4. Slow but Sure

Tristan sat pensively. His gaze was straight, watching the rows of skyscrapers from behind the glass of his study.

Sometimes looks like he's smiling. Not without reason. It was as if a spark of joy was running through his heart that had been empty for a long time. This all happened because of yesterday's meeting with the woman Edward brought to his birthday party.

"So Sophia has been living in Germany all this time?" asked Tristan while eating the dinner already on the table. Listening to Edward, who continued to chatter about the pair he brought, Tristan was also curious.

"Yes …" The woman named Sophia nodded. "Since I was a child, I have lived in Germany. I just moved in a year ago and finally decided to settle in London," he explained as he took a sip of Edward's wine.

"By the way, who do you live with? Are you alone or maybe with your family?" Again, Tristan asked a question. He was so enthusiastic about whatever Sophia told him. Not the slightest bit of attention shifted. As if already glued to the beautiful woman sitting next to his best friend.

"Right now I live alone. My parents and sister are in Germany. But soon, they too will follow to move to London."

"It must not be easy living alone in the city you just lived in."

"Yes..." Sophia nodded in agreement. "At first, I found it difficult. But it's okay. Honestly, I'm happy to be living alone in London. Here, I am free to do my job and all my hobbies without anyone disturbing me."

Once again, Tristan silently smiled. Not a happy smile because he met a beautiful woman. But a happy smile seemed happy because the target he had been looking for appeared by itself.

"Mr Tristan, I brought you what you asked for."

From behind the door. There was a knock on the door and the entry of a man whom Tristan knew so well. Stepping slowly, I walked closer to where the man was sitting.

"What information have you got, Mario? Please show me," replied Tristan.

"I have summarized everything in one document. Sorry in advance, there may still be some missing information. But I promise, I will find the rest for you."

Tristan nodded, then grabbed the black map that was handed to him. Start reading carefully. Explore all the information he might need.

"Sophia Walters. The first child of Alfonso Walters and Anna Maria Walters."

Tristan read what was written there. The man glanced and looked deeply into his assistant's face.

"That means, this woman is indeed the person I was looking for."

"It is certain that it is, Sir," said Mario. "From all social media pages. Biodata listed on the agency's website and photos circulating, it can be ascertained that this woman is indeed the daughter of Alfonso Walters; a property entrepreneur from London who is now moving into the construction world and living in Hamburg, Germany."

Tristan looked back at the sheet of paper in his hand. He was looking at some photos while rereading them carefully, as if not wanting to miss a single piece of information.

"Only 24 years old. Single. Modeling by profession and well-known as a social activist. Several relationships with artists. And currently living alone in Marylebone Square's Penthouses."

"That's right, Sir," repeated Mario. "I've tucked in some Miss Sophia's show schedule which was officially released by her agency. I've also attached data on who is close to that woman. And one of them is your own best friend."

Tristan, in his seat, nodded. "Yes, I know. This woman seems to be close to Edward." Tristan's eyebrows rose. The man pulled the corners of his lips meaningfully. "But I won't let them get in any further. Never, Mario."

Tristan's voice was low. But there's a definite undertone of threat tucked in there. His gaze was sharply drawn towards the photo of Sophia he was holding.

Mario could only move in his position. In addition to carrying out his primary duties in the office as a confidant, Tristan also asked him to investigate someone. The young man was willing to pay a high price for a private detective to find the whereabouts of a man named Alfonso Walters and his entire family.

From the first, Mario was curious. But until this moment, he never dared to ask clearly for what purpose the man was looking for Alfonso, who had long moved from London to Hamburg, Germany.

"Thanks for your report, Mario. If you have any other information about the Walters family, please let me know as soon as possible," Tristan pleaded.

Mario nodded politely. After giving what Tristan asked for, he chose to leave the room.

Not even a few minutes before Mario left, there was another knock on Tristan's door. This time it was Raphael's turn to visit the young man.

"Is Uncle interrupting your time?" Raphael asked as he stepped inside.

"Of course not, Uncle Raphael. No matter how busy you are, I'll always have time for you."

There was a sincere tone in Tristan's words. As an orphan, he felt genuinely indebted to Raphael. The man had been patiently taking care of him and even taking care of him.

He cared for and taught him so many things that he could succeed as he is today. Because of the magnitude of this service, Tristan was always determined to obey what Raphael said. He also tried his best not to dispute what his uncle ordered.

"You're really good at touching me," said Raphael. The man then sat quietly in the chair directly opposite Tristan.

"What's so important that Uncle came to see me here?" asked Tristan curiously. "Uncle wants to discuss your engagement with Aurora. In your opinion, when is the right time to hold this sacred procession?"

Tristan was silent for a moment. It seems very clear when is the right time to carry out what his uncle has ordered him to do. He has made a promise, and it is impossible to break. "Actually, I wouldn't mind having the event at any time. However ..." Raphael's brow furrowed deeply. Hearing Tristan deliberately pausing his sentence made him curious now.

"But what?" he asked for sure. "I recently met Sophia Walters. The daughter of Alfonso Walters I've been looking for, Uncle."

The statement from Tristan certainly made Raphael gasp in surprise. He remembered having sent his men to investigate Alfonso and his family.

But, it was a bit difficult for him to get information. And now, suddenly, the daughter of a Alfonso Walters appeared without needing to be searched. It was as if God had deliberately shown his kindness to Tristan, who had been around to look for the woman's whereabouts for a long time.

"Then what are you going to do after this?" he inquired.

Raphael was sure the son of his two best friends had prepared a well-thought-out plan long ago. He knew very well who Tristan was.

The young man was born with strong instincts. Never reckless. Always full of calculation in every action and decision to be taken. This is also what causes Tristan to be able to compete with competitors in the business world that she is currently in.

"I will slowly approach him, Uncle. For that, please allow me to win Sophia's heart first. When all plans are carried out smoothly, I promise to immediately marry Aurora."

Hearing those words, Raphael looked up and made their eyes meet. His emerald green eyes stared into Arsen's piercing blue beads. Trying very hard to read what plan the man was driving. "Are you sure about this plan of yours?"

Tristan nodded his head and gave a respectful gesture. "I've calculated it very carefully, Uncle. This is the only way to destroy Alfonso slowly."

"That's not what I meant," said Raphael. His face looked very worried. "What if you end up falling in love with Alfonso's daughter?"

"That won't be possible, Uncle." Tristan, full of confidence, immediately denied.

"How could I love the daughter of the one who destroyed my family."

Immediately Tristan's cold words eroded Raphael's worries. Especially seeing the look of hatred that didn't budge on the man's face, it was implausible that Tristan would fall in love with the child of his enemy.

"All right. Uncle entrusts everything to you. But you need to remember, Tristan." Raphael looked deeply into the face of the man he considered his son. "In any case, you still have to be careful. Uncle doesn't want anything bad to happen to you."

Tristan nodded again. He grabbed Raphael's wrist and held it tight. As if giving confidence that nothing wrong will happen to him in the future.

"Trust me everything. What Alfonso has done, he is also the one who must be held responsible in the end."

***

Tristan took a sip of the caramel macchiato he just ordered. After finishing all the work, he decided to stop first at one of his regular coffee shops located not far from his office.

While watching the lights and vehicles going back and forth, Tristan enjoyed his solitude tonight. Now and then, the thought of his parents flashed. Showing the memories of happiness that they had been through. Until not long, a woman's rebuke disturbed what he had been doing all this time.

"Tristan," said a beautiful woman whose voice was unfamiliar to Tristan's ears. When he looked up, he found Sophia's figure standing straight in front of the table.

"I didn't expect to meet you here. Can I join you?"

Tristan smiled faintly. Rising from his seat, the man politely invited Sophia to sit down. "With pleasure, please have a seat. I just happen to be alone tonight." Sophia smiled happily. Without hesitation, he sat down.

"Would you like something to drink? I can order it for you," Tristan offered politely.

"Of course." Sophia immediately nodded. "A cappuccino latte seems fitting for me to drink with you tonight."

Tristan then waved a signal to call the waitress who was on guard. After ordering drinks, the man again invited Sophia to talk. "Where are you from? Just finished work?"

"Yes, I do. I just finished a photo shoot at a studio not far from here. You alone? How are you? How long have you been in this cafe?"

Tristan nodded, then stretched out his hand to reach for the caramel macchiato cup he had ordered. Take a sip slowly, then tell a story afterward. "My office is not far from here. Usually before returning home, I stop for a while to just sit and enjoy coffee."

"Oh, yeah? Are you always like this alone? Or sometimes with your partner?" Sophia asked cautiously.

Tristan glanced. Before long, the man chuckled softly. There was a sense of exasperation to see Sophia's face, which was waiting for an answer from her. "Always alone. Incidentally I don't have a partner at the moment."

"Ah, you're really good at bragging," Sophia said with a chuckle. How could he believe that there was a man as handsome as Tristan but without a partner?

"Do handsome men always say that? I mean, always claim to be single to a woman he just met?" "I'm not bragging,"

Tristan replied with a smile. "I'm really not in touch with anyone right now."

"Then who was the beautiful woman you were with that night?" Sophia inquired curiously. He remembered that Tristan seemed close to the woman he was with at the celebration the other day.

"Beautiful woman?" Tristan's brow furrowed for a moment. He tried to remember until soon the man called out softly. "Ah, you mean Aurora? The woman I was with at the birthday party?"

Sophia immediately nodded. "Yeah, he's your girlfriend, right? You two looked really close and got along very well that night."

"But he's not my lover," Tristan insisted. "I can say that Aurora is like my own sister. We are close because we have known each other and have been friends since we were little."

"Ah, I see."

"How About You yourself?" Tristan asked back.

"What do you mean?" Sophia asked, confused.

"Your relationship with Edward. Aren't you guys close at the moment?"

Sophia nodded. She did not deny at all what Tristan said. "In the last few months, the two of us have been really close. But so far we're just friends. Nothing more than that. I haven't thought about being in a relationship with any guy either."

"That means I don't have a chance to get close to you either?" joked Tristan with a small laugh. Which of these words made Sophia pause for a moment. As if digesting what the man had just said.

"Oh my gosh Sophia, I was just kidding." Tristan hastily corrected his sentence.

"You. It just makes me nervous," protested the woman.

The two then started talking again. They discussed light things until they lost track of time and finally decided to go home.

"You have a vehicle?" asked Tristan as she walked with Sophia to the cafe outside.

"No. I rarely use my own vehicle. Maybe soon I'll call the driver to pick me up."

"Then let me take you home," Tristan offered politely. He had to approach her slowly.

"No need. I don't want to bother you."

"Of course not," said Tristan quickly. "Besides, it's very dangerous for a beautiful woman like you to wait to be picked up here by herself." Called beautiful, Sophia's face immediately turned red. She also felt flattered by the sweet attitude of the man who had been with her.

Seeing the sincerity on Tristan's face, those sky-blue eyes blinked for a moment. He seemed to be contemplating whether to accept the offer he had just been given.

Then, a sweet smile spread from Sophia's lips. He thought it was not wrong to accept Tristan's invitation, who was not a random man.

"It's okay if you insist. Besides, there's nothing to lose with a handsome man like you," he said honestly. Yes, Tristan is so handsome in Sophia's eyes. He couldn't deny this fact. Tristan politely guided Sophia to walk toward her car, parked right in front of the cafe. Without hesitation, help open the door and let the woman in. Then escort Sophia to her destination.