SR3. 24. Aryan's Guilt

Aryan parked his car in front of the Coffee Resto where he and Dion had agreed to meet. With a sense of unease still lingering, he walked into the cafe, scanning the surroundings to spot Dion. In the southern corner, he saw a man in a bright blue shirt and black-framed glasses waving at him. Aryan returned Dion's wave and made his way to table number 14, which had a clear view of a large window overlooking the busy street.

Dion stood up with a smile, greeted Aryan, and gestured for him to take a seat. He handed Aryan the menu so he could choose his preferred food.

"What would you like to order, Aryan?" Aryan asked as he browsed through the menu options.

"Up to you, Aryan. You must still remember our favorite menu, right?" Dion replied with an unreadable grin.

This cafe had been Aryan and Dion's regular spot before the conflicts that tore them apart, back when they were involved in a love triangle that fractured their long-standing friendship from high school.

"Okay," Aryan answered briefly and jotted down an order for two portions of crispy chicken with vegetables and two glasses of soda. It was a simple menu that always reminded them of each other.

Dion observed Aryan's appearance, which was quite different from his college days when he had a fashionable and trendy style. Aryan used to be a famous student on campus, always keeping up with the latest fashion trends. Now, he looked much more refined, like a young executive. Aryan raised an eyebrow when he noticed Dion watching him. Aryan himself didn't expect that his troublemaking friend from school would become a successful lawyer now. In addition to being a lawyer, Dion also ventured into the cafe business, which had expanded to several branches in different areas of Yogyakarta.

"Is there something odd about my appearance?" Aryan asked, throwing a cold look at Dion.

"No, not at all. I just didn't expect that you'd become this successful at such a young age," Dion said, expressing his admiration.

"Thank you for your compliment. I'm also surprised that my troublemaking school friend has become a successful lawyer," Aryan replied with a mischievous grin.

They laughed heartily as if they had forgotten the conflicts that once existed between them. Their stories of mischief from their days of close friendship served as a warm reminder of their long-lost camaraderie while they enjoyed their favorite meal until nothing was left on their plates.

"Are we still friends?" Dion asked hesitantly, feeling guilty for his past actions, particularly for taking Vika away from Aryan.

"Of course," Aryan replied shortly, then playfully punched Dion's shoulder.

Their laughter nearly filled the entire room, drawing the attention of some cafe-goers to the two friends who had reconciled after a long estrangement.

"Oh, by the way, how is your wife, Aryan?" Dion asked as he reached for a large glass filled with soda and took a sip.

"She's good. By the way, I want to ask you something important about Laura," Aryan replied, his expression suddenly turning serious.

"What do you know about Laura, my wife?" Aryan inquired, praying silently that his suspicions were wrong.

"Well, it seems like you either completely forgot or genuinely didn't know," Dion replied hesitantly.

Aryan shrugged in response.

"Laura is the girl we hit six years ago. Her parents are Johan and Della, and she has two younger siblings, Nancy and Ricard, right?" Dion explained, causing Aryan's body to freeze, and his trembling hand dropped the cigarette he had just lit.

With a shaky hand, Aryan took a pack of cigarettes from his suit pocket and lit one. He offered one to Dion, but Dion signaled that he no longer smoked. For a moment, Dion was stunned by Aryan's behavior, as he knew Aryan had never smoked before. Dion's assumption seemed to be correct: Aryan didn't know anything.

"Since when have you been smoking, Aryan?" Dion asked curiously, while Aryan remained silent, holding the cigarette between his trembling fingers and taking slow, calming drags as if it could bring him peace.

Dion couldn't help but notice Aryan's unease, and he realized that Aryan's trauma from the accident had not healed, even after all this time. Their initial meeting during the dinner seemed to have calmed Aryan's nerves. However, as Dion's gaze fell on Aryan's fingers clutching the cigarette, it was evident that his hands were shaking, despite Aryan's attempt to conceal it.

"Did Andra not inform you?" Dion seemed to be talking to himself now because Aryan's responses were mostly shrugs or nods.

Eventually, Dion began telling Aryan everything he knew, leaving nothing out. He admitted to his role in the accident and how he had contributed to Laura's medical expenses as a form of atonement, even though it was a small contribution.

Differing from Dion, Aryan seemed traumatized by the accident. Dion had only managed to persuade him to visit Laura twice: once while she was still in the emergency room, and the other time after her first surgery. Even then, Aryan had only seen Laura from a distance behind a glass window, unable to recognize her face clearly.

"I thought you married Laura because of the promise you once made," Dion said, which earned him a cold, intense stare from Aryan.

Aryan tried to suppress his turmoil and emotions. Dion smiled as he saw Aryan's jaw clench, and he extinguished his cigarette in the ashtray. He knew Aryan genuinely loved Laura, evident from the way he looked at her during their few meetings. However, Dion felt there was something more to the story, something that had driven Aryan to marry Laura. There must have been external forces at play.

With the information he needed about Laura, Aryan excused himself and left Dion. His sole purpose now was to meet with Andra and get some answers. In his mind, one question loomed large: "Why would his family keep such a massive secret from him?"

Within 30 minutes, Aryan arrived at his office building. His steps matched the pounding of his heart as he prepared himself for the inevitable shock that awaited him when he met Andra.

The second surprise came when Aryan learned that Andre was inside Andra's office as well. He now had confirmation that his family was involved in this conspiracy.

"Andra, I need to talk to you for a moment. Dad, please stay, because I need an explanation from you as well," Aryan stated as he entered Andra's office.

Both Andre and Andra furrowed their brows simultaneously, signaling their ignorance about the topic Aryan wanted to discuss.

"You must know that Laura is the girl I hit 6 years ago, right?" Aryan spoke with a cold demeanor that left Andra and Andre speechless.

Andra let out a harsh sigh. "You finally found out. Sooner or later, you were bound to learn everything," he replied and gestured for Aryan to sit on the sofa in his office.

"Listen, we didn't plan any of this. Remember, it was you who brought Laura and introduced her as your future wife. We didn't force you to marry her," Andra explained, hitting Aryan with a hard truth. Aryan could only sit there, unable to respond.

"In fact, almost all of the expenses for Laura's medical treatment and care were covered by Dad. Dion, your friend, also wanted to help, so we accepted his contribution as a way to fulfill his responsibility. We knew Laura's parents well, but Laura herself didn't know about it. When you brought her home, Dad and Mom were actually happy because we knew Laura was a good girl," Andre added, looking at Aryan with a gentle expression.

"Do you love her? If you do, you should tell her the truth honestly, before she hears it from someone else. It will hurt her even more," Andre patted Aryan on the shoulder for support.

"I'm afraid, Dad, that Laura will be angry and disappointed, and she might leave me," Aryan said in despair. He knew Laura would be deeply hurt by all these revelations. The person who shattered her dreams turned out to be her own husband.

Andre and Andra were taken aback when they saw Aryan's shoulders trembling as he cried, covering his face with both hands in disarray.

"Come on, Aryan. You used to be the master of wooing girls; can't you win Laura's heart?" scolded Andra, feeling frustrated to see his younger brother appear so weak. The Aryan he knew had never known surrender or despair like this.

"Love?" Andra thought to himself. Love had the power to conquer everything. No matter how tough or resilient someone was, they couldn't resist the arrival of love.

Andre smiled and embraced Aryan. "You're no longer the spoiled little kid from before. You're a CEO who manages many employees and the head of a household now. So, handle your problems with a clear and wise mind," Andre said gently, and Aryan wiped away his tears roughly. What his father had said was true; he needed to fight for Laura's love.

"If Laura is worth fighting for then fight for it! Never give up before you try your hardest," Andra continued, patting Aryan on the back with a smile. Aryan looked at Andra and nodded. He knew about Andra's struggle to win Arabella's love, and it hadn't been easy. Now, it was his turn to fight for Laura's love.

***

The apartment door beeped open, and Aryan entered with a sense of unease. His head was pounding from thinking about everything that would happen. To calm his nerves, Aryan sat on the living room sofa and propped his feet on the coffee table. He leaned his head back against the sofa's backrest and lightly massaged the tip of his nose with two fingers. Aryan wasn't really ready to meet Laura at this moment, but his longing for her overcame his logical thoughts. It had been a whole day since he last saw the sweet-faced girl with rosy cheeks who had turned his heart upside down. With a sigh, he glanced at his wristwatch, which showed it was 1:00 AM. Laura must be fast asleep.

With a soft smile, Aryan watched the faint, peaceful expression on Laura's face as she slept. Slowly, he removed his clothes, leaving only his boxer shorts and a thin t-shirt. Then, he climbed into bed and slipped under the covers.

"I love you, Laura," Aryan whispered as he gently pulled Laura's body into his embrace.