"HOW is the latest news from the Atmawijaya family movement?"
Lionel Ervan Gunawan or who is familiarly called by the name Evan stretched his legs on the table. While checking one by one the reports from CEOs scattered across the country for him, Evan occasionally glanced at Chris, his accomplice who was now holding a tablet containing a summary of his investigation reports.
"They want to propose marriage for you, sir."
Evan snorted. Don't Atmawijaya people have the brains to propose marriage to him? Does Evan look like a perverted old man who needs affection because he hasn't been married until now?
His snort was heard again. The rumors circulating about him were really bad. Fat, ugly, old, perverted and playboy. Everything is combined into one, even though Evan has never felt like doing it all, or has a physique like the rumors that spread.
"Who are they going to propose to be my bride?"
Chris looked at the data, then showed a photo on the screen of his tablet. The woman is beautiful, the way she looks is fashionable, she is already an adult and it would be very fitting to be side by side with Evan everywhere.
"She is the eldest child of the Atmawijaya family, her name is Kenanga Atmawijaya, now she is unemployed, her hobby is going to nightclubs and dating men who are her friends."
Evan snorted. "I will reject them outright."
Chris nodded in agreement. "They could send someone dangerous for you, sir. You must be careful of the sudden attack of Mr. Kaisar Atmawijaya."
Evan nodded in understanding. "Send me all the details of their extended family. I want to know which candidates I can choose for my wife."
Chris did not understand this master. Evan openly destroys the Atmawijaya family who dare to deviate from their duties. However, he also easily accepted their offer of marriage.
What does Evan have planned for the Atmawijaya family?
"Chris, pass my message on to them, I will only show up on the wedding day, whoever is chosen for my future wife, I will accept her. As long as the candidate has no ill intentions, I will make her happy."
"Yes sir."
Evan smiled lopsidedly. "And one more thing, Chris."
"What, sir?" Chris waited well.
"Load mines to trap them. If they can no longer be forgiven, then there is only one answer for them."
Chris nodded in understanding.
The last path in Lionel Ervan Gunawan's dictionary is death. The rats that dared to harass Evan were the same as those who drank poison that would slowly kill.
****
Lilya cried silently every night after hearing her mother's order to get married.
She's still young, she's still in school, she hasn't even graduated high school yet. Lilya is still too early to get married, but for the sake of Kaisar and Mawar, the father and mother who have cared for her all this time, Lilya is willing to sacrifice.
Pawned, sold to the perverted old man from the rich Gunawan family in order to save the family company. She is willing to marry him and maybe she will become a young wife who will be bullied by his old wives in a big mansion.
Recalling the films about polygamy that were scattered on television screens and told of a young wife who was abused by the old wives, Lilya shuddered at the thought of herself ending up like that.
"God, I hope there's no such horrible drama in my life," she prayed as she stared at the ceiling.
She hopes that God will touch her prayer this time. Yet every time she prayed, all her prayers were never answered at all.
***
Evan stared at a photo on his phone screen with a straight face. Well, she's beautiful. She is. Her body is short, but her curves look perfect, even tend to be seductive.
It's just... the clothes.
Evan sighed harshly when he saw his stepmother walking past him who was sitting comfortably on the lounge sofa.
"Mom!" call him without hesitation.
Nayla turned around. "Yes, Van? Why?"
"I want to get married."
The fifty year old woman's eyes sparkled at him. "Yeah?" she asked enthusiastically, as she approached her son. "Where's the bride?"
Evan showed a photo of a girl in a high school uniform that successfully made Nayla's mouth gape wide.
"Beautiful, isn't she, Mom?"
Nayla looked at her son in horror. "Are you serious? She's still in high school, isn't she?"
Evan nodded his head. "Business wedding, Mom." He looked back at his phone screen once more. The girl was indeed beautiful, but her gaze seemed to harbor a pain that she shouldn't have at her age. "Her family almost went bankrupt. They asked me to marry one of their descendants, in exchange I had to help them pay off the company's debt."
"So?" Nayla looked at Evan sharply. "There is no love between you and the girl?"
Evan shook his head. "She's never even met me in person."
"Don't joke!" Nayla snapped angrily. "Marriage is a sacred thing, never play with a marriage bond. You understand, don't you? Marriage is not just for fun. I won't agree, your Daddy won't approve of such a marriage idea either."
Evan closed his eyes. "I have no intention of messing with this marriage." Evan looked back at Nayla deeply. "You know, right, Mommy? I'm getting old, I need a partner who can accompany me until I become a grandfather. But unfortunately, I'm too lazy to take care of romance, let alone love. You want to see me married, don't you? Then why don't you agree if I marry her? Is it because she's still very young?"
"It's not a matter of young age or not, but what is your intention to marry her? Do not let you play with marriage and repeat the tragedy of the divorce that happened with your Daddy back then."
Evan closed his eyes. "I see, Mommy."
Nayla hugged her step son's head. In the past, he was a sweet child, but slowly he changed. As an adult, Ethan let his son choose his own path in life, and Evan turned into this.
"Mommy just doesn't want to see your marriage crumble. You are still Mommy's favorite child, Evan. I will be sick if I see your household falling apart."
"Take it easy, Mommy." Evan returned Nayla's hug. "I'm not messing around, as long as she doesn't mess with this marriage."
Nayla smiled faintly. "So, when can we propose her to you?"
Evan unraveled their embrace. "No need." Evan cleared his throat briefly. "Both of you will only see my future wife right at the wedding ceremony. I want to make someone there regret, for daring to refuse before she meets me in person."
Nayla just frowned and looked at her son not understanding. What did her son mean?
Evan's words are indeed filled with many meanings, but Nayla believes that he will continue to act as good as he has always been.
"Whatever your choice, I will support you. As long as you don't do anything that violates the norms, religion, and rules. Ww will always be behind you."
"Thanks, Mom."
Nayla smiled sweetly. "Don't forget to tell your mother about this news too, okay?"
Evan smiled faintly. "That's easy thing."