Princess: Nuance Of Love Book 1

by Evida Suntoyo

  * * *

  But Raden Nabilla didn’t let him sleep, she sat on the bed and wept.

  “What is it now?” He asked.

  “You should have tried to persuade His Majesty Sultan to change his mind and choose Hafiz.” She said between her weeps, “Abang, why don’t you go and talk to His Majesty Sultan again, I think…….”

  Raden Hamza took a deep breath, “I’ve always respected you, I’ve given you everything you asked for, and made true all your wishes. I even divorced my wife to marry you. This time, the situation is far beyond your closed selfish little world. This matter is not opened for discussion, if you try to talk about it again or try to mention it to your family, I’ll divorce you without consideration for our years together, or our children.”

  Raden Nabilla was in shock, all she could do was watch her husband turnaround and pull up the covers. Just as he said, he had always been a doting and understanding husband. He never once in all their years together, lifted his voice at her. She watched his back as he laid beside her. Seeing his breathing, she realized that she had never been interested in what he was thinking or what he was going through outside the house. He had always been her rock, her brick wall and the roof that protected her from the wind and the rain. Her life had been so protected, so prosperous and so carefree, that she never even once considered to stop and think, how and what he had to go through to give it to her.

  “Abang, I’m sorry.” That was all she could say, her voice seemed stuck in her throat.

  He sat up and then turned around to face her, “Please trust me. When have I ever done anything without a valid reason?”

  She started to cry, “You never have. And I know you never will. I’m sorry, if this is your decision, I will support you in every way.”

  He hugged her tight. “You are so beautiful tonight, you smell great.”

  “Abang…..” She replied shyly.

  “Come here” He kissed her lips, and laid her down on the bed. He reached his hand to her side of the nightstand and turned off the lamp.

  Chapter Nine

  Paramita opened her safe deposit box with care, took out the metal case and put it down gently on the metal table in the center of the room. She took out a pouch carefully from her bag, she emptied the content carefully to her palm.

  "Hello, my babies." She grinned. She held up one out of the twin perfectly round diamond that was kept in the pouch, and smiled widely. These diamonds are small compared to the others that he gave her previously. Only weighing two carats each, but they are certified; VVS2, ideal cut, and E colored.

  She couldn’t deny that ever since she arrived in Jothar, her father had been very generous to her showering her with many valuable gifts besides her very sizable weekly allowance. “The poor guy is trying to buy my loyalty and obedience.” She thought to herself, “But first, he has to pay up for all those years he was absent from my life.”

  She peered down to the case, twenty pouches of various gemstones and all gifts from him. She made a mental calculation and smiled.

  “I’ll say this will cover about thirty percent of his debt, I’m not a greedy person. I still haven’t added my allowance money for the past two months that I saved up and the gold in my safety box in my room at the palace.”

  She brought all the clothes, shoes and apparel her mother bought for her before she came here. Obviously they’re all luxury brands, so her mother won’t lose face to her father’s wives. Her daily needs are included as part of the palace household expense, so she practically has no need for her allowance yet. She put the case back in the safe deposit box, locked it, and left the room.

  Mak Noor was waiting for her in the bank’s lobby, she handed Paramita a bank book. “I’ve deposited this week’s allowance in your bank account, Puteri. Do you still have some cash on you?”

  “Yes I do, Mak. I haven’t spent all the money Mama gave me for my trip here. Considering the amount, she must have thought that I had to pay for the first few days of my accommodations at the Palace,” She said sarcastically.

  “What a horrible daughter you are, you should quickly ask God to forgive your mean tongue before He punishes you.” Said Mak Noor scolding her, “Your Mama was worried that you would be missing anything, and wanted to make sure that you are well-taken care of. After all, you are her only child.”

  “I know, I know. Where did I put Raden Ali’s business card again?” She said while raiding her handbag, she fished out a Nokia 1610 along with the business card.

  “Ah, here it is. Now I can try this new cell phone that they gave me this morning at the palace. Let’s see….” She punched in the numbers on the business card, but got an error tone she tried again, maybe she dialed the wrong number, “What the……” suddenly she remembered, “Oh, that’s right I have to put in the area code.”

  There was a dial tone and there was a woman’s voice, “Hello…” Getting a short greeting, Paramita felt doubtful, “Is this Karya Bhumi?”

  “Yes it is, what can I do for you?” “State-owned companies, they don’t even know how to train their receptionist to answer the phone properly, “She grumbled to herself

  “Hello…”

  “I’m sorry, may I speak to Raden Burhanuddin Ali?”

  “Who is this?”

  “My name is Paramita Sawitri, he is expecting my call.”

  “One moment, please hold while I verify…” The hold music turned on, a mechanical sounding Fleur De Lis.

  “Miss Paramita, I will transfer you to Raden Ali now.”

  “Thank you.” Again the hold music.

  “Hello, Mita?” A familiar voice on the other end “Hello, Raden Ali, how are you doing today?”

  “I’m fine, thank you. And you? Did you get enough rest last night?”

  “Excellent to hear that, I’m fine, and I did. I’ve finished everything I had to do at the bank, where should I meet you for our appointment?”

  “It’s a little bit too early for lunch, right now. Why don’t you come to my office, we can talk here.”

  “That sounds fine, I’ll go there to meet you. I’ll see you when I get there.” She said. “Okay, see you later.” After she finished talking to him on the phone, she turned to Mak Noor, “He wants to meet at his office.”

  “That’s okay, it’s an appropriate place to meet.” "Mak, give this to the driver, so he can read the address,” She said while handing her the card, Paramita got into the back seat of the car. It turns out, that the office building was only four blocks away, it only took about twenty minutes to reach it. It was a curved shape building, Paramita estimated that it had at least five floors, she thought about counting the windows but decided that it would make her seem childish.

  She asked Mak Noor to come inside with her, the building itself didn’t have such a tight security, there was only one guard at the main entrance, at the end of the lobby was a curve shaped receptionist desk.

  “I am here to see Raden Burhanuddin Ali.” She said to the receptionist.

  “May I know who’s asking for him, Miss?” The receptionist asked while flashing a pleasant smile.

  “I’m Paramita Sawitri, he is expecting me.”

  The receptionist made a short phone call, then smiled to Paramita, “Please go ahead, take the elevator to the fourth floor, then turn to your right.”

  “Thank you, Miss.” Paramita and Mak Noor followed the receptionist direction, they saw a large table with a young Chinese lady sitting there. “Excuse me, good morning, I’m looking for Raden Burhanuddin Ali.”

  “Oh, wait here, let me announce you. Are you Paramita Sawitri?” She responded nonchalantly.

  “Yes I am.” She walked to the closed-door on her right-hand side, a few minutes later, she returned and told Paramita to enter. Paramita asked Mak Noor to wait for her on the chairs in front of the receptionist’s desk. She entered the office. It was big and spacious with plenty of natural light coming from the big window on the far end.

  Raden Ali was sitting
on his desk, typing on his computer. He looked up and smiled to her. “Mita, please make yourself comfortable, while I finish this, it won’t take long.”

  “Sure,” She answered while sitting herself on the sofa.

  “Do you want anything to drink?” He asked her while getting up from his chair.

  “Some cold water please.”

  He picked up the phone and ordered some water. Afterwards he walked over and sat near her on the sofa.

  “Raden Ali, I understand that last night, I didn’t give you a chance to speak at all, I apologize for that. So today I’m here to listen and answer any questions you have.”

  Ali smiled, “Let’s start by establishing what you should call me, you can call me Abang.”

  “No problem, Abang.”

  “Okay, so as you know, I am in a relationship. Dewi…., she doesn’t know that we are engaged yet, I haven’t told her. And from what I understood from our conversation last night, you don’t want to get married to me..…”

  “I’m sorry to cut you off this way, but I need to make myself clear, I don’t want to marry you, but I never said that I do not intend to go through with it.”

  “Oh? Why is that?”

  “Honestly, I have half a million good reasons, and I don’t intend to share them with you, so I’ll have to say that I’ll do this for the sake of my parents,” The Princess answered without a doubt.

  “I don’t understand…” Her answer made him confused. “Let’s leave it at I intend to go ahead with the marriage.”

  “So why did you tell me, what you told me last night?”

  “That? That was just for the record, so you know clearly, that I’m not exactly dying to be with you.”

  “Has anyone told you that you’re cold and insensitive?”

  “Many times.” She replied with a smile.

  Ali put both hands over his head. He didn’t know if he felt annoyed by her intention to marry him, or felt amused by her bluntness.

  “Regarding your girlfriend.” Paramita paused.

  "I’m not actually suggesting that we will spend the rest of our lives together. Do you understand, what I’m trying to say?”

  “So you want to get married and divorce afterward?”

  “Well, it’s not the correct thing to do, but at least everybody will be happy, my father will get his backup heir, my mother will feel relieved, and you will get a very prominent position in the country’s government and not to mention you can still end up with your girlfriend. And everybody lives happily ever after.”

  “And what about you? What will you gain from this? Your three million reasons?”

  “Yes. Let’s say that I will get a chance to start over, and pursue my dreams, without disappointing my parents.”

  “Marriage is not a game, you know,” Ali said, “Neither are feelings.”

  “Do you have a better solution?” She said softly. “A solution that will give everyone what they want? That won’t leave anyone hurting too much?” In contrast to her confidence that she showed earlier, her voice sounded lonely and desperate. Ali felt something inside him move, she has a very complex personality, but decisive and mature for someone her age. And although she puts up a hard and tough front, he’s certain that there is a young woman struggling to find happiness inside her.

  “Have you ever fallen in love before?” He asked her.

  “Just once.” She answered looking down at her hands on her lap.

  “What happened?”

  “It was unrequited. Then he got my best friend pregnant, so I had to forget him.” She said without explaining any details.

  “So you’ve never dated anyone or had a boyfriend?”

  “No!” She said sharply, “Are you going to insult and bully me like your girlfriend did yesterday?”

  “Don’t be offended, I want to get to know you, and understand you.”

  “Well, let me tell you this, I never had a boyfriend, and I’m determined to never fall in love again in my life.”

  “You don’t want marriage? Children?”

  “Why? It’s not like there’s not enough miserable people in this world.” Ali was speechless, so young, so beautiful, but so bitter.

  There was a knock at the door and Nancy came in with a tray of tea and water, she put down the tea in front of Ali and the glass of water in front of Paramita.

  “Sorry, Miss,” Paramita said to her. “Can you please offer something to drink to my nanny?”

  Nancy sighed, and said, “No problem.” She turned around and walked out.

  “Please, take a drink.” He said while lifting his cup.

  “You haven’t answered me yet.” She said to him.

  “Answered what?”

  “Will you go ahead with my plan?”

  Ali took a deep breath, “It’s not like I can refuse the Sultan’s decision for me to marry you, you know!” “Good, it’s settled,” Paramita said with a victory smile. "This fool turns out to be a reliable ally." She thought to herself. Things are going to be easier than expected.

  Chapter Ten

  That night Ali arrived at Dewi’s house without the usual high expectation and excitement. There was a heavy feeling weighing him down, making him feel exhausted and weary. He sat quietly for a while to calm his mind, then got down and walked the short distance to her front gate. He reached out his arm to press the doorbell button that’s located on the wall behind the main gate. An older woman came out. She recognized him immediately and opened the gate to let him in.

  Ali sighed, this house is so familiar to him. The past three years he’s been visiting it every time Dewi was in the country. He entered the living room. She wasn’t here yet. She would always make him wait at least twenty minutes for her to get ready.

  Finally, she came out, as always, Ali stood up, and she would rush into his arms to greet him. “I miss you. I couldn’t sleep last night thinking that you were with that woman. What did she say? Did she threaten me?” She asked enthusiastically.

  “Dewi, why don’t we sit down? There is something very important that I have to tell you.”

  “Abang, you’re scaring me.”

  Ali took a deep breath, “I don’t know how to tell you this. We’ve been together for a long time, and you know that I’ve been faithful to you, I’ve always respected you, and loved you with all my heart.”

  Dewi didn’t know what to think, “Abang….”

  “Dewi, I…I’m sorry.”

  Her face dropped, still not knowing what he wanted to say, but something inside her told her that it’s not good. “Why are you sorry?”

  “Yesterday, when I arrived home, my father gave me the news, that….” He paused, “That I have been, shall I say chosen, by His Majesty Sultan to be his son in law.”

  “What do you mean chosen to be his son-in-law?” She understood what he said, but she found it hard to believe him.

  “I have to marry the Sultan’s daughter.”

  “Marry the Sultan’s daughter? And you accepted it? You agreed to it?”

  “I have to, I can’t refuse. To refuse a direct order from the Sultan is treason.”

  Dewi started to cry, “So, you’re breaking up with me? You’re ending it between us?”

  Ali couldn’t say anything, he just sat there, with his head down, feeling torn and saddened.

  “The Sultan’s daughter is that woman isn’t she? Paramita. Is that why you refused to see me last night? To be with her? Do you find me no longer attractive? Is that why you prefer a younger woman? What did I do to deserve this?” She was beginning to become hysterical.

  “Dewi, calm down,” Ali said while holding her to his chest. “Calm down, please, don’t do this.”

  “Abang, how can I calm down? The man I love broke up with me to be with a younger woman. That evil bitch she used her father’s power to steal my man.”

  “Dewi, it’s not like that. Mita is not that kind of person…”

  “Mita? Mita? Not that kind of person? Abang, how could
you! That’s why I had a bad feeling yesterday. I saw how you two looked at each other. Did you think I was so stupid that I couldn’t see you flirting with each other, and now this? You’re defending her in front of me, and you dare to call her name in such a loving way, in front of me. How could you after all the time we’ve been together, how could you betray me like that?”

  “Dewi, I didn’t cheat on you, there is nothing between Mita and me, I barely know her. If it wasn’t for the Sultan’s orders, we would never have anything to do with each other.”

  “We? We? Do you refer yourselves as we?”

  “Dewi, calm down, please don’t be like this. I know you’re hurting, I’m hurting too.”

  Dewi dropped her head on the sofa and started crying inconsolably. Ali didn’t know what else to do.

  “Abang, don’t leave me, please. I love you, don’t leave me…” She begged him.

  Ali's heart broke into pieces. Feeling impotent and helpless. “I’m sorry, my love. I’m very sorry. I had to tell you before you hear it from the official press release.”

  Suddenly Dewi, moved closer to him, “Abang, let’s leave Jothar, let’s go far away, together.”

  “Dewi, you know I can’t do that, what about my family? I can’t abandon them.”

  “Then, I’m going to talk to that woman, I have to make her understand, that we love each other and that she shouldn’t separate us.”

  “Dewi, don’t do that. Although Mita looks strong in the outside, but she’s vulnerable in the inside if you tell her that, she would be very depressed and hurt.”

  “Why do I have to care if she gets hurt? What about my feelings? Am I not hurt, I feel like I’m dying.” She paused for a while, “Bang, why do you worry if she gets hurt or not? Why do you care so much for her? Tell me! Bang. You’re attracted to her aren’t you? Deep down, you are willing to marry her. You want to marry her, don’t you? I knew it! I had a bad feeling when I saw the way you looked at her. You looked like you wanted to eat her up.”