Katya had been crying at the bus stop for over half an hour. She never imagined that her relationship with Juan would be like this. He was so angry and disappointed in her decision.
"I don't know what else to do. I'm doing this because I love you guys. I don't want you to suffer because I broke my promise to Arthur."
A black Alphard pulled up in front of Katya. The girl quickly wiped away the tears on her cheeks when she saw a large man get out of the car first, then open the back door of the four-wheeled vehicle.
"Arthur."
Arthur smiled lightly at Katya's appearance. He knew that the girl in front of him had been crying.
"What are you doing?" This question was just a form of pleasantries. Of course Arthur already knew what really happened between Katya and Juan from his men. And the split in their relationship was a happy one for Arthur.
"Why are you quiet?" Arthur cupped Katya's chin with both fingers. Forcing Katya to look at him. "Have you asked for approval from that lousy Juan yet?"
Katya closed her eyes in anger. It was because of Arthur that she and Juan had their first big fight.
"If I ask, answer. Don't just sit there like an idiot!" Arthur roughly removed his hand from Katya's chin.
"Ah!"
Arthur shoved his hands into his pants pockets. The street looked deserted as it was already midnight.
"Now get in. We leave for New York tonight."
Katya gasped in shock. She wasn't ready to leave Juan in the state they were in. She could just imagine how angry Juan had been when he had argued with her this afternoon. Oh my God! Katya wanted to hug Juan tightly and say 'sorry' out loud. Katya felt very guilty for not obeying his orders.
"You're crying but he doesn't care."
The words that came out of Arthur's mouth pierced Katya's heart.
"Come in now or should I force you?"
There was no other choice. Katya began to pace even though it was hard. Then she got into the car that Arthur's bodyguard had opened the door to.
Meanwhile, in a different place with the beach breeze blowing, Juan stood on the balcony of his room looking out at the vast expanse of the ocean. His fight with Katya was still very much in his mind. The little girl who had always obeyed his orders now dared to disobey.
Listy came from behind. She rested her chin on Juan's shoulder. "You must be thinking about Katya, right?"
Juan turned his body to face his wife. "She has changed. She's not the Katya I knew. She dared to go against my orders."
Listy understood exactly how her husband was feeling. In Juan's eyes, there was deep disappointment. After all, they loved each other.
"She just wants to get what she wants. She wants to live with the man she loves."
"I know how Arthur is. He's not the right man to be Katya's companion." Juan looked the other way. "I can't believe Katya loves that asshole either."
"Why are you talking like that, Honey?"
Juan did not answer immediately. Remembering Katya's resistance to him made Juan's emotions explode. The little girl had let him down.
"I'm going to bed."
Listy walked after her husband as he entered the room. "Honey, what's wrong?"
"Never mind. Don't think about it. That girl dared to walk away from home, that means there's no longer any relationship between me and her. So let her decide her own path."
Listy let out a long sigh. Juan was really angry with Katya. And Listy really regretted the damage to their relationship.
***
Arriving in New York, Arthur took Katya to his apartment. Although Katya also had an apartment, it was nothing like Arthur's, which was very luxurious and spacious.
As soon as she entered the room, Katya saw that there was a dressing table complete with a variety of make-up. Had Arthur prepared all this for her? Or was Arthur used to having women stay here and facilitating them?
"That's all new. I've never brought a girl here." Arthur spoke as if he knew what was going through Katya's mind.
Arthur took off his jacket and threw it on the sofa. Katya quickly covered her eyes with the palms of her hands as Arthur removed his jeans. Inwardly, Katya cursed Arthur for taking off his pants in front of her.
"Just relax. You'll see it now or later." Arthur smiled a smirk. Clad only in a T-shirt and boxer briefs above the knee, Arthur walked over and climbed onto the bed.
"How long are you going to stay there?"
"You're not naked?" An innocent question came out of Katya's mouth.
"So open your eyes if you want to know."
Feeling Arthur's voice was no longer as close, Katya lowered her hands and began to open her eyes. It turned out that Arthur was already lying on the bed with one hand resting on his head.
"Come on up." Arthur smiled mischievously as he patted the empty spot on his side.
Katya stared in horror, imagining sleeping in the same bed with Arthur.
"I said come here Katya."
The man's voice sounded like he didn't want to argue. But there was no way Katya was going to sleep with Arthur.
"Can I sleep in the other room?"
"Where, hmm? This apartment only has one room."
Really? This big only has one room?
"Mmm, then I'll sleep on the couch."
Arthur's face went flat. It made Katya's heart skip a beat in fear.
"You still remind me? I'm the master here and you're my toy. You must always obey my commands."
Right. Katya should always remember that she was Arthur's plaything.
Katya's steps were heavy as she approached the bed. Her heartbeat was getting more frantic and her palms felt cold. Not because of the air-conditioning, but because of the nervousness.
"Here."
Because of Katya's slow movements, Arthur was impatient and immediately pulled the girl's hand down. Quick as a flash Arthur trapped Katya's body under his huge body.
"What do you want?" Katya struggled to resist, but her strength was not strong enough.
Arthur restrained both of Katya's arms using one hand that was kept above the girl's head.
Katya's emotions were all over the place. Fear, anxiety, nervousness, all mixed together. Especially now that she knew where Arthur's gaze was going. The man was staring hungrily at her lips.
Now, the thumb of Arthur's hand gently brushed Katya's lower lip. His eyes were already misty with desire.
"These lips have been stealing my attention for a long time." Arthur smiled mischievously. Katya shook her head hoping Arthur wouldn't do anything to her. But Katya had been wrong to hope for someone like Arthur.
"No, please...."
"In your dream." At once Arthur ripped Katya's front shirt open, causing the buttons to fall off.
Katya squealed in surprise. Tears fell from her eyes. For twenty years, Katya had always kept herself away from scoundrels and now she was trapped with the very person she had been avoiding.
Arthur kissed Katya roughly on the lips. Not caring about Katya who was still crying, he focused more on the food in front of him.
Katya closed her eyes. There was nothing she could do but surrender and cry. Everything was destroyed in the blink of an eye. The beautiful expectation of life that Katya had imagined, had been lost in the darkness.
***
The sun greeted us with its beautiful rays. The sound of birds chirping was melodious. In a spacious room, a woman who had just lost her virginity through force was lying with a blanket covering her naked body.
Last night was the most historic night for Katya. Everything was still fresh in her mind. The moment Arthur took Katya's virginity without mercy.
Arthur walked over to the bed carrying a piece of paper and a pen. Then he deposited it beside Katya's bed.
"Sign."
Katya stared at the piece of paper on which Arthur had written and underneath which two stamps were affixed. Without question, Katya tried to sit up, enduring the excruciating pain in her core.
MARRIAGE CONTRACT
Katya was quite surprised after reading the contents of the letter. Arthur wanted their marriage to last only six months. After the separation, Katya would still receive property from Arthur.
"Why? You don't accept that our marriage is a contract marriage?"
Katya looked up into Arthur's face. "So what if I get pregnant? Last night we were...." she trailed off, too embarrassed to remember what had happened between them last night.
"I don't want to bother. Just because you're pregnant, it will hold up the divorce process." Arthur replied. "So you can't get pregnant."
Okay. Katya didn't want to carry Arthur's child either. After all, she didn't want to live forever in this crazy marriage that he had created.
"And remember, we have to be nice in front of our families and the public. Everyone has to believe that we got married because we love each other. Understood?"
"Hmm."
"And about your education. I don't care. Whether you want to continue or stop, I have nothing to lose."
Katya was silent for a moment. She didn't want to lose her education. She wanted to be a career woman in the future.
"I want to continue my studies."
"You can choose a campus here. Because of course I won't give you permission to go back to Bali."
"Okay."
***
"But I want to marry Arthur. I love him. Please...."
"Sorry, Syella. But we can't force Arthur to marry you. He already has a girl of his own choice."
The blonde-haired girl looked at her father with a frown. "I want Arthur, Dad." The great-granddaughter pleaded with her father to help her.
Kemal let out a long sigh. "Honey, there was no arranged marriage between you in the first place. Leo and I are just helping you get to know each other. And as for how it goes, that's how compatible you are," he told Syella.
Syella bit her lower lip. Disappointed and saddened at the news that Arthur was getting married. Syella thought she could have Arthur because their fathers were close friends.
"Arthur!" squealed Syella when she saw Arthur coming with the girl he was holding close.
Syella ran over and hugged Arthur without permission. Katya tried to remove her hand from Arthur's grasp because she felt uncomfortable with Syella's spoiled embrace.
"Arthur, I miss you."
Arthur didn't seem to like it. He had never liked Syella. This girl made him uncomfortable. Arthur knew that Syella was whining to her father and Leo to get married to him. And that made Arthur uncomfortable, so he thought of marrying another girl to avoid Syella. It was a perfect coincidence when Arthur went to Bali and found Katya. The man used Katya to become a temporary wife as well as a means of revenge on Juan.
"Syella, please let go. I have my future wife here." Arthur said with a flat face.
Syella let go of his embrace in annoyance. She looked at Katya with displeasure. "So this is the girl you want to marry?" she asked fiercely.
Arthur grabbed Katya's waist. "Yes. I'm getting married in a few days."
Syella chuckled in annoyance. She looked at Katya from head to toe. Her gaze was full of judgment and it made Katya uncomfortable.
"What's so special about her? I'm much prettier."
Arthur rolled his eyes in disgust. This made him want to get married even faster. At least six months as a husband, that would make Syella give up chasing him.
"Syella, don't talk like that." Kemal tugged on his daughter's arm.
"Leo, Sabrina, Syella and I take our leave. Sorry for disturbing you." Although Syella didn't want to leave, Kemal forced his daughter to leave.
"Katya, how are you?" Sabrina smiled warmly at Katya's arrival.
"Fine, Auntie."
Sabrina then took Katya away, leaving Arthur and Leo behind.
"You love that girl?"
Arthur replied with a shake of his head.
"Why would you marry a girl you don't love?"
"Only for a while. After that I will divorce her."
"Marriage is not to be played with, Arthur."
Arthur smiled sarcastically. He remembered that Juan had beaten him so badly that he had to be hospitalized for a long time. It wasn't fair that Katya had to share in Arthur's revenge, but he didn't care as long as he could torment Juan. And by hurting his only sister, it would be more painful than being beaten.
Leo patted Arthur on the shoulder several times. "Be careful with your own game. You can get caught up in it."
Arthur looked at Leo who was leaving his. Trapped in your own game? Arthur smiled sarcastically. Of course he wouldn't let that happen. Everything must go according to what he wants.