The Love Redemption

Chapter 9

"Get away from my girlfriend!" Tyron's tone was possessive as he pulled Arielle away from the man who caught her earlier.

"Now you're claiming that she is your girlfriend but you just let the other girl with you push your girlfriend. If I hadn't caught her, I'm sure she would've ended up bathing in wine and embarrassed in front of many people. And instead of thanking me for saving your girlfriend's face, you sounded like I'm going to snatch her away from you," the man responded, raising an eyebrow. It seems he's not affected by Tyron's angry expression due to jealousy.

For sure, Tyron isn't angry because he's jealous, but her boyfriend is angry because he thinks that she might be going to be attracted to the stranger and their plan against her might be ruined.

"What are you talking about? Claire didn't mean for that to happen," Tyron exclaimed to the man in front of him who had a calm demeanor that made him look cool.

"Yes, Tyron is right. I didn't mean for that to happen," Claire agreed with Tyron's statement then she held her hands. "I'm sorry, Arielle. I didn't mean to push you. I just felt dizzy so I looked for something to hold onto. Maybe it's because I'm so hungry that I suddenly feel dizzy. You know I've been hungry since earlier, right?"

"It's okay, Claire. I know you didn't mean to do that. And besides, I'm sound and safe so let's just forget about what happened. Let's just enjoy the party," she said to Claire, who immediately smiled sweetly and then raised her eyebrows at the man who helped her avoid the embarrassing disaster. She faced the stranger to thank him. "Thank you for saving me, Mister. But can we just forget about what happened? My cousin didn't mean to do what she did."

"It's up to you," replied the man with a slight frown on his face. Then, he simply turned away and left without saying goodbye.

"Look at that man, Arielle. He is very rude. So, never be friends with people like him," Claire irritably told her upon seeing the stranger turn away without even saying goodbye.

"Let him be, Claire. Don't worry because I won't be friends with people like him. I only want friends like you and Tyron – honest friends and an honest boyfriend," she said with a smile to Claire but secretly cursed them inside her mind.

They don't want her to make friends with other people because she might have someone to ask for help if they try to harm her.

"That's my girl," Tyron said with a wide grin. "Come on, let's get some food and sit at the table."

After they got their food, they quickly sat at a table meant for three. While they were eating, she discreetly scanned the surroundings to find the man they had spoken to earlier. She couldn't understand why she felt a sense of familiarity with the scent and voice of that man.

Her thoughts halted upon thinking of that man when Mrs. Chua approached their table.

"Hi, guys! Can I borrow Arielle for a minute? I just want to introduce her to my friends," Mrs. Chua said with a smile as she talked to Tyron and Claire.

"Of course, yes, Mrs. Chua. You can have your time with her," Tyron replied with a slight smile.

Before she stood up from her seat, she glanced at the two. She noticed that they were exchanging meaningful glances again. Uncertain about the meaning of their exchanged looks, she decided to ask them.

"Why, Claire? Are you feeling unwell? Why are you looking at Tyron as if you want to tell him something?"

"W-What?" Claire suddenly turned pale upon realizing that she was caught by her exchanging meaningful glances with her boyfriend.

"Uhm, Claire is feeling unwell, Arielle. She's embarrassed to tell you because she sees that you're enjoying the party, so she asked me to tell you instead."

She raised an eyebrow at Tyron's quick grasp of the situation to save Claire from getting caught by her.

"Really, Claire?" she pretended to express concern to her cousin. Claire nodded and pretended to feel unwell, even though she was lively just moments ago while chatting with Tyron. "I think you better send her home to rest, Tyron," she suggested.

She preferred for them to leave her sight because she felt suffocated whenever she saw the two traitors. She remembered the hurt they caused her before, so she thought it would be better for them to leave the party. They could go wherever they wanted and do whatever they pleased for all she cared.

"How about you, Arielle? I can't leave you here alone. No one will accompany you home," Tyron displays worries on his face. But she knows it was just a fake concern so she just secretly smirked at him.

"Don't worry about, Arielle. I'll just let my friend's driver send her home later," Mrs. Chua said with a smile to Tyron.

After apologizing, the two bid goodbye and left. As they left, Mrs. Chua immediately pulled and introduced her to her friends in politics and the business world. Even though she was the youngest in the group she was talking to, she still enjoyed talking with them. But as the night deepened, she began to feel bored, so she excused herself to her companions and said she would just get some fresh air outside.

She went to Mrs. Chua's garden because the air there was refreshing and cool. In the past, whenever her family attended parties at Mrs. Chua's house and she felt bored, she would go there to pass the time until her parents decided to go home.

"Mom. Dad. I miss you, guys. I wish you were here with me at this party," she said sadly to her parents, even though she knew they couldn't hear her. Tears welled up in her eyes. But before it could fall on her smooth cheeks, a hand suddenly grabbed her shoulder.

"Wow! How beautiful! Am I the one you're waiting for, Miss?" the man who grabbed her shoulder said with an evil smile. It was clear that he had already drunk a lot of alcohol because his face was flushed and his eyes were bloodshot. He was surely one of Mr. and Mrs. Chua's guests.

"I'm sorry but I'm not waiting for someone. Excuse me," she replied to the man before quickly excusing herself. She was about to leave when the man grabbed her shoulder again. This time, he held her shoulder with force.

"Not so fast, babe." The man tried to kiss her, but his face was with a strong punch. He fell to the ground and seemed to sober up after receiving the strong blow from the person who saved her.

"If you don't want to be crippled, leave my sight immediately!" emphatically spoke the stranger who had saved her twice that night.

"Sorry, Miss," the rude man apologized to her while stuttering before swiftly getting up and running away from them.

"Thank you—"

"What are you doing here? Don't you know it's dangerous for someone like you to stay in this dark area alone?" She was angrily scolded by the person who rescued her.

"I'm just getting some fresh air because it's hot inside the house," she explained. She didn't know why she felt the need to explain to the man, but it seemed like an obligation to her, especially since she noticed he was sincerely concerned about her.

"Let's go. I'll take you home." Before she could object, the man quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the gate of the large Chua mansion.

"You are the driver of Mrs. Chua's friend whom she mentioned would be dropping me off at my house?" She couldn't understand why she felt a pang of regret that the man was just a driver. She didn't look down on his job, but if Tyron found out that he was just a driver, he would surely receive hurtful words and insults from her boyfriend.

The man didn't answer her question; instead, he remained silent while driving the car. He also didn't ask where her house was, but it seemed like he knew where to take her. She thought that maybe Mrs. Chua had already told the man where to drop her off, so he knew where she lived.

She felt awkward because the man was silent so she also remained quiet. Until they reached in front of her house and she already expressed her gratitude to him, he still did not speak to her. However, when she was about to open the door of the car, he stopped her hand.

"Don't you have any intention of breaking up with your boyfriend who prioritizes another woman over you?" the man asked seriously.

She furrowed her brow because the question was too personal and she didn't like it. They weren't close or acquainted, so he shouldn't be asking her those kinds of questions.

"Thank you for driving me, Mister—"

"Gun. My name is Gun, Arielle."

She wasn't surprised at all why Gun knew her name because she was sure Mrs. Chua also told him her name.

She glanced at Gun's hand still holding onto her arm. He noticed what she did so he quickly removed his hand from her arm.

"I'm very grateful that you saved me twice, Mister Gun. But I don't think we are close enough to ask me that kind of question. That's very personal. So I hope you don't mind if I don't answer your question. Goodbye and thank you for sending me home."

She didn't wait for Gun to answer her. She quickly got out of his car and hurriedly entered the gate of her house. She was walking towards the door when she heard the sound of Gun's departing car. She stopped walking and looked back at the gate, even though she knew he had already left.

She let out a deep sigh. She seems to feel a connection between them. She took another deep breath after shaking her head. She shouldn't waste time thinking about that man because she was sure their paths wouldn't cross again.