Marlina stood in front of the neatly arranged piles of boxes and metal racks, where gold bars and American dollars were carefully placed. Every corner reflected priceless wealth. Marlina hesitated, wondering who owned all this wealth. Were Merilton and Orena involved in something they shouldn't be? Was this the reason they had moved here? Only the elite lived here, those who sought peace and, of course, wanted to keep their own secrets, just like Tenuksia, she muttered to herself.
"It’s time for me to act," Marlina whispered to herself. "Or rather, it’s time for me to get rich and ‘rob’ my dear husband."
Marlina wore rubber gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints that might serve as evidence of her actions. She began to place every dollar note into several large bags she had prepared earlier. Each bill was carefully picked up and added, leaving not even one behind.
Next, she turned to the gold bars, which gleamed luxuriously under the light. Marlina smiled cynically as she lifted each bar one by one. In its place, she placed bricks she had prepared earlier. The bricks were painted gold, sparkling as though they were real gold bars. She also replaced the boxes of money with empty paper and bricks of the same weight as the cash. To the naked eye, no one would suspect a thing.
She made sure every shelf was put back in its original order, with nothing appearing out of place. She carefully lifted the bags out, the weight and time consuming five hours, but Marlina had made up her mind to become a woman of wealth. Once everything was done, she quietly closed the basement door. Her breath was heavy, but her heart was relieved.
Marlina knew she couldn’t use a rental car, as Merilton would surely realise she had left the residential area. Walking was out of the question; she wouldn’t be able to carry so much wealth. She finally decided to borrow Tenuksia's car.
"Tenuksia," Marlina called as she approached her neighbour's front door.
Tenuksia opened the door with a fake smile. "What is it, Marlina?"
"I’m going to take a walk in the Forest Lane Park today, but my car is having issues. Could I borrow yours?" Marlina asked calmly but confidently.
Tenuksia narrowed her eyes. "I only have an old car that’s quite slow. It will take up to four days to drive across the area. If you’re willing, I can lend it to you."
"That’s fine, as long as I’m not walking. This place is huge," Marlina replied, trying to hide her nervousness.
A few minutes later, Marlina stood in front of a dilapidated car that looked like it hadn’t been maintained for years. Its paint was dull, and the engine sounded rough, but Marlina had no other choice. Tenuksia had five other luxury cars but chose to lend her the old one. Tenuksia was indeed a cold-blooded reptile.
"Marlina, make sure you bring enough food and drink. I don’t want you to starve because that car can only move as fast as your cat walks," Tenuksia half, shouted.
"Alright... I’ll bring some," Marlina responded. It seems she’s afraid I’ll die while using her belongings, she thought, regretting not attending her housewarming party.
Marlina droves carefully, ensuring no one could detect her movements. The journey wasn’t easy. Tenuksia’s car moved slowly, and the rattling engine tested her patience.
For 34 hours, Marlina drove non-stop, only stopping for fuel or a brief rest, or when her cat needed to relieve itself. The long and quiet roads gave her a chance to reflect on the huge decision she had made.
When she finally arrived at her new house, exhaustion mixed with relief on her face. The house was located in the middle of an orchard, far from the sight of others.
She had bought the house with cash given by Merilton the day after he went abroad. Coincidentally, there was a real estate agent by the side of the road offering her the chance to buy a house with cash because the owner was facing financial trouble. After nearly two hours of discussion, Marlina decided to buy the house for RM25,000 using her mother Hana's false identity.
The so-called false identity had to be kept a secret, her mother had said. Using the name Misara Jordy, Marlina bought the house. She also deposited all the remaining money from Merilton into "Misara’s" savings account. While still living together, she often saw her mother use this identity for transactions she didn’t know about. After she married, her mother sternly warned her to keep this matter secret and to use it when necessary. Marlina had never asked her mother about it again.
Marlina immediately moved the bags full of money and gold bars to the basement of her new house. The house had advanced security systems like hidden cameras, digital locks, and electric fences. It was unclear what the previous owner had feared so much, but the house resembled a fortress. Marlina paid no attention to it.
After ensuring everything was safely stored, Marlina stood for a moment in the middle of the basement. She looked at the wealth she had moved with great satisfaction, successfully getting subtle revenge on Merilton and Orena.
Marlina knew she couldn’t stay away for too long. Time was her enemy. She immediately drove Tenuksia's old car and began her journey home.
The return journey was more nerve-wracking. Marlina couldn’t stop imagining the worst-case scenarios: What if Tenuksia got suspicious? What if Merilton or Orena suddenly came home earlier than expected?
However, Marlina didn’t let fear take control. She knew every step of her plan had been carefully considered.
On the way back, Marlina stopped at the park she had used as an excuse to borrow Tenuksia's car, bought some forest flowers, and made her presence known there with her cat. She let her cat become the centre of attention for the park visitors for a while.
By the time Marlina arrived at the luxurious residential area, night had fallen. She parked the car in Tenuksia’s driveway and handed over the keys and a few forest flowers as a token of thanks, proving she had indeed been to the park.
"Thank you, Tenuksia," Marlina said briefly.
Tenuksia nodded and said, "Sorry, Marlina, the neighbours who visited the park arrived earlier than you. They said your cat went missing in the park... Then, you drove home very slowly."
"Oh, it’s fine, Tenuksia. We found our way back, even though it was late," Marlina said, smiling with relief, knowing her presence in the park had been noticed by the neighbours. Tenuksia's eyes stared sharply at Marlina, but she quickly left before asking any more questions.
After returning home, Marlina walked into the living room, feeling relieved.
Suddenly, the lights in the living room turned on. Fear began to creep into her heart. She walked slowly to the centre of the room, her eyes scanning every corner.
"Marlina," a voice echoed from the dark corner of the room.
Marlina was startled and turned around. There stood Gaja, Tenuksia’s husband, with a knowing smile.
"What are you doing here?" Marlina asked, trying to hide her anxiety.
"I just want to know why you borrowed our old car. That car hasn’t been driven out, and you drove it for nearly three days," Gaja said in a soft but menacing tone.
Marlina tried to compose herself. "I had some business in the forest park."
Gaja stepped closer, his eyes fixed on Marlina. "I hope that business didn’t involve anything that could harm you, Marlina. Be careful with what you do."
He said this with a cold smile, then stepped out without saying anything further. Marlina stood still, her heart racing.
That night, Marlina sat on her bed, contemplating her next move. She knew that her life was now like a game of chess, where every move could lead to destruction. With Tenuksia’s husband threatening her, Marlina felt increasingly confused.