Morning in the Capital.
I arrived in the capital of Garuda with Pak Murdani at eight in the morning. We took a taxi home to the southern part of the city. Throughout the journey, sitting in the back seat, my gaze drifted out the window. My thoughts were tangled with three things: Tara, Talia, and Rachel.
Tara. Tara Enterprises. So many questions circled my mind about meeting the culprit. How could he be so greedy for wealth that he had to bring my father down?
Talia. Talia Maharani. Still no word from her. As soon as I got off the plane, I checked WhatsApp. My message to Talia had been delivered, but she hadn't replied. Then, I tried calling. It rang, but she didn't pick up. I called three timesâstill no answer. Maybe I had made a mistake. I just hoped she was okay.
Rachel. Rachel Almendingen (before). Rachel William (now). Three years ago, when I found out her last name had changed to match her husband's. I had spent seven years trying to move on and had finally succeeded after hearing Keiko's advice. But now, not even two months later, my heart was once again restless with curiosity. Was the dream real? Did Rachel still love me?
From last night's dream, it was clear that she didn't leave because she stopped loving me, but because something else forced her to go.
"Excuse me, Mr. Wisnu. We've arrived." Murdani's voice broke my daydream. Forty minutes had passed in the blink of an eye.
"Are you alright, sir?" he asked again as I stepped out of the yellow-plated car.
"I'm fine. Thank you."
"Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"I'll let you know later."
"Very well, Mr. Wisnu. Then, I'll take my leave."
Hah. Rachel. What would have happened if I had known the real reason back then? Ah, whatever. That's the past. I just hope she's happy with her family. Besides, I've moved forward. I'm with someone nowâTalia.
***
At ten in the morning, I stood in front of Talia's apartment door. Dressed neatly, smelling good, and carrying a bouquet of red roses with a dark chocolate bar nestled among them. It wasn't Valentine's Day. Besides making sure she was alright, I also needed to apologizeâeven though I didn't know exactly what I had done wrong.
I pressed the doorbell.
Ding-dong. Once.
...
Ding-dong. Twice.
...
Ding-dong. Three times.
...
Was she not home? Or was she already at the hospital? As far as I knew, she didn't have any scheduled shifts today. Maybe she really wasn't home. Alright, I'd check the hospital.
Just as I was about to step away, the door opened. A woman appeared in casual home clothesâshorts and a short-sleeved t-shirt.
"Hi!" I grinned.
"Hi." Talia's response was flat. She was still annoyed.
"This is for youâflowers and chocolate. As an apology." I handed them over.
"Apology for what?"
"For yesterday."
"What happened yesterday?"
"For disappearing suddenly." I took a wild guess.
She took the bouquet and smelled the flowers, smiling.
"Alright. Come in."
"So, why did you disappear?" Seemed like my guess was right.
She should already know, but I decided to explain as if she didn't. Conveniently, her television was playing news that would help me answer.
"My parents called. They needed me to handle a family issue."
"A family issue?"
I pointed at the 48-inch flat-screen TV in the living room.
"You're the son of the owner of Tara Enterprises?" Talia looked surprised. I had never talked much about my family.
I nodded.
"You never told me this."
"I was planning toâwhen I was about introduce you to them."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes. Soon, once this is all over."
Talia blushed. I guessed she was happy that our relationship was progressing. Honestly, I did want to get serious with her.
"What do you want to drink?" Talia walked toward her open kitchen.
"Warm sweet tea, if you don't mind."
"Chamomile, Earl Grey, or Ocha?"
"Chamomile."
While waiting for Talia, I sat on the couch, flipping through TV channels. Almost every station was reporting on Tara Enterprises' stock recovering since yesterday morning.
"Here, have some. Chamomile tea, made by Talia Maharani."
"Does this mean I'm forgiven?"
Talia set the cup on the table and kissed my cheek.
"You're forgiven, love."
"Thank you." I smiled.
Her attitude had softened, even though I hadn't told her everything I had done after disappearing. Still, I shared the highlightsâwhat I had been working on and where I had gone. I even told her about the strange airplane incident on my way back. She laughed.
"You rejected a chance! That's a stupidity, you know."
"Yee... Continuing would've been an even bigger stupidity."
"Haha."
"Oh yeah, how was your surgery? Did it go well?"
"It went well. I was happy. But when I came out of the operating room, the person who promised to wait for me was gone." She pouted.
"I already apologized and explained."
"Haha. I'm just messing with you. You look cute when you're flustered."
"You littleâwell, I'm glad your surgery was a success. I was worried. Even had a dream about it."
"Really? That's just a pick-up line."
"I swear. I dreamt that you failed the operation. That the baby didn't survive. But thank God, it was just a dream."
Talia's expression suddenly changed. Sadness washed over her face.
"Talia? What's wrong?"
Her eyes welled up with tears. A single drop rolled down her cheek.
"(Sniffles). (Sniffles). (Sniffles). Actually... I did commit malpractice. My operation failed, Wisnu."
What? Was this a joke? NoâTalia wouldn't joke about this. Her tears were too real.
And... Oh, no. That dream had come true.
I moved closer and wrapped my arms around her. She rested her head on my chest.
Thenâ
"BUT I'M KIDDING!"
I froze for three seconds. Talia burst out laughing. She got me.
"Youâugh!" I grabbed a couch pillow and playfully hit her.
She ran. I chased after her, armed with my soft weapon.
"Where are you going? Get back here!" She ran into her bedroom.
"Hahaha. Got you, huh?"
Suddenly, I tripped forward, landing on top of her, both of us tumbling onto the bed.
"Ah, sorryâsorry." I quickly pushed myself up. But as our eyes met, just 15 centimeters apart, I froze again.
Her face was mesmerizing. No makeup. Pure beauty.
Our eyes slowly closed. My lips, tempted, leaned closerâ
(Old-school ringtone blaring)
"Hah. What a disturbing bell." I muttered.
"Haha. I'm gonna take a shower."
"Okay." This time, I truly got up and walked to the balcony. Talia grabbed her towel and entered the bathroom.
I reached for my phone, which was still vibrating in my pocket.
"Yes, Carl?"
"Pavlo just sent us his plan."
"What does it say?"
"I'll forward it to you."
As soon as I hung up, a message arrived.
The time and location for the main suspect's arrest. Pavlo wanted me there two hours before the operation. That meant I had to start preparing now.
The humid balcony air carried a heavy tension. The wind rustled the trees and plants on the street below. The sky had darkened with cumulonimbus cloudsâa sure sign of an impending storm.
And deep inside, a bad feeling gnawed at me. I shook it off and quickly got ready to leave.
I knocked on Talia's frosted-glass bathroom door.
"Talia."
She turned off the shower.
"Yes, love?"
"I need to head home and pack. I'm flying out again tomorrow."
"Oh, okay. I'll come over to your place later, then?"
"Alright."
"Take care."
"I will, love."
***
Packing, check. Cleaning Sherly's litter box, check. Feeding Sherly, check. Informing Murdani, check.
Talia hadn't arrived yet. I sent her a message.
"Where are you?"
An incoming call from Talia.
"I'm at the supermarket, buying ingredients. You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
At the mention of food, my stomach immediately growled. In the last twenty-four hours, I hadn't had a single proper meal. Even though the flight served a full meal, it wasn't enough to meet my carbohydrate needs.
"No, I haven't eaten."
"What do you want me to cook for you?"
"Beef sounds good."
"How about stir-fried beef?"
"Mmm... that sounds delicious." My mouth started watering.
"Alright, then."
"Don't take too long. I'm starving."
"Yeah, yeah, impatient much? I'll be at your apartment in fifteen minutes."
"Okay."
The call ended. Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
Who could it be? It couldn't be Talia. I peeked through the peephole. A middle-aged security guard stood outside, slightly distorted by the fisheye lens. I opened the door.
"Sorry to bother you, Mr. Wisnu."
"Yes? What's the matter?"
"There's someone here to see you."
"Who?" My face filled with curiosity.
"It's me, Wisnu."
My eyes widened. My whole body froze, rigid as ice. I was utterly shocked.
A woman stepped into view from beside the door. She wore a thick brown blazer over a black turtleneck, dark brown high boots, tight navy blue jeans, and carried a black Kelly bag. Her sleek, straight hair glistened under the light. A woman from my past. The woman who once gave me loveâand left me with scars.
"Rachel?!"
"Excuse me, sir, ma'am. I'll take my leave now."
"Ah, yes." I responded instinctively.
The security guard walked away, leaving me and Rachel alone at the entrance.
"Are you going to invite me in?" Rachel asked.
"Ah, yeah. Please, come in."
Honestly, I had no idea what to say.
This... This was completely unexpected. Rachel appearing out of nowhere.
Was this what all the dreams had been leading to?
I shut the door behind us, leaning against it as I studied Rachel from head to toe.
"What's wrong? You're staring at me like you've seen a ghost."
Rachel, who had stepped inside, turned back toward me and moved closer.
Her soft hands cupped my cheeks.
Ahhh... What is this feeling?
I clenched her wrist, closed my eyes, and took a deep breath.
Like a fast-forwarded film, all of our memories played in my head in just ten seconds.
Then, I opened my eyes again, staring at my reflection in Rachel's deep, mesmerizing gaze.
"Let's talk, Wisnu," she said softly.
***
Rachel sat on the L-shaped sofa in the living room, happily playing with Sherly. Meanwhile, I was in the open kitchen, stirring two cups of hot coffee.
"You have a cat now?"
I placed both cups on the table.
"As far as I know, you never had a pet before," Rachel added.
"It's not my cat. It belongs to my neighbor."
"Where is the owner?"
"She said she was going to Malang, visiting her husband's grave. But there's been no news since. I don't know when she'll be back. It's been a month, and the cat has been here ever since."
"What's its name?"
"Sherly."
"How cute," Rachel said, lovingly stroking the increasingly chubby cat's belly.
I watched Rachel closely, wanting to start a conversation.
"Why are you here, Rachel?"
"Is it wrong if I just want to visit and see how you're doing?" She was still playing with Sherly, but her eyes were serious as they met mine.
I glanced at her left ring finger. The ring was gone.
Was she divorced?
Honestly, part of me was happy to see Rachel again. But I couldn't quite define the feeling. At the same time, something felt... off. I just couldn't put my finger on it.
"Why now?"
Rachel let go of Sherly, allowing the cat to wander off on its own. Then, she seemed to be deep in thought.
"I don't know where to start."
"The letter. We can start with that."
"The letter," she repeated, as if weighing something in her mind.
"Why did you break up with me that way?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer from my dream.
But I needed to hear it from Rachel herself. I needed certainty.
She fell silent.
"Why, Rachel?"
"It was the only thing I could do."
"A phone call? Skype?"
"I couldn't."
"Did it really have to be that cold? Did I not even deserve an explanation?" I stood up.
Rachel lowered her head.
"After reading that letter, I tried calling you, but you didn't pick up. Skype. Your friends didn't know anything either. And then, you blocked me on all social media. You disappeared without a trace."
I let my emotions spill outâemotions I had bottled up for seven years.
Rachel remained silent, looking down, as if burdened by guilt.
"After reading that letter, the next day, I flew straight to Indonesia. I went to your house. Nothing. You had completely vanished. No trace left behind."
"I knew all of that."
"You knew? And you still said nothing?!"
"I'm sorry, Wisnu."
"Seven years, Rachel. I suffered for seven years."
Rachel stood up and hugged me.
"I truly am sorry, Wisnu. I never meant to make you suffer."
She cried, her tears soaking my shoulder. Outside, the sky mirrored her emotions, pouring down rain accompanied by the roar of thunder.
My anger subsided.
I felt sorry for Rachel.
I placed my hands on her shoulders, gently pulling her away from the embrace so I could look into her eyes.
"Why are you here now?"
"Because I still love you, Wisnu."
***
My love story turned out to be more complicated than I had imagined. But that's romanceâit always comes with drama as its spice.
Rachel told me everything that had really happened back then. How she fought with her parents. How she disappeared from her own life. And how she started a new oneâleaving behind her friends and relativesâjust so that I wouldn't be able to track her down.
Why didn't she break up with me over the phone or Skype? Because she wouldn't have been able to hide her sadness. She knew I would immediately sense that something was wrong. And she knew I would take action right away.
The moment she wrote that letter and ended our relationshipâwhy didn't she send the real truth? Because she knew I would do anything. I would take action no matter what. Even if it meant risking my own life. She remembered how, back in high school, I had fought tooth and nail against Darwin just to save her.
Rachel didn't want anything bad to happen to me. That's why she made the decision on her own.
"I'm sorry, Wisnu, if I made you suffer." Rachel clasped my left hand with both of hers.
I placed my right hand over hers. Our eyes met, just inches apart. Then, Rachel closed her eyes and moved her lips toward mine.
"Rachel."
"Ah, I'm sorry." She quickly let go of my hands and shifted away, looking embarrassed. She took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions.
"Do you have a girlfriend?" Rachel asked.
"Yes."
"What's her name?"
"Talia."
"What's she like?"
"She's kind. Beautiful. Smart. Funny."
"I'm glad to hear that."
Rachel stood up, fixing her blazer and grabbing her bag.
"I should go, Wisnu."
I walked her to the front door.
"Oh, one more thing. I almost forgot the real reason I came here."
Real reason?
"Would you like to do me a favor?"
"What is it?" I looked at her curiously.
"You should stop chasing after Gabriel William. From what I see in the news, your father's company is already recovering."
For the second time, Rachel surprised me. How did she know about this?
"He's my father-in-law, Wisnu."
Hearing that, my face immediately turned sour.
"Don't get the wrong idea. This isn't for that old man. This is for you."
"Why?"
"I don't want anything to happen to you, Wisnu. That man is powerful and cunning. Don't be fooled by his angelic face. He can manipulate anyone. If you don't stop, you could get yourself killed."
My mind was all over the place.
"He was also the one who forced my father to make me marry his sonâJohn William. The man you saw with me at the conference."
Rachel's words added more fuel to the fire inside me. My anger toward that old man only grew stronger.
"Please. Don't fly to China." Rachel's face was full of desperation, pleading.
"Is your husband there, too?"
"He died a year ago." That explained why there was no ring on her finger.
"I'm sorry." I expressed my condolences.
"Rachel. This is my father's mission. I have to see it through."
Rachel suddenly hugged me. A tight embrace, as if she was afraid of losing me.
"If I can't stop you... please, just come back safe."
"I'll try my best." I hugged her back, trying to give her some reassurance.
In the middle of that embrace, I heard the sound of a plastic shopping bag dropping onto the apartment hallway floor, about seven meters away. I turned my head toward the noise.
And what I saw made my heart sink with guilt.
Talia.
She was standing there, her eyes welling with tears. Then, she turned and ran.
I immediately let go of Rachel.
"Talia."
She was crying. Then she left.
I looked at Rachel. She simply lowered her head.
I ran after Talia.
"Talia! Wait!"