Chapter 423


    Before I could finish my sentence, Nichs suddenly interrupted, “I know what you want to say, Anna.


    You''re trying to turn me down because you think we''re just friends and business partners, right? But I


    know the real reason why you don''t want to be with me. It''s because of Michael, isn''t it?”


    It did not take long for Nichs to figure me out, and when he mentioned Michael, I got even more


    nervous because everything he said was true. I just did not want to admit it then.


    Feeling guilty as charged, I kept my head lowered for quite a while before finally deciding to bite the


    bullet. “Nichs, I only rejected you because I don''t have feelings for you. It has nothing to do with


    anybody else. I''m simply listening to my heart.”


    I knew better than to get Michael involved because it would only make things moreplicated, and


    that was thest thing I wanted.


    “Anna, you know what kind of person I am and how much I care for you. If you have my help, I''m sure


    things will get much easier for you. And since Michael''s out of the question, why not give me a chance?


    I think it''d be best for the two of us, don''t you?” Nichs seemed to have stopped suspecting Michael,


    yet he was still not ready to give up.


    I did not expect Nichs to be so persistent; I thought he would just let it go as soon as I turned him


    down because that was what happened before.


    Every time I deliberately tried to change the subject, he would go along with it. However, it seemed that


    he was determined to get an answer from me this time.


    “Nichs, I—”


    “Aren''t you going to take the flowers first? I''ve been holding them out for a while now, you know?”


    Nichs interrupted me again before gesturing for me to ept the bouquet.


    Staring at the roses, I thought it would only be polite for me to ept them, but at the same time, I did


    not want Nichs to take it the wrong way.


    Eventually, I decided to ept the bouquet out of courtesy.


    “I don''t believe that you never imagined us being together. I mean, I''m not that bad, am I?” Nichs''s


    expression softened up a little after I took the flowers from him.


    I frowned a little when I heard those words. I can''t deny the fact that Nichs is a fine gentleman, but


    he''s still no match for the old Michael. So honestly, I really don''t have any feelings for him.


    “You are a catch, and I''m sure there are a lot of women out there who would kill to be with you. But I''m


    not one of them. I''m just different like that. You know that, right?” I inquired while looking him right in the


    eye.


    Since Nichs had decided toe clean, I thought I should make myself clear as well to avoid the


    awkward situation from happening again in the future.


    “That''s precisely the reason I fell for you. The more I got to know you, the more my feelings for you


    grew. I''ve never felt this way about another woman! That''s why I decided long ago that I was going to


    make you mine.”


    Although I had already made myself as clear as possible, Nichs continued to express his feelings for


    me. My goodness! What do I have to say to make him understand? It''s like he''s ignoring what I said on


    purpose.


    “This is the proposal ring I''ve prepared for you, Anna. Will you marry me?”


    Just when I was still trying to figure out how to exin myself, Nichs suddenly pulled out a ring.


    I was utterly stunned as I stared at the expensive-looking diamond ring. Never did I expect Nichs to


    propose to me that night.


    I thought he was just nning to confess to me, so the sudden turn of events caught mepletely off


    guard.


    I stared coldly at Nichs and wondered what was going on in his mind. What the heck happened to


    him? The Nichs I know would never do anything like this. Since when did he be so hasty?


    Before I could reject him, I heard someone pping behind me, and following that was a familiar voice.


    “I only came here for dinner, so I never expected to see such a grand disy of love. Are you that


    eager to get married, Anna?”


    Michael''s tone was icy-cold, and when I turned around to face him, I could see that he had clenched


    his fists in anger.


    My mind immediately went nk after seeing the furious look on his face. “What... What are you doing


    here?”


    For some reason, a part of me hoped that Michael heard what Nichs said to me.


    “Why shouldn''t I be here? Are you afraid that I would witness how you ept another man''s proposal?


    No wonder you kept refusing to see me. You''re trying to throw yourself into someone else''s arms, aren''t


    you?” ridiculed Michael with a condescending sneer.


    Immediately after listening to those harsh words, I, too, got upset. What right does he have to judge me


    like that? I didn''t even respond to the proposal yet! Even if I were to marry another man, what does it


    have to do with him? I can be with whoever I want!


    “I don''t think this is any of your business. I''m allowed to marry anyone I please,” I retorted before


    turning my back on Michael.


    Meanwhile, Nichs seemed unusually calm about Michael''s sudden appearance.


    Since the two were seated facing each other, I suspected Nichs would have seen Michaeling.


    Why didn''t he say anything about it, though? Did he want Michael to see him propose to me?


    The look on Nichs'' face was enough to convince me that I was right, and at that point, I was


    disgusted by his deviousness.


    “Are you really that desperate for a man, Anna? Why didn''t youe to me then?” Michael got even


    angrier after hearing what I had to say, but he did his best to suppress his emotions. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content.