The Castaway Billionaire

Chapter 5

The dinner party is about to begin. It's a joyful yet somewhat nerve-wracking moment for Niko as he prepares himself. He steps into the bathroom, which is as large as a personal room, with a pristine white porcelain bathtub.

"Wow... can I actually soak in this?" he wonders to himself, lifting one foot into the bathtub. His hand reaches out, turning the faucet, and to his surprise, hot water gushes out. "Oh, my goodness!" He quickly lifts his foot and shuts off the tap.

He adjusts the water settings to warm and proceeds to undress, letting the water wash over his entire body. He doesn't forget to lather up with foamy soap.

Niko had seen scenes of wealthy people bathing in luxurious facilities before, but he never imagined he would experience it himself. If a bath can be this lavish and comfortable, he can't help but wonder about the other amenities in this house.

He nearly loses track of time if it weren't for the reminder of the family dinner awaiting him.

After finishing his bath, he steps out and prepares himself in the special attire provided.

There's a floor-length mirror for a final self-check. He's in a formal black suit with matching leather shoes. If he were to estimate, Niko is certain they must be quite expensive.

"Well, it turns out I look handsome in something like this," he praises himself. There's a hint of pride in his eyes. It truly reflects how happy he is that his life is about to change, a fresh start he never even imagined.

Niko styles his hair with pomade and spritzes some cologne. "I think I can be a bit confident now." There's no longer the image of the pitiful Niko from his time in prison. No more the disheveled, foul-smelling man who lived like a puppet and a robot for a year.

A smile forms on his lips.

"Sir, dinner is ready," a maid informs him from behind the door. "Everyone is waiting."

Niko heads out for the dinner, eager to embrace this new beginning.

Niko turned to the source of the voice. Once again, he gazed at his reflection in the mirror. "Okay, I'm ready!" he exclaimed, encouraging himself.

After that, Niko walked out and headed towards the dining table. It turned out that there were already many people there. Everyone looked neat, formal, and serious. Three of them were the same individuals who had accompanied him to this house earlier.

"Take a seat, son," it was Arshad, his father, waving briefly with a smile, inviting his son to join.

Niko cleared his throat awkwardly, then nodded. He approached the group of people and greeted them with a smile. It seemed like they were either just reserved or genuinely unfriendly. Only a few managed to return a smile to him.

"Good evening, everyone," Niko greeted before taking his seat.

"Hi there, bro!" a cheerful greeting came from Raditya.

Niko sat down next to his younger brother, Raditya. The young man offered a slightly shy smile. Nevertheless, Niko still wasn't entirely accustomed to the fact that he had a younger brother.

"You look sharp in that suit," Raditya whispered with his head close to Niko and his hand partially covering his face. "I'm glad you're here," he continued.

Niko responded with another smile. Yes, perhaps Raditya was genuinely happy about his presence. However, it seemed that it didn't apply to most of the family members. Just by the sheer number of them, Niko wasn't sure if he could remember each one.

"Don't be too tense," Raditya said with the same soft tone.

Niko was surprised at how easily his younger brother seemed to read him. He turned slightly towards the boy.

"They tend to make the atmosphere unpleasant, but they're not as bad as they seem."

For some reason, Raditya's words didn't comfort him at all. Regardless, Niko could sense that the current atmosphere was far from ideal.

"Niko," his father suddenly called out, making Niko startle. "Introduce yourself, son. Many of them haven't met you yet."

Suddenly, Niko straightened his back. "Ah, yes." He then stood up with his hands clasped in front of him. "Good evening, everyone. I'm sure you must be puzzled by my presence here." His gaze swept around the room. Unconsciously, Niko swallowed hard. "My name is Niko."

Niko had intended to continue by explaining his role as the new member of the household. However, for some reason, his tongue felt tied. There was reluctance in every pair of eyes that stared at him.

Unexpectedly, applause rang out from his side. Niko turned to find Raditya applauding, then standing up. With a face full of smiles and confidence, he said, "Niko is my brother. I'm sure you're all surprised. He..." Raditya put his arm around Niko's shoulder and slightly leaned in. "He's my older brother and, of course, the child of my parents as well. We share the same blood."

Niko didn't know whether to be thankful or angry with Raditya. That kid was indeed good and very sensitive to the situation. With his words, Niko didn't feel as awkward as before. However, the less pleasant part was that no one reacted to Raditya's announcement, including himself.

Feeling that he had introduced himself enough, Niko sat back down, even though he was met with a quizzical look from his brother.

After the introduction, no one discussed anything important. Niko's intention was for the other family members to seem preoccupied with their own conversations, as if his presence wasn't of great importance. Although, literally, Niko was a new figure who might make most people wonder.

"Do you like the food? Does it match your taste?" Raditya, who was chewing his food, spoke to Niko. "Why have you only been looking all this time?"

Niko blinked. "Oh, yeah. The food is good."

"How do you know if it's good or not when you haven't even tasted it?" Raditya chuckled softly, teasing his awkward brother.

"Steak... all meat dishes are usually good." Niko picked up his fork and knife, ready to enjoy the dish in front of him.

"I know it won't be easy, but stay confident. If you need my help to adjust here, I'll be ready—" Raditya's words halted as Niko suddenly dropped his utensils.

Niko hoped what he saw was an illusion. However, as the figure approached the dining table, Niko was sure it was the same person as a year ago.

"Sorry I'm a little late," someone said, capturing Niko's attention and, more precisely, shocking Niko.

How could Justin be in this house? Justin, the same person who was Alexa's lover, his ex-girlfriend.