FORBIDDEN TO FALL IN LOVE

65. Long ago

Valeda did not move from his silence. He tried to digest Daniel's words, but his brain refused to work. He just looked straight at Daniel, who knew Daniel was laughing and said that it was all just a joke.

Butno. Daniel looked back seriously.

"Se... Since the restaurant?" valeda's voice finally came out.

Daniel shakes. He did not take his eyes off Valeda. "Since we were kids."

"What?" hiss Valeda. Daniel's first statement he could not accept, now there is another statement. "Since childhood? We—" Valeda did not continue his sentence.

"You used to call me Verdi" Daniel added.

Valeda bit her lower lip. After Daniel admitted that, all the questions he had in his head were answered already. "So right, we've known each other since childhood?"

"Maybe you don't remember. I heard from my father that you were traumatized when the fire broke out."

"Then, why were you angry when I asked for the scar?" sambar Valeda's. He now firmly believes that Daniel is the son who helped him.

"I feel betrayed whenever anyone asks for this scar" Daniel replied in a raucous voice. "I was hoping that you would save me and my father from the false accusation of the accident. When you wake up, you remember nothing. My father's in prison. My mother bore the burden for five years alone. I hate you" Daniel stroked Valeda's head. "But I love you so much."

"A... I'm sorry... I really don't remember much" said Valeda lirih. He looked down, feeling guilty about what happened, even though he did not fully remember the incident. "Now, can you tell me everything?"

Daniel nodded. "When your birthday is, I'd like to hand you a gift at the right time. One of your brothers said that you like greenhouses and want to receive gifts there. I obey. Who would have thought, he'd burn down that greenhouse, then leave us both in it."

"I remember!" sahut Valeda fast. "At that time, there were other children who went to the greenhouse. The boy pushed you down and lit a candle. The fire quickly caught on. I was scared and you were trying to help." Valeda closed her eyes with a frown.

"Do you remember that boy?" ask Daniel.

Valeda shook weakly. He could not remember exactly all of these events.

"Alright, we're delaying for a moment about our past events" said Daniel, who felt Valeda's face turn deathly pale. "Then, what happened to my sisters, did you find anything?"

Valeda weighed for a moment whether she should say the letter Kiki had. After seeing the sincerity in Daniel's eyes, Valeda finally nodded. "I found this," Valeda reached into her bag, then pulled out a black wallet. He kept the letter as best he could.

Daniel read the writing on the piece of paper. "If you're reading this, you clearly feel that everything is your competition."

"Why don't you think it's my affair?" valeda did not understand.

"Explain first, what else do you know!" daniel Pinta.

Valeda swallowed his question raw. "My man who hit your three sisters, was killed."

"What else?"

"The person who killed the crash man is the same person who stabbed you."

Daniel nodded a few times. "Do you have a picture of her?" ask Daniel.

Valeda. "I haven't gotten that far."

"Actually, I suspect someone. But, I won't say anything until I have definitive proof" Daniel said in a soft voice. "I want you to help me catch the real culprit."

"Is that dangerous for you?"

Daniel smiled wryly. "I've entered the lion's den. There's no point in me coming back. I have to finish this."

Valeda suddenly thought of something. "What... Maybe the person who attacked you, was the same person who burned my mother's greenhouse?" that crazy thought just popped into Valeda's head.

Daniel answered with a shrug. His expression could not be read by Valeda.

"For a while, I'll tighten security at the orphanage. Your sisters will be picked up by my men" added Valeda.

Valeda thought of something else. He wanted to continue Daniel's love statement just a moment ago.

"Oh, yes!" Daniel suddenly made a sound.

"Yes? Wh why? Is there anything I'm missing?" ask Valeda.

"You haven't given me an answer."

Valeda shakes his head, not understanding. "Answer? What's for?"

Daniel snorted in annoyance. "I should declare love at the right time. Not now," he grumbled.

"Huh? You're asking the answer to that?" ask Valeda cengak.

"What else to think? I don't expect love without a reply. You have to give me certainty. Do you love me, or not?"

Valeda's face flushed. He himself could feel how hot his head was right now.

Daniel smiled broadly, showing off his teeth. "Thank you for your answer" Daniel said.

***

PRANGS!!!

"Aaaargh!!! You are useless!!!" a loud scream filled the room. In the man's hand was a baseball bat covered in blood.

"I'm sorry, sir.." groaned his opponent who was resting on the floor. His head was bleeding heavily, but he kept his position and chose to quietly accept the anger of his master.

"I hired you, because you said you'd be useful to me. But, what do I get?"

"I didn't expect him to come with anyone else, sir."

"Haha!" the sound of a shrill laughter makes the feathers of the people who hear it become bristling. "Should I check it out for you?"

"No, Master!" answer the messenger with a great trembling voice. "I'll finish it fast."

That guy shakes. "No. Secretary Valeda is conducting an investigation. You should be quiet for a while."

"I'll get rid of that secretary if I have to."

MAAM!

A punch floated back into the body of the errand boy, until he lost his balance and collapsed on the cold floor.

"How arrogant are you! Killing one man is useless, you can't. Now you want to involve people again?"

He sat on the sofa in the middle of the room. "Celines... He's more useful than you think. I'll use it to turn things around" he murmured. "Cloe, you said, Celine's dating Kris, right?" the man looked at the black-clothed woman next to him.

"Yes, Sir."

The man laughed softly. "Find out their weaknesses, especially Kris. I want to teach them, once I fall in love with someone unreliable, everything will be for naught."

The woman named Cloe nodded in understanding. "Good, Master!"

"Hey, you!" he shouted at the messenger who was still curled up on the floor. He felt difficulty to get up again as his head throbbed painfully. "I gave you three days to rest! Then kill that jerk Daniel! If you can get her orphanage for me, I will guarantee you a decent life!"

"Uhuk! Uhuk!" the messenger choked on his own blood as he was about to reply. "Ba-well, sir," he answered softly.

***