Chapter 3. Bella's Substitute

"Damn child!" cursed Jonathan, disappointed at Bella who had run away from her room.

"What's wrong, Daddy, Bella's not in her room?" Juwita asked sadly when she didn't find her daughter in the room.

Bella also left her wedding dress on the bed. Juwita also didn't see Bella's suitcase or clothes in her wardrobe, she must have already run away.

Melinda entered Bella's room carrying a bottle of mineral water in her hand.

"Sis, what's wrong? You all seem very upset?" Melinda asked Jonathan and Juwita, who were anxious.

"Bella ran away, Melinda," Juwita answered.

"What? Ran away? What about her wedding? The Maduswara family will be disappointed in us."

They were thinking about how to tell the Maduswara family that their daughter, Bella, had run away.

"Daddy will call the Maduswara family," said Jonathan, picking up his phone to call the Maduswara family.

"Hello, Jonathan. How are you? All the guests and the groom have arrived. Why hasn't the bride arrived at the hotel?"

"Um... Emran, I want to talk to you about something."

"What?"

"Actually, my daughter Bella ran away."

"What? How could she run away?"

"I don't know either. When I wanted to call her to come out of the room, I didn't find Bella inside."

"This is an insult to the Maduswara family. I can't accept being treated like this by you."

"I really apologize on behalf of my daughter."

"This wedding must take place. I don't want to bear the shame because my first son-in-law has betrayed my boys, and now your daugther has run away."

"But, how can it happen, if Bella is not there?"

Jonathan looked at Delisha, who was carrying some things to the car.

"Well... how about my first child as a replacement substitute for Bella?"

"What did you say? Are you going to marry my boy to your illegitimate child?"

Emran already knew that Jonathan had an illegitimate child with another woman. However, Jonathan asked him to keep it a secret.

"This is just as a substitute bride, not as a permanent bride. Bella is also a substitute bride, and you can give Delisha back to me when the wedding is over. How about it?"

Emran tried to think, if his son's wedding failed, everyone would laugh at his family. Especially because of the unfaithful bride.

"Okay, but only as a substitute bride."

"Yes, you can relax."

Jonathan hung up the phone, then approached Delisha, who was near the car.

"Delisha, come with Daddy."

Delisha nodded her head. "Okay, Daddy."

Delisha followed wherever her Daddy went, and it turned out that Jonathan took her to Bella's room.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" Delisha was wondering why Jonathan brought her to Bella's room.

"Well, Delisha, Daddy wants to talk to you."

"What does Daddy want to talk about?"

Jonathan looked at Delisha with a hesitant expression. Jonathan hoped that Delisha would agree to replace Bella who had run away. "Dear, Daddy really needs your help. Daddy doesn't know what to do because your younger sister Bella has run away."

"What, Daddy? Bella ran away?" Delisha was surprised to hear that Bella had run away on her wedding day.

"Yes, Delisha. Daddy is confused too. Daddy didn't know that Bella had the intention to run away. If only Daddy could have kept an eye on Bella more closely, maybe Bella wouldn't have run away like this. Daddy only has you now, and Daddy hopes you can replace Bella."

"What, Daddy? Delisha replacing Bella? But, Daddy, what about the groom's family? They will feel deceived if it's not Bella on the wedding day, but Delisha instead."

"Stay calm, dear. Daddy has talked to them and they have agreed."

"Daddy, are you serious? They don't mind if Delisha replaces Bella?"

Jonathan took Delisha's hand and patted her arm. Jonathan relied heavily on Delisha, because she was the only one who could help him now.

"Dear, please help Daddy, only you can help the honor of the Wijaya and Maduswara families. If this wedding is canceled, Maduswara's family honor will surely be ruined, as well as Daddy's company that Daddy has been managing for all these years."

Delisha looked intently at Jonathan's face. She had never seen her Daddy's pleading face before, Delisha couldn't bear to see her Daddy's sad face like this.

Delisha nodded her head. "Okay, Daddy. Delisha will be a substitute bride for Bella." Delisha reluctantly accepted her Daddy's request. She just didn't want to see him sad.

Jonathan smiled, then hugged Delisha. "Thank you, dear."

 ***

At a five-star hotel, guests had started to arrive to attend Rey and Erlin's wedding. The large photos of Erlin and Rey were displayed neatly to decorate the ballroom.

They didn't know that the bride had already betrayed the groom by cheating on him behind his back. And actually, the woman who was going to be Rey's bride was not Erlin, but another woman who was a descendant of Wijaya.

"Son." Emran approached his son who was in the room where the groom's makeup was done. Rey had prepared himself, and he was wearing a mask on his face.

"Yes, Dad?"

"This." Emran handed Rey a piece of paper.

"What is this, Dad?" Asked Rey, who was very curious.

"You memorize the marriage contract, okay?"

"Okay, Dad."

Rey began to read the writing that was carved on the paper that he was holding. He frowned when he saw Bella's name crossed out and replaced with Delisha's name.

"Dad, what is this? Why is Bella's name crossed out and Delisha, who is she?" asked Rey, who was so confused.

Emran patted Rey's shoulder. "Son, Bella ran away. As a replacement, Jonathan's first child will replace Bella."

"What? Are you serious, Dad?" Rey was surprised to hear what Emran said.

"This is only temporary, after the wedding is over, Delisha will be sent home."

Rey was stunned by his father's words. "Dad, this is a wedding, not a child's joke."

Reyhan was so amazed at his father's thoughts. How could Emran say something that absurd?

"Enough, just follow Daddy's words, the important thing is the wedding has to take place first, the problem will be discussed later."

Rey could only surrender to his father's irrational decision. For him, marriage is something sacred and cannot be played with so carelessly.

Rey could only sigh and accept all of it. His love life was so unlucky. First, he chose the wrong woman. Second, he was betrayed, and third, now the bride who was going to replace Erlin ran away.

"Damn! Why is my life so unlucky? Is there no woman who loves me sincerely? What am I lacking? I'm handsome, I'm financially stable, and I have everything, but why do all women betray me and run away like this?"

"Karma."

One word from Abbas' mouth succeeded in making Rey shut up.

"Stop kidding around, Abbas!"