Obsession Under Jakarta Skies

Chapter 1

The crystal chandeliers of the Grand Ballroom didn’t just illuminate the room; they seemed to mock the carnage below. Under the shimmering light, the elite of Jakarta’s high society looked like scattered ants, their silk gowns and bespoke tuxedos stained by the panic that had swept through the hall only minutes prior.

Silas Prabuwijaya stepped over a discarded champagne flute, his boots clicking sharply against the polished marble. He didn’t look like he belonged at a gala, despite his tailored charcoal suit. There was a jaggedness to his movements, a restlessness that suggested he was more at home in the humidity of an alleyway than under the cooling vents of a five-star hotel.

He stopped in front of a young officer who was fumbling with a roll of yellow caution tape.

"Tell me you didn’t let everyone leave through the main foyer," Silas said, his voice dropping to a dangerous register.

The officer jumped, nearly dropping the tape. "Detective Silas! Uh, no, sir. Well, some of them. It was a madhouse when the screaming started. We tried to corral them in the lounge, but—"

"But you failed," Silas finished for him. He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Did you at least keep the kitchen staff in place?"

"Most of them, yeah. Look, the Captain is already inside the perimeter. He’s pretty worked up."

"I bet he is. Dead donors don't give to the police pension fund." Silas pushed past the boy, scanning the room until he spotted a familiar, slumped figure standing near a massive floral arrangement.

Dorian Wiranata was kneeling by the body, his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled up. He looked up as Silas approached, his expression weary.

"Took you long enough, Silas," Dorian said, standing up and wiping his hands on a handkerchief. "I thought you were skipping this one to catch up on sleep."

"In this city? Sleep is a myth," Silas replied, crouching down beside his partner. "What have we got? Aside from the obvious mess."

Dorian gestured toward the victim, a man in his sixties whose throat had been opened with surgical precision. "Hadi Wijaya. The shipping magnate. He was supposed to give a speech tonight about his new foundation. Instead, he gave everyone a front-row seat to his autopsy."

Silas leaned in, his eyes narrowing. He didn't look at the blood; he looked at what was nestled right in the center of Wijaya’s chest, resting atop the white silk of his tuxedo shirt.

"Is that a flower?" Silas asked.

"Yeah. Some kind of orchid," Dorian said, leaning down beside him. "I’m no botanist, but it looks expensive. Rare, probably."

"It’s a Cattleya schilleriana," Silas whispered, his fingers hovering just inches above the deep purple petals. "It doesn't grow in Java. It barely grows anywhere anymore. It’s a collector's item."

"A killer with a green thumb and a high budget," Dorian remarked, glancing around the room. "The patrol guys said they didn't see anyone leave the immediate area for five minutes after the lights flickered. But honestly? They were too busy making sure they didn't get champagne on their boots."

Silas didn't respond. He felt a prickle at the back of his neck, that cold, sharp sensation that usually meant he was being watched. He slowly turned his head, letting his gaze drift away from the gore and toward the shadows cast by the towering marble pillars flanking the ballroom’s east wing.

There, partially obscured by the heavy velvet curtains, stood a woman.

She wasn't hiding, exactly. She was simply... existing in the dark. Her dress was a deep, shimmering emerald that caught the light only when she moved. She held a glass of dark liquid, her posture remarkably calm given the proximity of a corpse.

"Dorian," Silas said quietly. "Who is the woman by the third pillar?"

Dorian followed his gaze. "That? That’s Anastasia Kertawati. The Kertawati heiress. Why?"

"She’s staring," Silas noted.

"Half the room is staring, Silas. The other half is vomiting in the coat check."

"She’s not staring at the body," Silas said, rising to his feet. "She’s staring at me."

Dorian let out a short, dry laugh. "Well, you are the most interesting thing in the room that isn't dead. Just be careful. The Kertawatis have enough money to buy this hotel and turn it into a parking lot just because they're bored."

Silas ignored the warning. He began walking toward her, his eyes locked on hers. As he drew closer, he realized the "dark liquid" in her glass wasn't wine. It was black coffee.

He stopped a few feet away, maintaining a professional distance that felt suddenly, inexplicably difficult to keep. Up close, her beauty was a physical weight. It wasn't just her features—the high cheekbones or the dark, intelligent eyes—it was the stillness. She was the only thing in the room that didn't feel chaotic.

"It’s rude to watch a man work," Silas said, his voice casual. "Unless you're planning on helping."

Anastasia took a slow sip of her coffee, her gaze never wavering. "I wasn't aware that looking was a crime, Detective. Or are the police now charging for observation?"

Her voice was like silk over gravel—smooth, but with an edge that could cut.

"Depends on what you're looking at," Silas countered. "You don't seem particularly bothered by the fact that a man was just murdered twenty feet from where you're standing."

"Death is a very common occurrence, Detective," she replied, her lips curving into a ghost of a smile. "Most people just have the luxury of pretending it isn't. Tonight, the pretense just... slipped."

"You were close to him. Wijaya, I mean," Silas said, stepping an inch closer. He could smell her perfume—something earthy, like rain on dry soil. It was a stark contrast to the metallic scent of blood.

"We ran in the same circles," she said. "But 'close' is a strong word. I don't think anyone was truly close to Hadi. He was a man made of porcelain and secrets. When you break something like that, it just leaves a mess."

"You sound like you're speaking from experience," Silas said.

Anastasia tilted her head, a stray lock of dark hair falling over her shoulder. "Are you interrogating me, Detective? Or are you just trying to find an excuse to talk to me?"

Silas felt a jolt of heat in his chest, an irrational spark of attraction that made him want to frown. He was a professional. He was the lead investigator on a high-profile homicide. He shouldn't be feeling a pull toward a woman who was, by all rights, a person of interest.

"I’m doing my job," Silas said, his tone sharpening. "Where were you when the lights went out?"

"Right here," she said, gesturing to the spot. "I don't like the dance floor. Too much sweating, too little conversation."

"And did you see anyone near the podium? Anyone carrying a... floral arrangement?"

Anastasia laughed, a low, melodic sound. "You found the orchid, then. It’s quite beautiful, isn't it? A bit dramatic for my taste, but certainly a statement."

"How do you know it’s an orchid?" Silas asked instantly.

She didn't blink. "I have a conservatory, Detective. I know what things cost. And that particular flower costs more than most of the people in this room make in a year."

"That’s a very specific piece of knowledge to volunteer," Silas noted.

"I’m a very honest person," she said, her eyes dancing with a light that felt like a challenge. "You should try it sometime. It’s liberating."

She set her coffee cup down on a nearby side table and took a step toward him. The "electric" sensation Silas had felt from afar intensified. It was like standing in the path of a storm.

"You have a speck of blood on your collar, Detective," she whispered, her hand rising as if to brush it away before she caught herself and dropped it. "It’s quite a messy business, isn't it? Justice."

"It's a living," Silas said, his heart hammering against his ribs.

"Is it? It looks more like a slow death to me," she replied. She leaned in, her voice dropping so low it was meant only for him. "Don't look too hard for things you aren't ready to find, Silas. You might not like the ending of this story."

Before he could respond, she turned and began walking toward the exit, her emerald dress swirling around her ankles.

"Wait!" Silas called out. "I’m not done with you."

She didn't stop, only waved a hand over her shoulder. "You know where to find me. Everyone does."

Silas watched her go, his mind racing. He felt a hand on his shoulder and nearly spun around to strike. It was Dorian.

"Whoa, easy there, tiger," Dorian said, holding up his hands. "You look like you just saw a ghost. Or a goddess. Which one was it?"

"She’s hiding something," Silas muttered, breathing heavily.

"No kidding. She’s a Kertawati. They hide things in their sleep," Dorian said. He looked down at the floor where Anastasia had been standing. "Hey, you dropped something."

Silas looked down. Near the leg of the side table, glinting against the dark marble, was a small, silver object.

He knelt and picked it up. It was an earring—a delicate, platinum teardrop encrusted with small, brilliant diamonds. It was exquisite, expensive, and unmistakable.

Silas looked back toward the body of Hadi Wijaya, then back at the earring in his palm. The heat in his chest turned to ice.

"She was right here," Silas whispered to himself.

"What was that?" Dorian asked.

"Nothing," Silas said, closing his fist over the jewelry. "Just a lead."

He looked toward the exit where Anastasia had disappeared. The ballroom felt colder now, the light of the chandeliers dimmer. He had his first suspect, and his first problem. Because as much as his head told him she was the key to the murder, his pulse was still racing from the way she had said his name.

"Come on," Silas said, his voice hardening. "We need to bag the orchid. And then I need to pay a visit to a conservatory."

"Tonight?" Dorian groaned. "Silas, it's two in the morning!"

"Crime doesn't sleep, Dorian," Silas said, walking away. "And neither do I."

As he walked, the weight of the earring in his pocket felt like a brand. He knew he should have logged it as evidence immediately. He knew he should have called for the patrol to stop her. But as he looked at the blood-stained ballroom one last time, he knew this wasn't going to be a normal investigation.

Anastasia Kertawati hadn't just left behind a piece of jewelry. She had left a hook in his skin, and he was already being pulled into the deep.