Episode 1

"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...

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