“Welcome back to Eric With The Hot News! So, as we’ve been discussing the past few weeks, today we’ve got another juicy scoop straight from our spy team…”
I tried to control my breathing, but it felt as if my throat was being squeezed.
Tshabina let out a long yawn, a sharp contrast to Andi, who chattered with glee and turned up the volume. “Spill it already while my noodles are still hot!”
“Listen, folks—INDTV won big against the lawsuit from the mother of that young actress rumored to have stayed at a hotel with Bakti Danudara.”
Andi chimed in again, “Now that’s because my best friend handled it with his brilliant brain.”
“Butguys… My team has found something truly shocking…”
“They discovered something strange in the track record of women who’ve been seen with Bakti Danudara.”
I wanted to rush to Tshabina, to throw the source of that voice far away, but… I couldn’t move.
“After further investigation, these young women all look strikingly similar—not identical, but definitely alike.”
“Listen carefully. First, most of them are young Javanese women. Second, they all have long black hair and shades of brown eyes. Third, they all have olive skin. And here’s the oddest bit: every single one of them wore the exact same style of clothing whenever they went out with Bakti Danudara. Traditionaljarikcloth with akembentop—like they were off to a formal event, when in reality it was just dinner… And ending up in a hotel.”
I swallowed. My knees buckled.
“And stranger still, they all share the same name. Unbelievable, isn’t it? Do you know what name that is?”
“Sophie.”
A loud ringing took over my mind.
“Mas, please—help me!” “I can’t even say her name—”I shook my head as memories rose one after another.“I can’t see her without—”
“Listen, the women our team managed to identify include: Aisyha Sophienne, Gelisha Sophiana, Sophie Aura, and many more Sophies. Ah—there’s even a Putri Sophia.”
I reached for the door with trembling hands, my vision going blurry.
“And so, we suspect Bakti’s fixation lies in this bizarre fetish: young, beautiful girls, Javanese, long black hair, olive skin, brown eyes, dressed in traditional Javanese attire, and with the same name: “Sophi—”
“WHAT THE FUCK?!”
“Andi?”
Tshabina’s voice pulled me back. I blinked, my gaze drifting toward her.
Please… no…
The sound of a laptop being slammed shut echoed.
“What is it?” Tshabina asked, alarmed. “What happened?”
Sweat poured from my forehead.Please…
Andi shot back, “You heard it?” His voice shook.
A pause. “Sorry, I fell asleep. Why? What happened?”
I exhaled, long and slow at Tshabina’s answer, the tension finally draining from my shoulders. Because how could I ever tell her the truth—that my father was obsessed with every part of her.
“You really didn’t hear anything? “Andi’s voice wavered. I forced myself to regain control, especially when Tshabina stirred, beginning to lift herself beneath the blanket.
“No, I didn’t. What is it, Andi?”
