CHAPTER 4

HAPPY READING

Alex observed the woman in front of him. She had a well-proportioned body, perfect for being a car show promotion girl. Her long black wavy hair, oversized classic white shirt, light brown trousers, and dark brown belt gave her a casual yet smart appearance. The silver earrings on her ears and the exclusive handbag on the table indicated her social status. He observed the woman, estimating that she was under thirty years old. Her skin was fair, and her hair and nails were well-maintained.

Overall, he found her graceful and preferred women of such stature. He squinted, wondering what her occupation was. Alex scrutinized the face of the woman named Bianca. She had beautiful eyes, a sharp nose, perfectly sculpted eyebrows, and not to mention her sensual lips. He admitted that she was very beautiful and perhaps more suitable to stand by his side than his father's. Oh God, why did he think that she was more suitable for him than his father? Damn!

Nevertheless, he still wanted to know why she had approached his father. The answer was undoubtedly wealth. There was no way she would be with his father if not for his wealth. His father was like a walking ATM for her. In this day and age, there was no such thing as true love, especially with his father, who should have been her parent rather than her prospective husband. If his father didn't have wealth, would she still be with him? It was clear that she was very materialistic.

What did she have that made his father fall for her? Just her beauty? There were plenty of beautiful women out there. Whose family did she come from? What kind of business did she have? In which sector was she involved? How wealthy was she? Where did she go to school? What was her current job?

Alex knew that getting close to his father and building a relationship with him was not an easy task. He acknowledged that the woman was impressive to have gotten close to his father. It meant that her connections in her parents' circle were very strong.

In today's world, who didn't need material possessions? Material wealth was crucial, but it shouldn't be obtained through any means necessary. Especially not by using the pretext of marriage to acquire material wealth, as marriage would make everything joint property. How cunning that woman was, he thought, and he couldn't condone such behavior.

Alex settled into his chair, now facing the woman named Bianca. He knew that she wouldn't waste her time just for this meeting. He looked at the dishes on the table; his father and the woman had finished their meal. He saw a server approaching him with a leather-bound menu book.

"I'll have the sirloin bistecca, calamari, and sparkling water," Alex said.

"Anything else, sir?"

"That's all," Alex replied, and then the server left the table.

Alex intentionally ordered food to prolong the conversation with his father's future wife. He smiled at her, but her gaze seemed distant, and she avoided eye contact entirely. Alex observed Bianca's expression without blinking, which in turn made her freeze for a moment. She struggled to calm her racing heart, which refused to compromise. The handsome man named Alex appeared incredibly irritating to her. She couldn't relax in this situation.

"So, what should I call my father's future wife? Aunt Bianca?" Alex asked mockingly, knowing that Bianca was still young, and it didn't seem appropriate to address her as "aunt." The term "aunt" made her feel old, in his opinion.

Bianca raised an eyebrow. "Just Bianca is fine."

"But you're going to be my stepmother, so it's only appropriate that I call you aunt. When you marry Dad, of course, I'll call you Mom."

Bianca held back her emotions and nodded. "It's okay, you can call me whatever you like," she said, taking a deep breath and trying to remain calm to avoid letting her emotions get the better of her.

Alex looked at his father. "Dad, where did you meet Bianca? Is she a friend or a business associate of yours?" Alex asked, glancing at Bianca, who remained silent.

The first time he saw Bianca, she looked like an expatriate with a broad worldview. He was convinced that she was not originally from Indonesia, as her facial features seemed to be a mix of Middle Eastern and Indonesian heritage. Her face reminded him of Nia Ramadhani, the wife of his friend Bakrie.

"We met by chance, playing golf. That's when I first met Bianca. We talked, our conversation flowed, and eventually, we started a relationship," Peter explained.

"I see. Where do you live?" Alex inquired.

"I live in Senopaty Suites Apartment," Bianca replied.

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Not too far from where I live," he said.

"Oh really? Where do you live?" Peter asked.

"Alex lives in The Langham, dear," Peter answered.

Bianca fell silent after hearing the name "Langham." Damn! It turned out that they lived in the same vicinity in the SCBD District 8. To be honest, the place she was staying in was just a temporary rental, not her private residence. She used to live in Kemang Village, and she rented out her old apartment. Then, she used the rental income to lease an apartment in Senopaty, with the justification that living in an elite area would help her attract the man she was pursuing.

She knew the track record of hunting wealthy men; she had to adapt her lifestyle to match theirs to be considered equal. Winning over rich men was not as straightforward as just being beautiful. Wealthy men came in various types – some were kind, friendly, stern, show-offs, humble, arrogant, shy, and so on. She had to put in extra effort in this pursuit, socialize with them, avoid acting tacky, and learn good manners.

She remembered her friend Clara, who married a wealthy widower with a son named Robert. Their life was peaceful, and Robert, the stepson, also cared for her. What was wrong with wanting a fate like Clara's? It was perfectly fine to marry an older widower as long as he was wealthy.

"What kind of business do you have, and what family are you from?" Alex asked, curious.

Bianca remained silent, looking at the man named Alex. "I have a beauty business, and I also have some shares in a manufacturing company. But I'm not from any particular family; that's all you need to know about me," Bianca replied, deliberately trying to mislead Alex. Her claims about the beauty business and manufacturing company were entirely fabricated.

"Oh really? Could you tell me which brands those are? If they're good, we could collaborate and make your business even bigger, especially now that you're going to be my stepmother," Alex said, looking at the server as he was served his meal. He then observed Bianca's nervous expression and smiled meaningfully, realizing she was lying. "Never mind, let's not discuss business here," he added.