4. Status On Paper

Helga woke up from her sleep because the dazzling sunlight disturbed her deep sleep. The girl blinked, glanced in all directions and remembered yesterday's events. The girl raised her left hand, a small diamond ring embedded in her ring finger.

"It wasn't a dream?" thought the girl.

Removing the thick blanket covering her body, Helga got out of bed and walked to the bathroom to clean herself. After finishing her shower and changing clothes, Helga was surprised by Zean who was waiting for her beside the bed.

"Why are you here?" Helga asked briefly, remembering yesterday's events.

Zean's gaze returned to the girl, looking at her from top to bottom. The man got up from his seat and walked past Helga, making the girl speechless in disbelief. Not long after, Zean returned with clothes in his hands.

"Change!" he ordered coldly.

Helga just stared at the clothes in Zean's hands and looked at herself who was only wearing worn knee-length jeans with a grey shirt that was also worn.

Because he didn't get any response from Helga, Zean forced the girl to take the clothes in his hands. "Get changed quickly. Or, do you want me to change your clothes?"

Helga's eyes widened. "Are you crazy?" the girl snapped.

"Why? Besides, I've seen your skinny curves," Zean said casually, making Helga glare even more and cross her arms in front of her chest.

"You pervert," Helga said.

Zean didn't seem to care but instead got closer to the girl.

"Get changed quickly, or I'll-"

"Yes, yes. I'll get changed soon. You pushy bastard!" Helga turned around annoyed and returned to the changing room in the room.

Coming out of the changing room, Helga looked uncomfortable. But Zean didn't care, only glancing at her briefly.

"Let's go. Someone wants to meet you," the man said.

Helga just sighed when she saw Zean leaving the room. The knee-length long-sleeved dress made Helga uncomfortable because her chest was open, showing her cleavage.

Following every step Zean took, Helga didn't care about her surroundings, her mind was again filled with questions about who wanted to see her.

They arrived at the dining table, there were two people there as if waiting. The woman sitting in one of the chairs at the dining table got up from her seat, smiled warmly at Helga and approached the girl.

"My daughter-in-law," said the woman which confused Helga and made her look at Zean but the man ignored her.

The beautiful and graceful woman hugged Helga's body tightly who could only be silent stiffly. Ah, Helga now remembered, the woman was Zean's mother.

"Sit down, let's have breakfast together before we go," said the woman while directing Helga to sit next to Zean.

So awkward. Helga was even more confused about how to act. For the first time, Helga was faced with a situation that made her want to disappear.

No one spoke during the meal, they just enjoyed their food. Of course, only Helga couldn't swallow her food.

"You..."

Helga gasped when she heard the voice was heavier and colder than Zean's voice. His gaze was straight at Zean, not at Helga.

"You know what you've done. So, just take care of it. I won't interfere in your business, but don't ever interfere in mine," said the man sitting in front of Zean, his father.

Oddly enough, Zean just kept quiet as if he didn't care about anything his father said.

"That's all. It seems like you're aware of what you're doing. Let's go." The man pushed the rough chair and walked out of the dining room.

Helga glanced at Zean who was still calmly finishing his food without feeling disturbed at all.

The woman who was still there also stood up but her gaze was fixed on Helga then the woman returned to him and Helga immediately stood up.

“My house is not here, but I hope you can come there. Nice to meet you even though it’s a stranger. Helga, please stay and take care of Zean for me.” The woman glanced at Zean who was still calm with his food. Helga also looked at the man.

The soft touch on Helga’s arm from the woman diverted her attention again. The woman smiled slightly but her gaze was sad.

“Then I’ll go. See you, Helga.”

Helga could only remain silent and let the woman leave just like that. Once again questions entered Helga’s mind, piling up. When would the answer come to eliminate the questions that were quite disturbing?

The sound of a chair creaking made Helga turn her attention to Zean again. The man stood up.

“I’m going. Don’t go anywhere,” Zean said coldly and his gaze shifted to Helga. “Stay here, that’s what you need to do. One more thing, don’t just leave this house or enter my office or you’re dead.” After saying that, Zean left Helga who was increasingly silent.

The girl then snorted sarcastically.

"Who are you to order me around?" the girl said in disbelief.

But Zean's threat seemed so real, dead. Did that man always threaten like that?

Helga didn't want to bother with Zean's disharmonious family relationship. All she cared about this time was, how could she get out of there.

"I have to get out of here. To hell with that threat. Who cares about a wife? That's just a status on a white paper. I have to get out of here," thought Helga.

The girl got up from her seat and walked to the second floor where her room was. But in the middle of the road past Zean's study, the girl's steps stopped. The door was open and unfortunately, curiosity suddenly appeared making Helga move to open the door. There was no one there.

Who knows what made Helga continue to enter the room deeper and stop in front of Zean's neat desk? Just silent, her gaze fixed on the table, something visible but hidden among the pile of files. Whatever attracted her, her body and mind were not in sync. Helga's heart warned her to stop as did her mind so as not to get into trouble. However, her hand managed to grab the object. She pulled it slowly from the pile of files. Before Helga had time to see it, her body jerked back and was quickly pushed against the wall and hit hard.

"I told you not to enter this room!" The voice was cold and piercing. One of his hands lifted and gripped Helga's neck.

The girl was shocked.

"I -"

Helga had difficulty speaking because Zean's grip on her neck felt so strong that it was suffocating her, making it difficult for Helga to breathe.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to. I—” Helga stuttered. Her neck felt very sore from Zean’s strong grip.

The thing that made Helga regret her action of entering without permission was Zean’s sharp gaze. Anger was visible on the man’s face. Helga seemed to see the figure of Zean that she had just seen yesterday. That man, like a devil, was ready to finish her off.

But a second later, Zean threw Helga roughly, releasing his grip on the girl’s neck making Helga cough and inhale greedily.

“Go,” Zean said while turning his back to Helga.

The girl was still silent, staring at the broad back that was moving quickly.

“Go, I said!” Zean’s jerk surprised Helga.

Not wanting to hold back her anger any longer, Helga immediately left the room but her gaze was fixed on one place, Zean’s table which had a photo on it, the object that Helga had pulled.