8:45 PM
Angkasa's black car stopped right in front of Nadia's house. They remained silent, as if unwilling to break the stillness that hung between them. Angkasa turned off the car engine, letting the silence envelop them.
"You've been quiet since yesterday, what's wrong? I know this might not be my business, but you seem down. Is something bothering you?" Angkasa finally opened the conversation, unable to watch Nadia trapped in silence any longer.
Nadia took a deep breath. Her heart was torn, caught between the urge to say something or keep it to herself a little longer. For the past few days, her mind had been clouded with doubt.
"My sister, Viarra... hmm, she asked me to bring you to meet her. Ugh..." Nadia finally decided to speak honestly, even though her heart raced with anxiety. Her hands tightened into fists, worried about Angkasa's unpredictable reaction.
There was a brief silence, only the sound of Nadia's pounding heartbeat was heard. Angkasa stared straight ahead, then responded firmly,
"Sure, when can we meet?"
Angkasa's response took Nadia by surprise, and without thinking, she turned to look at him. Her gaze was full of disbelief. Oh my, Nadia had hoped Angkasa would refuse, not accept so easily!
"Why? Hmm, I mean, we're not actually a real couple..." Nadia responded quietly, still unsure and anxious.
Angkasa smiled faintly, then replied, "The first rule in a relationship is to introduce your partner to your close ones, like family or friends. So, I don't mind. Isn't this also a step for me to get to know you better?"
Angkasa's words made Nadia pause for a moment. That statement was hard to refute. On one hand, she wanted to end this fake relationship, but on the other hand, she was certain Angkasa's family wouldn't let her go easily—especially with the big secret surrounding her and her family background. However, Nadia still couldn't fully remember who she was, and she wondered if she needed to ask Viarra for help.
Angkasa had been watching the change in Nadia's expression. He could feel her unease. Especially with the status of their "real" relationship. Up until now, Angkasa had continued to deny that reality, but what about Nadia? It seemed that she carried a much heavier burden than he had thought.
Grep! Angkasa reached out and grabbed Nadia's delicate fingers, holding them tightly. He liked the feeling of how his large palm could completely envelop Nadia's hand, as if providing a wordless protection.
"I've hated my father since forever, since my mother died in that fire. For years, I blamed my father for not being able to protect her," Angkasa said with a heavy voice, as if every word carried a great weight. His grip on Nadia's hand tightened, conveying the unease he couldn't express, seeking a little warmth between them.
"I-I'm the one to blame... I...," Nadia stammered in panic. She knew she couldn't remember anything about her past, but for some reason, that feeling of guilt kept haunting her. Angkasa's index finger gently touched Nadia's small lips, signaling her to be quiet and listen.
"Until a week ago, I still blamed my father. But now I realize, it's actually me who was useless! I should have been stronger to protect my mother! I hate this weak version of myself..." Angkasa's voice became hoarse and faint, but full of emotion he could no longer hold back.
"Angkasa..."
"Can we stay like this, Nadia? I'll always be by your side, all the time. I'll help you remember who you are. I'll be the shield that will protect you from whatever it is, just like my late mother did," Angkasa said firmly, his eyes locked intensely on Nadia, filled with determination. Although the past between them was still vague, Angkasa had made up his mind.
"Angkasa—" Nadia could only stare at him in awe, astonished by the determination that radiated from Angkasa's face. He said those words with such certainty, as if there was no doubt at all.
Tuk!
Just as they were enjoying the silence, a knock suddenly came on the side window next to Nadia. They were startled and quickly looked over, and Angkasa lowered the car window to see who was interrupting their moment.
"Nadia..."
The voice sounded soft, trembling, as if someone had just been crying. Nadia's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Viarra standing outside the car, tapping on the glass with hands that were slightly shaking.
Click!
"Sister!" Nadia hurriedly opened the car door and stepped out, standing right in front of Viarra, whose eyes looked swollen, as if she had just been crying. "Sis... have you been crying? What happened? Who made you like this?" Nadia panicked, her fingers wiping away a tear that slowly fell from Viarra's eye.
"Where have you been? I've been waiting for you. Your phone was off." Viarra tried to smile, although it was clear she was forcing it. Her gaze then shifted to the tall man who was approaching Nadia's side. "Y-you..." Viarra's eyes widened in surprise. This man's face looked exactly like someone she had met in the past!
Angkasa nodded politely and introduced himself. "I'm Angkasa, Nadia's boyfriend. Sorry, I took her to an orphanage in Vinetta village earlier."
Nadia slapped her forehead in panic. Just earlier, she had asked Angkasa to meet with the only family she had, and now Mbak Via was here.
'I hope Sister Via doesn't ask anything weird...' Nadia thought anxiously.
Viarra repeatedly looked between Nadia and Angkasa. She cleared her throat softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Oh, so this is the boyfriend you wanted to introduce, Nadia? I didn't expect this, your taste is really impressive, huh. Hehee. Come on, let's go inside, we can talk for a bit. I also brought dinner." She lifted a bag of food, clearly wanting to take this opportunity to get to know Nadia's boyfriend better. It had been more than ten years, and she was still stunned by how similar this man was to someone she had known in the past.
'I hope this is just a coincidence, not something I'm afraid of!' she thought cautiously.
Nadia just nodded and stepped towards her house's door. Of course, her sister had shifted the subject, and Nadia felt there was definitely something she was hiding.
The three of them entered Nadia's house.
-----
"Wow, I didn't expect you to be so considerate to Nadia every time she visits your café! Uhh, that's so romantic!"
The sound of spoons and forks clinking against plates filled the brief silence as the three of them sat around the round dining table. Occasionally, questions from Viarra added to the conversation, making the dinner feel so warm. Although the atmosphere was very different from usual, there was something that warmed Angkasa's heart. It had been such a long time since he felt this kind of comfort, not since his mother passed away. He observed the closeness between Nadia and Viarra, resembling a mother-daughter relationship, even though she was probably around the same age as his second older sibling, Banyu.
"Angkasa, hey! Are you daydreaming? Here, have some more beef jerky. It's Nadia's favorite! This jerky is savory and spicy, just the right flavor for Nadia. So, whenever you come over, you better cook this for her, hehe." Viarra laughed lightly, while Nadia only let out a small grunt beside her, seemingly not denying what she said.
Angkasa smiled and nodded, thanking her quietly.
They continued eating and chatting until they didn't realize it was already past midnight. After a while, Angkasa finally said his goodbyes. Nadia walked him to the front of the house.
-----
"Your sister is really nice..." Angkasa started the conversation as they stopped in front of his black car.
"Huh? Sister Via? Oh, you haven't seen her when she's in work mode, she's so strict!" Nadia snorted while rubbing her arms.
Angkasa chuckled softly, then turned to look at Nadia. "Thank you for the dinner," he said sincerely.
Nadia was a bit surprised and felt embarrassed. She could only nod her head.
"Em... yeah, you're welcome... s-sorry though, meeting with my sister turned out to be so last minute like this," she said shyly.
Seeing the flushed look on Nadia's face, Angkasa felt a rush of affection. Without thinking, his fingers lifted to ruffle the hair of the girl beside him.
"It's even better, right? Well, I'm heading home now," Angkasa said softly, then let go of his hand from her hair and opened the car door.
Nadia just nodded, trying to steady her heart that was pounding wildly. Angkasa continued to look at her while starting the engine. They both smiled, and Nadia couldn't resist waving her hand. Angkasa's car then drove away from Nadia's house.
Tap! Nadia was startled, lost in thought, when someone tapped her. It was Viarra!
"He's a nice and polite guy! I like him, so I approve of your relationship!" Viarra whispered while putting her arm around Nadia's shoulder.
Viarra's words made a red blush spread across Nadia's cheeks all the way down her neck. She was blushing badly!
"Sis, ugh, what are you talking about?" Nadia huffed, pretending to pout, and walked into the house while stomping her feet.
Viarra's laughter rang out, filling the chilly night air. Even though her own situation wasn't all that great, seeing Nadia's shy behavior made her feel happy. She hoped Nadia wouldn't end up like her, especially with the state of her marriage that could no longer be saved.
●●●●●
Monday, 10 AM local time.
"Nadia, go to the director's office now! The boss's order."
Nadia, who was busy printing documents, looked up and stared at Mr. Afif. She nodded her head, quickly finishing her work before heading to meet the director.
Not long after...
"Mr, these are all the documents. I'll head to the director's office now, okay?" Nadia said as she bid goodbye, which was only met with a nod from Mr. Afif, who was reviewing his work.
Nadia left the room and walked toward the special elevator located not far from the IT room. As she walked, her mind was slightly confused. "What does Mr. Macron want with me? Hmm..." Nadia murmured, trying to guess why she had been called by her superior.
The elevator she entered finally brought her to the top floor, the 20th floor.
Upon reaching the director's office, Nadia straightened herself and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before knocking on the door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Come in..." A deep, firm voice came from inside, signaling Nadia to enter.
Click!
"Sir, how can I help you?" Nadia asked, standing upright in front of the director's desk. The 45-year-old man appeared serious, wearing dark sunglasses that framed his stern face. The gray suit and matching pants gave off a formal and authoritative impression. His gaze was sharp, as though evaluating every inch of Nadia.
"I need you to audit and verify the data in the company's financial information system. Seeing your recent performance, I'm impressed. My assistant happens to be handling something else, so I hope you can help manage this over the next few days," Macron explained, interlacing his large fingers on the desk and continuing to stare at Nadia.
Nadia swallowed hard, feeling tense under his intense gaze. His eyes seemed to intimidate her, as though they could tear her apart if she refused.
"Okay, Sir. I'm ready," Nadia replied, slightly stuttering, trying to show confidence despite the anxiety creeping in her heart.
Macron gave a faint smile, then gestured for Nadia to sit on the large sofa in the room. They would discuss the task she would be working on.
"But there's one thing I need to warn you about." Macron's voice became heavier and colder. He stared at Nadia sharply, breaking the silence that had settled. "When auditing, I'll give you access to our system, and you'll only work on what I assign to you. Don't even think about hacking anything. Understood?" Macron added firmly, almost threateningly.
Nadia's face paled upon hearing this. Unknowingly, the subtle threat made her heart race faster. She couldn't escape this situation, and could only gather her strength and try to stay calm.
'Just a few days, right? Huh, alright, Nadia. You can do this!' she thought to herself, trying to reassure herself to endure the pressure.