“You know, Madam. This decision of yours is reckless.” Petrus, as Fernando’s family’s personal lawyer had reprimanded me many times, and I didn’t care at all.

To hell with my family’s lawyer, he would never know anything. Like how Aaron’s love for me was overflowing. I believed him, he was the husband who had tied the knot with me three years ago in front of the priest, and he promised to take care of me until I died. So, there was no reason for me to suspect him, let alone think that something bad would happen to our marriage after I handed over all of my family’s inheritance to him.

“Don’t be stupid, Petrus. He is my husband!” I answered in a high tone.

The man lowered his head, my anger had made him feel that he had been impolite. He should have known that from the start.

“I’m sorry, Madam. I just wanted to protect you.” Petrus tried to explain.

“From my husband?” I joked while mocking him.

I folded my arms across my chest, trying to suppress all the emotional turmoil in my heart. I brushed back my loose hair, then folded the hem of my skirt and sat on a row of blue chairs, right in front of the entrance of a door that had the words local district court written on it.

“Humans are the greatest treacherous creatures of all time, Madam. Never mind a husband who is not blood related. Even one family can betray each other.”

I clicked my tongue, waving my hand so that Petrus wouldn’t speak again. Everything that came out of his mouth made me sick.

I turned my head, when the blue mini car was parked nicely in front of the lobby, then I looked again at Petrus who was still standing right next to me who was sitting.

“You see, he even picked me up. He’s still taking me home when he is busy with his work, don’t you see how sincere he is to me?” I mocked Petrus again.

I left, while responding to the wave of the handsome man who came out from the side of the car’s driver seat. I smiled broadly, hugged him, and kissed him. Yes, he was Aaron, my husband who had always been suspected by Petrus. A suspicion that was completely unnecessary.

How could it not be, who didn’t know Aaron’s family? The Abbas family was a family that still had very thick Middle Eastern blood. They owned a business empire that was not only in one country, but the world. All that wealth was more than enough to live in luxury for seven generations, when compared to my inheritance, it was nothing at all. So what should Petrus be worried about all that? A very stupid thing.

“What’s with the ugly face of your family lawyer, Merry?”

I shook my head, after we finished kissing I immediately got into the passenger seat and smiled at my beloved husband.

“No, he was just making small talk with me.”

Aaron looked at Petrus, shrugging his shoulders. He didn’t seem to like Petrus from the start.

“But everything went smoothly, right?” Aaron asked.

I immediately lifted a large brown envelope, a document that I had almost forgotten about. I smiled widely just as Aaron enthusiastically looked at the entire contents of the document.

“This is amazing!” Aaron exclaimed. I knew that he would be very happy with this gift. A small promise of mine, to give him all my family assets as a gift for his 40th birthday. “I never expected that you would do all this for me, Merry. I love it.”

“Because I love you, Aaron. And you should know that in this world there is nothing more valuable than you.”

“I love you too.”

We kissed again for quite a long time, until the sound of a car horn managed to make us both laugh, and we decided to leave the place immediately.

The next day, Aaron seemed ready. I was quite confused because Aaron had never told me before that he was going on a business trip or anything.

“You will go?” I asked, tying my hair up carelessly, then I walked over and kissed Aaron on the cheek.

My husband was very neat, a blue suitcase was already by his side. Aaron nodded then he smiled at me.

“I regret not telling you this earlier, Merry. I regret having to leave for two weeks, Merry.”

I was silent for a moment, it was unusual for Aaron to leave suddenly. Was the company not doing well?

“Tell me, is the company in trouble?” I asked, starting to worry.

“No. I don’t have time anymore, Merry. I have to go.”

I didn’t have time to accompany him for breakfast, I saw Aaron leaving in a hurry. I took a deep breath, it felt so heavy to see my husband leave, especially since he will be gone for so long of course.

“Is your husband gone?”

I stopped in my tracks. It was that man again, I had tried to avoid him for so long. Yes, Imran Abbas who was none other than Aaron’s uncle who always interfered with my life. I didn’t know what the man’s goal was, I just felt annoyed by his attitude of knowing it all.

“Didn’t you tell him to?” I said, a little annoyed.

Imran was the holder of the highest throne and heir to the Abbas family fortune. As the only son in this family, it was as if he had a golden ticket to get everything, and all members of the Abbas family had to obey all his orders. Unfortunately, Imran’s age was not much different from Aaron, his nephew. The two were only two years apart in age.

“Tsk! Why didn’t you follow him? Who knows, he might not be away… working.”

I didn’t understand what he said, only that I was given a phone that displayed a location tracking application, and I saw that the green dot that was moving was most likely Aaron’s movement.

I was about to get angry, but I started to notice that the direction Aaron was heading was not the airport but one of the apartments in the downtown district.

“Nadya Thomas. Surely you are familiar with that name, right?”

“What do you mean?” I started to feel annoyed. However, Imran did not answer anymore, the man immediately left.

I held my chest quite tightly, I started to be curious about Aaron’s GPS point. Until finally, I took my coat and immediately I rushed to look for the point. And it turned out to be true, Aaron’s car was parked neatly in a basement of the apartment.

I started to feel anxious. I knew one of the owners of this apartment unit was Nadya, my best friend.

My tears fell on my cheeks, my body shook violently seeing all this. Like a nightmare that I never wanted, I witnessed all the heartbreaking things with my own eyes.

I walked over to them, I pulled Aaron’s arm roughly. Both of them were shocked by my presence but I didn’t care.

“What are you doing!” I was angry. I looked at Nadya and slapped her, Nadya just stayed silent while holding her cheek. “You’re my best friend, Nadya. You’re my best friend! And he’s my husband!”

“Shut up!”

The slap landed smoothly on my cheek. It was a slap from the man I loved so much, a slap from the man I loved. A slap that destroyed all my trust and love in one go. How could Aaron slap me for that other woman!?

“You slapped me, Aaron? I’m your wife!” I was out of control.

Aaron looked at me with that smirk, I had no idea what was getting into Aaron. I could even see clearly that Aaron had no regrets at all, I could see it clearly from his eyes.

“Then why did you slap my girlfriend, Merry?”

My tears just fell. Stupid! I shouldn’t have cried, I should have been strong and acted okay in front of them!

“She’s my best friend, Aaron.”

“So?”

“I’m your wife! How can you say you’re having a relationship with your own wife’s best friend?!”

I pushed Aaron’s body, but he pushed me back. I fell, and I could clearly see how painful all of this was.

Nadya immediately embraced Aaron’s body, her eyes looking at me with a mocking gaze. Here it was clear that I had lost, lost to my own best friend. I couldn’t imagine how I could compete over my own husband with… my best friend?

“Mommy!” the shout managed to make me turn my head, I could see Miki, Nadya’s son from her boyfriend, came to embrace his mommy. I knew Miki, I loved that five-year-old boy sincerely. Like my own child. “Daddy!”

My eyes opened wide, I was immediately stunned stupidly when Miki hugged Aaron’s body tightly while calling him … Daddy.

Did I hear it right? I didn’t hear it wrong, right?

“What kind of reality is this? Isn’t he … he ….”

“Miki is my son from my boyfriend, and my boyfriend is … your husband. Isn’t all this clear, Merry?”

My heart was broken, I didn’t even want to accept this day at all. I wanted to curse God, how could he give me such a terrible fate? What kind of fate was this?

I lost to those wretched people like Nadya and Aaron, and I didn’t even know what to do now.

“Okay…” I said, I didn’t want to look weak in front of them. I had to prove that I could stand strong, even though my heart was shattered. “Now I know that you two are a perfect match. In fact, a traitor is the most suitable for a shameless thief. You’re so cruel to be the third person in your best friend’s relationship. Yes, congratulations, you are great people. Now, return my family’s wealth, and I will take care of our divorce afterward.”

“Your family’s wealth?” Aaron acted stupid. I still couldn’t understand how a man could be as shameless as him. “Which family wealth are you referring to, Merry? You have nothing left.”

I was shocked to hear that. What did Aaron mean?

“My entire family inheritance that I gave to you. Give it back!”

“You have given it to me consciously, and legally all your family’s wealth is mine. So you have no right to take back something you have given me!”

I could only shake my head, I didn’t know what to do anymore. Especially when Aaron stood in front of me and slapped my cheek so painfully.

“You know, in my eyes you are trash. An old-fashioned woman with old-fashioned thinking, a woman who is not modern and boring. Do you think that all this time I married you for love, or because I was attracted to you?” Aaron laughed, and now he was walking, circling my body. “If I hadn’t been eyeing your family’s inheritance, I would never have wanted to touch, let alone marry you, Merry.”

I could only squeeze my chest that felt sore. In fact, it hurt so much, I couldn’t feel my own pain. Aaron left, holding Miki’s hand while embracing Nadya into the elevator in the apartment’s basement as if he was creating a happy little family, while I was only considered trash by him.

I cried again, screaming like an idiot, not caring if anyone saw me now. I just wanted to let out all my emotions, rather than going crazy alone here.

Because in the end I was dumped, and in the end I was abandoned by a man I loved so much.

I gasped when my fallen coat returned to my body, a tall man hugged me from behind. Like a hero, he led me into his car and made sure I was okay. With eyes still swollen, with cheeks still wet, I could clearly see that Imran was sitting behind the wheel. Yes, that man was Imran, Aaron’s uncle.

“Now you know your husband’s motives, right?” he asked lightly. He was smoking as if he wanted to enjoy the cold atmosphere that had begun to creep into the deepest part of his bones. The black car seat was in harmony with the color of his half-wet hair.

“Since when?” I asked. Imran turned to me, his firm jawline hardening, then he looked away again with a grin.

“Even before you were married.”

Both of my hands gripped the skirt I was wearing tightly again, even to the point that my knuckles turned white. Damn! How long had they been having an affair behind my back? And I stupidly didn't know.

"Why didn’t you just tell me?" I asked again.

"I thought you weren't stupid enough to give your entire family inheritance to him.”

Imran looked back at me. Now his gaze looked very dark, cold, and scary. A sad look from his caramel-colored eyes managed to make me look away, I really didn’t feel comfortable being stared at like that.

“It turns out I was too late.” He continued then. He immediately pressed the butt of his cigarette, and lit another new cigarette.

“Then, why did you tell me now? Isn’t he your nephew?” I asked finally. This was one of the things that confused me about the figure named Imran.

Imran smiled again, now he puffed out his chest. His head came closer to me even until our faces almost met. I couldn’t blink in a situation like this. His warm breath was felt on my cold cheeks.

“Don’t you want to play a game?” he whispered. The distinctive aroma of tobacco from high-class nicotine was so sharp. I turned my face away again while waving my hand. I didn’t like the smell of men who smoked.

“Stop playing with me, Imran.”

I was about to leave, but Imran immediately grabbed my wrist tightly. It hurt so much, I tried to release his grip, but the grip felt even tighter, causing me pain. I stared at Imran fiercely, until he smiled, and released my grip.

“I can take your family inheritance back from Aaron’s hands. It’s a very… easy thing.”

I raised one of my eyebrows, for some reason I suddenly felt uneasy hearing Imran’s words. However, my heart that was already hurt was quite curious. What kind of game did Imran want to play so that I could get my inheritance back? Because I would not want my family’s wealth to be used by Aaron to have fun with Nadya, his mistress.

“How?” I asked finally.

I clearly saw Imran smile again, as if I had fallen into his trap, that’s what I saw from the cunning eyes of Imran Abbas.

“First of all, divorce Aaron.”

“You don’t need to tell me to do that!” I answered quickly. What kind of game was that? I didn’t understand Imran’s way of thinking at all.

“Then marry me.”

Hearing that, I immediately turned to look at Imran. And my eyes widened even more in disbelief right when his lips suddenly started to crush mine. What was Imran trying to do to me?!

“What are you doing, Imran?”

I pushed Imran’s body. The man seemed to click his tongue then he wiped his lips which were probably already full of my lipstick.

Insolent! Who was he to dare do this to me? He kissed me. He was truly a shameless pervert!

I immediately got out of his car, then Imran followed my steps hurriedly. The man seemed reluctant to let me go, that’s what I saw clearly from him.

“Do you think you will get justice in the Abbas family, hm?” Imran spoke again. “And your mother-in-law will defend you after Aaron’s affair was exposed?”

I stopped in my tracks, I saw how Imran smiled as if mocking me. This was really something that made me sick.

Actually what Imran said was true. Mother, no… I mean the Madam who was none other than Aaron’s mother did not really like me from the start. It was clear from her cold attitude, as if… she was indifferent.

Every time Aaron was at home, my mother-in-law put on a perfect show. Like a mother-in-law who cared the most about her daughter-in-law, like the most perfect mother-in-law. But in reality, every time Aaron left the house, that coldness was obvious and I started to feel oppressed. Pain, that's what I felt, but I tried to endure because of a marriage relationship. Damn it, really!

"If you take the opportunity to follow my wishes, then you will get everything. Your inheritance, and your revenge."

"I don't want you to be used as a tool for something that I don't know yet."

After saying that, I hurried away. Because I didn’t care about Imran’s words anyway. For me, the entire Abbas family was not good. Not only my mother-in-law, my husband, but everyone there.

And sure enough, when I was at the main residence of the Abbas family, I was about to tell her about Aaron’s affair with Nadya. However, my steps stopped right when I saw Aaron had come home, he was sitting with his mother in the living room, crossing his legs and both of them were enjoying wine.

“This is a good thing, Aaron! In the end you got an inheritance from that damn woman’s family?”

I clenched my fists tightly, this was truly unimaginable. Did… did that cold woman also know about Aaron’s plan?

“That’s right, Mother. That way we don’t have to beg Uncle anymore. Even though we only get 10% of the Abbas family’s inheritance each, if we are able to process the petroleum from the Merry family’s land, it is certain that our wealth will be comparable to the Abbas family!” the shout was heard loudly, then both of them laughed simultaneously.

Hearing that, my heart was broken. My legs were no longer able to support my body and I just collapsed on the floor. Really, this family is so cruel. They were able to play their roles perfectly as if it looked very beautiful. As if they cared so much, and loved me. But in reality….

“Now I have nothing to do with Merry, and I don’t care whether she wants to divorce me or not, what is clear is that at your birthday party the day after tomorrow, I will bring Nadya and our child to come, Mother. She is your grandson, and I will announce firmly to all members of the Abbas family that we will be engaged right after Merry and I divorce.”

What should I do? I didn’t want to be humiliated! I must take revenge for what they've done to me!

While stumbling, I tried to find Imran. I saw that the broad-backed man was standing in the back garden. With both his hands in the pockets, he finally turned around, as if he knew I was coming to see him.

"How is it? Have you got an answer?"

Both of my hands clenched tightly, I swallowed my saliva with difficulty several times before my voice came out perfectly.

“Before I make a decision, can I ask you a few things?”

The man nodded, inviting me to ask anything. His two long legs stepped forward, then he smiled at me again. His big fingers began to touch my cheeks, feeling me, and brushing aside my hair that covered part of my cheeks.

“You are very beautiful, Maria.” He whispered which made me shiver.

I immediately stepped back, I pushed his hand away, he seemed to laugh. But I didn’t see him angry at all of course.

“Why do you want to help me? Isn’t Aaron your nephew? And his mother is your sister.”

I was really curious about this, that’s why I wanted to ask directly to make sure if the decision I made was right. Because I don’t want to fall into the same hole, because I don’t want to be harmed by anyone again in terms of heart, feelings or material.

“I have wanted to do this for a long time. All this time, that mother and son have been trying their best to bring me down, to shift my position as the owner of the most wealth and the ruler in this family.” Imran seemed to click his tongue, then he sat down on a park bench. I, who was impatient with Imran’s answer, sat down beside him. “By getting married, then being able to seize your family’s inheritance back, then I can work with you personally. That way I can save my position in this family, and you can save your family’s inheritance and Aaron loses everything. Do you understand?”

“Then, why do we have to get married?”

“Because I don’t want to lose, and I want you. Do you think there is any help in this world that is free?”

I swallowed hard again. Indeed, for Imran, his life was the same as business. He would never give in, make an exception. Because according to him, there must be a price to be paid in proportion to everything he would do.

I was silent again for a moment, then I looked at Imran with my confident gaze. Everything was going to be okay, right? Aaron, believed me after this all the games will start soon!

“Okay.”

Imran seemed to pull one eyebrow, he smiled perfectly. He even looked at me with that seductive gaze.

“Say it clearly, Maria.”

“Okay, I am willing to marry you. Do you think my words are not clear to you?”

Imran smiled, then he clapped his hands perfectly. He was very happy with my decision.

“However, before we get married, and before you divorce Aaron, I actually want one more thing from you as proof, Maria.”

I turned again to Imran, the man had even stood up, walking in front of me and that succeeded in making me stand up and follow his steps.

“What is it? Tell me.”

“Just think of it as… proof.” Imran immediately looked at me with that grin, he walked closer to me again, then his thumb pressed my lips, and wiped off the lipstick on my lips. Until then he said, “make love to me tonight, Maria.”

My body froze for a moment, I couldn’t even think straight. Especially when Imran had attacked my lips, and led me into his room.