"I don't want to!" a strong refusal came from the mouth of a woman, whose beauty was hidden behind her simple appearance.

She was Aozora Jelitha, a beautiful girl with straight, shiny black hair that reached her waist. She had a figure that could be considered highly desired by most women, along with fair skin, a pointed nose, and beautiful large eyes. She was now forced to marry a man named Arsenio Reymond, the heir to a large company who was currently in a coma due to an accident. And even if he woke up from the coma, it was suspected that he would be paralyzed.

"You can't refuse. Either way, you have to repay your father's debts, or else the company will go bankrupt," Dona, a middle-aged woman who was almost fifty but still beautiful, said firmly. She was Aozora's stepmother.

"Hey, why me, Aunt? Why not Tsania? After all, she is Papa's daughter," yes ... it had been 10 years since her father married that stepmother, but Aozora never called her mother. For her, the woman deserving of being called mother was the deceased woman who gave birth to her and her future mother-in-law.

"You are different. Tsania is indeed your father's child, but she was born from my womb. Whereas you ... You were born from that worm-eaten woman," Dona retorted, with a sarcastic tone and expression on her face.

"Watch your words, Aunt! Never involve my mother in anything, because your filthy mouth is utterly unworthy!" as usual, Aozora's face would turn red with anger. The beautiful woman never liked it when her stepmother, a middle-aged woman who was her father's wife, brought up her deceased mother.

"You should watch your words, Zora!" a middle-aged man who had been silent all this time suddenly yelled at Aozora.

"Why? Does Papa want to defend this woman? Didn't what I said earlier make sense? She is utterly unworthy__"

"Aozora! Be respectful to your elders! However she may be, she is your father's wife, and that means she is your mother too. It's like you were never taught respect!" before Aozora could finish speaking, Aditya, her father, immediately interrupted her.

Aozora sneered. The corners of her lips curved into a sarcastic smile.

"First ... this woman is not my mother. She is just a home-wrecker who is now my father's wife. From the beginning, I have made it clear that I will never call her mother. Second ... of course I was taught respect by my mother, I just know who deserves to receive my respect. And according to Papa, is this woman deserving? This woman is not deserving at all, Pa," Aozora said with her eyes casting a scornful glance at Dona.

"And you ... you, who claim to be my father, did you ever teach me anything? No, right?" she continued.

Aditya fell silent. The man was truly taken aback, seeing his daughter who had always been quiet and obedient suddenly hurling such harsh words.

"Dear, why are you staying silent? You should scold this disrespectful child! She insulted me!" Dona shouted, as usual, asking her husband to scold Aozora.

"You see, Pa? Be strict with Kak Zora! How can you just stay silent when Mama is insulted," this time Tsania, Aozora's younger sister, spoke up.

"Tch, always with the drama! Aren't you tired of acting all the time!" Aozora sneered, her scornful expression never leaving her face.

"Silence! You have no manners! I don't care if you call me Mama or not, I don't expect it at all. Because I also don't want you to call me Mama! Now what's clear is that you have to agree to marry Arsenio!"

"I still don't want to!" Aozora firmly stated.

"You will have to agree, my dear! If not, your mother's company will crumble. Do you want that to happen?" Aditya spoke up again. He hoped that by mentioning his late wife's name, his child would change their mind and be willing to fulfill their request.

"Why me? It's you who owe a lot, right? If it's for the progress of Mama's company, I can understand. But here, it's all just for the lavish lifestyle of your illegitimate wife and child!" Aozora raised her index finger pointing towards Tsania.

"AOZORA! Stop calling Tsania illegitimate!" Aditya shouted with a thunderous voice.

"If she's not illegitimate, then what should she be called? The product of sin, isn't that the same thing?"

Slap

Aditya's hand swung and landed hard on Aozora's smooth cheek, making Dona and Tsania smirk.

"Papa! Papa hit me?" Aozora's eyes widened, startled, because it was the first time the man she called papa slapped her.

"Sorry, papa's reflex!" Aditya instantly felt guilty.

"Why should Papa apologize? She deserved that slap," Tsania uttered, staring cynically at Aozora.

"What did I do to deserve it? I didn't say anything out of line, did I? What I said earlier is true. You were born out of the adultery committed by your father and mother behind my mother's back!" Aozora said with a racing breath.

"Aozora, stop, I said stop! Don't make papa do something more than a slap. The more papa tolerates you, the more insolent you become! Now the bottom line is you must agree to marry Arsenio!" Aditya shouted, with a gaze as sharp as a dagger ready to stab the heart.

"I still refuse! If this is for the sake of protecting Mama's company, why should I be the one to sacrifice? Tsania is here, and she is also Papa's child!" Once again, Aozora firmly rejected.

"Hey, that's Mama's company, why should my child be the one to sacrifice?" Dona spoke up again.

"Aunty forgot, didn't she? That the company is almost bankrupt because you always used the company's money for your personal interests? So at least, you should take responsibility!" This time, Aozora absolutely refused to be intimidated, like in the past.

"What do we care about responsibility? What's clear is, I don't want my child to marry a man whose uncertain future we don't even know? Moreover, even if he wakes up, he'll be paralyzed. It's easy for you, my child sacrificing for the sake of protecting your mother's company!" Dona said firmly.

"Don't forget, Aunty, you are indeed supposed to take responsibility. Apart from spending the company's money, you and papa also have to take responsibility for my mother's death. Because of your affair, which even resulted in a child, my mother became depressed and ill. It's all your fault, so at least Aunty requests that your child marry that man as a form of accountability!" Aozora's gaze was sharp, staring at the middle-aged woman, the woman she had despised for so long.

"I said no, if you don't want to, fine! But you have to be ready for the fact that the company, which was left by your mother, will crumble. As for me... I won't care if it crumbles or not!" Dona's lips raised slightly, forming a sinister smile.

"My dear, please, agree! You have to help your father, for the sake of your mother's company!" This time, Aditya spoke with a low voice.

"I don't want to, Pa!" Aozora continued to persist in refusing. "Besides, Papa knows himself, my marriage to Dimas is just a matter of time. It can't be cancelled just like that. It would embarrass Dimas' family, Pa!"

Yes, apart from feeling that it was not her responsibility, Aozora also had a partner already and she was going to get married this week.

"Don't worry, I will take your place, marry Dimas," Tsania interjected, smirking.

"What rights do you have to say that! Do you think Dimas would want to marry you?" Aozora's anger started to flare up again.

"Who said he wouldn't? He and I are already in love with each other. Without you knowing, we have been in a relationship behind your back,"

Mata Aozora widened perfectly, startled. However, it was only for a moment, as the next second she scoffed while shaking her head, trying not to believe it.

"Do you think I will believe that? It is absolutely impossible, because Dimas cannot possibly like a cheap woman like you. Moreover, our relationship has been going on for a long time and we are even getting married," Aozora said.

Tsania burst into laughter, mocking.

"You don't believe me? I can prove it, my dear brother. You may have been in a long-term relationship, but Dimas, he said that you are boring. He is more comfortable with me, who can give him whatever he wants," Tsania's sardonic smile never left her lips.

"Don't make things up! I won't believe it!"

"Alright, I'll prove it!" Tsania reached for her phone and then showed the screen to Aozora.

"Look clearly, is this Dimas' number?" Aozora read the name 'My Semester' displayed on the phone screen and she saw that the number was indeed Dimas' number, her future husband's.

"I will call him, and you can hear it for yourself!" Tsania pressed the call button and deliberately pressed the speaker button as well.

"Yes, my love!" a very familiar voice could be heard in Aozora's ears.

To be continued...

"Iya, Sayang!" the voice of the man sounded very familiar to Aozora's ears.

"Darling, I miss you," Tsania said in a playful tone, glancing at Aozora with a teasing smile.

"I miss you too, Darling. Especially with..."

"Ahem, ahem!" Tsania purposely coughed, knowing what the man on the other end was about to say.

"What's wrong, Darling?" the man on the other end, who was none other than Dimas, sounded panicked. Let's not forget Aozora, who looked angry with a flushed face.

"It's nothing, Darling! Just choked a bit. Are you that worried about me?" Tsania continued to stare at Aozora with a mocking look.

"Of course, I panicked. But are you really okay?" the man on the other end replied, making Aozora's heart ache even more because the man on the other end hadn't been so concerned about her for a long time.

"If it were you who was sick, would you react the same way?" Tsania deliberately made her voice even more helpless.

"Of course not! I'm really tired of your self-righteous sister. Not like you, who can give me what I want," Dimas said.

"Oh, is that so? Then why did you propose to me if you were tired?" Aozora, unable to contain her anger any longer, finally spoke up.

"Darling, why is Zora's voice there?" the man on the other end seemed shocked to hear the voice of the woman they were talking about.

"Well, because she's here, Darling. I'm upset because she thinks she's the woman you love the most. I'm also upset because she mocks me for marrying you," Tsania replied with pursed lips. She intentionally exaggerated to make the man on the other end believe her.

"Explain, Dimas, what do you mean? Weren't we getting married next week? But why are you cheating on me with Tsania? Are you insane?" Aozora now held Tsania's phone in her hands.

"Fine, I guess I can't hide it anymore. You already know anyway. I have been in a relationship with your sister because she understands what I want. Whereas you... We've been dating for 4 years, but you're still pretending to be innocent. I'm sick of seeing you!" Dimas's words hurt Aozora deeply.

"You're truly heartless! If you were so sick of it, you should have been honest. Instead, you asked me to marry you!" Aozora's voice began to rise.

"Who wants to marry you? You're the one who asked me to marry you. My plan was to marry you, get what I want, and then leave you for Tsania," Dimas said, causing Aozora's heart to ache even more.

"You heartless bastard! I refuse to marry you anymore! I refuse to marry a despicable man like you!" Aozora's chest rose and fell as she spoke.

"Fine! I won't lose anything because I can marry Tsania. My mom seems to agree with me being with Tsania more than with you!"

"Well, now I understand. A despicable man is indeed suited for a cheap woman like Tsania. After all, one's destiny is a reflection of oneself," Aozora said sarcastically, trying to appear strong.

"Watch your mouth, Zora!" Dimas snapped.

"Don't worry, I'll watch my mouth. My mouth will stay right where it is and won't go anywhere. Besides, why are you snapping at me? Wasn't what I said true? What else do you call a woman who willingly undresses in front of a man other than cheap? Is that what a good woman does?" Aozora's lips curled into a sardonic grin.

"Watch your mouth! I'm not cheap!" Tsania snapped.

"So, if not cheap, then what should I call you? You seduced Dimas to the point of undressing in front of him. What else do I call you if not cheap?" Aozora's sly smile never left her thin lips.

"Shut your mouth, Zora! Your sister could never do that!" Aditya shouted, with a sharp glare. Upon hearing Aditya's voice, Dimas abruptly ended the call. Maybe because he didn't expect Aditya, Aozora and Tsania's father, to be there.

"Bela saja terus, Pa! According to Papa, what did Dimas mean by getting what he wanted from Tsania but not from me? It's because Tsania gave him her body, which is something he didn't get from me," Aditya turned towards Tsania, demanding an explanation.

"Damn, why do I feel like a defendant now?" Tsania thought, as she saw her father's gaze.

"Explain, Tsania, is that true?" Aditya asked firmly.

"Darling, don't look at our daughter like that! You're scaring her!" Dona shouted, not accepting to see her daughter being intimidated.

"Enough, Pa. There's no need for further explanation because that's the reality," Aozora spoke up again.

"But, it's not surprising that he can act like that because his mother is the same. Both of them are cheap!" Aozora jibed, with a sarcastic smirk on the corner of his lips.

"Hey, be quiet you disrespectful child! What do you know, huh?" Dona yelled.

"Hey, why are you so angry? What I said was true, right? You trapped my father by giving your body for free. The child and the mother are truly the same. Both of them are trash!" Aozora's words grew harsher.

Dona's hand swung to slap Aozora's cheek. Fortunately, Aozora was prepared and caught the middle-aged woman's hand, leaving it suspended in the air. Then, Aozora forcefully threw the woman's hand aside.

"How dare you!" Dona couldn't accept it and swung her hand again. But, before her hand could touch Aozora's cheek, Aozora's hand had already landed on the woman's cheek.

"AOZORA JELITHA!" Aditya shouted with a thunderous voice. "You've gone too far. You have no manners!" the man said again.

"I was only defending myself. Papa, see for yourself. It's this homewrecker who wanted to hit me. Should I just stay silent? I'm not the old Zora anymore, who could only cry and accept fate. Because I know that the father I hoped would protect me, apparently can't. So, I will protect myself," Aozora said bluntly, firmly, and passionately.

Aditya was taken aback and felt that what his daughter said was true.

"Now, you want me to marry Arsenio, right? Fine, I'll agree. But, I'll consider it as if Papa has already sold me, as a debt payment. So, that means we don't have any relationship anymore. Because items that have been sold and bought by others have no connection anymore," Aozora continued firmly.

"It's not like that, honey! You were never sold by Papa. I only asked you to marry," Aditya started to panic.

"It's the same thing. Because you asked me to marry for the sake of paying off the debt. Which parents are willing to sacrifice their own daughter just to pay off debts? Doesn't that mean you sold me? Anyway, I want to emphasize that if I marry that man, it means we don't have any relationship anymore!" Aozora said firmly.

"Whatever you say, I don't care! If you want to say that you were sold and have no relationship with us, I don't care. Because I also don't want to have any relationship with you," Dona said sarcastically.

"Darling! She is our daughter!" Aditya shouted.

"What the hell? She herself said she would end the relationship with you if she marries Arsenio. So why are you angry? Besides, do you want her to not marry Arsenio, which would ultimately lead the company to bankruptcy? No, right? So, it's better if you just agree," Dona said.

Aditya was once again silent, agreeing with his wife's words.

"No, I don't want the company to collapse," Aditya mumbled.

"Well, in that case, just agree with what she said. It's not a big deal. The company is more important than her," Dona said again.

Aozora gritted their teeth, then smiled with a smirk, trying to hide the pain in their heart from seeing their father prioritize the company over them.

"Aunty, have you forgotten that it is my mother's legacy company? So, if the debts are paid off, it means the company will be returned to me as the heir. This house is also inherited to me, so after I get married, it is best for all of you to leave because we have no more connection!" Aozora retorted sarcastically.

Dona burst into laughter upon hearing the words coming out of Aozora's mouth.

"Do you think the company and the house are still under your name? I have transferred everything under Tsania's name,"

Aozora's eyes widened in shock upon hearing the middle-aged woman's statement.

"Aunty, please don't lie, because I have never signed any transfer documents," Aozora didn't believe it at all.

"It's very easy to forge your signature, Aozora," Dona said with a sinister smile.

"You are truly despicable! And Dad was really deceived by this cunning woman!" Aozora cursed.

Aozora really wanted to say that she no longer needed to marry Arsenio because, anyway, the company was no longer hers. But, she held back her words, because if she did that, it meant her mother's legacy company would truly go bankrupt and she would have no chance to reclaim it.

"I see, then I really have to marry that man while thinking of ways to reclaim all of my late mother's assets," Aozora whispered to herself.

"Alright, you all can celebrate your victory now. But, I will never stay silent. Sooner or later, I will take back what should be mine!" Aozora concluded firmly.

Unbeknownst to them, their conversation was overheard by a middle-aged woman who was Arsenio's mother, the man who would become Aozora's husband. The woman had originally planned to pick up her future daughter-in-law herself.

"I will return to the car. Now all of you go in and bring your young lady here to our house!" she commanded, stepping towards her car.

To be continued.

Aozora was finally picked up by the guard who was ordered by Amber, a middle-aged woman who was Arsenio's mother.

Meanwhile, Amber had arrived at home earlier, waiting for her future daughter-in-law, whose name she knew was Aozora.

"Ma'am, Miss Aozora is here!" a man dressed in a black tuxedo stood right in front of Amber to give a report.

"Bring her here!" the graceful and authoritative middle-aged woman commanded.

The man nodded, bowed his body first before leaving.

After a while, the guard came back with Aozora following behind.

"Ma'am, this is Miss Aozora!"

Amber, who was initially facing away, immediately turned around and looked at Aozora with an unreadable gaze.

Meanwhile, Aozora's heart seemed to want to jump out as she saw the intense gaze of the middle-aged woman in front of her. Her legs even trembled slightly, especially when the woman looked at her from head to toe.

"Why are you still standing? Sit down!" it was the first time Aozora heard the voice of the middle-aged woman.

"Thank you, Aunt!" Aozora replied politely, her voice trembling.

"Hmm," Amber replied curtly.

"You leave, because I want to talk to my future daughter-in-law," Amber's gaze now shifted towards the guard who had just brought Aozora in.

The guard bowed slightly, then left.

"So, are you Aozora?" the woman pretended to confirm.

"Yes, Aunt!" Aozora replied, biting her lip, full of nervousness.

"Hmm, beautiful too!" Amber said.

"Thank you, Aunt!"

"Now, I want to ask, what is your reason for agreeing to marry my son?" Amber inquired.

"Why, Aunt, are you asking that? Wasn't it you who asked my father to let me marry your son? You surely know very well that I am getting married to repay my father's debts, don't you?" Aozora looked like she was gaining courage.

Amber smiled faintly, almost imperceptibly. "Hmm, interesting," she thought to herself.

"I am asking like that just out of curiosity. Because you clearly know that my son hasn't woken up from his coma until now. I am sure you have also heard that even if he wakes up, he will be paralyzed. I just want to know, is it because my son has abundant wealth that you agree to marry him, even though he will be paralyzed?" Amber prodded.

"Aunt, to be honest, I don't want to marry under these circumstances. But, this is all for my late mother's company. As for money and wealth, I still have the ability to find it myself," Aozora replied wisely.

Amber smiled faintly once again, feeling that she had not chosen the wrong daughter-in-law.

"Now, I want to ask you, Aunt, and I hope you will answer. May I?" Aozora asked for permission.

"Please!" Amber replied briefly.

"Like you asked earlier, now I want to ask, what is Aunt's reason for asking me to marry Aunt's son? Especially when Aunt yourself knows very well that your son is in a coma and presumably will be paralyzed. Isn't it, Aunt, that you are trapping a woman using your wealth and power?" Somehow Aozora found the courage to ask.

"Hmm, she seems to be not the type of woman that can only surrender. She seems to be a very critical woman. This is becoming more interesting. It doesn't seem to be a problem if I tell her my real reason," Amber whispered to herself.

"I will answer that question. Do you want to know the reason?" Amber asked, and Aozora nodded in agreement.

"The reason is because I want to maintain my late husband's company, and the only way is to give Arsenio an heir," Amber said ambiguously.

"Huh? Give an heir? What does that mean?" Aozora muttered, which could still be heard clearly by Amber.

"Yes, give an heir? You must be confused, right?" Amber said, and Aozora nodded in agreement.

"Alright, I'll explain!" Amber reached for the glass of drink on the table and took a sip. Then, the middle-aged woman leaned back and crossed her legs.

"My husband has a younger brother, and my late mother-in-law had divided the inheritance by giving each of them a company. However, my brother-in-law couldn't manage his company well, so it went bankrupt. On the other hand, my husband succeeded and even expanded rapidly by establishing several branches, both domestically and overseas," Amber began explaining. Meanwhile, Aozora patiently waited for the middle-aged woman to finish her explanation.

"My husband eventually allowed my brother-in-law to work at his company and gave him a position. Even his son also works at my husband's company. But a few years ago, my husband passed away, and the company was taken over by our son, Arsenio. Once again, the company thrived under our son's leadership. However, a month ago, our son suddenly had an accident that left him in a coma. The company is automatically left without a leader, so my brother-in-law and his son took over temporarily until our son recovers, because honestly, I am not skilled in managing a company," Amber paused for a moment to catch her breath and replenish the empty spaces in her lungs with oxygen.

Frowning, Aozora furrowed her brows because she still couldn't understand the connection between the middle-aged woman's story and the desire to have offspring.

"Aozora..."

"Just call me Zora, Auntie!" Aozora interrupted.

"Oh yes, Zora... you must still be confused, right?" once again, Aozora nodded her head.

"Now, I feel like the company is not running properly anymore. My brother-in-law and his son are starting to abuse their power by using company funds for their personal interests. They're using the company's money to buy valuable assets for themselves. Now, I suspect that they also want to take over the company. I don't want that to happen. I don't want a company that my husband and my child built to become this big to fall into the hands of irresponsible people like them. Right now, I may not have any evidence, but I have this feeling. That's why to prevent the company from falling into their hands, Arsenio needs a successor. So, for Arsenio to have a successor, Arsenio needs to get married," Amber explained at length without pause, leaving Aozora even more confused.

"How can we have offspring when his own child is in a coma? It's truly bizarre!" Aozora said, of course, only daring to say it in her heart.

"It's possible, Zora. It's easy for that matter. Even though my son is still in a coma, he can still have offspring with you. It can be through in vitro fertilization or insemination," Amber said as if she could read Aozora's thoughts.

"In that case, why doesn't Auntie find a woman who can bear your son's child? Why does it have to be marriage?" Aozora's eyebrows furrowed sharply.

"Because I want my grandchild to be born from a marital relationship. To have a Father and Mother officially recorded," Amber explained.

"So, what if I can provide offspring in the future? Will I be discarded?" Aozora asked with a heavy heart.

"Please, don't say that I will be discarded! I'm tired of being treated like an object that can be thrown away when no longer needed," Aozora thought to herself.

To be continued...