Chapter 1 PART 1. THE OFFER

Aisa Larasati, the eldest of two siblings born to Arya Jati and Mayang, hails from a financially disadvantaged family. They reside in a village located in Semarang. Aisa has a younger brother named Niko, who is still in the 10th grade of high school.

Aisa didn't want to burden her parents and decided to go to the city in search of employment to assist with her family's finances. She currently finds herself in Jakarta, a metropolitan city surrounded by towering skyscrapers. Jakarta is a place where people flock to try their luck.

Armed only with a high school diploma and no work experience, Aisa thought finding a job in the city would be easy. However, it proved to be far more challenging than she anticipated.

As she walked under the scorching sun, Aisa continued to grumble. Sweat streamed down her petite body. Despite her small stature, Aisa possessed a figure that could be likened to a Spanish guitar, captivating the attention of anyone who glanced her way.

With hunger and thirst gnawing at her, Aisa trudged on, her steps uncertain. Her body grew heavier, her head began to spin, and eventually, she collapsed unconscious in front of the gate of a luxurious house.

After a considerable time, Aisa slowly opened her eyes, squinting at her unfamiliar surroundings. She touched her aching head. "Where am I?" she whispered to herself.

The sound of a door opening reached her ears, and Aisa's beautiful eyes caught sight of a figure approaching. She sat up in bed and leaned against the headboard.

"Are you awake? Is your head still hurting?" the woman asked, offering a cup of warm tea to Aisa.

Aisa accepted the warm tea, shaking her head in response.

"Drink up while it's still warm. It'll help warm your body," the woman advised.

Aisa nodded and began to sip the tea slowly.

"If I may ask, what's your name, and where is your home?" the woman inquired, her curiosity piqued by the beautiful young girl before her.

"I-I'm Aisa, Ma'am. I'm from a village, and I came to this city to find work," Aisa replied, avoiding eye contact.

The woman gently stroked Aisa's head. "Now, go take a shower and change into the clothes in that wardrobe," she said, pointing to a very large wardrobe.

"Afterward, come downstairs," she added before leaving the room.

Before Aisa could ask where she was and who the elegant and kind woman was, the woman had already left the room.

Aisa glanced around the opulent and spacious room in awe. It was the most luxurious place she had ever been in. Her room back in the village was nothing compared to this. This room was almost as big as half of her house.

"Where am I now, and how did I end up here? Wasn't I looking for a job earlier? Who was that elegant and beautiful woman?" Aisa wondered.

"A-am I not being kidnapped? A-am I not going to be sold?"

Aisa then walked toward the wardrobe, which was three times the size of the one she had at home. Aisa's eyes widened in amazement when she saw the contents of the wardrobe – there were so many expensive-looking clothes.

"Am I dreaming?" she wondered aloud.

Flashback

In Jakarta, there was a wealthy family known as the Admaja family. Their driver, Mr Timan, happened to find Aisa lying in front of their mansion's gate. Mr Timan, appearing quite panicked, quickly checked on the girl, fearing that someone had left her there as if she were a discarded body. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized she was still breathing. With all his strength, he carried her inside the house.

"Mr Timan, who is this girl?" the lady of the house inquired, her sharp eyes fixed on the middle-aged man.

Mr Timan stammered in response, fear beginning to overtake him. "I-forgive my impudence, Madam. Earlier, when I opened the gate, I accidentally found this girl lying outside. I felt sorry for her and brought her inside. I should have asked for your permission first."

The woman gazed closely at the unconscious girl in her driver's arms.

"In that case, take her to the upstairs room," she instructed, unable to bear seeing the girl in her current state.

"Very well, Madam," Mr Timan replied and promptly took Aisa to an upstairs room. The woman followed closely behind.

After laying Aisa on the bed, Mr Timan excused himself. The woman sat on the edge of the bed, examining Aisa from head to toe.

"What a beautiful girl," a faint smile appeared on the woman's face.

Flash-off

Aisa had finished cleaning herself up and changed into new clothes. She left the room to meet the woman who had helped her.

"Please, have a seat," the woman requested when she saw Aisa approaching.

Aisa nodded and seated herself on the sofa in front of the woman.

"I'm sure you must be curious about this place," the woman said.

Aisa nodded again, realizing that the woman could read her thoughts.

"Right now, you're at the Admaja family's residence. Have you ever heard of the Admaja family?" the woman asked while continuing to gaze at Aisa.

Aisa shook her head.

The woman furrowed her brow.

Who wouldn't know about the Admaja family, so immensely wealthy? Numerous television stations and media outlets constantly reported on the success and progress of Jakarta's largest company, Admaja Company.

The woman sighed. "Okay. Earlier, you mentioned your name is Aisa, and you're looking for a job?"

Aisa, still bewildered by the situation, could only nod and shake her head. Her mouth seemed sealed, incapable of uttering a single word.

"I have an offer for you," the woman continued. She hesitated for a moment, still unsure whether to reveal her true intentions in helping the girl.

"But..." Merlin paused, folding her hands in front of her chest. She was hesitant to say what she truly had in mind.

"But what, Madam?" Aisa asked, curiosity now getting the better of her.