A week has passed quickly, and now it is a special day: the wedding reception.
Alma and Davin's wedding is a combination of luxury and falsehood. Gold and white decorations dominate the ballroom of the five-star hotel in the southern city where the reception is held. Thousands of invited guests, consisting of Davin's reputable business colleagues, as well as Alma's work and college friends, filled the room wearing luxurious dresses and expensive suits.
Alma, dressed in a white wedding gown studded with jewels designed by a famous designer, looked even more beautiful than usual with her makeup artist's touch.
Alma walked gracefully towards the altar. Her smile was bright, but her heart was in turmoil. Because a few days before the wedding, she had accidentally overheard a conversation between Davin and a woman named Sofia. The conversation revealed Davin's grudge against his brother, Irvan. A grudge rooted in a past relationship, which Davin had now brought into their marriage.
Davin, in his elegant black suit, welcomed Alma at the beautifully decorated altar. His gaze was full of love, but Alma knew it was only a mask. She knew that Davin was not marrying her out of love, but to take revenge on Irvan, Alma's brother.
The event was lively. The guests enjoyed the luxurious food, then most of them danced to the soft music of the orchestra and congratulated the bride and groom.
However, behind the smiles and friendly greetings, Alma felt empty. She felt like a doll on display, only to satisfy Davin's ego and revenge.
The highlight of the event was Davin's speech. With a loud and confident voice, he recounted their love story, how they met, fell in love, and decided to get married. How Davin expressed his feelings that he would love Alma forever.
Alma could only stare, tears falling down her cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away. Alma knew that every word Davin said was a lie.
That night, in the luxurious bridal suite, Alma felt like she was in hell. Davin, with a cold stare, once again expressed his intention to make Alma's life miserable. He wanted Irvan to feel the same pain he had felt in the past. Alma could only cry, regretting her decision to marry Davin. The wedding, which was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, turned into a never-ending nightmare.
Night fell, a moment eagerly awaited by most newlyweds, but not by Alma.
Alma walked calmly into the bridal suite with a sincere smile, but Davin was already standing by the window with a cold stare.
Alma tried to speak to him in a soft tone.
"Mr. Davin, we're finally together. I'm so happy to be your wife."
"Wasn't there no conflict between us from the start? Can you forgive my brother?"
Davin turned with a cynical smile.
"Happy? Don't be naive, Alma. This marriage isn't about happiness. Have you forgotten what we talked about at the office that day?"
Davin slowly walked towards his wife.
"I married you not out of love, but out of revenge. You and your family will pay for everything you've done."
Davin then roughly pushed Anjani onto the bed and pinned her down.
"Don't ever think I'll touch you, Alma. You must always be by my side in this marriage, whether you like it or not!"
Alma was speechless and still crying softly on the bed.
"Tell me clearly, Davin, what did my brother do wrong?
"Ask him yourself, he knows better than anyone."
"Then, does my family's bankruptcy have anything to do with you, Davin?"
"Yes, of course."
Davin looked at Alma with contempt. He felt like he was the most powerful person in the world, ready to punish Alma.
"Alma, while you were enjoying everyone's affection, my sister was experiencing an inhumane destruction of her life."
"You can guess for yourself, I won't tell you the truth. I want you to live in fear forever and feel the suffering my sister experienced."
Davin spoke harshly, he looked at Alma with a cold gaze, then the man's cell phone rang. The screen displayed the name 'Sofia'. A smile spread across Davin's face, and he immediately clicked the answer button. Davin no longer needed to hide the matter of Sofia from his newlywed wife.
"Hello, Sofia."
"What? Is your stomach bothering you now?"
"Wait, I'll be right over."
Davin's face turned anxious, he hung up the phone and walked away from Alma. Of course Alma didn't accept this and shouted.
"Where are you going, Davin!?"
Davin replied without turning around. "It's none of your business."
"This is our first night together, shouldn't we be together?" Alma pleaded, still trying to persuade him.
Davin stopped at the door, turned around, and replied with a cynical smile. "Together? You think I want to spend my first night with you? Don't even dream about it."
"Then where are you going? With whom?"
"Sofia? You're going to see her, aren't you? How dare you leave me on our wedding night for another woman," Alma gasped in despair.
Davin just gave her a cold stare and said mockingly.
"I'm sure you already know the answer. I'm going to meet someone more important and more interesting than you."
"So it's Sofia?" Alma muttered with tears in her eyes.
Shrugging his shoulders, Davin replied lightly, "Maybe. Why? Are you jealous?"
Alma replied with a trembling voice. "I'm your wife, Mas Davin. You should love me, not another woman."
Hearing his wife's rant, Davin could only laugh hollowly. "Love? I never loved you. I only used you to get revenge."
"Please, Davin. Don't do this to me. Don't leave." Alma's voice was filled with deep pain and despair.
Davin narrowed his eyes and, ignoring Alma's pleas, opened the door and stepped outside.
"Enjoy your sad first night, Alma. I hope you sleep well."
Alma screamed hysterically, running to try to stop Davin.
"Davin, please tell me clearly what happened with your sister!"
"Davin! Don't go! Davin!"
Davin slammed the door shut, leaving Alma crying alone in the bridal chamber. Alma tried to get up and walk, but her legs felt weak and her frail body fell back to the floor, her waist aching and feeling broken. She hugged herself and continued crying, feeling broken and helpless.
Meanwhile, elsewhere...
Davin arrived in front of Sofia's house. He knocked on the door and Sofia opened it with a seductive smile.
Sofia said in a spoiled tone, "Davin, you finally came. I've been waiting for you."
Davin embraced Sofia affectionately. "Sorry for keeping you waiting. You know, she was so noisy on her first night, she should realize her position now."
"What's wrong with your stomach?"
Sofia was silent for a moment. She hated the fact that Davin was now Alma's legal husband.
But then Sofia kissed Davin on the cheek.
"It's okay, just a little cramp because my period is coming. The important thing is that you're here now. Come in, I've prepared something special for you."
Davin and Sofia went inside their house together for the rest of the night, while Alma cried alone on her wedding night.
***
Alma finally managed to stop crying. She suddenly daydreamed about the sweet love story that had once happened between Davin and herself.
Not only did he make her cry, but back then, even if her finger was just a little injured, David would immediately take her to the hospital, even in the middle of the night.
The doctor on duty even laughed and said,
"Sir, it's a good thing you came early. If you had been late, the wound would have healed on its own."
The man in her memory seemed very different from the man who had now married her. His eyebrows and eyes were still the same as before. But what was different was his attention, which had now turned as cold as ice at the North Pole.
Alma finally made a firm decision.
"I will investigate what really happened between Uncle Irvan and the late Vanya."
Alma took her phone and called the detective who usually handled cases involving the cause of death and missing persons.