章節 1: A None-sense Promise
"Brank... Brank..." The roar of her older sister clashed with the items she threw. The woman named Aliana or more often called Alia, was crying, angry, and rebellious.
"Stop it, Alia... Stop it. Let me talk to your father. You don't have to do it if you don't want to." The mother's voice was shrill loudly, trying to find a way to make her beloved daughter want to lower her emotions.
The mother's words were answered with an unclear high-pitched scream mixed with crying, anger and overwhelming emotions.
Aruna tried to find out what happened. She sneaked into the kitchen to ask Tamini and Linda what her mother and sister were fussing about.
The two maids who were also caring for it were also restless. They could only shake their heads.
The sound of slamming and tantrums was still up there in Aruna's sister's room on the 2nd-floor right next to her room.
Aruna didn't dare to go upstairs. She intended to move away from the voice, walking towards the back balcony.
Her steps stopped at the door of her father's room. It looked like he was inside. Why didn't her dad try to stop her sister's tantrum? Why was he staying here?
The door to the room that was slightly opened was pushed slowly. Aruna was very doubtful. Unfortunately, she couldn't ignore the commotion of her family.
"Dad." Aruna summoned the man who was still complete with work clothes, long-sleeved shirts including ties with matching colours.
Her father immediately turned his work chair, turning his back on Aruna, trying to tidy himself up, then turning around with a small smile that seemed forced.
"Are you okay?" Aruna's question made her father more relieved.
The man had already dug up his mind. He was sure to be asked 'what happened?' Somehow, it turned out that his daughter even asked him how he was.
"Just a little messed up." Aruna's father, Lesmana replied. Again, he put on a forced smile.
"Can I help ease this mess?" Aruna sincerely asked.
Lesmana just shook his head.
Aruna understood that this was a gesture for her father not to be disturbed. She moved back as she slowly tried to resign from this heart-stopping room.
"Wait, Aruna." His father's voice looked desperate, calling out to her who almost disappeared behind the door.
Aruna stopped in her steps, then entered the room again. She then sat in front of his father's desk.
"How old are you now?" Aruna didn't have time to answer.
"I'm sorry, I'm so busy working that I don't remember how old my daughter is." Lesmana continued.
Aruna reassuringly smiled at her father.
"20 year-old, Dad." Aruna replied.
Her father rubbed his face with his palms indicating he was very restless.
"I don't want to burden you, but if your sister doesn't want to, I can only ask you for help." The man took a deep breath.
"Aruna, do you want to get married?" Her father raised a question she could never have imagined.
Aruna furrowed her brows, confused.
"I know that lately, you are filling in several startup seminars. I am very proud of you. I also know that it means you have no plans to get married anytime soon." The father gradually tried to explain.
"Is this what makes Alia angry?" Aruna asked for an explanation.
"I'm ashamed to say yes. But that's the truth." Lesmana replied
"Why should one of us get married?" Aruna was still confused.
Was it because her older brother wasn't married either? So, her older sister had to get married as soon as possible or even more extreme, Aruna was the one who got married at 20 year-old.
"It's my fault... I made an unreasonable agreement, and they suddenly asked for my promise." Lesmana looked chaotic, regret, shame, and loss of dignity collided together.
"Promise? What kind of promise, Dad?" Aruna, a sophomore, still so innocently understood the hustle and bustle of life.
Her father convinced himself to explain the situation that made Alia furious and included the past that brought their family to this point.
Lesmana tried to explain why their family suddenly could move into a luxury home as well as a fast-growing freight forwarding business.
Aruna's father was not a full shareholder as a pioneer and director. He only owned 30% of the shares. The real owner was the Wenceslas Group.
Who else if not her father's boss when Aruna wasn't born yet. At that time, Lesmana was only a personal assistant to Wiryo Wenceslas. An assistant who could be relied on because of his ability and loyalty.
Lesmana was only an ordinary university graduate, but he could rapidly develop under Wiryo's shadow, CEO of Wenceslas Group. His discipline and honesty in accompanying Wiryo made Wiryo trust him more.
There was a time when Lesmana replaced him with a presentation, and the results were promising. Wiryo's personal assessment was what made him get the mandate to run DM delivery.
When signing the handover of positions that took place privately between the two, Lesmana and Wiryo, almost all vice presidents and shareholders rejected Wiryo's policy. But who could fight him? Wiryo was the sole successor and the largest shareholder of Wenceslas Group.
For the first time, Lesmana saw Wiryo as an ordinary human. A human being who could show emotions of deep sadness.
While accompanying Wiryo, he never saw the man reveal a weak expression, or even sad. His face was always stiff, firm and confident.
His boss' tears, who have now become his best friends, were the beginning of the unpleasant moment like the fruit's choice for Lesmana.
(Like the fruit's choice: a person who is faced with very difficult two options to choose from)
The man couldn't help feeling sad when he found his daughter had to marry the wrong person.
"I should have been tougher on her."
It was a regret that couldn't be treated. The only daughter and successor of the Wenceslas family ended up with a cowardly man who left her daughter when she was pregnant. And now she was back with her 5 year-old son.
For 6 years, his beloved daughter did not study properly in America. Gayatri Wenceslas got pregnant and spent her life in America caring for her son.
Wiryo was eager to be angry. It turned out that the man famous for being arbitrary to undisciplined employees turned soft and broke when he faced his own daughter.
Wiryo regretted that he did not let Gayatri get married as soon as possible. He regretted that he did not send bodyguards, at least guards for his daughter's stay in a foreign country.
Back then, he didn't even suspect anything of his daughter.
As the man felt so upset, he did not want to accept the blue-eyed little boy, his grandson.
To keep his heartbroken, Wiryo with unreasonable ambitions asked his trusted assistant to hand over one of his daughters.
Wiryo planned to create the next generation, which was indeed in his control. Lesmana was promised a new project, DM delivery.
Wiryo guaranteed Lesmana's life, his children's education, even his son and daughters growth and development was monitored by Wiryo's personal doctor.
Now was the time for Lesmana to hand over the guarantee, paying him back.
Like lightning striking, Aruna was speechless. She shakily stepped, leaving her father, who fell into despair.
Her mind wandered everywhere, collecting the puzzles of the life journey that her family went through.
The intense doctor came to take care of their health, a luxurious house complete with competent maids, the DM delivery company, even schedules of personality lessons for her siblings and herself were all reinforcing what her father said.
Aruna was standing in front of her sister's room door. The roar of anger replaced with sobs that choked the chest.
Aruna ventured into the room, walking between the items that fell scattered, broken apart. Her sister glanced at her, then hid in the pillow she was holding.
Alia, the young Manager of a property company, was confident, bright and always made her jealous.
After graduating from a leading university majoring in business management, she joined a property company.
She grew as the best employee in increasing its turnover. In less than 2 years, the woman has held the Manager position.
Now, on the sidelines of her extraordinary schedule, Alia still had time to continue her master's degree.
Somehow, Aruna saw her as a broken woman, burning with anger today.
Aruna approached her, gathering the courage to embrace her sister.
Alia increasingly shed tears. In fact, the tears began to run out.
Aruna calmed her sister's heart until she fell asleep.
While slowly tidying up her elder sister's belongings scattered in every corner of the room, Aruna's mind drifted to find the best solution.
However, it turned out with no result as she didn't know what to do.
There was no way she was involved in persuading Alia. Aruna knew best about her sister's condition.
Alia actually had a boyfriend, Dimas Aditya. Since high school, they were together and always made others jealous. She planned to get married next year right after graduating with a master's degree.
The relationship was hidden from her father. Lesmana got furious every time one of his beloved daughters was close to a boy.
In fact, when Dimas Aditya was introduced, it ended up with the wrath of his father. The reason was maybe related to the soul mate that had been prepared since a long time ago.
Aruna realised it now. Alia must have been devastated. It is said that love that was blocked was so hurtful.
Even though she had never felt that, she could imagine the harmonious couple between Alia and Dimas Aditya would end with a sad ending.
Their love journey was full of struggle, hidden from the family. Just to meet, Aruna was often used to avoid being caught.
For example, when they watched together, Alia told her parents that she watched with Aruna. In fact, Aruna was given an extra snack, so she wanted to keep their secret.
A moment later, the maids came to clean Alia's room, continuing what Aruna was doing, then forbidding Aruna to help them.
Aruna spent the night unable to sleep.
The next day, Aruna came home from campus as soon as possible, hoping to comfort her sister. Unfortunately, Alia chose to shut herself in the room.
Her mother paced back and forth in front of the room, occasionally knocking to persuade her daughter to open the door. Reportedly, Alia hasn't eaten since last night.
The chaotic atmosphere still surrounded the house.
"Where's Dad, Mom?" Aruna asked her mother. She didn't see Lesmana.
"He went out of the house to see the Wenceslas family. Just pray that he can cancel this arranged marriage." Oops, Aruna's mother flinched at her own words. There should be nothing Aruna needed to know.
"Mom, I already know everything, Dad told the story." Aruna, rubbing his mother's hand
Aruna's words were met with tears from her mother. The two women embraced in tears.
***
The house was getting gloomy since Lesmana's return from the Wenceslas family.
When Aruna's older brother Anantha found out what had happened, there were arguments between the two every time.
Lesmana could not cancel the agreement. Meanwhile, Alia was now being treated in the hospital after her parents successfully broke down the door to her room.
Alia still didn't want to eat. The IV was removed by the nurse several times. By all means, Alia refused her father's will.
At this rate, her older sister could get worse. Aruna took the initiative to make her older sister calmer.
That afternoon, Aruna thought that no one would come to the hospital to look after Alia except her. She then asked Dimas Aditya, Alia's lover, to come.
Dimas Aditya hastily welcomed Aruna's request. The couple immediately embraced, and Alia's sobs really made Aruna get carried away with the atmosphere. Her tears melted at the thanks from her sister.
Dimas Aditya patiently persuaded Alia to eat and it succeeded.
The sight was truly heartbreaking. Aruna wondered if they could be separated.
For nine years they were side by side, trying not to be known by their family, especially their father.
Aruna's move gave the couple space to strengthen each other. She came out of Alia's inpatient room to get some fresh air in the hospital garden.
Did she have enough courage to change her sister's position to resolve the endless tension in her family?
Lesmana seemed increasingly helpless. Her mother could only cry. Anantha threw out endless anger at their father without any solution.
For almost two hours she was pensive there. The phone ringing then distracted her. On the other end, there was a commotion.
Aruna ran as fast as she could to her sister's room. When she got there, several hospital officials were holding onto her father, trying to stop her father's anger.
'Oh my god... Dad must have found Alia and Dimas Aditya.' Aruna thought.
Her mother helped to secure Lesmana. Her father was still shouting to kick Dimas Aditya away on his way being dragged by officers to the security hospital.
Of course, the clerk carried out the clumsy task of securing the hospital's tranquillity and dragging away their VIP customers.
Alia was still firmly holding Dimas Aditya's hand, asking the man not to leave her. She threatened to injure herself if her father always insisted on his will.
Everything seemed chaotic. Aruna stood there transfixed with the nurses who were confused about what to do.
One by one, the nurses came out.
"I'm sorry, Sis." Aruna's voice was barely audible.
"What are you talking about?... I thank you... You dare to ask Dimas Aditya to come." Alia gradually calmed down.
Now, Dimas Aditya, who looked chaotic, was respectable enough to understand this situation.
He was unwanted. He knew he had to give up first, allowing himself to come and go with dignity even if it was tantamount to breaking his heart.
"Alia, better...." Not yet Dimas Aditya finished saying...
"If you back off, I'll kill myself." Alia's words silenced all the mouths that heard her.
The walls even seemed to move to squeeze Aruna. Aruna hobbled leaving the couple to look for her parents.
In her search, she found her parents staring blankly at the large glass window towards the view outside from the 7th-floor of the hospital.
Her parents did not realise Aruna's presence was getting closer.
"You shouldn't have to do that, you know they're innocent." Her mother's voice faintly sounded.
"What should I do then? A promise is a promise, who we are, dare to go against the Wenceslas family?" Lesmana's words sounded bitter, leaving the courage in Aruna to make a decision.
"Mom, Dad..." Aruna's voice was like a code. Her parents simultaneously looked at her.
"Allow me to replace Alia. Let me fulfil Dad's matchmaking promise" Said Aruna trembling.
Aruna didn't know what would happen next, but seeing her parents immediately hugged her made her heart calm.
Both her parents seemed to be making promises to protect her, even though no words were saying.
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