Chapter 316: I love you

 Raymond found peace in his heart when Nicole did not allow the situation at hand turn in to a fight, the fact that she stood by him and supported him meant alot to him and this made the love he had for her expand, she was exactly what he wanted in every aspect.

" You just have to promise me that this would not repeat it self, let this be this first and the last time I will ever find out about this " Nicole said as she held Raymond's hand tightly.

Raymond looked up at her teary eyes which sparkled and wiped off her tears.

" Nicole, I am promising you today, right now under your roof on this very spot that it would not happen again, and I mean it " Raymond assured her from the bottom of his heart.

He never intended for what happened with Ivy to ever happen but it did anyway and that was going to be the last time it would happen.

" I know... I trust you " Nicole responded as she gave a soothing smile.

Raymond was some how shocked about how she behaved to every thing and he hoped that it will remain like this and she will never doubt him any more.

" Thank you so much, you mean the world to me, no woman will ever take me away from you and no man will take you away from me as well..... all I just need you to do for me is to stand by my side at all times especially during my bad times " Raymond said to Nicole.

This statement made Nicole remember about his family, he had promised to tell her about his family and she did not want to remind him rather she wanted him to get enough courage to tell her about his family even if it was some thing frustrating.

" You can count on me when it comes to that " Nicole assured and Raymond nodded his head.

" Nicole " Raymond called as he got up from where he was sitting and knelt in front of Nicole.

" Hey Ray, why are you doing this? Please get up, i do not really like this " Nicole said as she tried to raise him up but certainly Raymond is way bigger and weighs more than her.

Raymond gripped her on her shoulder, subduing her and making her sit down.

" Nicole, I really can not tell what happened to me from the first day I set my eyes on you, I was not myself any more and my guts kept telling me that I should have a word with you but I did not understand then.... " Nicole interrupted him.

" Raymond what are you saying? Please get up " Nicole argued, all she wanted was for him to stand up and sit next to her, he was not supposed to kneel down because of her because she had also did shitty things to him but he never took it to heart and for God's sake, she have never came in contact with any man as vurnurable as he was.

Raymond looked up at her and sighed.

" No I would not get up until I have told you every thing I want to say right now " Raymond insisted.

Knowing how stubborn Raymond was, Nicole decided to do things in her own way.

" Nicole what are you doing? " Raymond asked as she sttlood up from the couch.

" I am standing.... watch and see " Nicole said as she gave a wide smile.

" But Nicole you were supposed to sit and listen to me " Raymond said in a calm tone.

" I think it will be best if we listen to each other like this! " Nicole said as she knelt in front of him.

Nicole felt that that was the best way to balance what was going on that moment.

" Nicole you should not be kneeling down, you should sit while I talk " Raymond insisted.

" Awwnn baby, I can not do that, can you not see am I looking down at you if I sit and I do not want that but with this position you can see I am looking up to you, is that not great? Right? " Nicole asked making Raymond marvel at what she said, she had quite a great IQ.

" That's good " Raymond said and Nicole nodded.

" ......i had been stalking you for weeks but I never had the courage to walk up to you to have a talk not until that night when I saw you fight of those goons who tried to attack you and I am sorry, I mustered up courage to talk to you because I saw that you were drink but not to harm you but I felt that was the only way I could talk to you. By helping you out of the state you were " Raymond explained and Tina placed her palm on his face as she slowly caressed his cheek.

" That night you beat me up, even though I was in pains I did not tell you about it not because I would be ashamed of not been a man but rather I took you to my house and the next day, you woke up beside me, I wanted that to continue, then you left that note behind... at that moment I knew that was still going to meet up with you, my feelings for you kept growing that I could not bear it if I did not see you for a day, then we started getting closer to each other, I took some steps forward to express my feelings for you but you kept doubting me and comparing me to Gavriel, that really hurt me alot, I thought your hatred for Gavriel would have reduced after what had happened to me but I realized that every thing was still the same after I over heard your conversation with Tina... I understand the hard times Tina is going through in Gavriel's house but I hope you do not compare the both of us any more " Raymond said as tears flowed down from his eyes.

Nicole was touched to see him break down, she was surprised that he over heard her conversation with Tina, she wrapped her arms tightly around him as she inhaled the scent of his hair.

" I am really sorry about that, I just find my self hurting any time Tina tells me about what Gavriel is doing to her, I see him as a heartless man " Nicole says to Raymond as she tightened her embrace on him.

" Nicole, will you love to be in a relationship with me, I would not promise you alot of things but I promise to love you with all my heart and never hurt or harm you in any way what so ever " Raymond said and Nicole's eyes widened hearing what Raymond had just said to her as she released her grip on him.

Not only did he confess his feelings to her, he is also asking for them to be in a relationship.

" Of course I would, I would love to be in a relationship with you... I can not afford to loose you to any woman " Nicole said and they both laughed.

" Thank you so much for this, I have been so lonely these past years and now I am with you, like I told you before no one, no single person neither a man nor a woman will take me away from you and the same applies to you " Raymond said with joy, he had never felt like this before not in his past relationship- the feeling he has for Nicole is geniue and was a calm type.

" Raymond? " Nicole called him as she held his hands tightly.

" Mm, " Raymond responded as he played with her cheeks wondering what she wanted to say.

" I love you Raymond and.... " Nicole said covering her face and her cheeks which were flushed red.

Raymond was caught off guard, he just did not expect to hear this from Nicole and even though he did not now.

" Nicole are you serious about this? I hope this is not some sort is joke " Raymond asked das he kept on trying to believe what she said.

" Raymond, you might not believe me but that is the truth " Nicole said as she was already getting emotional, she quickly drew Raymond closer to her self and pressed their bodies together.

" I am so sorry, I did not mean it that way, I was just surprised that you did not doubt me anymore " Raymond said.

" I am sorry for doubting you,... after you had left yesterday I thought about it and I also talked with Tina, she made somy things clear to me then I realized that you and Gavriel are two different people " Nicole said while she caressed his hair.

" I am so sorry for doubting you and also comparing you to Gavriel, I was just scared that I might end up getting hurt just like Tina.... I am sorry, forgive me " Nicole apologized.

" I love you too " Raymond confessed and they both started laughing as Nicole weight pushed Raymond making him fall and Nicole fell on top of him.

" Ouch " Raymond winced as he kept on laughing.

" I am sorry, are you hurt? " Nicole asked.

" No I did not " Raymond replied while he planted kisses all over her body.

" I do not think you will get tired of this " Nicole said as she giggled like a child.

" When will you be resuming work at the office because I over heard that you took a leave to take care of me " Raymond asked and Nicole looked up at him suspiciously.

" Tell me, what else did you over hear? " Nicole asked ash she raised her weight off his body.

" Mmmm, I heard every thing you said through out the call " Raymond said laughing while he drew Nicole closer to his.

" This way you would not escape from me " Raymond said tightening his grip on her.

" Yeah, I took a leave off work to take care of a baby like you- I literally became a baby sitter because of you " Nicole teased as she sighed at Raymond.

" I am a baby? Of course your baby! " Raymond teased her back as well as they laughed.

Raymond became quiet for some reasons as he wondered about some things happening in his life.

He hoped and wished that they will always be as happy and cheerful as they are now.

" Of course you are but just make sure you do not grow up, so I would keep in baby sitting you " Nicole said as she tried to roll away but Raymond tightened his grip on her waist.

" Then I would not " Raymond responded.

" Nicole, I was just wondering " Raymond as aid and paused.

" What is it you are worried about? " Nicole asked Raymond.

" I just wish that we would remain happy like this forever " Raymond said with a frown but Nicole tried to cheer him up.

" You are indeed actimg like a child.... You are not suppose to expect happiness all through in a relationship... there are sad times, happy time, boring time, moments when partners get tired of their other partner and lots more but we should only wish and pray that these things do not tear us apart " Nicole said and Raymond drew her close to him as he planted a quick kiss on her lips.

Nicole was shocked at it but some thing kept on ringing in her head and that the truth that they were now in a relationship.

" When ever I am scared, you ease my nerves and send my fears away, please do not ever leave me " Raymond said but he was Surprised to see Nicole's fingers on her lips.

" I am sorry, I will always ask for permission before doing any thing like this again... Trust me on that " Raymond assured while he kept on staring at Nicole.

" Ohh no, you do not have to, I was just surprised that you kissed me out of the blue... and you know what, you do not have to ask for permission before doing any thing to me, I love surprises " Nicole said and they both laughed.

" I will be going back to the office in two days time, my leave will be over soon " Nicole says to Raymond.

" Ohh, I will make it up to you " Raymond said and Nicole nodded.

****

Ivy has been having a terrible day and it kept on repeating it self every single day of her life, after what had happened between she and Raymond last night, she felt guilty but she had to do it for her parents sake, she was tired of how they yelled at her daily because she was not married, it hurt her to her bones.

She drove straight home, and then she packed her car in the garage as she brought out her phone and dailed a contact number from her phone as she placed the phone closer to her ear.

After the second ring, the person picked up the call.

" Hey Ivy! " the person said and it definitely sounded like that of a guy.

" Hey Matthew, are you at the Office? " Ivy asked him.

" Yeah, I am, but why are you not here yet? " Matthew asked her.

" I do not think I will be there today " Ivy responded.

" But why, I do not understand, Ivy are you doing okay? " Matthew asked because it was so unlike her not to come to the office, she never for once missed any day not going to work so Matthew was so worried about her and did not know what else to tell her.

" Matthew i am fine trust me but I would not be available because I am not feeling to well, I had a stressful day so I think resting is the only solution, " Ivy said to Matthew.

" Please do not tell my dad that I did not go to office today, I will really appreciate if you did that " Ivy said as she hanged up, just then she got out from her car.

" Ivy where where you last night? " Ivy's father asked as he walked towards his daughter how looked so tired and depressed.

" And did I hear you say that I should not be informed that you did not go to the office today? " Adrian asked confused.

" What happened? " Adrian asked again.

" Dad please, I am not in the mood for this now and I have to be in the shower right now as well as having a good sleep, I will talk to you later " Ivy said to her father as she walked out on him.

Adrian wondered what was wrong with Ivy because he had never seen her like this, she looked so tattered, her eyes were swollen as if she had her been crying for a long time and needed some space to her self and finally dark circles could be seen right under her eyes.

" Do have a great rest okay? " Adrian said to his daughter who was walking in to the apartment.