THE ASHES OF LOVE

5. NICO’S MEETING

Nico's eyes wandered aimlessly, assessing the girl sitting in front of him. Initially, he had hoped that this time his father would choose someone different from the previous girls. However, just by looking at the way the girl dressed, spoke, and the scent of her perfume, he realized that there was nothing different about her compared to the previous girls who always pretended to be polite and elegant but were actually just displaying their uninteresting personal lives to Nico. They were like the main characters of a hidden dark sorcery concealed within the bodies of beautiful girls. No, if beauty was only judged by physical appearance, then perhaps they possessed it. But their hearts, like rotten apples, looked beautiful on the outside but were filled with decay within.

Based on the information Nico had obtained from Nathan, his father's personal secretary on the one-hour journey to the restaurant, the girl's name was Ivanka Laraswati. She was a top graduate from Curtin University in Perth, Australia, with c*m laude honors. Despite her young age, Ivanka had been awarded the title of Head Young Director and owned several advertising and marketing companies. Furthermore, she was the only daughter of the CEO of the InterContinental Hotels Group, which had 343 projects and 75,910 rooms. Not only that, Ivanka was also the youngest and most beloved granddaughter of the Minister of Trade and Industry. This meant that from birth until now, her life had never experienced any shortage. Although Ivanka's companies might face financial difficulties in the future, thanks to her father's wealth and her grandfather's influence, she didn't need to worry about losing everything.

Truly, the ideal prospective daughter-in-law. That's what currently occupied Nico's father's mind. Beautiful, intelligent, and wealthy. Of course, it would be a source of pride if his father finally had a daughter-in-law who was the granddaughter of a minister. From a political perspective, this planned marriage would benefit both parties. Nico's father, who was the President Director of Refugio Hospital, needed financial support from Ivanka's grandfather for the cancer vaccine development project that was underway. Meanwhile, Ivanka's grandfather needed the support of Ivanka's father in his candidacy for the next president, which would gain public sympathy due to his involvement in cancer vaccine development. Ivanka was the only child and the beloved granddaughter, so the large inheritance was likely to fall into her hands. The man who would become her husband would also benefit from this situation.

A seemingly perfect plan, isn't it? However, unfortunately, Nico was not interested at all in the forced marriage and his father's plans. Though somewhat vague, Nico felt a sense of discomfort emanating from Ivanka's exotic face. Maybe because Nico continued to watch her with curiosity, or perhaps there was something that couldn't be explained in words. Did Ivanka disagree with this arranged marriage plan?

Nico almost wanted to laugh at the thought. In his view, wealthy girls would only choose those who were handsome and capable of fulfilling all their needs. Those with low social status and income were considered unworthy trash. And Nico, in his above-average life, was often the target of many girls. To them, Nico was an irresistibly handsome man. So, why was Ivanka's face different? Was there something she was hiding?

The girl finally spoke after an hour of Nico's silence and intense scrutiny.

"Excuse me, can you stop staring at me like that?" Ivanka said softly, trying to convey her discomfort.

Nico, upon hearing her words, didn't apologize. Instead, he leaned forward slightly to get a clearer look at Ivanka. "Why? Don't most girls like to be looked at with full attention by handsome men like me?"

Ivanka was taken aback by Nico's sudden and aggressive action. She glanced briefly at him before averting her gaze. "But I don't like it. It's too much."

Nico smirked. "Too much?" he thought. In his opinion, there was nothing excessive about what he was doing. "Alright," Nico said with a sigh, attempting to understand Ivanka's feelings. He moved away from her and leaned back in his chair. "I didn't know that you didn't like being looked at like that. I thought you..."

"As the youngest in the Thomas family and the only daughter, my social circle is somewhat limited, especially when it involves a man," Ivanka spoke softly, her face down, showing her discomfort in speaking while glancing at Nico.

"Of course, that's not a problem for me," Nico said with a friendly smile.

Ivanka shook her head. "It's definitely a problem."

Nico furrowed his brow, slightly puzzled by Ivanka's statement.

"Both of our prominent families want this arranged marriage to go smoothly. That means we need to quickly get to know each other. But..." Ivanka paused for a moment before continuing, "...with my somewhat reserved nature, it seems challenging."

Nico began to understand what Ivanka meant. "So, you find it difficult because of your introverted nature?"

Ivanka nodded. "Yes. I'm not interested in a loveless marriage. I may be a bit reserved, but I'm not the type of girl who will just do what our parents want..."

"So, your real reason is that you don't want this marriage?" Nico interjected.

"Yes."

"Why?" Nico asked firmly.

Ivanka appeared somewhat puzzled. "Love?"

"Love?" Nico repeated, staring sharply at Ivanka. "Many people consider love important. But is it enough? Perhaps people who hold onto love too tightly sometimes overlook other factors like lineage, education, background, and abilities. They might be on different levels and find it difficult to communicate. Do you think all those issues can be overcome just with a kiss?"

Ivanka felt disturbed by Nico's question. "Well..."

"You might be smarter than I thought," Nico said condescendingly, not giving Ivanka a chance to defend herself. "If you want a marriage based on love with a handsome but foolish prince, then I'm not your choice. Should I tell my family that I refuse this arranged marriage?"

Ivanka was taken aback. "Ah?" She didn't expect such a strong reaction from Nico.

Nico stood up from his seat, straightening his suit. "Well then, let's make it seem that way."

As Nico uttered those words, he turned around, ready to leave Ivanka. However, he paused for a moment and looked at the surprised and cornered Ivanka. Nico was certain that his words had been a harsh slap in the face for Ivanka because she had been acting fake in front of him.

"Oh, before I go, I've been curious about the perfume you're wearing since earlier. Is it an alluring or elegant scent? You should pay attention to those details before making up stories," Nico said sarcastically.

Nico left the place. Ivanka tried to call out to him several times, but Nico didn't turn back. He took wide strides, displaying his disinterest.

So, what did he say about love? He was sure that Ivanka had no idea what love was at all. With one hand, Nico retrieved his phone from his suit pocket. "Nathan, bring the car now. We're going home."

***