Trapped by Pandora

Chapter 3: Obsession

Mayfa Zora clenched herself in front of the mirror, tidying up her makeup. Heart's blossoming. Soon, in a matter of hours, his dream will come true. To have the status of Madame Beryliano Monza is her dream that cannot be bargained for. Tonight, his family invited Monza's family to dinner and discussed the engagement to the man who had made his heart go bad.

“Non Zora, his guest has arrived,” Bi Mirah informs him of the arrival of the Monza family.

“Iya Bi, thank you,” Zora smiled widely, her eyes twinkle.

Zora stepped out of the room accompanied by Bi Mirah. From the stairs he could hear the boisterous sounds of the Monza children.

“Ughh, why should those kids come anyway?” grunts in the heart.

Zora did not like Monza's three children because many times they nailed her and it was very upsetting. In addition, Beryl will forget anyone who is with her when it comes to children. Beryl prefers they don't care about trivial and awkward issues. Zora was completely unable to compete with the three of them. If she had been titled as Madam Beryliano Monza, she would not have let the three monsters win. Suddenly he felt cloudy covering his happy night.

“Night Om, Aunt, Beryl, Kids!” he tried to be as gentle and elegant as possible.

“Night!” they exclaimed at the same time, except for Shaquille who kept his cold expression and Mallory looked away. Such an attitude was no longer strange to Zora.

“Wah, we should just go straight to the dining room before getting late. How?” tawang Mr. Wisesa, the host. They all headed to the dining room, where there are various Indonesian dishes available.

How happy Zora is to see Beryl ready to come to dinner today. At least, a carefully prepared plan can run perfectly. Zora stepped closer and then her hands twitched spoiled on Beryl's sturdy arm.

“I'm glad you want to come,” cheerful aura clearly emanated from the look of his face. Without realizing it, there was a pair of eyes that stared intently like a knife ready to hit.

Beryl held back the smile line on her lips while trying to slowly remove Zora's hand from her arm. After all, their families were good friends, so Beryl was unwilling to humiliate Zora in front of their parents.

Their dinner went well, only Zora's polah made Beryl careless. Time and again Zora forced to feed food into her mouth shamelessly, as if they were a newly married couple.

“He-em, Daddy it's not a baby that needs to be fed. Meningan Auntie bribe aja Kika, who is obviously still a child!” sewot Mallory openly showed antipathy.

Zora clenched both hands, her flushed face holding in shame the speech of the sixteen-year-old girl. The girl's words were enough to make her almost choke.

“Tante is not Daddy's wife, why busy nyuapin Daddy? Cih, just shy!” Mallory was grieving, completely fed up with Zora's behavior.

“Rory, keep your attitude!” Mrs Aretha warned her granddaughter to maintain good manners.

“Ah come, her name is young. He just told me what was on his mind. Let it go, it's okay!” lerai Mr. Wisesa, who actually also felt a little embarrassed by the behavior of Zora, his only child.

“How about we continue in the middle room just so free to chat,” invite Mr. Wisesa when their dinner is over.

Many times Mallory glanced at the watch, it felt like time was going so slowly. He was getting tired of the adult talk in the living room. An unimportant conversation according to the views of his millennial son. Especially with the drama played by the attached grandmother, that's how she nicknamed Zora.

“Moazzam, our family has been friends for a long time. Ever since Beryl and Zora were kids, they've been very close. Their age is no longer young, how about we marry them?” Mr. Wisesa spoke in a cautious tone, so as not to damage the good relations between them.

Zora sparkled, while Beryl was flabbergasted not to believe what his papa sabah said. Mallory's? Don't ask again, he had expected this to happen, considering the disgusting acting that Grandma had played earlier in the dining room.

“Oh, actually it's not a bad idea. But let them decide, after all, they are both adults,” despite wanting to see his son married, but Mr. Moazzam prefers to be wise. He did not want to impose his will.

“How's My Son? Are you ready to marry Zora?” mister Moazzam asked Beryl who was sitting next to him on the sofa.

“Sorry before Om, I thought this was a regular dinner invitation. I have no interest in talking about marriage. If this dinner is over, we should just go home,” Zora jerked, not expecting that Beryl dared to refuse his papa request.

“My son, think again. You are almost half a century old, what are you waiting for? Mama and Papa can't keep coming with you. After all, Zora loves you so much, Son,” Lady Aretha is trying to change Beryl's decision, of course it makes Zora's hopes come back.

“Married it's not just because of chasing age, Ma. It's a matter of the heart. The two must love each other not just one-sided love,” said Beryl.

“It's okay Auntie, I will wait until Beryl opens her heart and loves me like I love her,” said Zora in a soft voice.

“Pfftt, no need to bother Aunt. No need to wait for Daddy, because Daddy will marry someone else. Come on Dad, let's just go home!” Mallory pulled the arm of Beryl who was sitting beside her.

“Rory!” Lady Aretha again rebuked her eldest granddaughter. However, Beryl stopped her mother from continuing.

“Wisesa, thanks for the delicious dishes. Good night!” Mr. Moazzam and Mrs Aretha followed Beryl out of Wisesa's house and into the car that was waiting for them.

^^o^

Zora walked with confident footsteps. There is no giving up in the dictionary of his life. Hundreds of times Beryl refused, not aborting her intention to get the man's love. He entered the Monzana Enterprise building with a paper bag containing lunch that he had prepared since morning.

“Good morning! Sorry, Miss where are you going?” stop the receptionist. Zora stopped for a moment.

“Again! I want to meet the owner of this company,” Zora pursed her lips.

“Does Miss have any prior appointment?”

“Ehm, my name is Mayfa Zora Wisesa. I am the future wife of Mr. Beryl Monza. So, I do not need to make any appointments to meet him,” Zora puts emphasis on every sentence that of course makes the receptionist frightened.

Zora continued her steps after the receptionist invited her. The woman who had just turned forty years old had memorized exactly where the location of Beryl's office. His father was one of the shareholders in Monzana Enterprise and since childhood he was often invited to this building when there was a corporate anniversary celebration.

“Siang Karen! Is Beryl there?” zora asked Beryl's secretary, whose desk was right in front of Beryl's room.

“Siang, Miss! Mr. Beryl is there, but..,”

“After that, I went in first huh!” cut off Zora, she doesn't care what Karen's about to say.

Zora opened the door and just walked in. Beryl who was discussing with Eijaz was surprised to see Zora coming. The look on his face turned irritated, his mood was a mess.

“Hai, my dear Beryl! I came to bring you lunch. You haven't eaten yet, have you?” Zora immediately arranged the provisions he carried at the table near the entrance.

Beryl ordered Eijaz out of the room. The document that was discussed with Eijaz. The phone handle on the desk, then he presses a few number buttons.

“Karen, next time don't let anyone else enter my office carelessly without my permission. Do you understand?” the plug's on the phone.

“Sorry, Sir! According to the receptionist, the lady claimed to be Mr.'s future wife. So no one dared to prevent it,” Karen defended herself from the rampage of her boss.

“Calon wife?” Beryl clucked, Zora made her ride black.

“He's not my future wife! Don't trust anyone unless I say it myself. You understand?” Beryl hung up on him.

Zora pretended not to hear what Beryl said, although to be honest it was very painful. He continued to prepare food, get rice, side dishes and vegetables and then arrange them on a plate. After that he brought it to Beryl's desk, while the owner of the room continued to pay attention to the laptop screen.

“Honey, this is the food. Let's eat first, do not get sick because it's late to eat yes,” Zora standing next to Beryl, with his chuckles sliding the laptop and replace it with a plate of food that he carries.

“Enough Zora! Stop!” beryl's emotions are at the top of her head.

“Please stop all this! I won't change my mind!  You better go home and bring back the food,” Beryl half muffle his anger.

“Ta-but,” Zora stuttered.

“Please out! Leave me alone!”

“Beryl darling,” Zora half wailing.

“Out!” Beryl kicked off her desk, making Zora grimace. Especially seeing Beryl's shiny eyes. Zora grabbed the bag lying on the sofa and ran out of the office without caring about the food lined up on the table. His heart was so claustrophobic, breath was hunting, tears were beginning to scatter. It was the first time he had seen Beryl that angry.

In the car, Zora cries and vents all her pain. She cries in shock at Beryl's anger, but that doesn't mean she'll give up on her love. No, of course never will. The fight is not over. He believed that the rock that continued to be dripped by water was getting eroded, as was the case with Beryl's hard heart.

~***~