“I’ve signed it,” Clara said calmly, her voice so soft it was nearly drowned out by the rain outside.
Rayhan stopped in his tracks. He turned and furrowed his brow.
“Signed what?”
Clara pointed to the brown envelope on the table. “The divorce papers. Let’s end this marriage.”
Rayhan’s brows drew together even more sharply. A strange pang struck his chest, but the man’s ego quickly brushed the feeling aside. He scoffed coldly before sneering. “What now? Some new tactic to get my attention? You think I’ll stop you just because you threaten me with divorce papers?”
Clara looked into Rayhan’s eyes one last time. In them, she could no longer find the man she had loved for years. All she saw was the arrogance of a man who believed he would always have the upper hand.
“I’m tired. There’s no point in holding on to a marriage like this. I know you don’t like me. You might even hate me. So let’s end it.”
Her words struck the room like a clap of thunder. The cynical smile on Rayhan’s face suddenly froze. But Clara merely turned around, snatched up her small bag, and headed for the exit.
The penthouse door slammed shut. Clara walked out into the pouring rain that night, leaving Rayhan standing speechless in the middle of the living room, which suddenly felt far too vast and cold.
That night, Rayhan laughed bitterly at himself, convincing his heart that his life would be much more peaceful without the woman who was always disrupting it. But he never knew that from that night on, a deadly emptiness had begun to gnaw at his soul.
Day after day passed, until three years had gone by.
The Present.
“Mr. Rayhan? Can we approve this initial restructuring draft?”
His secretary’s voice shattered Rayhan’s reverie. He jolted, returning to the cold reality of the conference room.
His eyes met Clara’s once again. She stood there, waiting for him calmly. There wasn’t a flicker of emotion in her expression.
Clara had truly forgotten him. And for the first time in the life of Rayhan Pratama, his sky-high ego shattered into pieces, replaced by an overwhelming fear.
Clara! I have to get you back. No matter the cost.
Faint applause from several directors marked the end of the presentation. The large projection screen at the end of the room abruptly went dark, replacing the financial charts with the reflected silhouettes of everyone inside.
“This initial restructuring draft is extremely comprehensive,” said one of the senior commissioners as he straightened his stack of papers. “We’ll leave the execution details to Mr. Rayhan’s team and the consultants.”
Clara Anindita nodded politely, shaping her lips into a highly practiced professional smile. “Thank you for your time and trust, gentlemen. Our team will send over the risk analysis documents this afternoon.”
Without wasting any time, Clara organized her tablet and stationery on the table. Her movements were efficient, swift, and utterly assured. She made no effort to linger for small talk with the Pratama Group executives.
At the other end of the table, Rayhan still hadn’t moved from his seat. His fingers gripped the titanium pen on the table tightly. His gaze followed the woman’s every movement.
There were so many things Rayhan wanted to say. Dozens of questions clogged his throat until it burned. Where had you been for the past three years? How is your mother? Why have you only shown up now?
Yet every word froze on the tip of his tongue. His position as CEO in this room, along with Clara’s cold gaze—which seemed to erect a thick, invisible wall—kept Rayhan from taking a step forward.
“Ms. Clara,” Rayhan finally called. His voice sounded heavy and hoarse, cutting through the bustle of the consulting team as they packed up their things.
Clara stopped. She slowly turned around and looked Rayhan straight in the eye. There was no surprise, no tremor in her shoulders. She looked at Rayhan exactly as she would look at a superior in the workplace.
“Yes, Mr. Rayhan? Is there anything you’d like added to the draft?” Clara asked calmly.
Rayhan rose from his executive chair. He waved lightly toward his secretary and the other directors. “You can all leave first. There are a few technical financial details I’d like to confirm directly with the head of the consulting team.”