Silent Circle: The Vow of an Heir

Chapter 2. The Adinata Family

The decision led him to sit with Grandpa Ronan at the dining table, where an awkward and silent dinner awaited them.

The clinking of spoons and forks echoed loudly in the quiet room as if amplifying the tension in the air.

"Grandpa, what kind of work are you offering me?" Darian asked, his voice slightly uncertain. He noticed how Grandpa Ronan occasionally glanced at Kirana, who sat with a cold expression.

Grandpa Ronan smiled faintly. "You will become a part of our family, Darian. You will be engaged to Kirana." That answer made Darian frown, sensing something was wrong. Engagement? That was not something that could be decided so quickly.

Sitting quietly beside Grandpa Ronan, Kirana suddenly glared at Darian with a look of hatred. Her face turned red, not out of embarrassment but from the anger she could hardly contain.

The dinner atmosphere grew increasingly tense, interrupted only by the mounting silence that pressed down on them.

Grandpa Ronan tried to continue the conversation, but every word he spoke only worsened the situation.

Suddenly, a loud  "braak" echoed through the room. Kirana slammed her hand on the dining table, trembling, striking it so hard that several plates and glasses nearly fell. Everyone jumped in shock. Her face turned red as she struggled to hold back her rising anger.

"What do you mean, Grandpa?!" Kirana shouted, her voice echoing in the luxurious dining room.

"You're going to marry me off to this stranger? To someone whose background we don't even know?" She pointed at Darian with a trembling finger, her face full of hatred. "Are you crazy, Grandpa?!"

Arum Wijaya, with a sharp gaze, took a step forward. "Father, what have you done? Bringing a stranger into our home and matching him with Kirana? Have you lost your mind?" Her voice was cold and cutting, like ice piercing through bone.

Satria Adinata, usually calm, also appeared angry. "This is outrageous, Father! We can't just trust a stranger like that!" He eyed Darian suspiciously. "He could be dangerous!"

Amid the anger of his parents and Kirana, Sekar, Kirana’s younger sister, only wore a faint smile. Her smile was cynical, revealing a hidden satisfaction behind her cold gaze.

She didn't say a word, yet her smile was sharper than Kirana's harsh words. Darian felt a chilling air, not just from the Adinata family's anger but also from Sekar’s mysterious grin.

He realised he had entered a much more complicated situation than he had imagined. Grandpa Ronan looked profoundly disappointed and sad.

Grandpa Ronan slammed his fork and knife onto the table, causing Kirana, Arum, and Satria to jump in shock. The already tense atmosphere grew even more suffocating.

Sekar, still wearing her cynical smile, quietly observed. Darian could only stand frozen, unable to believe what had just happened.

"This is my decision!!" Grandpa Ronan yelled, his voice trembling with both anger and exhaustion.

Amid the anger of his parents and Kirana, Sekar, Kirana’s younger sister, only wore a faint smile. Her smile was cynical, revealing a hidden satisfaction behind her cold gaze.

She didn't say a word, yet her smile was sharper than Kirana's harsh words. Darian felt a chilling air, not just from the Adinata family's anger but also from Sekar’s mysterious grin.

He realised he had entered a much more complicated situation than he had imagined. Grandpa Ronan looked profoundly disappointed and sad.

Grandpa Ronan slammed his fork and knife onto the table, causing Kirana, Arum, and Satria to jump in shock. The already tense atmosphere grew even more suffocating.

Sekar, still wearing her cynical smile, quietly observed. Darian could only stand frozen, unable to believe what had just happened.

"This is my decision!!" Grandpa Ronan yelled, his voice trembling with anger and exhaustion. His face flushed red, and veins in his neck bulged. "If you don't agree, feel free to leave this house... and don't expect to inherit my wealth!!" He pointed at each family member with a shaking finger.

"You all only care about the inheritance! You don't value kindness and loyalty!"

Silence enveloped the luxurious dining room. Only the sound of heavy breathing could be heard. Kirana, Arum, and Satria exchanged glances, their faces mixed with anger, disappointment, and fear.

Grandpa Ronan’s inheritance was something they all desperately desired. The threat regarding the inheritance struck deeply.

Kirana lowered her gaze, biting her bottom lip in frustration. Still confused by the situation, Darian looked at Grandpa Ronan, trying to decipher the meaning behind each word spoken.

However, he knew that speaking any further would be pointless—here, he was just a pawn in a bigger game being played.

The suffocating silence was finally broken, not by words but by Kirana’s laughter. It was loud, piercing, and filled with disdain.

"So, this is it," she said, her voice trembling with suppressed rage. "You choose a beggar over your own family?" She pointed at Darian with a trembling finger. "Such a foolish decision, Grandpa!"

Arum Wijaya, usually calm, showed his emotions more restrainedly. She sighed deeply, then spoke softly but sharply, "Ronan, you will regret this. You will lose everything." Her gaze was cold and calculating as he subtly pulled Satria’s hand.

Sekar, who had been observing quietly all this time, finally spoke up. Her voice was gentle, but her words were sharp as a knife.

"Grandpa, don't misunderstand. We don’t want your inheritance. We’re just concerned for your safety." Her cynical smile remained on her lips, revealing that her words were nothing more than a façade.

Grandpa Ronan was silent, his face pale. He realised that he had made a difficult decision. He had chosen loyalty and kindness over wealth and power. He looked at Darian, then said quietly, “Darian, I apologise for their treatment. But I will not change my decision.”

The days passed in silence and tension. There was no meaningful conversation, just an uneasy feeling hanging in the air, waiting to explode. And even though they lived under the same roof, each person in the house felt more and more distant from each other.

Darian felt the hatred emanating from Adinata's family. They looked down on him, thinking of him as a foreigner who didn't belong in this luxurious house.

He realised that he had entered a world very different from his own. Not only must he struggle to survive in the city, but he must also face the wall of hatred built by his fiancé's family. Differences in background and social status become a significant barrier.

Darian spends long periods in the Adinata family's luxurious home, facing scorn, ridicule, and dismissive stares while doing whatever he can and whatever they tell him to do.

Though rich and arrogant, Arum Wijaya and Sekar Adinata never acknowledge Darian's existence. They treat him like air, even worse like trash to be avoided.

However, what hurts the most is Kirana and Sekar's treatment, especially since Kirana is his fiancée.  Sekar, with all her intelligence, often throws sharp insinuations, making Darian feel small and worthless.

Sekar, with all her intelligence, often threw sharp insinuations, making Darian feel small and worthless. She frequently insinuated Darian's status as Kirana's fiancé as if it were a joke.

'His fiancé? More accurately, the waiter,' Sekar whispered once while Darian tidied the dining table. Kirana, known for her blatant behaviour, often made out with her lover, a handsome and arrogant man named Reynand, regardless of her status right before Darian.

Reynand, with his mocking smile, often made derogatory comments to Darian, even openly belittling his status.

Darian's eyes widened at the comments from Kirana's mouth. “So what do you want me to say? Your fiancé?” Karina asked Darian, which made his chest tighten even more.

Darian is Kirana's fiancé. The two of them seemed to be deliberately humiliating Darian, highlighting the difference in their social status in the cruellest way.

“If you consider me your fiancé...show me your advantages compared to me and Reynand.” Their actions and words were not just insults but also constant harassment, which became even more painful because it came from his fiancée. What should have been a symbol of happiness for Darian had turned into an endless hell.

Only Grandpa Ronan Adinata treated him kindly, showing a little respect and affection. Grandpa Ronan was the only reason Darian had managed to endure this far.

However, even Grandpa Ronan's kindness couldn't heal the deep wound in Darian's heart. He felt trapped in an unjust situation, where he had to bear all the pain and humiliation from his fiancée’s family.

Although calmer than his wife, Satria Adinata never defended Darian. He remained silent, allowing his wife and daughter to mistreat Darian. Satria's silence seemed to give his blessing to the mistreatment.

Darian felt alone, isolated, and in a luxury like a prison. He longed for the fresh mountain air and the simplicity of his old life. But he held on, clinging to his promise to Grandpa Ronan.

Several times, Darian felt he could no longer endure it all. He wanted to leave the house many nights to escape the coldness and daily insults.

But each time he was about to take that step, Grandpa Ronan would stop him with words of wisdom. "Be patient, Darian. Sometimes, time will change everything. Don’t let your heart be filled with hatred. Keep enduring." Grandpa Ronan always reminded Darian to be patient, even though his burden became heavier.

Darian knew Grandpa Ronan’s kindness was why he had survived this long. But in his heart, he felt increasingly trapped in loneliness and unending suffering.