Naura let out a harsh breath. She felt trapped in a situation she never wanted. It had all started when Papa caught her trying to run away, causing the man she loved to suffer a heart attack. Reluctantly, Naura had to agree to this ridiculous arranged marriage. The room she was in now felt like a prison. She could no longer run anywhere.
Feeling cornered with no way left to escape, Naura rose with a sullen expression when Nadia led her out of the bedroom by the hand. Wearing a peach kebaya, Naura looked breathtaking. Her hair was pinned up in a messy bun, and her makeup was natural.
When she reached the living room, Naura scanned all the faces in front of her. Not many people had come—only their immediate families. They had even held the engagement ceremony in secret at a private villa to avoid the media.
Naura's brown eyes finally settled on a tall, handsome man who was staring intently at her. Naura snorted softly. The man in front of her was probably just like every other man she'd ever met—a lover of beautiful women. Just look at how he's reacting to me. Naura thought confidently.
Naura narrowed her eyes, feeling as though she'd seen her prospective husband before. But where? Her thoughts scattered when she heard the voice of a man around Papa's age, whom Naura was certain was her prospective father-in-law. If she'd heard correctly, his name was Zainudin. The man around Papa's age had an authoritative, deeply religious presence. But Naura also felt that there was something familiar about him.
Uncle Zainudin still looked dashing despite no longer being young. It was only natural that his son would be just as handsome. His face was a blend of East Asian and Middle Eastern features. Ugh, Naura, seriously! She was also sure that Uncle Zainudin was the kind of prospective father-in-law who should have a righteous woman for a daughter-in-law, not someone like her. Whatever had possessed this family, Naura truly didn't care.
“As we agreed yesterday, my family and I have come today to ask for your daughter's hand for our son, Rafa.”
Rafa, Rafa ...
The name felt familiar to Naura. She decided to study her prospective husband more carefully. She wanted to figure out where they had met before. According to Papa, her prospective husband wasn't a stranger—in fact, Naura knew him well. So focused on her own thoughts, she barely paid attention to what the elders were discussing.
Naura squinted. Then, a few seconds later, she caught an evil smile spreading across her prospective husband's lips. She felt as if she'd seen that smile before. Wait! Wasn't he ...? Like scenes from a movie, memories of her childhood replayed one after another in her mind. Then came the most painful scene involving the man in front of her, bringing all of Naura's hurt and disappointment rushing back.
“I hate you, Raf! I never want to see you again!” Naura had screamed when she saw Rafa arrive. She was still lying in a hospital bed.
“But, Ra. I didn't do any of this. How many times do I have to tell you?” Rafa had said softly, his voice full of frustration. He'd hoped the girl he loved most would be willing to trust him.
“Stop lying! You've always hated me, haven't you? You and Amanda are exactly the same—you're both awful!”
“Ra, please, just listen to my ex—”
“Enough! I don't want to hear any more explanations! Go away!”
When the memory, looping like a broken tape, finally stopped, Naura glared at Rafa with pure hatred. Yet the man in front of her wore an entirely ordinary expression. No! There was no way she was going to marry him!
Naura sprang to her feet and glared furiously at Rafa. Everyone's attention turned to her. She nearly voiced her refusal outright when Nadia touched her sister's hand and gave her a sharp warning look with her dark eyes.
The atmosphere grew tense. Naura scanned everyone's faces again, reconsidering her refusal when she saw Papa looking at her pleadingly. Naura knew she'd lost. She couldn't be selfish and let Papa get sick again. At the very least, she didn't want him to remain haunted by worry.
“What is it, honey?” asked the gentle-voiced woman in a hijab whom Naura knew was her prospective mother-in-law. The woman, whose face had the distinctive oriental features of someone from the Land of Ginseng, gazed at her with a warm smile. She's still just as warm and kind as she was back then, Naura thought.
Naura stammered, unsure what to say. “I ... I ... I'm just really nervous.”
Everyone smiled, including Rafa. He was thoroughly entertained by Naura's reaction when she recognized him just now. Rafa knew he might have to fight even harder to win Naura's heart, because the woman in front of him clearly still couldn't forget what had happened in the past.
Nadia, understanding the situation, chose to stand. “Sis, don't embarrass our family. Look at Papa. Do you want him to have another heart attack?” Her whisper sounded like a spell. Whenever Papa's health was brought up, Naura couldn't argue. Resigned, she nodded and sat back down.
Naura sat right beside Papa, directly facing the man who would become her prospective husband. The oriental-featured woman snorted, her eyes shooting toward Rafa as if trying to tell him that she didn't like this arranged engagement. Rafa wasn't about to lose, either. His brown eyes fixed Naura with an intimidating stare.
Too busy trading insults with their eyes, the two of them failed to understand what everyone else was discussing about their engagement. It wasn't until Abimanyu reprimanded Naura that they realized they had become the center of the family's attention.
“Looks like they can't wait to get married. They've been staring at each other like that this whole time,” Nadia said with a small smile, and of course, everyone else laughed along. Nadia was only making small talk to lighten the mood. After all, she wanted the engagement to go smoothly, and she didn't want Naura to ruin it.
“Then I suppose there's no need to wait too long,” Khumaira agreed.
The ceremony continued with the exchange of rings. As the diamond ring was slipped onto her finger, Rafa whispered to Naura.
“I'll make sure you're tied to me for the rest of your life. Even if you try to run, I still won't let you go.” Rafa winked at Naura afterward.
Naura's skin prickled when Rafa's deep, hoarse voice reached her ears. Her heart seemed to race, pounding incredibly hard. Shit! Why did this man always manage to completely shatter her confidence like this?