Lies
The Suspicious Smile

After going through the debate to delay his departure, Raya and Karan finally went to Milan according to the schedule. That morning they departed from their luxurious house accompanied by several journalists. This time Raya did not need to find out who invited the reporters. The answer is Karan. Her husband deliberately called them in front of his house so that the news hunters knew the agenda of his departure with Raya. That way the mass media and social media will be excited to announce their departure.

This was a question mark for Raya. Why is his activity always an easy meal for the media crew? Not just himself, but everyone they considered an artist. For example, an artist who is quite famous to go to the traditional market suddenly became the headline of several online media portals. But there's nothing special about that. Maybe even before becoming an artist, he even went to the market more often.

Even more ridiculous Raya had seen one of her seniors in the model world had become the topic of discussion of the media only because she was caught on paparazzi camera lifting gallons of mineral water from the car into the house. Either because she is a woman or because she should have a lot of money can hire people to lower the gallon. But when viewed from real life, there are hundreds of millions of Indonesian women who can do heavier work than that, which if traced, they would be able to just lift gallons of mineral water.

Now Raya feels it. She went abroad with her husband. In order to honeymoon anyway. Is there anything special about that? It seems that if you have more money, there are also many Indonesians who travel abroad, even wealthy businessmen often go back and forth on holidays in the country of people. After all, Raya went with her own husband, not the man's husband. If she is caught traveling with a man who is not her husband, then it deserves to be a talk of the wider community.

“Karan, why did you call the media? They should not have to follow us,” said Raya when she and her husband managed to get into the car to leave for the airport. As a result of her husband's actions, they were blocked by dozens of journalists who blocked their path. Luckily Karan hires some bodyguards to protect them. The bodyguards had to follow their cars to make sure reporters did not act recklessly.

Karan who had been busy checking some documents—ya, the man still had time to work in his own honeymoon vacation, turned his head and responded to Raya's remarks. “I didn't call the media, Honey. I'm just making an official statement that we're going on holiday abroad. That goes to our corporate media. Not to the media widely.”

“Iya, but they work together, Karan. They contacted each other for news. Why don't we just go quietly?”

According to Raya, telling the mass media or not actually has no major effect on him. The problem is that Raya doesn't like commotion. Every visit abroad in work affairs only Raya asked her staff not to divulge to the media. Especially until the fans know the departure schedule. The airport will be full. Not for air travel, but just to meet him. It greatly disrupts the activities of Raya and also interferes with the activities of the people who are at the airport. Not to mention if the fans of the Kingdom were infiltrated by irresponsible people to cause riots in the airport. The result is the face and image of Rayalah that will again be tarnished in the public eye.

“Why should we go quietly?” The husband asked back. “Something is wrong with our departure? I am your husband, Raya. Am I forbidden to go with you?”

Raya quickly shook her head. “No Karan, that's not what I meant. I just don't want to be the center of attention like this.”

“It doesn't matter if you're the center of attention, honey. It is your profession as a model that is liked by many people. There's nothing wrong with that. And the matter of the reporters who followed us, you need not worry, the bodyguards I hired could definitely take good care of us.”

As soon as Raya opened her social media, there were hundreds of thousands of comments filling one upload of her photo. Errata, meaning the photo that was uploaded by her husband. Karan still had time to update the status of Raya with various departure activities to the airport, as if to emphasize that Raya was really enthusiastic in making this trip.

Moving from social media to online media portals. The result was so surprising. Very inversely proportional to the response Raya got from her social media that the average community supports her honeymoon with her husband. What is highlighted in some media portals is not the reason or how the process of the departure of Raya and Karan. Except the vehicle used by Raya in her departure this time. The Reviano family's private plane was the main subject and it was linked to Raya's status as director of the company's foundation. They assume that they should not be someone who is involved in the social world who should help the difficult people, instead showing off such wealth.

“See this!” exclaim Raya while showing her phone screen to her husband. “The reporters did not always give good news, Karan. Quite the contrary. They like to look around for someone's mistakes in order to get a news.” Raya tried to explain to her husband that journalists did not always side with them. Journalists need money, too. They were paid to write a story that would be thrown to the public. Regardless of whether the news was true or false, or perhaps just the opinion they were dribbling into fact and stirred up an uproar, they did not care. As long as there is news, then their salary is safe.

Karan sees Raya's phone at a glance, then he smiles at her. “I know, which is why you stopped to read the news they made, Honey.” Karan's hand moved to lower Raya's phone, and the man continued. “Just let them make such an insinuating speculation because that is not the case. You didn't use the foundation's money to make this trip. After all, even if you use foundation money, it has nothing to do with the general public. We do not use donors in our foundation because all pure income comes from the Reviano Group. So, there is no reason they associate your work with this holiday.”

The man revealed the facts. Instead of looking for a gap from an artist, it is better for the reporters to follow the steps of regional or central rulers. They must have gotten something even more amazing. The problem is, despite finding the infamy of the rulers, the journalist would not dare to write a single word on their media portal. Their position will be threatened. And worse, their lives could be lost. That is why they turn their target to celebrities. Because the artists are very easily exposed to life. Not to mention that the artists did not have any power despite their huge amount of money and fans.

Despite being commemorated, Raya still insisted on reading the news portal on her mobile phone. This time he deliberately avoids articles that discuss about him. Look for other news that is trending that day. It turns out that there is another artist who is being talked about as well, namely Reagan. Apparently the man managed to become the lead role in a film that cooperates with foreign parties. Raya smiled. This is what must be discussed by the community and covered by the media on a large scale. The performance of an artist, not just highlighting the things of his personal life every day.

The feeling of Raya's heart had improved, but Karan was just the opposite. He was astonished to find a faint smile rising on his wife's lips. His curiosity rose and then asked the woman. “Why are you smiling, honey? Is there any good news?”

Raya who was afraid of making her husband jealous hurriedly hung up her phone right before Karan could see her. The woman also quibbled. “Nothing,” he said while forcing a smile to appear on his face.

Very suspicious, Karan thought. It was impossible for Raya to smile after the woman had previously complained about the news published by reporters. There must be something covered by Raya and it pisses Karan off. What's wrong with telling him that? Was Karan not valuable enough to know what made his wife smile just now?