The Murder of the Beloved
Chapter 13

That was a pleasure, Lilis. He smiles. "Ah, there's also a point in talking to you. But remember, don't tell Dinda."

"certain. I have promised. But don't forget to say my regards to her and ask her when to play here again."

"Good."

Lilis passed with a feeling of pleasure and more confidence. When he met with Bram that afternoon he immediately conveyed his intentions. Bram hugged her in a grateful manner. "I'll try it myself first, Lis. If it doesn't work out, then I'll accept your help."

"Don't do it, Mum. You don't give that guy a chance to mistreat you again. Never mind. Just give him this check."

"Then, I take it as a loan, Lis. As soon as I receive your payment, I'll change?"

"Good." Lilis was delighted and comforted by Bram's promise. The money will be replaced and will not just disappear. It was a pleasure that he remembered his promise to deliver Della's greetings to Dinda.

To his surprise, Dinda recalled that she had almost forgotten her aunt due to her recent flurry. The kung fu exercises made him tired and preferred to rest rather than wander out of the house. She can call but has trouble doing so without being heard by her mother or maid. Talking to Della means revealing things that she wants to keep secret from others.

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As soon as Bustaman, Della's husband, returned home, Della immediately told him about the problem Lilis had brought earlier. "Imagine, Pa. Just married a few months already involved in debt."

"Don't do it, Ma. Where are there entrepreneurs who are not involved in debt? That's just natural."

"But the addict is playing the thump. He said Bram was battered to the point of being persecuted."

"Ouch, pity. Is she okay?"

"Yes, he's good."

"You don't seem to like it either" Bustaman said with a smile. "Is it because of Dinda's story?"

"Eitherway. Maybe yes, maybe not. Anyway, I'm more on my own nephew's side. But about Lilis, I don't want to interfere."

"You pissed him off."

"Yes. Just be spontaneous my talk out. I regretted afterwards. I don't think he's asking for an opinion but he needs support."

"Or just information for what he used the money for. Of course he knows that yours is still intact, while his will not be whole anymore. But his intentions should be praised, Ma. She wanted to defend her husband. Try if you were in his place, wouldn't you do the same?"

"Oh of course. But you don't have any debt, do you?"

Bustaman smile. "Thank you, no."

"Talking about Bram's profession, is he some kind of touts?"

"Maybe the rough word is so."

"Jelec dong huh?"

"Why?"

"People like that certainly try to buy land that is targeted by developers at the cheapest price possible and then sell it back as expensive as possible. Or he gets a commission from the developer if he manages to get the land targeted at a low price. Reportedly so. I heard it from a friend who suffered the evicted fate. That callo-calo can be more sinister than the developers who use their services. They have a lot of accomplices who are generally thugs."

"Well, I don't think you know much, Ma."

"Sure dong. Do you think I'm just a housewife whose only problem is the kitchen?"

Della smiles. He certainly knows the truth of Bustaman's words. In that case her husband is not despicable. Precisely because she is a housewife, Bustaman can continue a career comfortably and the children are well taken care of. But actually she chose to be a housewife not only for the convenience of the feeling of Bustaman alone, but because she herself did prefer that. He wondered why many women are not satisfied if they are just housewives. But the job is not easy at all. It can be even harder than office work. The task of a housewife is not only to take care of household finances, kitchen and home hygiene but also to control the residents. It requires knowledge and skills, such as management, psychology, dedication, and responsibility. And for that task he was entirely alone, without being commanded by anyone. It is very different from working for others to know in the company of others. The household is his own.

"What does your smile mean?" tanya Bustaman wants to know.

"Uh, just want to know. I'm glad I have a husband who does good work."

"Do you think Bram's job is not lawful?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"Don't tell that to Lilis."

"Of course not. That's entirely my personal opinion. Others could be different. But people like Bram profit greatly from the misfortunes of others. The bigger the luck, the more unfortunate the guy is, isn't he?"

"Rubber too. But one scalper isn't necessarily the same as another scalper."

"By the way about the abomination, didn't you just say that the land scalper usually has a man to help him intimidate the population?"

"Yes. To my knowledge, usually so"

"The reason why Bram can be so easily possessed by people?"

Bustaman. He didn't think there. "It is possible that the person who thumped him was more violent than he was" he concluded.

"Perhaps a fellow scalper?"

"Can. Ah, what do you care Ma?" We better not interfere."

"I don't care about Bram's business. All I think about is Lilis because she's my only brother. Pity if he gets drained. Now fifty million. Fifty million more. Deposit. His jewelry. And then his house. Aren't there husbands who memorized their wives' possessions?"

Bustaman bobbing head with a horrified face. "I don't think your mind is so ugly, Ma. You're really under Dinda's super suspicious influence."

Della laughs. "Yes, maybe I'm overreacting. Of course I don't want that prejudice to come true. Don't let anything like that happen."

"If Bram was indeed a man who was like you, he would certainly find a woman far more valuable than Lilis."

"So in your eyes Lilis is less than precious?" Della's a little irritated.

"Eh, it's not so ...."

"Make a greedy man and a double eye, Lilis's treasure is quite a lot, you know." said Della, cutting off her husband's speech. "Especially if he is really boozy. What matters is opportunity. Coincidentally Lilis can be seduced. If he chooses too much, he might get nothing. Chasing the snapper, the anchovy in the hand is even removed."

Bustaman laughs out loud. "Oh, you're so smart, Ma. But also cruel. That bad as Bram?"

"Of course I didn't expect that, Pa. Not cruel, though. I'm just assuming. It's a pity that Lilis got fooled."

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