The silence of the park night was broken by Mary's soft breaths. Her eyes were still fixed on Nicholas, the little pendant in his hand glittering under the colorful lights.
Mary, with a trembling voice:
— Nicholas... honestly, I'm still in shock. I didn't expect this at all. I never thought your feelings toward me would change.
Nicholas furrowed his brows, his gaze serious yet burning with emotion:
— What do you mean? Can't you see... my feelings have already changed?
Mary whispered with hesitation:
— Are you sure all this isn't just because of that loan I took out for the gallery?
Nicholas instantly frowned, his voice rising:
— Mary! Do you really think I'm that kind of man? That I'd want a girl just for her money? That hurts.
Mary's cheeks flushed red. She waved her hands quickly, stammering in embarrassment:
— No, no, that's not what I meant. I'm sorry. I just... I'm just surprised, that's all.
A soft smile curved Nicholas's lips. He lifted the little angel pendant, and Mary shyly brushed her hair aside, letting the cool chain rest against her skin. In that moment, Nicholas wrapped his arms around her from behind.
Nicholas whispered in her ear:
— Mary... I've never felt this way before. Ever since I met you, everything has changed. I just want you by my side. Always.
Mary's heart was racing. She smiled, but tried to break the heavy mood with a playful remark:
— You sound like you're proposing, Nicholas. We're just friends, not a couple.
Nicholas laughed and stepped back:
— You're right. Guess I got carried away.
The night went on with their laughter. The table covered in roses, tall candles flickering, and dishes rich with fragrance under the moonlight—everything felt like a sweet dream.
After dinner, Nicholas escorted Mary to her house. Holding her hand as she stepped out of the taxi, he sighed:
— I wish I could've opened the door of my pink car for you... but that bastard Parker ruined everything.
Mary smiled softly:
— It's okay. My Nicholas will shine again.
Nicholas's eyes lit with hope:
— Especially with you by my side... I'll bounce back sooner than you think.
At the door, Nicholas flashed a mischievous grin:
— Wait! You forgot something.
Mary tilted her head:
— What? I've got my bag.
Nicholas tapped his cheek:
— A kiss!
Mary flushed and stepped back:
— Nicholas, stop joking around.
Laughing, Nicholas pulled a slightly crushed rose from his pocket.
— I just didn't want you to forget this. Sorry it's a bit ruined—when I first tucked it in my pocket it looked fine. Guess it waited too long to meet you... but it's still from my heart.
Mary couldn't help but laugh, taking the flower:
— Thanks... this is the funniest surprise I've ever gotten.
Nicholas raised an eyebrow.
— I'd better go before I miss the last bus.
As he walked away, he shouted playfully:
— Mary! Wish me luck that the last bus is pink!
Mary shook her head, laughing as she headed inside. But just as she reached the door, movement in the hedges froze her heart. Two faces suddenly popped out with wide grins.
— You two idiots! I almost had a heart attack!
Ava and Deniz jumped out, covered in leaves. Ava pouted:
— Do you know how many hours we've been hiding here?
Deniz laughed:
— Honestly, I thought you were going to spend the night at Nicholas's place!
Mary snapped:
— Are you crazy? Why would I stay over at Nicholas's?
Deniz narrowed her eyes, stepping closer:
— Because of the necklace around your neck.
Mary quickly tucked it under her collar.
— That has nothing to do with it.
Ava leaned in, admiring the pendant:
— Wow, it's beautiful... looks like an angel.
Mary pushed their hands away:
— Enough! Let's go inside before someone sees us.
She hurried ahead, but Deniz shouted behind her:
— Aren't you going to tell us what happened?
Ava giggled:
— He proposed, didn't he?
Mary turned with a scowl:
— Keep your voices down! Do you want the whole neighborhood to know?
Inside the house, Deniz pouted dramatically:
— So... no proposal. What an idiot.
Ava sighed dreamily:
— But still, it's so romantic. A table in the middle of a garden, colorful lights, candles... I love it.
Deniz snorted:
— Romantic? He only asked her to be his girlfriend. I was expecting a proposal! I even ditched James to be here tonight.
Mary smirked teasingly:
— Sorry to disappoint you.
Deniz huffed:
— "Sorry" won't fix this. I need cake. My sugar level dropped from all this frustration.
She stormed to the fridge.
Ava gasped:
— Didn't you just eat an entire cake half an hour ago? You're going to explode! Honestly, I don't know what James was thinking when he started dating you.
Deniz flipped her hair confidently:
— James says I'm his Barbie.
Mary and Ava burst into laughter.
The rest of the night filled with Deniz's antics, Ava's excitement, and Mary's shy smiles. Their laughter turned the evening into a memory none of them would ever forget.
The Next Day
After a long workday, Mary and Deniz stepped out of the company building. The golden evening sun bathed the street in its glow.
Deniz suddenly grabbed Mary's arm, eyes wide:
— Mary... look. Isn't that Nicholas?
Mary narrowed her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips:
— Yeah, that's him... but what's he doing here?
At the entrance, Nicholas stood in a sharp suit, polished shoes gleaming, sunglasses adding an extra edge to his already striking presence. Arms crossed, he looked like a model waiting for a photoshoot.
Spotting them, he strode forward with exaggerated flair.
— Well, well... the beautiful ladies! Finally! I've been posing here for half an hour, wasted on the wrong audience.
Deniz doubled over laughing:
— That's because the other girls don't know you've got such a gorgeous, sweet girlfriend.
Nicholas ran a hand through his hair, smirking:
— Exactly. Anyway, if you don't have plans, let's go grab a coffee. Then I'll take Mary to the gallery.
Deniz raised her brows with a knowing grin:
— Me? Oh no, I wouldn't dare interrupt two lovebirds. You two go ahead, I'll leave you to your date.
Just then, Rachel exited the building. Her gaze fell on Mary and Nicholas, a shadow flickering in her eyes. Nicholas noticed immediately.
— Hey Rachel. How are you?
Rachel stiffly nodded and tried to walk past, but Nicholas called out:
— Mary and I are heading to a café... want to join?
Deniz smacked her forehead:
— Nicholas, are you crazy?
Rachel froze, eyes wide:
— Your... girlfriend?
Without hesitation, Nicholas laced his fingers through Mary's hand. His tone was firm:
— Yes. Mary is my girlfriend.
Rachel's expression faltered, jealousy flashing in her eyes. She forced a weak smile and backed away:
— You two go ahead... have fun.
She turned quickly and left.
Mary pulled her hand free, frowning:
— Nicholas, why do you keep talking to that girl?
Nicholas softened his voice:
— I just wanted her to know I'm with you.
Mary sighed:
— What does it matter? The only thing that matters is that I'm here with you, not whether she knows.
Nicholas smiled faintly:
— You're right. Don't be upset. Let's go.
A few blocks away, Rachel stopped, trembling as she dug her phone from her bag. She dialed a number with shaking hands.
— Hello, Ms. Diana? It's Rachel. You told me to let you know if I saw anything unusual about Mary. Well... I just saw something.
She paused, her voice thick with envy:
— When I left the company, Nicholas was waiting for Mary. After seeing me, he invited me to join them for coffee. And then... he held Mary's hand and said, "I'm going to the café with my girlfriend."
Her eyes widened as she pressed the phone closer.
— Hello? Hello...?
The line was dead. But Rachel's heart pounded wildly, consumed by bitter jealousy.