After the incident where my father collapsed in the living room, a few debt collectors had been acting harshly. I felt my knees weaken seeing him like that.
I pitied my father, who was growing weaker by the day. I sat beside him and stared at his face.
I complained silently in my heart, "Why does Father have so much debt?"
I remembered ten years ago, when Father was healthy, we never lacked anything. Life was comfortable and sufficient. But now, everything had changed. The business he had built went bankrupt, and he owed the bank 500 million rupiah.
I began thinking about how to pay off the debt. Slowly, my father regained consciousness after fainting from the pressure of the collectors.
"Lanny… is that you?" he asked weakly.
"Yes… Father. It's Lanny. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, dear. I just felt weak, and my vision went dark when they came to demand the payment."
I helped him to his feet and guided him out of the bedroom. After he sat down, I handed him a cup of freshly brewed tea.
"Father… I want to talk," I said softly.
"Talk about what, dear?" He looked at me while sipping the tea.
"Um… Mr Hendrik, my boss at work, wants me to marry him… as his wife, Father," I said, avoiding his gaze.
My heart pounded as I waited for his reaction. After a long silence, he finally said, "And… what about you? Do you want to accept it?"
I froze. I was torn between saving my father from debt and preserving my own dignity.
"Father… I don't know either. But… Pak Hendrik knows about your debts," I said hesitantly.
Father looked shocked. "How… did your boss find out? Where did he learn that?"
"My boss had someone investigate me, Father," I replied.
"Investigate? Why would your boss go that far?" His voice trembled with disappointment.
I explained slowly that Mr Hendrik wanted to pay off all his debts—but only if I agreed to become his wife.
Father's eyes widened. "But… my child, I don't want you to be burdened. These debts are not yours to suffer for," he said, holding my hand tightly.
"But… Father. I've thought it through. I am willing to become his second wife," I said firmly.
His heart skipped a beat. "What!? Are you serious?"
I nodded slightly, even though I wasn't entirely sure myself. To free him from the crushing debts, I was willing to be the second wife.
The next day, I said goodbye to my father to rest, as I had to work again tomorrow.
I lay down in my room. My eyes wanted to close, but my heart was restless. Was this decision truly right? I pitied seeing my father constantly terrorized by debt collectors. Soon, I drifted into sleep, temporarily setting aside my tangled thoughts.
The alarm rang.
Beep… beep…
It was time to wake up. I showered, had breakfast with some bread, and sipped a cup of hot coffee before leaving.
The commute to the office was only 30 minutes . Upon arriving at the magnificent building, I parked in the basement and walked toward the lift on the ground floor.
Thump!
Mr. Hendrik was waiting for the lift too.
I lowered my eyes briefly and greeted him, "Good morning, Mr Hendrik."
"Oh… you, Lanny. Good morning too," he replied, smiling charmingly. His gaze made me uneasy.
The atmosphere was awkward. Fortunately, a few employees arrived and greeted him, "Good morning, Sir!"
Mr.Hendrik smiled briefly at them. When the lift doors opened, I wanted to hurry out, but he called, "Lanny! Come to my office later, okay?"
"Yes, Sir," I replied.
Upon reaching his office, I knocked on the door. Mr.Hendrik was smoking. His eyes immediately landed on me, and he extinguished his cigarette in the white ashtray on the side table.
He approached me and looked at me with a gaze that, as always, carried an unspoken desire I couldn't articulate.
Then he said softly but firmly, "Lanny… I want you to answer my proposal now."
"I-I… really… love you," I stammered.
His words made me feel like I was floating. My heart was a mixture of joy and unease. I froze, unsure how to react.
Without realizing it, he moved closer… and before I could pull away, he pulled me into a tight embrace.
My body stiffened. My breath caught. I wanted to resist… yet somehow I couldn't. I felt the intense heat of his passion, the warmth confusing my mind. The embrace lasted long enough to make my heart race faster.
Suddenly…
knock… knock…
The sound at the door startled us both. I quickly adjusted my nearly undone blouse.
"Come in!" Mr Hendrik's voice was firm.
His secretary, Jenny, entered with a serious expression. "Sir… today there's a meeting with PT Merdeka about the partnership," she said, glancing at me with a suspicious look.
"Okay… Jenny, thank you for reminding me," Mr. Hendrik replied briefly.
"All right, Sir," she said, still staring at me for a few seconds,
I swallowed hard.Mr. Hendrik's eyes remained fixed on me, sharp and full of intent, making it difficult for me to move or speak.
Mr.Hendrik looked guilty for what he had just done. He sat down and gestured for me to sit across from him. His voice was low, "I'm sorry, Lanny… I overstepped."
Then, almost casually, he added, "If there's nothing else to discuss… feel free to get back to work."
My heart was trapped between speaking and remaining silent. I gathered courage and said, "Sir…" My voice trembled.
He looked at me with a gentle gaze. "Yes… what is it, Lanny?"
"I've thought it all through. I accept your proposal," I said, my heart pounding.
His previously sharp eyes softened and began to sparkle. "Really? You're willing to be my second wife?"
He rose from his chair and walked toward me. Without a word, he hugged me tightly. I felt the warmth of his body and the soothing scent of his cologne.
"Thank you… Lanny," he whispered into my ear, making my heart race with a mixture of relief, nervousness, and curiosity about what the future would bring.
My heart was still in turmoil… but I knew that from this moment, my life would change completely.
Unbeknownst to us, a woman was standing behind a slightly ajar door, silently listening to our entire conversation. Her eyes were red, her face full of anger.
"Damn it… she got Mr.Hendrik first!" she hissed, her voice trembling with jealousy and fury.