Chapter 2

• HAPPY READING
• ***
• Mili didn't know who the man was. All she knew was that he was Ares' brother. He was wearing a white shirt paired with black jeans. Just as cool as Ares. Throughout the journey, he remained silent in the car. He only spoke to ask for directions.
• Mili didn't know what she should do and was still confused. She stared at the two-story house in front of her. That's where the engagement ceremony was taking place. Several cars filled Aunt Shinta's spacious yard. Aunt Shinta was Mama. So, she was Mili's close cousin. It seemed like the event was already underway. She heard from inside the house that both sides had already exchanged engagement poems, which made the family laugh, and the event was almost over.
• Mili got out of the car, followed by the man whose name she didn't know. They hadn't even introduced themselves yet. Well, if the man is introduced by the family, he doesn't look bad. Let's consider this a stroke of luck. Because a handsome man came down from the sky to save her.
• "Is this the engagement event?"
• "Yes."
• "Your cousin?"
• "Yes."
• "Okay."
• The word "okay" made Mili feel at ease. She didn't know what the man would do to her family. They entered through the side door because it wasn't possible to enter through the front as the event was in progress. Their arrival caught the attention of the large extended family.
• Mili could only smile as she took an empty seat at the back. Mili saw Niar sitting next to a man named Alex. He said he worked as a manager at Bank Indonesia. Okay. Niar's profession is equally cool because she works as a model. She joined Edge Model Jakarta.
• White decorations adorned the main room. The event ended with a prayer. Mili saw Mama looking at her and then approaching.
• "Why did you take so long to come?"
• "There was traffic, Mama."
• "The event is already over. You just arrived."
• "But Mama knows that there are a lot of orders. Shopee has a big promotion going on. Many suppliers came. I had to check the goods thoroughly."
• "That's why I told you to hire two more employees. So it won't be too hectic."
• "Yes, later. I'll rent a shop with Mr. Alan. Maybe he'll give us a discount."
• Mili's mother looked at the tall man accompanying her daughter. He was the one who piqued her interest in finding out who Mili brought. Mama Mili smiled.
• "Is he your boyfriend?"
• "No, Mom. Just a friend," Mili replied.
• "If he's brought here, he must be your boyfriend."
• "Oh, Mom. No," Mili reassured. She just looked at the man in silence.
• "Who is he, Mom?"
• Mili then turned around and looked at the man wearing half of the same batik as Mama. Oh my God. It turns out her father also joined in.
• "Dad," Mili murmured.
• "He's Mili's friend," Mama Mili smiled.
• Automatically, King turned his head and looked at the middle-aged woman and man approaching him, as if wanting to know who he was. As a man with manners, he smiled and welcomed their presence.
• "I'm King, Aunt," King extended his hand towards the middle-aged woman and shook hands.
• "I'm King, Uncle," King said again.
• "Why have you never been brought to our house?" the middle-aged man asked Mili.
• Mili started to get confused. "Well..."
• "I've been busy with work, Uncle," King interrupted.
• "Where do you work, King?"
• "I'm a doctor, Uncle."
• Mili heard that and then turned to look at King. She also just found out that his name was King. And he claimed to be a doctor. Mili still couldn't believe that he was a doctor. Being a doctor is a prestigious profession in the eyes of parents all over the world. And it would make him the ideal son-in-law in the eyes of every parent. She was sure that her father would soon invite King to their house for dinner.
• "Wow, impressive. What kind of doctor?"
• "I'm a specialist in internal medicine, Uncle. Or an internist."
• "Oh, we have a guest. Who is it?" one by one, the family members came and greeted them.
• Mili could only stare at King in silence. The situation had become complicated and increasingly long-winded. He rubbed his non-itchy neck. Both of his parents were so enthusiastic about King's presence. He had only just learned King's name and profession here and now.
• "This is Mili's boyfriend," Papa Mili said proudly, announcing it to everyone.
• "Yes, our future son-in-law. He's a doctor," Mama Mili began to explain.
• "Wow, Aunt Mili's boyfriend is a doctor," one of her little cousins chimed in.
• "Who is it?"
• "This is King. Mili's boyfriend. It's rare for you to bring your boyfriend here, Mili," Papa Mili smiled proudly.
• "A specialist doctor," Mama added.
• "I think I've seen him at the hospital," the know-it-all family members started to chime in.
• "That's right, doctor. And handsome too. Mili is lucky to have a future doctor," another aunt replied.
• "Just follow King's lead. What are you waiting for?"
• "Just pray, Aunt."
• "Amen. It will definitely be prayed for."
• "I'm Mili's uncle."
• "I'm Mili's aunt."
• "I'm Mili's grandmother."
• "I'm Mili's cousin, Aunt."
• "King. Uncle."
• "King. Aunt."
• "King. Grandma."
• Several minutes passed, and Mili's extended family became excited about the sudden appearance of a man named King, who had become the dream son-in-law. Mili could only feel sad in her heart. She wanted to bang her head against something. How could her parents so easily label King as her future husband and present him in front of the family, as if they were about to get married soon? She couldn't understand how King calmly greeted everyone and agreed without hesitation. Now King had the title of the ideal future son-in-law and her parents' favorite.
• ***
• An hour later, Mili chose to excuse herself and go home, using the excuse that King had work scheduled. If Mili hadn't invited King to leave, he might still be happily chatting with her father. Ah, how could King become such a sudden boyfriend like this? It left her speechless. It felt like a dream.
• Mili looked up at the darkening sky. She leaned back in her chair. She didn't know where King had disappeared to. She hoped he would go home after this.
• "We haven't properly introduced ourselves before," King looked at Mili, as she had been silent throughout the journey.
• Mili took a deep breath. She extended her hand. "Mili."
• "King."
• King felt the smoothness of Mili's hand. After a moment, he let go and smiled.
• "Thanks for accompanying me earlier."
• "No problem. I'm happy to do it. But..."
• Mili turned to look at him. "But what?"
• "This is the world. Nothing for free."
• Mili furrowed her brow. She tried to understand King's words. Honestly, she didn't understand English very well. But those were simple words, and she knew what King meant.
• "Nothing for free..." Mili began to speculate.
• "Yup."
• "But didn't you offer yourself to me for free earlier?"
• "I thought it was a favor."
• "What kind of favor? Me! If I had known, I would have gone alone!"
• "Fine, just go home then." Mili started to get extremely annoyed.
• "No."
• "So, what do you want? Money? Just say it. I can pay."
• "I'm an internist doctor in Germany. And my annual income can buy a house in Kemang. So, I don't need all that."
• "So, what do you want?"
• King took a breath and smiled. "To sleep with you."
• ***