"I've already lost, haven't I? Ah, no… even from the beginning, I was never sure about his feelings for me. Haha…"
The heavy sentence was followed by a bitter laugh as Marinka sat alone on a long bench in the back garden of Sagara Group.
Her sorrow stood in sharp contrast to her appearance tonight.
Marinka wore a red evening gown with a simple yet firm one-shoulder cut, falling neatly along her figure without being excessive. The slit on the side was modest—allowing ease of movement while maintaining the elegant air of a professional model.
Her long hair was swept up into a neat updo, exposing her slender neck and confident posture. Her makeup was clean and controlled, with red lipstick as the main accent.
"Arya… while I was gone… did Topan ever get close to anyone?"
Shivering slightly from the cold night wind, Marinka lifted her face and looked at Arya, who had been standing not far from her. The man had remained silent all this time, simply listening to her unravel.
"Not even once, Miss," Arya replied firmly.
As Topan's most trusted assistant—someone who had known him long before he was entrusted with the company—Arya understood his master well. Topan had never been involved romantically with anyone.
"But that woman…"
Marinka lowered her gaze again. Her hands clenched tightly over her thighs.
Thinking of Dewi, she asked softly,
"What does she have that I don't? Topan is completely different when he's with her."
Her chest tightened painfully. The man she had loved for so long had never once looked her way.
"Is it because I left him for my career back then? If that's the case… I could leave everything and—"
"Don't trap yourself in an illusion of your own making, Miss Marinka."
Tap… tap…
Arya stepped closer and draped his coat over her shoulders, noticing how she struggled against the cold.
"Arya—"
Marinka froze and slowly looked up at him.
Their gazes met, lingering longer than expected.
"Please forget about Mr. Topan. You only need to look around you a little more. Believe me—there is someone who loves you far more deeply than you realize."
After saying that, Arya stepped back, making sure his coat rested securely on Marinka's shoulders.
Deg!
"W-what do you mean—"
"Marinka!"
Drap… drap…
Her words were cut short when a sharp voice called out from a distance.
Marinka instinctively stood and turned around. Her cousin was walking briskly toward her, worry etched across her face.
"Esther, I—"
Grep!
"Oh my God, thank goodness! I thought something happened to you! Marin, are you okay? Why weren't you in the main hall earlier? I was looking for— huh?!"
The woman with glasses abruptly stopped mid-sentence when she noticed Arya standing right behind her cousin.
Her face flushed red as she quickly lowered her head.
"M-Mr. Arya…" she stammered, adjusting her glasses. Her heartbeat raced the moment his calm gaze landed on her.
"Esther, I'm fine. I just needed some air for a bit," Marinka said.
Hearing that, Esther slowly calmed herself—along with her noisy heartbeat.
She lifted her face and smiled at her cousin.
"It's getting late. Let's go home. Mama already waiting for us."
Esther looped her arm around Marinka's right arm. Marinka nodded in agreement.
Before leaving, Esther cleared her throat softly and turned to Arya.
"Mr. Arya, um… w-we'll be going now. Thank you for keeping my cousin company."
Arya only gave a brief nod.
His gaze remained on Marinka—but she never once looked back.
With nothing left to say, Esther led Marinka away from the garden.
The night grew deeper, and the event had already ended half an hour ago.
---
01:35 a.m.
A luxury car pulled into the basement of a large apartment building and stopped at an empty parking spot.
Topan turned off the engine once the car was properly parked. He glanced to his side, where his wife was still fast asleep, her head resting against the car seat.
"Sleeping so deeply, huh?" he murmured softly, leaning closer and gently poking his wife's chubby cheek.
No response. Dewi was completely out cold.
Topan stepped out first, then moved to the other side of the car. He decided to carry her.
Grep!
"Ukhh…"
Dewi stirred slightly when she felt her body lift into the air. Her vision was blurry from heavy drowsiness, and she instinctively nestled into the hollow of Topan's neck before falling asleep again.
"Huh… I thought you'd wake up. Silly,"
Topan shook his head lightly at his wife's behavior. A soft chuckle escaped him as he tightened his hold and stepped into the elevator.
Not long after…
Beep!
The apartment door automatically locked as Topan entered, Dewi still cradled in his arms.
The spacious unit was dark, and he decided to head straight to the bedroom.
Ever since he and Dewi had fully accepted each other, they no longer slept separately. Though sometimes his wife liked to tease him by sneaking off to another room—usually ending with Topan breaking down the door and carrying her back to their bedroom.
(The sound of a body being laid onto the bed)
"Mmm… fried chicken… ehehe…"
Topan let out a small snort when he heard his wife mumbling in her sleep as he placed her on the king-sized bed.
"Even in your sleep, you're still thinking about food, hm?" he muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
He then stood up from the edge of the bed, grabbed a towel, and headed into the bathroom.
A moment later, he came out wearing casual clothes. In his hands was a small container of warm water, with a small towel draped over his shoulder.
Sitting at the edge of the bed, Topan gently wiped away the makeup on Dewi's face, then used the warm towel to clean parts of her body before changing her dress into more comfortable sleepwear.
"You know…" he whispered softly.
"You were right. Tonight, everyone was mesmerized by you."
Cup!
A lingering kiss landed on his wife's forehead before Topan climbed onto the bed and lay down beside her.
"I'm really jealous," he murmured. "Maybe I should just keep you tied up at home, so you won't go anywhere."
He whispered those words softly as he pulled Dewi into his broad, warm embrace.
Topan inhaled the scent of the shampoo Dewi used several times, until he finally drifted off to sleep—peacefully, following his wife into rest.
●●●
Topan POV
I studied the stack of reports spread across my desk. These were documents I had requested from every division—annual performance reports to be reviewed and evaluated for this year.
I muttered under my breath, then lifted my gaze to Arya, who had been standing faithfully in front of my desk for the past thirty minutes.
"There's a discrepancy in this financial report. Since Sriyana is on leave, have her assistant recheck it and bring the corrected version to me as soon as possible."
I handed the green file from the finance division back to Arya.
"Yes, sir," he replied shortly, nodding.
Just as he turned to leave, I stopped him.
"Wait."
Arya turned back, looking at me with his usual unreadable expression.
"Last night, throughout the event, you weren't in the main hall."
I closed my laptop and leaned back against my chair, meeting his gaze with equal coolness. I wasn't one to interfere in his personal affairs—Arya was always punctual and precise with his work.
A minute passed. I waited.
It was trivial, really. Not something worth questioning. I was about to let it go, as I always did.
"You may go."
I reached for my phone to call Dewi.
But then—
"I accompanied Miss Marinka in the back garden, sir. After Miss Esther picked her up, I left."
My movement halted.
I hadn't expected that. This was the first time Arya had ever spoken about his personal matters to me. But—Marinka?
"So, you're quite close to Marinka," I said quickly, a hint of surprise slipping into my tone.
"That's—"
BANG!
"Marin! Hey, are you insane?! I told you not to come here and— SIR, I'M SO SORRY!"
The door to my office burst open, revealing two familiar figures.
Esther and Marinka.
…What is Marinka doing here?
Hadn't my rejection been clear enough back then?
"Esther, I've told you—knock before entering."
My voice was sharp, my presence cutting. Esther immediately bowed repeatedly, apologizing. But Marinka's words grated on my nerves.
"We need to talk, Topan. I'm not leaving unless you talk to me!"
I scoffed and rose from my chair.
Tap… tap…
I stopped in front of them, sliding both hands into my trouser pockets.
"Arya. Esther. Leave the room. Now."
They froze. Even Arya—usually expressionless—looked at me in surprise. But I had no intention of being defied.
"Yes, sir," they answered almost simultaneously.
Once the door closed, my attention turned fully to Marinka.
Believe it or not, whatever feelings I once had for her were completely gone. If I used to look at her with affection—the woman who had always been by my side—now she meant nothing more than an ordinary acquaintance.
"Explain the commotion you just caused."
Marinka visibly flinched at my tone. I didn't care.
I couldn't allow even the smallest opening for her to think I would ever take her back.
I have Dewi now. And always will.
Tap… tap…
"Marin—"
My patience thinned when she didn't respond, and I stepped closer.
"Then… reject me, Topan!"
Grep!
Topan POV END
KISS!
Topan's eyes flew wide in shock, completely unprepared for what Marinka just did.
The woman suddenly stepped closer, rose onto her toes, and kissed him.
"Tchh…"
Just as he tried to pry Marinka's arms—tightly looped around his neck—away from him, the door to his office swung open from outside.
Cklek!
"Hey, little brother. I'm home—and guess what—ouch, hey, man, what the hell are you doing?!"
That voice—
Bruk!
Topan shoved Marinka away hard the moment the familiar, heavy voice reached his ears.
"Ryuji…"
His vision darkened instantly as he turned toward the doorway, where a tall figure stood—one he knew all too well.
Yes. None other than his own older brother, the man who had cut off all contact with the family for years.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Topan snapped.
He roughly wiped his lips—the ones Marinka had just touched—before striding toward Ryuji, who still wore that relaxed, infuriating smile, utterly shameless.
His firm steps suddenly halted.
Behind his brother's silhouette stood a woman he knew far too well.
"D-Dewi!"
Topan choked as he saw the woman he loved standing there, clutching a lunch bag to her chest, her gaze hollow, eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
Dewi's eyes swept toward him—and in that very second, Topan's world collapsed when he saw a single tear slide down his wife's beautiful cheek.
Drap… drap…
As Dewi turned away and ran from him, Topan immediately moved to chase her.
But before he could, Ryuji's words made his rage explode even further.
"Dude, I'm here to take back what was supposed to be mine," Ryuji said flatly.
Topan didn't spare him another glance.
Right now, there was only one thing that mattered—not losing sight of his wife.
TO BE CONTINUED…