Part 50.


    The rainy season showed no signs of ending. Since evening, rain poured heavily. Joe’s n for a romantic dinner with ra had to be postponed again.


    The man had just finished showering. He was sitting leaning on the bed while checking some emails from his colleagues.


    The sound of his phone buzzing diverted Joe’s focus. He reached for the t object on the nightstand. There was a phone call from an unknown number.


    “Hello,” Joe greeted.


    “Hello, is this Joe Sebastian’s number?” the voice on the other end asked.


    “Yes, that’s correct, who am I speaking to?” Joe asked back.


    “I’m ra’s grandfather,” the voice replied.


    “Mr. Freedy Lim?” Joe asked, suddenly feeling his heart pounding heavily.Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    “So you already know who I am?” Mr. Freedy Lim asked tly.


    “Yes… of course, who wouldn’t know you!” Joe replied, his heart still pounding heavily.


    “I just want to make sure when I can pick up my granddaughter,” Mr. Freedy Lim got straight to the point.


    “Sunday night, Sir, you cane to my house to pick up ra,” Joe replied.


    “Alright, I’lle Sunday night, thank you beforehand for taking care of my granddaughter, I’ll make sure to bring a proper reward, for the kindness you’ve shown to the youngdy!” the middle-aged man on the other end said. He would fly to Indonesia earlier, of course, before Sunday.


    “No need, Sir, ra is a good girl, and my family is very happy to have her stay and get to know ra closely, so you don’t need to hesitate!” Joe quickly replied.


    “Hmm, well if that’s what you want!” the man on the other end replied.


    “Yes, Sir.”


    “See you on Sunday, young man, take care of my granddaughter until we meet!” he requested.


    “Yes, Sir, Mr. Lim!”


    The phone call ended.


    Joe patted his chest a few times, his heart still beating very fast. How could a phone call from Mr. Lim make him feel so nervous?


    “Huufftt!”


    Joe let out a long breath to regain hisposure. Then he went back to replying emails.


    “What time is it now!” Joe murmured, looking at the wall clock. “It’s time,” he said afterwards.


    Joe closed hisptop screen, then he got up from his bed. He walked towards the mirror, looking at his reflection there.


    There was nothing special about what he was wearing, just a white t-shirt paired withfortable home pants. His intention was what mattered.


    Joe grabbed his phone, typing a message to ra. He had to count the days until the girl left this house, it was sad. But Joe convinced himself to stay looking fine in front of ra.


    Joe: [Come to the library now.]


    ra: [Wait, Uncle.]


    Joe: [What for?]


    ra: [Does Uncle want hot chocte?]


    Joe: [No, I want you toe to the library right now! Hurry, I’m waiting!]


    ra: [Okay, Uncle, after making hot chocte, I’ll go to the library.]


    Joe: [Ok, don’t take too long]


    The man smiled, then he put his phone in his pants pocket. Joe smiled, whistling happily as he left his room for the library. This was an opportunity, because when it rained all the upants of the house would go to their rooms earlier than usual.


    Joe stepped into the library, waiting for ra while sitting on the only sofa there.


    —


    ra climbed the stairs to the second floor, carrying a tray of hot chocte and snacks. After thinking about it, ra felt that the days with Joe, their closeness under the same roof, would end. Andter, when together with her real family, ra didn’t know how often she would meet Uncle Joe, the handsome CEO who owned her heart.


    Knock.


    Knock.


    Knock.


    “Uncle!” ra whispered as she knocked on the library door.


    “One moment,” Joe replied.


    The door opened, their eyes met. Smiles blossomed on both their lips.


    “Come in, ra!” Joe invited.


    The girl entered the library. She ced the tray on the table. There was something unusual on the table. A medium-sized box covered in ck velvet.


    “What’s this box, Uncle?” ra asked, observing and guessing what might be inside.


    “Open it! It’s special for you, the only product at Blue Jewelry that I made specifically for you!” Joe said.


    “What, Uncle?” ra continued to ask.


    Joe walked closer. He opened the box. “This is for you, ra!” Joe said.


    “Wow, I can’t ept it, Uncle, I know it’s very expensive, I dare not ept it!” ra refused, shaking her head.


    A ne with a diamond pendant. ra didn’t even want to know its exact price. It must be very expensive.


    “It seems like you’re getting bolder, ra! Look, now you can even reject my gift, I designed it specifically for you, and you don’t want to ept it! I’m starting to doubt, do you really love me?” Joe looked at ra with annoyance.


    “No, Uncle, that’s not what I meant!” ra tried to exin.


    “Come here!” he ordered. His gaze sharp, not wanting to ept rejection from ra.


    “What’s wrong, Uncle?” ra scooted over. This time she didn’t dare to refuse. She faced Joe.


    Joe took the ne, stood behind ra. Then, carefully, he ced the diamond ne around ra Rusadi’s graceful neck.


    “Look, it suits you very well!” Joe praised, staring at ra without blinking.


    “Thank you, Uncle!” ra said. The pink teddy bear was not the actual gift. Joe was indeed unexpected. For a moment, ra felt guilty for having a negative assumption about the man.


    “You’re wee,” Joe whispered as he hugged ra from behind. Very close, so close. If only they were married, perhaps Joe would have fulfilled his desires by taking ra to his room.


    ‘Be patient!’ Joe thought. Trying to control his erratic heartbeat.


    Knock.


    Knock.


    Knock.


    The sound of knocking on the door startled Joe and ra. The man put his index finger in front of his lips, signaling ra to be quiet.


    ra quickly hid behind the bookshelf, at the far end.


    “Joe! I know you’re in there!” Mrs. Linn called out, knocking on the door harder than before.


    Creak.


    The door opened. Joe appeared behind the door, trying to maintain his poker face.


    “What’s up, Mom?” Joe asked.


    “Where’s ra? Mama knows you’re hiding ra here!” Mrs. Linn barged in, scanning the entire room.


    “ra,e out, dear, Mama won’t be angry, but you have toe out of here, don’t let him court you secretly!” Mrs. Linn instructed. She was really worried about Joe, afraid that Kimmy Olivia’s father might make a mistake.


    “ra isn’t here, Mom!” Joe insisted.


    “Don’t lie, just so you know, Mama installed CCTV in the living room, so Mama knows when and where you meet!” Mrs. Linn exined. She said it with humor and a smile.


    Joe suppressed his smile.


    “Let’s all talk outside, don’t stay in dim ces at night, tomorrow Mama will ask Mr. Joko to change the light bulbs!” the middle-aged woman said.


    She exited the library, ra and Joe’s favorite ce to date.


    “ra, you better go to bed now, Mama is sometimes scary, right?” Joeined, scratching his head that wasn’t itchy.


    “It’s okay, Uncle, that means Mrs. Linn still cares, it’s proof that she’s concerned!” ra said. Joe’s expression was resigned, like a thief caught red-handed.


    “Goodnight, ra.”


    “Goodnight, Uncle.”


    They both walked to their respective rooms.


    —


    The next morning.


    Mbak Anik was apanying ra watering the strawberry nts in the backyard garden.


    ra was watering, while Mbak Anik swept around the Vivian’s pond and rearranged some flower nts in vases.


    The female servant didn’t like ra, so it was understandable that she remained silent and didn’t engage in any conversation with ra at all.


    Mbak Anik’s phone buzzed. The female servant put down the broom and moved away from ra.


    She reached for her phone from her pants pocket. After seeing Vivian’s name disyed on the screen, she immediately swiped the green icon to answer the call.


    “Hello, Madam,” Anik greeted enthusiastically.


    “Hello, Anik, yesterday I came by, I want to ask about ra!” she said firmly and seemed in a hurry.


    “Yes, how can I help you, Madam!” she replied politely.


    “Is it true that ra’s family wille and take her away from Joe’s residence?” Vivian was already emotional.


    “Yes, that’s correct, Madam!” Anik answered.


    “Do you know the origin of ra’s family?” Vivian inquired. Anik was her only hope to provide information to facilitate her n.


    “I’m not sure about that, even Mrs. Linn and ra themselves don’t know, it seems that Mr. Joe really keeps it a secret!” Anik replied. “But I know, on Sunday tomorrow, ra will be picked up!” she added.


    “Um, what is ra’s daily routine?” Vivian asked.


    “Sometimes she goes to Mr. Joe’s office, leaves in the morning, andes back in the afternoon with Mr. Joe as well,” she recounted. Making the woman across the line seethe with jealousy.


    “And now? What is she doing?” trying to steer the conversation to seize an opportunity.


    “ra is watering the nts, maybeter she’ll go to her room, she’s just at home and making me annoyed, because she often orders me around!” Anik exined.


    “Is there a possibility that ra will leave the house? Certainly without anyone, including Joe?” Vivian asked.


    “That seems to be difficult, Madam! She will only leave the house when Mr. Joe invites her,” Anik replied.


    “Alright, keep an eye on them, if ra leaves the house without me! Immediately inform me!” Vivian requested.


    “Yes, Madam!”


    “Okay!” The call ended.


    Vivian threw her phone annoyed. She didn’t expect ra to be her rival in winning Joe.


    She became more convinced to carry out her evil n against ra.


    To be continued.