25. Never for sale

"Amara, look at me," Azer's voice was soft as the whispers of a loving mother to her sleeping child, or perhaps, as calm as the morning dew sliding on a blade of grass or a newly sprouted bud of flowers. It was soothing in the ears, as though an additional recipe of sharpness or indifference would hurt the listener, thus, he was being too careful.

Amara closed her eyes and tears dropped onto her cheeks. He asked her to look at him, but her emotions were in disarray. What would he do if he saw all those uncertainties and the budding distrust in her eyes?

A soft and light kiss landed on her forehead, accompanied by his voice, "Don't listen to them. You're the most beautiful person I've ever laid my eyes on. Forget them. Forget their words."

She wanted to laugh. It was funny that he had mistaken the fault of her distress. Maybe a part of her was indeed hurt by their insults, but the biggest reason for her tears was the person embracing her.

Had he forgotten what she asked him the night before? Had it vanished in his mind already? She knew she was being contradictory. She told herself she wouldn't pry until he spoke himself. However, those are just airs. Because she didn't know how hard it was to always wonder about something, to always be deemed insignificant to something.

The lack of right to know something. The feelings of being cast out in the dark.

Azer planted soft kisses all over her face. He wiped her tears so tenderly. Amara opened her eyes again. Those grey eyes and furrowed eyebrows met her. Her lips quivered as she thought of the words she wanted to say.

'Stop being a coward, Amara,' she told herself.

"A-Are you a noble?"

Azer didn't seem taken aback by her question. He pursed his lips and nodded, "Yes."

Amara gulped and asked next, "Which household?"

It took longer for Azer to answer. He was choosing his words, Amara could tell. Will he lie?

"…I'm not from here."

"You're…not an Avendelli…?"

Azer looked at her with much intensity, "No."

He took a step back and avoided her eyes, "I'm not trying to deceive you. I didn't approach you with that in mind, and my feelings are genuine. I'm just…not from here. I'm afraid you'd avoid me if you knew."

"But, like it or not, Amara, I was determined to bring you to my home. If you're willing to stay with me."

Those words still rang in her ears even after she left the bakery and a few days passed. She was lost in thoughts. What Azer sounded like a proposal. But if she accepted, then she had to leave this place.

What was holding her back from leaving this neighborhood anyway? She suffered way too much in this place. She was certain Vida would understand her if she told her everything. Except for her new friend, nothing in this place held her back.

However, living in another place scares her, even when Azer is with her. What if his feelings changed? She'd be left alone in that unfamiliar place and lost the only place that gives her comfort.

Her mind returned to the present after the bell above the door chimed. A customer had arrived, or so Amara thought.

Because as soon as the person introduced himself, she knew he wasn't a customer.

"I'm not planning to sell this house. Not today, never," Amara answered firmly.

The man named Nolan Turck introduced himself as a real estate agent and gave her a flirtatious smile. Amara had goosebumps. She was wiping the display by the window when the man came. She calmly walked behind the counter; her eyes scanned the tools below the table.

"Never is such a long time, my lady. You'll never know what tomorrow can bring anyway. Maybe the day after, you're putting this house for sale, or maybe in a week, someone different already owns it," Nolan said.

"It's not going to happen."

Nolan Turck snickered, "You're quite brave. A piece of advice, my lady. It'll be better for you if you just sell this place to the one offering to buy this at a much generous price. This place is old, but that person is willing to pay thrice larger than the original amount."

He walked to the counter and rested his palms above while leaning a bit closer to Amara, he added, "Wouldn't you think it's enough to buy another house, much larger than this, and start your business there? I can give you recommendations of properties for sale in the busy area of the capital. Your shop will thrive more if you move in a more conspicuous area."

"Think about my proposal, my lady. I'll come back again," Nolan said before he finally left.

It was absurd to think that someone wanted to buy that old house of hers, but because she had an idea who put the agent into this, it was somehow believable. Until she surrenders, that woman won't give up.

The man was polite, but the way he spoke and looked at her irked her. She walked to the door and watched him walk down the street with sharp eyes. She only felt safe after he disappeared from her sight.

When her head turned around, she caught Azer staring at her through his windows. She stopped on her way back. His expression wasn't good, and it felt like they returned to the days she first met him.

Once more, she saw those enigmatic eyes that once followed her.

She sighed. She weakly smiled at him and waved her hand. Azer's dark expression quickly changed. He waved his right hand back, while the other was on his waist. His pose was feminine yet even when a glass window and a road were between them, he still exuded such manliness.

She told herself she would never sell her house, but she would never think of giving up on her man. She gave him one last look before going back and continued working.

When she told Vida about what happened, she was enraged and threw profanities in the air. But once she calmed down, she started thinking rationally, as per her words.

"You should consider it. I mean, sure, this place is yours and where you grew up, but does it have any meaning to you?" Vida asked.

Amara shook her head slowly. Now that she's thinking more about it, she couldn't even remember the memories she had in that place properly. Time must have made her forget already.

"If you accept, then we can find and share a small house! I'll help you find a vacant space in the street where my flower shop is, and you can start your business there. You can buy the land so you don't have to pay for rent."

"I don't know, Vida…"

Vida stopped talking. She sighed, but she let her think to herself. Perhaps, she could see she wasn't willing to leave.

A few days later, Nolan Turck came knocking on her door.

"Have you considered my proposal, my lady?"

"Yes."

"Then? Are you going to sell the house to me now?" Nolan asked with a hopeful gaze and a pretty smile. She almost rolled her eyes. He was obviously trying to charm her into liking him.

"No. I will never," she answered shortly. She pointed the door and added, "Now, if you please, you may leave."

The pleasant face plastered in his thick head disappeared and was replaced by annoyance. It seemed his patience ran out. He clicked his tongue twice as though he was contemplating what to do next.

Amara felt unsafe. But to not gain any more disadvantage, she firmly stood her ground and became wary.

Nolan shook his head like someone disliking the situation, and he sighed as though he was subduing himself from speaking such obscenities.

'This man doesn't act like a professional broker. Is his license fake?' Amara thought to herself.

"Look here, miss, I'm trying to give you a nice and comfortable life. If there's something you don't like about my proposal, tell me, and I'll meet your conditions and still pay three times more."

"I still won't sell it."

"You don't understand, do you? Or maybe it was because you're not aware of who wanted to buy this old place? I'll tell you, they're someone you won't be able to refuse. You'd better submit rather than lose everything and gain nothing."

"I think this conversation already ended. Please, leave."

She tried to walk to the door and open it for him, but her arm was grabbed instead.

"What are you doing?" Amara pulled back her arm but Nolan was stronger, she got pushed to the counter without struggle.

Her back hurt as it bumped on the edge. Nolan grabbed her shoulder, pinning her to the table. He inched his face closer and spoke.

"I told you this place will be for sale after a few days," he whispered. His eyes curved like a crescent while his lips were smiling evilly.

Amara tried to struggle. However, he simply caught her hands using only one, and he used the other to press her by blocking his lower arm below her chin. His legs squeezed her legs trying to kick him.

He pressed his entire body to her. When Amara tried to scream, Nolan buried his face in her. Fortunately, she quickly turned away. His lips touched her mask and the edges scratched him.

"Damn it! Won't you stay still until a customer comes? Once they see us engaging in such lewd actions, they'll spread the news and you'll never be able to show your face here again. Be obedient and let me kiss you."

He dived to her lips, but she tilted her head upwards instead. His face got buried in her neck and she could feel him sniffing her. All hairs in her body stood, and her stomach lurched. When he lifted his head to try again, she wasted no time and banged her forehead into him.

When the door chimed, Amara was enveloped by fear. Someone will see them. She opened her mouth to shout 'help' to overturn the misunderstanding, but the one who got turned upwards violently was Nolan.

Before he could see who pulled him up like a sack of garbage, he was thrown aside, hitting the racks where all her products were displayed. Amara sagged on the edge of the counter and watched Azer stride to Nolan.

He picked Nolan by the collar and threw him in the wall. Nolan already lost consciousness, he fell like a broken doll, yet Azer didn't stop. He caught his limp body, and held him in the neck with a hand, while his other hand gripped Nolan's elbow tightly until the sound of something breaking was heard inside.

Crack. Crack.

Azer wasn't satisfied. He pulled Nolan's right foot and broke his shin.

Craaaaack.

He reached for the other.

"Stop!"

Craaaaack.

Only after all his limbs were broken did Azer let go of his neck. Amara watched in horror. How could someone break someone's bone with just their hands? Her body trembled. She unconsciously took a step back as her eyes shook while gazing at the wide back of the man she loved.

Slowly, Azer turned to her. His dark expression vanished and was replaced with despair after seeing the fear in Amara's eyes. He wanted to reach out, but her trembling was so visible that he feared she'd faint from his contact.

"I'll…call someone to help you here," Azer spoke before turning away.

However, before he could step outside the door, shaking hands gripped the end of his shirt, pulling him back as though they never wanted to be separated from him. He turned abruptly and encaged Amara in his arms. She flinched, but she didn't complain.

Like what she always does, she just silently cried. But this time, not in the tub nor the corner of the streets, but in the warmth of his arms.