Chapter 2 PART 2. THE AGREEMENT

Merlin scrutinized Aisa carefully. She wasn't sure if the girl would be able to do what she had in mind. But she decided to try; perhaps this girl was sent by fate to help her son.

"Are you willing to do it?" Merlin asked.

"I'll do anything, Ma'am, as long as I can get a job soon," Aisa replied without hesitation. For Aisa, the most important thing was to secure employment quickly so she could help her parents.

"Before I make you an offer, it's better if you read the document in front of you." Merlin had prepared the document that Aisa needed to sign.

Aisa furrowed her brow and picked up a brown envelope placed in front of her, then opened it.

As Aisa read the contents of the document, her eyes widened in shock. "What is this, Ma'am?" she asked, not yet comprehending the purpose of the document.

"Marriage?" Aisa continued. "How is that possible, Ma'am? I only want a job, not marriage," she exclaimed in surprise.

"I know you need a job, but I'm offering more than just employment. You can have anything you desire if you accept my offer. I also need your help."

"What do you mean, Ma'am? What kind of help?" Aisa asked, curiosity piqued.

Merlin let out a long sigh. "You're a beautiful girl. I want you to help my son regain his confidence in women."

"I still don't understand what you mean by that, Ma'am. What kind of confidence are you talking about?" Aisa inquired, still struggling to grasp Merlin's words.

Merlin began to recount the story of her only child, Alan Ferdinand Admaja. Alan was a handsome young man, 28 years of age. When Alan was in the 10th grade, he fell in love with a beautiful girl. He loved her deeply, and they continued their relationship as they both entered college.

Alan was willing to do anything for her, and both sets of parents approved of their relationship. But when Alan had fallen even deeper in love with the girl, she suddenly disappeared without a trace, leaving Alan without a word.

Alan's heart was shattered, and he felt as if he had died. For years, he searched for her whereabouts to no avail. She seemed to have vanished into thin air, and it left him feeling lifeless. Despite Alan's parents' best efforts to uplift his spirits, it was all in vain.

Alan seemed to live in his own world. Eventually, his parents reluctantly took him to a psychiatrist, and Alan's will to live slowly returned with professional help. However, something had changed within him – he refused to engage with women and seemed repulsed by the idea of being close to anyone referred to as a woman. Alan only wanted to be close to his mother.

Merlin saw a new glimmer of hope in Aisa for helping her son regain his self-confidence when she looked at her. She felt that Aisa was the right choice for Alan.

"What do you say? Will you accept my offer?" Merlin asked again after finishing her son's life story.

Aisa was perplexed about how to respond. She only wanted to find a job and earn money to support her parents. However, she couldn't agree to selling herself in this way.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am. I can't. I don't want to sell myself just to earn money," Aisa declined.

Merlin burst into laughter; she hadn't expected Aisa to think that way. How could Aisa assume she was asking her to sell herself? It was clear that she was proposing marriage. She underlined the word "Marriage."

"Read through all the documents first, study them thoroughly. I'll give you a week to consider my offer. I'm confident that if you accept, you can have everything you desire," Merlin tried to persuade Aisa again, hoping she might change her mind.

"My decision is final, Ma'am. I won't accept this absurd offer! I'm not a cheap woman willing to sell herself just for money," Aisa firmly stated.

"Sorry, Ma'am, I must take my leave. Thank you for your assistance," Aisa continued as she rose from her seat, taking the brown envelope with her, and walked away from Merlin.

Merlin could only shake her head upon hearing Aisa's recent words, as the girl didn't seem to fully grasp what she had said.

"I'll still be waiting for your decision. If you change your mind, my door is always open to you!" Merlin shouted.

Aisa paid no attention to Merlin's shouts, continuing to walk away from the grand and luxurious house. On her way home, Aisa grumbled, unable to believe that there were wealthy families with such extreme ideas.

"Insane! How could she ask me to marry her son, especially when we're complete strangers? Does she think marriage is just a game?" Aisa vented her frustration while trying to contain her emotions.

Aisa's stomach growled.

She held her hungry stomach as she had only eaten earlier in the morning. She took her wallet from her bag and counted the remaining money inside.

"I have very little money left, and I can't survive like this. It's incredibly challenging to find a job here," Aisa lamented before sighing in exhaustion.

**

Meanwhile, Merlin contacted someone and asked them to keep an eye on Aisa, as she was certain that one day Aisa would need her.**

"I have a job for you. Follow the girl who just left my house," Merlin said as soon as the call connected.

"Understood, Ma'am."

"Let me know everything she does," Merlin concluded the call after receiving confirmation from the person she had contacted.

"I will make sure she marries Alan. She will help me restore Alan's self-confidence."

After receiving orders from her employer, the man discreetly followed Aisa to her rented accommodation.

"What's so special about this village girl that Madame Merlin wants me to follow her? She is indeed beautiful, especially her seductive figure. Truly tempting," the man muttered absentmindedly, unconsciously swallowing his saliva as he admired Aisa's attractive physique.

Aisa quickly entered her rented house and closed the door, leaving the man unable to see her anymore.

Starving since earlier, Aisa decided to satisfy her hunger with a packet of instant noodles, as it was the only affordable option for her right now. She had moved to Jakarta with very little money, with most of it going towards her one-month rent.

After filling her stomach, Aisa lay down on her rather thin mattress.

"It's not easy to find a job here. Every company I visited requires candidates with a master's degree, while I only graduated from high school," Aisa sighed in exhaustion.

Aisa remembered the brown envelope she had brought from Merlin's house. "Marriage? How could she ask me to marry her son when she doesn't even know me?"