Forced Marriage

This is where Liza is, in a cafe that is already busy with office workers who still haven’t entered their respective rooms to carry out their duties. The design of this cafe looks very neat and luxurious, Liza knows this cafe after seeing the cafe recommendation paper lying around on her husband’s desk.

The air was still cool, Liza looked at the Dior branded watch that was wrapped around her wrist.

“It’s already eight o’clock,” he muttered as he kept looking around at everyone who had just come into the cafe.

Liza was a little disappointed because Dilan had not yet come to meet her, even though the man had promised to come at half past eight at this cafe.

Liza started tidying up her hair which was a bit messy because it was guessed by the wind when she came from the parking lot.

Wearing a knee-length navy dress, she looked very beautiful. Has bright white skin, a muscular body with a nose and lips that are very beautiful to the eye. Her current appearance is more like that of a young child, it’s not uncommon for Liza to get admiring glances from people passing by in this cafe since half an hour ago.

Liza flashed a smile on her thin lips when she saw the arrival of the man she had been waiting for.

The 40 year old man still looks very handsome in a short black shirt combined with jeans. It looks really charming, people who see it will definitely think that Dilan is still 25 years old.

Dilan’s face looks sweaty, it is certain that he came in a hurry.

“Sorry Li, I’m late. The problem is the roads are really jammed,” explained Dilan as he sat across from Liza.

“It’s okay, I understand why.”

Dilan smiled with relief. A second later he stared closely at Liza’s face, which still looked the same as before. Without him noticing, a drop of clear water immediately dripped down his cheek.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“How long has it been, Li? Now you’ve changed a lot. From the way you sit, your gaze, your appearance has even changed a lot. You’re not like the Liza I knew before,” Dilan said softly, his feelings at the moment were mixed. He was very happy to meet the woman he had missed for the past 17 years. But on the other hand, his feelings hurt when he met Liza, who was different from before.

Liza nods her head, her eyes start to tear up. He also tried to change the subject, ignoring Dilan’s questions.

” Miss , ” Liza called , waving her hand at the cafe maid .

The cafe maid immediately approached Liza with a book listing customer orders.

“What would you like to order ma’am?”

” Orange juice and fruit salad , bro , ” replied Liza .

“Ready ma’am, what do you want to order?” asked the cafe maid to Dilan, after finishing writing Liza’s list of orders.

“Just coffee and fried chicken, bro,” replied Dilan.

“Okay, please wait for the order sir, ma’am,” said the waiter, he immediately sauntered off to the kitchen to prepare the customer’s orders.

“Li, how are Joan and the children?” asked Dilan and Liza nodded.

“Okay, they are healthy Lan. How about you alone? Your partner is fine, right? How many children do you have now?” asked Liza to solve her curiosity.

“What? partner? I’m not married yet Liza,” Dilan said, surprising Liza.

“Oh my gosh it’s true, so far Dilan has never been close to any woman,” Liza thought screaming.

Previously, when in America, Liza had obtained all the data about Dilan’s life. In fact, what made Liza feel sorry for Dilan the most was the death of both parents and Dilan’s broter 5 years ago due to a car accident. Dilan is living alone now without a wife as well as a family figure.

“Oh,” Liza replied briefly, she lowered her head again, not daring to look at Dilan.

“Did Joan treat you very well, Li?”

“Yes Lan, he’s a good husband”

“But….,” Liza trailed off.

Dilan raised an eyebrow, a sign that he was very curious about the continuation of Liza’s answer.

“bro Joan does have my body beside her, but my heart doesn’t fully belong to her. Every day, I’m always haunted by guilt for making you and Yuna suffer,” Liza continued.

Dilan knit his eyebrows even more, he really didn’t understand Liza’s words.

“I’m sorry Lan, all of this is because of me. I should have disapproved of my marriage to Joan from the start,” Liza said. Her cries started breaking on the spot, swiftly Dilan embraced the woman’s body.

They both dissolved into silence , only sobs could be heard from both of them .

“I’m afraid Li, in this world there are no more people I can love with all my heart. Mom, dad and my broter have even left me. It feels like I’m numb, I have no passion to do anything but work hard so I can die quickly,”

“No Lan, you still have me. I’ll come back to you soon, believe me!” whispered Liza soothing Dilan, she rubbed Dilan’s back lovingly.

****

This morning Joan and Dafa visited a cafe which is said to be the cafe with the best service in this city. Vino cafe already looks crowded filled with employees who are looking for breakfast before doing activities in their office.

Dafa started to sit down on a chair followed by Joan who also sat beside him.

They chose to open the table upstairs, because downstairs was full and there was no place left.

“Jo, what would you like to order?” asked Dafa while flipping through the food and beverage menus.

“Just orange juice and salad, because I’ve already had breakfast at home,” said Joan to which Dafa nodded.

“Okay, then I want to order Jo’s food first”

“Just call Daf’s maid, you don’t need to go there”

“I want to pay at the cashier as well, so that when you’ve eaten you can take it straight away. Later you’ll transfer the cost of your meal to my account Jo! ” Shouted Dafa who was already running towards the cashier.

Joan just gave a thumbs up. She chose to stand and enjoy the view, the breeze was so cool this morning. Joan glanced towards the first floor, beside that floor there was a fish pond. But it was not the fish pond that caught Joan’s attention, but because he saw his wife hugging a man who was already familiar to her.

With furious steps, Joan ran down the stairs to the first floor, her emotions peaked when she saw Liza affectionately stroking Dilan’s hair.

” Liza ! ” Joan shouted startling everyone on the first floor . All eyes immediately turned to the three people who were in a tense state .

Joan immediately pulled his wife’s hand away from Dilan.

Joan grinned at his wife “Oh so this is an old friend you wanted to meet Li?”

Liza lowered her face not daring to look at Joan’s face which was now filled with anger.

Joan’s hand lifted Liza’s slender chin, automatically Liza’s face lifted to meet her husband’s beady eyes.

” IF YOUR HUSBAND ASKS , YES YOU WILL ANSWER ! ” Joan snapped .

Everyone present was looking at Liza with disdain. All they have in mind is the figure of a wife who is having an affair with her husband.

Liza was crying uncontrollably when Joan threw her face to the side .

” Stop Joan ! Don’t hurt Liza ! ” Dilan begged trying to protect Liza from the punch that Joan would soon deliver to the woman ‘s body .

As a result, it was Dilan who was hit by Joan’s burly hands. Dilan fell to the floor , while Liza immediately became emotional and turned into a very scary figure in front of Joan .

Plaque … Liza lands a hard slap on her husband’s cheek. Liza’s eyes were full of anger, and so was Joan’s.

“How could you Li! So this is the reason you asked us to move to Indonesia? Because of Dilan, right?”

“Yes, I want to go back to Dilan,” Liza answered confidently.

Joan rubbed her face in exasperation , she did not expect Liza to return to being the woman who rejected her like seventeen years ago . Clear liquid started to run down his cheeks.

“I’m tired bro, for seventeen years I have to pretend to love you. Back when our child was born, I thought of being your complete woman, but when I learned the truth that you covered up a secret about my biological mother who was killed by Aunt Zea, I didn’t I can trust you again!”

” Who ? Who told you ? ” asked Joan . His body shook with fear.

“Yuna’s older broter, she hears everything you and Papah talk about,” explained Liza again. 16 years ago David met her and told her all the secrets Joan had hidden. But Liza doesn’t want to tell this to Joan, she has lost her trust in the man. Joan can’t help but let herself cry over the corpse of the woman who killed her own biological mother.

“About that, I’m really sorry. I just don’t want your condition to get worse, besides you were also pregnant at that time. I’m afraid something will happen to our baby,” Joan said, sounding pleading. He gripped Liza’s hand tightly.

“It’s too late,” Liza threw her hands away harshly.

“You are selfish bro, you only care about our child without caring about my feelings. You are greedy. Do you think being happy over the suffering of other people makes me happy, huh?”

“From now on, I beg of you! Come back to Yuna. She has lost her mind because of you. Forget about me! I won’t be long anymore, I want to improve myself and make amends to Dilan. As for the children, just give it to me! I I will take care of them,” Liza said, making Joan’s heart feel like a dagger was stabbing her.

“Don’t be Li, poor children. He still needs us. I beg you! Please understand my feelings, I love you and the children too,” said Joan. He hugged his wife tightly.

Again Liza let go of her husband’s body roughly “It’s too late, my heartache has become too much. I also wouldn’t do this if I knew I was still long. But, you caused me to become sick like this”

” What have I done ? I have never hit you or committed violence , so why do you think that I was the reason you got this deadly disease ? ” said Joan in astonishment .

“If only you hadn’t married Yuna on that day, I wouldn’t have been bleeding at the age of my pregnancy, which had just entered its first trimester. The doctor said that the bleeding was what caused me to have this cancer. Our children should not be present in this world, so I can stop my acting right then and there,”

” What ? ”

Joan was stunned by Liza’s answer. He never thought that all this time Liza was only acting in front of him.

Liza smiled sinisterly , remembering her pain that day . Starting from he was bleeding, to Yuna’s rough treatment which almost killed her fetus. He could no longer forgive Joan , for him Joan was just the father of his children . Nothing more than that.

For that he wants to make amends to Dilan. On the other hand, he wants to return Joan to Yuna, who has been suffering from a mental illness for years after being divorced by Joan.

~To be continued~

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