I Don'T Want To Be Cinderella #1
56. Debut

Debut

Author, pov.

The car that Kirana was riding slowly entered the spacious courtyard where stood the magnificent mansion like a palace with large pillars supporting the high roof. In the parking lot provided, parked dozens of other luxury cars that indicate guests who come not from among the can.

Kirana nervously starts to get out of the car in Caraka's arms. In front of them, Rudi Mahesa and his wife walked confidently into the main building whose wide-open doors displayed a lively inside scene with guests in their finest clothes.

On one side there is an elongated buffet table full of various appetizing foods, on the other table served drinks, desserts and various appetizers. The waiters in white uniforms carried small trays of drinks busy serving the guests who stood talking into small groups.

“Do not be nervous,” whispered Caraka as they entered the house. “You were absolutely amazing today.” Kirana smiled hearing Caraka's endless praise from earlier.

Rudi Mahesa was seen greeting some people who greeted her, as well as Widya's mother.

“Kirana!” calling Bu Widya made Kirana look at Caraka who nodded off her grip. Kirana walks over to Widya's mother, while Caraka is now seen joining Rudi Mahesa.

“Ayune, sopo iki?"

“Calon mantu,” said Bu Widya with his trademark smile. “Kirana, meet this Ms. Tri.”

“It's nice to meet Mom, I'm a big fan of Mom,” said Kirana while greeting one of the great women who owned this country.

“Oalah, opo fans? I'm a koyo artist wae duwe fan. (What fans, I'm rich artist has fans).”

Mother Tri joking while laughing. He is famous for his simplicity and hospitality, but sometimes he can be very assertive when faced with certain situations. For a while Kirana felt calm after being introduced to the friendly Mother Tri. Before they finally headed for the backyard, several round tables with white and gold plaques were arranged in a spacious garden with various colorful flower arrangements at some point, and the, make the guests feel like they are in a flower garden. Some people were sitting around the table chatting and laughing. As yet another grand stand forming certain groups.

The arrival of Widya's mother to the back was immediately welcomed by a woman with a typical appearance of an upper class woman with high coaxed hair, and a red dress that was arguably speckled to be used at a daytime party. Di is the friendly host, then the others also greet Widya and like Kirana was introduced as the prospective daughter-in-law of Mahesa to the wives of officials and businessmen, which of course immediately invites the curiosity of everyone.

“My daughter just returned from London, she just finished her college there,” said one of the women after finding out that Kirana only graduated from one of the universities in the country.

“My daughter is now starting a business, she opened a boutique in several malls in Singapore and Hongkong.” A Mother prides herself on her daughter after learning that Kirana only works as a Manager.

“My daughter was selected as the top 10 finalist Putri Indonesia.” One of the women stared at Kirana from top to bottom.

It was just a part of the speech that Kirana had to hear, but Kirana still looked calm and only gave a gentle smile not provoked in the slightest by their words. But of all that made Kirana feel uncomfortable was the view of the young women who formed a certain group with an extraordinary appearance from top to bottom, and one of them is Anggi Santoso. The former Caraka's fiancee.

“Good day, Auntie, how are you?” Anggi greets Widya's mother while kissing her cheek shows their closeness.

“Good, you how are you?”

“Good, Aunt.”

“You came with your father?”

“No, Dad is in Singapore accompanying Eyang who is in treatment.” Widya's mother nodded in understanding.

Their interaction is of course more curious guests who come, because it has been spread among them that Anggi was once proposed as a prospective daughter-in-law of Mahesa, but now Widya Mother introduces other women, which he officially introduced as a son-in-law.

“Kirana, you already know Anggi?” Widya's mother asked Kirana who was standing next to her.

“Numbered, Mah.”

“This is Anggi, she is the daughter of one of Papah's colleagues in Surabaya.” Widya's mother introduces Kirana who smiles take out her hand, though hesitantly Anggi receives the helping hand.

“Kirana,” said Kirana with a friendly smile typical of customer service that she had previously studied.

“Fig.”

Kirana smiled again looking at Anggi who seemed to be judging her.

“This figure is the son of one of Surabaya's proud businessmen,” said a woman who was introduced as the wife of a DPRD member. “People are beautiful, pinter, from a good family too,” praise the woman who made Anggi smile.

Praise also went out from the mouths of other women, as if to say that the Mahesa family had foolishly released an Anggi Santoso for a woman who was nobody. After that, it continued with the success of the Santoso family in floating some areas that were not initially glimpsed, but have now developed into residential-residential and resort.

Hearing those compliments Kirana just smiled and tried to act as calm as possible, as if it had no effect on her.

“Excuse.” Everyone was now staring towards the voice where Caraka was standing with a big smile.

“Good,” replied Caraka with a polite smile. “How are you?” Caraka looked at everyone including Anggi and some of his friends who were there.

“Good,” replied Anggi with a big smile that got a nod from Caraka.

Caraka's eyes were now staring at Kirana. “Honey, Papah wants to introduce you to Om Haryanto,” said Caraka while sticking out her hand which greeted Kirana even though her face looks confused. Why should he be introduced to Haryanto? She thought today she would only be a shadow of Widya's mother.

“Om Haryanto?”

“Iya, the owner of the Haryanto group, our host this time,” Caraka replied with a gentle smile while pulling Kirana up to stand next to him. Caraka's hand is now perched sweetly on Kirana's waist. “That's them.”

Before long Rudi Mahesa came with some men, one of them looked older with gray hair and his skin began to wrinkle especially around his narrow eyes, but he still looks dashing in a long-sleeved batik shirt.

“This introduction is Kirana, Mahesa's future daughter-in-law, she's the one holding E-Word.” Rudi Mahasa introduced Kirana who immediately reached out to the man who was now shaking hands and looking at her seriously.

Everyone was now staring at them.

“So you made Haryanto lose his turnover this month,” said Haryanto made everyone speechless and look tense, except Kirana who laughed at the parents' words. Everyone was now staring at Kirana as if she was a lunatic who dared to fight a giant like Haryanto.

“Once in a while, Om, be kind to a young person like me who still has a lot to learn from Om. If I don't reach the target, I can be fired, Om.”

Haryanto was silent for a while before he laughed while patting Kirana on the shoulder.

“This is the first time Haryanto lost turnover, and the culprit is this little girl.”

“Hahaha .. luck factor, Om, because without it I would not be able to if I had to beat Haryanto group, the giant of the eastern region.”

“Hahaha.” Haryanto laughed until his eyes stayed in line. “You do need that in business, of course in addition to hard work and also a thin brain.”

Kirana nodded in agreement. “So it's Haryanto's secret to last several decades.”

“Hahaha .. I see already you have all three. Luck, a watered-down brain and also a hard worker.” Haryanto looked into Kirana's eyes with a smile. “I heard that you simply made the promotional part of Haryanto a club with your breakthroughs for less than two months.”

“Hahaha .. I learned from the expert.” Kirana extended a hand towards Haryanto. “Om Haryanto.”

“I?”

“Iya, Om. Didn't Om know that the promotions I did were largely imitated by what Om had done? Competitive price, convenient place and satisfying service” Haryanto raised his eyebrows before returning to laughing while nodding his head. “Of course after I reworked, and added here and there until finally Papah had no reason to fire me for successfully reaching the target.”

“Hahaha.” Rudi Mahesa and Haryanto laughed at Kirana's words.

“If Mahesa fires you, Haryanto will gladly accept you.”

“I'm sorry, Om, but I won't take it off.” Caraka embraces Kirana's shoulder, looking possessive. “It took an incredible struggle to convince her into the Mahesa family,” Caraka said making Haryanto laugh.

“To get something valuable does require sacrifice and struggle, but effort does not betray results .. Now you get someone this extraordinary. Don't let it go. You're so stupid to lose it.”

“Hahaha .. will not, Om, I will immediately tie him up so that he cannot escape.”

“Hahaha.” Haryanto laughed and nodded his head. “Awakmu iki wes duwe son lanang loro seng ciamik soro, saiki duwe mantu ciamik pisan. Envy me your crew. (You already have two wonderful sons, and now an amazing daughter-in-law is in your family. You make me jealous).

“Hahaha.”

Rudi Mahesa laughed at the praise of a channeled Haryanto who was very observant in seeing the quality and ability of one's business, which is very good, therefore he has the best people around him and managed to make Haryanto as a retail electronic giant in the central and eastern region and until now no one has been able to shake it.

Hearing Haryanto's words made everyone present now no one dared to look into the eyes of Kirana who from just a silent look looks calm with a smile on her face without feeling intidated with wordsthe sarcastic speech that humbled him.

Except for one person whose eyes were now shining with extreme hatred, his eyes never separated from how Caraka treated Kirana who is now laughing engaged in business talks with men who can not be denied their success.

Sometimes Caraka's hands will stroke Kirana's back, or embrace her looking possessive as she wants everyone to know that the woman is hers, his eyes looked at Kirana with adoration and pride as a Haryanto praised the woman. Makes Anggi's chest tight with anger.

Physically Anggi did win on paper, but after seeing how Kirana could talk fluently about business not even the slightest bit looks nervous when dealing with a Haryanto, he said, it was undeniable that Kirana was far above him, or perhaps above the young women of her age who were present there that day. Those who are used to just spending their parents' money and fiddling where to understand about the business that is usually owned by the men around them.

But of all that made her jealous was how the Mahesa family treated her as if she had become a part of them. Treat the one he never accepted all this time.

But without anyone noticing in the distance, someone was also staring at Kirana and Caraka with a vengeance.

****