Chapter 531 Raymond Proposes
[No rush. I want him to fall for me, not my family or money.] The young woman texted back on WhatsApp while munching on her lunch.
The lunch was nothing special.
Out of all the meals she had, this one wouldn't even make the list.
But today, it tasted surprisingly good.
As night fell, Margaret couldn't figure out what Raymond was up to.
She didn't want to go, but curiosity got the best of her, and she drove to Raymond's apartment.
Her high heels clicked on the spiral staircase, echoing like knocks on the door of her heart.
Most of her memories of this place were far from pleasant.
During the final stages of her liver cancer, she found herself trapped here, working as a maid. She was compelled to take medication and submit to Raymond's desires, catering to his every whim.
She thought she had buried it all, that it was all behind her.
But as soon as she stepped inside, memories flooded back like a tidal wave.
Margaret pressed her lips together and tightened her grip on her handbag.
She reached the second floor.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Rose petals covered the floor, flanked by flickering orange candles.
The walls were decorated warmly and romantically.
It was clear a lot of money had been spent to hire a planning company to set this up.
Several bottles of champagne sat on the table.
The kitchen emitted the delicious aroma of food.
"Margaret, you're here," a rich voice called out.
She turned to see Raymond in gray loungewear, an apron tied around his neck, holding a plate with a cooked steak and cutlery.
His handsome face, flawless features, gazed at her with affection.
Margaret nodded silently.
"Come on, let's eat."
Raymond walked to the dining table, placing the plate down.
Then he pulled out a chair, took Margaret's hand, and gently guided her into the seat.
He walked to the opposite side of the table and sat down across from her.
She watched as he seriously picked up the knife and fork, cut a portion of the steak, and pushed it in front of her, urging her to eat.
Then he cut another portion for himself.
Margaret picked up the fork, speared a small piece, and put it in her mouth. The cooking was as good as ever.
This was the kind of happy life she had once dreamed of.
"I wanted to take you out, but I felt staying in would show how much I care," Raymond said, breaking the silence. He had been swamped with work these past few days, exhausted from lack of sleep.
Margaret glanced around. It was very romantic and beautiful. "Which planning company helped you with this?"
"I designed it myself. These flowers were imported. It took me a whole day to set this up."
"You have a lot of free time, right?" Although she was deeply moved, she felt she couldn't let him know. She didn't dare to show too much affection, fearing he would become arrogant and take her for granted.
So she kept his changes in mind.
But she didn't dare let him understand one fact: she loved him too much.
Even if he did nothing, she would still be moved.
Let alone the fact that the CEO of a listed company spent an afternoon personally arranging this. Hiring someone to do it would have diminished the effort.
To see if a man truly loved you, you had to see if he gave you his most precious resource.
For Raymond, the most valuable thing wasn't money but time. He showed his affection by dedicating his time and effort to a woman.
"Margaret, as long as you're happy. I just want to make up for everything, to ensure my Margaret has no worries in this life."
He raised his wine glass, wanting to toast with her.
She raised her glass too, but spoke with feigned indifference: "It's okay."
"Then I'll keep trying." If it were before, Raymond would have been angry at her response, but now, he remained calm, learning to find the problem within himself.
The night breeze was cool.
There were stars tonight.
They moved two chairs to the balcony, drinking wine and stargazing.
The breeze lifted her hair, and Raymond was mesmerized.
Margaret adjusted her shawl, intending to go inside.
But then she heard a thud.
She turned around.
Raymond was on one knee, holding a small black box with deep emotion.
He opened it in front of her, and she knew it contained a ring.
Even though she knew, she still felt a flutter when he opened it.
He took out the ring, holding it between his fingers, and spoke sweetly: "Margaret, the first time we got married, I didn't cherish it. The wedding ring I bought was just a quick purchase because you kept mentioning it. But you were still happy and wore it all the time. This time, I want to give you the best."
He continued, "This ring, I learned jewelry design myself and designed it for you. It's one of a kind in the world. Margaret, we've come a long way. Will you marry me? From now on, I won't let you shed a single tear. I'll give you The Howard Group as a gift. Raymond's life will be dedicated to Margaret. This is my guarantee. If one day I treat you badly or change my heart, I'll end my own life to atone."
The starlight fell on the ring in his fingers, shining brightly.
To design a ring for her, he had learned jewelry design.
He was giving her the company he had worked so hard to list as a proposal gift.
If Raymond had treated her this well from the start, they wouldn't have taken so many detours.
Margaret was overwhelmed with emotions, looking at him: "If you had this awareness in our previous marriage, we wouldn't be where we are now."
"Margaret, I'm learning how to make you happy. How to love you. Give me a chance to make amends." Raymond knelt on one knee, his gaze sincere.
"Will you say yes? From now on, I'll listen to you, reduce my workload, and travel the world with you. We'll have a child, a boy like me, a girl like you. Our family of three will be the happiest in the world."
Margaret had once dreamed of having his child.
Her eyes filled with tears, her throat tight, she spoke with difficulty. "Raymond, you know, there's a limit to trust between people. You've hurt me too many times, I don't dare trust you anymore. I'm afraid of repeating the same mistakes. Every time you abandon me, it takes me longer to heal. I don't want to enter into marriage again. I'm sorry."
Saying this, Margaret turned to leave.
Her wrist was suddenly grabbed, and with a pull, she fell into his arms.
He held her tightly, but she tried to push him away. "Let go of me, Raymond."
"Margaret, listen to me. I won't let go of your hand this time. It's okay if you don't agree. We have plenty of time. It's my fault for not doing well enough, for not trying hard enough." Raymond held her, soothing her softly. "Don't worry, I don't mind being rejected by you."
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