The question hung in the air, leaving me tongue-tied. I squeezed the hem of the long dress I was wearing, trying to find the courage that seemed to be hiding somewhere.
“I...” My voice caught, and I struggled to find the right opening sentence. How was I supposed to tell such a shameful story to someone I’d only met a few hours ago?
Master Arya said nothing, simply waiting patiently. His gaze was still as sharp as before, but this time there was something different in it—a hint of sincerity beneath the surface. For some reason, that slowly gave me the courage I needed.
“It all started with our household expenses, Master,” I began softly. “My husband’s income is unpredictable, while the bills keep coming. At first, I tried taking out legal online loans to cover our daily needs. The neighbor’s child whose schooling I helped pay for, household expenses, all kinds of things, Master.”
I drew a long breath, gathering what little courage I had left.
“But apparently, one loan led to another. You know, robbing Peter to pay Paul. Eventually, with the interest becoming more and more suffocating, I had no choice but to look for another loan that was easier to get approved. I didn’t realize it, Master, but it turned out to be... an illegal loan.” My voice faded at the end, shame spreading all the way to the top of my head.
Master Arya remained silent, but his expression shifted slightly, as if he were processing every word I said.
“From there, everything spiraled out of control, Master. The debt collectors called at all hours, sent threatening messages to all the numbers in my contacts, and even spread the news to our neighbors. I tried explaining it to my husband, but...” I stopped for a moment, hesitating to continue.
“But what?” Master Arya asked, his voice gentler, as though giving me room to keep talking.
“Actually, I don’t want to expose my husband’s shame, Master. But I didn’t know what other excuse I could make. My husband... his income was never enough to cover our household needs. But every time I tried to discuss it calmly, he got angry and accused me of saying he was incapable of providing for us. When all I wanted was honesty, Master. For us to talk heart to heart and find a solution together. But it felt like I didn’t even exist to him. Everything I said went in one ear and out the other.”
Clear tears began to gather in my eyes, but I held them back with all my strength so they wouldn’t fall in front of someone I had only just met.
“The worst of it came when the debt had piled up, and my in-laws and my husband blamed me for everything. They said I was wasteful and incapable of managing money. But I did everything I could just to keep the two of us going. No one knew how hard I’d racked my brain to keep food on the table, to make our marriage look fine in the eyes of other people.”
I lowered my head even further. It was humiliating to admit all these failures in front of a successful CEO like Master Arya. The worlds we lived in were so completely different.
“Maybe I really am incapable of being a good wife, Master. Just like my husband and in-laws always tell everyone. I’m still living in my parents’ house, and yet I have millions of rupiah in debt.” My voice trembled at the end, followed by the tears that finally spilled over, impossible to hold back any longer.
Silence fell for a moment. The only sound was the gentle ripple of water in the swimming pool filling the quiet between us.
“It’s not your fault.”
I looked up, startled by the firm words that had come so suddenly from his lips.
“It’s your husband who’s incompetent,” Master Arya continued, his voice cold this time, but firm. “A husband who lets his wife struggle alone to cover the household expenses, then blames her when everything falls apart—that isn’t the wife’s fault. That’s the failure of a head of household.”
I froze, never expecting to hear someone defend me like that—especially someone who had only known me for a few hours.
Master Arya leaned back, staring intently at me as if weighing something in his mind.
“Tell me,” he said at last. “How much money do you need to pay everything off?”
I went still at the question. My heart pounded, caught between disbelief and confusion over how to answer. How could someone I hadn’t even known for a full day offer that much help, with no strings attached?
“M-Master, I can’t accept that. I... I haven’t done anything and I’m already causing trouble, staying here, and now you’re even—”
“I asked for the amount, Ayu. I wasn’t asking for your permission.” His tone turned firm again, just like when I first heard him speak after he got out of the car earlier.
I lowered my head, lips pressed tightly together, not knowing what else to say. Shame, emotion, and a hint of fear from some unknown source churned together in my chest. Yet Master Arya’s expression showed no sign that he intended to back down. He waited for my answer with an unwavering gaze.
“A-a lot, Master,” I stammered, my voice barely audible. “Around... three hundred million.”
The words slipped out, making me bow my head even lower, mortified beyond words. How could I possibly repay that much in my lifetime, with the meager income I had?
Master Arya was silent for a moment. There was no surprise on his face, nor the scoff people usually let out when they heard such a large amount. His expression remained calm, as if the figure meant nothing to him.
“I’ll give you five hundred million,” he said at last, his voice flat but decisive.
I looked up quickly, unable to believe what I’d just heard. “M-Master, I only need three hundred. Why would you—”
“But you’ll work for me until it’s paid off.” His words cut me off completely, leaving me speechless. “How about it?”