INFINITE LOYALTY
LIVING STORY SHEET

Just as Riani came out of the park leaving Viola and Rifai who were still seen discussing something, suddenly a male voice called out her name.

"Teddy?" riani asked with a frown.

"Ah yes! I've forgotten someone, he's Teddy...He's my ex-boyfriend, who's always there and faithfully with me right now, when I need a backrest even if it's just to complain to him..." Inner Riani, then she smiled at Teddy who was walking towards her, then they walked together along the edge of the beach.

"Where are you from? I saw you just came out of the park where I was working on a wedding the day after tomorrow..."

"Kok you know Ted?" ask Riani astonished.

"Because my business partner invited me as his male bridesmaid" replied Teddy who made Riani immediately surprised to hear the words of Teddy, because Riani felt like they were both invited to the same person's wedding.

"Is the person who invited you named Rifai, I mean Ethan?" ask Riani to investigate.

"Yes right, he's my business partner with Wak Made for the project in Jakarta later..." Obviously Teddy.

"I see now that you're interested in the business world, then what about your work at the office?"

"Actually I've been interested in the business world, do you remember when we were dating in college? I ever take you to a distro that I just released at that time?" tanya Teddy tried to remind Riani in their courtship years back in college.

"Yes I remember that, then how's your distro Ted's business?" answered Riani who still remembered those memories.

"Alkhamdulillah...There are now seven distro branches in various cities"

"Gee...Great of you, you do have a business spirit, salute me" Riani said as she pointed her thumb at Teddy.

"Thank you..." Teddy answered with a bitter smile.

"Maybe for you I'm good at business, but...I'm weak and lose to get your heart..." Whisper Teddy's heart.

"Then what about your job? aren't you overwhelmed?" ask Riani again who immediately awakened Teddy from his daydream.

"I'll keep working as long as I can manage the time and everything, however, it's a pity that the title of my sergeant is unused..."

"Yes believe it...Who doesn't know Teddy the campus beetle?" ledek Riani's.

"But this campus beetle finally perched on the fragrant flowers that attract the heart of the beetle right?" reply Teddy.

"Yes, but...But finally the beetle left it for no reason, until the flower tried to find another beetle to spread its petals, although finally the flower is left again by the beetle mate because it is attracted to other flowers and suck the honey..." Riani replied with a cheerful look on her face that had changed with a cloudy cloud covering her face.

"I'm sorry, Ai, if that time I left you for no reason..." Teddy said with a trembling voice and a sad look, he stopped his steps and pulled Riani's hand which made him stop his steps.

"Honestly Ted, to this day I'm still curious and eager to hear answers directly from you, what was the real reason that you could leave me at that time?" ask Riani at last.

"At that time I was betrothed by my parents to a woman I didn't love, but...Because my heart could not accept other women and did not want to drag you into my family's problems, I finally ran away and hid in Aceh, working while continuing my studies there" Teddy replied telling me the reason.

Hearing Teddy's story, Riani's heart immediately fell from an immeasurable height, hurt in the heart as if stretching unable.

"Then why don't you tell me the truth Ted?! if you're being honest with me then I won't be able to accept another man to replace you and would rather stay alone and live life no matter what!" Said Riani who ended up crying in Teddy's arms.

.............

After a few minutes later, Riani's cries subsided, with Teddy guiding them, they both chose to sit on a bench on the beach.

"I'm sorry Ai, but I did it all for your own good and the way I protected you..." Said Teddy explaining the decision and recovering it at that time.

"You said it was all for my own good? but you look at me now Ted, I...Might look apprehensive in your eyes, right?"

"What does it mean to protect me?"

"The family of the woman I've been betrothed to is from a very influential circle in my city, I'm afraid that if I refuse the match and stay with you it will drag you into trouble..."

"I'm not afraid of the risk of your decision being Ted"

"Maybe you're not afraid, but I'm afraid Ai will harm you..."

"Actually how influential is the family of the woman you will be betrothed to?"

"Both his parents and brothers rule the world of politics and business, there are rumors that their lunge is very sharp, until his claws are firmly planted in the world of business and politics, he said, making his rivals submit mercilessly, one of them was my family who gave up unconditionally their business venture because it was in debt, until the idea of both parents to match their children so that my family's business venture that was pioneered from zero did not fall in their hands, but I prefer to fight the match!"

"Then what about your family's situation since your departure until now?"

"Alkhamdulillah...I was able to repay my parents' debts, even though I had to pay them back for years, but the most important thing was that I could show and prove to both of my parents, that to be able to maintain the family business does not have to sell the feelings of his son as a debt payer..."

Hearing Teddy's story, Riani was very salute with his attitude and hard work to solve the problems in his family, but he also felt sad because he could feel, of course, the weight of his life and struggle at that time.

"I'm sorry, Ai, if in this case I sacrifice you..." Said Teddy with his wry gaze towards Riani.

"It is precisely now that I have heard your story that I agree with your decision at that time, for I will definitely be a burden to you if I remain with you"

"But to me it was the wrong decision, because my momentary decision made me lose you and suffer now..."

"I have to risk my own decisions, so...You don't have to feel guilty like that"

"But still until now I'm so sorry why I let you go"

"That's all because of the circumstances that forced you, no regrets that came from the beginning, surely later Ted, we just take the lesson now?"

"Bye, emmm...Sorry, if you can't hold on with Radja later, can I get back by your side again?" ask Teddy carefully.

"Ted didn't I tell you, my decision to seek your replacement was a manifestation of my desperation with our relationship, so...I have to accept the risk, and if I have to come back to your side as someone with more than just a friend, I can't Ted" Riani subtly refused.

"Why Ai...? Why can't we be together again and am I not worthy of your side anymore?" insist Teddy.

"It's not a matter of deserving you by my side, it's just that I feel I'm the one who shouldn't deserve to be by your side..."

"But to me, only you deserve to be by my side Ai"

"Maybe you can say it like that, but the people around us will definitely judge us otherwise"

"I don't care about the judgment of others Ai, please Ai...We start all over again, right?"

"I'm sorry, I can't Ted.because I'm like a book that's written a story of my life and wounds that can't possibly go back to being blank white paper as before"

"If so, then I will try to erase all your hurt stories so that the paper can be rewritten with stories that are full of happiness both of us..."

"There are still scratches from my past stories, Ted, I beg you...Don't force me and force yourself..." Pinta Riani with her own eyes.

Seeing the face of his former lover who was so in pain with a wound in his heart, made Teddy's heart could not bear to press and force Riani again.

"Let me slowly try to erase the wounds in his heart, sheet by sheet, although still left behind the scratch will I overwrite and I fill the scratch with your happiness story even though it is not with me as long as I can always be beside you even though not as your partner, Let the story sheet of our life be written flow according to the wishes of the Lord, the Owner of the True Story..." Whispers and Teddy's promise in his heart.

...☆☆☆...