Chapter 4

Caroline stepped forward hesitantly. Hendra placed the hair dryer on the table while showing Caroline where the switch was so she could use it to dry her clothes. A little awkward because the long cable forced her to stand, Caroline held the bottom of her skirt. She lowered her head to make sure the hair dryer was blowing hot air directly onto her wet skirt.

It was a scene that was anything but elegant. In fact, it looked very odd because Caroline's legs were casually exposed, even though she was wearing a midi dress. It was still understandable to Caroline because she was facing away from Hendra. From the moment he entered, he took one of his book collections from the bookshelf that stretched across the right side of the room. Then he sat at his desk and looked focused while reading.

"What is he doing?" Caroline didn't realize that Hendra had been watching her several times. She never imagined that the woman he was going to marry was such a mess.

"Is it because she's a substitute, so she's far from my expectations?" How could his perfectionist grandfather arrange a marriage for years with a weird girl who likes to smile?

Hendra's thoughts meander like he was playing a puzzle.

"Huh... finally done, thank goodness. Look, my skirt is dry." Caroline said excitedly, breaking Hendra's reverie.

"Turn it off right away." Hendra requested, annoyed by the soft sound of the hair dryer.

"Ahh." Caroline accidentally turned the hair dryer towards her face.

The blast of hot air suddenly startled her, and a cute expression appeared on her face for a moment. Actually, the expression was quite cute. Before quickly grabbing the end of the hair dryer cable to turn it off.

"Are you born a mess?" Hendra sarcastically asked.

"Are you born... " Caroline wanted to retort Hendra's sarcasm but stopped herself.

What's the point of responding, it's useless anyway.

"Why?! Go on, I'm not as strict as my grandfather." Hendra interrupted.

Caroline just shook her head and had no interest in arguing. She should be careful with anyone who has anything to do with the name Marcus. However, the unfinished sentence made the Marcus heir angry mixed with curiosity.

"I almost believe that someone like you can insult me, fortunately it's just a false belief." Hendra's words were really sharp. Consistent since the first and second meetings.

"Like me?! Oh, God, the respectable heavenly lord." Caroline tried to keep her composure.

"You are born with a sharp tongue." Her retort only reached her throat.

"Since we will be doing many activities together, please reduce your unusual behavior." Hendra actually wanted to say 'your unique behavior'. But he ended up choosing the word 'unusual' to make it seem unfriendly.

"Unusual?! Caroline tried to trace her actions from the dinner until she arrived at Hendra's workspace. She felt she didn't do anything 'unusual'.

"I'm just... uncomfortable with my makeup and the clothes I'm wearing." Caroline tried to defend herself. He looked at her from top to bottom.

"Hmm... I bet you're wearing flat shoes because you can't use high heels?!" Hendra guessed.

"Yes."

"Oh God... how important are high heels in Marcus' life." Caroline added.

"I knew it." Hendra's statement showed his own victorious expression. Before adding another spicy sentence. He paused momentarily to check his cell phone. He had a message. While closing his mobile phone, his blue eyes stood up.

"My parents finished their dinner. They are heading to the first floor. We are waiting for them there." Hendra steps out of the room but not as fast as his first arrival.

"Actually, I want to discuss some things with you. That's the reason I brought you to my workspace. There are some things that we haven't discussed in our first meeting." Hendra explained.

"Do you mind if I ask for additional time for our third meeting?" Hendra asked. They were now in the elevator going to the first floor. Caroline looked at herself in the elevator mirror, in one frame with Hendra. Striking differences were written there. Hendra was tall and upright, even his shoulders were straight above Caroline's ears. They wore sundress, but the nuance was very different. Caroline was small, like a local ethnic accessory, while Hendra was like an imported branded product. Caroline's logic was not far from what she pursued, which was making knick-knacks.Caroline doesn't stray far from her crafting hobby.

"Didn't you hear what I said?!" Hendra was ignored.

"Oh, what?!?" Caroline snapped out of her absurd daydream. Hendra glared at her with a sharp look and an annoyed expression. Caroline didn't dare look at him directly, but she caught the expression in the elevator mirror.

CEO of Marcus Group never goes unnoticed, is always heard, and followed. In less than an hour, she had already been treated like a nobody twice. Hendra felt like bad luck energy would come with the presence of the tiny woman beside him.

"Huuuh..." Hendra sighed as the sharp words he was working on stopped in his mind. The elevator doors opened at the right moment, leaving Caroline to quickly distance herself from Hendra and try to find her family waiting on the first floor.

* * *

A tiring day, not because of physical exhaustion but more to mental exhaustion. Meeting the Marcus family face to face really made Caroline unable to control her behavior, let alone think clearly. Even the faces of each of her family members looked even more grim.

The black Alphard car of the family pride drove in silence, no warmth like usual. Even the whispers of her parents who sat in the back could be heard by Caroline and her brother Jake, who was driving.

"What did you talk to Jennifer about?!" Caroline mother's voice was small, not wanting to be heard by the others.

"Just wanted to know how she's doing, and I hope she can accept Caroline well." Her father's answer led his thoughts back to his conversation with his eldest daughter, Jennifer .

Hale took the opportunity to briefly see his ex-girlfriend. A beautiful, agile, and cheerful girl turned into an expressionless woman. Hale still remembered the days they grew up together. The difference was that Hale was an assistant who was hired, while Jennifer was his employer's daughter.

"How are you doing, miss?" Hale greeted her when they had a chance to talk alone after dinner.

"You're going to be my in-law, stop calling me "miss." I've warned you many times." Jennifer smiled sadly upon hearing the nickname she rarely heard nowadays.

"How are you doing?" Hale asked again.

"As you can see, I'm fine." Jennifer responded briefly.

"You've changed a lot, and I hope you're really okay." Hale's statement triggered something. She made Jennifer realize the direction of their conversation.

"I'm too old to go back to the way things were before." Jennifer wanted to stop their conversation, but she was curious about Hale, who was willing to hand over his daughter.

"Why did you give your daughter to my father?" Jennifer asked straightforwardly.

"I had no other choice when your father wanted something. Who can stop him?" Hale answered. Jennifer fell silent, lost in thought with a blank expression.

"Let me entrust my daughter to you." Hale continued.

"I can't promise she'll be okay. Actually, I'm more disappointed with you; you turned out to be involved in my father's long-term plan." The woman clasped her hands together, her fingers rubbing against each other. It was a habit when she was worried. Hale understood her ex-girlfriend's habit.

"My daughter Caroline is a strong girl, and I'm sure she'll adapt easily. I just hope she gets the support she needs in her new environment." Hale tried to alleviate her worries.

"That's not the issue. I see your daughter as young and innocent. I'm sure she doesn't understand the real situation. I'm more worried about you. Are you sure you're ready for this?" Jennifer 's statement was like a bullet that hit him right in the heart. A father will surely say goodbye to his daughter to the man he chooses. But not like this. His heart, soul, and all his organs ached.

"I thought giving my daughter to your father would be the end of my contribution to this situation. Apparently, there are still sacrifices to be made." Jennifer put her hands on her chest. The look of worry radiated from her.

"Can you help Caroline?" Hale asked yet again.

"You're the start of all this situation." Hale continued, trying to stir her empathy. Jennifer smiled, a sad smile that hurt.

"You're still my best assistant,Hale. How could I ignore your daughter? But your statement needs to be corrected." Jennifer never looked at her conversation partner from the start. Suddenly, she directed her gaze at her former assistant.

"I'm not the start of the situation you mean. After years of suspicion, I'm only now sure that my hunch was right. Your return to our family accompanied by delivering your daughter to our family was my father's strategy to win over the Marcus Group 25 years ago." Jennifer tried to recall her conversation partner's memories. Hale furrowed his brows, still not fully understanding what Jennifer was saying.

"Sorry, I don't understand what you mean." Hale asked for an explanation.

"Go back to your memory. Do you remember my father having a half-sibling?" 

"Yes, I remember. I just forgot where Clara and her son went."

"My father's illegitimate half-sibling. They were ignored and insignificant until Marcus brought his son. A brilliant young man, more potential than his legal children." Jennifer raised her voice.

"What about him?" Hale asked curiously.

"Haven't you realized? Caroline's father is the illegitimate son." Jennifer 's words finally hit him.

"My step-sister from my grandpa's affair. She was ignored and harmless until she came with her son. A brilliant young man, more potential than me, a girl from a royal lineage." Jennifer's words were like a mantra that could dig up forgotten memories. Hale knew very well the difficult times that his boss Marcus had to face, when all the board members united to voice their opposition to his leadership.

Actually, each board member held only a small amount of shares scattered in each subsidiary. Unless they gathered and reached an agreement. Their reason was cliché, that they were worried about the succession of the Marcus family lineage because Marcus only had a daughter. The total number of shares owned by all board members was certainly not more than the sole ownership of the Marcus family, but unfortunately, that call was able to shake the stability of the Marcusr Group. The conflict grew and submerged repeatedly for three consecutive years, until it was finally resolved in the third year.

"My father knew about Hendra's presence since he was two years old, right when your first daughter was born. And not long after, the conflict was resolved." Jennifer 's words were like salt sprinkled on a wound.

"I thought it was Mr. Marcus." Hale's sentence was not finished.

"You think he only found out when I came back with my son, right? " Jennifer confirmed. Hale nodded. Jennifer returned with her five-year-old son.

"After your departure, your father begged me to fulfill this marriage agreement. So, it means that all those demands have already been prepared." Hale's voice trembled.

"Even my fake marriage may become real." Jennifer reminded that there was no impossibility in her family. She was pregnant without a husband when she returned to the homeland and found a different fact. Jennifer changed her status as a widow with one son. The story written in the public was that she married her college friend at Columbia University and then divorced. Thus, Hendra became the official heir to the Marcus family. The proof of marriage, divorce certificate, and even Hendra's birth certificate were all real.

"I have been chosen and prepared from the beginning, everything is not coincidental, Mr. Marcus really realized his ambition to produce a successor to the Marcus family."

Hale stumbled out of the car and walked unsteadily. Jake immediately helped his father to the room. He refused to be called the family doctor. He only wanted to rest.

"Mom ... If only I could still hope that Jane would accept her arranged marriage. We have prepared her differently from her siblings. Her career leap is proof of her mental strength. But Caroline?? I'm not sure if our kind-hearted little boy can face the Marcus fa

mily." During his rest, Hale had several times delirious. His body temperature increased, it seemed that he was in shock with the truth.