Stealing The Wife's First Kiss

"Don't forget that I am the sole heir of Wenceslas." Hendra purposely tries to show off the unlimited power that he has to make Aruna understand.

"Your family won't give you to me if I am an ordinary person."

"Now, you have to realize your position and do what I said."

"Do you understand?!"

Hendra slams the door, leaving Aruna who is grieving physically and mentally. She has made a mistake. She thought that the blue eyed man was a sweet man who loves her very much.

But actually it's only to deceive the public. Yes, he is very good at acting in front of the public. His personal branding and image are more important than anything.

She tries to sleep, closing her eyes, but the small gap from the door that is not closed properly makes her realize that there's something frightening out there.

"What is it out there?" The girl moves slowly driven by her curiosity, she tries to hear carefully and peek between the gaps.

"Haha… you want to stop me?! Come, I will beat you up!"

_That's Hendra's voice? What is he doing?_

"Sir… Sorry, we don't want to fight you. Can you go back to your room now?"

"Hehe… I just want to eat. Am I not allowed to eat?"

"Okay, we will get what you want. You can wait inside."

Hendra sighs, he doesn't believe what Wiryo has instructed his staff to do.

He is getting impatient.

The heir manages to get out of one guard's grasp when the other guard is taking food for him, they just realized that this young master lies to them.

When they are about to catch him, Hendra manages to dodge well. He kicks one of them and puts him on the ground. The other one tries to hit him but the blue eyed man catches his wrist, locks it forcefully and throws him down.

Hendra realizes that the other guard who received his kick is pushing a button on the earpiece.

"Haha… Now, is it you or me who is crazy?!" Hendra now really turns into a devil.

He laughs at himself loudly and everyone who hears it, fears him.

On the other hand, Aruna can't see the horrific scenes. The gap just allows her to hear the voice of someone being thrown or Hendra's horrifying laugh. Aruna feels scared. What kind of family does she marry into?

Some people come and Hendra just smiles seeing the familiar faces that he knows as Wiryo's guards.

"Only these many?! Just make sure you don't use any gun or I will get angry and kill all of you."

_What? What did I just hear?_

_What is happening?_ Aruna's family often gets into the fight, especially when this family asked Lesmana to give them her older sister, then she was forced to replace her. But no one lays a hand on each other. They are disappointed in each other, but they don't want to hurt anyone.

Did any family member have used a violence to force Hendra? Just as what Oma Sukma did to Hendra and her. It was implied in the euphemism: "Sometimes we are forced to pit against each other." which means 'to force each other with violence'. (First Thief, Chapter 26).

Suddenly Aruna is getting goosebumps, realizing what Hendra is going through.

Hendra opens the glass cupboard behind him and looks at the seven guards while smirking.

"Young master, we don't want to hurt you. You just have to follow the Master's request."

"Go back to your room!"

"Prang." She can hear something falling on the floor.

"Brak." And the sound of someone groaning, but it isn't Hendra's voice.

"Young master, we really don't want to hurt you."

"Hehe, do you think you can stop me!!".

Aruna can't stand hearing any longer, the sounds of groaning and blows are merging into one. And then she could hear the footsteps getting louder and louder. Maybe they call other guards.

"Aaa..rgh." Aruna just realized that this time it's coming from Hendra. She is shaking when she holds on to the door, as if wanting to run.

_What is happening with Hendra? What's going on?_

"You will regret doing this!" Hendra tries to struggle after being stopped by the guards from his grandfather.

The petite woman is standing behind the closed door and wanting to run to her pretend husband, her hand is shaking while she is trying to muster some bravery.

"Wiryo! What did you do to my grandson!" Oma Sukma screams angrily. There is a black shadow running, accompanied by a female voice that Aruna recognizes. Unlike the elegant woman that Aruna has known before, this grandmother is scary when she is angry and even screaming at her own husband.

"Just let him be, you shouldn't interfere. This arrogant kid has to face the consequences!"

"Put him where he should be!" Wiryo instructs.

If Aruna could see how his bodyguards start to drag Hendra despite all his struggles, she might have cried just like Oma Sukma does.

"Oh my God, Wiryo! You are really a devil! Give him a chance to adapt!"

"Let him go, Wiryo, please!"

"You… Don't you dare to treat him wrong! He is my son! The heir of this family!"

Aruna backs off, can't no longer bear to hear the fighting between the Wenceslas family. It is too horrible for a girl who was born and raised in a loving family.

Aruna curls up and hides herself under the thick blanket.

Hendra and the Wenceslas family who are well known for their power and vast wealth, unfortunately show her the characteristics that she has never thought of.

Slowly, Aruna realizes that they are not like the people she used to know. Only Oma Sukma who seems to be warming up to her, smiling, and talking a lot. And the rest, she doesn't know it either. The girl then slowly closes her eyes and sleeps.

***

"She hasn't left the room?" Sukma makes sure that her grandson's new wife is well.

Two maids shake their head, looking at each other in confusion, hesitating to let her know the truth.

"What happened?"

"Why are you so silent?" Sukma starts to get worried.

"Emmm… actually… young miss…" One of them starts talking but the other tries to stop her.

"What happened? Say it!"

"It seems like the young miss is not well." The maid stutters.

"What do you mean she isn't well?" The highest ranking woman in the Wenceslas family persists, but the maids are still silent.

"Who is the owner of this family? Why do you ignore my question!" Sukma screams in frustration.

She suffered enough last night. And even now, Hendra hasn't come back. Sukma is so afraid that Hendra won't come back, or worse, back to the egotistical bastard he used to be. Lesmana's daughter would be miserable.

"Oma, I will visit Aruna." Gayatri stands up from her chair and walks to Aruna's room, face void of expression as usual.

On the other hand, Sukma forces the maids to tell her what happened and her heart breaks when she hears the truth.

They said that the girl refused to eat, was found in the messy bedroom, her eyes swollen, and… she can't bear to hear the rest.

_Did Hendra really do that? Has he recovered from the syndrome?_ The oldest woman of the family is feeling miserable.

.

.

"Hi… Aruna?" Gayatri wakes her up. She strokes Aruna's forehead who is still curling inside the thick blanket, trying to make sure that she isn't sick.

"Don't you want to sleep and wash yourself?"

"Oh, mother?" Aruna sits up on her bed, trying to tidy herself.

"Did he treat you bad last night?"

"Ah, sorry. Did I ask you an inappropriate question?"

Aruna just smiles under Gayatri's stare that is similar to Hendra's.

"What kind of mother I am that I forgot to prepare for your clothes." Aruna is still wearing Hendra's shirt, although not the one that she previously wore. But her appearance reminds Gayatri that she doesn't take care of her own daughter-in-law well.

"I think you can wear my clothes. My old clothes might fit you."

"Wait." Aruna just knew that the quiet woman can be so friendly and polite to her. Although her face is expressionless, Aruna knows that Gayatri really cares for her.

The woman slowly moves closer to Aruna and holds her hand.

"Can I apologize to you on her behalf?" Her words make Aruna confused.

"Actually he is a good kid. You might haven't known him well. Trust me, one day you will know his warm heart. All the bad things that happened to him, mold him this way. And it's all my fault." Aruna doesn't really understand what she means, but Aruna knows that she is trying hard to convince her.

Gayatri strokes her hand and cheeks, looks at her full of hope, as if saying a prayer.

"I hope that you can stay here and help him."

"I might be out of the line but can you try to love Hendra?"

"My son really needs it because I can't be a perfect mother. And I hope you, as his wife, can help him to understand love."