Chapter 8

The moments leading up to noon felt like a countdown to an execution. Dewangga sat in his comfortable office chair, yet he felt as though he were sitting in an electric chair. In front of him, the monitor displayed the Grand Horizon project permit documents that Vivian had prepared with meticulous care. On the other side of the desk lay a black flash drive given to him by Davian—an instrument designed to insert an error into the land coordinates that would render the entire permit legally defective.

If Dewangga inserted the flash drive, Vivian would be destroyed in front of her own father. Mr. Surya did not tolerate incompetence, especially not a humiliating technical mistake in a tender of this magnitude. Vivian would lose all trust, and her position in the company would be seized by Davian. But if Dewangga refused, Davian would press the “send” button on the audio recordings that could ruin Dewangga’s life in a single instant.

“God… what should I do?” Dewangga whispered hoarsely, his fingers trembling violently as they touched the cold flash drive.

Suddenly, the door to his office opened. Vivian walked in hurriedly, her face pale but her eyes shining with hope. She had no idea that her husband was holding the very weapon that could destroy her.

“Dewangga, listen. I just got information from someone inside the bank,” Vivian said in a low voice, almost whispering. “Davian transferred operational project funds into a personal offshore account. If we can prove it this afternoon during the plenary meeting, Father will remove him forever. You need to find proof of the transfer on Davian’s computer right now. Use your access as his technical assistant.”

Dewangga swallowed hard.

“Vivian… what if Davian finds out?”

Vivian grabbed his shoulders, staring at him with painful intensity.

“He won’t know if you’re quick! Dewangga, this is our only way out. If Davian falls, his threats against you won’t matter anymore. Father will never believe the words of a fraud and a thief who stole company funds.”

Hope.

The word suddenly appeared in Dewangga’s mind. If he could bring Davian down now, he wouldn’t need to carry out this sabotage. He could save Vivian and free himself from that devil’s grip.

“Alright. I’ll try,” Dewangga said with forced determination.

Infiltration into the Lion’s Den

Dewangga walked toward Davian’s office while the man was out for lunch with several colleagues. His heart pounded violently; every step along the corridor felt like walking across burning coals. He used the spare key Davian had once given him “for emergencies.”

Once inside, Davian’s signature cologne immediately filled the room—a scent that usually stirred desire but now only triggered nausea and fear. Dewangga quickly turned on Davian’s computer. He knew he had less than fifteen minutes.

His fingers moved rapidly across the keyboard, searching through hidden folders. But instead of finding proof of fund transfers, Dewangga discovered something far more horrifying.

A folder titled “D-Collection.”

With curiosity mixed with dread, he opened it.

Inside were dozens of photos and video recordings. Not just audio—visual recordings of every meeting they had ever had on the third floor, in the car, even in the office. Davian had recorded everything since the very first day.

“He… he planned it from the beginning,” Dewangga murmured as tears began to fall.

Davian had never loved him. Dewangga had only been a collectible project—a trophy carefully documented to ensure absolute obedience.

Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed outside.

Panic surged through him. He didn’t have time to copy anything. He quickly shut off the monitor and hid behind the large curtain covering the balcony window just as the office door opened.

It was Davian.

But he wasn’t alone.

“I know you’re here, Dewangga,” Davian said casually, though the threat in his voice made the hairs on Dewangga’s neck stand up. “Come out now, or I’ll have security drag you out.”

Dewangga stepped out from behind the curtain, his face pale.

Davian stood there with his arms crossed, and beside him stood Elena—the secretary Davian had once used to manipulate Dewangga’s emotions. Elena held a tablet displaying a real-time notification that Davian’s computer had just been accessed.

“Looking for something, darling?” Davian walked closer and grabbed Dewangga’s jaw roughly. “Looking for proof of the fund transfers? Or looking for our very… artistic video collection?”

“You… you’re a monster, Davian! You recorded everything!” Dewangga shouted in fury.

Davian laughed coldly.

“Of course. I needed insurance so my toy would never run away. And now you’ve been caught red-handed trying to betray me for that pathetic wife of yours.”

Davian released his grip and turned toward the desk. He picked up the black flash drive that Dewangga had been supposed to use to sabotage Vivian. Only then did Dewangga realize he had dropped it on Davian’s desk in his panic earlier.

“You didn’t insert the sabotage data into Vivian’s computer, did you?” Davian looked at him with cruel, glittering eyes. “That means you’ve made your choice. You chose Vivian over me.”

“I chose the truth, Davian!”

“The truth will destroy you, Dewangga.”

Davian glanced at Elena.

“Elena, send file number 07 to the family group chat now. Let’s see if Mr. Surya still wants a son-in-law like you.”

“Don’t! Davian, please!” Dewangga collapsed to his knees, clutching Davian’s leg. His pride was completely gone. “Don’t do it! I’ll do anything! I’ll ruin Vivian’s documents right now—just please don’t send that!”

Davian looked down at him with disdain, as if watching an insect struggle. He signaled Elena to stop for a moment.

“Do it now,” Davian ordered. “Go into Vivian’s office, change the land coordinates, and make sure she presents them in front of Father within an hour. If she fails, I might consider keeping that file a little longer. But if you fail again… I won’t hesitate.”

The Perfect Betrayal

With a shattered heart and tears streaming down his face, Dewangga returned to Vivian’s office. His wife was not there; she was already in the meeting room preparing for the presentation. Dewangga inserted the flash drive into Vivian’s computer. His hands trembled so badly that he had to hold his own wrist to steady them.

Click.

The data uploaded. The land coordinates changed. Technically, the permit had now become illegal because it included a protected forest area where construction was forbidden. Vivian would not realize it until Mr. Surya questioned it in front of the board of directors.

When Dewangga left the room, he ran into Vivian in the corridor. Vivian smiled at him—the first genuine smile she had given him since their marriage.

“Thank you, Dewangga. I knew I could rely on you. After this meeting, we’ll finally be free from Davian,” Vivian said, briefly caressing his cheek before walking into the meeting room.

Dewangga stood frozen in the cold corridor.

He felt as if he had just stabbed his wife in the back with a rusty dagger. He had saved himself by sacrificing the only person who still trusted him.

An hour later, Mr. Surya’s furious shouting echoed throughout the entire office floor. Vivian’s presentation ended in disaster. Mr. Surya accused his daughter of incompetence, carelessness, and nearly dragging the company into a major legal scandal.

Vivian walked out of the meeting room with her face shattered by grief, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked at Dewangga with a gaze full of questions.

Behind her, Davian stepped out calmly, wearing the most painful victorious smile Dewangga had ever seen.

Davian walked past him and whispered something that would haunt Dewangga forever.

“Good work, Dewangga. Now you understand… you will never escape from me. You’ve become a part of my sin.”