
*Jakarta, Mansion Aditya-Bellatrix: Present Time*
Spotting sunlight tried to penetrate the cracks of the mosquito net, which dangled behind the window of the room of a married couple, who had just fallen asleep after a night of activity together. Either last night was too short, or the morning seemed impatient to take over. Regardless, those light biases without permission had disturbed one of those who was sound asleep.
Aditya spontaneously opened his eyes. The man was used to waking up in the morning. His responsibilities as head of several companies made the man trained to value time.
Looking at the right side of the bed for a moment, Aditya again found a woman who had been with him nineteen years as a wife. The woman who was still in a state of innocence was covered in a white blanket, and who was still lulled in her dreams.
Maybe she'll neglect her secondary duties this morning. Yes, it seems Aditya must prepare everything himself and give time to the wife to rest longer.
A faint smile then fell on the man's lips as he recalled the events of last night. Yesterday night was honestly the best night he'd ever had throughout his marriage to Bellatrix.
Never had he seen her so domineering. He could even feel all the overflowing emotions from his wife's gesture. Emotions that flow pleasure in the highest peak of relationship between two humans of opposite sex. Emotions that imply passion, anger, sadness, jealousy, and... Love's.
Love???
"God......." The man exhaled his breath violently.
Does that woman really love him? Is there a good reason for her to love him?
"I don't like you paying attention to other women besides me. Did you hear Aditya?" Bellatrix's voice last night echoed back inside her mind. The voice that appeared while the woman was on the verge of consciousness, before she fell asleep from exhaustion.
"You must tell the woman that you are mine. You are mine, Aditya. You're... My husband, mine." The voice echoed back.
It is still clearly stated in Aditya's mind, how the expression and behavior of Bellatrix when saying all those sentences. His wife even without hesitation hugged him possessively, making himself a backrest when the dream slowly cradled the woman.
"Basic stupid! How could you be jealous of a woman like Cinta? He can't even compete with you at the end of a fingernail." Aditya whispered those words into Bellatrix's ears and gently kissed the top of the woman's head.
"Does that mean that you love me, B? Or is it just an expression of your ego as a wife?" Aditya continued his whisper.
For a moment the man then pondered, it might be time for them to speak from heart to heart. Maybe it's time for them to live a real married life.
During this time, the burden in the past so heavy overshadowed the household life of Aditya and Bellatrix. Unfulfilled promises make the man must always refrain from expressing his feelings.
He does not want to be pitied. He did not want a feeling born of his wife's sacrifice, because he had promised that he would make her stop sacrificing anything.
That's why he used to take Bellatrix to see the man. That's why he gave his wife a chance to choose.
Really, he just wants the best for the girl. The woman he loved so much. A woman who is able to make herself can no longer see the beauty of other women. But unfortunately, it failed.
The woman still has to sacrifice. His mother's selfishness forced Bellatrix to stand by him, without having a chance to choose.
At that point, Aditya hated himself. At that point, Aditya hated the matchmaking. Hating their marriage.
"B.... We really should talk after this. I wish there was a way out of our relationship. And whatever it is, your happiness is first." A kiss landed on Bellatrix's lips. An affectionate kiss from a husband who with a heavy heart must leave his wife who is still asleep to start her day with work.
---------------------
*PT Banyu Mili Persada, Jakarta: Present Time*
📞 "Franky!" (Adity)
📞 "Good morning, Sir!" (Frank)
📞 "Call the intern you helped yesterday. Cintyas. I want him to face my room right now." (Adity)
📞 "Cintya?" Oh, Good Sir. I'll..... (Frank)
Tut. tut's...
The call was interrupted. From the way his boss talks, Franky can guess that Aditya's emotions are unstable at this time. I don't know what Aditya will talk about with Cintya.
It didn't take long, right now Franky has really brought Cintya to the doorstep of his superior's room. The expression on Franky's face that looked tense was inversely proportional to the expression of the girl who looked so happy.
The happiness was actually already seen starting from the existence of Franky who suddenly in the cubicle area and said that Aditya wanted to meet. Without thinking, he took the time to steal time to preen on a small mirror displayed on the table. Cintya certainly has to make sure her appearance has reached the perfect indicator. He cannot look ugly in front of the person who has stolen his heart.
Geck.. Geck.. Geck..
"Lake in!" I heard orders from inside the room. Without waiting for a long time, Franky opens the door and gives Cintya a chance to enter Aditya's room.
Trying to take the initiative to leave Aditya and Cintya to talk alone, Franky who was about to close the door suddenly heard the voice of his superior. "Where are you going Franky? I didn't tell you to leave my office," Aditya said loudly.
"Please sit down, Cindy!" Aditya turned his gaze to the young girl who now looked a little disappointed because of Franky's presence in the room. The smile that adorned his thin lips faded away instantly.
"Thank you sir," he replied in a formal tone as he stepped towards the empty seat directly opposite the place where Aditya was.
"It's..." Aditya offers a medium-sized gift box. The gift box he gave to the man last night out of admiration for Aditya's success and for helping him.
"Sir, this....." Aditya raised one hand as a sign for the woman to stop talking.
"Take this. And don't even think about familiarizing yourself with me" Aditya said without hesitation.
"Sir, I just....." The young woman's words paused back as she heard the words of her unfriendly superior.
"Did I ask you to speak up for Love?" Aditya looked at the woman with a terrible look.
"Sorry sir," Cintya replied with a nervous feeling. His hunch said that he was in a state that was not okay at the moment.
"Do you know what you're doing wrong, Cintya? You're.. Talk too much. And I hate women who talk too much." Aditya confirmed the last sentence he said.
"That's why last night I accepted your gift, because I was hoping you'd stop talking soon. And now I'm giving it back, because I don't feel that it's important to me." Aditya pushed the rough box that had not even opened it close to the giver.
"You can go!" Aditya immediately turned his gaze towards the tablet located on the left side of the table. The man intends to continue his work again.
Cintya is not moving. He still doesn't understand what's going on. He wanted to get his thoughts out, but was restrained because of the doubt due to the cold attitude of his superiors.
"What are you waiting for, Cintya?" Aditya scrunched his forehead. He did not expect that the woman still did not immediately move out of front of him.
"I still don't understand, sir. Yesterday you and I were fine. You even mentioned my name clearly when I greeted you. Now all of a sudden you're getting very cold to me." Cinta started shedding tears. The woman wanted to tell Aditya that she was hurt because of the man's attitude.
Franky who was still standing by the door could only shake his head. The apprentice who was sitting not far from his place was unaware that he was digging his own grave.
"First, I'm not a fool who can't remember the name of the person I just met. Second, your name is exactly the same as the name of Eowyn's pet female rabbit, my daughter, who died of poisoning. Eowyn cried for days because of her death so since then I have hated the name of Cintya so much" Aditya replied arrogantly and heartlessly.
Cinta was embarrassed. He did not expect that he would get such a scathing answer from the man who had helped him. At that moment, Cintya realizes that she should keep her distance from Aditya.
"I'm sorry, sir...." Cintya who was surprised by Aditya's words was only able to say sorry. His mind was suddenly blank and he did not even know what to do.
Aditya was more astonished by the behavior of the girl who did not leave immediately. He looked at her more and more emotionally. Cintya who then realized the meaning of Aditya's gaze then gave a reaction.
"Then, s-I'm allowed to return to the room, sir," he replied again in a soft voice.
He quickly picked up his gift box and immediately stood up. The woman then continued her steps without any intention of looking back.
"Wait Cintya! One more, almost forgotten." Aditya's words inevitably stopped the girl's steps. Really, he was actually not ready to accept such a harsh sentence anymore. However, what can be done, the girl turned her body to face Aditya.
"My wife left me a message for you. He said, learn to be more polite when talking and staring at other women's property!" Aditya ended his sentence.
Cintya jerks. He could no longer be in that room. Yesterday he felt proud of himself for being able to make the woman who was beside Aditya speechless. Now, the man actually made him speechless in order to keep the feelings of the woman who was yesterday beside him.
With a reddened face from embarrassment, she replied, "Well sir. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
The girl's move continued. There was no longer any reason for him to remain in Aditya's room. While Franky who was still standing near the door again opened the door for him.
Just as the apprentice stepped foot through the door, Aditya's smartphone ringer broke the silence in the room. A nickname is on there.
The nickname he gave to a woman meant a lot to him. The nickname of a woman who had never contacted him for a long time. Last night's name made her so happy. The name that made him rebuke an apprentice boy harshly and heartlessly.
The star is calling.....
📞 Hello, B! (Adity)
📞 Mom Rita...Hix.. Hix... (Bellatrix)
📞 B? (Adity)
-------------------
Happy reading!