LOVE YOU, UNCLE!

"What's this, Mom?" Randy asked as he looked at the photos in his hand one by one.

That day, in an office building, Randy Walters appeared puzzled. Having just finished his work, he was suddenly presented with several photos of women to look at and consider.

"These are photos, Randy. Why are you asking like it's something unusual?"

Randy immediately looked up. He took a deep breath, trying to remain patient, hoping not to be provoked by what his mother had just said.

"Randy knows that these are photos. What I mean is, why did you give me so many photos, Mom?"

"Well, it's for you to choose. There are four photos of women that I've selected as potential daughters-in-law. Please choose the one that suits your taste."

"Mom..." Randy interrupted, placing all the photos on the table, a difficult-to-interpret expression on his face. "We've discussed this so many times. Please don't rush me into getting married."

Verona Wood immediately gave him a sharp look. If she had usually been soft-spoken, this time, the fifty-year-old woman tried to show her teeth to her son.

Moreover, Verona had compromised enough. She was extremely tired of seeing her only son remaining alone like this.

"Mom doesn't care, Randy Walters. Anyway, you must obey your mother's request now. You have only two choices: let me choose for you, or choose one of the four women from the photos I'm presenting to you. Besides, what's so difficult about making a choice?"

Randy sighed deeply. The narrow-eyed man chose to close his eyes for a moment. He was genuinely tired of arguing with his mother like this.

"How can I choose? I don't even know any of them."

"It's easy if you want to get to know them first," Verona quickly replied. "I can arrange everything according to your preferences. Besides, it all depends on your intentions. Remember, Randy, you're 35 years old now. How long do you plan to stay single? Aren't you tired of hearing the office rumors about their boss being homosexual? Or maybe you really are homosexual, which is why you've been refusing to get married for so long?"

"Oh, my God, Mom."

Randy exclaimed. He didn't accept the accusation his mother had just made. Moreover, what was wrong with being 35 years old and unmarried? In South Korea, handsome, wealthy men were still single at the age of over 40. It was only in Indonesia that late marriage was seen as a disgrace by netizens who didn't contribute. Moreover, there was no playboy who was homosexual, Mom," Randy argued extensively. It seemed like he intentionally presented all his arguments, reflecting what he had felt all along.

However, instead of the homosexual rumors, all his employees were more aware of the fact that he was the kind of boss who frequently changed his partners or dating companions. Who knows how many women he had brought to the office or to various parties.

"That's why!" Verona immediately frowned. She glared at her son. "Prove to everyone that you're a genuine man. Instead of being a playboy who dates or has fun without commitment, bring one of them to meet me for selection."

"Selection? It's like a job interview."

"Well, it has to be! Choosing a partner should be clear about their qualities. Besides, you come from a reputable family. You can't just find a partner casually."

"It's so complicated, Mom. This is what makes me reluctant to bring a partner to meet you. In the end, they'll back out before the battle even starts."

Hearing this sarcasm, Verona was not pleased. Apparently, her son was once again managing his emotions, which he had been holding back all along.

"In that case, I'll find one for you. You just have to choose and accept it. You can make sure their background, qualities, and characteristics meet your criteria."

Randy took a deep breath. He exhaled slowly, then spoke in a softer tone.

As a naturally obedient child, he didn't dare to contradict his parents' orders, especially his mother's. From his education, hobbies, and everything else, they had all been arranged in a certain way.

Even though he often protested, in the end, Randy always complied. It was because of this obedient behavior that sometimes his mother took advantage of his weakness.

"So, does Mama want Randy to marry the one Mama chooses?"

"If you ask what I want, of course, I want you to get married as soon as possible. That's why Mama is offering to help you choose."

Randy nodded. He was aware that this time he couldn't argue or refuse what his mother had ordered.

Usually, Randy presented many reasons to postpone the order to get married. But this time, he had run out of words. He could no longer resist.

"So, I have to choose one of the four women in these photos?"

Verona nodded repeatedly. Then she pointed to the brown folder next to her son.

"In the brown folder, there is a supporting document that explains the background of all the candidates. You can read and study it first. But Mama's advice is, if you can, meet them in person. After that, make your choice based on the one that you find most suitable."

"Give Randy one month to study all of this, Mom," he requested with a pleading tone.

However, instead of agreeing, Verona shook her head repeatedly.

"Nope. That's too long. Mom will give you three days."

"Three days won't be enough, Mom!"

"You don't need to read the files for a long time, Randy," protested Verona. "You only need a few hours to read a business proposal, right?"

"But this is about a life partner, not a business."

"Mom doesn't accept protests or negotiations. What's certain is that when the weekend arrives, you have to meet one or all of those women and make a choice as soon as possible."

Randy sighed and nodded. He had no choice but to comply with all the orders his mother had given. He couldn't protest when he was treated like this.

***

"The first candidate is named Alesha Almira. She is the only child of Dion Prasetya, who is famous for having a network of Nobu International banks."

Alvin Wedakarna, a man who had served as Randy's personal assistant for five years, looked serious as he read out the data for all the potential wife candidates that Mrs. Verona had prepared for her son. Meanwhile, Randy sat quietly in his chair, listening to the explanations his assistant had been providing.

"Alesha Almira is a model and socialite, sir," Alvin continued. "She graduated from the University of Toronto in Canada."

"Next," Randy replied hastily, as if he didn't want to know more. "Just go ahead and read the second candidate. Honestly, I'm not interested in having a socialite as a wife. I don't know why, but I'm sure a wife who brands herself as a socialite is too self-absorbed in her own world."

Alvin nodded. He understood that Randy was a very picky man. In addition to prioritizing his work, Randy had very high standards for a life partner.

"The second candidate is Velia Angelica," Alvin continued to read the data about potential wives in his hands. "She is the youngest daughter of Hartono Jaya, who is a ship and coal business owner. Velia herself works as an aesthetic doctor and already owns many beauty clinics in major cities in Indonesia."

Randy nodded thoughtfully. He was considering what it would be like to have a wife who was an aesthetic doctor.

"Ah, that sounds complicated!" Randy mumbled softly. He had many considerations in choosing a potential wife this time. "Just go ahead and read the next one, Vin."

"The third one is Tamara Salim. This woman is the only daughter of Wilantara Salim, who owns a chain of hospitals and several medical equipment factories. Tamara's profession is similar to the first candidate's, sir."

Randy could only sigh from his seat. He was getting bored hearing the data of the potential wife candidates that his mother had prepared. In Randy's eyes, almost all the candidates seemed to have the same criteria.

"Read the last one, Vin," Randy requested after a moment of silence. "After that, please help me choose which one I should meet."

"The last one is named Ghea Mariana. She is the youngest daughter of Maxwell Denovan, who owns IndoAsia Group and several hotel chains and shopping centers. Ghea is currently a student at a private university. Among all the candidates, this young lady is the youngest, only 23 years old. I don't know why Mrs. Verona included her in the list of choices."

Alvin then stepped forward and handed over all the photos from the folder, which Randy might not have seen completely.

"This one is Alesha," Alvin pointed. "This is Velia. The one in the white dress is Tamara. The one wearing white sneakers is Ghea."

Randy looked at all the photos that Alvin presented once again. He carefully examined them, trying to decide which woman he should meet over the weekend.

At first glance, their appearances were quite similar. They all looked beautiful, graceful, and captivating, like most old-money women.

"What do you think, should I go through with this arranged marriage?" Randy asked.

Alvin, standing in front of Randy's desk, nodded with confidence. He knew that there were no other options, considering Mrs. Verona's decision was final.

Even though Randy had protested many times in the past, he always ended up complying. He couldn't afford to go against his mother's orders or decisions.

"There's no other choice, sir. Besides, as Mrs. Verona said, getting married and having children is a prerequisite for you to inherit the family's growing business and subsidiaries. If you don't hurry, you might be overtaken by other Walters family members."

Randy fell into deep thought at that moment. He brought his hand to his chin, pondering his mother's words from the previous evening.

"You are the strongest candidate, son. Do you want to let Sandara, Sinta, or Celina take this opportunity away from you? Do you want to see them, all of them, succeed where you could have? Are you willing to let that happen?"

Asked this way, Randy nodded immediately. Since childhood, he had held onto the same dream of making his parents, especially his father, proud of his achievements.

Randy also never forgot that his father had always tried to mold him into a competent leader, someone responsible, calculated, and, most importantly, someone who was respected by all the employees.

"Yes, Mom."

"Alright, that's settled. Just get married and have children soon. So that Grandpa can make you the next successor."

Randy closed his eyes dramatically. For some reason, he felt burdened by his mother's request to get married as soon as possible. It wasn't that he didn't want to be the successful business heir he had always aspired to be. It was just that, in Randy's opinion, getting married, especially to someone he didn't love, wasn't an easy matter.

However, refusing wasn't the right choice either. Frankly, Randy was also not willing to see the position he had been aiming for taken by his other cousins, all of whom were women. Where would he hide his face?

"So, what's the plan, sir?" Alvin asked when he noticed Randy had been lost in thought for a long time. "Which woman would you like to meet next weekend?"

Randy lifted his head. After some consideration, he made a final decision.

"You can arrange the schedule for next weekend. But one thing is certain, I want to meet all of them, without exception."

Ghea Mariana seemed to lazily descend the stairs to make her way to the dining room. Before heading to college, her parents had always insisted that she have breakfast together with the rest of the family.

Actually, today Ghea was feeling quite uneasy. A few days ago, her relationship had just ended after her boyfriend was caught with another woman. Ironically, it was the guy who decided to break up as if he were innocent.

"Papa, I heard you just broke up with Rio?"

Ghea immediately frowned. Just as she sat down, instead of a morning greeting, her father was to the point, asking about her recent breakup. Moreover, how did he even know about this?

"Why is Papa suddenly talking about the breakup? It's still early, Pa. You're killing Ghea's mood right away."

Maxwell Denovan, a Chinese descent man who was Ghea's father, chuckled. Perhaps he found it amusing to see his youngest daughter's openly expressed annoyance.

"Papa just wanted to make sure before telling you something important."

"Ghea just broke up, Pa. That Rio guy got caught cheating with a woman who's still a friend of Ghea's. And then, he arrogantly broke up with Ghea as if he did nothing wrong!"

Mario, Ghea's older brother, answered casually while taking a bite of her food. He knew about her sister's recent breakup and confirmed their father's question.

"Oh, it's not entirely Rio's fault. Ghea is the one who was too obsessed with chasing after a popular guy. She should've known it was out of her league. Still couldn't resist."

Giselle, Ghea's second sister, chimed in. Compared to the caring Mario, her stepsister had a more straightforward manner. When she spoke, she sounded like a nosy neighbor commenting on someone else's life.

Ghea Mariana herself was the result of a past secret relationship between Maxwell Denovan and his secretary, Amanda Chloe. After giving birth to Ghea, her mother passed away. Ghea was briefly placed in an orphanage, but Maxwell, who discovered her existence, immediately took her home to be raised together with his wife and their two other children.

Although there was strong initial resistance, Clara Moses, Maxwell's legal wife, eventually gave in. She accepted Ghea's presence in their small family.

"Can Mario and Giselle please be quiet?"

"No, we can't," Mario shook his head. "We can't stay quiet when we see our little sister being played by a jerk like Rio. You should've let me handle him."

"Mario, Ghea, that's enough!" Clara reprimanded her child when she noticed them starting to argue. "Can you save your fight for later? Your father has something important to say, so please listen first."

Both immediately nodded. Ending their dispute, they both refocused on listening to their father speak.

"Actually, this morning, I have something very important to convey, and it's specifically for you, Ghea."

Ghea's eyebrows furrowed. Suddenly, she felt uneasy.

"What important thing, Papa? Please don't beat around the bush like that. Ghea is getting worried."

Maxwell smiled. He then picked up a white envelope that he had placed next to the glass of water. Without hesitation, he handed it directly to his daughter to open and see its contents.

"Here, you open it first and see what's inside."

Ghea accepted the envelope and impatiently opened it, revealing its contents.

"A photo? Whose photo is this, Pa?" She asked, puzzled. From the picture, she could see a man in a white casual suit, riding a horse while holding a bow and arrow.

"That's Randy Walters," Maxwell replied. "The heir to the Akasia Corp business, a subsidiary of the Walters Group. Randy's parents and I were friends back in school and college."

"Okay, Then? What does it have to do with Ghea? Why is Papa showing this photo?"

Beside Ghea, Mario, who had been eating, now had a mischievous smile. She thought, "Why doesn't the little sister understand the clear purpose and direction of their father's words?"

"Can't you see what Papa means?"

"Not at all," Ghea replied, shaking her head. She was feeling a bit overwhelmed and didn't want to think too deeply at the moment.

"Papa wants to set you up with Randy, Ghe," Mario continued. "That's why you were called here and asked to see a photo of your potential husband."

"Huh? An arranged marriage?"

"Yes, Ghea, my dear. You're being set up," Giselle added with a wide grin on her face.

"Don't be ridiculous. It's not funny," Ghea protested.

"I'm serious. Just ask Papa," Mario insisted.

In that instant, Ghea was taken aback. Why had her father, who had always been modern in his thinking, suddenly become so traditional and wanted to arrange a marriage for her with a stranger?

As far as Ghea remembered, her father had always allowed his children to choose their own partners. After all, Mario could date multiple people until she found the right person without any protests. Giselle could choose her partner according to her heart's desire.

Was it because she was the result of a secret relationship that she was given restrictions on choosing a partner? Because honestly, from childhood to her current age of 23, everything had always been arranged by her father or stepmother.

"Papa is joking, right?" Ghea asked with a serious expression. "We're not in a Snow white Story. Arranged marriages are no longer relevant in modern times. Even Cinderella doesn't bother with glass slippers anymore. Do you really think I should be forced into an arranged marriage? Besides, I haven't finished my college yet."

"I know," Maxwell replied. "But, this time, Ghea, I'm not joking. I want you to meet and get to know Randy in person this weekend. I'm sure you'll be interested in him."

"But why, Pa? Why go for an arranged marriage?"

Ghea shook her head, genuinely puzzled by her father's current mindset. Furthermore, it was as if her father had suddenly decided to arrange a marriage out of the blue, without any reason or warning.

Moreover, Ghea had plans to finish her college and pursue her postgraduate studies in the UK. Getting married would likely derail those plans.

"So that you won't make the wrong choice again."

It was Mario who kept responding to Ghea's questions instead of their father. It wasn't surprising, as her older sister loved dominating and provoking every conversation. In the end, Ghea would be the one caught in the crossfire.

"If it's arranged like this, you can see right from the beginning what he's all about. You won't end up with a jerk like Rio again. Besides, the Walters family is well-known, Ghe. If you become their daughter-in-law, our family business shares will surely increase automatically."

Ghea sighed repeatedly. She couldn't help but feel like her life was turning into a TV drama. Out of nowhere, she was being arranged to marry a wealthy man for business expansion.

"Why not have Mario or Giselle marry into the Walters family for business purposes?" Ghea retorted. "I'm still in college, and as you and Mario know, I want to continue my postgraduate studies in the UK."

"The problem is, your brother and sister already have their own partners. As for your studies, you can still continue them after getting married. So, for this arranged marriage matter, let's make you the sacrifice," Mario teased while laughing.

"Enough... enough..." Maxwell interjected. He called his children to stop the debate. Then, he looked straight at Ghea and continued speaking.

"Please, Ghea, follow my request this time and meet Randy this weekend. I've already made a promise to Aunt Verona, Randy's mother. Besides, it's just a meeting to get to know each other."

"Does that mean I'm not obligated to marry this man?" Ghea asked for clarification. To avoid any misunderstandings, she wanted to know from the start.

"Well, if you can, you should catch his attention, Ghe."

Mario interrupted once again. For some reason, his only brother was being particularly annoying today. Well, no, Mario was always annoying at all times. The guy loved to push around her favorite sibling.

"Listen, Ghea. Randy is choosy, and he's also known to be a playboy."

Ghea was shocked at that moment. Did her sister really want to ruin her or something?

"Isn't it weird, Mario? You said you didn't want me to end up with a jerk, and now you're agreeing to set me up with a playboy?"

"Because Randy is a playboy, which means he likes to change partners frequently. He's not a womanizer or a cheater like your ex. Plus, Randy is wealthy, Ghe. So, his playboy status is forgivable."

"Totally Crazy!"

"Enough," Maxwell said once more. "In any case, this weekend, you must meet Randy. Don't refuse, and especially, don't embarrass me."

Reluctantly, Ghea agreed. When given such an order, she had no choice but to comply.

"Ghea, where are you going? You're in such a hurry."

Denisa, who was Ghea's friend and playmate on campus, immediately addressed her as she unintentionally passed by the library. She found her friend getting ready to go home, even though the clock showed it was only three in the afternoon. This was not Ghea's usual routine.

As a diligent college student, Ghea tended to stay late. If she didn't have classes, Ghea liked to hang out in the library, either working on assignments or just reading books. Usually, she would decide to go home around five in the evening. But now? The day was still scorching hot. It was strange to see her friend preparing to leave so early.

"I have plans to meet someone outside tonight," Ghea replied while zipping up her backpack.

"Plans? Do you mean a weekly date? With whom? Rio? I thought you had already broken up with him," Denisa questioned without pause.

Previously, Denisa knew that Ghea had decided to end the relationship as soon as she received news of possible infidelity from her ex-boyfriend, a friend's former partner. Denisa was very relieved. She had been praying for Ghea to realize that she had been used all along.

"Ugh, no way!" Ghea exclaimed. "I'm not meeting that jerk. I can't stand looking at his face anymore."

Denisa raised an inquisitive eyebrow. She was genuinely curious about who Ghea was meeting tonight. It was quite unusual for her friend to go out on a weekend evening like this. During her relationship with Rio, Ghea rarely spent time meeting on weekends or other holidays. It was indeed odd!

"So, it's not Rio? Then who are you meeting?"

"If I tell you, you'll probably laugh," Ghea said quietly. She then grabbed Denisa's arm, urging her to sit on one of the chairs in the campus corridor.

"What's going on?"

Denisa's brow furrowed further as she stared intently at Ghea. She was waiting for an explanation to all the questions she had thrown at her earlier.

"My dad plans to set me up with his friend's son."

"WHAT?!"

Denisa's eyes widened, and she shook her head repeatedly in disbelief. "Don't joke around, Ghea. April Fools' Day is still far away. There's no need for such an outrageous lie."

"I swear to God, Denisa. I'm not lying."

Denisa fell silent for a moment. She looked deeply into Ghea's eyes, trying to find any hint of deception in those jet-black, honest eyes her friend displayed.

"So, who do they want to set you up with?"

Ghea took a deep breath, lifting her shoulders dramatically. She was confused about how to start. She was still in shock, herself, about being set up with someone she had never met before.

"Personally, I don't even know him."

"What's his name, Ghea? Why is Mr. Maxwell suddenly setting you up?"

Ghea then opened her shopper bag and took out a photo from inside, handing it to Denisa.

"I don't understand what's gotten into my dad's mind. The other day, out of nowhere, he asked me to meet a guy he plans to set me up with. Can you imagine how shocked I was?"

Denisa nodded. She was equally shocked to hear this news. She then took the photo that Ghea had given her, looked at it for a moment, and was soon left in awe.

"Is this the guy they want to set you up with? Randy Walters, Antonie Walters's grandson?"

Ghea nodded weakly.

"Yes, that's him."

"That's great, Ghe," Denisa teased without hesitation.

"Huh? What's so great about it?"

"Well, it's good," Denisa said. "Randy is famous everywhere. If you marry him, you'll automatically become famous, and your life will be secure. The wealth of his family will last for generations. But, there's a catch."

"What?" Ghea inquired.

"Randy is known as a playboy. He's often in the news for changing girlfriends, mostly from the celebrity world. But it's not a big deal. If you marry him, it'll be a great achievement. People will think you've conquered a top-tier playboy."

Ghea immediately rolled her eyes. Why was Denisa becoming just as annoying as Mario, her sister? They were both the same. They were happy to use her as a pawn for an early marriage for business purposes.

"Don't be ridiculous! You're just like Mario Antolin Denovan, my super annoying brother. You don't care that I'm marrying a guy I don't know, let alone love? Besides, he's much older than me," Ghea protested openly.

Denisa burst into laughter. It was amusing to see the annoyed expression Ghea was displaying. But, according to Denisa, Ghea should be happy. After all, the person she was going to marry wasn't just anyone.

"Getting to know him is easy, Ghe. You can do it while you go out. The age difference isn't a problem. Plus, matters of the heart can be arranged. Have you ever heard the old saying, 'familiarity breeds affection'?"

Ghea immediately shook her head.

"What saying is that?"

"Simply put, if you get used to meeting and interacting with your future husband after you're married, over time, love will naturally grow," Denisa explained.

"Oh, you sound like Mario Teguh," Ghea mocked, earning laughter from Denisa.

"But I'm serious, Ghe. Give it a try. Consider it a replacement for Rio. If you really get married, you can show him that you can find a replacement who's even better in every way."

Ghea sighed. After discussing her future husband at length, she rushed home early to prepare before meeting Randy tonight at a café.

***

Randy seemed to be getting bored listening to the individual presentations of the candidates he had met today. Starting with Alesha, Randy sipped his coffee while listening to the prospective wife presented by his mother, who was showcasing their family's wealth.

"Besides traveling across Indonesia, I also have a hobby of traveling abroad every week when my work schedule here is empty. Especially now, the bank my father manages is expanding overseas. So, it seems I'll choose to live abroad rather than in Indonesia," Alesha explained in great detail.

"So, you enjoy traveling abroad?" Randy asked casually.

"Of course. Especially to Milan or Paris. It's like heaven there because I can shop for various expensive bags or shoes to add to my collection."

Randy nodded along. Feeling satisfied, he decided to excuse himself and move on to the next meeting at a cosmetic clinic owned by the second candidate, Velia. Randy spent only 30 minutes there. Feeling bored, he moved on to the next candidate, Tamara.

"Out of the three candidates, none of them suits my taste, Vin," Randy complained after finishing the meeting with Tamara, who had a behavior very similar to Alesha's.

Randy was genuinely puzzled by why all the women he had met were more or less the same.

"So, you're meeting me tonight just as a formality?" Randy inquired.

Ghea nodded honestly. She made no effort to maintain an image in front of the man who was regarded as highly famous and even labeled as a top-tier playboy.

"More like respecting the request of both my parents. Honestly, on one hand, I don't like being set up like this. But on the other hand, I can't disobey my parents' orders. So, rather than regretting it later and being cursed to turn into a stone, I don't mind sacrificing my Saturday night to meet you."

"Saturday night?" Randy was surprised when the woman in front of him suddenly referred to their meeting as a Saturday night appointment. Did he really look that old?

"Yes. I read in your biodata that you're currently 35 years old, while I'm only 23, turning 24. That means there's quite an age gap between us, nearly 12 years. So, it's appropriate for me to call you Uncle.'"

Unconsciously, Randy burst into laughter. He didn't feel offended. Instead, he found Ghea's frankness amusing and natural, without any pretense.

While most people usually tried to catch his attention, Ghea was different. She was very laid-back and even dared to compare tonight's meeting, which had no value, to watching Korean dramas at home. And she had just bestowed upon him the nickname 'Uncle.'

"You're funny, you know that? Too honest. But it's okay, I prefer girls who are as honest as you."

"Oh, it's nothing," Ghea retorted. "You're the one who's overly positive. Besides, why bother with so much pretense? By the way, how about you, Om? Is there anything you want to discuss? Or maybe there's something you want to convey?"

This time, it was Ghea who asked. Only 15 minutes into the meeting, she already felt bored and wanted to quickly end this blind date.

"Actually, there's nothing," Randy replied. "Just like you, today's meeting is just a formality."

"Alright then," Ghea said, rising from her seat. While putting on her sling bag, which she had previously placed on the table, she prepared to leave. It seemed that her level of boredom tonight had reached its peak.

So, instead of continuing with small talk, Ghea thought it would be best to conclude it. Furthermore, she felt that the man in front of her was also reluctant to choose her as his future wife.

"Let's just end this meeting tonight. We're not interested in each other, right? Rather than wasting unnecessary time, it's better to go home and rest. The most important thing is that you've met me, and I've seen you in person as well," Ghea chatted on extensively. She made no effort to conceal her true feelings. If Randy was offended by her words or actions, so be it.

"So, you want to leave now? It's not even 7:30 yet. Aren't you afraid your parents will ask why you're coming home early?"

"First of all, thanks for your concern," Ghea replied. "But you don't need to worry. Everything can be arranged. Besides, I'm also confident that I don't fit the criteria to be your ideal wife. That's why our meeting ends here. Thank you very much for the time you sacrificed. Goodnight."

Randy watched Ghea's departure in silence. Amid the many thoughts swirling in his mind, there was one idea that made him suddenly smile. It was as if he had a plan ready to execute.