Chapter 24

Chapter 24
The journey to Eyang Subroto’s villa felt like a procession towards a delayed execution. Inside the luxurious Mahesa Group sedan, the atmosphere between Adrian and Elara froze, colder than the air conditioning chilling the cabin. Adrian sat rigid on one side, his gaze fixed on the cityscape that gradually transitioned into countryside outside the window, as if he could escape with just a wish. Elara, on the other hand, crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes staring straight ahead, at an unseen point between the driver’s seat and Adrian. The faint scent of Elara’s perfume still lingered, now mixed with the smell of new car leather, creating a suffocating cocktail for Adrian. He felt every breath Elara took was an unspoken accusation.

Adrian opened his lips, trying to break the silence. “We need to be professional,” he said, his voice hoarse and unlike his usual tone. “This is about Eyang’s will. Both our companies are at stake.”

Elara gave a soft snort, a sound laden with annoyance. “Professional? After what you just said? You want me to forget everything, just to obey your manipulative grandfather’s will?” She turned, her gaze burning. “I’m working with you, Adrian, not because I want to, but because I’m forced to. So don’t you dare tell me about professionalism.”

Adrian clenched his hands in his lap. “You don’t have a choice. Neither do I. Damar wants to see us fail. He wants Mahesa and Kencana to fall. We won’t let him.”

“Oh, now you care about Kencana Mode?” Elara sneered bitterly. “You used to see it as a stumbling block, didn’t you? A rival to be trampled on.”

“That’s not true.” Adrian felt his anger rise, but he forced it down. Control. He had to maintain control. “I’ve always valued your creativity, even when we competed.”

“Strange appreciation,” Elara retorted, her eyes flashing sharply. “That night, you appreciated me. The next morning, you appreciated the speed of your escape. Which one is true, Adrian?”

A sudden pause hung in the air. The driver, a calm middle-aged man, seemed unfazed, as if he was used to his bosses' drama. Adrian swallowed hard. Elara’s words stung right at old wounds he had tried to bury deep.

“I already apologized,” Adrian said, his voice low. “What else do you want from me?”

“I don’t want anything from you,” Elara said, looking straight ahead again. But this time, Adrian could see a faint tremor in her shoulders. “I just want you to admit the truth. That you never saw me as anything more than a challenge. An… experiment. And when you saw the consequences, you backed away.”

“Elara, that’s not fair.”

“Not fair?” Elara laughed cynically again. “You know what’s not fair? Rebuilding myself piece by piece after you shattered me, only to be forced to work with you, in a secluded villa, under the watchful eyes of your deceased grandfather, as if we… as if we’re pawns in his game.”

The car slowed, turning sharply onto a gravel path flanked by lush trees. A tall wrought-iron gate with intricate ornaments slowly opened, revealing a magnificent classic colonial building. The villa stood gracefully amidst a vast, well-maintained garden, surrounded by towering pine forests. The late afternoon sun illuminated its white walls, radiating an aura of nostalgia and solitude. Far from the city’s hustle and bustle, this place felt isolated from the world, like a trapped time capsule.

“We’ve arrived,” the driver’s voice interrupted.

Both stepped out of the car, carrying their respective bags. The air here felt cleaner, but also heavier with the potential for impending conflict. The villa itself seemed to breathe with Eyang Subroto's memories; every carving on the door, every tile on the terrace, spoke of a man full of plans and secrets.

Mr. Tirtayasa awaited them on the terrace, accompanied by Baskara and Rina, who looked awkward. Baskara offered Adrian a sympathetic smile, while Rina hugged Elara tightly.

“The documents are prepared in the study,” Mr. Tirtayasa said, gesturing inside. “This villa has two separate master bedrooms upstairs. A full kitchen, dining room, and family room downstairs. You’re free to use any facilities Eyang left behind. Please remember, there’s no internet connection here other than a limited one for work purposes. Eyang believed that sometimes isolation is key to concentration.” He smiled amusingly.

Adrian grumbled softly. “Eyang loved playing games.”

“Eyang liked to see his grandchildren reach their full potential, even if it meant a little coercion,” Mr. Tirtayasa replied, his eyes twinkling. “You have three days. A strong presentation, Adrian, Elara. Don’t let Damar win. We’ll come back to pick you up on the third day, right before the presentation.”

With that, Baskara, Rina, and Mr. Tirtayasa said their goodbyes, leaving Adrian and Elara alone on the quiet villa terrace. The sound of their car driving away faded, leaving them with deafening silence.

Elara turned, looking at Adrian. “This is crazy. He really locked us both up here?”

“It’s an order, Elara,” Adrian sighed, entering the main lobby. The villa’s interior felt warm and luxurious, with carved teak furniture, Persian rugs, and tastefully blended modern abstract paintings. “And Damar is a real threat.”

“I know Damar is a threat!” Elara followed, her voice rising. “But that doesn’t mean I have to pretend everything is fine between us. How can you possibly think we can work calmly after all this?”

Adrian stopped in the middle of the living room, looking at the large, empty stone fireplace. “We have to. This is about Eyang’s legacy. About hundreds of employees in both companies. About a charity project that will help thousands of people.” He turned, his gaze cold and firm. “We don’t have the luxury of letting personal emotions take over. For the next three days, you are my colleague, CEO of Kencana Mode. I am your colleague, CEO of Mahesa Group. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“Really?” Elara approached, challenging Adrian’s gaze. “Nothing more, nothing less? So, that night… was just a slightly off-track ‘business collaboration’? A miscalculated ‘investment’?”

Adrian felt his heart pounding. Elara had an uncanny ability to penetrate his defenses with a single sentence. “I already told you, I regret the way I handled it. It wasn’t about you, Elara. It was about me. My own fears.”

“Your fears? What could an Adrian Mahesa be afraid of?” Elara smirked. “Losing control? Becoming… human?” She observed Adrian’s expression, which didn’t waver even slightly. “Alright. Let’s be professional. I’ll take the room in the east wing. You can take the west wing. We’ll meet in Eyang’s study in… ten minutes. We have three days, so we need to start now.”

Adrian nodded, feeling a little relieved that Elara accepted the challenge, albeit with a sarcastic tone. “Good. I’ll set up my laptop. And we’ll review all financial reports and projections.”

They ascended the grand carved wooden staircase, without exchanging glances. Elara turned left, Adrian turned right, heading to their respective rooms. In her room, Elara placed her bag on the king-sized, silk-draped bed, her eyes sweeping over the spacious, elegant room. Large windows overlooked the back garden, where a blue swimming pool sparkled under the twilight. This place, which should have been a paradise, felt like a luxurious prison. She walked to the balcony, breathing in the fresh night air, but her heart still felt heavy. She tried to clear her mind of Adrian, but every corner of the room seemed to whisper his name. Eyang Subroto had chosen this place deliberately. A villa that had witnessed many stories, many secrets.

Adrian felt the same in his room. His room was identical, yet the ambiance felt different. He touched an antique desk, feeling the smooth texture of the wood. He knew this was where Eyang often worked, where he devised strategies, where he might have pondered the fate of his grandchildren. Adrian saw an old book on a shelf, with a worn leather cover. He picked it up, and inside, there was an old photograph. A photo of a young Eyang Subroto, smiling broadly, holding hands with a beautiful woman. Behind the photo, Eyang’s handwriting: Love and Competition. Two sides of the same coin. It only takes one spark to turn everything upside down.

Adrian stared at the photo, then went out onto the balcony, looking towards Elara’s room opposite. The window there was brightly lit. He imagined Elara there, composing her thoughts, perhaps also looking in his direction. Eyang's words felt like a clue, or perhaps, a curse. He knew that Eyang believed the relationship between Mahesa and Kencana was more than just competition. Eyang always saw deeper. He had planned something.

Adrian turned, stepped to the desk, and opened his laptop. He had to focus. Damar was the main threat. However, as he tried to access financial data, his mind kept returning to Elara, to the anger and pain that radiated from her eyes. And to the spark that still hid behind them. The spark Eyang said could turn everything upside down.

Elara finally entered Eyang’s study, finding Adrian already seated in one of the leather chairs, his eyes fixed on his laptop screen. The light from the crystal chandelier reflected off the large desk, which was now covered with stacks of documents. There was an aroma of freshly brewed black coffee, which somehow only worsened the tense atmosphere.

“I’ve gathered all our initial budget data,” Adrian said without turning, his voice flat and efficient. “Mr. Tirtayasa said Damar is targeting our project budget and profit projections. We need to make everything as accurate as possible, and show how the leakage incident will not affect the long-term viability of the project.”

Elara pulled up a chair opposite Adrian, placing her laptop down. “And you have a brilliant idea how? Considering you suspect Kencana caused the leak.”

Adrian finally looked up, his gaze sharp. “I never specifically suspected Kencana. I suspected anyone involved in the project.”

“Including me?”

Adrian sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. “Listen, Elara. We don’t have time for this. Damar will destroy both of us. Let’s set aside all the drama and focus on work. We can discuss our personal issues after all this is over.”

“No, Adrian,” Elara countered, her voice quiet but firm. “We can’t. You know why? Because all this drama is the root of the problem. How can I trust you to defend this project, to defend Kencana Mode, if I know you still think I might be capable of doing something so terrible? Or if you still treat me like… something you can touch and discard?”

“I never discarded you!” Adrian snapped, suddenly. His face flushed, his mask of composure cracking slightly. “I… I just didn’t know how. I didn’t know how to deal with… the intensity we shared. I didn’t know how to combine that with my responsibilities.”

Elara stared at him; there was a rare vulnerability in Adrian’s voice that surprised her. She had never heard Adrian admit such weakness. “So, you ran.”

“Yes,” Adrian confessed, his gaze meeting Elara’s, a deep pain in those blue eyes. “I ran. Because I was afraid. I was afraid of what you could do to me. Of what we could do to each other. I was a coward. I know it.”

Silence once again enveloped the study, this time different. Heavier, more laden with emotion, as if the villa walls themselves held their breath. Elara felt the walls of her anger crack, little by little, opening a small gap for other feelings. Adrian’s words, such an honest confession, were the last thing she expected.

“Then what now?” Elara asked, her voice almost inaudible. “We’re stuck here. Together.”

Adrian looked at her, his gaze usually as cold as ice now radiating doubt and something deeper. He had no answer. There was only confusion and a tug-of-war of emotions he didn’t know how to handle. Outside the window, night began to creep in, engulfing the villa in dense darkness. A lightning bolt suddenly struck in the distance, followed by a rumble of thunder that shook the windows, as if nature itself was intervening in their drama, signaling a bigger storm was coming, not just outside, but also between the two of them.