THE DOCTOR'S LOVE TRAP

107. Should have accepted

Thanks to the data of colleagues Anne had in her journal. Eventually he got a contact to contact Raymond.

"Hallo?"

"Ha-hallo?" Anne's voice was doubtful. She thought the contact would connect to Raymond's secretary's number, but when she heard whose voice had crossed her, Anne knew it was the person she was looking for.

"Hallo's? Who'sis this?"

Anne still did not dare to answer even though she knew Raymond's voice sounded urgent and impatient now.

"If you don't want to talk, then I'll hang up!"

"Wait!" serobot Anne at the end.

"Who are you, huh?"

"I-i, Anne...."

"Anne? Secretary Abrine?"

"Y-yeah...."

"What's wrong? You want to talk about a business meeting?"

"No, Mister. Not."

"So? Say directly! Don't be so busy, I'm so busy..."

"Sir, why did your mother come to my parents' house this afternoon and say she wanted to propose to me?" review of Anne to the point.

"What's? So my mom actually came to see you? And that....to your parents' house?" Raymond's voice sounded very shocked. Maybe he thought Xena was just playing around to propose to Anne. She thinks her mother's not that serious. Actually did it.

"Yes." Yeah."

"God. Then what did you answer? You said we had a relationship, right?"

"Do I have to answer that?" Anne bit her lip.

"Oh my God, where are you now? We meet. Send me your location." The call was immediately cut off by Raymond, making Anne confused because she did not expect the reaction Raymond did.

****

Anne waited in a garden not far from her residence. Previously, he had already sent the address so that Raymond could easily meet him.

Not for half an hour. Anne could already see the silhouette of the man's tall body walking from a distance - towards where Anne was sitting.

"Sir, what exactly is going on?" anne asked nervously. It was only today that he met Raymond in the middle of the night and had a one-on-one conversation with the man. In fact, this is not about work.

Raymond sighed softly. Actually, he was busy with his friends on the motoGP circuit. Instead of her mother's nagging, she'd better dodge and join her friends who are busy in automotive. Unfortunately, Anne's phone call and the news that Anne delivered made her have to postpone the hobby problem, because her mother's proposal to Anne is more important and concerns her future.

"I'm avoiding Freya. He kept chasing me like anj*ing's son. Yeah, I told mom I already had a wife and it was you."

Anne's eyes rounded to hear Raymond's words that seemed blunt.

"Why me?"

"So, who else should I say? Abrin? It's impossible, right? You know for yourself if she's married."

"Kan, many other girls. Why me?" Anne pointed to herself in astonishment.

"Let's know, I answered it randomly and it happened to be in my phone with a picture of you. Yeah...."

"My photocopy?"

"Hmmm..." Raymond mangosteen. "At that time I took a picture of you as proof that I helped you from Mr. Alison's. You remember?"

"So--"

"So, what did you answer my mother?" cut Raymond.

"Of course I refuse, sir. We have no relationship." Anne positioned herself in order to see Raymond's reaction, apparently the man took a full chest breath. Was she disappointed that Anne rejected the proposal?

"You should accept it" replied Raymond.

Anne gasped in surprise. "W-do I have to take it?" He's shaking his head.

"Okay, I'm confused too. Maybe this is how Abrine felt when I was chasing him. He decided to marry Elrich. Do I have to marry you to avoid Freya?"

"W-what?" Anne was once again shocked by Raymond's statement. "You're kidding me, sir!" Anne put on a grin because she felt that Raymond's speech had sounded very strange in her ear.

"You owe me a favor.... Come on, help me!"

"Marriage isn't for the game, sir."

"Yes, I know, but after I thought, I'd try."

"You're serious?" ask Anne.

"Yes, we can try to get close first. No need to get married immediately. About my mother's proposal, if we're going to feel right for each other, then you can consider." Raymond made a choice.

Anne nodded slowly. Should he say he had started to take an interest in Raymond even before today? But, Anne suddenly thought about Jerry's problem. Even his half-brother had a debt to Raymond. Anne was so embarrassed by that.

Raymond looked at Anne who was looking down deeply. I don't know what the woman was thinking. Why is it suddenly silent like this?

"You why?" ask Raymond. Did he see wrong? It seems Anne is crying right now.

"Nothing," argued Anne.

"Did I hurt you? Or did my words offend you?"

"No, it's not your fault."

"So? Why are you crying?" Slowly the man's hand was outstretched, he raised Anne's chin with his fingertips, making the girl look at him with wet eyes. That's when their eyes met.

Somehow seeing Anne's sad face made Raymond's heart touched. Although Anne did not say anything, but the man seemed to understand that Anne was carrying a pretty severe problem.

"Can you tell me, what happened?" raymond asked in a soft voice and one hand was still on Anne's face.

"Jerry, I'm ashamed he owes you a debt."

"Ah, about that..."

"Yes, and he's also--"

"He wants to make you a debt collector again?" guess Raymond.

"To that rat!" Raymond snorted furiously. For some reason, from the beginning he always had emotions related to Anne's problem with Jerry. Maybe because he saw for himself how Jerry sneakyly set Anne up that night in front of Mr. Alison's.

"Well, this way we don't have much time."

"meaning?"

"I think we can get to know each other before we get married. But I don't want to because of Jerry you've been in this position too long."

Anne did not understand where Raymond was talking.

"Anne, I'm giving you a choice. You're rejecting my mother's proposal and your life is going to get worse because of Jerry or you're taking the proposal, but Jerry won't dare to harass you again."

"....yes, even though it will sacrifice your feelings because we haven't loved each other yet" Raymond added.

Anne was silent for a long time. Raymond gave her time, as this choice was not something that Anne would easily consider.

"Well, instead of me being sold by Jerry, I'd rather marry you."

"You agree?" Raymond was surprised by Anne's reply.

"Hmmm..." Anne nodded, but a moment later she looked at Raymond with a different gaze.

Raymond looked back at Anne. Without many words, he slowly brought the face closer and kissed the woman's lips for the first time. Just a quick glance and not for long.

"W-what are you doing, sir?" Anne's surprised. The girl held onto her lips that Raymond had just smitten.

"Your eyes are like asking me to do it" Raymond chuckled very calmly.

Anne blushed. His face turned red and immediately turned his gaze in the other direction.

"Do you mind if I take you somewhere tonight?"

"Where?" ask Anne. Was his gaze at Raymond so predictable to the man that Raymond could deduce his interested feelings? Is Raymond going to use him now?

"Hey... What are you thinking?" Raymond asked back.

"none. I'm just asking where you're taking me."

"Don't think dirty, Miss! Before I got here, I was on the MotoGP circuit. In a few days there will be a race. I want to go back there and bring you along. If we're married, you should know a little bit about my hobbies, right?"

Anne was embarrassed. Honestly, his mind was everywhere.

"But, if you want to spend a hot night with me, that's fine."

Raymond's words made Anne roll her eyes.

"Hahaha, I was just kidding. I was like that breng, not anymore."

"really?" anne was not sure.

"Yes, but if you agree I don't reject it."

Anne finally laughed at the man's joke.

"You're not sad anymore, are you? I can entertain you?" I don't know why Raymond was happy to see Anne's attitude change.

"Yes, thank you. You're making my mood better."

"really right? This guy is good enough for you, miss!" said Raymond pongah.

Without them realizing the two are getting familiar tonight. After feeling fine, Anne finally followed Raymond to visit the MotoGP circuit.

There, Raymond introduced Anne to his playmates. Anne was awkward at first but over time she was able to blend in with everything.

"You know, you were the first woman I brought here."

"Oh, really? What about Miss Abrine?"

Raymond chuckles. "Abrine? Yes yes yes, he was the first but they knew Abrine as my best friend, while you introduced me as my partner."

Hearing that Anne's face turned red. Raymond rattled the woman's straight hair.

"I'm sorry if you don't agree, I'm just afraid that one or more of them might be interested in you if they find out you're single."

They both laughed together and looked very compact. Anne felt Raymond was a good man and humble even though the radiance of her playboy soul was still very visible.

"Why didn't you marry Miss Abrine?" ask Anne.

"We're not a fool."

"That's the answer a child can answer."

Raymond chuckled again. He remembered his darkest times.

"I was not good for him. He's looking for a better man."

"If now?"

"Now I feel much better, but Abrine I can't get any more." Raymond looked back in time, when he was with Abrine.

"You love her so much?"

"That's how it is, but lately I've been busy thinking about one other woman."

"Who?"

"You..."

"Me?"

"Yes.I don't know. You can believe it or not. But, ever since I saw you being taken advantage of by Jerry I feel like protecting you."

"You feel sorry for me." guess Anne guessed the situation.

"Yes, but it could be more than that. The proof is I'm fine if we get married soon. I feel happy now."

"really?"

"Hmm, I think I'm really interested in you. You know why? Because just before meeting you today, I refused to get married. But now I'm really serious and want to marry you."

Raymond's words made Anne bow and closed her eyes tightly.

******