CHAPTER 02 - MY LOVELY STEPSISTER II [LUNA X ARIA]

Since Ratna announced her plan to marry Haris, Haris had been visiting their home more frequently. Haris seemed to be making a concerted effort to get to know his future family better and to show his responsibility as a good prospective husband. Each visit was filled with serious conversations with Ratna about wedding plans and efforts to create a deeper familiarity with Luna. However, Haris's efforts always seemed to hit a dead end.

Luna, still unable to accept Haris's presence in her life, chose to avoid him whenever her mother informed her that Haris would be visiting. Luna felt unprepared to face this major change. She often stayed over at Maya's house on days when Haris visited. Maya, as Luna's closest friend, was always ready to offer support and a temporary refuge from the uncomfortable reality Luna was facing.

At Maya's house, Luna felt more at ease. Only there could she escape from the bitter reality she was dealing with. They spent time watching movies, reading novels together, or just talking about their dreams and future. Each meeting with Maya always managed to lighten the burden on Luna's heart a little.

On the other hand, Haris felt that every visit to Ratna's house was incomplete without Luna's presence. Although Ratna always tried to reassure him that Luna just needed time to accept the situation, Haris still felt anxious. He feared that Luna would never be able to accept him as part of their family. Haris was well aware that time and patience were key to gaining Luna's trust. With that, he continued to make an effort to be present, despite the silence and distance that still existed between them.

One day, while she was walking with Maya to campus, a car sped past them. However, as the luxury car passed by, it slowly reversed, and when it reached the two, the door opened. A woman, about 25 years old, stepped out of the car. The woman was very beautiful and wore clothes that were slightly revealing at the chest, showing off her large, round cleavage.

The woman was wearing a sleeveless white blouse with a deep V-neck, paired with tight black pants that perfectly framed her curves. Her shoes were high red stilettos, adding an elegant and sexy touch to her appearance. Around her neck was a gold necklace with a minimalist yet striking design, and her dark brown hair flowed freely, shining under the sunlight.

Luna was mesmerized by the woman's beauty, especially since her outfit really showcased her stunning figure. "Who is that? She looks like a model..." exclaimed a pedestrian who happened to be walking on the same street as Maya and Luna. The woman smiled warmly at Luna and Maya. Then she looked at Luna, almost scanning her body, which made Luna feel uncomfortable.

Maya quickly protected her friend from the strange woman. "You must be Luna, right? I've heard about you. It seems we'll be meeting again soon," the woman said with a small laugh before getting back into her car and driving away, leaving Luna and Maya looking bewildered.

Maya was very annoyed with the strange woman. She couldn't understand why the woman had scrutinized Luna so intently, almost like a pervert. "Luna, do you know that woman? How does she know your name?" Maya asked suspiciously. Luna seemed to think hard but eventually shook her head. "I feel like there's something I'm forgetting, but it doesn't seem important," Luna replied hesitantly. They continued their journey to campus with lingering unease in their minds.

However, during class, Luna couldn't stop thinking about why the woman knew her name and what she meant by their upcoming meeting. Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind. "Ah! I remember!!!" Luna shouted abruptly. Of course, everyone in the class, including the lecturer, was startled and immediately focused their attention on Luna, who looked panicked and pale.

Luna wasn't used to being the center of attention, and this made her feel uncomfortable. Maya, sitting next to her, just facepalmed and shook her head at her friend's behavior. "What's going on, Luna? Calm down," Maya whispered, trying to soothe Luna amid the class's attention.

After class ended, in the cafeteria, Luna buried her face in her folded arms on the table. Maya sipped her boba drink while watching Luna with curiosity. Maya sighed briefly before asking what had really happened. "Why did you suddenly scream out like that in class, Luna?" Maya asked, bewildered.

Luna lifted her head, her face still very embarrassed for overreacting. Once Luna had calmed down a bit, she explained what had caused her embarrassing outburst. "I remember my future stepfather, Haris, mentioning that he has a daughter five years older than me. And most likely, that woman is my future stepsister," Luna revealed with a trembling voice.

Maya sipped her boba drink again and responded, "That's probably true, Luna. The woman did say she heard about you from someone." Luna felt even more depressed thinking that Haris was using his daughter to win her over. What made her even more depressed was the fact that she had been mesmerized by the woman's beauty and sexiness.

A moment later, Luna stood up resolutely. She wiped the tears from her face and shouted, "I won't be easily swayed! Just watch!!!" Maya finished her drink while thinking to herself, "Is she really not easily swayed?" Maya knew that Luna had a weakness for beautiful, cute, and sexy women.

Time passed quickly, and a week had gone by since the first encounter with Haris's daughter. Luna stood frozen, seeing the woman she had seen before sitting elegantly with her mother in the living room. The woman, with her graceful smile and stunning appearance, looked so at home in her house. Ratna noticed Luna's arrival and immediately approached her.

"Luna, come here. Let me introduce you to your future stepsister, Aria Ningsih," Ratna said softly but firmly. Luna, still shocked by this unexpected meeting, tried to calm herself. She hesitantly stepped closer to the two of them. Aria Ningsih rose from the sofa and smiled warmly, making Luna feel even more uncomfortable with the situation.

Aria extended her hand and said, "It's nice to finally meet you, Luna. I've heard a lot about you from Dad." Aria's voice sounded friendly, but Luna still couldn't fully trust her good intentions. Ratna intervened again, "Luna, there's no need to be shy. Aria will be part of this family, and I hope you can get to know each other better."

Luna could only nod slowly, feeling her whole world spinning. The meeting with Aria added a new layer of complexity to Luna's already confusing life.