Nayara had completed everything on her work target list, faster than usual. She didn't want to put anything off, much less leave the office with a pile of unfinished work. As much as possible, she finished everything so she could set an example for her employees.
"Santi, I'm going to step out of the office for a few hours. I'll try to be back before lunch. I don't have any meetings with clients or priority clients, right?" Nayara asked her secretary, Santi.
"No, ma'am. Everything's taken care of for today," the secretary replied.
"All right. I'm heading out. Oh, and make an announcement in the group chat. No need to buy lunch. I'll bring back some gado-gado from the main road," Nayara said.
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you in advance. May whatever you're praying for always be answered by Allah," Nayara said.
Nayara strode toward the parking garage beneath her office and headed for the car she would be using. Then she drove to the law office of a lawyer she knew well—and who was also one of her clients.
"Could I see Ms. Wisesa?" Nayara asked the employee working at the front desk of a law firm called Wisesa N Friends Group.
"Do you have an appointment, ma'am?" the employee asked to confirm.
"No, sir. But could you please connect me with Ms. Wisesa? Just tell her that if she's available, Nayara Hartati Adnan would like to consult with her," Nayara replied.
"Of course, ma'am. Please wait a moment," the employee said as he picked up the phone. "Ms. Nayara, please come with me. Ms. Wisesa is free and can see you right away," he added.
"What brings a woman as ambitious as Nayara to see me?" A woman around Nayara's age greeted her with a warm hug.
"Usually, when someone comes to see Wisesa Rinjani Baskara, it's because bad news is blowing in—news that reeks of trouble," Nayara replied.
"You're awful, Nay," the woman named Wisesa whined. Nayara burst out laughing at her old friend's reaction. "Come on, sit down. I've actually been thinking about you these past few days. Thank God you're here in front of me now. I've missed you, Nay," Wisesa continued.
Wisesa Rinjani Baskara had been Nayara's friend since elementary school. She was a lawyer by profession. She wasn't some viral lawyer, but in the city where they lived, Wisesa was a fairly well-known attorney.
"Your office keeps getting bigger, Sa." Nayara's eyes surveyed every corner of Wisesa's office.
"I just renovated it, Nay. I won a case last year, and besides my legal fee, I got a bonus from the owner of the disputed land. So this is what came of it," Wisesa replied. "It's not like you to come see me so formally. Usually you just text and ask to meet," she added.
Nayara didn't answer. She simply handed over a folder containing several documents for filing for divorce.
"Why?"
Wisesa was stunned when she opened the folder. She knew the documents her friend had handed her were for a divorce filing. Once again, Nayara didn't answer. She simply handed Wisesa her phone.
"Oh my God. This is insane!" Wisesa shouted.
"Help me, Sa. I'm sure Rudi will fight over custody, especially since Andra is the only grandson in his family," Nayara pleaded.
"Andra's still a minor, Nay. It's obvious custody will go to you. Besides, Rudi doesn't have the power to fight you," Wisesa said.
"So what am I supposed to do?" Nayara asked.
"I'll stand by you through all of it. You can leave everything to me. I'll make sure you win decisively, including custody of Andra," Wisesa replied.
"Thanks, Sa. Rudi is very good at playing a role. He acted like such a family man, but it turns out he was hiding something rotten," Nayara said.
"That's how it usually is, Nay. Some of the female clients I've represented never imagined their husbands could be like that. At home, they really throw themselves into their roles as husbands and fathers. But outside, they're like horny cats," Wisesa said.
Nayara had taken the first step. She had handed her divorce process over to a lawyer. She also told Wisesa that she wouldn't attend if there was a mediation session. Her decision to divorce was final.