MEET AGAIN

"Oh, I see. Sorry, if I bothered you. I won't be praising Mrs. Alice anymore then. Her husband is very protective in fact, hahaha! I hope that my daughter will also receive the same treatment from Mr. Troy if they have a match!" replied Arnold who was still relaxed and immediately changed the subject while turning to his daughter – Mona, who was next to him.

"Hahaha, you could, Mr. Arnold! Our eldest son has such an attitude, please don't take it and burden your heart. Alice is a great woman. We are grateful to have her as our daughter-in-law!" Mrs. Andini replied, praising Alice so that the tense atmosphere was relaxed again.

"Again, if we have a match and our two children feel right for each other, I'm sure Mona is a good daughter-in-law for us too!" continued Mrs. Andini smiling at Mona.

"Alright, I think we've run away from the rendezvous tonight. Since our children have gone home and gathered, let's move to the dining room to eat. Meals are also prepared. Come on, Mr. Arnold!" Mr. Bambang invited Arnold to move to the dining room.

Apart from Sean's parents, Arnold and Mona, as well as Troy and the children. Sean, Alice, Thunder, and Samuel were still where they were.

They glanced at each other in silence. Because what they feel right now are the same tension and uncomfortable feeling. They both felt something wrong with Arnold that they still couldn't reveal.

"Let's go there too. Don't make everyone feel weird like us!" take Alice to Sean, Thunder, and Samuel.

Dinner was quiet with the conversation between Sean and Arnold's parents. At first glance, nothing seems suspicious, even Arnold also looks professional because he did not mention the issue of dead assets which he was arguing with Sean.

Until dinner and the meeting ended with a good impression of introduction between the Sanjaya family and the Garendra family. Arnold and Mona, please resign because it's getting late and everyone is tired.

"I take my leave, Mr. and Mrs. Garendra. Hopefully, tonight's introduction will be reciprocated by the presence of the Garendra family at our modest home on another occasion!" Arnold said politely and looked relaxed.

"Of course, Mr. Sanjaya. We will contact you as soon as possible. Hopefully Troy and Mona can get to know each other better after tonight's meeting! Please forgive our children's unusual behavior. We weren't hard enough educating them if you think they're impolite, hahaha!" Mr. Bambang casually replied to Arnold.

"Master Sean, Mona, and I say goodbye first! Until we meet again in a different place and on a different occasion!" said Arnold as he stretched out his hand to shake with Sean.

"Yes, I hope so too, Mr. Arnold Sanjaya. I'll take you to the front!" said Sean to Arnold, "Mommy and Daddy stay inside, the night breeze outside will not be good for Daddy's health, let me and Troy take our guests to the front!" continued Sean talking to his parents.

"Go ahead, if you don't mind!" replied Arnold happily then shook hands with Mr. and Mrs. Garendra before exiting the main door of their mansion.

After being outside, on the front porch of the big house, Sean started talking to the point with Arnold. Without holding back or filtering the sentence first.

"I didn't expect you to have so many surprises for me! Look, I still can't even believe your visit as the father-in-law for my little brother!" Sean said calmly to Arnold beside him.

"Bro, why are you talking like that?" asked Troy in surprise after sensing that Sean's words weren't small talk., "Sorry, sir. My brother is strict with everyone. Thank you for visiting our house!" continued Troy speaking politely to Arnold.

"It's okay, Troy. I like the assertiveness of a man like Mr. Sean. I wasn't offended at all by his words since the first time we met this afternoon, hahaha! I hope our relationship will all relax after tonight!" replied Arnold without getting angry.

"Troy, since when did you know about Mr. Sanjaya?" asked Sean, turning his eyes to Troy.

"Recently and that was after Daddy introduced him to me. I also just found out that Mr. Sanjaya is a businessman who recently came to this country," Troy explained to Sean in front of Arnold directly.

"Did the question just now have something to do with our pending business, Mr. Sean? I hope your answer doesn't disappoint me," Arnold asked without further ado.

"Yes, you're right! I don't think my family knows who you are and how we met each other. They don't know if you have other intentions and hide the fact from my family that you are the one who bought the dead assets of Brawijaya Group?" asked Sean directly.

"Wow! Turns out I misjudged you, Mr. Sean. I thought you could be professional and could tell the difference between personal and business. I'm a little disappointed!" replied Arnold with a look of disappointment in front of Sean and Troy.

"Sorry in advance. What are you guys talking about? Why did this conversation end up in Brawijaya?" Troy asked still confused by the situation.

"Let me explain to you, kid! I am a businessman who bought the dead assets of the Brawijaya Group which is currently held by the government. The reason I bought the asset was that I was really curious about that big company. What after going bankrupt and down, can't get up again and be successful like before? Of course, that is a challenge for me as an entrepreneur!" Arnold explained to Troy in light, detailed language.

"However, Mr. Sean as the board of approval of the share purchase agreement still doesn't want to give his approval. So, I can only wait quietly."

"And for the meeting earlier, I don't think I want to mix business with personal matters. I want to find the best mate for my only daughter. I'm not looking to sell my daughter for a business profit by introducing her to you. But, your brother must have thought I had other plans when approaching this family. I'm disappointed!"

Arnold finished with his alibi and made Troy believe he had nothing to hide.

"Sorry, Mister. Maybe this is just a misunderstanding. My sister was probably overthinking and tired after just arriving in this country. Please don't think nonsense of our family!" Troy said reluctantly to Arnold.

While Sean was still silent with his thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm trying not to be disappointed. I just want my daughter's happiness to be acquainted with this family. Hopefully, this isn't the last night we can talk casually like this, hahaha!" replied Arnold kindly as he looked at the two.

"I'm leaving first! Mona might have been very shy in the car. She is a cheerful child, but it is very difficult to get to know men. Yes, we'll go first. See you again!" said Arnold before getting into his car and leaving.

"Bro, aren't you talking too highly of him? You're accusing him of being ridiculous, Bro!" asked Troy looking for an answer.

"You are right. Maybe I'm thinking too much. Maybe I'm tired from today's events. Please forget about that earlier, and thanks for your reply to him earlier. I almost thwarted my own little brother's matchmaking plan!" Sean gave Troy a gasp of guilt.

"That's enough! After all, dinner is just an introduction. Nothing serious we discussed earlier, right? Just relax and rest!" Troy replied casually and didn't seem to mind what had just happened.

'You don't know, Troy. Not just me but Alice, Thunder, and Samuel too. Maybe my hunch isn't right, but their instincts as a mafia who are sensitive to threats, you can't doubt! Arnold does look like he's hiding something big!' Sean thought as he turned to Troy who was smiling at him.

"Forget about my fatigue and let's talk about your feelings! Is it true that you asked for the match arranged by Mommy and Daddy? Are you out of your mind? Or maybe you're not my brother? You're an alien disguised as Troy!" Sean said mocking Troy with his ridiculous sentence.

"Ridiculous! It's me, Troy Garendra, your only brother! I am healthy and sane to make decisions!" replied Troy half nagging.

"Then why do you want to find a partner? Isn't living freely and changing women is your lifestyle? I don't know why, I think you're getting old-fashioned, hahaha!" start Sean again.

Instead of being angry with his brother's taunts, Troy looked calm.

"I want to change, Bro. My life is boring. And after the many things we've been through these past few years, I feel like I have to change for the better!"

"I watched you go through so many years losing Alice. And again, in that destruction, you process yourself and rise from adversity, and it makes me ashamed. What am I going to do with my playful lifestyle?"

"From Shine, I also learn. The little boy had lost his parents. But Shine remained strong. Even when Alice, whom he considered his mother, left him far away. Shine cares about her happiness."