Painful Love

Aruna Prasetyo never imagined that his life would change drastically in one night. As an ambitious marketing manager, he is always focused on his career. But one night, after having dinner with his family, his mother, Mrs. Siti, gave him surprising news.

"Aruna, Mom and Dad have decided something important for your future," said Mrs. Siti in a soft but firm voice.

Aruna frowned, feeling something strange. "What do you mean, Mother?" he asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

"We have matched you with Alvino, the CEO of the company where you work. "He is the son of your father's old friend," explained Mrs. Siti.

Aruna was silent. His name is often mentioned in the office, Alvino Widjaja, a young CEO who is charismatic and a perfectionist. He was known to be tough, cold, but highly respected for his extraordinary leadership.

“Why didn't I know about this before?” Aruna tried to calm herself.

“We wanted to confirm everything first before telling you. "We think this is a good opportunity for your future," said his father, Pak Joko, wisely.

Aruna felt betrayed. “But what about my opinion? Don't I have the right to choose?”

“We know this is sudden, but try to meet him first. Who knows, you might find something unexpected," persuaded Bu Siti.

With a heavy heart, Aruna agreed to meet Alvino. Their first meeting was arranged at a fancy restaurant.

Aruna arrived at the restaurant early, wearing a simple but elegant dress. When Alvino entered, his charismatic aura was immediately felt. He looked calm and in control.

"Good evening, Aruna," said Alvino with a faint smile.

"Good evening, Mr. Alvino," answered Aruna, trying to sound polite even though her heart was still uncertain.

“Just call me Alvino. "We're not in the office," he said while sitting in front of Aruna.

Dinner started awkwardly, but Alvino tried to lighten the mood by talking about his work and hobbies. Aruna was surprised to find another side of Alvino that not many people knew about. He apparently likes climbing mountains and reading history books.

“So, what do you think about this matchmaking?” Alvino asked suddenly, looking at Aruna seriously.

Aruna took a deep breath. “To be honest, I feel depressed. I always believe that true love cannot be forced.”

Alvino nodded slowly. "I understand. I also feel this is too sudden. But maybe we can try to get to know each other better first. We don't need to rush.”

Aruna felt a little relieved hearing that. "Okay, we can try."

As time went by, Aruna and Alvino started to meet more often. They spend time together, both in the office and outside. Aruna began to see the gentle and caring side of Alvino, which had been hidden behind his cold attitude.

"Aruna, how about we go hiking this weekend?" invite Alvino one day.

"Climb? "I've never climbed before," answered Aruna, a little hesitant.

"It doesn't matter. I will help you. "This could be a good opportunity for us to get closer," said Alvino with a reassuring smile.

During the climbing trip, Aruna felt more connected to Alvino. They talk about many things, from their dreams to their biggest fears. Aruna began to realize that behind his strict attitude, Alvino was a caring and sincere man.

However, not everything went smoothly. One day, Aruna saw Alvino with a woman in a cafe. Feelings of jealousy and insecurity began to take over him.

"Who is she?" Aruna asked when they met again.

“Oh, that's Anita, my old friend. "We were just talking about business," explained Alvino, but Aruna felt he was hiding something.

“I don't like feeling like this, Alvino. "If we want to be serious, we have to be honest with each other," said Aruna firmly.

Alvino was silent for a moment, then sighed. "I'm sorry, Aruna. I didn't mean to hide anything. I'm just not ready to talk about my past.”

Aruna understood, but still felt doubtful. "I need time to digest all this, Alvino."

After several weeks of contemplation, Aruna decided to talk to Alvino. They met in a quiet park.

"Alvino, I've thought about everything," said Aruna firmly.

"Me too. "I don't want this relationship to start with lies or doubts," Alvino answered in a soft voice.