Hearing Ellena say her name, made Lucas think back to Selena. However, at the same time, he also thought that he could use the situation to his advantage.
Whether it was just a coincidence, or it was God's destiny that deliberately brought him together with a woman whose name was almost similar to his ex-lover.
He can't waste that opportunity. He did not want his extended family to be ashamed of his actions. However, he also doesn't want to marry a bad woman like Selena. The only way out is to marry another woman, namely Ellena who is also no less beautiful than Selena.
"I want to marry you," Lucas lied. He also did not intend to tell about his relationship with Selena to Ellena.
Seeing Lucas' attitude made Ellena quite understand that something had happened between Lucas and his lover, even though she didn't know the truth.
"How? Will you accept my offer?" Lucas asked Elena.
"Sorry, I can't," said Ellena, lowering her head.
How could she accept Lucas' offer, when herself already has a lover in the village. Keenan, a man who has always been faithful waiting for her, even though Keenan's parents never approved of their relationship.
She loved Keenan very much, and she couldn't possibly betray a man as good as her lover. After all, no matter how handsome Lucas was in her eyes, she still wasn't attracted to her boss. Until this moment only Keenan was able to fill her heart, and she didn't want to marry a man who didn't love.
Hearing Ellena's answer, Lucas immediately became inflamed again. 'How could an ordinary employee like Ellena dare to refuse me, when there are so many women out there who want to be my girlfriend?' he thought.
However, Ellena was Ellena, not Selena who could easily be seduced by Lucas' treasure.
For Ellena, marriage is something sacred and must be done by two people who love each other. No, it was done to hurt each other. Then, how can they live happily, if it doesn't start with love? She thought.
"Okay, that means you're willing to pay for the damage to my car!" Lucas snapped, which suddenly made Ellena gasp again. "I have decided that you will not receive wages for three years and during that time, you are not allowed to be absent from work or leave," he added.
Ellena is even more shocked and can't believe that as a result of that event, her life is being threatened. In fact, Lucas extended the period of her pay cut, leaving her even more in a dilemma as to where to go.
"But, Sir?" Ellena was eager to complain to Lucas. It seemed so unfair to the man.
"You've turned down my offer, haven't you?" Lucas asked, smiling bitterly.
"But what about my wages?" asked Ellena a little nervously.
"Are you deaf, huh? Didn't you hear what I just said?" Lucas snapped.
"But that's not fair to me," Ellena replied.
"What did you say? Not fair?" Lucas rolled his eyes. "Then, what about my car that you destroyed, is that fair to me?" he added annoyed.
"I beg you, let me work and still receive wages from my work. I really need a lot of money. Please!" Again Ellena begged Lucas not to cut her wages.
"How much money do you need?" Lucas asked, looking intently.
"Emm ... 300 million. I am confused about where to pay that much debt. Only my job is the only hope so that I can pay off those debts and my family is no longer being chased by moneylenders," explained Ellena.
"300 million? Why did you borrow that much money?" Lucas asked again. He stared in disbelief that an innocent woman like Ellena actually had a lot of debt.
"Th-that ... that's my late father's debt. Before he died, he borrowed money from moneylenders in huge amounts, so that my mother and I had to bear this burden, while our lives were lacking." Ellena's eyes immediately filled with tears remembering her sad life, after her father's departure.
"I will help pay off all the debts, and also cover your family's living expenses, but on one condition. You must accept the offer to marry me next week!" Lucas said.
Ellena shrank again, after just now she was about to smile widely, because Lucas would be willing to help her. In fact, it's the same. Lucas was only willing to help her, if she was willing to be the man's wife.
"But what about Miss Selena?" asked Elena.
"Don't you ever mention her name in front of me!" Lucas said.
Seeing Lucas angry like that made Ellena even more sure that something had happened between Lucas and Selena.
"Sorry," Elena whispered, lowering her gaze.
"If you are willing to accept my offer, I will guarantee everything, not only your family's debts, but also their lives and I will fulfill all your wishes," Lucas explained, still trying to persuade Ellena to marry him.
"But I already have a boyfriend," Ellena replied, which suddenly made Lucas pause for a moment.
"You don't have to worry. This marriage is only temporary. We will be married by agreement, only for six months. And during that marriage, I promise not to touch you one bit. Trust me!" Lucas said.
"You mean we have a contract marriage?" asked Ellen to confirm.
"Yeah, that's right," Lucas answered simply.
Ellena was silent for a moment. She was really in a dilemma faced with a situation like this. On the one hand, she really wants to be able to pay off these debts so that her family can live in peace, but on the other hand she also doesn't want to betray Keenan who has always helped her when she was in trouble.
If only Keenan's parents would approve of their relationship, maybe Keenan who also comes from a rich family could help lighten her load, it's a shame Keenan's parents didn't agree if their son had a relationship with her, so Keenan was not allowed to help her. In the end, she had to bear the burden, after her mother's health condition worsened.
Eight years ago, a car accident that claimed her father's life left Ellena living in a slump. Not to mention, a month after her father died, she just found out that her father was cheating on him with another woman and had a child as a result of the affair, which really broke her heart even more. It hurts even more, when she finds out that her mother has known about the affair for a long time, only that her mother deliberately hides it from her so he doesn't hate the father figure who has made her life hell
At that time, Farah, the woman who became Ellena's father's affair, left a boy named Martin to Ellena's mother, exactly one hour before Farah died of chronic heart disease that had been suffered by the woman for a long time.
Since then, Rosa, took good care of Martin. Although Martin is the result of her husband's affair with Farah, she never hated Martin. In fact, she also always asked Ellena to still love her young brother wholeheartedly. Since then, their lives have changed and are full of suffering, where almost every day they are chased by several loan sharks who collect debts.
Luckily, after graduating from high school, she got a scholarship to go to college, so she could still continue her education and have a bachelor's degree. With this diploma, she was able to work at Lucas' company and help her mother pay off her late father's debt.
"Are you ready?"