Nadine Leonardo had blossomed into graceful womanhood. With her arresting beauty, she possessed an enviable figure, porcelain skin, cascading hair, a sculpted nose, a stately height, chocolate-brown eyes, sultry lips, and long, shapely legs—she appeared almost flawless.
At 24, she could be mistaken for an angel incarnate, drawing the gaze and adoration of many men with her consistent flair for fashion. Crowds of suitors sought her attention, yet, unbeknownst to them, her heart was already promised to another.
Damar Pratama was that fortunate man, predestined to be with Nadine since their childhood.
Obedient by nature, Nadine had never gone against her father's wishes—including this arranged union.
Now, as a manager at Leon Group, she worked under her father, the CEO, and was poised to inherit what was the country's most prominent enterprise.
Tonight marked the engagement party of Nadine and Damar, a grand affair attended by a host of business magnates.
The couple exchanged rings to the applause of the guests, who couldn't help but remark on their commendable match.
Yet, perhaps only Damar found joy in this evening's proceedings; Nadine's smiles were a facade—her heart was elsewhere. Like an automaton, she conformed to her parents' every whim.
A woman in her late forties, eyes brimming with tears, observed Nadine from afar. Her regal bearing shone through, yet the woman knew her place and kept her distance.
Nadine couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. She stepped away from the celebration in search of the hidden onlooker.
However, Damar's presence precluded her escape, "Darling, where are you off to?"
"Um, I just felt someone watching me, but I can't tell who," Nadine replied, her tone laden with confusion.
"It might be one of your many admirers—beauty like yours tends to draw attention," Damar said, unable to avert his gaze from his betrothed's radiant appearance.
Uncomfortable under Damar's scrutiny, Nadine realized her feelings for him were absent.
...***...
The festivities had concluded, and Nadine had slipped into her pajamas. As she lay on her bed, her thoughts turned to the mysterious presence she sensed observing her.
A particular individual came to mind, and she checked her phone. Sure enough, a message awaited from the enigmatic Miss A, with whom she'd conversed daily despite never meeting face to face after an initial misdirected message ten years prior.
Miss A provided a kind of maternal attentiveness, regularly checking up on Nadine, sending home remedies when she fell ill—even asking if she'd eaten—all without her parents' knowledge.
[How was the engagement, Nadine?]
Nadine smiled and quickly responded. Talking to Miss A always brought her peace.
[The engagement went smoothly, Miss. But why doesn't my heart feel happy? Could it be because I hold no affection for Damar?]
Nadine confided many things to Miss A, except for the abuse she suffered at her mother's hands—but those incidents had ceased as she matured, and Sonya, her mother, maintained a benevolent facade before her father.
Drrrttt... Drrrttt...
[If you do not love him, you should have an open discussion with your mother and father. They surely love you deeply and would understand.]
Reading the message, Nadine sighed, knowing that, in reality, no one could comprehend her feelings. She chose to shift the conversation.
[Tomorrow, I must visit Duku village to oversee the construction of a new hotel.]
Miss A's reply was prompt.
[I hope your work goes smoothly. How did you like the food I sent you yesterday?]
Indeed, the previous day, Miss A had dispatched a dish specially for Nadine.
Nadine typed back eagerly.
[Your cooking is always delightful. Miss A, I really want to meet you.]
She couldn't fathom why Miss A was reluctant to meet.
[The time is not yet right, but hopefully, one day it will be.]
Miss A sent a soothing lullaby through an audio message, and Nadine was lulled into tranquility.
Her thoughts turned to an old photograph she'd found in the attic, now on her nightstand—of Marvin at age ten.
She vividly remembered the boy's eyes, filled with resentment, 18 years ago, when he and his mother were ejected from the mansion by her father.
In an attempt to atone for a guilt not her own, she preserved Marvin's photo. His belongings and his mother's had been incinerated by Sonya, erased, as if they never existed. To honor their memory, she kept this sole memento, hopefully granting Marvin some peace.
"Forgive my parents, Marvin, for the pain they caused you and your mother. May you find peace," she whispered, caressing the image of the boy who, had fate been kinder, might have grown into a handsome man.
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