The tense standoff on the porch of the small row house was finally brought to an end by Firman's unyielding authority. Once he confirmed that the debt collectors had withdrawn for the night, Firman refused to linger a moment longer. He paid no mind to Rizka Amulia’s shell-shocked stare, her hysterical weeping, or her desperate cries echoing down the alley as she tried to chase after him.

To Firman, tonight belonged entirely to his grandmother. Turning on his heel, he returned to his heavy scooter and rode with Grandmother Sumarni back to her rental unit so she could rest.

"Don't worry, Grandma. By tomorrow morning, this will all be over," Firman reassured her before departing for his apartment. They agreed to meet again the next morning at Rizka’s rental, alongside the lenders, to settle every last cent of the debt.

Word that a wealthy young man was stepping in to pay off Rizka’s debts spread like wildfire. Within hours of the chaotic night, Hendra—Rizka’s new husband, who had been hiding like a frightened rat—suddenly showed his face.

The coward returned to the small rental with shameless ease, putting on a show of relief and feigned gratitude before Rizka as though he had never abandoned his family. A greedy glint flared in his eyes when he learned that their savior was none other than the son Rizka had thrown away years ago.

At precisely nine the following morning, the atmosphere outside Rizka’s house grew tense once more. The three burly collectors from the night before were already waiting by the porch. This time, however, they were accompanied by a middle-aged man wearing a tight safari suit and a thick gold chain around his neck. He was the primary loan shark himself—the owner of the capital, who had come in person to see whether the promise of a full multi-hundred-million-rupiah payout was real or a bluff.

Hendra and Rizka stood trembling on the porch, nervously glancing toward the end of the alley every few seconds.

"Rizka! Where's this kid who was supposed to pay up?" one of the tattooed collectors shouted. "Don't mess with us—the boss came down here himself today!"

"I-he's coming, sir... He promised he'd be here this morning," Rizka stammered, her face drained of color. Beside her, Hendra swallowed hard, his panic rising.

Moments later, the deep, smooth hum of a powerful engine echoed from the entrance of the alley. A sleek, midnight-black luxury sedan with a flawless mirror finish glided into view, cutting through the narrow residential street. The presence of the multi-billion-rupiah automobile created a striking contrast against the run-down neighborhood.

The sedan pulled up directly in front of the rusted iron gate.

A personal driver stepped out, opening the rear passenger door. A tall, impeccably built young man stepped out onto the pavement.

Firman Aditya.

This morning, he wore a tailored, dark charcoal suit paired with a crisp white dress shirt—no tie—and a luxury chronograph watch gleaming on his wrist. His presence dominated the space, radiating the absolute authority of a top-tier executive.

Turning back to the car, Firman carefully helped Grandmother Sumarni out of the passenger seat. Looking far more composed and tidy, Grandmother Sumarni stepped out in her finest traditional sarong. Riding in her grandson's luxury sedan was something she had never envisioned in her lifetime.

Seeing Firman walk up the porch steps, Rizka rushed forward with tear-filled eyes. "Firman... you really came, my child..."

Firman didn't even glance her way. His marble-cold eyes locked directly onto the man in the safari suit standing in the center of the porch.

"Are you the principal lender?" Firman asked, his tone quiet yet carrying immense psychological weight.

The loan shark paused, taking in Firman's appearance from head to toe, before letting out a thin smile and nodding. "That's right, young boss. I hear you're stepping up to cover this family's obligations. With interest and six months of late penalties, the total stands at four hundred and fifty million rupiahs."

Hearing the staggering sum, Hendra suddenly chimed in with a pitiful, exaggerated grin. "That's right, young Firman... Please help us out. It's for your mother too. My business was scammed, you see, so—"

STOP!

Firman raised a single right hand, cutting Hendra off mid-sentence. His gaze shifted toward the man, so piercing and sharp that Hendra instantly shut his mouth, taking a terrified step backward.

"I am not speaking to you. And do not ever dare speak my name again," Firman hissed, his voice dropping to a freezing chill.

Turning back to the lender, Firman retrieved a tablet from his briefcase, reviewing the itemized breakdown presented by the collector. Once he verified the paperwork was legally sound, his fingers moved across the screen.

"Provide your primary corporate account number," Firman stated plainly.

The loan shark read out the bank code and account details. Firman’s fingers danced across the display. In less than thirty seconds, the Senior Cybersecurity Engineer transferred four hundred and fifty million rupiahs directly from his personal account. To others, it was a life-ruining fortune; to Firman, it was the cash price required to buy absolute freedom from his past.

PING!

A transaction confirmation alert popped up on Firman’s tablet, coincided by a vibration from the loan shark’s phone. The lender reached into his pocket, checked his screen, and his eyes widened in shock.

"Transfer received. Four hundred and fifty million rupiahs, paid in full," the lender declared. His menacing demeanor dissolved into a wide, respectful grin toward Firman. He immediately signed the release document and handed the original collateral deed directly to Firman.

Firman accepted the deed and, without a word, placed it directly into the hands of Grandmother Sumarni standing beside him. He did not hand the document to Rizka or Hendra.

"Our business is concluded," Firman told the lender.

The loan shark nodded in satisfaction, gesturing for his men to head out. But before stepping through the gate, he turned toward Rizka Amulia, who was weeping in the corner of the porch.

Shaking his head, the lender offered a wide smile toward Firman, calling out loud enough for the entire alley to hear, "You should thank God you have a son who cares, Rizka! If not for this successful young man, your house would have been leveled to the ground today!"

The lender's parting words struck Rizka like a bolt of thunder, leaving her consumed by overwhelming shame and agonizing regret as she wept in the quiet of the morning.