Hot Night With CEO

Uncle Zahir smiled warmly while shaking Darian’s hand firmly. “Yes, that’s right, Darian. It’s been a long time since we last met. I’m doing well. And how about you?”

Darian nodded, trying to hide his anxiety behind his smile. “I’m doing fine, Om. Can I help you with something?”

Uncle Zahir shifted his gaze for a moment towards David, who was standing next to Darian. “Can we talk in private?”

Darian and David exchanged a brief look before Darian nodded. “Sure, we can talk in the private room.”

Uncle Zahir followed Darian to a private room, away from the prying eyes and ears. As they sat down, Uncle Zahir began, “Darian, I have something important to discuss with you. It’s about the truth that has been hidden for a long time.”

Darian’s heart raced, and he tried to maintain his composure. “Go ahead, Uncle Zahir. I’m listening.”

Uncle Zahir took a deep breath before continuing, “I know about your relationship with Fahira, and I want you to know that I support you both. But there is something you should know. The truth is, your father and Fahira’s mother were deeply in love in the past. They were childhood sweethearts.”

Darian’s eyes widened in surprise as he listened to the revelation. “What? My father and Fahira’s mother?”

“Yes, it’s true,” Uncle Zahir confirmed. “But circumstances forced them to separate, and your father married someone else. Fahira’s mother also married someone else, but they never forgot each other. Even after their respective marriages, they kept in touch secretly.”

Darian’s mind was racing, trying to process the information. “So, Fahira and I… we are actually half-siblings?”

Uncle Zahir nodded sadly. “Yes, you are. I’m sorry for telling you this now, but it’s something you needed to know. Fahira doesn’t know about this, and I wanted to be the one to inform you first.”

Darian felt a mix of emotions overwhelming him – shock, confusion, and sadness. He couldn’t believe that his love for Fahira was tied to such a complicated and unexpected revelation.

“I understand that this is a lot to take in,” Uncle Zahir said gently. “Take your time to process everything. I just wanted to be honest with you. Fahira is a wonderful person, and I believe she deserves to know the truth as well.”

Darian nodded, still trying to grasp the reality of the situation. “Thank you, Uncle Zahir, for telling me the truth. I will find the right time to talk to Fahira about this.”

Uncle Zahir placed a reassuring hand on Darian’s shoulder. “Take care, Darian. I’m here for both of you if you need anything.”

Darian managed a small smile, appreciating the support from Uncle Zahir. As they left the room, he knew that his relationship with Fahira would never be the same again. The truth had brought a new level of complexity to their love, and he needed to find a way to navigate through it with honesty and understanding.

Darian sat on the sofa next to Yasmin, facing the white-haired man in front of them. Despite his youthful appearance and strong physique, the white hair indicated that Zahir Ali Muhammad was not young anymore. He was Darian’s father’s close friend during his lifetime, and also Rusdi’s personal lawyer. Zahir’s visit to their house was undoubtedly for a reason.

“Alhamdulillah, Uncle, I’m doing well. You seem as sharp as my father!” Darian replied with a smile, reminiscing about the old times when Zahir used to playfully pat his shoulder.

The atmosphere fell silent when Zahir mentioned the purpose of his visit – to deliver Rusdi’s will. Zahir opened the bag he had placed on the table and took out a folder containing several documents.

“Let’s relax, shall we?” Zahir tried to ease the tension. Yasmin and Darian smiled nervously, feeling anxious about what he was going to say.

“So, here it is. Rusdi made this will a long time ago. To be honest, I didn’t plan to reveal the truth yet, but due to the recent events and the arrests made by Darian, I think it’s best to disclose it now,” Zahir explained and looked meaningfully at Darian.

“What do you mean? I don’t understand, Pak Zahir,” Yasmin asked, glancing between Zahir and Darian.

Zahir smiled before answering Darian’s question, “So, Rusdi and Pram had a very close relationship. They were best friends. Although they rarely met, whenever Rusdi was on a business trip to Surabaya, he always made time to see Pram. Ten years ago, when Putra Corporation was facing financial deficits and almost bankruptcy, they made an agreement.”

“An agreement?” Yasmin and Darian repeated in unison.

“Exactly. Pram injected funds from the sale of his tea plantation to cover the company’s deficit, with the condition that Rusdi would return the money when Ariel turned twenty. And a year before the accident that claimed the lives of Fahira and Ariel’s parents, Pram entrusted their safety to Rusdi, as they were facing numerous threats. Pram knew that one of the people targeting his family’s lives was his own stepmother. To be cautious, whenever Pram traveled with his entire family, he would separate the two children with bodyguards watching over them. Damar and Robby were Rusdi’s men.” Zahir paused briefly before revealing the heart of all that he had shared.

“So, 30% of the 65% company shares belong to Fahira and Ariel. I apologize if this reality is painful for you, Yasmin and Darian, but I’m merely conveying Rusdi’s will and decision. You both can study the entire details and evidence here!” Zahir handed the folder to Yasmin and Darian.

“I never had an issue with the company shares. I’m just disappointed that Papa never told me all this from the beginning. Fahira became my secretary at the office based on Papa’s recommendation. And what I’ve done to Fahira…” Darian’s words trailed off as he struggled to express the turmoil in his heart. He wanted to be honest, but he couldn’t bear to expose his own flaws in front of others. Only Allah, himself, Fahira, Yasmin, and David knew about it.

“I should go. If you need anything, feel free to contact me,” Zahir bid his farewell, finishing the drink on the table.

After Zahir left, the atmosphere remained quiet. Both Yasmin and Darian sat in silence, trying to digest the information they had just received a few minutes ago.

Yasmin was struggling hard to recall something. She had never been involved in the company’s affairs before, and she only recently found out about the company’s financial difficulties and near bankruptcy. But there was one thing Yasmin remembered, something Rusdi used to say to her, “Mom, everything we have is entrusted by Allah, so if one day our wealth is taken back by Him, we must be prepared. Whenever that may be.”

Tears welled up in Yasmin’s eyes as she reminisced about all the memories she had with Rusdi. Her sobbing caught Darian’s attention, who had been lost in his thoughts.

“Dad is happy up there, Ma!” whispered Darian as he embraced his mother.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

“By the way, where are Fahira and Ariel?” Darian asked, trying to divert his mother’s sadness.

“Oh, they were cooking together earlier. You’re smart to find a future wife who can cook,” Yasmin replied with a smile, then released their embrace after wiping her tears.

Darian’s smile brightened as he saw the woman he loved still busy in the kitchen. Earlier, Fahira continued cooking with them despite the guest’s presence. Ariel was seen washing peeled fruits and cutting them into small pieces to put in the blender.

“It seems like after we get married, my waistline will expand,” Darian whispered, causing Fahira’s body to tense up. He blew warm breath on her left neck.

“Don’t do that, Darian!” Fahira shifted her body away and looked around. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when she didn’t see anyone else in the kitchen except Ariel. Darian chuckled, following the movements of her beautiful eyes that seemed restless.

“Mom is in her room, she wants to be alone!” Darian honestly replied as his smile started to fade.

“Is there something wrong, Darian?” Fahira inquired, looking at the man in front of her with seriousness.

“It’s a long story, I’ll tell you everything later!” Darian paused, gazing into his beloved’s eyes. “Right now, I’m hungry,” he continued and headed to the dining table.

Still with her aloof demeanor, Ariel placed a glass of apple juice in front of Darian.

“Thank you,” Darian said. “By the way, sometime we should do some Muay Thai. I’ll teach you, but before that, you should consult your doctor!” Darian continued without mentioning Gavin’s name in front of Fahira.

Ariel smiled at Darian and nodded his head. Rather than being offended by Ariel’s indifferent attitude towards him, Darian felt something else for the teenager in front of him. Soon, Ariel would be his colleague in the company. If Ariel proved to be capable, Darian wouldn’t hesitate to hand over his position as CEO of the company. So, now he was thinking about imparting the business knowledge he had acquired to his future brother-in-law and recommending the best faculties in Jakarta. Darian was sure that Ariel would reject any offer to study abroad, especially with Fahira’s protective nature, it was unlikely that she would allow her younger brother to study far away from her. Plus, considering Ariel’s history of heart disease, there was a possibility that it might worsen someday.

Fahira looked suspiciously at Darian, who was observing her brother, and asked, “What’s your plan?” Darian was taken aback by the question. Meanwhile, Ariel remained in his position, enjoying his meal without paying attention to the conversation.

“You’ll find out soon, Love!” replied Darian, stealing a kiss on Fahira’s cheek.

“Jerk!” protested Fahira playfully as she lightly hit Darian’s shoulder with her blushing cheek. Shortly after, Yasmin came out of her room and joined them at the dining table. Politely, Ariel pulled out a chair for Yasmin with a smile. “Thank you, dear,” said Yasmin, ruffling Ariel’s hair affectionately.

Seeing the interaction between his mother and Ariel, Darian suddenly felt jealous. How could Ariel become so close to his mother in such a short time while he, who knew Ariel before anyone else, was still being ignored?

In the evening, Darian reluctantly escorted Fahira and Ariel back to their apartment. He wanted to bring them to his home as soon as possible. He was sure that their presence would bring more color to his home, especially for his mother.

Not wanting to prolong the matter, Darian finally told Fahira and Ariel about the truth conveyed by his father’s lawyer. Fahira and Ariel were stunned, finding it hard to believe what they heard. Seeing their shocked expressions, Darian decided to hide the truth that Fahira’s father knew about the planned accident. Perhaps, for now, it was the best decision so that Fahira and Ariel wouldn’t be consumed by sorrow.

In the end, Darian chose to stay at Fahira’s place after getting permission from his mother. He couldn’t bear leaving Ariel and Fahira in such a downhearted state. After facing the bitter truth upon their return from Surabaya, they now had to find other facts once again.