16 Chapter 16. The Distance Between Us

Kenanga, who is still stealing, looks at Arjoona to tease Claire, being caught by Gentala, who then smiles back and tells Arjoona that someone is viewing them. As soon as Arjoona turned away, Claire also turned out, and Arjoona's smile vanished.

Keith accidentally noticed Claire, who was looking at a man a few tables near them. He also glanced for a moment, and Keith frowned. Who is that man?

Arjoona cleared up the contract material for the song he discussed when he accidentally stood up and bumped into a guest who was about to walk past his desk.

"Ah, sorry ..." Arjoona, who looked down and pressed the scattered paper, choked when he saw who accidentally hit him.

"Oh hi, Joona," said Dessy, who turned out to be holding her lover when she was going to pass Joona and accidentally nudged her. Arjoona did not answer and only smiled faintly. A piece of paper was still left, and it looks like Dessy accidentally stepped on it. Gentala, who saw, frowned.

"I don't know that you're here, this is an expensive restaurant, right?" Arjoona frowned at Dessy as if she was teasing him. Even his ex-girlfriend still thought that Arjoona didn't have money. Gentala, who also heard, shook his head and was annoyed.

"Sorry you stepped on my paper," Dessy looked cold and pretended not to know. She also looked down, and when she knew that it was a scribble of song lyrics, she turned her heels until the paper tore.

"Oops, I don't know, sorry," she replied, grinning evilly as if she felt guilty and just let go of her heels. The annoyed Gentala instantly took the paper from under Dessy's feet and gave it to Arjoona.

"Next time you have to use your eyes to see the way," Gentala said sarcastically, walking past Dessy and her partner. Dessy's boyfriend, who is offended by Gentala's judgment, confronts him so that there is almost a commotion.

"hey, what do you mean by that!" scolded Dessy's boyfriend while holding Gentala's hoody collar, and Gentala rapidly brushed his hand away.

"Educate your girls, don't be too proud, stepped on others like that, not cool!" Gentala replied in a high tone. Arjoona, who saw signs of an argument, quickly approached Gentala and quieted him down. Claire and everyone at her desk began to see what was going on.

"Enough, dude! Let's go," Arjoona half-whispered and was about to draw his friend not to continue the dispute. But Dessy didn't even cool off.

"Your friend apparently doesn't have manners, Joona," said Dessy, sarcastically pouring more gasoline. She did not even stop her lover, who provoked Gentala even more. Arjoona turned to Dessy with an annoyed expression.

"Don't look for argument with me, Dessy, you better just take care of your ex-affair, oh sorry, I mean your boyfriend," said Joona in a low tone sarcastically then pull Gentala, who smirking at Arjoona's sentence. Dessy immediately turned irritated and angry when she heard Arjoona mock her like that. Dessy's boyfriend is still trying to provoke him, but Arjoona and Gentala don't care. Instead, they just leave the restaurant.

"Isn't he is the head of the design division?" Louis said to Claire, who turned around to see Arjoona's debate. Claire just shrugged her shoulders and tried not to care.

"head of the design division? So that man works in your company, dear?" asked Keith to Claire. Claire just nodded slowly and continued sipping her drink. Keith just nodded in and looked at Claire.

They finally resumed the dialogue that was taking place before. But Claire's concentration, which had been split due to Arjoona's previous debate, no longer returned. She seemed to just say yes and shake her head when asked. Claire doesn't talk much anymore.

Returning to his room, Joona continued his work, which was almost complete. He has the final task of supervising the product, which will be tested this afternoon. After preparing reports and all kinds of things he needed, Arjoona came down after being summoned by his walkie talkie's production team leader. Arjoona was watching and trying smart refrigeration products with touch screens when someone called him.

"Arjoona." Joona turned around and saw Gerald Winthrop was standing away behind him. Joona walked over, took off his gloves, and special goggles from his face.

"Yes sir," replied Arjoona, smiling thinly.

"Can we talk?" Arjoona looked at the production team.

"Actually, we are doing a feature test on a new product, so can we talk later?" Gerald Winthrop laughed, now his staff refused to talk to him. Gerald's not finished chuckling heard Claire's voice behind calling her grandfather.

"What are you doing here?" asked Claire when she saw the figure of her grandfather. With Claire, there is Keith, and Louis following her to the factory. It turned out that Claire was showing her stepfather Winthrop Electronics.

As soon as Gerald saw Keith, his gaze was instantly unpleasant. And Keith just responded with a casual and sly smile as usual. Gerald did not expect that Keith was even in Indonesia and visited Claire. Now it was only a matter of time before Keith mastered it all. If he's here, then Gerald's plan to espouse Arjoona and Claire can be obstructed by Keith.

"What are you doing here, Keith?" Gerald asked curtly. Keith just smiled, trying to be friendly.

"Ah, Dad, I was just walking around. It happened that my beautiful daughter was the one who asked me to," replied Keith with a tone of sarcasm.

"Don't call me dad, I'm not your dad!" Keith just raised his eyebrows and grinned again. Claire saw that there had been tension and didn't want her family problems to be perceived by the factory workers. She finally tried to get her grandfather and stepfather to get out of the place and talk outside.

"I really need to talk to all of you. Arjoona comes with me now," Gerald said, then walked forward, leaving Claire and Keith behind. Claire glanced briefly at Arjoona, then looked away and embraced Louis, who looked at Joona sarcastically. Keith, who just met Arjoona, only gave him a sneer and followed Claire. Arjoona was the last person who walked behind them after providing the glasses and gloves to the production team leader.

Gerald Winthrop stood in the garden behind the office after being vacated by his bodyguards so that no one could overhear their conversation. After everyone gathered, Gerald immediately turned around and pulled Joona's arm, who was standing at the back of him.

"You all wait here, come on, Joona," Gerald asked Joona to come with him. Keith and Claire frowned but then tried to patiently wait for Gerald to return.

Gerald took Arjoona to a small wooden bridge over a small constructed canal.

"You returned the contract, have you decided?" Arjoona nodded.

"I can't marry Claire, sir" Gerald leaned his back against the bridge handle while folding his arms across his chest.

"You know what I'm asking, right, Arjoona?" Joona let out a heavy breath.

"consider your future, Joona," Arjoona looked back and thought. He continued to stand with one heel tapping on the wooden floor where he stood. He is thinking hard about his fate and future if he agrees to the crazy idea of ​​his boss, Gerald Winthrop, owner of the Winthrop Corporation.

"Is there no other way to protect your granddaughter? Why should I marry her?" Joona opposed to that 70 years old man. Gerald smiled and approached Arjoona.

"Nothing, I think she will be safer with you," he replied casually with a smile. Arjoona got more and more annoyed, he snorted repeatedly.

"Especially because of Keith coming here, if you guys don't get married soon, he will manipulate Claire."

"Sir, your granddaughter, hates me, I don't like women like her, you can hire a bodyguard."

"I need someone to watch over her day and night."

" then tell her to marry her boyfriend." Gerald now put a serious face on Arjoona.

"I can never trust Louis, he is not a good man, you know that, after all, don't forget if you owe me a debt of gratitude Arjoona Harristian" Gerald kept reminding Arjoona of his debt. Seeing Arjoona, who was getting restless, Gerald started to grin happily.

"Listen to me. This is only a two-year marriage. After Claire manages the company, you both can divorce, and you will get half the shares of Winthrop Motors. I think you will be happy to be in an automotive factory, isn't that your dream Joona?" Joona licked his lips then thought once before sighing heavily.

"Joona, if you don't marry Claire and she will be married to Louis, then everything will be in vain, I want you to protect and guide Claire, I know your talents, I beg you, son!" Arjoona feels even more uncomfortable. He knew he had to repay so many things to Gerald. If it weren't for him, then maybe Arjoona would have died in that orphanage.

"I have to pay my debt to you, sir, after this is done, my debt is ended" Gerald nodded and smiled. Arjoona nodded too.

"agree," they shake hands.

"I'll sign the contract," Gerald's smile returned to size.

"So, where is the marriage contract?" asked Joona again.

"We will sign after this, come on." Gerald again invited Arjoona to Claire, Keith, and Louis, who were waiting.