“Sir, if you can’t pay our full salaries this month, then at least give us some certainty.” The room fell silent. A dozen or so employees who were still left stood or sat around the long conference table. Their faces looked exhausted. The office no longer had the busy atmosphere it had a few months ago. Several desks in the corner were already empty. Computers had been shut down. Chairs were stacked together. The Wandra logo that once stood proudly behind the reception desk now looked strangely out of place. The man sitting at the head of the table rubbed his face roughly. “The company is working on releasing the funds. I’m asking everyone to be a little more patient.” A female employee sitting on the left side immediately looked at him. “Sir, we’ve been patient.” Her voice wasn't loud. If anything, it was too calm. “We’ve been hearing the same thing for two weeks.” The man had no answer. On the table lay several documents that had yet to be sorted. Supplier invoices. Payment notices. Termination letters from distributors. One after another. Like blows that came without giving anyone a chance to breathe. Suddenly, the phone on the table rang. The man stared at the screen for a few seconds before answering. “Hello?” His expression immediately changed. “Sir, I’ve already explained. We’re having cash-flow problems, but we will fulfill our obligations.” He fell silent, listening. “No, please don’t stop the shipment of raw materials yet. If you stop them, our production—” The call ended. The man stared at his phone. Then slowly placed it back on the table. No one asked anything. They already knew. Wandra was falling apart. And this time, no one knew whether the company could stand again. Just a few months ago, Wandra had still been a fairly respected name. Orders had been coming in. Their distributor network had been growing. Production was running smoothly. Money was constantly circulating. Then a rumor appeared. A rumor that was supposed to be nothing more than a weapon against a single competitor. Rian. At first, they were convinced everything would go according to plan. They had never considered one thing. Rumors were easy to create, but once the lies were exposed, people would start asking who had actually been playing dirty. Customers began losing trust. Distributors started keeping their distance. Several business partners demanded explanations. Then, one by one, contracts stopped being renewed. Wandra tried to fight back. They offered huge discounts. They launched aggressive promotions. They lowered prices. But the more money they spent trying to maintain sales, the faster their reserves disappeared. In the end, the company didn't collapse simply because nobody wanted its products anymore. It collapsed because the loss of trust had disrupted its entire business flow. And when less money came in while the bills kept piling up, it was only a matter of time. That day, Wandra officially filed for bankruptcy. --- Elsewhere, Prabu was still trying to save his company. The situation wasn't nearly as bad as Wandra's. Far from bankruptcy. But the sales figures on the computer screen were enough to give his finance manager a headache. “Down again?” Prabu stood behind the desk, staring at the monthly report. “Yes, sir.” “How much?” “Twenty-three percent compared to the period before the incident.” Prabu fell silent. “Twenty-three percent?” “For some distributors, the decline is even higher.” Prabu took the report and flipped through several pages. “Are there problems with our products?” “No, sir.” “Customer complaints?” “Not many.” “Then why are sales dropping?” The finance manager hesitated before answering. “Trust, sir.” Prabu looked at him. “Trust?” “Some customers don't want to take the risk. They're afraid our company's name will get dragged into the controversy.” Prabu clenched the papers in his hand. That was the most frustrating part. Their products hadn't changed. The quality was the same. The prices were the same. The employees were still working. But once their name had been dragged into a scandal, customers no longer looked at their products the same way. Prabu finally sat down. “So even though the rumor didn't entirely come from us, we're still paying for it.” “Yes, sir.” Prabu stared at the computer screen for a long time. Only now did he understand how expensive a dirty game could become. Not just in money. But in reputation. And a damaged reputation couldn't be repaired simply by running more advertisements. --- Meanwhile, the person at the center of all that chaos was busy choosing flooring for his house. “This one is too shiny.” Rian shook his head while looking at the flooring sample in his hand. The man standing in front of him smiled. “How about the matte finish?” Rian picked up another sample. “This one.” “Wood color?” “Yeah. It feels warmer.” He placed the sample on the table. Rian's house wasn't particularly large. It was also located quite far from his farm, so the people living around him only knew him as a young man who owned a farm. They had no idea that the farm had grown into a business producing premium products. Rian deliberately kept the company name and brand away from his home. He liked having a quiet life. He didn't want people coming to his house just because they wanted to know him. He didn't want neighbors suddenly treating him differently after finding out how much money he had. And now, for the first time in years, he was spending money on something that wasn't related to business. He was spending it on himself. The contractor he had chosen was a company with extensive experience in residential renovations. Rian didn't want to do things halfway. If he was going to spend the money anyway, he might as well make the house comfortable enough to last for years. The roof was being inspected. The electrical wiring would be replaced. The water pipes would be upgraded. The kitchen would be expanded. The bathroom would be completely renovated. Even the backyard would be redesigned. “If you'd like, we can also build a small relaxation area in the back.” Rian looked over the design. “Sure. But don't make it too luxurious.” “You have quite a generous budget, Mr. Rian.” “I know.” Rian smiled. “But this is a house, not a hotel.” The contractor chuckled. “Understood.” Rian looked back at the floor plan. There was an extra room on the side of the house. “Are we keeping this room?” “Yes. Just as you requested.” Rian nodded. “Guest room.” He didn't say anything else. But inside his mind, one person came to mind. His older sister. It had been a long time since they had lived under the same roof. Their parents had died when Rian was still in high school. After that, their lives had changed completely. Rian had been forced to learn how to stand on his own much earlier than he should have. He worked. He studied. He fell. He got back up. Then did it all over again. Until eventually, he managed to build the life he had now. His sister was married and lived far away. They still kept in touch. They called from time to time. They exchanged messages. But Rian never asked her for help. Not because she wouldn't help him. It was precisely because he knew she would. He didn't want her kindness to turn into a burden. That was why, despite still having family, his daily life often felt like he had no one. Or at least, it used to. Now he had Jojo. Although, if he thought about it, having Jojo also meant maintaining a special budget for food, grooming, and the endless demands of a cat who apparently believed he was royalty. “Mr. Rian?” Rian snapped out of his thoughts. “Hm?” “Should we move on to the kitchen?” Rian nodded. “Sure.” But their discussion had only continued for a few minutes when the sound of a car stopping outside made Rian turn his head. A black car. Rian recognized it immediately. Bayu. But the moment the man stepped out of the car, Rian knew something was different. There was no smile. No casual greeting. Bayu walked quickly toward the house. Rian stood up. “Mr. Bayu?” Bayu nodded. “Sorry for coming without notice, Rian.” “It's fine. But you look like something serious happened.” Bayu didn't deny it. He took a deep breath before answering. “I came to ask you for help.” Rian immediately set aside the flooring sample he had been holding. “What kind of help?” Bayu stared at Rian for a few seconds. “Lukman.” That name immediately made Rian go still. “Your assistant?” “Yes.” Bayu clenched his fist. “He was shot.” Rian immediately straightened. “When?” “Two days ago.” “How is he?” Bayu didn't answer right away. He looked down at the floor. When he finally spoke, his voice was heavy. “Rian... he's dying.” The entire atmosphere changed. Bayu took a deep breath. “The doctors performed surgery. They dealt with the bullet wound, but the damage was too severe. His condition has been getting worse since last night.” Rian stared at him silently. “His blood pressure keeps dropping. He lost a lot of blood. Several of his organs are beginning to malfunction.” Bayu stopped. “This morning, the doctor told us we need to be prepared for anything.” “For anything?” Bayu nodded. “I mean...” Rian didn't finish the question. He already understood. Bayu looked at him. “He may not have much time left.” His hand, which had been clenched the entire time, began to tremble slightly. “I know I shouldn't be asking this of you. But I've seen what you did for my father.” Bayu looked directly into Rian's eyes. “I don't know what you actually have. I'm not going to ask you to explain it. I won't force you.” He took a breath. “But if there's even the slightest possibility of saving Lukman... I want to try.” Rian remained silent. He studied Bayu's face for a long moment. Not as a high-ranking police officer. Not as a powerful man. But as someone asking for help to save a person he trusted. Rian finally picked up his jacket. “I'll help.” Bayu raised his head. “Now?” “Now.” Rian slipped his phone into his pocket. “If the doctor says he's dying, we don't have time to sit here and talk.” Bayu nodded. “My car is outside.” Jojo suddenly jumped down from the sofa. “I'm coming.” Rian turned around. “No.” Jojo walked closer. “I'm coming.” “This isn't a trip.” “I know.” “Then why are you coming?” Jojo stopped right in front of Rian. “If you're going to face a dying man without me, who's going to make sure you don't do something stupid?” Bayu, who had been tense the entire time, finally let out a small laugh. Rian rubbed his face. “You two are exactly the same.” He sighed. “Fine. Come along.” Jojo immediately headed toward the door. “Wise decision.” Rian shook his head. Before leaving, he glanced once more at the renovation plans still spread across the table. A new guest room. A new kitchen. A new workspace. A house that would soon change. But suddenly, none of it seemed important. Somewhere else, a man named Lukman was fighting to stay alive. And this time, Rian wasn't chasing profit. He was racing against time.

Chapter 33 — bankruptcy