8 To 4: The Mayor's Contract Wife
Past Times
“Di, you have long cooperated Mas Wira?” tanya Ajeng while scraping the fried chicken meat that was on top of the rice.
“It's been eight years anyway, Mom. Long before Mr. Wira was sworn in as mayor.”
“You know a lot about Mas Wira? Like how is his family or friends?”
“Pak Wira most do not like to discuss personal issues anyway, Mom. So I don't know much about that. I only knew that his father was the party leader and the top brass in the provincial legislature. That's all..”
“If girlfriend? Did Mas Wira have a girlfriend before my same marriage?”
“Pacar?! Not possible. Where's ada? Mr. Wira was famous as the coldest man in Carang Sewu. Almost all the girls in town hall must have a grudge because they were rejected outright by Mr. Wira.”
“Oh yes??”
“Bener Mom. First time coming to Karang Sewu, Mr. Wira almost can not work because it is always disturbed by girls and mothers of employees, ranging from the most rank to the mother of the garden cleaner, cleaning the garden, all the same with Mr. Wira. But Mr. Wira is in no mood to respond."
“About why is he so rich?” muttered Ajeng.
“Perhaps because the divorce is the same as Bu Monica, Bu.”
“Delivery?!”
“Loh, Bu Ajeng did not know that Pak Wira was a widower?”
“Haha.. Yeah know. Yesterday I did not know that marriage is equal to widower?” sahut Ajeng tried to hide his shameful surprise. He may not know about the status of the man he married. “You know Ms Monica?”
Abdi nods. “Pak Wira married Bu Monica but then divorced after two years of marriage.”
“Because of cheating?” guess Ajeng sure.
Abdi nodded back.
“I've guessed.”
“But it wasn't Mr. Wira who cheated, it was Ms. Monica. He even married his affair not long after his divorce from Pak Wira. Pak Wira also became mayor because of them, because Pak Wira wanted to defeat Mr. Haris, the husband of Bu Monica, who became Mr. Wira's political rival in the elections three years ago.”
‘Is he still as loving as his ex-wife until willing to become the mayor of the doll as now?’ batin Ajeng was upset.
“Bu, Bu Ajeng why? How is his rice ruffled so rich?” ask Abdi when he saw Ajeng tear his dreadlocks with sadistic and ruffled his rice until it was messy everywhere.
********************
When returning home in the evening, Wira found Ajeng was relaxing while reading the guest list of invited hut darma women on the terrace of his house.
“Malem, Bing.”
“Malem.” Answer the short lesson.
“Have eaten?”
“Already.”
“Where was the meeting?”
“Oke.”
From there only Wira already knew something was wrong with his paid wife. So he postponed his intention to shower immediately because of the sultry and instead chose to sit with Ajeng on the terrace.
“What's up?”
“Why did Mas Wira never say that Mas Wira never married?”
The hero breathed deeply. On the one hand, he is happy because Ajeng is the type of girl who likes to be frank and what it is. But on the other hand, he felt careless to always be banged with status problems that he actually never expected.
“Is that a problem for you?”
“How long have you been married? Already have children? Why are you divorced?”
“Two years, we have not had children and divorced due to incompatibility.”
“Why marry if you don't fit?”
“For family business.”
Ajeng was aghast at the brief, clear and dense explanation of the Hero.
He stared at Wira. “What Mas Wira still love with him?”
The hero sighed again, then shook his head steadily.
“Then why would Mas Wira want to be mayor? For her?”
This time Wira gave a small laugh, while muttering. “I did become mayor because of him, but not for him.”
“Means Mas Wira?”
“Our marriage ended badly, we divorced and a few months later she was proposed to another man. While I, my career and my life were destroyed, I became unemployed and suddenly there was a political party that I bid to be mayor because of papa. At first I refused because I did not like being a government employee. But once I found out that my political opponent was Haris, Monica's new husband, I tried desperately to win. And here I am now.”
“So she wants to come back with Mas Wira?”
“No! You're wrong big time. Just so she knows that I'm better and better than her man of choice. That's aja.”
Ajeng. “If now he realizes that Mas Wira is better than that man and asks Mas Wira to come back, does Mas Wira want?”
Wira looked at Ajeng. “Because we are still under contract, of course I will refuse. I don't want to pay that big fine just because of the woman who ruined my life.”
‘So only because of contract?’ batin Ajeng growled.
Ajeng smiled. “Well, let's finish our contract well!”
Wira stared at the paper in Ajeng's hand. “For what reading list all that time? isn't this already outside of your working hours?”
“Is he on this list?”
Hero shakes. “The name is not listed, but he will definitely come to see you.”
Ajeng stared at the burly back and the plane of the Hero that walked into the house. ‘Meet with me?’
**********
Because he did not find relevant information about important guests he will meet at the women's dharma event next week, Ajeng took the initiative to find out to the people around him. Because Wira is very busy taking care of many things, so he chose to make Abdi as the main source.
Ajeng waited for Abdi in the room of Wira but the climical-haired young man never came. Not wanting to waste more time, Ajeng came out to look for Abdi while walking around the office. While crossing the pantry room, Ajeng accidentally saw Abdi having a serious conversation with Manda in front of the pantry door. They watched from afar and looked a little suspicious. So Ajeng let Abdi go first and pretended to look for him so as not to look flashy.
They finally met in front of the archive room on the first floor.
“Abdi!”
“Morning Bu Ajeng. My nyari mother?”
“Iya. I have something to ask you. But last night you didn't even go home.”
“Iya Ma'am. I have a little business at home and Mr. Wira has also given me permission to go home. Can I help you, Ma?”
“Iya. We sat there!”
Ajeng then showed Abdi a list of VIP guest names.
“Do you know them all?”
“Ngga can be said to know anyway, Mom. I'm just his assistant Mr. Wira. But I know who they are. First Ms. Sri Pangestu, a teacher at a women's school in Siliwangi City. She is a very popular female driving figure with her thoughts on the importance of higher education for women.” Abdi submitted one of Sri Pangestu's papers which is quite popular among the public.
“The second one, Heni Cahyo's mother, the female mover of the work. He is very concerned about the problem of access to work for women.” Abdi again submitted one of Heni Cahyo's papers to Ajeng.
“And the last of Ratih Susilo's mothers was the wife of the governor, Susilo Bahri.”
“What's the person like?”
“Age around late fifties, but still fashionable and nimble. The person is rigid and perfectionist, tends to be thin and unfriendly to new people he does not know. Many say that he is a bit chatty, including about banquets and facilities.”
“There again?” tanya Ajeng waited in case the woman also had other achievements or papers for Ajeng to read.
“She is her former mother-in-law Pak Wira.”
“Hah?”
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