Chapter 27

Chapter 27
Damar’s blow felt more devastating than just a lawsuit. Mr. Tirtayasa’s words, “A recording of your conversation, Adrian, with someone at Mahesa Group,” echoed in the chilling silence, piercing the heart of the calm Adrian and Elara had just built. The air in the study expanded, feeling heavy and suffocating, like an invisible weight pressing on their chests. The previously faint morning light now felt so cold, revealing shadows of doubt dancing in Adrian and Elara’s eyes.

Elara looked at Adrian, her face deathly pale. The confession of love that had just been uttered, the promise of vulnerability she thought was sincere, now felt like ashes scattered by the wind. The familiar pain, the feeling of being betrayed and worthless, gnawed at her again with doubled force. This wasn’t just about disappearing. This was about discussing, defiling.

“A recording?” Elara whispered, her voice barely audible, yet radiating a bone-chilling danger. The trust that had just begun to grow, like a fragile sprout trying to push through hard ground, was now threatened to crumble to dust. “What did you talk about in that recording, Adrian?”

Adrian felt his heart pound, beating against his ribs like a war drum. Blood ran cold in his veins. He closed his eyes for a moment, flashbacks of the panic after that night haunting him again. The foolishness, the fear, and the ignorance that made him seek advice from the wrong person.

“I… I was just trying to find a way out of the panic, Elara,” Adrian said, his voice hoarse. He found himself staring at the floor, unable to face Elara’s gaze, which now radiated deep anger and hurt. “I panicked. I was confused. I didn’t know how to deal with what happened between us, how to handle my chaotic feelings. I… I spoke with one of the senior directors, Mr. Hartono, whom I thought I could trust. I… I just mentioned that there was a complicated situation, and I accidentally mentioned your name and ‘that unexpected night’.”

“Accidentally?” Elara stood up, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. “You accidentally mentioned my name and that night? The night that was supposed to be our secret? The night you just left without explanation, and now you discuss it with others, recording it, as if it’s just a business problem that needs solving?” Her voice rose, full of pain and accusation. “You said you love me? How can I trust a man who discusses my shame behind my back?”

Mr. Tirtayasa sighed, his gesture calming. “Calm down, Elara, Adrian. Let’s hear the details of this recording. Damar wouldn’t use it if he wasn’t sure he could twist it.” He retrieved several transcript sheets from his folder. “These are the parts Damar gave to the media. He didn’t release the full recording, just the most damaging excerpts.”

Adrian moved closer, forcing himself to read the transcript Mr. Tirtayasa provided. His own sentences, spoken in panic and confusion, now seemed horrifying in the new context.

“...a very complicated situation, Mr. Hartono. I didn’t expect this to happen… I don’t know how to deal with… Elara Kencana. After that night, everything became… uncontrollable. This could have a huge impact on the company, on Mahesa’s good name… I must ensure no one knows… our reputation is at stake.”

Adrian held his breath. Damar had carefully chosen those parts, stripping away all his personal vulnerability and leaving only the impression of someone cold, calculating, and self-serving.

“He cut out the parts where I expressed my fears, my madness, my doubts,” Adrian explained, his voice now filled with despair. “He only took the parts where I sounded like a ruthless CEO trying to cover up a scandal for the company’s benefit. He wants to destroy us, Elara. Not just me.”

Elara read it, her lips trembling. Her heart sank. Even though Adrian tried to explain, the chosen excerpts truly made it sound like he only cared about reputation, not about her. That was the Adrian she knew—cold, strategic, and ruthless—not the Adrian who had confessed his love to her last night.

“And the part where you said you were afraid you would love me, Adrian?” Elara asked, her voice trembling. “Was that also part of your panic to protect Mahesa’s reputation? Was everything you said last night just… a tactic?”

“No! For God’s sake, Elara, no!” Adrian exclaimed, finally managing to look up, his eyes radiating genuine pain. “That was the most honest confession that ever came out of my mouth. That recording happened months ago, when I was still a coward afraid to face my own feelings. When I still thought that covering up and running away was the only way.” He pointed at the transcript. “That was the old Adrian. The foolish Adrian, the scared Adrian. I have changed, Elara. I… I’m trying to change.”

“But what’s the difference, Adrian?” Elara retorted, tears starting to well up in her eyes. “You ran away then. And now, you’re caught red-handed discussing it behind my back. You never thought I had feelings, did you? That it would hurt me more than anything?”

Mr. Tirtayasa interrupted, looking at both of them with a stern yet concerned gaze. “Your personal arguments are very important, I know. But right now, we are facing a major war. Damar is not just attacking Adrian, or Elara. He is attacking Grandma Subroto. He is attacking the legacy Grandma tried to build. He is trying to tarnish the family’s good name, and especially, this charity project.”

“Damar doesn’t care who gets hurt,” Mr. Tirtayasa continued, tapping the table. “He just wants to see Mahesa Group and Kencana Mode collapse, so he can take over the remnants of the ruins. His lawsuit for alleged misappropriation of charity funds, coupled with rumors of scandal and this recording, is a coordinated effort to destroy both your credibility in the eyes of the public and the board of directors.”

“So, what should we do?” Adrian asked, his face hardening again, his CEO mask starting to reform. His anger at Damar temporarily overshadowed his despair over Elara. “We can’t let that bastard win.”

“Of course not,” Elara said, her pain still very real, but her survival instinct now taking over. Damar was a common enemy. “But how do we fight this, Mr. Tirtayasa? If the recording leaks fully, or if he spreads more lies?”

“We must be proactive,” Mr. Tirtayasa replied. “I will draft a strong rebuttal letter to Damar’s lawsuit, demanding concrete evidence for the alleged misappropriation of funds. For the media aspect, this is more complicated. Rumors of personal scandals, especially involving two prominent fashion company CEOs, are fertile ground for the press.”

He looked at Adrian and Elara alternately. “There are two options. First, we vehemently deny all accusations and dismiss them as unfounded personal attacks, but at the risk that Damar will release the full recording or other evidence he might have. Second, we… control the narrative. We can admit that there was a ‘complicated past relationship’ between you, but insist that it has nothing to do with the merger or Grandma Subroto’s charitable goals.”

Elara gasped. Admitting their relationship to the public? “You mean, we have to… admit the truth?”

“Or at least, a version of the truth that is publicly acceptable,” Mr. Tirtayasa corrected. “We can frame it as a misunderstanding, an unintentional night that caused hurt, but which you have now resolved for a greater purpose. This will disarm Damar’s main weapon.”

Adrian looked at Elara. Controlling the narrative. That meant they had to unite, at least in the public eye. It meant they had to face ‘that night’ together, in front of everyone, with all its consequences. “What about… the details of the recording?”

“We can claim that Adrian was seeking advice from a colleague on how to handle a complicated personal situation amidst work pressure, and that Damar has manipulated the context of that conversation,” Mr. Tirtayasa proposed. “But that means you two must appear as a solid front. No doubts, no divisions.”

Elara’s heart churned. The feeling of betrayal still burned, but she knew Mr. Tirtayasa was right. This was no longer about Adrian or herself. This was about Grandma’s legacy, about Kencana Mode, about Mahesa Group, and about hundreds of employees who depended on them. Damar had to be stopped.

“I don’t know if I can do that, Adrian,” Elara said, her voice low and full of hurt. “Fabricating a story about ‘resolving’ our issues in public, when behind the scenes… I’m not sure we can fix it.”

“We don’t need to fix everything behind the scenes right now, Elara,” Adrian countered, his tone firm, but his eyes still pleading. “We just need to work together to defeat Damar. To protect what Grandma left behind, and what we have built. After Damar is defeated, we can deal with the rest of our problems.”

Mr. Tirtayasa nodded. “Adrian is right. This is a temporary truce in your personal battle for a larger war. The stakes are too high for ego or wounded hearts. You must decide, immediately. We don’t have much time before Damar releases his next attack.”

Elara closed her eyes, imagining the headlines that would circulate. CEO Scandal. Fake Merger. Charity Funds Misappropriated. The name Kencana Mode, which she built with blood, sweat, and tears, would be tarnished. Grandma Subroto’s name would be sullied.

She opened her eyes, looking at Adrian. The man who had betrayed her many times, yet also the man who dared to confess his love, and now, the man who was equally Damar’s target. An uncomfortable alliance, formed in the shadow of a threat.

“Alright,” Elara said, her voice hardening with determination. “We will fight Damar. We will control the narrative. But one thing, Adrian.” Her gaze pierced Adrian, cold and sharp. “After all this is over, never think that your foolish conversation recording will be easily forgotten by me.”

Adrian nodded slowly, the pain of Elara’s disappointment clearly reflected in his eyes. “I would never expect you to forget, Elara. I just hope… I will get a chance to prove that I deserve your trust again.”

Suddenly, Adrian’s phone rang again. An unknown number. He answered it, his expression turning darker. He listened for a moment, then hung up, his jaw clenched.

“What’s wrong?” Elara asked, sensing a bad premonition.

“It’s from a PR agency hired by Damar,” Adrian said, his voice almost choked with anger. “He didn’t wait. He just anonymously released excerpts of that recording to several online media outlets. And he added a narrative that ‘reliable sources’ have revealed that you two will appear in an exclusive interview tomorrow morning, to explain ‘your complex personal relationship’ and ‘the motivation behind this forced merger’.”

Elara’s eyes widened. “An interview? Tomorrow morning?” The threat was no longer just a threat, but a stark reality hitting hard. They didn’t just have to plan; they had to act. Now. And that meant there was no time to heal their personal wounds. They had to appear as a couple in front of the whole world, whether they were ready or not. And the question that hung in the air, heavier than storm clouds: who was the "reliable source" that leaked the interview plan they hadn't even decided on yet? The real battle had just begun.