Silence
That one word perfectly described the atmosphere in the room. A thick, suffocating stillness filled the space, as if even the air itself refused to move. No one spoke. No one dared to open their mouth. Everyone remained frozen, letting the tragic tale hang heavily in the air—a story of loss that had taken away their loved ones and left behind wounds that never fully healed.
In the corner of the room, Adrian sat at the edge of the sofa, both hands gripping tightly the wooden cane that had always accompanied him. His fingers trembled slightly, clenching harder as if trying to hold back something heavier than physical pain. His dark eyes slowly lifted, gazing at everyone before him.
"The emergency lift..."
His voice was low, almost a whisper.
"The emergency lift Nadia and I were in... it plummeted all the way to the basement of Hotel La Bellissima."
He paused, taking a deep breath, though the haunting memories refused to leave his mind.
"Up there, explosions echoed nonstop. Flames spread so fast. I tried to get Nadia out..."
Adrian stopped again. His face turned grim, as if he were being sucked into a memory that never stopped haunting him.
"I remember..." he spoke again, this time with a heavier voice, as if containing an emotion boiling over.
"The final moments... the building above us started to collapse. Everything happened so fast. We were nearly crushed by the falling debris."
He looked down, his gaze fixed on the cane in his hands. The room remained silent, but this time the silence was sharp, weighing down everyone inside. Adrian's words hung in the air, but the pain they carried could be felt by anyone listening.
"U-uhukk… N-Nadia… uhukk… I-I have to get her out… uhukk…"
With great effort, Adrian crawled out of the cramped elevator, cradling Nadia's limp body in his arms. Thick smoke filled the air, making each breath feel like swallowing fire.
BANG!
A loud crash rang out behind them. Just as Adrian managed to step outside, his forward-leaning body protecting Nadia came to an abrupt halt. The elevator roof collapsed—crushing both his legs.
"Arrgghhh!!!"
Adrian's scream pierced the terrifying silence. A wave of searing pain surged through his entire body. Flameslicked at his pants, the heat becoming unbearable until the fire finally pierced the fabric and scorched his skin.
THUMP!
Unable to bear the weight, Adrian reluctantly laid Nadia down on the floor in frontof him. His breaths were ragged, but his mind focused solely on one thing: saving Nadia.
With the last of his strength, he pushed her small body forward—away from the advancing flames.
Adrian turned around, trying to move oneof the collapsed pillars pinning his legs. The heat burning his palms no longer registered; the pain was swallowed by sheer survival instinct. But the pillar was far too heavy, refusing to budge even a little.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Footsteps echoed from a distance. Hope, once fading, flickered back to life. Adrian yelled with all his might, forcing his voice through the smoke and the chaos of collapsing debris.
"SOMEONE... WE'REHERE!"
His shout echoed, followed by footsteps that now drew closer.
"Father!"
"Master!"
Two frantic voices rang out. Bumi, along with Banyu and Roberto—his loyal bodyguard—emerged from behind the debris. Their eyes widened in horror at the scene in front of them—Adrian, the head of their family, trapped in flames that were growing ever fiercer.
Without hesitation, the three rushed in. They began lifting the pillar crushing Adrian's legs. Smoke and heat wrapped around their bodies, but they didn't stop.
"Come on… almost there!" Banyu yelled, his hands shaking but still gripping the edge of the pillar. With one final push, the pillar finally lifted.
"Aaarrgghhh!!!"
Adrian's cry of agony filled the space as his legs were freed. The stench of burnt flesh stung the air, making everyone flinch. Yet Adrian didn't give up. With the last of his consciousness, he looked up at his eldest son.
"Bumi… get Nadia to safety, now!"
There was no room for negotiation in his commanding tone.
Despite his fear, Bumi quicklylifted Nadia's small frame, her body protected by Ivana's jacket and Adrian's black coat. The little girl was still unconscious, her body weak from inhaling too much smoke.
Meanwhile, Roberto and Banyu supported Adrian's nearly lifeless body. They moved fast, dragging him away from the spreading flames. The building was no longer stable—every second meant the difference between life and death.
They had to get out. Before everything collapsed.
"Just as we made it out," Adrian continued his story, "the upper floors of the building, now consumed by flames, came crashing down and engulfed everything."
For almost two hours, his five children and Nadia sat in silence, listening to a dark secret that had been kept from the public for the past ten years.
Adrian's eyes scanned the room, observing each of his children and Nadia. Their expressions varied—Angkasa looked tense, his jaw clenched tight. Banyu had his eyes closed, trying to absorb the bitter reality. Bumi clenched his fists, struggling to contain his emotions.
But Adrian's focus was on Nadia. The girl furrowed her brows, her face reflecting a deep internal struggle, as if trying to piece together a long-lost memory.
"I-I... don't remember anything at all..."
Nadia's small voice broke the silence. Everyone turned to look at her.
"I-I..."
She bit her lower lip, then suddenly looked up, panic flashing in her eyes. Her head began to throb violently, as if a wave of unfamiliar memories was crashing over her.
With a pained groan, she grabbed at her own hair, her body trembling uncontrollably.
"I-I hate this… hiks… i-if this is true, then I'm the reason for all of this loss! Arghhhhh!"
Her scream echoed, filling the room with a sharp sense of despair. Nadia tugged at her hair harder, nearly ripping it from her scalp.
"Hey! Nadia!"
Angkasa, seated closest to her, quickly moved. He grasped her hands to stop her self-harming behavior.
"Nadia, please, come back to your senses!"
But Nadia struggled harder, resisting Angkasa's grip. Her head felt like it would explode, unfamiliar voices whispered her name in sorrowful tones inside her ears.
"Arrghhh! I hate this! Hiks… let me go!"
She screamed and writhed, trying to break free from his grasp. Tears streamed down her face. Inside, a mix of guilt, confusion, and despair tightened around her chest, making it hard to breathe.
The haunting memories refused to let her go, as if forcing her to remember something she didn't want to recall.
It took a while until finally, Nadia's body went limp, drained of all energy. She collapsed into Angkasa's arms, who caught her just in time. Her face, once contorted in pain, now looked faint and pale.
Slowly, her vision faded before her eyes closed completely.
"Mo...mmy… Da… Daddy..."
The faint whisper escaped her lips, barely audible, before she lost consciousness in Angkasa's embrace.
Silence returned to the room.
Adrian and the others watched the scene unfold, their breathing slightly more relaxed. The tension remained, but at least Nadia was no longer lashing out like before.
Adrian exhaled deeply, then turned to the corner of the room where Roberto stood with a vigilant expression.
"Roberto, call the elder here immediately. We need his help to examine Nadia's condition," Adrian ordered firmly. Without saying much, Roberto quickly stepped out to carry out his task. Adrian then turned his gaze to Angkasa, who was still holding Nadia's weak body.
"Angkasa, take Nadia to one of the guest rooms upstairs. The elder will be here soon."
Without a word, Angkasa nodded. He adjusted Nadia's position slightly to make her more comfortable, then lifted her in a bridal style. With careful yet steady steps, he climbed the long staircase to the upper floor, ensuring Nadia's body remained protected in his arms.
Meanwhile, behind them, silence returned to the room, leaving Adrian and the other children watching Angkasa's back as he moved away.
-----
One hour later...
A woman referred to as the elder entered the room. Despite being nearly seventy years old, she still appeared graceful and charismatic, as if age had done nothing to dim her allure.
Her upright posture and confident demeanor radiated leadership. With swift movements, she arranged the medical tools she had brought, then concluded her examination of Nadia, who now lay unconscious on the bed.
"There are no wounds or serious issues. I've examined her—this girl is physically fine," the elder stated calmly, yet her voice carried unmistakable authority.
Standing not far from the bedside, Adrian let out a relieved sigh. Still, a shadow of worry lingered on his face.
"If there's nothing wrong, then how could she scream in pain and lose her past memories? Could it be…" Adrian trailed off, his words left hanging.
The elder stared at him sharply, as if already knowing what he was about to say. "Memory washing," she answered firmly.
The woman stood tall, fixing her eyes seriously on Adrian and Angkasa, who stood on the other side of the bed.
"Memory washing is a method used to erase or replace someone's memories, usually for a specific purpose," she explained, her voice flowing with calm certainty.
"I need to examine Nadia further to understand what's really happened to her. You lost track of her, didn't you, Adrian?" she added, her words laced with sharp undertones.
Adrian gave a small nod, the memory still vivid—how Nadia vanished right after being taken to the hospital. Even with his spies in Bellini, he couldn't trace her. It was as if she had disappeared completely, leaving no trace behind.
Regret and helplessness haunted him every day, for Nadia was the one person he had vowed to protect—his late wife's and best friend's dying wish.
"If someone really erased her memories on purpose, I'll find them… and make them pay!" Adrian said with fiery resolve.
"Nadia is the sole legitimate heir of Gabriel and Aruna. Elder, could this be connected to Bellini or Moretti?" he asked, worry tightening his voice.
The elder sighed deeply, clear tension etched into her face. "Bellini is meticulous in concealing their actions. As spies, they understand that someone's identity is a precious and well-guarded thing. Especially when it comes to Moretti…"
Her gaze sharpened, as if contemplating something deeper. "You know who Moretti is backing, right? The Princess is using them to further her plan to bring down the Crown Prince," she said flatly, yet every word was laced with meaning and weight.
The room fell silent again, each person lost in thought, until a soft voice suddenly broke the stillness.
"I-I want to go home…" came a weak voice—it was Nadia, now awake. Angkasa moved swiftly, supporting Nadia's fragile body.
He had been silent all along, his lips sealed, his expression cold and unreadable. Yet he remained ever-ready to respond whenever Nadia needed him.
"Nadia's right. It's already late. We should leave," Angkasa said firmly, his strong arm supporting Nadia's shoulder to keep her upright.
Adrian exhaled heavily, a tightness pressing against his chest. His gaze swept toward the elder, and in that quiet exchange, something passed between them. The elder gave a slight nod, and finally Adrian spoke, his voice heavy with determination.
"Very well, you may go. I won't stop you," Adrian said in a firm tone, his eyes locking onto Angkasa and Nadia, commanding their full attention. "But remember this clearly, Angkasa—think it through."
"I called you here to return to this family. We need to act—to finish what was started," he continued, his voice sharp, filled with warning.
His eyes then shifted to Nadia. This time, his gaze softened slightly, but remained resolute and full of conviction. "You know you're not alone, right, dear? I'm here. I'll help you remember who you are… and who your parents were," Adrian said with steady emphasis, believing every word. The entire inheritance of Gabriel and Aruna rightfully belonged to their only child. And Adrian would fight tooth and nail to protect that truth.
●●●●●
2:45 AM, Calibri
The atmosphere inside the car was thick with silence. Since the drive home began, both Nadia and Angkasa had been lost in their own thoughts. The car, driven by Angkasa, finally stopped right in front of Nadia's house. Neither of them spoke, each too hesitant to break the silence. Nadia tried hard to hide her trembling fingers. Her shoulders slumped, and hearing the story about her past had left her even more emotionally tangled.
She turned to look at Angkasa, but the man remained calm, his expression unreadable, just as it had been all this time. Nadia let out a small, bitter smile before lowering her gaze again.
"I-I'm sorry..." she finally whispered, her voice slicing through the silence.
Angkasa's grip on the steering wheel tightened. He himself was conflicted. Even after hearing the full truth told by his father just hours ago, the hatred in his heart hadn't disappeared—not even a little.
"You c-can hate me! I-I caused your mother's death, I—" Nadia's voice cracked, nearly inaudible.
Grab!
Nadia's eyes widened in shock as Angkasa suddenly pulled her into his arms!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Her heart pounded wildly—so loud, she feared Angkasa might hear it. Her face flushed red. Nadia was frozen, unable to move. She couldn't even raise her hands to push away Angkasa's broad frame that now enveloped her.
"Angkasa..." she tried to speak, but her voice came out hoarse.
"Then take responsibility!" Angkasa cut her off sharply.
He released the embrace but didn't move away. His gaze locked onto Nadia's beautiful, confused face. For some reason, his heart was pounding just as fiercely.
Then, with unwavering conviction, he said something that took Nadia completely by surprise.
"You have to marry me."
Whaaat?!
Nadia's eyes widened in disbelief. What on earth was this man saying—asking her to marry him?! Was this real?! Wait a second, weren't they just pretending to be a couple?!