Chapter 2 Will you marry me?

*MAXIMUS*

I was exhausted as I walked into my mansion the following morning.

I could barely move my neck but I had a fast remedy at home.

Anna gives the best neck massages.I especially like how her fingers felt against my skin.

Not that I'm going to ever tell her that though.

"Anna."I called.

"Gianna."I called again as I settled onto the couch.

This was so unlike her.She always comes running up to me to welcome me home,looking all happy.

"Grace."I called out to the housekeeper who walked in almost immediately.

"Where's Anna?Doesn't she know that I'm home?"

"She…she left."

I frowned."Left?"

"Yes,she packed up her things last night and left the house."

I rubbed my temple knowing she must be upset about the canceled engagement party.

What was the big deal?

We could always have an engagement party anytime.

I knew she might have sent me tons of messages so I brought out my cellphone and scroll to her name.

I saw just one line.

"It's over between us"

I scoffed.

How many times has she said that?

Anna can't break up with me.I give her two days and she'll be back in my house.

I headed upstairs and heard Grace's voice from behind me.

"You went too far last night,sir.It's all over the news.Even a simple apology isn't enough this time,you owe her…"

"Grace,don't overstep your boundaries.Anna understands why I had to leave like that last night and she'll be back so mind your business."With that,I headed upstairs.

I had a business trip to prepare for and I was sure that by the time I come back,Anna would be in my house again.

***********

*GIANNA*

I got to Bellbanks and headed straight for my parents' house.

It wasn't a mansion.My parents' were middle class citizens and they had done a good job raising me.

It made me question why I had been obsessed with Maxim.

It wasn't as if I had lacked anything growing up.

Was it his charm,his gorgeous look and how good he is in…

I quickly paused that thought.

I had to stop thinking about him.I had left him for Nadia now so he doesn't have to keep canceling on me to be with her.

He can have her now.

I won't be in the way.

I never saw myself as the other woman and I have to work on forgiving myself for begging a man to love me.

Settling down didn't take much time.I felt so much at home and at peace.

And just three days of being back,I ran into my childhood friend, Griffin.

Griffin lived in the neighborhood and we had gone to the same elementary, middle, and high school together but I had gone off to study in Meloria, the country's capital for my college education.

That was when I had unfortunately gotten smitten by a man who only kept breaking his promises to me.

Griffin and I spent a long time talking and he told me what had been going on in his life.He had gotten married to another of our childhood friend.I was surprised that I didn't know about this but I couldn't blame them though.

I had been too busy being hopelessly in love with a man to check in on my friends.

Unfortunately for Griffin,his wife passed about a year ago and he had been in a custody battle with his in laws.They think he wasn't capable of raising a child and they wanted to take the child away from him because they never were in support of his marriage to their child.

But Griffin wanted to be in his child's life.I felt so sad for him.

He had gone through a terrible loss and fighting for his child afterwards must be so devastating for him.

I tried to offer him words of encouragement and I didn't delve into details about what had been going on with me.

I didn't want to talk about it.

*************

Griffin's current issue bothered me so much.We used to be best of friends growing up and seeing him suffering like this made me feel really sad for him.

I started to call him often, wanting to know the progress of the case.

It still wasn't going in his favor.I do not know why his in-laws hated him so much but I genuinely believe that they should let him be in his child's life.

******

TWO WEEKS LATER…

The ringing of my doorbell woke me up from my nap.Since I got back home,I haven't figured out what to do with myself yet so I had just been taking my time on figuring myself out.

I opened the door to see Griffin.

"Hey."I began as I led him in.

I noticed that he looked so tense.

"Griffin, are…"

"Will you marry me, Anna?"