Chapter 3. Painful Facts

After all the uncertainties that had plagued her romantic relationship with Lucas, in the end, the promotion celebration that her co-workers carried out so vivaciously today seemed dull to Aleah. She was happy, but a sense of sadness crept into her heart, gradually eroding her happiness.

When the event concluded and her coworkers returned to their work, Aleah decided to visit the pantry to brew some coffee. She hoped a bit of caffeine might clear her mind and ease the uneasiness in her heart.

The pantry was unusually quiet, with none of the usual cleaning staff around. Without saying a word, Aleah headed straight for the coffee maker. She placed an empty glass under the coffee dispenser, then proceeded to add the special instant coffee to the machine, patiently waiting for the cup to fill with coffee.

In the next second, Aleah turned her face after hearing the sound of the door being opened to only find one of her co-workers smiling cheerfully at her.

“It turns out you’re here. I thought you had already started going to your office, Miss Manager,” he said cheerfully.

“Want a cup of coffee too? I happened to make a cup because I needed caffeine,” Aleah offered.

Her colleague responded to Aleah’s offer by shaking her head. “No thanks. I’ll drink hot tea,” she refused.

“Okay,” Aleah said lightly, then grabbed her cup, which was already filled with a very fragrant coffee liquid.

She twirled the cup right in front of her nose to smell the sweet aroma of sugar and the distinctive bitterness of coffee itself before finally sipping the coffee thoughtfully.

“Oh yeah, are you going to the boutique later? If so, can I go to the boutique of your choice, too? Choosing a dress together sounds good, doesn’t it?” she said while chuckling happily.

Meanwhile, Aleah, who heard the offer, frowned because she felt confused. “Why do you want to go to the boutique to buy a dress? Is there going to be a party?”

Who knows. Aleah only felt that there was something odd that bothered her after hearing the invitation because she knew that the office's anniversary was still very far away. There were no other important agendas yet.

“Did you forget? The day after tomorrow is Wendy’s wedding. How can you forget the important day of your own best friend?” she said, which immediately made Aleah feel a little shaken.

For a moment, Aleah’s eyes widened in surprise, but then she quickly neutralized her facial expression.

“O-Oh yeah you’re right I forgot,” said Aleah while patting her forehead. “Everyone in this office is invited, right?” Aleah said, lying.

For God’s sake, Aleah was sure that she had never suffered from short-term memory; she had never once received a wedding invitation. She was 100% aware that Wendy had never said anything about wedding plans. As far as she could remember, Wendy had never even once discussed a lover.

Is it possible that he got an arranged marriage without telling her? Aleah muttered in her heart.

Immediately, Aleah thought that maybe Wendy would invite her later, specifically. It seemed impossible that Wendy wouldn’t invite him at all.

“Yes, madam manager. All employees including the cleaning service got the invitation, Wendy is very kind to want to celebrate a happy day with everyone without distinction of caste.”

“Do you know who Wendy is going to marry? Because Wendy invited me directly, without using an invitation card, I forgot to ask who the lucky man was. You know I was too happy to think about anything else.”

“Rumor has it that her future husband is a very rich man. Come on, let’s go together to the wedding because I don’t have a partner. Hey, but do you mind if we go together? But if you’re going with your boyfriend, I—”

“Sure, let’s go together,” Aleah answered with a sweet smile on her face.

Even though deep down in her heart, Aleah felt quite hurt and began to wonder why everyone in this office was invited but not her.

***

“Did she forget?” Aleah asked herself, then looked at her cell phone with a wild look.

Today was Wendy’s wedding day.

All night, Aleah waited for a message or maybe a phone call from Wendy, but starting from work, evening, and even until this morning, on a very sunny Saturday, Wendy didn’t even contact her just to say that she was getting married today and she asked for blessings from Aleah.

At the same second, Aleah was shocked by the sound of a message notification from her cell phone. Without waiting long, Aleah rushed to look at the cell phone with a twinkle in her eyes, but a few seconds later, she sighed in disappointment because it wasn’t Wendy who called her.

It was a message from a co-worker who asked to be accompanied to Wendy’s wedding yesterday.

‘Sorry, ma’am, it looks like you have to go alone because I can’t go. I have a cold. Can I ask you to give me a gift for Wendy later? Sorry for bothering you.’

That’s about the contents of the message.

After reading the message, Aleah thought for a moment. Even though earlier she wasn’t going to go because she didn’t even invite her at all, when she thought about it, she should have come with or without an invitation. She had to reprimand her friend for going too far.

Aleah immediately replied to the message and agreed to her colleague’s request. Don’t forget, she also asked for an invitation card.

***

Aleah stared at the invitation card with a blank look. The taxi ride from her co-worker’s house to the ballroom of a luxury hotel, which turned out to be the place where Wendy got married, felt very stifling for Aleah.

“There’s no way the groom is the Lucas I know. Not. This must be another Lucas because many people have the name Lucas,” muttered Aleah, trying to calm her heart and mind as well.

She put the invitation card in her handbag, then lay her head on the back seat of the taxi. Her thoughts drifted far away while her heart occasionally fluttered painfully.

Not without reason, but after seeing ‘Lucas’ name on the invitation card, Aleah was very scared that the name ‘Lucas’ printed on the invitation card was Lucas, who was her lover, who until now had never provided clarity on their relationship.

“Are you sick, miss? Do I need to take you to the nearest hospital? Your face looks pale,” asked the taxi driver, who seemed to be peeking from the side view with a worried expression.

Aleah smiled kindly and shook her head.

“No need, sir. Thank you very much for the offer. I’m just tired, sir.” Aleah answered gently, remembering that the middle-aged taxi driver had been kind to her.

“If you feel tired, you can just sleep first. I’ll wake you up when we get to where you’re going. You want to go to that luxury hotel in the city center, right, Miss?”

Aleah nodded.

“Yes sir, that hotel. Thanks for the offer, but it’s okay. Besides, I’m not sleepy either.”

The driver smiled, which Aleah could see from the rearview mirror.

During the journey, Aleah chose to look out the window blankly. Finally, she arrived at the destination.

“Here we are, miss.” The driver’s voice suddenly made Aleah wake up from her reverie.

Aleah smiled at the driver and then started paying for the cargo. Then, after saying thank you, Aleah hurried out of the car.

For a moment, she stood still with her eyes fixed on staring at the hotel ballroom, which seemed crowded with many people and several burly men standing guard at the door.

After taking a deep breath, Aleah walked up the small stairs to the lobby terrace, showing her invitation, until finally, she rushed inside.