Al swallowed hard, feeling that the opportunity he thought was in front of him was now gone. He decided to leave. He wasn't going to ask Cassandra for help.
"Opportunity doesn't come twice, Al," he whispered with a chuckle, laughing at himself.
"It hasn't even been a day yet, but it's already gone! I recognize," Al whispered.
Al continued to walk; he began to feel that the world was no longer in his favor.
After experiencing betrayal from his lover, he faced humiliation too. Even now, there is no company that wants to accept him. Only rejection is what he often gets.
"I've lost Angela, and I've lost a good opportunity with Miss Cassie. Now I've lost my mother's diamond necklace. This is so unfair to me!"
Al ruffled his hair roughly. His steps were heavy, but he tried to stay firmly on his feet.
Al returns to his small apartment, a place that was a silent witness to the relationship he had with Angela, which should not have happened before marriage.
When Al has the money, he intends to leave his apartment and look for a new one. This apartment holds too many sweet memories with that traitorous woman.
Arriving there, Al sat on the sofa and let out a long sigh. Suddenly, he remembered Gledy, his best friend, who had sent him the F******k link that exposed Angela and Crish's affair.
"Who knows, Gledy could help me," Al muttered. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed Gledy, hoping his best friend could give him a loan or at least offer him a job.
"What's up, Al?" asked Gledy after answering the call.
"I have a need. Can we meet?" asked Al hesitantly.
"Yes, we can! Just come to the house tomorrow," said Gledy.
"Oh, okay, I'll come tomorrow."
After that, Al turned off the phone.
The next day, at around nine in the morning, Al arrived at Gledy's house.
Gledy greeted Al with a warm smile, as always. "Hey, Al! How are you?" he asked.
Al tried to smile, even though his heart felt heavy. "Not so good, Gledy," he replied, expressing how he felt.
"Why, Al?" asked Gledy.
"Actually, I came here because I need your help, Gle," he said honestly.
Gledy frowned. "Of course. Just tell me; who knows if I can help you?" said Gledy.
Al took a deep breath before explaining his situation. "I need money to redeem the diamond necklace my mother left me. And you know what? It was sold by Angela, and now the new owner is asking ten times the original price. I need a lot of money to get that necklace back. I know this might sound weird, but I really need help. It means a lot," Al explained, revealing his problem to Gledy.
Gledy paused for a moment, seemingly in thought. "Al, I understand how important the necklace is to you. But the amount of money you need is huge. How are you going to repay what you owe me?" he asked carefully.
Al felt offended by the question, but she tried to remain calm. "I will work hard to pay it back, Gledy. For now, I don't know what to do, but I'll find a way. Please, I just need help getting the necklace," she replied, her voice hopeful.
Gledy sighed, looking doubtful. "Al, you know I will always help you. But to give a loan of that size, I'd have to talk to my parents. And as for a job... I'm not sure there are any openings at my father's company, but we can try," he said in a concerned tone.
Al nodded, feeling a little relieved to hear that there was at least hope. "Alright, Gledy," Al said, still smiling.
"Well, we should go to my father's company now, in case there's a position that suits you," Gledy said, patting Al's shoulder.
"Okay."
Al and Gledy immediately went to the office of Gledy's father's property company. When they arrived, Gledy took Al to the HR room. They were greeted by a beautiful woman; she was the HR Director.
"Excuse me, Sheema. This is my friend, Al. He's looking for a job. Are there any vacancies available in this company?" Gledy asked.
"Did your friend bring his CV?" asked Sheema.
"Sure, I brought my CV," said Al, who immediately handed over his CV to Sheema.
The woman glanced at the CV Al had handed over. She shook her head sympathetically. "I'm sorry, but this company currently has no vacancies. And even if there were, this company requires someone with work experience in the property sector," she replied firmly.
Al felt his chest tighten as he struggled to breathe. Again and again, he was getting rejected. However, he tried to smile to mask his disappointment. "Thank you, Miss. I understand," he replied in a calm voice, though his heart was heavy.
Gledy tried to comfort Al as they walked out of the building. "I'm really sorry, Al. I was hoping you could get a job somewhere else," Gledy said.
Al smiled wryly, trying to hide his disappointment. "I don't know... I'm not sure! I've been looking for a job for a week now, but all I get is rejection. Maybe I don't deserve to work for the company, Gle. Maybe I should work as a construction worker," Al said, having given up on his ambition.
Gledy nodded, looking concerned about Al's story. "Don't talk like that, Al. Maybe you haven't found a company that will accept you yet! Cheer up, Al! I'm sure you can get the job you want," said Gledy, sincerely encouraging his friend.
Al could only nod. After parting with Gledy, he walked home with a limp step. In his heart, he felt hopeless, but he knew he couldn't give up. He had to keep working hard to fulfill his needs, even if he didn't work in an office. Working as a construction worker again was no problem; the important thing was to have a job instead of being unemployed.
"I won't give up," he whispered softly, strengthening his heart. "I have to keep going to fight the world that is now playing tricks on me!"
***
One month later, Al received news that Angela had given birth to a very handsome, healthy and perfect baby boy. Angela named the baby Cristian Edric Nevada. It turned out that a week ago, Angela gave birth to the handsome baby.
Al could only smile sadly at the post on Angela's social media account, showing Angela kissing the handsome baby.
"He's not your son, Al!" whispered Al, he could only swallow the bitter truth that the baby boy was not his, but Crish Edric's.
Because he always got rejected, Al decided to go back to work at the construction project as a construction worker.
He has been working as a construction worker for a week now, just to forget his problems for a while. He returned to his original habitat. Although it felt unwilling to give up the necklace, Al tried to be sincere.
Al lifted building materials, and did whatever he could. However, fate seemed to have other plans. Al realized that he was working on a construction project that was related to Crish's company.
While Al was resting, he saw Crish and Angela coming together, hand in hand. Al saw that Angela's body was already slim, and even more beautiful after giving birth.
Al felt his chest tighten at the sight, but he tried to remain calm. Angela approached him with a faint smile on her face, then took out an envelope from her bag.
"I was lazy to invite you," Angela said as she handed the envelope to Al. "But it's our engagement party, so... think of it as a farewell gesture," Angela said sarcastically.
Al took the envelope with trembling hands, then opened it. It was indeed an invitation to Angela and Crish's engagement. Al squeezed the invitation tightly, feeling angry and hurt. "Why did you have to invite me?" he asked in a low voice, trying to contain his emotions.
Angela smiled sarcastically. "Don't forget to come, my ex," she said in a mocking tone before turning around and walking away with Crish.
Al stood still, staring at the shattered invitation in his hand. He felt like he was being humiliated again and again by the people he once loved.
When he was about to throw the invitation into the nearest trash can, Cassandra suddenly appeared in front of him and held his hand.
"You have to come," Cassandra said firmly.
Al was surprised to see Cassandra in front of him. "Miss Cassie! You-"
Cassandra smiled and sat next to Al, "You have to come. That traitorous ex of yours has invited you!"
"I'll never come! Why should I come anyway, I'll be humiliated at the party," Al said with a faint smile.
Cassandra calmly tidied up the shattered invitation, then looked at Al with a meaningful gaze. "I'll accompany you," she said briefly, "So you should come."
"What?" Al was wide-eyed, he looked at Cassandra with a confused look. "You want to accompany me to the party?" Al asked incredulously, plus he didn't understand what this beautiful woman was really up to. Why would she want to accompany Al to Angela and Crish's engagement party.
"Yes, Al! I will accompany you to the party," Cassandra replied with certainty.
"But... what is your purpose, Miss Cassie?" asked Al, still looking at Cassandra with a serious gaze.
Cassandra smiled sweetly, "I want to help you to-" Cassandra stood up, and she helped Al stand up too, then Cassandra whispered something in Al's ear making Al's eyes open wide.
"How?" asked Cassandra after she whispered something in Al's ear.
"What do you think, Al?" Cassandra asked Al once again; the woman seemed impatient to hear Al Vino's decision.Al was still silent, as if he were considering the offer given by Cassandra.After thinking for a while, Al nodded in agreement. "Alright!" said Al.Cassandra smiled with satisfaction. "Good. Now come with me to the mansion; there are some things we need to discuss before we go to the party," Cassandra said.Once again, Al just nodded obediently to Cassandra's orders. Al thought that maybe this was a great opportunity for him.Al confidently continued to follow Cassandra's steps toward her parked car.Arriving at the mansion, Cassandra immediately took Al to her study.Al could only stare in awe at the design of this room."Sit down, Al!" Cassandra ordered. Hesitant, Al sat down on the soft sofa. He looked very tense. "Al, I've been looking into you for a month now," Cassandra said in a serious tone. "In fact, I know everything, including your past and your family. I even k
Al Vino could only hold himself together, trying to remain calm despite the anger and shame gnawing at him from within. On the other hand, Cassandra was still smiling coldly, her eyes keenly observing the people around her.Al grasped Cassandra's hand tighter, a sign that he was ready to face whatever was coming. Cassandra also felt Al's hand, and she grasped back tighter as a sign of support. Then, Cassandra took a step forward, drawing the attention of everyone at the party. "Well, if you all don't believe me, how about we prove it?" Cassandra said firmly. "You know how valuable this diamond necklace is, right?" Cassandra held up the diamond necklace Al Vino was wearing, displaying its mesmerizing sparkle.All the guests at the party immediately fell silent, their gazes riveted on the necklace held by Cassandra. The diamond necklace was one of the most famous and desired treasures by many collectors. Few people knew about the origin of the necklace, but they all knew that only very
Al held the steering wheel calmly, while Cassie sat next to him, staring out the window blankly. "How are you feeling now, Miss Cassie?" asked Al, trying to break the silence.Cassie smiled slightly, then nodded slowly. "Fine, just a little dizzy, but I'm fine," she replied, although in her heart she knew that the dizziness was more than just normal tiredness."If you're not feeling well, we can postpone the wedding today," Al suggested, a little worried about Cassie's condition."No," Cassie shook her head firmly. "I'm fine, Al. Besides, we're here." She pointed towards the registry building that was coming into view in front of them.Al was silent for a moment, looking at Cassie who looked so excited, probably because Cassie wanted to prove to her ex-fiancé that she already had a partner. "Alright, if that's what you want."Al and Cassie arrived at the registry building and walked in together. The room was small and simple, decorated with only a few flowers and chairs. The registra
Al sat by Cassie's bedside, holding her hand tightly. His face showed deep worry, while Cassie looked even weaker. Her body now looked fragile, but her spirit could still be seen from her eyes looking at Al. Perhaps this was one of Cassie's premonitions, she forced Al to become her pretend husband in order to protect her and save all the wealthy assets she had from irresponsible people, like her ex-fiancé. "Al, I can't go on like this. My body is getting weaker, and I know that I may not have much time left," Cassie said in a hoarse voice. Every word that came out of her mouth was heavy. Cassie was so sure that Al Vino Chandra was the right person."Don't talk like that, Cassie. You will recover. You're undergoing treatment, and I'm sure you'll recover," Al replied in a hopeful tone, even though he knew in his heart that Cassie was probably right.Cassie shook her head weakly. "Al, I have to be realistic. You know how I am. I can't take care of the company like I used to. I've thou
"Angela, what are you doing?" shouted Al Vino from a distance, having approached the table where Angela was sitting with another man. His hand was still holding the small box containing the diamond necklace.Angela, who was surprised to hear Al's voice, immediately stood up and looked at him with a confused expression on her face."Al, when did you go home? Why are you here?" she said with a trembling voice."I've been here long enough to see everything, Angela," Al said in a voice filled with emotion.Al had previously known that his girlfriend was a traitor. When Al was in Italy, he received a Facebook link from his best friend.When Al clicked on the link sent by his best friend, he immediately opened the Facebook page. He saw a video uploaded by an anonymous account.In the video, Angela is seen closing her eyes, enjoying the touch given by the man whose back is only visible.Al closed his eyes, catching his breath first."I came home for you, bringing this." Al opened the diamond
"I'll prove that I'm not a trash man, Angela!" Al whispered, standing in front of the mirror. He looked at himself in the reflection while adjusting his tie.Al Vino still hasn't accepted the humiliation he experienced yesterday from Angela and Crish. However, the more he was insulted, the more eager he became to prove that he could work in a big company, no longer being a construction worker."This diamond necklace is real, Angela, not fake. These diamonds are not the result of my hard work as a construction worker! This necklace was left to me by my mother. My late mother asked me to give this necklace to the right woman. And it turns out... you're not the right woman, Angela; you're a monster."Al clenched the hand that held the diamond necklace, then put it back in the jewelry box.He glanced at the business management degree certificate lying on the table. Today, he planned to change his fate.With steady steps, Al walked out to the bus stop. Today he planned to apply for a job a
Today is Al Vino's seventh day of looking for a job. He didn't give up even though every time he applied, all he got was a rejection.Even so, he will try to get a decent job so that he is no longer humiliated.Before leaving, Al checked the list of companies he was going to. One of them was a company owned by his college friend.Al thought that most likely, his friend would give him a job, considering that Al's relationship with his college friend was quite close."Jefri Sbastian, he will definitely help me," Al whispered; he was so sure of his words.Arriving at the company building, Al was very confident. He met the receptionist, and soon after, Al was invited into his room by Jefri."Hey, Al! Long time no see," Jefri greeted him with a big smile, although there was a slightly sardonic glint in his eye. "How are you? It's been a long time since we met.""My news is good, Jef. I came here to ask you for a favor. I wonder if you can get me a job in your company," Al said with a small
"Who are you?" The man turned to Al with a sharp gaze. "Don't ever interfere; this is my business with my future wife!" he snapped angrily."He's not a stranger!" the woman said after turning to Al. "He's my lover, my future husband!" she shouted sassily.Al was immediately dumbfounded when he heard the confession from the beautiful Chinese woman. Even the man who was her future husband was equally surprised."What do you mean, Alessandria Cassandra Lee?" the man asked. "I am your lover! I am your future husband! And today, we are getting married!" the man shouted.This debate was witnessed by Cassandra's extended family and the man named Jerry. Even friends and work relatives were also here because they were also chasing the bride who suddenly ran away.Cassandra took a deep breath; she smiled slyly at Jerry."Unfortunately, today I will only marry the man I love, and that man is not you, traitor!" Cassandra said.Jerry looked angry. "Cassandra, you're crazy! What drama have you crea
Al sat by Cassie's bedside, holding her hand tightly. His face showed deep worry, while Cassie looked even weaker. Her body now looked fragile, but her spirit could still be seen from her eyes looking at Al. Perhaps this was one of Cassie's premonitions, she forced Al to become her pretend husband in order to protect her and save all the wealthy assets she had from irresponsible people, like her ex-fiancé. "Al, I can't go on like this. My body is getting weaker, and I know that I may not have much time left," Cassie said in a hoarse voice. Every word that came out of her mouth was heavy. Cassie was so sure that Al Vino Chandra was the right person."Don't talk like that, Cassie. You will recover. You're undergoing treatment, and I'm sure you'll recover," Al replied in a hopeful tone, even though he knew in his heart that Cassie was probably right.Cassie shook her head weakly. "Al, I have to be realistic. You know how I am. I can't take care of the company like I used to. I've thou
Al held the steering wheel calmly, while Cassie sat next to him, staring out the window blankly. "How are you feeling now, Miss Cassie?" asked Al, trying to break the silence.Cassie smiled slightly, then nodded slowly. "Fine, just a little dizzy, but I'm fine," she replied, although in her heart she knew that the dizziness was more than just normal tiredness."If you're not feeling well, we can postpone the wedding today," Al suggested, a little worried about Cassie's condition."No," Cassie shook her head firmly. "I'm fine, Al. Besides, we're here." She pointed towards the registry building that was coming into view in front of them.Al was silent for a moment, looking at Cassie who looked so excited, probably because Cassie wanted to prove to her ex-fiancé that she already had a partner. "Alright, if that's what you want."Al and Cassie arrived at the registry building and walked in together. The room was small and simple, decorated with only a few flowers and chairs. The registra
Al Vino could only hold himself together, trying to remain calm despite the anger and shame gnawing at him from within. On the other hand, Cassandra was still smiling coldly, her eyes keenly observing the people around her.Al grasped Cassandra's hand tighter, a sign that he was ready to face whatever was coming. Cassandra also felt Al's hand, and she grasped back tighter as a sign of support. Then, Cassandra took a step forward, drawing the attention of everyone at the party. "Well, if you all don't believe me, how about we prove it?" Cassandra said firmly. "You know how valuable this diamond necklace is, right?" Cassandra held up the diamond necklace Al Vino was wearing, displaying its mesmerizing sparkle.All the guests at the party immediately fell silent, their gazes riveted on the necklace held by Cassandra. The diamond necklace was one of the most famous and desired treasures by many collectors. Few people knew about the origin of the necklace, but they all knew that only very
"What do you think, Al?" Cassandra asked Al once again; the woman seemed impatient to hear Al Vino's decision.Al was still silent, as if he were considering the offer given by Cassandra.After thinking for a while, Al nodded in agreement. "Alright!" said Al.Cassandra smiled with satisfaction. "Good. Now come with me to the mansion; there are some things we need to discuss before we go to the party," Cassandra said.Once again, Al just nodded obediently to Cassandra's orders. Al thought that maybe this was a great opportunity for him.Al confidently continued to follow Cassandra's steps toward her parked car.Arriving at the mansion, Cassandra immediately took Al to her study.Al could only stare in awe at the design of this room."Sit down, Al!" Cassandra ordered. Hesitant, Al sat down on the soft sofa. He looked very tense. "Al, I've been looking into you for a month now," Cassandra said in a serious tone. "In fact, I know everything, including your past and your family. I even k
Al swallowed hard, feeling that the opportunity he thought was in front of him was now gone. He decided to leave. He wasn't going to ask Cassandra for help."Opportunity doesn't come twice, Al," he whispered with a chuckle, laughing at himself."It hasn't even been a day yet, but it's already gone! I recognize," Al whispered.Al continued to walk; he began to feel that the world was no longer in his favor.After experiencing betrayal from his lover, he faced humiliation too. Even now, there is no company that wants to accept him. Only rejection is what he often gets."I've lost Angela, and I've lost a good opportunity with Miss Cassie. Now I've lost my mother's diamond necklace. This is so unfair to me!"Al ruffled his hair roughly. His steps were heavy, but he tried to stay firmly on his feet.Al returns to his small apartment, a place that was a silent witness to the relationship he had with Angela, which should not have happened before marriage.When Al has the money, he intends to
"Ah... never mind, I'd better go to Angela's house. I have to get that necklace," Al said.Al walked hurriedly; he decided to visit Angela's house.Al really regretted that he had rejected the offer from Alessandria Cassandra Lee, a CEO who turned out to have abundant wealth. Plus, Cassandra lives alone and already has no parents, like Al."If I accept Miss Cassie's offer, maybe I can.... " Al paused his steps for a moment, then he took a deep breath. "Ah... it's really embarrassing if I now come over there and agree to her request. Where is my pride as a man?" Al continued to mutter.Al arrived in front of Angela's house. Immediately, Al knocked on Angela's door."Angela!" Al shouted, "Open the door!" He banged roughly on the door.Soon, the door opened, and Angela appeared with a lazy smile. "Oh, it was you who knocked on the door, Al? Huh, you have no education. You have no manners at all. Why did you come to my house?" asked Angela sarcastically."Where's my necklace, Angela? I di
"Who are you?" The man turned to Al with a sharp gaze. "Don't ever interfere; this is my business with my future wife!" he snapped angrily."He's not a stranger!" the woman said after turning to Al. "He's my lover, my future husband!" she shouted sassily.Al was immediately dumbfounded when he heard the confession from the beautiful Chinese woman. Even the man who was her future husband was equally surprised."What do you mean, Alessandria Cassandra Lee?" the man asked. "I am your lover! I am your future husband! And today, we are getting married!" the man shouted.This debate was witnessed by Cassandra's extended family and the man named Jerry. Even friends and work relatives were also here because they were also chasing the bride who suddenly ran away.Cassandra took a deep breath; she smiled slyly at Jerry."Unfortunately, today I will only marry the man I love, and that man is not you, traitor!" Cassandra said.Jerry looked angry. "Cassandra, you're crazy! What drama have you crea
Today is Al Vino's seventh day of looking for a job. He didn't give up even though every time he applied, all he got was a rejection.Even so, he will try to get a decent job so that he is no longer humiliated.Before leaving, Al checked the list of companies he was going to. One of them was a company owned by his college friend.Al thought that most likely, his friend would give him a job, considering that Al's relationship with his college friend was quite close."Jefri Sbastian, he will definitely help me," Al whispered; he was so sure of his words.Arriving at the company building, Al was very confident. He met the receptionist, and soon after, Al was invited into his room by Jefri."Hey, Al! Long time no see," Jefri greeted him with a big smile, although there was a slightly sardonic glint in his eye. "How are you? It's been a long time since we met.""My news is good, Jef. I came here to ask you for a favor. I wonder if you can get me a job in your company," Al said with a small
"I'll prove that I'm not a trash man, Angela!" Al whispered, standing in front of the mirror. He looked at himself in the reflection while adjusting his tie.Al Vino still hasn't accepted the humiliation he experienced yesterday from Angela and Crish. However, the more he was insulted, the more eager he became to prove that he could work in a big company, no longer being a construction worker."This diamond necklace is real, Angela, not fake. These diamonds are not the result of my hard work as a construction worker! This necklace was left to me by my mother. My late mother asked me to give this necklace to the right woman. And it turns out... you're not the right woman, Angela; you're a monster."Al clenched the hand that held the diamond necklace, then put it back in the jewelry box.He glanced at the business management degree certificate lying on the table. Today, he planned to change his fate.With steady steps, Al walked out to the bus stop. Today he planned to apply for a job a