Chapter 238 - Story Of Nina Li

CHAPTER 238: MARRIAGE PROPOSAL

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Autumn, somewhere in England in the 1980s,…

Nina gaped intently at the trees, now changing colors. They were too beautiful and fascinated by her eyes. However, her heart is still gloomy.

"Hey! What's with that face?"

Nina blinks several times before she can fix her vision to the man who blocked her view.

"Albert! What are you doing here?" she burst suddenly after recognizing the guy.

Chuckling, he took the space next to Nina and replied, "What? Am I not allowed to visit you?"

Nina shook her head, a slight smile tearing from her lips. "I'm not referring to that. I mean, you are supposed to stay in your kingdom. But here you are in England again?"

Albert frowned, sounded hurt as he murmured, "Can you at least say you are glad to see me?"

Nina laughs this time when Albert tried to look pitiful. "Okay! But how could I? If twice a month or each week I see you?"

"You're hurting my feelings! I even missed you instantly the next day I didn't see you!"

Nina pushed a sad smile, her gaze soften staring at Albert. She somehow understood what Albert was telling her. She is also missing someone badly like he was part of her system; she cannot stop thinking of him every single day.

With a kind smile, she told Albert. "But you know already. I couldn't return your feelings."

Albert knew this, but he wants to be honest about his feelings for her. He laughed awkwardly and said to Nina.

"Hey! I'm not forcing you! It's my choice to love you, even if you don't love me back."

Nina heaves a sigh before she replies to Albert with a sympathetic gaze. "But look around? I'm sure someone out there you can love more than you love me!"

Every time she and Albert cross paths. He endlessly confesses his feelings to her.

She constantly advises him to turn his eyes to other women. Maybe he meets someone he will fall in love with, in the end. But this guy is persistent. These are the lines she always gets from him.

"Just let me love you. I am more than happy with it."

If love is that simple, but it's hard to turn one's attention to someone else. The only person in her heart is Harry, despite how Steven and Albert show their love for her.

That is why she understands Albert when he reasons out that he can not take her out from his heart just like that.

Because she feels the same way, which until now, she still hopes for Harry to love her. And maybe for the rest of her life. He is the only man she could ever love.

"Albert... You need to learn to forget me." She begged him.

"Nina, you know that is impossible," Albert replied with a serious tone.

At times like this, she has to put effort to push him away. "Then stop seeing me! Distance yourself and find someone else!" 

Nina meets Albert's eyes, gaping at his face, which he pushes in a sad smile. She knows that it hurt him. But Albert must stop pursuing her. After a long silence, it was Nina who broke it.

"I saw in the article that you must marry someone soon."

Albert presses his lips, he heaves a furious sigh. "They force me to pair with every single princess and duke's daughters in entire Europe. I hated how they wanted me to search for a suitable future Queen of Jeneva."

"It's for your kingdom's benefits, right?" Nina commented as she went on. "Don't tell me you are supposed to visit your princess, but you are coming here instead?"

Albert remained silent as he was falling into his thoughts. Nina was correct. Instead of visiting someone's castle, his way always directed where Nina is.

"I am visiting my princess, yes."

Nina did not comment on that. She doesn't want to assume, but somehow, she could sense that Albert is referring to her.

"I would be the happiest man in the world if you accept my proposal to marry me."

Nina couldn't find the words to reply to Albert's proposal. She rejected him over and over. Now, a marriage proposal he offered to her. Nina is unsure whether to laugh or cry.

The only person she wants to hear confessing love and proposing marriage to her is Harry. But he rejected her by ignoring her confession.

Even though the kisses they shared are only meaningless to him. But it is a precious memory she will cherish in her entire life.

"I'm sorry, Albert. But I can't marry someone I don't love."

Nina waited to see what Albert would react. But he remained silent. Later, he sat up from the bench they seated at and uttered these words...

"You know what? Even how many times you hurt my feelings. It never changes the fact that it only beats for you."

"But I understood. I shouldn't trouble you this much. I'm just hoping that you will give me a chance. And if in the future the man you love hurts you. I am always here waiting for you."

Before Albert takes a step leaving that place. Lovingly, he gapes at Nina's beautiful face as he added.

"I'll be waiting."

Nina lost with words. She can't find the exact words to respond. All she could do is watch Albert's back as he leaves. She caught the pain in his eyes. But she doesn't want Albert to hope for anything.

In all the people, she knows how it feels like slowly killing inside to hope and waiting for someone. Albert should know the truth than he waited for nothing.

'But I will wait for Harry.' Nina reasoned out to herself. 'I will not be at peace if I do not hear from Harry's mouth that he doesn't like me. I want to hear from him that those kisses have no meaning for him at all.' 

Before the tears found its way to flood her eyes, Nina shook her head and blinked several times, and fought the urge to cry.

'I'm going to see Harry…'

~~~~~~

London INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Greg standing still in the exit lounge holding a PLACARD. His mother Annie instructs him to pick up someone who will arrive this morning bound by Chinese aircraft.

He was watching keenly all the passengers that were now taking the exit, and he noticed a girl waving in his direction.

He blinks his eyes many times. She enthralled him. And even after she stopped in front of him. Still, he couldn't take his eyes away from her cute face.

"Bonjour!"

She greeted him while he tried to process his head how to reply to her.

"Miss, you are not in France," Greg decided to reply to the girl honestly.

"I know! I just practice my accent!" she said, tearing a sweet smile across her pretty face.

After he realized what's going on. Greg can't help to chuckle. She is interesting. She looks innocent, but her eyes tell him that there is naughtiness hidden inside this slender body. He couldn't believe she is 17 years old. She looks 15 and seems a lost kitten doesn't stop wandering her eyes to the entire airport.

"You're cute!" she said afterward her eye landed at him again.

Suddenly, Greg blush and he doesn't understand. He was always told how cute he was by pretty girls in his Academy. But her effect is different.

"Which way, by the way?"

He heard her asking him something. Stuttering, Greg gestures his hand toward the direction where his car parks. 

~ ~ ~

Cambridge, England

"Here we are," Greg said to the girl.

Along their way, she was talking non-stop as she was asking nonstop as well. Greg takes out the luggage while his eyes never leave the girl. He saw Jessica open the door, and she instantly hugged her. Jessica returned the embrace before she led the guest inside.

He was stepping inside the apartment, carrying two luggage; he saw Jessica pointed out which room his cousin Nina was staying in.

The girl smiles in his direction while taking careful steps not to make a noise. She put her index finger to her lips, gesturing a shush.

Greg remained frozen on the wooden floor, still hugging the luggage when Jessica noticed him.

"Mr. Greg, you can put down the bags now. Thank you for picking up Miss Shang."

"Ah, no problem!" He quickly pushed a wide smile.

"You are going back now to the Academy?" Jessica asked curiously when Greg hadn't left yet.

"Ah, no. I'm staying. I have no other things to do. I heard they plan to go out. I can drive them around!"

Jessica understood the way Greg behaved now. She could sense that there is a bigger reason Lady Annie's son doesn't want to leave yet. But Jessica keeps it to herself. Pushing a teasing smile, she invited Greg to sit in the living room.

"I'll make you some tea, Mr. Greg."

"Thank you, Jessica."

Before Jessica could get out the door from the living room, they now heard a loud squeal followed by creaks on the floor of two girls jumping.