Adrian's POV
Finally, I found her! Angkasa was holding that girl's fingers so tightly as they stood before me. Her petite body looked fragile, trembling under my gaze. I immediately softened my expression, realizing that the girl must be trying hard to appear brave.
"Hello, Sir... My name is Nadia..."
Yes, that's your name! My heart swelled, filled with unstoppable happiness. I always believed in how God works with His plans—the fate He weaves for His creations, including reuniting two hearts that have long been separated. Just when I was about to give up on the last will of my best friend and late wife, God, in His unpredictable way, made it all possible.
I reached out my hand, trying to approach the girl—Nadia. From her reaction, I knew she truly had no idea who she really was. Nadia looked hesitant, but slowly, my hand was met by hers.
"...Let's have dinner together, okay? Do you like shrimp cream soup with sweet corn? Nuri made quite a lot. I hope you'll help me finish it." I smiled gently, then linked her delicate fingers to my arm.
Slowly, I guided her further into the house, toward the dining room. My other five children just stared, stunned by my words and actions just now. But who cares? I was too happy to care about them.
The lover Angkasa mentioned to Bumi turned out to be Nadia! Yes, this girl is the child I saved ten years ago during that fire incident. How am I so sure? It's simple. Nadia has a unique birthmark—a faint black spot shaped like a small cloud on the right side of her neck. More than that, Nadia's face resembles that of my late friend's wife, Aruna!
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Our steps felt light as I brought Nadia into the mansion. I could see her gaze full of admiration, tracing every corner of the medieval-style interior that adorned the room. Her faint smile seemed to savor the beauty around her.
I smiled and decided to explain a bit to Nadia about the interior design that I had not changed for years.
"My late wife really loved the classic medieval style. She said it always reminded her of her hometown."
Nadia's round eyes looked at me with curiosity. She seemed truly captivated.
"Wow, Father's wife had an amazing taste!" she said, sincerely praising.
My heart ached hearing that. I could only smile softly.
'Ivana, if only you were still alive, look at this now. Our sweet little girl has grown up and become so beautiful.'
I turned my gaze forward, letting memories of the past greet me once more. At that time, Nadia was just over three years old. My wife, Ivana, and I visited my best friend, Gabriel Moretti, and his wife, Aruna. We brought Angkasa along, who was only eight years old back then.
"Sis, what if we arrange for our children to get married when they grow up?" Aruna suggested with a wide smile.
Ivana, who was cheerfully playing on the fur carpet with little Nadia, immediately turned to Aruna. Her eyes sparkled, and she nodded enthusiastically.
"Umm, with Bumi? Or maybe Banyu? Which one, Aruna? Ah, I totally agree!" Ivana replied excitedly.
Adrian and Gabriel, sitting not far from them, could only glance at each other and shake their heads, hearing such playful chatter. However, unexpectedly, Angkasa, who had overheard his mother's words, suddenly approached little Nadia. With unexpected courage, he pulled Nadia's tiny body into his embrace.
"With me! Marry me!" he shouted possessively. Angkasa's words instantly made the mothers fall silent. Gabriel and Adrian widened their eyes, both shocked and amused by such a serious tone coming from a child. But after realizing his innocence, their expressions softened, almost holding back laughter.
"Kyaa! They are so cute, Aruna! Maybe Bumi or Banyu are too far apart in age, huh? Oh, I almost forgot about my little hero—Angkasa!" Ivana exclaimed while hugging her friend, getting caught up in the excitement.
Aruna smiled broadly and nodded in agreement.
"Right, Sis! Alright, in the future, we will marry off Angkasa and Nadia together!"
That afternoon, the conversation grew livelier. The mothers began envisioning the future of their children, planning their fates as if the world was in their hands.
I pulled out one of the chairs at the dining table and invited Nadia to sit. With a wave of my hand, I signaled Roberto to inform Nuri to prepare dinner right away.
"So, what do you do for a living, dear?" I asked gently, sitting at the end of the table. Nadia sat beside me, giving us a bit more space to talk.
She paused for a moment, as if searching for the right words, before finally answering. "I work as a freelance IT specialist at a publishing company, Father." Her smile looked a bit different, and there was something behind that smile that made me suspicious—something she seemed to be hiding from me.
"Besides that?" I continued, slightly curious. "Oh, and how did you meet Angkasa, hmm?" I asked teasingly, noticing Nadia's cheeks slowly turning red.
"T-that..." Nadia seemed hesitant for a moment, and—
Creak!
"Nadia is a novelist, and we met at my café because she often visited there. That's how I got to know her." Angkasa suddenly pulled out a chair and sat next to Nadia, rudely cutting off my sentence. He looked so casual, as if his impolite act meant nothing. I held back my anger, trying not to explode.
I shifted my gaze, noticing my other five children already sitting in their respective seats. On my right side sat Anindya, my fourth daughter, and next to her was Sekar, my youngest, who was now in college. Beside Sekar was Bumi, my eldest son, who now managed several family businesses I had entrusted to him. On my left side was Angkasa, sitting next to Nadia, while next to Angkasa sat Banyu, my second son, who worked for the Valdera City government and also performed secret duties as the family's spy—a role unknown to anyone else.
The food started to be served, and we began enjoying dinner, though a bit late. Silence filled the room, with only the clinking sounds of spoons and forks echoing, filling the space between us.
Adrian's POV END
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A few moments later...
The atmosphere of the dinner slowly returned to calm. Only the clinking of spoons and forks echoed among us.
Suddenly, Sekar, who was sitting at the end of the table, seemed unable to hold back her curiosity. "Oh,Nadia, umm, may I call you that?" Sekar asked casually, still eating. Nadia just nodded, giving a sweet smile as a sign of agreement.
Sekar continued, "So, Brother, are you serious this time? To be honest, this is the first time I've seen you bring someone home. All this time, you've always been so cold toward women, hehe..." Sekar chuckled lightly, but there was a hint of curiosity that couldn't be hidden in her voice.
Sekar's words instantly made Angkasa fall silent and clear his throat, feeling embarrassed because his youngest sister was being so blunt, but...
"He never brings anyone, but..." Bumi chimed in sarcastically. Angkasa's gaze immediately turned sharp toward Bumi.
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Bumi just gave a mocking snort, unfazed by Angkasa's piercing glare, and continued his words. "Angkasa never brings any woman because he always rejects anyone's invitation to date! Anyone who approaches him will surely feel his harsh rejection! Hey, you know, the girls you turned down are way better than that snot-nosed girl next to you! Isn't she the failed novelist, Nadia Putri Anjani? That's your name, right?"
THUD!
This time Bumi's words really crossed the line! Angkasa couldn't take it anymore, especially hearing his brother also insult Nadia.
Angkasa slammed his fist on the table hard, creating a loud thud.
The dining room instantly tensed up with an overwhelming sense of unease. Everyone immediately stopped eating.
"YOU! APOLOGIZE TO NADIA! DAMN IT!"
Everyone fell silent, feeling the vibration of Angkasa's fury that dominated the room. All this time, he was known as a calm person, not easily carried away by emotions, but this time he couldn't hold back. Bumi's words were so hurtful, especially because he linked Nadia with an undeserved insult.
Bumi, who still looked calm and unaffected by Angkasa's anger, spoke again with a mocking tone. "Oh, why should I apologize to your lover, huh? Did I say something wrong? It's true, isn't it? Your girlfriend is a failed novelist!" Bumi added with a sneer, not feeling guilty at all.
"You...!" Angkasa couldn't hold back his rage, his voice rising, but—
SLAP!
"STOP IT!"
A commanding voice interrupted the heated argument between Angkasa and Bumi. The head of the family, Adrian, who was sitting at the end of the dining table, unleashed his powerful aura of authority. The atmosphere immediately turned silent, as if the entire room was struck by the voice coming from his mouth.
"What are you doing? We're having dinner, and you're fighting?!" Adrian shouted, his voice full of anger. "Bumi, what kind of words are those? Why do you always cause trouble? And just now? You insulted Nadia?! She's our guest—be respectful!" Every word from Adrian's mouth was like a thunderbolt, adding tension to the dining table.
Adrian took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions. His previously upright sitting posture slightly relaxed. He looked at each of his children in turn, as if emphasizing who held control here.
His gaze briefly landed on Nadia, who sat with slumped shoulders, visibly affected by Bumi's harsh words.
"Being a writer doesn't mean your work is immediately accepted by the masses. Many great writers out there also experience failure," Adrian said gently, trying to give Nadia some comfort. He reached for her back, patting it warmly to offer some solace.
But his eyes returned to Bumi, who now just looked down, avoiding his father's gaze.
"I'm happy to see us all gathered like this," Adrian said in a softer but still firm tone.
"But there's something I need to say directly. Angkasa, come back home." Adrian's gaze firmly fixed on his third son.
Adrian then turned his attention to his eldest son. "And you, isn't that your duty, Bumi? To bring Angkasa back home? Answer me!"
Adrian's voice grew louder, putting pressure on Bumi to take responsibility for what he should have done.
Bumi just scoffed softly but didn't say anything. He kept his head down, as if avoiding accountability. Adrian continued, his voice deeper and more intense.
"Angkasa, we've been staying silent for too long. I'm saying this because each day, the Governor is getting more and more out of control. The Atmadja name has been completely tarnished!" Adrian's words carried a cold, piercing tone, exuding a threat that couldn't be ignored.
Nadia, who had been quiet all this time, felt uneasy. She didn't know anything about this conversation, but it was clear that this was a deep family issue.
Atmadja.
That name was so well-known, even feared, in the city of Valdera. Nadia knew full well how powerful that name was, associated with various terror and illegal activities that stained the city. Valdera was infamous as a mafia stronghold with unmatched brutality.
"I-I..." Her voice broke, filled with anxiety.
"I'm sorry, F-Father... I shouldn't be here, should I? I have nothing to do with..."
Nadia felt that she didn't deserve to be in the middle of a problem far greater than she imagined. She was just an ordinary person with dreams of becoming a famous writer; this issue seemed far more significant and dangerous than just a fictional story.
Adrian just gave a faint smile, one full of meaning. He knew that although Nadia didn't fully realize it, the forgotten past would soon reveal its truth. He was determined to help Nadia remember who she really was, who her real parents were, and how the Atmadja name was connected to her.
"Calm down, dear," Adrian said in a softer voice, trying to ease Nadia's anxiety.
"After dinner, I will show you... who Atmadja truly is."