The private jet's wheels touched the asphalt with a gentle thud. Elena felt her heart thumping in sync. As the cabin door opened, the characteristic Jakarta heat—a mixture of high humidity and the scent of jet fuel—immediately invaded her senses. She was back.
"Are you ready?" Arthur stood beside her, wearing dark sunglasses. He looked so powerful, as if this private jet was just one of his many little toys.
"I don't know if I'll ever be ready, Art," Elena whispered.
At the bottom of the plane's stairs, a convoy of luxury black cars was already waiting. However, what surprised Elena was the woman standing beside one of the cars, waving frantically.
"ELENAAAA! ARTHUR!" Ririn screamed. She wore oversized sunglasses and held a small portable fan. "You two are crazy! Just getting off the plane looks like a scene from an action movie!"
Elena ran down the stairs and immediately hugged her best friend. "Ririn! I missed you so much!"
"Me too, El! But seriously, you look... different. London suits you," Ririn let go of the hug, then looked at Arthur, who was walking down with his aristocratic flair. Ririn cleared her throat, trying to be polite. "Welcome back, Mr. Montgomery. Wow, you've become a real 'Giant' now, haven't you?"
Arthur offered a thin smile, a rare expression. "Thank you, Ririn. Thank you for keeping the secret of Elena's hiding place the other day."
"No problem! But remember, I only gave you a fast-track permit. You still have to pay the 'mendoan' tax to me later!" Ririn joked, causing the tense atmosphere to melt slightly.
They got into the car. Arthur and Elena in the back seat, while Ririn sat in the front passenger seat—a strategic position for giving intelligence reports.
"Okay, listen to me," Ririn's voice turned serious as the car began to weave through the highway traffic toward the city center. "Your father, Mr. Surya, already knows you've landed. The news leaked in the property developers' WhatsApp groups. Arthur, they're all terrified. They think you're here for 'revenge' and to buy up all their assets."
Arthur leaned back, his eyes fixed on the rows of Jakarta skyscrapers that once seemed so far out of his reach. "I am here for that if they refuse to cooperate, Ririn."
"Art..." Elena held Arthur's arm, warning him.
"Elena, listen," Arthur turned to her. "Your father is in deep financial trouble. His property project in Ambara is stalled. That's why he was so aggressive in trying to control you through the gallery in London. He needs the Montgomery connection to save face in Jakarta."
Elena was stunned. This information was new to her. So, her father didn't just want to destroy her career for her "own good," but also to use her as a pawn to save the failing family business?
"Insane," Elena murmured. "It really is all about the money."
"It always is, El," Ririn chimed in from the front. "Your dad is a very proud man. He'd rather die than look poor. Right now he's waiting in his office. He's invited you both for a 'formal lunch'."
"Lunch?" Elena laughed bitterly. "I'm sure there's poison in there somewhere."
The Pratama Group building stood majestically in the Sudirman area. As Arthur and Elena stepped into the lobby, all eyes were on them. Whispers followed them at every turn. Arthur didn't let go of Elena's hand for a single second. He gripped it protectively, providing the strength Elena needed.
They ascended to the top floor. The large teak doors opened, and behind a massive mahogany desk sat Surya Pratama. His hair had turned white, but his gaze was as sharp as it had been nine years ago when he kicked Arthur out of his house.
"Elena. Arthur," Surya's voice was heavy, filling the room.
"Father," Elena greeted him with a voice she tried to keep as flat as possible.
Surya stood up, ignoring Elena and looking directly at Arthur. "So, the building cleaner's son now has a private jet and controls Montgomery Corp? The world is a strange place."
"The world isn't strange, Mr. Surya," Arthur replied in a voice that was perfectly polite yet filled with authority. "The world just turns. And right now, I am at the top."
"You came here to show off?" Surya approached, standing directly in front of Arthur. "Or did you come to ask for a blessing that I will never give?"
Arthur smirked. "I don't need your blessing, Mr. Surya. I came here to give you a choice. I know about your losses in the Ambara project. I know you need an injection of fifty million pounds within forty-eight hours, or the bank will seize this building."
Surya's face went instantly pale. His fists on the desk trembled.
"I can save you," Arthur continued, his voice as smooth as silk but just as deadly. "I will inject the funds through Montgomery Global. But there are conditions."
"What conditions?" Surya hissed.
"First, you will formally apologize to Elena for every threat you made against her seven years ago. Second, you will sign a statement that you will never again interfere in Elena's career or private life," Arthur paused, his eyes glinting. "And third... you will admit before your board of directors that the person who saved your life is the man you once called 'trash'."
Elena looked at Arthur in disbelief. She wanted to be angry that Arthur was using money to solve their problems, but she also felt a massive weight lift from her heart. This wasn't about the money anymore; it was about the dignity that had been stolen.
Surya looked at his daughter, then at Arthur. The room felt cramped by the colliding egos and pasts.
"You dare threaten me in my own office?" Surya asked in a low voice.
"This isn't a threat, Mr. Surya," Arthur replied as he straightened his suit. "This is a business proposal. And as far as I know, you have no other choice."