Lies
Karan's weirdness

Jealous. Could it? Raya doesn't know, but she can't deny the possibility. She was angry, even to the point of being disappointed that Karan took Sekar today, in his car. Even though they are not alone—Ian must be coming there—just Kingdom can not take it for granted. If it's called jealousy, let it be. Let Raya be called a jealous woman. That's not wrong. It is natural that she is jealous to see the closeness of her husband with other women, although their marriage is not the same as marriage in general. Their marriage was not based on love.

“Yes, I'm jealous,” revealed Raya in the end after calming down a mind full of question marks.

Karan widened his eyes, not expecting the wife to confess so easily. He thought his wife would be evasive as he often did. But, compared to his cowardly self, Karan admitted his wife was so brave. “I know, sorry. But I didn't mean anything else, honey. I brought him in because I wanted to introduce him to Papa. We have a business involving Sekar, so this is purely just a matter of work.”

It never occurred to Karan that he had to apologize to someone, especially women. The problem was, that woman was Raya, the woman who should have suffered from receiving her grudge. Now, let alone to get revenge, Karan was overwhelmed by his own imagination that imagined building a harmonious household with Raya.

“Alright, I understand,” exclaim Raya in the end. He knew the real reason for Karan, just as the man had mentioned. Even if Raya asked her father-in-law, surely the father would say the same thing. It's all just business. The problem is, the brain considers it logical, but his heart does not want to accept the logic. Karan may think it is only a matter of work, but no one knows the contents of the heart and mind of Sekar. Come on, Raya is also a woman! He knew what kind of gaze Sekar gave Karan, whether it was just an ordinary look or the gaze of someone who liked the opposite sex. And Raya clearly saw Sekar staring at Karan with an adoring look.

“You understand? Really understand and not angry anymore?” Karan tries to convince his wife again. “Darling, for anything in this world, even for the sake of my own life, I don't put my heart on anyone. I've got an amazing woman like you, a Drisana Kingdom, why else would I look for another woman?”

This is Karan's skill that makes Raya limped. Seduce ability. With a handsome face and a well-established background of the man, every word that came out of his lips would be considered truth by the fairytale. Especially when the man said it in a soft voice and the gaze of the eyes was so shady.

“No, I'm not angry,” revealed Raya. Yes, he did not completely lie because his little heart already felt better now. Karan is not wrong. The man naturally approached his co-workers even if the opposite sex itself, just like Raya who was adjacent to other male models or artists. Raya could not pick her co-workers at all. If he does that, then he will be labeled as an unprofessional person.

“Thank God, I'm glad you're not mad. Then can we go home now?”

“Go back?” Raya scrunched her forehead. “It's late and you want to go home?”

“Yes, it's okay. It's not too late, honey. We can still go home now. And Mama and Papa's problem, I can say it tomorrow morning. We go home because there is something sudden that we have to take care of.”

“So, would you lie like that?” Raya doesn't believe this. Just because he did not want to stay at his parents' house, Karan was willing to lie like that. What's the matter to the point that the man is so reluctant to stay here?

Karan hurriedly shook his head. “No, Dear. How could I lie. I have business tomorrow. So, if we go faster, then better.”

“Karan,” call Raya while sitting near the husband. “What exactly happened to you? Why do you hate living here so much? Is there a secret you're hiding from me?”

The man was surprised not to play. Both eyes widened, almost sticking out so shocked he heard the words of the wife. Secret. Yes, he has a lot of secrets that he wants to cover, especially from the Kingdom. Because if Raya finds out about her past, Karan's plans will fall apart. Either the plan to establish a good relationship with Raya or the plan of revenge. Karan just needs to dodge and keep hiding all the truth.

The woman rolled her eyes puffed. “Jeez, Karan. No parent will find their child troublesome just for staying a day at their home. You're so overreacting!” raya said she felt strange with Karan. She did not think how her husband could to think troublesome parents who incidentally so dear and attention to him. And they don't live in this house forever. Just last night. There was no way both of Karan's parents would be angry at them.

“Yes, I know. I'm just worried,” said Karan with his low voice weakened.

Raya let out a long and heavy sigh, feeling annoyed at what her husband was thinking, but unwilling to continue this insignificant quarrel. “Whatever it is, we'll just stay here tonight. Tomorrow morning .. ah, no. Tomorrow morning we'll be home. Hows it? That's the most appropriate solution so we don't fight, Karan. I'mtired. I really want a quick break.” The woman touched her neck while moving her head. It was quite a tiring day for Raya and she really wanted to go to bed soon.

“Alright, alright. We'll stay tonight only.” Karan chose to give up. He is also tired today to drive his own car. Calling Ian to pick him up was not good. Karan's personal assistant will be furious because the night's sleep is disrupted even though tomorrow morning they have to leave for the airport.

A smile rises on Raya's lips after winning an argument with her husband. “Good. And now I want to take a shower first,” his goodbye while waltzing towards the bathroom.

Karan rubbed his face, then looked at the entire room. It felt so uncomfortable to be there even though Karan had slept in the room before moving into his own home. It's just that everything feels different. Though the room was always cleaned because there was not a single dust attached. The air conditioner has also been replaced with the latest output products even though no one occupies the room. As soon as Karan opens the closet to pick up a change of clothes, his old clothes are still intact there. Not a single cent. His mother and father really took care of this room like taking care of his own son.

“This, just wear this, baby. Do not wear that thin dress,” throw Karan while giving a pair of nightgowns to Raya. The nightgown he wore, where his body was still thin, was not as big and athletic as it is today. The shirt he felt would fit for his wife despite a little greatness.

Again, Raya smiled happily. “Thank you, Karan. Take a shower, I already have water in the tub for you.”

Karan nodded. “Don't forget to dry your hair. The hair dryer is in the bottom of the nightstand drawer,” Karan's message and then walk to the bathroom.

Raya wears clothes lent by her husband and walks towards the nightstand to pick up the hairdryer like Karan said. It turned out that the hair dryer was really there. Surprisingly, the dryer is the latest product. It was only about two months ago launched by the brand. Raya knew because she also had one in her room and she was sure it wasn't hers because it was a different color. It's freaky. Wasn't Karan's room never used by Karan's parents? Or maybe someone slept there after Karan left? Yes, it is possible that Karannah's cousins occupied the room so that the electronics there are all the latest output, including a television, air conditioning and a small refrigerator near the window.

When her hair was dry, Raya returned the tool to its original place. Then, Raya took a look around the entire room. Nice and neat. The room is dominated by brown and white colors that are so calm to the eye. Very different from the nuances in Karan's room in their house. The rooms there are more inclined with monochrome shades. Otherwise black, white or gray. It looks so stiff even though it seems aesthetic and minimalist.

Raya's eye view then fell on a sizable photo attached to the wall above the television. Raya approached the photo and she saw a photo of a little boy—maybe five years old—with two adults on his right and left. Raya knows the two are Karan's father and mother. Could it be that the little boy is Karan?

It doesn't feel possible. Raya had to squint her eyes to see the child's face more clearly. True, his face was indeed similar to an adult Karan. But there was something different about Karan now, which was his smile. The boy looked so happy in the photo. There were no signs of sadness at all even though according to the story of the aunt, Karan was already suffering from a respiratory disease at that age. While Karan matures so cold and stiff, even cruel. What made Karan so different from his personality when he was a child?