Chapter 2 - The Beginning of the Destruction

Kania laughed softly, a sound that sounded melodious but venomous in Arka's ears. With slow movements that were deliberately made to torture him, he got off Arka's lap. There was no trace of fear on her beautiful face, only pure satisfaction at having managed to break down the man's defenses in a matter of seconds.

The woman stood up straight, straightened her maroon dress which was slightly open, then stepped closer to Arka. His slender hands reached out, not to hug, but to straighten Arka's shirt collar which was messy due to his own actions.

"Don't be a hypocrite, Arka," Kania whispered right in front of her ex-husband's face. His fingers brushed the faint lipstick stain on the corner of Arka's lips with his thumb. "Your lips say 'go', but your crazy heartbeat says 'don't stop'."

"Kania, enough!" Arka hissed, slapping the woman's hand roughly. He stood up, grabbed his jacket which was draped over the back of the sofa. "Exit through the side door. Don't let there be drama today."

The knock on the main door sounded again, this time more impatient. "Mr. Arka? Everything is okay? Miss Olivia's parents are waiting at the podium."

Kania took a step back, raising her hands in mock surrender. He walked backwards towards the staff access door which was hidden behind a thick curtain, his gaze never leaving Arka.

"Okay, I'll go. Enjoy your engagement, darling," said Kania with a meaningful crooked smile. Before disappearing behind the curtain, he uttered one last striking sentence, "But remember one thing... When you put that ring on Olivia's finger later, make sure you're not imagining my fingers."

Kania disappeared, leaving behind a suffocating scent of vanilla and musk perfume.

Arka froze for a moment, his jaw clenched with mixed anger and frustration. He took a deep breath, trying to get rid of the image of Kania that was still dancing in the corners of his eyes. With trembling hands, he rubbed his face roughly, making sure there were no traces of "sin" left behind, then walked towards the main door.

When Arka opened the door, he was greeted by the worried face of his assistant, Vero.

"Mr. Arka! Oh my God, your face is so red. Is the AC inside broken?" Vero asked innocently, her eyes sweeping over her boss's appearance which was a little messier than usual.

Arka cleared his throat, adjusting his tie with stiff movements. "It's just a little stuffy. Come on, don't keep them waiting."

Arka stepped out of the corridor firmly, putting on the cold and dignified mask he usually wore. However, deep inside his chest, his heart was still beating fast—not because of the excitement of welcoming the engagement, but because of the adrenaline left behind by the woman of his past.

Tonight had just begun, and Arka knew Kania wouldn't just let it go smoothly.

***

The double doors of the ballroom were wide open. Instantly, thunderous applause and camera flashes greeted Arka's presence. Magnificent orchestral music played, replacing the tense silence in the corridor earlier. To Arka, the cheers sounded like the noisy buzzing of bees, pressing on his head which was starting to feel dizzy.

He walked through the crowd of invited guests, wearing a polite smile that he had trained for years leading the company. However, his eyes scanned the room restlessly, looking for Olivia's figure, while also—unconsciously—making sure there was no maroon dress among the sea of people.

At the end of the red carpet, on a small podium decorated with white lilies and crystals, Olivia stood.

The woman looked like an angel. A champagne gown encrusted with delicate sequins draped her slender body modestly and elegantly. Her hair was neatly tied in a bun, leaving her long neck impeccably clean. A stark contrast to Kania which is wild, messy and full of danger.

Olivia is a quiet pier, where Arka is supposed to dock. But why did his lips still feel hot from the storm he had just left behind?

Arka climbed the steps of the podium. Olivia greeted him with a sweet smile, her eyes sparkling with genuine happiness.

"You took so long," Olivia whispered when Arka finally stood beside her. The sound was soft, like the tinkling of a small bell. "Your hands are cold, Arka. Are you sick?"

Olivia touched the back of Arka's hand with a very light and careful touch, very different from the grip of Kania's nails which had dug into his shoulder. The touch actually made Arka flinch softly, as if his skin was rejecting the softness because it still longed for another roughness.

"I'm... just a little nervous," Arka answered hoarsely, trying to swallow bitter saliva. He held Olivia's hand, more to steady himself than to calm his fiancé.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the MC's voice echoed, attracting the attention of the entire room. "Let's watch the moment of putting on the ring as a sign of the bond of love between Mr. Arka and Mrs. Olivia."

A staff member handed me a blue velvet box. Arka opened it, revealing a diamond ring sparkling under the lights. His heart was beating faster, but not because of euphoria.

As he took the ring and reached for Olivia's ring finger, his eyes caught something in a slightly dark corner of the room, near the large pillar on the left side.

Arka's heart seemed to stop beating.

There, among the shadows of the standing guests, he saw the flash of maroon cloth. The figure stood casually holding a wine glass, looking straight at the podium. Arka blinked, trying to sharpen his vision. Is that Kania? Or is it just a hallucination?

"Arka?" Olivia called softly, waking him up. The woman's ring finger was outstretched, waiting.

Arka snapped back to reality. He forced his focus on Olivia's fingers. With slightly trembling hands—which fortunately he could disguise—Arka pushed the ring onto Olivia's ring finger.

Applause erupted again. Olivia smiled broadly, then stood on tiptoe to kiss Arka's cheek politely.

However, when the scent of Olivia's floral perfume greeted his nose, Arka closed his eyes for a moment. In his head, the scent was completely overshadowed by the intoxicating scent of vanilla. He had bound himself to Olivia officially, but his soul seemed to have just been forcibly stolen and taken away by the woman behind the pillar.

When Arka dared to look again at the pillar, the figure in the red dress had disappeared. Leaving only an eerie emptiness in the middle of the party crowd.

A thick velvet curtain swung softly behind Kania, hiding the silent staff access door. Instantly, the hustle and bustle of luxury was replaced by the smell of disinfectant and stale air in the hotel service corridor.

Kania leaned against the wall for a moment, closing her eyes. His breathing was still slow, but not because he was panicking. He was enjoying the rush of adrenaline, the remnants of the passion he had aroused—and now abandoned—in the next room. A faint smile of victory crossed his lips. Arka was completely helpless against him, even after years of separation.

He took out his cell phone, turned on the front camera, and checked his appearance quickly. She smoothed her hair and wiped away any remaining lipstick that might still be stuck to her teeth, ensuring that this femme fatale looked perfect and untouched again.

"As predicted," Kania muttered to herself, her voice now cold and calculating again.