FIVE WASTED YEARS

CHAPTER THIRTEEN A Room of His Own

The rain had stopped by the time Arga Pratama arrived at the small rental house in East Jakarta. He stood outside the iron gate for a moment, looking at the modest building that would become his temporary home. It was nothing like the spacious house he had once shared with Nadira, but for the first time in years, he felt that he could breathe without worrying about someone else’s expectations.

The caretaker, an elderly woman named Mrs. Sari, led him through a narrow hallway before showing him the room. She explained that the property belonged to a woman named Liu Huan, who was currently away and had asked her to handle the rental arrangements.

The room contained a single bed, a wooden wardrobe, a small desk, and a window overlooking the neighboring houses. The furniture was old, but everything was clean and functional.

“This room is available for at least six months,” Mrs. Sari explained. “The previous tenant moved out last week, so I haven’t had time to replace the curtains.”

“That’s fine,” Arga replied.

Mrs. Sari looked at him with curiosity as she handed over the keys. “Are you moving here alone? Your wife isn’t coming with you?”

Arga paused briefly before answering. “I’m in the middle of a divorce.”

The woman immediately lowered her gaze, realizing that she had touched a sensitive subject. She apologized and reminded him that the kitchen and laundry area were shared with the other tenants. Arga thanked her and carried his belongings into the room.

Once alone, he inspected the windows, electrical outlets, and door locks. It was an old habit developed through years of responding to emergencies, but he never considered it unnecessary. A faulty electrical connection or an unsecured exit could become a serious problem when people least expected it.

His phone vibrated on the desk. A message from Dimas appeared, asking whether he had settled into the new place. Arga replied that everything was fine and thanked him for helping with the rental arrangements.

He did not mention how strange it felt to begin again with only a few bags of clothes and the belongings he had managed to take from his previous home. Five years of marriage had left him with very little that he wanted to keep.

The following morning, Arga returned to the fire station. His colleagues greeted him with their usual jokes, although several of them noticed that he seemed quieter than before. Yoga approached him while they were checking the equipment and handed him a cup of coffee.

“You look like you haven’t slept properly,” Yoga remarked.

“I slept enough,” Arga answered.

“That’s what everyone says when they don’t want to talk.”

Arga gave a faint smile and continued inspecting the equipment. He had no intention of discussing his personal problems at the station, especially when his responsibilities had never been reduced because of them.

Before noon, the emergency alarm suddenly rang. A warehouse on the outskirts of the district had caught fire, and several workers were reportedly trapped inside. Arga immediately grabbed his protective gear and followed his team toward the fire engine.

Whatever had happened in his private life, his duty remained unchanged.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The Unexpected Roommate

The rental house was unusually quiet when Arga returned that evening. He had spent most of the day at the station following the warehouse operation, and his body was exhausted from the long hours of work. He placed his boots near the entrance, washed his hands, and prepared to eat the simple meal he had bought on the way home.

A few minutes later, someone knocked on the front door. When he opened it, he found a woman standing outside with two cardboard boxes and a travel bag.

“Good evening. I’m Liu Huan, the owner of this property. I’m sorry for coming so late,” she said.

“Is there a problem with the house?” Arga asked.

“Not exactly. My apartment is being renovated, so I’ll be staying in the spare room for a while. I hope that won’t inconvenience you.”

Arga remembered Mrs. Sari mentioning the owner during the rental arrangements. He looked at the boxes before stepping aside to let Liu Huan enter.

“I wasn’t informed that the owner would be staying here,” he said.

“I should have told you earlier. The renovation was supposed to finish sooner, but there have been delays. I’ll only use the spare room and the shared facilities.”

Arga nodded. He had rented the room under the agreement that the common areas were shared, so her presence did not violate anything they had discussed. Still, he preferred knowing who was staying under the same roof.

Liu Huan noticed the small fire extinguisher near his bedroom door and the emergency flashlight placed beside the entrance. She also saw that the electrical extension cords had been arranged carefully instead of being left tangled across the floor.

“You’re unusually careful about these things,” she commented.

“I’m a firefighter,” Arga replied.

“That explains it.”

She carried her belongings into the spare room and left him to finish his dinner.

Later that night, Arga heard a metallic noise from the front yard. He immediately stood up and looked through the window, noticing that the gate was slightly open. Instead of rushing outside without knowing what was happening, he switched on the exterior light and called the neighborhood security officer.

A few moments later, a man appeared near the neighboring property. He was attempting to move a motorcycle parked beside the wall, but the sudden light made him abandon his attempt and run toward the narrow alley.

Arga did not chase him blindly. He informed the security officer about the direction the man had taken and checked whether the neighboring residents were safe. The officer arrived shortly afterward and contacted the local patrol.

Liu Huan came out of her room after hearing the commotion. She looked toward the open gate and then at Arga, who was checking the lock.

“Did someone break in?” she asked.

“Someone tried to take the neighbor’s motorcycle. The security officer is handling it now.”

Liu Huan frowned and inspected the damaged gate latch. She promised to have it replaced the following morning, while Arga reminded her that the front entrance should remain locked at night.

The incident did not become a major problem, but it reinforced Arga’s decision to remain cautious. He had spent years dealing with emergencies, and he knew that panic often made dangerous situations worse.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Video

Nadira Maheswari had barely attended any public gatherings since her separation from Arga. Her business commitments had become increasingly complicated, and the ongoing investigation surrounding Rendra Wijaya’s foundation had placed her under unwanted scrutiny. Nevertheless, she accepted an invitation to a private gathering organized by several business associates.

The event took place in an exclusive lounge in central Jakarta. Rendra was present, accompanied by several people connected to his business network. Nadira initially intended to stay for only a short time, but the conversations continued late into the evening.

She drank more than she had planned. Several guests took photographs and recorded short videos throughout the gathering, unaware that their footage would later circulate beyond the private group.

The following afternoon, Arga received a message from an old acquaintance. Attached to it was a video showing Nadira sitting beside Rendra while several people raised their glasses around them.

The sender added a brief comment asking whether Arga had seen the latest development. Arga watched the video once, then closed it without responding.

Dimas happened to be visiting the station that afternoon to discuss the progress of the divorce paperwork. When he noticed Arga placing his phone on the table, he asked whether something had happened.

“Someone sent me a video of Nadira with Rendra,” Arga explained.

Dimas studied his expression. “Does it bother you?”

“It doesn’t change anything.”

“People may use that footage to create another story, especially while the investigation is ongoing.”

Arga leaned back in his chair and looked toward the equipment room. He understood that the video could become a subject of public discussion, but he had no intention of defending Nadira or explaining her decisions to strangers.

“Whatever she does now is her responsibility,” Arga said.

Dimas nodded, although he reminded Arga to preserve any communication that might become relevant to the divorce proceedings. Their conversation ended when the station received an emergency call about a traffic collision involving two vehicles.

Arga immediately stood up and joined his team. The accident had left one driver trapped inside a damaged vehicle, while another passenger was reportedly injured near the roadside.

The rescue operation required coordination, patience, and careful handling of the damaged structure. Arga worked alongside Yoga and the other firefighters until the injured occupants had been transferred to the medical team.

By the time he returned to the station, the video had already spread through several online groups. Yet the matter no longer occupied his thoughts.

There were people who needed help, and there was work that still had to be done.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The Calls He Refused

Nadira woke up with a severe headache and a memory of the previous night’s gathering that came back in fragments. Her assistant, Zhang Qing, was already waiting outside the bedroom with a glass of water and a folder containing the day’s schedule.

“You called Arga several times last night,” Zhang Qing informed her.

Nadira looked up sharply. “What did you say?”

“You kept asking him to come and pick you up. You also sent several messages, but he didn’t answer.”

Nadira reached for her phone. The call history showed multiple attempts to contact Arga, followed by several unanswered messages. She stared at the screen for a long time before opening their conversation.

Her last message had been sent shortly after midnight. She had asked him to come, claiming that she did not want to return home alone.

There was no reply.

Nadira immediately pressed the call button. The phone rang several times before Arga finally answered.

“Arga, where are you?” she asked.

“At work.”

“Why didn’t you answer my calls last night?”

“I was unavailable.”

“You knew I needed help.”

Arga remained silent for a moment. He remembered that Nadira had deliberately chosen to separate herself from him, and he had no reason to resume the responsibilities of a husband while their divorce was being processed.

“If you’re facing an emergency, contact the appropriate authorities,” he replied.

Nadira tightened her grip on the phone. “You can’t even spare a few minutes to talk to me?”

“I’ve already made my position clear. Please discuss anything related to the divorce with Dimas.”

Before she could respond, Arga ended the call. He placed the phone on the desk and returned to the report he had been reviewing.

Zhang Qing watched Nadira from the doorway. She had worked for her employer long enough to recognize when a situation was becoming impossible to control.

“Perhaps you should stop calling him,” Zhang Qing suggested.

Nadira turned toward her. “You think I should simply let him go?”

“I think you should respect his decision.”

Nadira did not answer. She walked toward the window and looked down at the busy street, where people continued their routines without knowing anything about her personal problems.

Meanwhile, Arga received confirmation from Dimas that the divorce documents were being prepared for the next legal step. He forwarded the message to Dimas and returned to his duties.

That afternoon, the station received a report of an electrical fire in a residential building. Arga and his team immediately departed, unaware that another incident involving Nadira would soon test his professional judgment.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The False Emergency

The emergency call arrived shortly after sunset. According to the report, someone had threatened to set fire to a vehicle inside an underground parking garage in a commercial building. The caller also mentioned a possible confrontation involving a woman who was refusing to leave the area.

The station dispatched a response team because of the potential fire hazard. Arga joined the crew and reviewed the information while they were on their way.

“Do we have confirmation of an actual fire?” he asked.

“Not yet. The caller reported a threat involving fuel, but the building security team hasn’t confirmed any flames,” Yoga answered.

Arga instructed the team to prepare for a possible fuel-related incident. When they arrived, the building security officers directed them toward the underground parking area, where several employees had gathered near the entrance.

No smoke was visible, and there was no indication of an active fire. After checking the surrounding vehicles and confirming that no dangerous materials had been spilled, Arga approached the person who had requested their presence.

His expression changed when he recognized Nadira standing beside a parked car.

“What happened here?” he asked.

Nadira looked relieved to see him. “I needed to talk to you.”

Arga stared at her in disbelief. “Did you make the emergency report?”

“I didn’t know how else to make you listen.”

“Do you understand what you’ve done?”

Nadira lowered her voice. “I only wanted a few minutes with you.”

Arga looked toward the security officers, who were still waiting for instructions. He knew that a false emergency report could waste valuable resources and delay assistance to people facing genuine danger.

“I came here because I was responding to an emergency report,” he said firmly. “I did not come as your husband.”

Nadira stepped closer. “Can’t you at least hear me out?”

“Not here. Not through a false emergency.”

He instructed the building security team to document the incident and provide the relevant information to the authorities. The emergency response was officially recorded, including the absence of fire or hazardous materials.

Arga then returned to his team. He did not raise his voice or allow the personal confrontation to interfere with his responsibilities.

As the fire engine left the building, Nadira remained beside her car. She watched the vehicle disappear through the exit and finally understood that Arga was no longer willing to respond whenever she demanded his attention.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The Line He Would Not Cross

The following morning, Arga was called into the station commander’s office. Pak Hendra had received the incident report concerning the false emergency at the commercial building, and he wanted to hear the details directly from the firefighter involved.

Arga stood in front of the desk and explained the sequence of events without adding unnecessary personal comments. He described the initial report, the response procedure, the inspection of the parking area, and the discovery that no fire-related emergency had occurred.

Pak Hendra listened carefully before closing the report. He had known Arga for years and understood that the situation could easily become complicated because of his personal connection to the woman involved.

“You handled the response according to the information available at the time,” Pak Hendra said. “But make sure every detail is documented properly. Personal matters must never interfere with professional procedures.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Do not allow anyone to use your position to settle private disputes. Your responsibility is to protect people, not to become part of their personal conflicts.”

Arga nodded. He had no intention of repeating the incident, regardless of what Nadira might do next.

Later that day, Dimas met him outside the station. He had received information about the incident and wanted to make sure Arga understood the importance of keeping an accurate record.

“The report is important,” Dimas explained. “Keep the original records, the dispatch information, and any available security footage. Don’t delete messages or respond emotionally if she contacts you again.”

“I have no reason to contact her.”

“Good. Let the evidence speak for itself.”

Meanwhile, Nadira confronted Rendra at his office. The businessman was already under pressure because investigators had requested additional documents related to his foundation and several financial transactions.

Rendra was visibly irritated when Nadira mentioned the false emergency report. He had no desire to become involved in another controversy, especially when his business affairs were already attracting public attention.

“Why did you involve me in this?” he demanded.

“I didn’t ask you to come.”

“You used an emergency report to bring a firefighter to the building. Do you realize how damaging that could become?”

Nadira looked away. She had expected Rendra to understand her situation, but his reaction made it clear that he was more concerned about protecting himself.

Their conversation ended without an agreement. Rendra returned to his documents, while Nadira left the office with more questions than answers.

That evening, Arga received another message from an unfamiliar number. He did not open it immediately, choosing instead to forward the information to Dimas for review.

For the first time, he understood that protecting his peace required more than walking away. It also meant refusing to participate in situations designed to pull him back into the past.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

No Place to Return

The investigation surrounding Rendra Wijaya continued to develop. Several former employees had reportedly provided information about the foundation’s internal operations, while investigators were examining financial records and documents submitted by the company.

No final conclusion had been announced, but the growing number of questions had begun to affect Rendra’s public image. Business associates who had once competed for his attention were now becoming increasingly cautious about their connections with him.

Nadira also began to experience the consequences of the situation. Invitations to several private events were withdrawn, and people who had previously contacted her regularly became difficult to reach.

She spent most of her time at home, reviewing old photographs and messages. Some of them showed moments from the early years of her marriage, when she and Arga had still believed that their future would unfold according to the plans they had made together.

Her phone vibrated with a message from Dimas. The divorce documents were ready for the next stage of the legal process, and he requested confirmation of the legal correspondence address.

Nadira read the message twice before putting the phone down. She had known that the process would eventually reach this point, but seeing the paperwork made the separation feel more permanent.

Meanwhile, Arga was gradually settling into his new surroundings. The damaged gate latch had been replaced, and Liu Huan had arranged for an electrician to inspect the old wiring in the shared areas.

One evening, she found him cleaning his firefighter boots near the entrance. He had just returned from a long shift and looked tired, although his movements remained methodical.

“The electrician replaced the damaged extension cord today,” Liu Huan informed him. “He also checked the sockets in the kitchen.”

“Thank you for arranging that.”

“You don’t have to thank me. It’s part of maintaining the property.”

Their conversation remained brief and practical. Liu Huan understood that Arga preferred keeping his private life separate, and she had no intention of questioning him about matters he had not chosen to discuss.

Later, Dimas visited the rental house to discuss the latest developments. He explained that the divorce process would continue through the proper legal channels and reminded Arga not to let Nadira’s public difficulties influence his decisions.

“Whatever happens to her now is no longer your responsibility,” Dimas said.

“I know.”

“You spent too many years trying to solve problems that weren’t yours to carry.”

Arga looked at the documents on the table. He had once believed that patience could repair almost anything, but experience had taught him that some relationships could not be restored through one person’s effort alone.

He signed the necessary paperwork and handed it back to Dimas. For the first time, the future seemed less like something he had to endure and more like something he could choose.

CHAPTER TWENTY

The Final Warning

The evening was quiet when someone knocked on the front gate. Arga was inside reviewing a technical report from the previous day’s training exercise, while Liu Huan was organizing several documents in the common room. She walked toward the entrance and looked through the gate before opening it.

Nadira stood outside.

Liu Huan recognized her from the photographs that had occasionally appeared in online discussions, although she had never met her personally. She remained polite but did not immediately allow the visitor to enter.

“Who are you looking for?” Liu Huan asked.

“I’m here to see Arga.”

“Do you have an appointment?”

Nadira looked irritated by the question. “Please tell him Nadira is here.”

Liu Huan turned toward the hallway and called Arga. A few moments later, he appeared at the entrance, his expression changing slightly when he saw his former wife.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I need to talk to you.”

Arga stepped outside and closed the gate behind him. He did not want the conversation to disturb the other tenants, nor did he want to turn the property into another place for their personal disputes.

Nadira studied his face before speaking. “Is this where you’ve been living?”

“Yes.”

“With that woman?”

“She’s the property owner. She has nothing to do with our separation.”

Nadira looked toward the house. “You moved on very quickly.”

Arga shook his head. “My decision has nothing to do with another woman. I left because our marriage had reached a point where staying was no longer reasonable.”

“You make it sound as if everything was my fault.”

“I’m not here to argue about the past.”

Nadira’s expression tightened. “Then what do you want from me?”

“I want you to respect the boundaries we’ve established. Anything related to the divorce should go through Dimas, and you should stop contacting me through false emergency reports or unexpected visits.”

She lowered her eyes for a moment. “I only wanted us to talk.”

“We’ve had enough conversations. Nothing changes when the same problems keep returning.”

Arga waited until she stepped away from the gate before returning inside. He did not insult her or attempt to make her feel guilty, because he had already decided that their separation would not become another endless argument.

Liu Huan was waiting in the common room when he entered. She did not ask what had happened, but she moved aside to give him room to pass.

“Everything all right?” she asked.

“Yes. It won’t happen again.”

Arga returned to his desk and opened the technical report he had been reviewing. A notification from the station appeared on his phone, reminding him about an upcoming emergency response briefing and a scheduled training exercise.

He read the details carefully before setting an alarm for the following morning. His responsibilities had not disappeared simply because his personal life had changed, and he intended to meet them with the same discipline he had always maintained.

The past had taken five years from him. He would not allow it to take the years that remained.