Love Lanterns
CHAPTER 22

Ayunda stood on the balcony in her room, there was nothing she could do now just sitting contemplating whether her decision yesterday to accept Nathan's proposal was correct.

His decision will certainly hurt Erick who had loved him all this time, but the support of all his extended family made him take that decision.

"Sister Erick I'm sorry, this will hurt us but I can't resist the wishes of my extended family" Ayunda shed her tears, all this time Erick who always accompanied her in joys and sorrows, though he's too late to realize there's a love for Erick.

"What are you thinking?" nathan's voice surprised Ayunda.

"Nothing" Ayunda replied and immediately wiped away her remaining tear.

Nathan approached Ayunda and hugged his future wife from behind, Ayunda's height, which was only a boat, made her easily kiss the top of Ayunda's head, enjoying the fragrance of flowers attached to the hair of the girl who stole her heart.

"I have to go back to Singapore, there's work I have to finish before our wedding day" Nathan said without letting go of his arms.

"Just do your job as usual, don't think too much about our marriage" replied Ayunda who was still trying to neutralize her feelings who had just thought of Erick. Ayunda doesn't want Nathan to know, it's quite a secret for him and Erick.

"It's not our marriage that I'm thinking of, there's already an oma and our mama both taking care of it" Nathan replied.

"But you, my future wife" Nathan whispered, hugging Ayunda tightly.

"Abang will definitely miss you" nathan kissed on Ayunda's cheek which was just silent, there was no intention of Ayunda to respond to Nathan's remarks.

Nathan whom he used to know is very different from now, he who always made Ayunda angry and hate him even often this man hurt him, now treat him with tenderness and love.

"Love? Really true?" that's what he always thinks, sometimes he does not believe in the expression Love Nathan, is really a man who used to always be nosy even often makes this wretched fall in love with him.

Ayunda turned her body to face Nathan after feeling her heart was better, he looked at Nathan to convince his heart that also looked at him. Their eyes locked and everything just happened, carried away by the feeling and. both of them ended the link of their lips after being out of breath.

"I love you" Nathan uttered with a still-stiff breath and hugged Ayunda tightly.

"Did he really love me?" ayunda's inner self as she felt Nathan's heartbeat beating fast, the,

"Did I love her too?" his kiss with Nathan felt even more different as he did it with Erick, Nathan giving it away gently making him feel a very deep feeling. Nathan let go of his embrace.

"It's for you" after he picked up a paper bag and handed it to Ayunda.

A new mobile phone that Ayunda saw after he pulled out the contents of the paper bag.

"Abang knows you didn't bring your phone" Nathan replied as Ayunda saw it.

"There's a brother's number there too" he said.

"We need that to communicate" explained Nathan again who only got a nod from Ayunda.

"Are there no thanks? and a hug is good" Nathan teased as he stretched out his hand to get Ayunda closer and into his arms.

Nathan kissed his future wife's entire face after Ayunda entered her arms. Ayunda just silently let every kiss that Nathan did on his face, he could feel that Nathan did not want to leave him.

Nathan lets go of his embrace and leaves Ayunda after hearing Dariel's voice knocking on Ayunda's bedroom door and calling out to her. At the door Nathan turned and approached Ayunda.

"Abang loves you" he said as he cupped Ayunda's face and kissed Ayunda's forehead.

Ayunda just smiled to let go of Nathan until he opened the room door and lost behind it.

"Because I missed you"

Erick goes back to the cafe to see the cafe manager and tries to find out about Ayunda and the man who took her by asking the cafe manager some questions, There is no information he can get, there is no information he can get, even he couldn't check the CCTV cafe that night that wasn't working.

Erick was afraid that this was what Mr. Yuda had done, and he told Mother Tere and Feby about Ayunda leaving the night they met and not coming back to this day.

Erick squeezes his head, he can't concentrate since Ayunda disappeared.

"Where are you, baby?" muttered.

"No need to find Ayunda, she's visiting her family" A message from an unknown number came in on Erick's phone.

"How did they know I was looking for Ayunda?" erick thinks and has his confidants track where the message was sent, so he can find out where Ayunda is.

"How did it go?" erick asked when Tony's confidant came in to see him.

"It's untraceable, the one who sent the message was definitely not an ordinary person" Tony replied confidently.

"Who are they?" murmured the disappointed Erick. Now he can only hope that Ayunda is okay.

Mama Erick came to the company where Erick, whom his father asked to manage now, went straight in and sat down on the sofa in Erick's room.

"Where are you two nights not coming home?" ask her mother who's been waiting for Erick these two days to talk about her marriage.

"What's your mom coming for? Is it really important?" asked Erick without answering his mother's question. He knew his mother was looking for him, there must be something important to talk about.

"Yes, about your marriage" Erick was shocked to hear his mother's words.

"Wedding?" erick repeated his mother's speech

"Yes. Mama wants your marriage and Feby to speed up, before you turn to Richad's daughter" replied Erick's mama who made Erick squeeze his head back. She has not been able to find Ayunda and her mother has asked for her marriage and Feby is on the move.

"What does mama mean?" erick asked in disbelief at what his mother had told him he was going to turn to Ayunda.

"Mama has everything ready, in two weeks you will be married to Feby" he said

"Ma..." Erick called his mother in a high tone of voice.

"There's no rebuttal whatsoever Erick. It's decided" Erick's mom explained in a higher tone.

Mama Erick left her son's room with a happy smile, she managed to get her son to follow her wishes.

"Tiara, I'm sorry. You'd be hurt if you knew, but I couldn't resist my mother's wishes" Erick lowered his face on his desk.

"Erick...." Feby called while shaking Erick's body because the man did not wake up from his sleep.

"Tiara, I'm sorry, don't go" Erick said, waking up feeling his body shaken, dreaming that Ayunda had come to stand in front of him crying and running away.

"You must have missed Tiara" Feby's voice made Erick realize that he had just been dreaming.

...*******...