The Substitute Bride of my Best Friend
Lessons for Shaka

"Sir Rio, this is a case report that we've been working on for the past three months" reported a bespectacled man standing across from Rio's desk.

Rio received the report sheet, then read it carefully. Every three months he does ask his confidants to provide reports related to cases that have been handled by the office of his firm. Starting from the name of the client, the case and the lawyer involved are clearly there.

"Ehm. I love your performance, Ramdan. Defend yes!" praise Rio to his trust assistant.

The twenty-four-year-old man confirmed the position of his glasses perched on his nose. "Good, sir."

"Then, is--"

"Mas!" the cry of a middle-aged woman paused for a moment the conversation between Rio and Ramdan. The two men turned to the source of the voice. The owner of the room was surprised when he saw his beloved wife coming to the office without telling him first.

"I want to talk to you with four eyes! Now!" rini is serious. It was clear from the look in the eyes of the woman that the important thing that she wanted to talk about should only be heard by them without wanting to be known by anyone even though Ramdan was Rio's personal assistant.

Aware of the situation that did not want him in the room, Ramdan said, "Then excuse me. Good day, Mr. Rio, Mrs Rini."

Rio nodded his head. "Yes, come back first. I'll call you later if the business here is done."

"What the hell is it, Ma, tumben once you come to my office without telling me first. Usually if you want to come here you always send a message and ask me to buy your favorite fried bananas sold in the cafeteria," Rio said while tidying up the report brought by Ramdan earlier.

Rini looked back to make sure Ramdan had left the room and the door was tightly closed. He did it all in order to maintain the good name of the family because he did not want his family problems to be used as gossip material for the workers.

The beautiful doctor threw his handbag onto the sofa, then threw his butt in the chair opposite the husband. "Mas, are you asking Shaka to go to Singapore for work?" ask him without a stale base. He could no longer bear to confirm the news of his youngest son's departure to Singapore.

The lawyer paused for a moment, staring at the wife's chocolate bead. "Loh, isn't Shaka in the apartment accompanying Zahira? About an hour ago our daughter-in-law called and she said that Shaka was in the bathroom."

"Thus ... Rara called Papa and she said that Shaka's in the bathroom again, right?" Rio nodded his head in response.

"Great!" Rini got up from the chair and walked around bathing like an iron. "My friendship with Arumi can be tenuous if this is the story," the woman murmured softly.

Rio looked at the woman who had been accompanying him for almost thirty years more with a question mark filled gaze. Not realizing that there will be a big storm approaching him with his family. A huge storm that could have destroyed the friendship rope between him and Rayyan, Rini and Arumi.

The middle-aged man got up and walked over to his agitated-looking wife. "What's the problem? How do you look so nervous." The burly hand touched the wife's shoulder, causing Rini to stop her movement.

Shaka's biological mother looked up the head until the two neutrals stood face to face. "Shaka has lied to Zahira, Pa. He told our son-in-law that you were assigned to Singapore for work."

Rio's body immediately stiffened when he heard Rini's words. Unknowingly, both of the man's hands tightly gripped his wife's shoulders. He felt that his body was being sucked by the mud so that the man needed a grip so that he would not be sucked into the mud.

"I-it .. is impossible, Ma. Obviously, Rara said that Shaka was in the apartment" Rio said. The man's mind was empty. Right now he could not think clearly because all of the events were so sudden. However, he was certainly a little disappointed because Shaka had lied to Zahira, his nephew and favorite daughter-in-law.

For a moment, two pairs of brown irises stared at each other. Although they did not say each other but it was clear that the look of disappointment was emanating there.

Long time ago, Rio always taught his two sons to never once lie to their wives if they are married because that is one of the keys to the harmony of the lawyer's household with Rini to survive until now. Every problem is always solved with a cool head and suppress each ego for the common good. So do not be surprised if this time found Shaka lying his little heart is quite injured because he felt the teachings instilled early on are no longer heard by his beloved child.

Rini released Rio's hand that was on her shoulder, then stood her back to the husband. "I'm afraid Shaka went to Singapore to find out where Ziva is, Pa. We all know how your son is. Pretty stubborn and once he wanted something he would do anything to get it."

Rini took a long breath. He rested his ass on a long sofa in the corner of the room. "Arumi once lost a friend to treason. And I don't want to be a traitor in the eyes of my best friend, Pa. Arumi and I grew up together. Like the twists and turns of life we've been through together and I don't want us to be enemies because of your son's fault. Not going, Pa."

"Zahira is a kind and meek girl. He sacrificed himself to save our good name. However, your selfless son lied to my son-in-law instead. Your son is bad, Pa." Rini started sobbing for a moment after saying the last sentence. The trembling body was accompanied by tears that wet the cheeks.

Rio grabbed the mobile phone, then pressed on someone's number. "Hello, did Shaka a few days ago ask for your help finding out about Ziva's whereabouts?" ask after the phone connection is connected.

"Ehm ... Mr. Rio. A-anu ..." said someone across the street. Cold sweat drenched the forehead. Confused to answer what. Wanting to lie, Rio was a lawyer who could tell if someone was lying right now. Honestly speaking then it is likely that he will not get another job from Shaka.

"Tell me clearly! Did Shaka ask you to seek information about Ziva!" rio snapped with a thunderous voice.

If this is the case, inevitably the man across there must tell the truth.

Sighs deeply and says, "Right, sir. Mr. Shaka also asked me to book a ticket on the Singapore Jakarta route. A five-star hotel room while there. He wants to meet Ziva's mother who is currently in Singapore."

Rini's sobbing sound increasingly becomes when her instincts as a mother are proven true. The instinct that says that Shaka is determined to lie to meet a shameless woman who almost threw dirt in front of her family.

"Your son is outrageous, Pa. Absolutely outrageous. He has lied to my beloved daughter-in-law" Rini said amid sobs. "What if Zahira is angry because she feels her presence is never desired by your child? What if Zahira runs away and asks to separate? Wanted to put my face where I'd let Arumi and Rayyan down."

Rio's heart felt slashed when he saw a circle of tears slide in the corner of the wife's eyes. His love for Rini makes the anger in the man even more burning. Without saying anything, the man immediately turned off the phone and rushed to his beloved wife.

"Here, don't cry anymore! Zahira is unlikely to ask for a divorce from Shaka. Trust me." Carrying Rini's body in a hug. Gently rubbing the top of the head while occasionally dipping it lovingly.

"Know where you are that Zahira can't possibly be divorced from our son. You have the power to know the feelings of others."

Rio parsed a hug, then stared fixedly at the face of the beautiful woman before him. "Because Zahira couldn't possibly have Arumi or Rayyan thinking about the news of her divorce. After all, she is a tough and strong girl so where is it possible to just give up."

"Yes ... he could be disappointed with Shaka's attitude but to divorce seems impossible" Rio continued. "Later, when Shaka returns to Indonesia, I will ask for the child's explanation and punish him for daring to lie to all of us."

Rini's cry died down. Still in tears, the woman said, "Promise, Pa, rebuke your son. I don't want to lose my favorite daughter-in-law."

Rio smiled broadly to reveal his streak of white and clean teeth. "Yes, promise!"

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Hello everyone who stopped by the author's friend's work. His story is guaranteed. The title of the work and the pen name are below. 👇