“What’s wrong with Aditya, Lis?” Dimas asked curiously, there was a sense of concern in his tone.

“It’s really hard to tell, Dim. But I have to tell you now so that you don’t misunderstand where my savings have gone!” Lisa explained, tapping her long fingers on the bed, worried.

“No problem, I have a lot of time. After all, my work starts late. Anyway, aren’t you going to come here today, Lis?”

“No, I’m not allowed to enter, please do it, my head is still dizzy because of last night!” Lisa said, a little annoyed.

“It’s okay, I’m just reminding myself. So what about Aditya?” Dimas asked.

“You still remember Aditya’s job, right?” Lisa replied, starting the story she was about to spill.

“Yes, he is an investor, you say.”

“It’s all lies, Dim. He’s just an imposter!”

“Huh?! Don’t tell me, your money…. ” Dimas was silent for a moment, considering whether the suspicion he had about Aditya was correct.

Aditya Satyadibrata was in a relationship with Lisa when this all started. Lisa met Aditya when they were both in college. They both worked hand in hand during their years in college. Their relationship lasted almost five years, but one day, Aditya forced their love’s ark to sink.

“Yes, Dim, my money was taken away by him.” Lisa said in a serious tone, “And you know what’s even more troublesome than him taking all my savings away? He left me with no words.”

“Gosh, Lis! Why didn’t you tell me last night at the Sky Lounge? If this is the case, I understand!”

“Sorry Dim, but yesterday I really don’t want to tell you first. It really hurts! I can’t listen to you even if you insisted on preventing me from getting drunk!”

“That’s true. As your friend, I should help you. So how could I let you fall with a broken heart like that?”

“I see, the point is he took all my money away. My savings are the result of my hard work from working at Petersson Communication up until now!”

“Wait a minute, but how does he take all of your legal savings?”

“So here lies my stupidness Dim.” Lisa cleared her throat and continued her story, “I thought he really intended to marry me from the day he asked me to give all my savings to him, saying that we’re going to invest for our future. How foolish am I! Apparently, he ran away with all my savings and married another girl!”

Aditya was indeed an accomplished con man. He’d had many victims from his investment fraud, but the man was blessed with great luck. No matter how often he scammed his way to people, he always managed to evade the law. He’d lost contact with Lisa after college, but Aditya came back to the woman and told her that he was a successful investor. A sweet promise from the mouth of a cunning person blinded Lisa to give all of her savings, thinking she could really live up to his empty words like “for a better life in the future.”

Annoyed, Lisa raised her voice, “He’s the biggest scumbag on earth, right? I deserve to be angry!” She continued her rant, “As for the money I use for fun at the Sky Lounge, it’s my own money. I already arranged it!” Lisa explained firmly.

“Okay, but wouldn’t it be wise if you save the money to pay for your sick mother and your younger sibling who is still in college, Lis?” Dimas tried to suggest her.

“Now that’s impossible, Dim! That jerk ran away with my money that I’ve arranged for mother’s medical expenses and Bella’s tuition!” Lisa said a little annoyed, “Do you understand now?!”

“Yeah, yeah. Sorry about that. But you still have a friend, right? Should I help you?” Dimas said jokingly, “Ah yeah, does your mother know about this?” He asked.

“I wanted to tell her earlier but she was already furious when she saw me lying dizzy in the room. Maybe tomorrow or when the atmosphere between us cools down then I’ll tell her.”

“You better not delay it again, Lis.” Dimas’ voice suddenly became serious, “Yesterday, your mother told me about the house building’s tax and divorce papers, which until now are still held by your father.”

“I’m also thinking about a solution, Dim. I can’t do much since Aditya took the money I saved to finance my mother and Bella.” Lisa replied.

“You don’t want to take this to court?” Dimas asked, his voice sounded attentive.

“I can’t handle my mother’s divorce papers, let alone report Aditya! In the end… I’ll need more and more money! I’m so done with all this, Dim!” Lisa answered him. There was a mix of regrets and grudge in her tone.

“Yes, okay then. By the way Lis, I want to ask you something.” Dimas suddenly turned serious and tense.

“The foreigner yesterday… Is that your friend?”

For an instant, it felt like Lisa was struck by lightning. Dimas’ question really hit her consciousness. She didn’t even remember the memory with a foreign man from Europe that Dimas mentioned.

“Dim, I even forgot what I was doing at the Sky Lounge other than drinking four bottles of soju and a shot of vodka!”

“Whoa whoa whoa, hold up there.” Dimas said, his tone slightly mocking, “Yesterday I saw you fainted and was carried by a foreigner!”

Lisa did not flinch, never in her memory was she carried by a strange man when she passed out in the Sky Lounge. Maybe, her consciousness still hadn’t really returned so that the pieces of memory about the strange man never crossed her mind.

“Do you know what he’s doing to me, Dim?” She asked, curious and worried.

“Now that’s what I want to ask you! I have been friends with you all my life and have never heard of and see that you have foreign friends. All I know is Andien, your co-worker at your office!”

“Dim, are you sure? Foreigners don’t like me, right?” Lisa started to get even more worried.

“As far as I know, you were carried by a Caucasian man from the bathroom. He said you fainted after vomiting because of severe drunkenness. I don’t understand the rest.” Dimas answered her.

“Ok, Dim, thank you for telling me. Oh one more thing, please don’t talk about this foreigner again. I don’t want to make myself even more anxious, my disease will recur, I’m the one who’s dizzy.”

“You can count on me Lis. Take care, okay?”

“Thanks, Dim!” Lisa closed the conversation with Dimas. She then charged her cellphone as its battery was already low and heated due to a long conversation.

Lisa got up again and sat on the edge of her bed. She occasionally massaged her head which was still dizzy. Lisa thought that if she hadn’t ordered four bottles of soju yesterday, she would have been sitting at her desk by now. It’s a waste of time and money.

The woman then rushed to the bathroom and wiped her makeup-stained face with cold water. ‘So fresh…’ She thought. She combed her messy hair with her fingers, making it look tidier. Lisa then took off her blazer and skirt, threw it at the basket on the side of the bathroom door, leaving only her underwear still stuck to her body. While brushing her teeth sour from alcohol last night, she tried to remember the face of the stranger who was said to have been with her last night at the Sky Lounge.

‘A Caucasian man, right? Who is he? What did I do with him?’