27 Breaking Off The Engagement

Ludwina boarded the earliest flight to Hong Kong and arrived there after lunchtime. She immediately checked into her father's Park Royal hotel. After resting for a while, she sent a message to Kevin to meet him at the hotel.

[You haven't been to Hong Kong in a while. Wanna have dinner with me at the Sky Bar?] Kevin said in an SMS.

[OK]

Sky Bar on the 118th floor of the Ritz Carlton Hotel was Ludwina's favorite place in all of Hong Kong, and Kevin knew it. They could see the entire Hong Kong skyline from the tallest bar in the world.

Ludwina loved the view of Hong Kong's night lights from above, and she could sit there for hours just drinking wine and admiring the view from the Sky Bar's glass walls.

Kevin arrived at the Park Royal Hotel lobby area with his white Maserati and Ludwina immediately got into the seat next to him. Hong Kong was a luxury car paradise. Ludwina had never seen a city with more Ferraris, Maseratis, Lamborghinis, Teslas and Porsches around the world, than Hong Kong.

She knew Kevin felt right at home in Hong Kong. He changed his luxury car as often as he changed clothes. His family controlled the food industry in Indonesia, but it was he who took the initiative to open a restaurant in Hong Kong, competed with the local entrepreneurs, then expanded into the property industry.

Ludwina remembered her first trip to Hong Kong together with Kevin ten years ago when they were teenagers, the man took a deep breath on Avenue of The Stars and said that he felt he had found his home. He really liked Hong Kong's vibrant life, the systemic chaos that existed there, the melting pot where people from so many different nations came and lived together in harmony.

"Heyy ... it's really nice to meet you here. It's been a long time since you've been to Hong Kong," Kevin kissed Ludwina's cheek and ruffled her hair like they used to do to each other every time they met. "Don't you miss drinking at Lan Kwai Fong until morning?"

"Hahahaha .... I miss going there again with you, but not tonight, okay. Let's just have dinner. I have something to talk to you about," replied Ludwina.

Lan Kwai Fong was Hong Kong's most vibrant nightlife district with restaurants and bars bustling on weekends. Thousands of people would crowd the streets enjoying drinks and music. It was always so full of life and exciting!

Kevin had booked the best table in Sky Bar, and they sat down to enjoy dinner looking at Ludwina's favorite view in Hong Kong, the night sky filled with a million stars and the city lights.

"Kevin ... I talked to Johann yesterday ..." Ludwina sipped her wine slowly and began to speak carefully, "He said you were thinking of proposing to me. Is that true?"

Kevin almost spouted his wine when he heard Ludwina's blunt words. He apologized and hurriedly wiped his face with a napkin.

"Cough cough... Did Johann say that?"

"Is it true?"

Kevin shook his head and put down his napkin. His expression showed disbelief that Johann betrayed him, just like that. Ludwina continued to chase him for the answer.

"Is it true?"

Kevin sighed. He looked at the Hong Kong skyline below them, then he turned to Ludwina with a serious face.

"If we don't get married by the time you're 25... then, we'll do it when you are 30, right?" He asked back. "Isn't that an agreement we made between us ten years ago?"

"Well, I was young and dumb back then," replied Ludwina with a shrug, "To be honest, it felt romantic at that time, to copy stories I read in novels where I make an agreement with a guy to get married if we're still single after we reach a certain age."

"You have never had a serious boyfriend to this day. Me too. When you studied in America, I knew you were not dating anyone seriously," said Kevin. "I studied in Taiwan and didn't date anyone seriously either. Now I moved to Hong Kong and opened a business here. There are lots of beautiful girls around me ... but I know that I'm going to marry you, so I'll just relax and wait until you achieve your dream to travel around the world."

Ludwina was stunned to hear Kevin's confession. She now looked at the man with a new perspective. Kevin was 3 years older than her. He had a handsome face and playful personality.

He had that permanent grin that stuck with him until he was an adult. Ludwina and Kevin used to be very close. They often traveled together before Kevin became too busy and focused on his businesses.

Actually, Kevin was Wolf's best friend from childhood. When Wolf died, Kevin seemed to replace his position at Ludwina's home. When his parents had to move temporarily to Canada so his mother could get treated for cancer, Kevin was left at Ludwina's house for several years.

They had been bethrothed since childhood, but both of them didn't really talk about it seriously, especially since their parents no longer discussed it after Wolf died.

Ludwina did not believe in marriage, but she always knew, if she had to marry someone, the person she would choose was Kevin, whom she had known since childhood and had always been nice to her. Kevin was a good friend to her and he was nice. He was an established man who took life seriously.

While other rich kids spent their parents' money traveling, like what Ludwina did, this man worked diligently and built a business he was passionate about. Sometimes, he would join in on one of Ludwina's adventures.

The girl always loved traveling with him. They had similar preferences and almost always chose the same hotel or restaurant to visit. Kevin was actually the perfect man for Ludwina ...

But back then, Ludwina wasn't in love ...

Now, her little heart was filled with only one man and there was no place for anyone else.

Not even Kevin.

"Kevin ... I can't marry you. I want to cancel our agreement," said Ludwina, looking at Kevin with a frown. "You have to find a good woman, who wants to marry you and gives you a child to inherit your businesses."

Kevin sipped his wine calmly, "Ah, Win ... you are still 24, not yet 25 years old. We have a long time to go. I'm not in a hurry."

"I now don't believe in marriage .. and I also don't want to have children," said Ludwina softly. "Indeed, I have changed a lot since studying in America, but I have this viewpoint more because I have traveled the world and seen so many people who are married and unhappy."

She added, "I also see that there are too many people on this earth if everyone reproduces, the earth won't be able to accommodate all of us. We can't force other people to change, so I want to change myself. I don't want to increase the human population."

"I know that. I know you don't want to get married, and you don't want to have children," Kevin said calmly. "You realize that you are selfish and incapable of being a good parent. That's commendable. Praiseworthy. Not many people are as mindful as you are."

"Yes, I am selfish. Meanwhile, you are a family man, who wants to get married and have many children, because you felt lonely being an only child," said Ludwina, biting her lip. "Don't waste your time waiting for me. I won't change..."

Kevin shook his head, he looked at Ludwina with a serious look, and for the first time, his face did not show his grin, "Ludwina ...You don't want to get married and start a family, because you have not met anyone who can make you want to settle down and build a future together. I'm sorry that I am not that person for you. I thought you will change your mind as you get older. You are still young..."

Ludwina shrugged. "I don't know, Kevin. But one thing for sure, I don't want you to wait for me anymore and keep your life on hold. You have to find a serious girlfriend. Stop thinking about me anymore. I'm not your responsibility now ... Thank you for taking care of me for so many years. I'm grateful for the time we spent together. You're a great friend."

Kevin nodded softly.

"If ... Andrea wants to get married and have children, how about you?" Finally, he asked her.

Ludwina smiled and shook her head. "We haven't gone that far yet."

"I'm asking you now. You have to think about that possibility. What is your end goal with him? If you don't want marriage and children, but he wants them, you will never be on the same page."

"I don't know ..." answered Ludwina honestly. Kevin's question was one she's been asking herself the last few weeks.

What if Andrea wanted to get married and have children with her?

They hadn't gone very far. None of them had even confessed their love for the other. Ludwina was sure that the man liked her. They always enjoyed spending time together, but neither had spoken about their true feelings and what they wanted from their relationship.

Ludwina would actually feel comfortable if they continued going out and just date...

She was worried that Andrea would suddenly confess his love, then asked her to marry him. Ludwina wouldn't how what to say to him. In the meantime, she preferred them to enjoy their time together in a relaxed and joyful manner. That was enough for her.

Kevin was a gentleman. He valiantly accepted Ludwina's statement, that she wanted to break off the engagement between them. He remained sweet to the girl and drove her back to the hotel after they finished dinner.

"Sorry, I can't keep you company in Hong Kong. I need a moment to be alone. You take care, okay," he said softly as he dropped Ludwina off in the lobby.

He ruffled the girl's hair one last time, then drove to Lan Kwai Fong and drank there until morning.

***