When Damon returned later at the hospital, Amanda was already awake. But she was still sporting a sulking and stiff face.
The doctor already told him about her condition. She had been too worked up and increased her blood pressure. But luckily, she was far from danger.
Damon sighed and thanked the doctor. He turned to his mother that still had an aloof face.
“Mom, how are you?” Damon asked in a gentle tone. He wanted to lay low for now, while his mother is still ill.
Amanda heard this and she scoffed.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t die. Or else, you and that woman would be happily be together?” She fired sternly. Damon’s face immediately darkened.
“Mom! Don’t stay that! I nor Anya doesn’t wish for anything like that!” He retorted back. After that, he sighed and tried to coax his mother.
“Look, mom, don’t think too much about this matter. Rest carefully back to health, and we will talk about this again, okay?” He assured her.
Amanda only sneered and stubbornly rebuked.
“You are being bewitched by that shameless woman. Look at you obsessing over her. Who is she for you to act this way?” No matter what, she won’t change her opinion for that woman. Just a mere little slum, and yet, she managed to make a feud between her and her son. How could she have good feelings for her?
“No. Whatever you say or that woman do, I will never accept her as a daughter in law nor a part of our family.” She added resolutely.
Damon was helpless. He couldn’t retort more for fear of angering his mother death. In the end, he wasn’t able to say anything. For now, he wouldn’t contradict his mother.
This made Damon even more angry at Veronica. If it wasn’t for her and constantly talking bad about Anya to Amanda, then his mother wouldn’t have this kind of negative opinion for Anya.
Damon gritted his teeth as his face darkened.
Anya was in her studio completely oblivious of the chaos at the Castellano. Because of the problem at her studio, it made her even busier.
But surprisingly, other clients started to come in again. Some of her past clients that broke off their contract also wanted to work with her again. But Anya put those people under the least priority. She looked down at their unprofessionalism. Breaking a contract out of the blue and suddenly going back, they seem like people who doesn’t have good ethics.
So although Anya had gotten more busy, but because of this, her once depressed heart became calm and full. Her enthusiasm came back again.
Anya spent her day at her studio seriously doing her work. When the sky darkened, her assistants reminded her of dismissal. She looked at the time and found out she lost track of it due to being engrossed in her work.
She dismissed her assistants first, and after, she started to pack her things and fix up to go to work. She glanced at her phone and found her last message to Damon had not been replied yet. The two of them were constantly in touch, but maybe this today, he was so busy.
Anya did not mind this anymore and got ready to leave.
When she went out of the studio, a sudden bang that startled her so much she covered her ears. She saw her surrounding and the sky lit up and she raised her eyes above. She saw the explosion and popping of colors staining the dark sky.
It was fireworks.
Who would suddenly light fireworks in this time and season?
When she returned her gaze at the front, she found the reason why.
Andrei was standing in the middle of the street with a large bouquet of flowers in his hands. Red petals and balloons were scattered everywhere. And he was standing in a big heart.
Anya was stunned and speechless with this scene. What the hell is he doing?
Andrei saw Anya’s stunned face and he mistook this as a pleasant surprise. He smiled brightly and approached her with the flowers.
“Sweetheart.” He called. Sounds of sigh came from the on-lookers around them.
It was then that Anya noticed the people watching this scene. Her face reddened with embarrassment. She then remembered a distant memory.
When Andrei was courting her, he did the same things. A public confession. At that time, Anya was still hesitant since she was still studying and Andrei was a bit pushy. But at that time, he had formed a big heart at the campus’ oval with balloons and flowers everywhere. He even had his varsity team brought up a sign post asking her to be his girlfriend.
The onlookers at that time were students who was aggressively pushing her and for her to accept.
What Andrei did was a sweet gesture for the onlookers, but at that time Anya was more burdened, pressured and embarrassed than flattered.
Just like now.
‘So she’s the lucky girl?’
‘Omg, she’s so to have such a sweet boyfriend!’ ‘Is it a proposal?’
‘Go accept it!’ ‘Go accept it’
Anya could here the chatter of the people around until they started to cheer. Anya felt cold and frozen on the spot. She couldn’t believe she is in this situation right now.
Amidst the cheering, Andrei kneeled down in front of her. He felt proud at the cheering and felt that Anya would be touched and proud as well. She wouldn’t reject and finally accept him.
“Sweetie, look up.” He said.
Even though Anya didn’t want to follow, but her body unconsciously lifted her head. She saw the fireworks burst and formed a sentence.
‘BE MY WIFE AGAIN’
With this, a burst of applause and cheering arouse. Anya felt her ears ringing with the shouts.
“Anya, sweetheart, take me back again.” Andrei said. Anya turned to him again and saw him take out a ring box.
Shoot.
Anya problematically thought.
Her expression turned ugly as she watched the man. In Andrei’s state right now, Anya saw the shadow of the Andrei in the past.
At that time, what did she think?
She thought she had liked Andrei and there’s no need to think things through so much.
Looking back to the young Anya, did she ever think she might regret it? Because looking at how her life turned to, she regretted it deeply.
Her young self, pressured and was blinded by youthful love and extravagant surprises, she accepted Andrei without another thought.
But Anya was no longer her young and naïve self. She wasn’t afraid anymore, and she is thinking clearly more than anyone else.
“Andrei, what are you doing?” Anya asked solemnly.
Andrei heard this and saw Anya’s expression was not right, he tried to push his love.
“Darling this is all for you. This is the proclamation of my love. I can do this all for you, baby, that’s how much I want you back.” He said daringly.
Anya laughed at this nonsense. If one thinks that the definition of love can be testified with something like this, then it was so shallow. Others shouldn’t take advantage of public pressure to push the girl to accepting. Regarding private matters, not all are comfortable shouting it to the world.
Especially in their case. Anya could only see this as Andrei pushing her to her limits, cornering her to accepting.
But she will never falter. “No.” She sternly said.
“I already told you Andrei, we will never be together again. Don’t use this on me. I will never go back to you.” She added resolutely. Then, without second thought, she walked
out of that place even under the searing eyes of the people around her. Gradually she ran away. Those piercing gaze, looking at her like she was the most ungrateful bitch like they knew the whole story.
Even though Anya toughened up, she still can’t help but be frustrated. Andrei, who was left kneeling at the scene, was left dumbfounded.
How did this happen? Knowing Anya, she wouldn’t have the heart to turn down this kind of thing. And he exerted so much effort, she should be touched by now!
Andrei face reddened with anger and embarrassment. ‘Why?!’
Andrei kept questioning, but he seemed to overlook something. That is, if he ever, did know Anya at all.