that Raphael was after him. However, he was able to breathe a sigh of relief after knowing that what appeared was not that arrogant man.

"Sorry, Miss," said the Abuser of the elevator as he entered.

Valeda did not answer him, because the Intercessor turned his back as soon as the elevator door closed.

The ringing of an old cell phone suddenly filled the elevator room. The Inter pleader reached into the pocket of his shabby jacket and immediately replied. "Hello, Sister? Yes, yes, Brother is coming home now. Wait a minute," he replied quickly in a panicked tone.

During his time in the elevator, the Repellent looked agitated. He tapped his feet impatiently. As soon as the elevator door opened, he rushed out in a hurry to stumble.

Unintentionally, the direction of Valeda and the Intercessor turned out to be the same. Valeda was a little interested because the man was so hurried that he fell down from the stairs that there were only five steps.

"Miss, how's dinner going?" greet Kris who found Valeda already standing in the hotel lobby. He followed Valeda's footsteps towards the hotel exit.

"Don't talk about it" replied Valeda. His eyes were still fixed on the Intercessor who was currently in a daze on the roadside.

Kris followed Valeda's view. He saw the man running past him before Valeda appeared. "What's up, Miss?"

"That man," Valeda flicked his chin towards the Intercessor, "it seems to need help."

"I will ask him," answered Kris and immediately moved from where he stood.

Valeda was waiting at the hotel entrance. He crossed his arms in front of his chest. Kris spoke with a serious face for a while. Then he went back to Valeda.

"What's wrong?" ask Valeda.

"His sister had a fever and had a seizure. He wants to go back home. But the car he's driving down the restaurant's vegetable supply hasn't finished unloading."

"Take car. We'll take him with us" Valeda walked over quickly to the Intercessor. Kris runs towards the parking lot to carry out Valeda's orders.

"Excuse me" said Valeda.

The man wearing the hat turned his head in shock at Valeda's voice. "Sorry, I'm blocking the way, huh?" he got out of where he stood.

Valeda's car stopped right in front of Valeda. Kris came down and opened the door for Valeda. "He can sit in front," Valeda's message to Kris nodded.

As soon as the car door next to Valeda closed, Kris immediately approached the Disguised Deliverer who was still confused. Looks like he's waiting for public transport or a passing ojek.

Not long after, the Inter plea followed into the car along with Kris. "Thank you very much!" the Intercessor said as he bowed many times to Valeda.

During the journey, everything became very silent. The Intercessor only opened his mouth when he told him the path that Kris had to walk.

Valeda also did not choose to mince words or ask the condition of the sister of the Penitentiary. He sent a message to the staff at his hospital to catch up with them to the address the Repellent mentioned.

The Intercessor ran out of the car as Kris stopped his car in front of a simple house with a wooden fence as high as Valeda's chin.

Valeda looked through the car window, looking at the signboard that read 'Rising Sun Orphanage' next to the gate of an old weathered house.

"Are we coming in, Miss?" tawar Kris's.

"No need. We go back to my apartment" replied Valeda. Along with the reply from Valeda, the sound of siren ambulance was heard from a distance. Valeda sent a message once again to inform him that the patient was inside the orphanage and waived all treatment costs for now.

***