Chapter 83 - Yogyakarta’s Iron Lady

The birthday party was opened by Joey, a famous presenter who often appeared on television. His humorous style in presenting an event could always attract the hearts of the audience and make the atmosphere lively.

Joey then invited Alfred to come on stage to deliver his speech. The bespectacled man stood up from his chair and stepped up. The spotlights that hit Alfred made his appearance look even more handsome and elegant. There were sighs of admiration from the women sitting at the coffee table.

"Good evening. First of all, I want to thank you all for being here tonight. I hope…"

Lilia listened to Alfred's remarks while comparing them to Jean's speech during the Genesis Company celebration party. Both men sounded dignified and charismatic. The only thing that set the two apart was their level of self-confidence.

Jean always acted confidently like a company leader, while Alfred tended to be humble. Lilia wondered if Alfred lacked confidence because of his job as a lecturer.

After Alfred finished delivering his speech, Joey took over and began the party according to the scheduled timelines. The atmosphere of the party became lively because the guests were laughing at Joey's jokes.

Lilia scanned the interior of the pavilion. A large '80th Birthday' inscription was placed on the stage and featured a spotlight. Even though they were in the open, the pavilion was brightly lit thanks to the ample lighting. Guests took turns displaying their talents on stage, such as singing or playing music, to entertain the party.

The woman of the birthday party that day, Florence Ricardo, sat at the main table with the rest of her family. Even though she was already 80 years old, Florence's health was still well preserved and her mind was still sharp as ever. There were only a few gray hairs in her neatly arranged hair, making others wonder how she had managed to keep her youthful appearance. Florence's face was usually stern and stiff, but when she smiled, her expression softened.

Lilia slowly sipped a glass of champagne while considering whether she should postpone her return to Surabaya tonight. She was worried about Clifford who had to drive in the middle of the night. But if Lilia had known that the head of the security team was used to being forced to drive at night by his boss, she wouldn't have worried like this.

Suddenly someone tapped Lilia's shoulder. The woman turned and stared at Alfred.

"Lilia, Grandma wants to meet you. Come on, I'll introduce you to her." The man invited her.

Lilia immediately put down the champagne glass and stole a glance at the main table. She could see Florence smiling at her.

"Very well, Brother Alfred." Lilia stood up and took the gift box from Merry before following the man.

Lilia felt the sharp gaze of the other guests as she walked with Alfred to the main table. She could guess all of their thoughts. 

'Lilia Pangestu is just a model who has recently become famous, how can she have a connection with the Ricardo Family?'

Florence Ricardo was no ordinary woman. After her husband died, she worked hard to help her family business survive the economic crisis. Thanks to Florence, the Ricardo family could go through difficult times and grow into the richest conglomerate in Yogyakarta. People called Florence the Iron Woman of Yogyakarta.

When Lilia and Alfred arrived at the main table, the expressions of the other Ricardo Family members immediately changed. Especially Henry, the third son. The man in the blue tuxedo looked at his younger brother with a cruel gaze. The corner of his mouth lifted into a cold smile. Henry was sure that Alfred finally made his move after years of preparing himself.

"Good evening, Mrs. Florence. I am Lilia Pangestu, a friend of Brother Alfred. It was an honor for me to be able to attend your birthday party. May you be blessed with a long and healthy life." Lilia gave her congratulations along with the gift box to Florence.

Florence, who had been observing Lilia ever since she first approached, received the gift with a warm smile. That smile made the wrinkles on her face more visible and at the same time softened her stern expression.

Florence placed the gift on her lap, "I've heard a lot about you from Alfred. That kid always looks happy when he talks about you." She said while holding Lilia's hand.

Florence's rough hands told Lilia that this old woman in front of her was used to working hard, befitting her nickname as Iron Woman. This made Lilia admire Florence even more.

"I also saw your performance when you were in Milan, but I did not think that you look much prettier up close." Florence praised her.

Lilia lowered her head, "You are exaggerating too much." She said humbly, "I owe a debt of gratitude to Alfred for always helping me. Thanks to his invitation, I was able to celebrate your birthday."

"Yes, Alfred is the grandson closest to me. He's a good boy." Florence patted Lilia's hand, "I also apologize for telling you to come all the way from Surabaya to here. You must be tired from the long journey. How about you stay overnight here before returning to Surabaya?" Florence offered.

"Thank you very much for the offer, but my parents will be worried if I don't come home today." Lilia politely but firmly refused, "There is no need for Mrs. Florence to apologize either, because I chose to come here. As long as Mrs. Florence is pleased with my presence, I'll be grateful."

Florence's smile grew wider when she heard Lilia's words. The old woman nodded and fixed her gaze on Alfred, who was standing behind Lilia.

"This girl really knows how to please an old woman like me. Alfred, you have to take good care of this girl huh!" Said Florence.

"Of course, grandma. Don't worry, I'll do it." Alfred promised.

Alfred stared fixedly at Lilia who was talking to his grandmother. This was the first time that the man had seen his grandmother like a woman this much.

After their conversation finished, Lilia returned to her desk while Florence got up from her chair. The old woman asked the guests to enjoy her party, then she left the garden to rest.

Once Florence was gone, the guests immediately took the opportunity to socialize with each other and make connections. There was a lot of talk about business cooperation or information exchange that took place at this party.

Alfred, as one of the young masters of the Ricardo Family, also joined the guests and socialized with them. Lilia took the opportunity when Alfred was busy to get out of the limelight. Lilia took Merry with her to a quiet corner of the garden.

Lilia spent the time observing the guests who were busy chatting. She came here only to celebrate Florence's birthday and not to seek connections. If Florence had left the party, Lilia would have no other reason to stay. She had been tempted to leave this boring party, but she knew it was considered rude and insulting to the party organizer.

"Sis Lilia, what gift did you give to Mrs. Florence?" Asked Merry after she got tired of observing the celebrities she knew.

"I heard she likes tea, so I gave her an antique teacup." Lilia replied calmly.

"Oh…" Merry nodded. Then she remembered something and her eyes immediately lit up with excitement, "Sis, do you know that Young Master Alfred treats you specially? I heard that from the other guests!"

"Is it true?" Lilia replied, her tone showing that she wasn't interested in it, "You all think too much. He just treats me as a friend."

Merry crossed her arms and frowned, "Sis Lilia is too innocent! I can tell from the way Young Master Alfred looks at you that he is clearly in love with you!"

"Merry." Lilia sighed while speaking, "Have you ever heard the term 'playing dumb'?"

"Yes, but what is the connection… oh!" Merry finally understood Lilia's meaning, "So Sis Lilia actually doesn't like Young Master Alfred?"

"Hmm ... if you have to choose between 'like' or 'hate', then I quite like Brother Alfred." Said Lilia while playing with the glass in her hand, "He's a good person, and he helped me when I was in trouble. But…" 

'I already have Jean.' Lilia finished the sentence in her heart.

"'But what?"

Alfred's voice made Lilia and Merry both jump up in shock. Lilia turned and saw the man approaching them carrying two glasses of champagne.

Merry immediately caught the man's point and hurriedly made up an excuse to leave there. She walked away while occasionally turning her head towards Lilia and Alfred. Merry was so curious about what the two were talking about that she didn't pay attention to her surroundings. Because of that, she accidentally bumped into a female guest.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Merry immediately apologized.

But the woman in the pink dress didn't even notice that Merry had run into her. The woman's gaze was focused behind Merry, so that Lilia's assistant followed the direction of her gaze. The woman turned out to be observing Lilia who was alone with Alfred. Merry looked back at the woman, frowning. Why did this woman in the pink dress keep watching Lilia and Alfred?

Meanwhile, Alfred handed Lilia one of the champagne glasses he was holding.

"Looks like you're not the party type, huh." Alfred commented with a slight smile.

Lilia accepted the glass, "Yes… I don't like formal events. It's tiring." Lilia replied guiltily. As a guest, she shouldn't have said this to Alfred.

"It's okay, everyone has something they don't like." Alfred tried to make Lilia feel better, "But I hope you at least enjoy the atmosphere in Yogyakarta. A different atmosphere can help you solve problems from a different point of view, you know?"

"Hmm?" Lilia tilted her head. She did not understand why Alfred suddenly discussed the problem. After thinking for a while, then Lilia remembered their conversation on the phone when she was upset about Jean, "Oh! I never thought that Brother Alfred would still remember about that."

"Well… you sounded lackluster at that time, so I kept thinking about what kind of problem you have this time." Alfred replied with an embarrassed expression.

"Again, why do you think I'm always in trouble?" Lilia protested with a chuckle, "But thanks for worrying about me. I'm almost over my problem, really. I just need a little courage to take one last step." Lilia clenched her fists.

'When I get home from here, I'll talk to Jean about the marriage certificate.' Lilia decided to herself.

Alfred smiled softly at Lilia's determination, "Good luck with your problems, Lilia." He said sincerely, without knowing that the matter was related to Lilia's engagement, "If you need a place to confide in, you can always come to me. I may just be a lecturer, but I often get scolded, really."

Lilia nodded, "Thank you, Brother Alfred. But…" Lilia frowned as she glared at the man, "… Brother Alfred is too humble! You are not only a lecturer! You are the youngest lecturer at the University of Surabaya! Brother Alfred needs to be more proud of yourself! You are an extraordinary person!"

Alfred's eyes widened with surprise. He didn't expect Lilia to lecture him like this.

"Ha… haha… hahaha!"

Lilia jumped when Alfred suddenly laughed out loud. She didn't say anything funny, right?

"Ah… sorry." Alfred said, wiping his tears, "I just feel in awe of you. You are the only person to say something like that to me." The man looked up at the night sky with a sad gaze, "Other people always say that being a lecturer is not something I can be proud of. They also say that I am nothing compared to my other siblings."

"Brother Alfred…" Lilia could understand Alfred's feelings. Her mother devoted all her love and care to her brother. Although her father tried to be fair, Robert also paid more attention to Daniel as he was the only son in the family.

"But…" Alfred's voice broke Lilia's reverie. The man turned to her with the biggest smile he had ever seen, "You are different. You are also the only person to value me for who I am. I'm sure if you are by my side, I can fight harder to achieve my dreams." Alfred said.

Alfred's serious expression stunned Lilia. His pair of sky blue eyes were fixed on Lilia, as if she was the only woman in his sight. One of Alfred's hands stretched out like he was about to grab Lilia's, but the man immediately lowered his hand before he could touch the model. Lilia knew that Alfred was confessing his feelings to her, but…

Lilia couldn't return his feelings.

If she'd met Alfred before she knew Jean, maybe Lilia would accept his feelings. But in reality, Lilia's heart already belonged to Jean.

Lilia then shifted away to indicate her refusal and asked, "What is your dream, Brother Alfred?"

Lilia saw Alfred's shoulder slump as the man caught her gesture, but Alfred still answered, "My dream is…"

"Alfred! Apparently you are here!"

A man wearing a blue tuxedo approached them. Although Henry and Alfred looked alike, this man did not give the impression of being as educated as Alfred. In fact, Henry looked like a cunning businessman.

"What are you doing here? The Pranasari family and Sutanto family want to see you! Don't make them wait!" Henry scolded without even glancing at Lilia.

Alfred looked annoyed at being interrupted, but he didn't argue with his brother.

"Sorry Lilia, but I have to go. I'll be right back, so wait here, okay?" Said Alfred.

Henry gave Lilia a scornful look before leaving with his brother.

***** 

The party ended around 9pm.

Alfred didn't return until the party was over, so Lilia invited Merry to come home immediately. But when they arrived at the front door, they could hear Alfred's voice calling Lilia's name from behind.

Lilia was forced to stop and turn around, "What's wrong, Brother Alfred?" She asked.

"Sorry, I can only get away from them now. Are you going home?" Alfred replied while slightly panting after he ran to chase Lilia.

Lilia nodded, "Yes. The party is over and I don't want to bother you any longer." She replied with a polite smile.

"You're not a bother at all!" Alfred said, straightening his back, "Grandma specifically asked me to prepare a guest room for you. If you aren't rushing home, how about you stay here tonight?"

Hearing that, Merry secretly nudged Lilia. The look in her eyes seemed to scream, 'I told you, didn't I!'

"No, I…" Lilia tried to refuse softly.

"Grandma said she wanted to talk to you more tomorrow morning." Alfred deliberately used Florence as an excuse, "Do you mind, Lilia?"

"Umm… I…" Lilia was having a hard time finding an excuse to reject Alfred's request.

She originally came here to celebrate Florence's birthday, so Lilia should have no reason to refuse. In addition, she owed a lot to Alfred for helping her in Milan. But Lilia didn't want to break her promise to Jean to come home as soon as this party was over.

"Sicily Lilia?" Someone called out to him in a loud voice. For Lilia, that person was her savior in this difficult situation.

"Brother Chris." Lilia turned to Jean's friend with a relieved smile.

"Why are you still here?" Chris asked while approaching Lilia. He didn't miss the change in Alfred's expression, "You'll make your parents worry if you don't come home soon."

The seventh son of the Ricardo Family tried to hide his surprise. Why did Chris Hartanto treat Lilia like his own sister? What was the relationship between the two?

Lilia immediately replied, "Yes, I'm just about to go home."

"Since we are going in the same direction, how about we go home together?" Chris offered, "I would be calmer if I could accompany two young women like you on this long journey at night." He said as he stared at Alfred.

The two men both gave each other sharp and stubborn gazes. The people around them could see that the two of them were in conflict without a sound. Finally, Alfred was the first to give in.

Alfred hid his sharp gaze and turned back to Lilia with a gentle smile, "Then I'll tell grandma that you have to go home soon. Be careful on the road. And if you need anything, you can call me any time." He said.

"Fine, see you, Brother Alfred." Lilia bowed to the man before leaving with Merry and Chris.

Alfred watched Lilia's figure walk away in frustration. From the beginning to the end of the party, the woman always maintained a neutral attitude. Even though Alfred had treated her specially and Florence showed great concern for her, Lilia remained unmoved.

As if she already had someone else in her heart.

Alfred's suspicion grew stronger when he heard Chris call her 'Sicily Lilia.' The man seemed to be giving her a warning not to mess with his younger sister.

Alfred said in a cold voice to the butler who was standing behind him, "Why wasn't I told about the relationship between Lilia Pangestu and Chris Hartanto?"

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