Stefan took a taxi to the apartment building. He got off and paid then walked to the building. He saw a security guy at the door. Stefan showed the guard her picture on his phone screen and asked if he saw her or not.

The guy looked at the picture.

"Miss Wirata. No, sir. I haven't seen her yet."

He said. The security man recognized the beautiful friendly Asian lady who had rented a room in this building.

"Okay. Thanks."

Stefan could not think where else she would go. He looked at the time. It was around 9.30 p.m.

Stefan called to ask Ben. Ben said that she had not yet returned to the penthouse.

"Tell somebody to bring me a car. I am at her apartment."

Stefan told Ben. He needed a car to drive around to look for her. It sounded stupid as he did not have a clue where to find her but Stefan could not just stand here and did nothing. He would have gone mad.

Half an hour later, Ben and James drove two cars to the apartment.

"We can help to search for her, boss."

Ben offered help. He looked at the boss's solemn face and felt sorry that he should have said firmly to stop him not to take Melissa to the restaurant.

"It's okay. You two can go now. If she comes back to the penthouse, just let me know."

Stefan said to his men. Ben and James glanced at the boss's right hand. There was dry blood and scratches but he seemed not to care at all.

"Are you sure you don't want us to look for her around here?"

James asked. Stefan shook his head.

"It's my fault, I will sort it out by myself. Just go to the penthouse. Stay with Summer. And if she returns home, call me right away."

Stefan repeated his words to them.

They bowed to the boss and drove away, left one car for Stefan.

Stefan drove around this area but then he thought if she came to the apartment he might miss her. So he decided to drive back and parked the car by the side of the quiet road in front of the building. He sat and waited there patiently.

Time went by, Stefan shoved a hand in his hair and felt the pain. He used it to punch a ceramic plate and he forgot to apologize to the kind lady. There were scratches and it stopped bleeding but still felt sore as hell.

His thoughts were all about Wirata. He clenched his fists when thinking he hurt her feelings. He would never forgive himself for his stupidity and unthinking action tonight.

"Fucking idiot! Fucking stupid!"

The hash voice cursed fiercely to himself.

When looking back, Stefan knew what an idiot he was. Her mother's words played in his head. The lady was too kind not to plug a kitchen knife into his stomach for what he did to her daughter.

Stefan called Wirata again but her phone was still off. At about 10.30 when he saw a taxi stopped in front of the apartment building. The slender figure got off. She walked to the gate.

Stefan quickly jumped out of the car and walked to her immediately.

"Wine."

He called her.

She stopped near the concrete wall before the gate and turned to look. Stefan stopped in front of her. He saw her eyes were red indicating that she had cried a lot. Stefan clenched his jaws with anger and tightened his hand into a fist then suddenly swang it on the hard wall. Wirata jerked with the unexpected action he did. His left hand was bleeding instantly.

Wirata was shocked to see him punched his fist onto the concrete wall right in front of her just like that! And not just once, he swang it again for the second time. Wirata reached to grab his arm in time before he did it for the third time.

"Are you crazy?!! Stop now!"

She shouted at him. Seeing his face was tense and his eyes were red with sorrow.

"I am a fool, Wine. I am an asshole. I deserve it!"

He cursed himself and threw the other hand onto the wall. His both hands were cover by blood. Wirata grabbed his arms to stop him.

"Stefan! Stop! Why are you doing this?!"

"Let go of me, Wine. This is just too little compared to how idiot I am... Damn bastard!"

He pulled his hands off her grabs and then threw it to hit the wall again. Wirata tried to push his big body and stepped in between him and the wall.

He stopped, looking down at her face. His tall body was shaking and his eyes were red with all mixed feelings. Wirata saw tears threatened to spill from his eyes. She reached to touch his face.

"No. Stefan. Please... Don't do this."

The soft voice said. Stefan blinked back the tears and swallowed a lump in his throat. His heart was so aching with guilt that he hurt her feelings and made her cry so much. Stefan pulled her into a hug so tightly. He kissed her hair and leaned his face on her shoulder.

Wirata could feel his body trembling. She felt her shoulder wet. Wirata could not help but let the tears roll down on her face to know that he was crying. She rolled her face on his chest to dry her tears as he was wiping his face on her shoulder.

"Stefan... Please, don't cry..."

She managed to say out with a trembling voice.

He was so quiet. Only the large hands tightened her body more as though he was afraid she would vanish into thin air. Wirata caressed his back gently to soothe him. Both stood still, hugging each other at the front wall of the building.

"I am sorry, Wine."

Finally, he said out. His voice cracked full of sad emotion. Wirata nodded, tightened her arms around his waist.

"It's okay. Don't ever do this crazy thing again. Let me see your hands."

She gently pushed him out a little. he lifted his face from her shoulder. His eyes were so red with bloodshot, the sorrow was shown.

Wirata reached to wipe tears off his face. Then she grabbed his hands to explore the wounds.

"You are crazy. Why did you have to do this?"

She complained and looked up at his solemn face and bloodshot eyes. She grabbed his arm and dragged him to the elevator, rode it up to her apartment room.

She opened the door, pulled the tall body to sit on the couch.

"Sit here. I'll bring the first aid box. Your wounds need cleaning and taking care of. "

She told him and then walked to the kitchen zone, opened the wall unit and took out the first aid box.

She came back with the equipment she needed for cleaning his injured hands.

Wirata used a moistened cloth to clean the crusted blood off. There was still some blood running out, so she used the cloth to press on the wound to stop the blood.

"I'm sorry, Wine. I hate myself right now that I made you cry."

Stefan apologized again as he felt he never said it enough. His voice was full of sorrow and regret. He pulled her to hug again and did not care about the wounds on his hands.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I missed you all day today. I just wanted to see your face right after work and didn't want to wait until you get home. I didn't think about Melissa. I am so sorry. I didn't know it matters. I was so daft."

He continued to apologize to her and blamed himself. His voice was cracking with emotion again. His chin pressed softly on her head. Wirata leaned her face on his chest. Listening to his words and his heart.

"I didn't know that bringing Melissa would hurt your feelings. I am stupid and don't know a lot of things. But the only thing I know is... I love you so much. I just love you so damn much, Wine."

He said it clear in her ears. Wirata could not hold her emotions at this point. Tears flowed out quietly.

This madman made her cry twice the same night, with tears of regret, pain, and tears of happiness to hear the most important words she had not thought he would say it to her. Deep in her mind still did not believe a man like Stefan would surrender easily to any woman.

"I won't ask you to forgive me, Wine. I just want you to know that I love you with all my heart and I am not forcing you to give it back to me. I know now it is not easy for you to love me. I am not good enough and I don't deserve you."

His words flowed out as all the feelings he had for her were overwhelming in his heart.

"Don't say any more, Stefan."

The tremulous voice said. Wirata was crying so hard right now to hear him confess his true feelings to her. Her face was so wet as she was unable to stop her tears from spilling out.

"Please don't cry, Wine. I hate it when I make you cry like this. I am aching. It so damn hurt inside my chest."

He muttered above her head. Wirata wiped her face on his chest again. His shirt was damp because of her tears.

"Please don't hate me."

He begged. A man like Stefan never begged anyone in his life. But for her, he could do anything to keep her in his life.

"I don't hate you, Stefan."

The soft trembling voice said. Stefan hugged her tightly.

"Do you love me, Wine? Even only a little. Please tell me. Please let me be happy."

He asked with his quavering voice. He pushed her out a little and used his injured hand to lift her chin. His eyes looked into her eyes with hope.

Stefan saw tears rolling on her beautiful face. He pulled out his handkerchief to wipe it for her.

Wirata looked at his solemn face and injured hands. She reached to touch his cheeks.

"I have told you already about the kind of man I wanted to spend my life with. Do you remember?"

She asked softly.

"Yes. I do remember. Nice, kind, family man, loves you, loves animals, loves his sibling, loves his people, great at what he does, handsome, honest, faithful, listen to you, respect and treat you right and not mafia."

He did remember all! Wirata had to give out a light smile to see him memorized everything she said.

"And you said you wanted to be that man."

She spoke softly.

"But you never accepted my proposal. I guess it's because I am not qualified."

He responded with a sad tone. Wirata kissed on his chin gently. She sighed and tilted her face to look into his bloodshot eyes.

"At first, I was thinking to watch you for one year. But now when I think about it. I have realized that time in our lives is so limited and life is too short to waste and to make somebody's wait with hope. If there is an opportunity to meet the person I love and it would be hard to live without him. So I should seize the opportunity to grab and hold him close, not letting go of his hands ever. "

She expressed her thoughts. Stefan listened carefully to every word she said. He widened his eyes with excitement and stared into her eyes.

"Are you saying that you love me? Oh, please, Wine. Please say it again clearly as you know that I am a dumbass and I don't want to translate it wrong."

He begged her. Stefan never begged anybody before in his life but now he was doing it without hesitation. He wanted to hear this most special three words from her more than he wanted his next breath.

Wirata smiled lightly. She was now felt joy and happiness to see his eyes were full of hope. She touched his face and looked into his bloodshot eyes.

"I love you, Stefan Mackenzie. I love you with all my heart. And I hope it's clear enough and you won't translate it in any other way."

She told him what he wanted to hear the most. Stefan's handsome face instantly brightened up with a smile. His eyes sparkled and happiness filled his heart overwhelmingly.

"Oh, God ... You really love me. Wine ... You really love me. Thank you. You were making me so nervous."

The words flowed out as he felt so relieved and so delighted to hear she said it out, loud and clear.

He pulled her into his arms and cuddled her tight. His heart was singing and dancing. He kissed on her hair and felt so happy that she hugged him as tight as he hugged her.

Stefan thank God quietly in his heart. Today was so crazy and he considered it was the worst and the best day of his life!