The Honorary Owner
29

Sorry yesterday I couldn't get up because the author is busy again..

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The statement said by Maria in an instant has become a tranding on social media and is displayed in television gossip news. It's only right when lunch hour makes Ruby the center of attention of his office friends.

"Is there something wrong with my clothes?" Ruby asked as she arrived at the roof of her office.

Even though he was fasting, did not make him stay in the room alone. He went to his favorite place with Tasya and Irma who were enjoying their lunch.

"That's what I wanted to ask you about, By." Said Irma.

"Why?" Ruby frantically fingered the veil up to her shirt.

Irma thrust her phone.

"How come there's a picture of me with Hiko?" Ruby took Irma's phone and saw the caption on one of her gossip accounts on Instagram.

"Lo what's the relationship with Hiko, By? Do you really want to get married? Isn't your future husband also Kyai's son?" Tasya searched Ruby with a question that he had saved from earlier.

Ruby fingered her phone in her skirt pocket but she didn't find it, "Sorry, I went downstairs to get my phone."

Ruby rushed to leave Tasya and Irma who were waiting for an explanation from her. He went back to his desk to get his phone.

There was no one in the Animator room at the time, only Ruby was picking up her phone. He tries to contact Nara to find out what happened, but Nara's phone is off.

"By!"

Ruby was surprised when Heru suddenly walked into the room.

"Yes, Sir?" Ruby put down her phone and faced Heru.

Heru rested his butt on the edge of the table in front of Ruby, his face serious with both hands that went into his pants pocket.

"I didn't know you were that close to Hiko?" Heru looked at Ruby suspiciously.

"I'm not too close to him, sir. I myself also wonder why Miss Maria gave such a statement."

"I know, surely that's the reason that Hiko's manager made it to keep the artist's good name."

Ruby was a little surprised by Heru's guess. "How do you know?"

Heru just smiled then stared blankly out the window. "I've decided to let go of Nara."

Ruby silence. Not sad, not happy. He just doesn't know what to answer.

"I should have let Nara go a long time ago." Said Heru again, his gaze still did not turn away from the window. "I've been trying to do anything to make him love me."

"You can't take someone's love by force, sir. Especially with violence. That's what makes Nara prefer Hiko." To be honest Ruby was upset with Heru who dared to hurt her best friend.

Heru was surprised by Ruby's words.

"I'm sorry, I'm talking too far." Ruby said regretfully.

"No, By. That's not what I meant." Heru shook his head and straightened his sitting position. "What do you mean by me being violent?"

Ruby hesitated to say it. "Sorry before, sir. It's not presumptuous to want to interfere in your household and Nara. But I don't agree when you don't get what you want makes you have a reason to physically hurt Nara."

Heru looked up, "You mean, I did the KDRT?" Ask Heru

Ruby nodded, "Nara once told me."

"Ck!" Heru clucked in annoyance, "There's a way he could talk like that. Even though I haven't touched her as long as she and I are married."

"What?" Now it was Ruby's turn to be surprised.

"I never touched her, never. I knew from the beginning that he loved other people. I think as time goes on, I can make him love me. But until now it's all still a hope that never materialized."

Ruby looked at Heru in disbelief, who between Heru and Nara lied to her.

"I'm not forcing you to trust me. I'm just telling you what I'm going through." Heru answered Ruby's gaze.

"So, you've known Nara and Hiko's relationship from the beginning?" Ask Ruby.

Heru shook his head, "A year ago I decided to find out the truth. At first I just closed my eyes and ears, trying to fool myself that Nara would come back to me. But, it turns out I still can't do it. And I decided to find out everything."

Ruby was amazed by Heru who tried to defend his household even though he was already in a lot of pain.

"Are you going to publicize their relationship?" Ruby asked back

Heru shook his head, "I was indeed upset yesterday, when I had to hit Hiko and expose their affair in public. I'm too childish. I thought it would make Nara feel guilty and would come back to me, but it never made me see her again."

"I'm a friend of Nara's, I love her very much. But that's no reason for me to justify his infidelity. If she has indeed parted ways with you, I support Nara for happiness." Ruby answered Heru's previous question.

Heru smiled faintly, a smile that tried to accept reality sincerely.

"Are you going to fire me?" Ask Ruby.

"Hahaha," Heru chuckled faintly at the question, "What is my reason for firing you? All this time your work was good and very satisfying."

Ruby was grateful in her heart, she was afraid that she would lose the job she had been craving all this time just because the owner of this company divorced her best friend.

"You really want to let go of Nara, sir?" Ask Ruby.

Heru nodded, "Didn't I also deserve to be happy with someone who can reciprocate my feelings?"

"Ah, yes."

"Loving is easy, By. But I just realized, surviving by loving without a reply is stupid. Because I've been torturing myself, enduring my own pain and not giving myself a chance to be happy."

Heru let go of the folds of his hand and smiled at Ruby, "Thank you for listening to my story." He nodded and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm talking about personal business with you during office hours, making you lose your lunch hour."

Ruby just smiled.

"I'm going to go. I apologized to him, because I couldn't bring him happiness. May God bless and love her."

"Aamiin, I will send your message and prayers to Nara."

Heru smiled and left the animator room.

Ruby looked at the tall man's back leaving her team room. He did not expect that his best friend's household kept many wounds from each other and now they decided to let go of each other and release to achieve their happiness.

Ruby looks back at her phone and tries to contact Nara, but Nara still hasn't turned on her phone. Ruby chooses to send him a message to have Nara call him back if she has received a message from him.

**********

A man wearing a dark blue suit in a white shirt just got off a red luxury sedan. The knock of the pantofel shoes that were preventing the marble floor echoed into the corners of his luxury house.

He loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt, his face hard and frozen, his eyes sharp as an eagle ready to pounce on his prey.

"Well, Papa, how come you're home?"

"Why should Mama give a statement to reporters? Even to show them a photo of Kyai Abdullah's daughter?" Hardik Handoko when he saw his wife.

Seeing the new Handoko coming suddenly made Maria put off her smile.

"Mama will speak according to the facts, Pa. What's wrong? Which mother is not angry to hear someone else mocking her child." Answer Maria.

"But mama can't just say Ruby's name, let alone show it to reporters. Wear the sentence of the future wife anyway? What if Kyai Abdullah sees it, Ma? Just apply not yet, already said so. Papa's not good with him."

"Yes, let's apply for Ruby for Hiko! I also love Ruby!" Challenge Maria.

Handoko took a deep breath hearing his wife's words. "Aren't you ashamed that our proposal was rejected?"

Maria scrunched her forehead.

"How can a great kyai release his sholeh daughter to a man with little religious education, as unruly and unruly as Hiko?"

Handoko's words were enough to make Maria lock her mouth. In her mind she was indeed justifying her husband's words. He likes Ruby too much to forget the nature and attitude of his son.

- Connected

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