I'LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU
97. Unaltered

The door to Joel's room opened, followed by Joel stepping in. He sat in his chair and immediately pulled out the phone from his desk drawer.

His fingers typed quickly to send a message to Ariel.

[[Hey Sweety, I have free hours tonight, how about we have dinner together outside? @Joel ]]

Joel put his phone on the desk, waiting for a reply. When her phone rang, her hand quickly grabbed the phone and opened a reply message from Ariel

"Looks like he's not busy, the balasa is really fast," he muttered with a big smile.

[[I'm busy,@Ariel ]]

'DEGS,,,!'

Joel frowned as he opened the message Ariel had sent him, his smile fading. A very short reply and a quick refusal of his invitation. It really wasn't Ariel he knew.

[[I'll drop you dinner, @Joel ]]

He returned a message from Ariel and immediately sent it.

[[No need, @Ariel ]]

Again, the reply he received was short. As if telling himself the recipient of the message does not like the message from him.

"What'sthis? Wh why? What the hell's going on? Did I make a mistake?" joel muttered not understanding.

[[Hey, did something happen? @Joel ]]

Joel again sent a message, dismissing the bad thoughts that crept in his mind. However, after half an hour of waiting, he no longer got a reply.

"What's the matter exactly? Why is it so hard to talk to him? I just miss you, Ariel. Even if I can't meet you, at least I want to hear your voice" Joel murmured, staring at the screen.

Joel re-threads his phone, opening up a photo he got during a vacation with Ariel a few days ago. I don't know how many photos he got, he always took the slightest opportunity to photograph Ariel without being aware.

A smile formed when he saw one of the photos when he managed to capture the moment when Ariel played the piano with Albert and his friends.

His attention was distracted when Joel heard a knock on his door followed by a nurse who asked him to go to the emergency room because there would be patients arriving in a few minutes.

"Haahh,," said Joel. "I'll see a reply later," he continued.

"Joel put the phone back in his desk drawer and went after the nurse who called him.

>>>>>>>--<<<<<<<

A hoarse and resolute voice yet familiar to Ariel rang out behind his back. When Ariel turned to see who the person who had greeted her, her body froze.

His lips were tightly clenched just by looking at the thin smile from the lips that adorned the resolute face of the middle-aged man who was now standing in front of him.

Beside the man, the woman of his age and well-known to him stood up confidently. The woman who was none other than Jesica.

"Did I surprise you too much, Ariel?" tanyakanya.

The intonation in his voice for a moment made Ariel tremble slightly. His tongue turned twisted, but he also did not want the man in front of him to realize what he was feeling.

"For a long time no see, Mr. Evrad," greeted Ariel to her feet and slightly bowed.

"I'm very sorry to show that I have been disrespectful, but I hope you forgive me because I am very surprised to see you here" Ariel said calmly.

Ariel was all about controlling herself as well as the feeling that was now filling her heart. The man in front of him was none other than Bram's father. And he was not a figure who would greet someone who was not equal to him, even more so was in a bistrot where Ariel was at the moment.

The big question enveloped Ariel's heart because the figure of the man in front of her was not a person who would greet her kindly if there was nothing she wanted from Ariel who was always called a lowly person.

Mr. Evrad Alphonse. Famous business people who have assets spread across several countries. The figure Ariel knows as the one who always pressured Bram to follow in his footsteps.

Forcing Bram to continue working at a young age, and building a high ego in the heart of his own son. The reason Evrad didn't like Ariel was that Bram loved Ariel.

But Evrad remains in agreement with their relationship as long as Bram can manage and further elevate his name in any way Bram wants. Unfortunately Bram has more conscience when compared to his father.

The first time Ariel met, the gaze of an Evrad's eyes even seemed to pierce through his heart, making Ariel unable to twitch inexplicably.

"Ah, why are you being so formal to me? Didn't you ever call me uncle?" welcome Evrad smile.

"I just respect you, Mr. Evrad. Moreover this was in a public place, what would people say later? Didn't we?" ariel replied with a bland smile that was responded to with the sound of her loud laughter.

"Ah, how disrespectful I am. Please sit Mr. Evard" Ariel said, pointing her hands at an empty chair.

"Thank you," she said, still maintaining a smile on her face.

Evrad sat down, followed by Jesica.

"Are you enjoying your lunch?" ask Evrad.

"Right, do you want to order something? I can help you order it" Ariel replied.

'And now I have completely lost my appetite, ' Ariel's inner self.

"Then, beg me the same food you ordered" he asked.

"Eh,, right,,,? Are you sure? I'm afraid that's not your taste" asked Ariel.

For a moment, Ariel glanced at Jesica who was still sitting quietly beside Evrad. Their views meet each other. But soon Jesica turned her face away.

"I'm sure, just order that, and then, what does Jesica want you to order?" evrad turned to Jesica.

"Then the two menus are the same" Evrad said.

"Okay, please wait a minute" Ariel said.

Ariel left the table where they sat, rather they sat opposite the table where Ariel sat.

When Evrad's gaze was fixed on Ariel, Jesica grabbed the phone that happened to still be on the table. Found a message with Bunny's name and immediately replied to the message and deleted it.

'I know it's a cell phone number, Joel. Because I memorized it so much, Jesica.

Finished with that, Jesica put Ariel's phone back in place.

"It turns out you didn't lie when you said you knew where he was" Evrad said happily.

"Of course," said Jesica smiling.

"But why didn't he greet you? You said he was your friend" asked Evrad in surprise.

"That's how she is, Ariel thinks I'm with you is a business thing, and she appreciates it" Jesica said.

"That power is enough for me not to let go this time. I have to get him, I hope he and Bram aren't fighting" he said, looking at Ariel's back still waiting at the booking table.

"She was a lot different from the last time I saw her, beautiful and charming even behind her simple clothes" Evrad said.

"Why do you really want to get it?" ask Jesica.

"Many of my business partners were fascinated by the piano, and even admired its beauty. And they also say Ariel not only mastered the piano, but other musical instruments,"

"When I say that I know her, and she is Bram's lover, they are all attracted to me, it will make my company a great profit if she marries Bram" Evard said.

"Indeed, a lot of those who come from business circles are interested in him. Even when I attended the meeting, they talked about her without knowing her face" Jesica explained.

"Perhaps if there's an unmarried man in my family, we'll choose him" he continued.

"We really have the same thoughts," Evrad said happily.

"But what if he doesn't want to marry your son?" ask Jesica.

"That's an easy thing, I just need to make a document about the two of them that needs to be signed" Evrad replied casually.

"Isn't that illegal?" welcome Jesica widened her eyes.

"No, as long as they can't prove it," Evrad replied smiling mysteriously.

Jesica smiled faintly in response, but he kept watching Evrad's countenance, figuring out whether what he said was serious or just playful.

"Sorry to keep you waiting for a long time" Ariel interrupted, making Jesica slightly jerked.

Ariel's voice made Jesica return to reality, and again put on his flat face.

Ariel put down a tray containing the same lunch menu as she ordered to Evrad and Jesica.

"Please enjoy your lunch together" Ariel said.

Ariel was just about to sit on the chair she had been sitting on when Evrad's voice came back to stop her.

"Sit here, Ariel!" evrad pinta.

"After a long time without seeing each other, I'd love to talk to you" he continued.

'No need, thank you. Your sudden arrival was enough to fill me up. If I sit in front of you, I'm afraid I'm going to throw food in my hand in your face, Ariel.

Ariel forced a smile on her face preparing to refuse even though she was sure it would look like the person who was enduring the stomach ache compared to a smile.

"I just want to talk to you, Ariel. As well as asking you something," said Evrad again.

'Talking to you? No kidding! Just looking at your eyes was enough to drain all the blood inside my body, Ariel wrote in her heart.

"I SAID SIT DOWN!!" evrad.

Evrad raised and confirmed his voice while staring intently at Ariel, giving an irresistible look. From his voice as if saying 'I hate people who do not obey my orders,' .

Ariel sat in front of Evrad with only her drink, and slipped her cell phone in her pants pocket. Just by looking at it, Evrad smiled in satisfaction.

'I don't obey because I'm afraid, ' Ariel's mind encourages herself.

Evrad and Jesica began eating food in front of them, praising Ariel for having the same taste as Evrad before finally putting on a serious face by looking at Ariel who was sipping a drink in front of him.

"What would you say if I said marry Bram,,"

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To be Continued.