Fahira’s Secret
Darian collapsed onto the sofa, his hands splayed on the sides of the couch, and he rested his head with his eyes closed. The curiosity about Fahira overwhelmed him even more after his mother, Yasmin, conveyed the late Rusdi’s message. Yasmin had never met Fahira, but a week before Rusdi passed away, he had left a message that if a company employee named Fahira Ramadhani ever appeared, Yasmin and Darian must take good care of her. Rusdi never explained who Fahira was, but fate took him away before he could reveal anything. Now, what puzzled Darian was that Yasmin herself had no knowledge of Fahira and was clueless about the connection between Fahira and Rusdi.
“What’s the connection between Fahira and Papa, Ma?” Darian asked with deep curiosity.
“I don’t know, Darian, but your Papa once said that Fahira is the daughter of someone who greatly contributed to his company.”
The conversation with Yasmin earlier in the afternoon kept echoing in his mind, adding to his growing sense of guilt. If Fahira’s parents were instrumental in his father’s company, was it right for him to repay it with insults and wounds he inflicted on the girl? The image of Fahira looking at him with wounded eyes earlier that morning tore at his heart.
With a heavy heart, Darian rose from the sofa and walked into his room. The illuminated city lights welcomed him, showcasing the grandeur of his silver-white themed room. The furniture and interior design exuded a masculine vibe, reflecting the personality of the room’s owner. Sreek… The curtains opened wide, revealing the glittering Jakarta cityscape with its bustling nightlife.
Darian stood there, savoring his solitude. He had always been alone, and solitude had become his true companion. His father’s dictatorial attitude had made him an introverted person. From elementary school to high school, Darian followed the path set by his father. No skipping school, climbing fences, watching movies in the cinema, or experiencing the beautiful hues of teenage love. All those beautiful stories of adolescence were absent from Darian’s life, as if they were never part of his memories. All he knew was studying, non-stop. And now, at nearly 29 years old, Darian had never experienced love, let alone dating. To him, Yasmin was his one true love.
Darian was not born into a broken home. His needs were always met, both materially and emotionally, and his parents’ relationship was always harmonious. However, there was one gap in his heart that left him feeling empty and frozen. Darian had never had the chance to be his true self. He was merely a puppet created to advance Putra Corporation. Two years after taking over Rusdi’s position, the company had seen significant growth. With his high intellect and supportive personality, Darian always succeeded in attracting foreign investors to invest in his company.
Suddenly, a single teardrop rolled down Darian’s cheek. It soon turned into a torrent of tears. “I’m tired, Dad!” Darian muttered as he roughly wiped the tears away with the back of his hand.
Darian fell to his knees on the floor, his head bowed and his hands hanging limply by his side. He was exhausted from always having to appear perfect in front of everyone. He was just a regular human who needed someone to confide in. But until this moment, he hadn’t found a single person he trusted enough to share all the secrets of his life, including David. So far, David had only been his shield.
“What’s wrong with you, Darian? You have everything. Wealth, position, fame, but why does this pain feel so overwhelming?” Darian continued his monologue as he got up from his position. He undressed completely and tossed his clothes in any direction before stepping into the bathtub and turning on the water. He let the water fill the tub, submerging himself along with his deepest emotions.
“Why again, Darian? I’m tired of seeing your messed-up face every time you come here,” Erick, Darian’s friend and owner of J-Rock Night Club, shouted over the booming music and colorful lights.
“I don’t know! Why does my life feel so monotonous? I’m bored, Rick!” Darian replied as he reached for the glass of drink that Erick had poured for him.
“Come on, Darian! You only live once, enjoy it to the fullest!” Erick responded, clinking glasses with Darian and taking a sip together.
Erick waved at a seductive woman who had been eyeing his friend, Darian, for a long time. Erick didn’t believe the rumors about Darian’s supposed sexual preferences. In fact, he had never seen Darian with any woman or man except for David. If Erick suspected that David was Darian’s gay partner, that was impossible because he knew David was a player and had been his loyal customer for a long time.
The woman, Nagita, approached and sat next to Darian. As usual, Darian remained indifferent to any woman who tried to get close to him. Nagita refilled Darian’s drink, smiling provocatively, while Erick chose to greet his other customers.
Nagita dared to touch Darian’s stubbled chin with her finger. Darian remained impassive, simply sipping his drink every time Nagita poured it into his glass.
Darian only hoped to alleviate the heavy burden in his heart at that moment.
As Darian’s consciousness began to fade, he tried to get up and leave before the thing he always avoided happened. However, as he stood up, he stumbled into Nagita’s embrace. This time, Darian was heavily drunk, and David was nowhere to be found. Nagita immediately called Erick to ask for Darian’s apartment address. After obtaining the address, Nagita took Darian outside the club and put him in her car. Nagita smiled, caressing Darian’s face with interest. She had long been eyeing the handsome young executive and didn’t want to waste the opportunity that had come her way.
“Get out, you slut!” Darian snapped, pushing Nagita’s hand away from his face, showing the last remnants of his consciousness.
Darian felt his stomach churning, and he quickly got out of the car. He vomited until he felt weak, leaning against the car. Nagita, who wanted to help him, received a rough treatment instead. She almost fell if someone hadn’t supported her.
“Are you alright, miss?” The girl asked kindly, then released her hands from Nagita’s shoulders.
“Fahira!” Darian whispered, trying to focus his blurry vision.
Without much ado, Fahira helped Darian back into the car after explaining her relationship with him to Nagita. Once Nagita went back inside the club, Fahira approached Mang Damar, her regular Go-Jek driver. Fahira asked Mang Damar to deliver some food to Ariel’s house first, then pick her up to go to Darian’s apartment.
“Alright, Miss, please be careful driving!” Mang Damar said worriedly as he looked at Darian in the car. Of course, Mang Damar knew that Darian was Fahira’s boss at the office. He immediately left after Fahira sent Darian’s apartment address through Google Maps.
In her luxurious sports car, Fahira slowly navigated the empty streets. Occasionally, she glanced at Darian, who was mumbling incoherently beside her. Fahira took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She was sure that something heavy was burdening Darian’s mind to the point that he got drunk like this. Fahira knew that Darian was always accompanied by David whenever he visited nightclubs. She was also aware that Darian never wanted to be with the hostesses at the clubs they went to. All this information was provided by David himself, who was Darian’s personal assistant. David often complained to Fahira about Darian’s strange behavior and how he never wanted to be with women. In the two years she had been Darian’s secretary, Fahira had never seen him go on a date with any woman except for herself.
“Fahira, why did you reject me? Didn’t you enjoy that night too?” Darian rambled as he walked unsteadily with Fahira’s help. Fahira didn’t respond to Darian’s rambling; she was overwhelmed trying to support his large body to prevent him from falling. Hesitantly and with a pounding heart, Fahira reached into Darian’s pants pocket to find the apartment key card. Meanwhile, Darian began to kiss Fahira’s neck while sniffing the vanilla scent that he claimed not to like.
“I really like your body scent, Fahira!” Darian said, which made Fahira glance sharply at him, then she guided him into the apartment.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.
“It’s best if you rest now, Mr. Darian.” Fahira helped Darian lie down on the bed and took off his shoes.
“I’ll go now,” Fahira excused herself, pulling the blanket up to Darian’s chest. Suddenly, Fahira fell onto Darian’s body as he tightly grabbed her hand.
“Forgive me, Fahira!” Darian murmured, holding her tightly. Fahira struggled, trying to release herself from Darian’s grip, which was becoming tighter.
“There’s nothing to forgive, Mr. Darian!” Fahira replied softly, even though she knew that Darian was not conscious due to the influence of alcohol. Fahira knew Darian well; he would never apologize to anyone.
Strangely, after Fahira said that, Darian’s hands fell limp to his side. Soft snores could be heard escaping his lips. Fahira looked at Darian’s peaceful face as he fell asleep. He looked very handsome when he was silent like this, without his usual flat or cold expression.
Fahira shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts that admired the man who had taken her innocence.
Outside Darian’s apartment building, Mang Damar was waiting anxiously for Fahira. “Let’s go home, Miss, it’s late!” Mang Damar said as he handed Fahira her helmet, which she immediately put on. Fahira gazed at Darian’s apartment building for a moment, feeling conflicted, before Mang Damar’s motorcycle carried her away into the distance.