"Hello, everyone... Good afternoon." Aruna greeted.
The indoor room with a capacity of 100 people was full of participants. Greetings from Aruna were greeted with big applause.
Aruna was introduced by the event guide as the Magic Later brand owner, a startup with an out of the book concept, which offers various kinds of letters of expression.
For example, a 3-dimensional love letter complete with knick-knacks including properties, heartbreak letters to anniversary or birthday greetings, etc.
The most interesting thing was the 3-dimensional wedding invitations. The invitation design was guaranteed to be original.
That day, as usual, Aruna conveyed some tips and tricks on how to get consumers to immediately glance at startup works.
She always emphasized that every job must have its own characteristics, and focus on that uniqueness. With her soft natural voice and relaxed fashion, she could make the audience comfortable.
Aruna wore jeans, cat shoes, white T-shirt combined with a checkered hem as outerwear. Several accessories coiled in her hand. Her hair was tied in a ponytail. She was like a jolly, lively girl.
Unfortunately, Aruna's performance wasn't as cheerful as usual. Some participants disturbed her concentration. They were at the wrong place.
The two men didn't belong here. This activity was rarely attended by people wearing loafers, not to mention expensive suits. On the right side of the man sat another man who was busy whispering words like an assistant explaining something to his boss.
Shortly before the event was entirely over, the two people left the activity venue.
Aruna was still immersing herself with several participants who invited her to discussions or just took selfies.
However, this did not last long. A note in navy blue was handed over by the event organizer to her.
"Aruna, there was someone who left this." The one who handed her the note left without being asked back.
Unfortunately, the person who delivered the note already mingled with other members to clean the place.
*I am waiting for you at the La Rose Cafe.
Aruna actually wanted to ask who the sender was. Unfortunately, the messenger was already busy cleaning the venue with other committee members.
Aruna walked, holding the note and turned her head looking around the cafe. From a window seat, someone waved. Aruna approached him, handed over a note.
'Oh, isn't he the participant who was in the wrong place?'
The man opened his dark glasses while giving a code for Aruna to sit down.
'Oh my god how handsome he is. His eyes are blue.'
The man had blue eyes as blue as the ocean. His hair was golden brown with white skin, but a little bit brownish.
He was tall with broad shoulders and a firm jawline but curled eyelashes. He was like a blend of Southeast Asia with England fused proportionally as an extraordinary work of art.
Aruna was stunned for a moment. The strange little smile depicting the arrogance of its owner made Aruna immediately prepared.
"I'm Mahendra Wenceslas." The man mentioned his name while handing over his business card.
Aruna's face suddenly changed. It was as if black clouds were surrounding her.
A week ago, she finished the mess in her family, and today the side effects came.
"I'm Aruna." Aruna greeted.
"Yes, I know. Well, no need to mince words, I will talk casually with you because as soon as possible we will be partners." Hendra tapped the table with small beats and a regular rhythm, a habit when he didn't want to linger.
On the other hand, Aruna tried to digest Hendra's words. 'Partner' meant that they would work together.
"So, are you the one who will marry me? Hmm, I mean Mr Wiryo's grandson?" Aruna explained.
"Yes, no other grandchildren." Hendra's expression underlined that he knew Aruna was a substitute.
Aruna blankly stared at the window as she was uncomfortable with the man in front of her.
They had just met with an introduction that seemed stiff and arrogant. If Hendra disagreed with this matchmaking, of course, the exact same thing happened to Aruna. But Aruna felt cornered as if she was more guilty.
"Please read this." Hendra broke the ice between them handing over several pieces of MOU paper.
"We both know this match was not our will. Therefore, I offer you a marriage contract."
Aruna widened her eyes in surprise at Hendra's words. It was a blatant offer of the man she just met for the first time.
What the Wenceslass couldn't do? This kind of thing just happened. Aruna traced some of the agreement points written there.
*Does not interfere with personal life.
*Maintain the confidentiality of contract marriages agreed by both parties.
*Marriage minimum is two years, but if the separation is still difficult to implement, it can be extended until the circumstances allow.
Aruna read some points that caught her attention.
Although this kind of contract was not natural for a couple to get married, for Aruna, the marriage contract made her more prepared than she had to guess what would happen when she became part of the Wenceslas family.
"I purposely left the last page blank. Please write your wish." Hendra waved his finger a little.
Hendra's assistant swiftly handed the pen to Aruna though he was sitting on the other side of the table.
*Respect for parents from both sides as a family.
*No physical contact.
*Living in different rooms.
That was all that crossed Aruna's head.
"It looks like the last point we can't do," Hendra explained.
"Why not??" Aruna asked.
"We will live in the main house after marriage. It means we have to live in one room."
Furthermore, Hendra explained that the house was the residence of his grandfather, grandmother and mother. Wiryo, Sukma and his mother, Gayatri.
The main house was completed with strict guards and servants who supervised 24 hours.
Aruna crossed out the last point and replaced it.
*Not sleeping in one bed.
"It's okay to stay in one room, but take turns using the bed." Aruna suggested in a soft voice tone, trying to calm down against the other person who seemed like a ruler.
"I've never slept on the sofa, not to mention on the floor, but I'll try, because this is my partner's request." Hendra then signed the next sheet with the stamp attached there, followed by Aruna. They both shook hands.
Furthermore, the blue-eyed man went first leaving Aruna, including the food he ordered.
The dish before him was a serving of Carbonara pasta and Tiramisu as the dessert. It seemed that it was intentionally ordered for one person only.
'Not bad for my lunch.' Aruna thought.
'Or could it be meant for my lunch??'
The ringing of an unknown number made her curious. Aruna didn't like picking up calls from foreign numbers. She ignored it and continued eating.
*I am Mr Hendra's assistant, sorry to disturb.
After that message, Aruna picked up the phone.
"I'm sorry, I must have been interrupting your lunch. Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that we have paid for your meal, please enjoy." The voice at the end of there was like a protocol.
"Thank you." Aruna replied.
"You're welcome, Miss. Please read the message that I will send you. I am trying to match some of the agenda requested by Mr Wiryo with Mr Hendra's schedule."
"I hope it does not conflict with your schedule. If you have any objections, please immediately contact me and make sure you follow the schedule." Hendra's assistant carefully explained.
"Alright." Aruna didn't want to trouble anyone, yet this was now her responsibility.
"Any questions?" The assistant asked.
"What's your name, Sir?" The voice at the other end was silent for a moment. Hendra's assistant was surprised when his prospective lady asked an unimaginable question,
"I'm Surya. I am still 30 years old, not married yet. I prefer to be called Surya only." Aruna smiled hearing Surya's explanation before finally the conversation on the phone ended.
Aruna opened the PDF file containing the schedule table and address, even completed with the recommended dress code.
*Saturday, July 13, 2019, the first meeting, Aruna' Seminar (La Rose Cafe)
'Oh, this one is today.' Aruna thought. Her today's activity was on his schedule.
*Monday, July 15, 2019, 07.00 - 09.00, family dinner, Batik dress code
*Wednesday, July 17, 2019, 15:30, picked Ms Aruna at campus.
*Saturday, July 20, 2019, 09:00, fitting wedding dress.
Aruna stopped reading the schedule. She lethargically placed her phone as well as she had no appetite anymore. She couldn't believe what happened.
She would get married soon. Somehow, how could she get married even though she has never been in a relationship in her whole life?
Shadow of an uncertain future enveloped her. It gave her goosebumps as she was looking at the reality that lay before her.
She couldn't even imagine being a conglomerate's wife and in the next two years to be the Wenceslas family's widow.
.
.
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The background of this novel is in one of the countries in South East Asia where customs, norms, and values in those areas very much inspire every character depicted in this story.
The boundaries of relationship between males and females and the habits portrayed there can be very much different from your own life styles. I hope you can visit and see the places described in this novel and you can witness it yourself their uniqueness and beauty.