Samuel nodded slowly. It took one of Laura's empty hands and grasped it too. "Forget me Laura, forgive me for breaking your heart. Stop loving me."

"He already did Sam." Gabriel said with a faint smile.

Laura frowned not understanding. What did Gabriel mean? Even Samuel nodded in agreement with Gabriel's words.

"You love that man Laura, trust me." said Samuel.

"Who do you mean?" asked Laura very flatly.

Samuel smiled. "Justin."

"You're either wrong or you guys are wrong! I never loved him. And thank you for the explanation. Now I know the truth. You never loved me."

Laura stood up from her seat with tears almost escaping. She forcibly released Gabriel and Samuel's grip on her hands.

"Laura, wait! Do you forgive us?" Gabriel asked anxiously.

"I forgive you, but I'm still disappointed."

After saying that, Laura left immediately. She even forgot that she was going with Justin. As soon as she got outside the door of the cafe, a burly hand held her down.

"Let go of me Sam!" she shouted with tears in her eyes.

"It's me Ra!"

Justin turned Laura around and hugged her tightly. He gently rubbed her head. Laura's sobs started to be heard. She was already crying. She couldn't hold back her tears anymore. Why did she always look weak in front of Justin?

"Cry Laura, cry if it makes you feel better." Justin said.

"I want to go home now Justin," Laura whispered in a weak voice from crying.

Justin nodded slowly. He led Laura to his car. Once inside the car, Justin asked the driver to start the car. He hugged Laura's body tightly again.

Justin didn't like seeing Laura like this, his heart ached. It was as if he felt what she felt. Justin tried to calm Laura down. He really couldn't see Laura crying from sadness.

"Pst... What happened Ra?"

"He... he never loved me Justin!" Laura sobbed.

Justin tightened his jaw at that. How could he waste a woman like Laura. But he was thankful too, because of Samuel, he was able to meet Laura.

Justin cupped Laura's face and looked at her intently. "Hear me Ra! Forget about that man. He doesn't deserve you Ra. Find a man who truly loves you!"

Like me! She continued silently.

"Who would love a woman like me Justin?! I'm just a poor woman who has nothing! I'm not worthy of any of you!" she shouted as her sobs intensified. She didn't care if anyone else was there. If she could choose, she would choose to be well-off. She didn't want a lot of money, she just wanted a quiet life with her family.

"Laura!" Justin shouted, making Laura look at him directly.

"Listen to me, stop saying that! You-"

"No! I don't deserve that Justin! I shouldn't be living with you! Even though I'm a personal servant I don't deserve to be with you! I shouldn't have been born into this world!"

"Laura! Calm yourself down! You can't be like this Ra! You... You deserve to be with me Ra! Aren't you my current lover? You deserve it Ra."

Laura shook her head. She touched her chest which felt tight. Not the usual tightness. It was a painful tightness. Maybe it was a recurrence of her illness. She endured the pain and looked weakly at Justin.

"I'm... I'm not your boyfriend Justin, did you forget I never said yes back then? Our relationship is not clear justin. No, it's not! Our relationship is clear, it's employer and servant so I'm begging you to just treat me like you've treated everyone else for the past two years. After that, I am free from you and pretend we never met."

Justin held both of Laura's shoulders tightly. "Laura! I don't like what you're saying! You're a good woman Ra. You are faster than others. I don't want to hear those words again Ra!"

"Justin--"

Justin kissed Laura directly on the lips. He bit Laura's lower lip so she opened her mouth. Justin touched Laura's neck gently and deepened the kiss. He didn't want to hear any more of Laura's bad words about herself.

Laura started to get lost in Justin's kiss. She hooked her hands around Justin's nape and kissed him back. Justin's kisses moved to Laura's neck and left a trail there. He looked up and gazed deeply at Laura. "You deserve to be with me. If you say that you are not deserve to be with me again, I'll kiss your sexy lips again Ra. Mark my words!"

"Justin..."

Justin put his index finger on Laura's lips. "Psst... I don't want to hear it again Ra." Justin hugged Laura's body.

Laura closed her eyes as she felt Justin's hand gently stroking her back. "Why are you so nice to me Justin?"

"Hm..." Justin just mumbled softly. He felt so comfortable when he hugged Laura. He didn't want to let go but he couldn't.

You will always be mine!" Justin thought.

.....

"One year, six months, twenty days to go." Laura muttered under her breath as her hands tugged at the rose petals one by one and threw the petals around carelessly.

She repeated this activity over and over again. When the petals were gone, Laura threw away the stem and picked up a new rose. She was in her room, sitting on the sofa in front of her bed wearing only a white bathrobe. Laura had just finished showering and because she was bored, she chose to play with the rose while wondering how much longer she would be staying with Justin.

Since the last time she met Gabriel and Samuel, Laura had been silent and thinking about their explanations. She may have forgiven them, but there was still a wound in her heart. They had let her down, broken the trust she had placed in them.

Laura threw away the last stem in her hand. She glanced at the roses in the vase that were no longer there because of all the flowers she had pulled off the petals and thrown away. She rested her elbows on her feet and her palms on her chin.

She felt so bored. Meanwhile, Justin didn't know when he'd get home from work. This morning Justin had forbidden her to leave the mansion without his permission. Laura glanced at the clock on the wall which was already seven o'clock in the evening and he hadn't come home at all.

Check

"Ra?"

Laura snapped out of her reverie. She straightened her bathrobe and stood up. She had just said it and he was already home.

"What's wrong, Justin?" she asked Justin who closed the door.

Justin walked over to the sofa and sat down. Laura just watched Justin's movements. She didn't know what he was doing in her room.

"Where have you been today Ra?" asked Justin.

Laura sat next to Justin and chuckled. "You told me not to go anywhere. I'm bored you know. I just went to the kitchen, the living room, the library, my room, that's about it."

Justin laughed softly. He pulled Laura close to him so that her head rested on his chest. "I miss you Ra."

"Missed you? Where did I go? I'm not going anywhere."

"I don't know, I miss you so much." Justin said as he closed his eyes.

Laura shook her head. "Looks like you're sick."

She stood up and walked to the balcony door. She opened it and came out onto the balcony. Justin just chuckled and looked up to see Laura's movements.

"Yes, I think I'm sick Ra."

Laura looked at the scene in front of her. "At least it's not as bad as mine." Laura muttered softly as her hands gripped the balcony railing.

Justin stood up and approached Laura. He stood right behind Laura and smelled her scent. His right hand traveled to her neck and caressed it gently.

Of course, Laura was surprised and she immediately touched Justin's hand that was touching her neck. Justin stopped his movement. He tilted his face forward and came closer to Laura's face. Then Justin withdrew his hand from Laura's neck and his hands suddenly rubbed Laura's shoulders so gently.