1437 - I Love You Forever

48.

— TW // Kiss
— TW // Sexual harassment

*****

I gave the glass in my hand a few shakes before drinking the champagne in it. The ballroom of one of the hotels in the Gatot Subroto area was transformed into a palace ballroom with a contemporary flair. It was like having a chateau in the middle of the hustle and bustle of Jakarta life.

The room was made even more opulent by the combination of gray, white, bronze, and a hint of peony. I was holding the flower buds while calculating the cost of the numerous floral arrangements in every corner.

The stretch of crystal chandeliers above our heads also added to the dance-party-like atmosphere. As expected, it was the biggest event of the year. There was a festive atmosphere inside and around the dinner banquet today. An annual grand auction event sponsored by the Andaru Foundation and a number of other families, the proceeds of which will be donated equally to several non-profit organizations working in the field of welfare and health.

I occasionally overhear people conversing with one another. Normally, you'd whisper that quietly, but in this situation, I believe I could hear bits and pieces of everyone's conversations.

I took a deep breath. It made me a little uneasy to attend an occasion like this without Jagad.

"Mbak Andra!" I could hear a distinctive sound entering my ears.

"Hi Agni." I gave the girl my best smile as I said hello. She was dressed in a pearly, champagne-colored dress. It was combined with matching shoes. Her attractive face was highlighted by the way her hair was nicely pulled back.

"You look gorgeous, Mbak. Bet that Mas Jagad chose that dress for you." She pointed at the black dress I was wearing.

I looked down at my black dress, which had a low cut on the chest. Perfectly exposing my cleavage. It has a semi-bolero outer and a high collar cut like a cheongsam collar with lace material. A slit that extended to my thighs emphasized the slender skirt. Even though the dress didn't leave an elegant impression, upon closer inspection, the model was quite revealing.

What a pervert! I cursed Jagad in my head. But I also couldn't deny that this dress looked great on me.

I just nodded in response to Agni's question, which was greeted with an enthusiastic expression that showed that she approved of her brother's choice.

"Kak Haira will be here shortly; she's going to fetch some snacks, Mbak." Wimar, who was clad in a suit that matched Agni's outfit, read my reaction and understood that I felt confused because Haira and Jendra weren't with them.

We finished our conversation just as Haira and Jendra showed up, looking dejected. The expression on Haira's face seemed to be about to blow up.

I frowned.

"What's the matter?"

She exhaled, controlling her emotions. "There's Juwita Aswanta here." She answered briefly and drank her champagne until it was finished.

I only let out a sigh and smiled bitterly. This was not the first time I had ever seen Haira get angry, but I could not imagine that Juwita Aswanta was here as well. I was aware of how esteemed her family was in the conglomerate circle because their family owned a nickel mine in Indonesia. And it was a common thing for her family to be invited to this event.

"Oh my. I find it hard to believe she had the fortitude to attend a gathering when everyone is a conglomerate."

And that girl made the decision to start a straight argument.