happened?”
“It was unrequited. Then he got my best
friend pregnant, so I had to forget him.” She said without
explaining any details.
“So you’ve never dated anyone or had a
boyfriend?”
“No!” She said sharply, “Are you going
to insult and bully me like your girlfriend did
yesterday?”
“Don’t be offended, I want to get to
know you, and understand you.”
“Well, let me tell you this, I never
had a boyfriend, and I’m determined to never fall in love again in
my life.”
“You don’t want marriage?
Children?”
“Why? It’s not like there’s not enough
miserable people in this world.” Ali was speechless, so young, so
beautiful, but so bitter.
There was a knock at the door and Nancy
came in with a tray of tea and water, she put down the tea in front
of Ali and the glass of water in front of Paramita.
“Sorry, Miss,” Paramita said to her.
“Can you please offer something to drink to my nanny?”
Nancy sighed, and said, “No problem.”
She turned around and walked out.
“Please, take a drink.” He said while
lifting his cup.
“You haven’t answered me yet.” She said
to him.
“Answered what?”
“Will you go ahead with my
plan?”
Ali took a deep breath, “It’s not like
I can refuse the Sultan’s decision for me to marry you, you know!”
“Good, it’s settled,” Paramita said with a victory smile. "This
fool turns out to be a reliable ally." She thought to herself.
Things are going to be easier than expected.
Chapter Ten
That night Ali arrived at Dewi’s house
without the usual high expectation and excitement. There was a
heavy feeling weighing him down, making him feel exhausted and
weary. He sat quietly for a while to calm his mind, then got down
and walked the short distance to her front gate. He reached out his
arm to press the doorbell button that’s located on the wall behind
the main gate. An older woman came out. She recognized him
immediately and opened the gate to let him in.
Ali sighed, this house is so familiar
to him. The past three years he’s been visiting it every time Dewi
was in the country. He entered the living room. She wasn’t here
yet. She would always make him wait at least twenty minutes for her
to get ready.
Finally, she came out, as always, Ali
stood up, and she would rush into his arms to greet him. “I miss
you. I couldn’t sleep last night thinking that you were with that
woman. What did she say? Did she threaten me?” She asked
enthusiastically.
“Dewi, why don’t we sit down? There is
something very important that I have to tell you.”
“Abang, you’re scaring me.”
Ali took a deep breath, “I don’t know
how to tell you this. We’ve been together for a long time, and you
know that I’ve been faithful to you, I’ve always respected you, and
loved you with all my heart.”
Dewi didn’t know what to think,
“Abang….”
“Dewi, I…I’m sorry.”
Her face dropped, still not knowing
what he wanted to say, but something inside her told her that it’s
not good. “Why are you sorry?”
“Yesterday, when I arrived home, my
father gave me the news, that….” He paused, “That I have been,
shall I say chosen, by His Majesty Sultan to be his son in
law.”
“What do you mean chosen to be his
son-in-law?” She understood what he said, but she found it hard to
believe him.
“I have to marry the Sultan’s
daughter.”
“Marry the Sultan’s daughter? And you
accepted it? You agreed to it?”
“I have to, I can’t refuse. To refuse a
direct order from the Sultan is treason.”
Dewi started to cry, “So, you’re
breaking up with me? You’re ending it between us?”
Ali couldn’t say anything, he just sat
there, with his head down, feeling torn and saddened.
“The Sultan’s daughter is that woman
isn’t she? Paramita. Is that why you refused to see me last night?
To be with her? Do you find me no longer attractive? Is that why
you prefer a younger woman? What did I do to deserve this?”
“It was unrequited. Then he got my best
friend pregnant, so I had to forget him.” She said without
explaining any details.
“So you’ve never dated anyone or had a
boyfriend?”
“No!” She said sharply, “Are you going
to insult and bully me like your girlfriend did
yesterday?”
“Don’t be offended, I want to get to
know you, and understand you.”
“Well, let me tell you this, I never
had a boyfriend, and I’m determined to never fall in love again in
my life.”
“You don’t want marriage?
Children?”
“Why? It’s not like there’s not enough
miserable people in this world.” Ali was speechless, so young, so
beautiful, but so bitter.
There was a knock at the door and Nancy
came in with a tray of tea and water, she put down the tea in front
of Ali and the glass of water in front of Paramita.
“Sorry, Miss,” Paramita said to her.
“Can you please offer something to drink to my nanny?”
Nancy sighed, and said, “No problem.”
She turned around and walked out.
“Please, take a drink.” He said while
lifting his cup.
“You haven’t answered me yet.” She said
to him.
“Answered what?”
“Will you go ahead with my
plan?”
Ali took a deep breath, “It’s not like
I can refuse the Sultan’s decision for me to marry you, you know!”
“Good, it’s settled,” Paramita said with a victory smile. "This
fool turns out to be a reliable ally." She thought to herself.
Things are going to be easier than expected.
Chapter Ten
That night Ali arrived at Dewi’s house
without the usual high expectation and excitement. There was a
heavy feeling weighing him down, making him feel exhausted and
weary. He sat quietly for a while to calm his mind, then got down
and walked the short distance to her front gate. He reached out his
arm to press the doorbell button that’s located on the wall behind
the main gate. An older woman came out. She recognized him
immediately and opened the gate to let him in.
Ali sighed, this house is so familiar
to him. The past three years he’s been visiting it every time Dewi
was in the country. He entered the living room. She wasn’t here
yet. She would always make him wait at least twenty minutes for her
to get ready.
Finally, she came out, as always, Ali
stood up, and she would rush into his arms to greet him. “I miss
you. I couldn’t sleep last night thinking that you were with that
woman. What did she say? Did she threaten me?” She asked
enthusiastically.
“Dewi, why don’t we sit down? There is
something very important that I have to tell you.”
“Abang, you’re scaring me.”
Ali took a deep breath, “I don’t know
how to tell you this. We’ve been together for a long time, and you
know that I’ve been faithful to you, I’ve always respected you, and
loved you with all my heart.”
Dewi didn’t know what to think,
“Abang….”
“Dewi, I…I’m sorry.”
Her face dropped, still not knowing
what he wanted to say, but something inside her told her that it’s
not good. “Why are you sorry?”
“Yesterday, when I arrived home, my
father gave me the news, that….” He paused, “That I have been,
shall I say chosen, by His Majesty Sultan to be his son in
law.”
“What do you mean chosen to be his
son-in-law?” She understood what he said, but she found it hard to
believe him.
“I have to marry the Sultan’s
daughter.”
“Marry the Sultan’s daughter? And you
accepted it? You agreed to it?”
“I have to, I can’t refuse. To refuse a
direct order from the Sultan is treason.”
Dewi started to cry, “So, you’re
breaking up with me? You’re ending it between us?”
Ali couldn’t say anything, he just sat
there, with his head down, feeling torn and saddened.
“The Sultan’s daughter is that woman
isn’t she? Paramita. Is that why you refused to see me last night?
To be with her? Do you find me no longer attractive? Is that why
you prefer a younger woman? What did I do to deserve this?”
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