The Shackles of Love

In the afternoon..

"Is Mr. Richard in?" Trisya asked.

Kalisha, the policewoman who was sitting in the room, looked at Trisya.

"He's out, ma'am."

"For a long time?"

"An hour ago. Do you want to wait?"

"No need. I wanted to talk to Dad. I'll wait for him to come home from work. I'm going home."

"Be careful, ma'am."

The door to the room opened before Trisya went out.

"Lisha, I think..." Ardi, who opened the door, didn't finish his sentence when he saw Trisya.

"Hi.." Trisya greeted.

"Oh, you're back, Sir?" Kalisha asked.

"Where are the files from earlier?" Ardi approached Kalisha. "Check the drawer."

"They're not there," Kalisha replied.

"Where did Bayu put them? Mr. Richard is already angry."

"Here.." Kalisha took a folder that was on her desk. "I don't know why it's here. Maybe Bayu forgot to take it. He was talking to me before he left."

Ardi took the folder.

"I'm going now".

"Be careful, Sir."

Ardi walked out of the room, at the same time as Trisya who was also going down the stairs.

"Dad went out with you, Sir?" Trisya asked.

"No. He went out with Mr. Azam earlier. Why?"

"Nothing. I was going to go home with Dad. But Lisha said Dad went out. Even though I wanted to tell Dad about Robby."

"Robby?"

"Yeah. He's been missing for 2 weeks. He hasn't shown up again."

"Why? Did you fight?"

"Yeah. That playboy is definitely charming a lot of women when he's not with me. How can I be sure he's serious about proposing to me."

"I've known Robby for a long time, he's not the kind of guy who likes to play around with women. Even though many people like him."

Trisya smiled remembering that night when she and Robby came home from a cafe.

"I have another love," Trisya asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I shouldn't be angry when someone falls in love with you. Or you have another love."

"What do you mean?" Robby Asked.

"I told you earlier, right? I have another love. I shouldn't have accepted you. I should have just let the process of Renata's love for you go smoothly."

"Who is that man?"

"You know him."

"Really?"

"You are still in the same office but different divisions with him."

"Who?"

"Ardi. I think I'm falling in love with that man."

"What did you say?"

"I think.. I want to pursue his love."

"But he's..."

"I knew him before you."

Robby was silent.

Trisya laughed.

"I'm just kidding."

"YOU'RE CRAZY! How can you say that so easily, just kidding?"

"He might be angry, very angry at me," Trisya said. She look to Ardi's eyes.

"Angry?"

"I said.. I'm in love with you."

Ardi stopped walking.

"What?"

Trisya laughed.

"Since the first time I saw you. I feel like you're very attractive to me."

"Don't joke, Trisya."

"Can't I fall in love with you, Sir? Is it because you already have a girlfriend?"

"Girlfriend?"

"Wow, don't let Aisyah hear what I just said. She might be jealous."

Ardi didn't answer.

"Can I ask for a ride home, Sir?" Trisya asked.

"Why don't you ask Robby for a ride? At this hour he usually doesn't have any activities."

"I told you, he's disappeared like he's been swallowed by the ruler of the world," Trisya followed Ardi towards the car.

"Just look for him at his office. You'll definitely find him."

"I don't want to! I have self-respect. How can I be the one to compromise? Look for him first."

"It's okay."

"Easy for you to say!"

Ardi sighed. He turned to Trisya.

"Get in.."

Trisya smiled.

"Thank you, Brother."

"Ardi.." a woman greeted who was passing by there.

"Oh, Dela."

"Where are you going?"

"Taking Mr. Richard's daughter home. Come on."

Ardi immediately got into the car following Trisya. The car slowly drove out of the parking lot.

Dela, the reporter for that media, watched until the car disappeared from view.

"That woman is very beautiful. Maybe she is Ardi's girlfriend."

Robby was seen walking out of the building.

"Robby.." Dela called.

Robby turned around.

"Hi, Dela. How are you? Alone?"

"Yeah. Mr. Taufan is sick."

"You look beautiful. Still on the same mission? To attract Ardi's attention?"

"Ah, how could he see me if his girlfriend is as beautiful as that."

"His girlfriend? Oh, Aisyah is here?"

"Aisyah is her name?"

"Yeah.. I don't know if Aisyah is Ardi's girlfriend or not. I've seen them walking with Aisyah a few times."

"His girlfriend is beautiful. She's Mr. Richard's daughter, right? Because earlier the woman who got into Ardi's car was called Mr. Richard's daughter by Ardi. He said he was going to take Mr. Richard's daughter home."

"Mr. Richard's daughter? Trisya?"

"I don't know her name. I didn't have time to get to know her."

"She doesn't wear a hijab?"

"Yeah. Her hair is long. Her face is beautiful. Her skin is also good. I'm like looking at a mannequin statue."

"Trisya is my girlfriend. Not Ardi's girlfriend."

"Really? You don't know that your girlfriend is here?"

Robby shook his head.

"Well, that's weird."

"Maybe she has something to do with her Dad."

"Then she got a ride home with Ardi? Why didn't she ask for a ride with you? But she said that you are her boyfriend."

"Oh.. Actually, we're having a little problem."

"Don't fight for too long. She might change her mind before you know it. I'm going inside."

"Yeah."

Robby waved.

"I think I'm falling in love with Ardi," Trisya's words came back to Robby's mind.

***

Ardi's car stopped in front of Trisya's house.

"That's Robby, right?" Ardi asked when he saw Robby waiting on the porch of Trisya's house.

"Long live him.." Trisya immediately got out of Ardi's car. "Thank you, for taking me home."

Ardi waved to Robby who was walking towards him. "Bye, Rob."

"Yeah.. "

Robby watched until Ardi disappeared from view.

"Where were you?" Robby asked.

"I thought you'd forgotten this address.. Caught up in another name," Trisya opened the door.

"Where were you until you got a ride home with Ardi?" Robby asked.

"Don't yell at me!"

"Who's yelling at you? I'm just asking where you were?"

"Your tone is high!" Trisya stepped inside.

"It's not far from the office here, Trisya!"

"That's how you know where I was! So what? You think I was hanging around? Don't compare motorcycle trip with a car ride!"

"Why are you angry?"

"What do you say? You disappear for 2 weeks and you show up angry! Still upset about my joke that night? Don't come here! Go home!"

"Trisya!" Robby pulled Trisya's arm.

"Don't be rude to me! If I tell Dad, you're finished!"

Robby sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm thinking.. I think I'll just cancel my plans to marry you. You're already so terrible!"

"What?"

"How can just because I said I was in love with Ardi, you immediately disappear and change your attitude!"

"Can we talk with a cool head? I didn't disappear. I'm just an ordinary civil servant, Trisya. When I want to fix our relationship that is disrupted, I have to do my duty."

"You could have called me?"

"Calling is not the same as meeting and talking directly."

Trisya looked at Robby.

"So it's not because you're caught up in another name? Remembering the Robby I knew when I first met you was a man who was liked by many women because he was known to be handsome and very friendly?"

"If they like me, it's not my fault. But the one I love is only 1 person."

"Hah.. Love but let me go through lonely days without news."

"You shocked me with your statement about falling in love with Ardi."

"Your jealous heart is terrible."

Robby smiled.

"Done?"

Trisya smiled back and immediately hugged Robby.

"Don't stop contacting me or I'll really do something crazy by cutting off your leg so you can't leave me anymore. How can you disappear without a word."

Robby laughed.

"That's cruel.. But I love your craziness."

"Have you made peace with your mother?" Robby asked.

"What for? My relationship with her will never be good no matter what."

"Don't be like that, then we won't get your mom's blessing."

"It doesn't matter about the blessing from a toxic mother."

"Don't be like that, honey," Robby reprimanded. "Your mom will always be..."

"Don't talk about her!"

Trisya sat on the couch.

"I'm so hungry."

"What do you want me to order?"

"Can I ask you to cook it?"

"Me?"

"Why? Can't you?"

"I've been independent since I was a kid. Living only with my father because my mother and sister died, I was taught to do all the work myself."

"Just eat out.." Trisya stood up. "There's nothing in the fridge that can be cooked."

Trisya took Robby's hand and went outside.

"Robby.." a beautiful woman greeted, she seemed to be of Chinese descent.

"Hi.. Lizzie."

"I often see your motorcycle parked here, but I never see you."

"How can you be sure that's my motorcycle?"

"I know your license plate number," Lizzie laughed. "So you don't live in Garden Housing anymore?"

"I still there."

"Who is this?" Lizzie looked at Trisya.

"The one who lives in this house."

"Your girlfriend?" Lizzie guessed after seeing Trisya's arm around Robby's arm.

"Yeah."

"Oh, I didn't know this house was already occupied. Because the door is always closed," Lizzie said. "Hi, I'm Lizzie.. Big fan of Robby, haha.. You?"

"Trisya." Trisya answered flatly.

"You're so beautiful.. "

"Thank you.. Honey, I left my cellphone."

Trisya left Robby and Lizzie.

"She doesn't like me?" Lizzie guessed.

"No.. Maybe Trisya's mood isn't too good after the reconciliation," Robby whispered.

"Oh.. " Lizzie laughed."You have a lot of fans who will be heartbroken by proclaiming who your girlfriend is."

Robby laughed.

"What kind of fans?"

"But I thought you were Renata's boyfriend."

"Renata?"

"Yeah, you looked are very close. Many people also thought you were dating."

"Trisya is Rena's best friend since they were kids."

"Really? But.. wait, Trisya's face doesn't feel familiar to me."

"Shall we go?" Trisya asked, coming up to them.

"Ok.. "

Lizzie looked at Trisya.

"Have we ever met?"

"No."

"But your face doesn't feel unfamiliar. Like I've known you before."

"Maybe we look alike."

"Have you ever been to Singapore?"

"Yeah."

"Part time at a cafe.. Ah, I forgot."

"Sorry, we're going," said Trisya.

"Oh yeah."

Lizzie waved to Robby and Trisya.

"I'm curious.. Where have I seen her?"

"Lizzie?"

Lizzie turned around.

"Rena.. How are you? I haven't seen you in a long time."

"Good.. You?"

"Me too."

"Why are you here?"

"I met Robby earlier. I thought he had moved here."

"No, this is Trisya's house, Robby's girlfriend."

"Yeah, I met her earlier. How long have they been dating?"

"Just.. Trisya just came back here. She lived in Singapore and Japan for several years."

"Well, I was right, wasn't I? She's been to Singapore. Her face isn't unfamiliar. That means it's true. She must have been part-time at the cafe run by Koko's friend. But she didn't admit it. Why?"

"Maybe she forgot."

"What was her name again?"

"Trisya.. Trisya Monica."

"Well.. That's her, Monic. We called her Monic. She disappeared and we no longer knew her whereabouts. It turns out she came back to Indonesia."

"Really?"

"How did she get to know Robby? Did you introduce them? Robby said Monic and you have been friends since you were kids?"

"Trisya is Mr. Richard and Mrs. Riana's daughter. You know Robby is very close to Mr. Richard."

"I see.. As far as I remember, Monic was close to Mr. Steven, Ko Andre's uncle, Koko's friend. I still don't understand why she didn't admit to knowing me."

"Don't call her Monic in front of Robby."

"Why?"

"Maybe.. There's something she wants to cover up so Robby doesn't know. We don't know what kind of past she wants to forget over there."

"But how can she lie to Robby if she actually knows me?" Lizzie asked.

"They're planning to get married."

"What?"

"You said earlier that Trisya is close to Mr. Steven."

"Yeah."

"How close?"

"I thought she was going to marry Mr. Steven."

"Really?"

"Mr. Steven gave her a luxurious apartment, beautiful jewelry."

"Is he married or a widower?"

"He's married and very rich."

"Maybe.. There's a past with Mr. Steven that she wants to erase after deciding to be with Robby. Is Mr. Steven still around?"

"The last thing I knew before I came back here.. Mr. Steven was looking for Monic."