Chapter 26

Chapter 26
Dawn broke, but the fading morning light behind the curtains brought no enlightenment for Elara. Adrian’s words, "That I might… love you," spun in her mind like a haunting mantra. Every fiber of her being throbbed with a mix of confusion, old anger that now felt so naive, and a new vulnerability she despised. She felt like a painter whose canvas had suddenly been torn, revealing layers she never expected. How could the man she hated so much, the man she considered a coward and heartless, utter such a sincere confession?

Elara pressed her palm to her forehead, trying to calm her chaotic thoughts. For years, she had built a fortress around her heart, using anger as mortar and betrayal as bricks. Now, that fortress was cracking, and an unfamiliar chill was creeping in. Did she hate him because he left, or because she was afraid of the feelings Adrian confessed?

A knock on her bedroom door startled her. “Elara? Are you awake?” Rina’s voice, soft and caring, pierced through the fog in Elara’s mind.

Elara got out of bed, took a deep breath, and opened the door. Rina stood there, carrying a light breakfast tray. Rina's sharp eyes immediately caught the dark circles under Elara's eyes and the uneasy expression she rarely saw on her friend.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Rina commented, placing the tray on the small table. “Did that stiff Adrian Mahesa finally manage to make you succumb to insomnia?”

Elara sat on the edge of the bed. “Worse than a ghost, Rina. Much worse.”

Rina raised an eyebrow, waiting. “Tell me. What happened last night? I heard you two worked late. Did you finally claw each other’s eyes out?”

Elara shook her head, a bitter smile crossing her lips. “No. We… talked. And Adrian… he said something.”

“Something that kept you up all night?” Rina sat in the chair opposite her, her gaze enveloping Elara with unconditional support. “What did he say?”

Elara looked at Rina, her eyes welling up. “He said… he loves me.”

Rina gasped, the tray on her lap almost falling. “What? Adrian Mahesa? The cold CEO of Mahesa Group? Said he loves you?” She held Elara’s hand, her eyes filled with unconcealed shock and delight. “My god, Elara! Isn’t that… isn’t that what you’ve always wanted? An answer to ‘that night’?”

“I don’t know what I want, Rina!” Elara stared blankly at the teacup. “I’ve hated him for so long, built my entire world on that hatred. Now, it feels like all those foundations are crumbling. How should I respond? How should I feel?”

“It’s not easy, of course,” Rina rubbed the back of Elara’s hand. “But think about it, Elara. He finally revealed what was in his heart. That took great courage for him, didn’t it? A man like him, always locked in his role.”

“He also said he was afraid,” Elara added, recalling the details of Adrian’s confession. “Afraid of me. Of what I feel when I’m with him. Afraid of the consequences.”

“What consequences?” Rina asked. “That he would become a normal human being with feelings?”

“He said, he was afraid he would love me,” Elara whispered, her voice choked. “That it was the most terrifying thing he could imagine.”

Rina sighed. “Sounds like poor Adrian, lost Adrian. Trapped in the golden cage of the Mahesa legacy. Elara, I know you’re hurt. But don’t you see… that he’s also hurt? That he’s also afraid? Maybe he doesn’t know how to be… a different Adrian.”

“I don’t know, Rina,” Elara admitted, her pain real. “My heart is too messy right now. I don’t know if this is a chance to heal, or just a new layer of pain.”

On the other side of the house, Adrian stood in front of his study window, looking towards Elara’s room, which was now lit. He had spent most of his night sleepless, replaying every word that had left his lips. The confession felt like a double-edged sword—freeing yet wounding. He had shed the mask that protected him, revealing his deepest vulnerability, and now he felt a terrifying emptiness, awaiting Elara’s reaction.

He picked up the phone, calling Baskara. “Bas, got a moment?”

“What’s up, Adrian? It’s unusual for you to call this early,” Baskara’s voice sounded sleepy. “Is there a new problem with Damar?”

“Not Damar,” Adrian said, his voice hoarse. “I… I told her. About my feelings.”

On the other end of the line, Baskara was silent for a moment, then a sigh was heard. “Finally. I had a feeling it would happen sooner or later. What was her reaction?”

“She was surprised. She said she needed time. I don’t know what that means,” Adrian admitted, rare uncertainty clearly audible in his voice.

“It means, Adrian, she’s human. And you just detonated an emotional bomb in the middle of her already complicated life,” Baskara said, his tone softer now. “Give her space. But don’t disappear again. That was your biggest mistake before.”

“I know,” Adrian rubbed his temple. “But what if she can’t forgive? What if her hatred is too deep?”

“Maybe she doesn’t hate you as much as you think, Adrian,” Baskara suggested. “Maybe she hates why you left. The difference is huge. Now, focus on work. That’s the only way you can prove you’re serious, not just with words.”

After the call ended, Adrian tried to calm himself. Baskara was right. Actions must accompany words. He had to prove that he had changed, that he wouldn’t run away again.

Around nine in the morning, they met again in the study. The atmosphere in the room felt thick and tense, like an overloaded electrical cable. Elara sat in her chair, her gaze fixed on the laptop screen, but her eyes weren’t truly seeing the flickering numbers or graphs. Adrian also sat, scanning documents with forced calm. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee couldn’t ease the tension that enveloped them.

“So,” Adrian began, his voice attempting to sound professional. “We need to review the budget for sustainable product line development. I want to see initial cost projections and potential long-term savings.”

Elara looked up, staring at Adrian. There was no usual smile or sarcasm. Only exhaustion and a hard-to-read gaze. “I’ve prepared a few scenarios. But there’s one thing I want to ask.”

Adrian tensed, knowing what was coming. “Yes?”

“That night,” Elara began, her voice soft but firm. “After we… were together. You disappeared without a word. You said you were afraid you would love me. But did you ever think, Adrian, what the consequences were for me? For my feelings?”

Adrian sighed, putting down the pen he was holding. “I… I know I was a coward. I know I hurt you. But I didn’t know how to explain it. I didn’t know how to deal with the emotions that suddenly overwhelmed me. I was never taught how to feel them.”

“That’s not an excuse, Adrian,” Elara retorted, a hint of emotion starting to creep into her voice. “That was a choice. A choice to run away. And I paid the price. I felt betrayed. I felt like… I wasn’t valuable enough for you to fight for.”

“No!” Adrian denied, his voice suddenly rising. “That’s not true. You are more than enough. You are… everything I never dreamed of but suddenly wanted. That’s what scared me. The thought that I could lose myself, lose the control I had built my whole life. It wasn’t because you weren’t valuable, Elara. It was because you were too valuable, too strong, too real. And I… I was just a man afraid to face the truth.”

Silence returned, this time heavier. Adrian’s sincere confession softened Elara’s heart a little, but old wounds still throbbed.

Suddenly, Adrian’s phone rang. He saw the name on the screen: Mr. Tirtayasa. He glanced at Elara for a moment, then answered the phone. “Yes, Mr. Tirtayasa.”

The lawyer’s voice sounded serious from the other end. “Adrian, Elara. I’ve just received bad news. Damar has just filed a lawsuit against Mahesa Group and Kencana Mode on the grounds of ethical violations and misuse of charity funds. He has some ‘evidence’ he collected from within your company.”

Adrian felt his blood run cold. “What evidence? That’s impossible!”

“He claims there was misappropriation of funds in a previous charity project that was never revealed to the public, and he implies that this merger is an attempt to cover up tracks,” Mr. Tirtayasa explained, his tone flawless. “Sensitive information has leaked. I’ll be right there with the lawsuit documents. We need to prepare.”

Adrian hung up, his jaw clenched. He looked at Elara, his eyes filled with burning anger. “Damar… that bastard. He’s not just accusing us, Elara. He’s trying to destroy both of us. He knows our weakness.”

Elara felt a cold fear creep through her. This wasn’t just about ego and legacy anymore. This was a real threat to the reputation she had painstakingly built, to the vision she fought for. “What do you mean ‘our weakness’?”

Adrian stood up, walking around the table. “He will definitely attack ‘that night’. He knows about the scandal, or at least a twisted version of it. He will twist everything. Claiming that our personal relationship is the reason behind the merger, that this is all a ploy for personal gain, not charity.”

Elara gasped. “But… nobody knows about that night! Just the two of us, Rina, Baskara… and Mr. Tirtayasa.”

Adrian shook his head, his face grim. “There are a few others. Hotel employees. Maybe a driver. Or, and this is what I fear most, Damar has found a way to manipulate information, or he has someone among us giving him information.”

The study door suddenly opened, revealing Mr. Tirtayasa rushing in, his face serious. In his hand was a thick folder. “This is worse than I thought. Damar hasn’t just filed a lawsuit. He’s also spread rumors to the media about a ‘secret scandal’ involving Adrian and Elara, related to the company merger.”

Elara and Adrian exchanged glances. Fear and anger mixed in their gazes. This threat not only attacked their companies but also their personal integrity, especially twisting "that night" into a weapon.

Mr. Tirtayasa opened his folder, pulling out a sheet of paper that looked like a conversation transcript. He glanced at Adrian with a sharp look. “And he has a recording. A recording of your conversation, Adrian, with someone at Mahesa Group. This conversation discusses a ‘complicated situation’ after an ‘unexpected night’ with Elara Kencana, several years ago.”

Adrian felt his whole world stop spinning. A recording? Which conversation? The fear he felt that night hit him again with full force. He remembered telling a senior executive he trusted, seeking advice in his panic. He never expected it to boomerang.

Elara looked at Adrian, her face paling. A recording of Adrian's conversation about “that unexpected night”? That could be a weapon of mass destruction for them, validating every nasty rumor Damar spread. A betrayal far greater than just disappearing. This was proof that he had discussed the incident, potentially tarnishing Elara's name.

“What did you talk about in that recording, Adrian?” Elara asked, her voice low and cold, yet radiating a piercing danger. The trust that had just begun to grow between them was now threatened to crumble to dust. Her gaze was no longer one of hurt, but one ready for war. Adrian had just confessed his love, but would this recording show another side, a far more damaging one? Would all his efforts to mend things be undone by the truth that had just been revealed?

Mr. Tirtayasa looked at both of them, his usually amused gaze now filled with deep concern. “This is a real time bomb. And that recording, if it leaks to the public, could destroy everything. Even before you both have a chance to explain.”

Outside the window, the sky began to cloud over again, reflecting the storm that had just hit the room. The stakes were now much higher. It wasn’t just about the company, not just about Grandma’s legacy, but also about reputation, future, and the only chance to heal past wounds that were now threatened to be brutally exploited. Adrian had revealed his love, but would Elara ever trust him again after this? That question hung in the air, heavier than storm clouds.