Chapter 15 – A Meeting in Shadows
Chapter 15 – A Meeting in Shadows
Chapter 15 – A Meeting in Shadows
Reyhan Azhari had always believed in timing—knowing when to strike, when to hold back, and when to let others underestimate him. That morning, however, patience was not an option.
The moment he stepped into his private office, he instructed his head of security, “Arrange a meeting with Dr. Wiratma Gunawan. Today. Discreetly.”
There was no hesitation from his staff. Within hours, a location was confirmed: a private lounge in the upper floors of the Grand Meridian Hotel. Neutral ground, away from both the Azhari Group headquarters and Gunawan’s corporate fortress.
\---
By evening, Reyhan arrived. The lounge was dimly lit, its walls lined with bookshelves and vintage whiskey bottles, the kind of place where powerful men traded secrets over expensive drinks.
Dr. Wiratma Gunawan was already there, seated at a corner table, his posture relaxed but his eyes calculating. The man wore a charcoal suit that fit like armor, his silver hair swept neatly back.
“Reyhan Azhari,” Gunawan said as Reyhan approached. “I was beginning to wonder when our paths would cross again.”
“I don’t like wasting time,” Reyhan replied, taking the seat opposite him. “So let’s get to it. What do you want with Nadira?”
Gunawan smiled faintly, as if amused by Reyhan’s directness. “Straight to the point. I admire that. But you should know—Nadira is family. I have every right to reach out to her.”
“You mean control her,” Reyhan said sharply.
Gunawan poured himself a drink, unbothered. “Control is a matter of perspective. She has potential, Reyhan. Untapped, but very real. She belongs in my world, not as someone’s assistant.”
Reyhan’s eyes narrowed. “She belongs where she chooses to be. And from what I see, she’s chosen to keep her distance from you.”
“That’s only because she doesn’t understand the opportunities I can give her,” Gunawan said, his tone smooth but laced with something darker. “You, of all people, should know how the right guidance can change everything.”
Reyhan leaned forward, his voice low. “If your version of guidance is anything like the rumors I’ve heard—contracts that chain people to you, favors that can’t be repaid—then I’ll make sure she never needs what you’re offering.”
Gunawan’s gaze hardened. “Careful, Reyhan. You’re young, ambitious, and far from untouchable. If you stand in my way, you’ll learn just how small you really are in this game.”
\---
They sat in silence for a long moment, the weight of unspoken threats filling the air. Finally, Reyhan stood.
“This isn’t a game to me,” he said. “If you try to drag her into your schemes, I’ll be the one standing in your way. And I won’t lose.”
Gunawan chuckled, though there was no humor in it. “We’ll see.”
\---
The drive back to his penthouse was quiet, but Reyhan’s mind was far from still. He knew what kind of man Gunawan was—calculated, patient, and willing to play the long game. A direct warning wouldn’t scare him off. If anything, it might make him more determined.
When Reyhan walked into his living room, the city skyline glittered outside the glass walls. He poured himself a drink but didn’t touch it, instead pulling out his phone and making a call.
“Track all of Dr. Gunawan’s recent movements,” he instructed his private investigator. “I want to know everyone he’s met with, every meeting he’s scheduled, every cent he’s moved. And keep it off official channels.”
\---
The next morning at the office, Nadira noticed the shift in him. He moved through the day with sharp focus, issuing precise orders and cutting meetings short. But when she brought him his afternoon coffee, his eyes lingered on her longer than usual.
“Did you know he’s looking for you?” Reyhan asked quietly, without preamble.
Her hands stilled on the edge of his desk. “…You went to see him.”
“Yes.” His tone was calm, but there was steel underneath. “He made it clear he considers you part of his family. He also made it clear he doesn’t like me in his way.”
Her lips parted in shock, but she quickly looked away. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“I don’t regret it,” Reyhan said. “If anything, I regret not doing it sooner.”
“Reyhan, you don’t understand—”
“I understand enough,” he cut in. “Enough to know he’s dangerous. And enough to know I’m not letting him near you.”
Nadira’s voice trembled. “If you keep pushing him, he’ll hurt you. Or worse—he’ll hurt the company. That’s what he does.”
Reyhan stood, walking around the desk until he was close enough for her to see the determination in his eyes. “Let him try. I’ve dealt with worse.”
She shook her head. “You don’t know how far he’s willing to go.”
“Then tell me,” Reyhan said softly. “Tell me what you’re so afraid of.”
But Nadira only stepped back, her hands curling into fists. “I can’t.”
\---
That night, Reyhan received his investigator’s first report. It wasn’t much—just a list of Gunawan’s recent meetings. But one name caught his eye: Elena Darmawan.
Reyhan’s jaw tightened. Elena wasn’t just his former lover; she was a skilled strategist who knew exactly how to exploit weaknesses. And if she was aligning herself with Gunawan, it meant only one thing—trouble was coming, and it would strike where it hurt most.
Reyhan set the report down and stared out at the city. The battle lines were being drawn, and Nadira was at the center of it all.
He had already made his choice: he would protect her, even if it meant making enemies that could destroy everything he’d built.
Because somewhere between boardroom negotiations and late-night arguments, she had stopped being just his secretary.
And that changed everything.