02. New Year's Tragedy

Elena Kalila Winson, the only child of Albert Winson and Mikaila Robinson. The father is the owner of one of the largest coal mining companies in South Kalimantan, while the mother is a fashion designer whose name is well known in many countries. In short, Elena is a girl from a good family who is also respected in society. Elena is a model whose flight hours have reached overseas so she is also quite seen by many media crews.

Her relationship with Ethan has been going on for about four years, but because Ethan himself doesn't want his name to be too well known, therefore not many people know about their relationship except those closest to her. But things are no longer the same, not when Ethan has just won the highest auction price for his painting and coupled with Ethan's plans to propose to Elena tonight, it seems that maybe their names will soon become the hottest conversation in all mass media.

Elena smiled warmly at Ethan who had just opened the car door for her, the man had just picked her up and didn't forget to say goodbye to her parents. "Thanks," the girl said to Ethan who immediately returned a gentle smile.

Ethan immediately got into the driver's seat and the two of them started to divide the streets of Jakarta feeling both happy.

It's eight o'clock in the night, Ethan and Elena are planning to have dinner and celebrate the new year together at midnight. However, what Elena knew was that she didn't know that Ethan had planned such a plan to propose to her today. Ethan's plans are known only to him and Simon.

Ethan had planned to propose to this girl for a long time, considering that their relationship had been going on for four years. If count them from the start, they've known each other for more than ten years because Ethan, Elena and Simon have been best friends since High School. They have been close friends since then and in college Ethan and Elena decided to date because they both liked each other, and the relationship has lasted to this day.

Elena and the girl's parents did a lot in Ethan's life. Because they helped Ethan a lot to get to the top when Ethan only lived alone because his parents had died when he was little. Elena's family was very accepting of it and Ethan was grateful for it.

Therefore, to repay all of their services, Ethan can only stay focused on his work as a painter and don't forget that Ethan must also try to make the only child of the Winson family happy, namely Elena Kalila Winson.

Ethan suddenly remembered Simon's message to tell her girl about today's auction results because Simon thought Elena would be very happy if he told her about it. Ethan was a little embarrassed to tell Elena because he'd never been like this before—telling about what happened to him wasn't Ethan at all. Ethan is the type to listen more than speak. However, realizing that there was only silence between the two of them—although there was still music playing from his car—Ethan finally decided to speak up.

"El, have you read today's news?"

Elena was surprised that Ethan's question came without any preamble, but then she smiled. "Well, that's that then. I've read it, why Ethan?" asked Elena as she looked at Ethan beside her.

"Hm, the news about me… have you read it?"

A sweet laugh escaped the girl's lips. "Yes, I have, Ethan. I wanted to congratulate you later when we had dinner, but I'm glad you told me beforehand now." The girl smiled broadly, unconsciously making Ethan smile too. Ethan immediately reached out his hand to rub the top of Elena's head, he wanted to tell her without having to say that he would also be happy if Elena were happy.

The streets of Jakarta today are a bit congested, it's only natural because tonight is New Year's Eve, and everyone will be out to welcome the next year with their loved ones. Usually Ancol and the Monas Monument will be the most crowded places to be visited because usually there will be a series of exciting events held in that place and also the Jakarta skyline will be seen stretching beautifully from the two places so that both places are the most appropriate places to see fireworks on new year's eve.

But Ethan and Elena won't be there. The two of them had already booked a place at a well-known restaurant, it wasn't too much to rent the entire place for just the two of them, but secretly Ethan had ordered the rooftop restaurant and asked for help to be transformed it into such a way as to be beautiful for the place where he proposed to Elena later.

"Looks like it's going to take a little longer to get there," Ethan muttered as he glanced at his watch and the cars in front of him. "It's so bad, El. It's okay, right?"

Elena also apparently noticed several cars in front, the girl nodded briefly. "It's okay, anyway, there's no problem even if we arrive late, it's a restaurant that Father has subscribed to so they'll want to understand." Ethan immediately nodded in response.

Their current position was at one of the intersections, waiting for their turn to pass because of the constantly changing traffic lights, while their car was in a row slightly backward, so they had to stay longer. Not to mention meeting another crossroads which will be the same as the current intersection, too full because everyone wants to celebrate New Year's Eve.

Elena glanced at Ethan who was still looking ahead with a slightly worried face, it seemed that her lover was disturbed by the traffic jams in Jakarta tonight. The girl wanted to try to distract Ethan from his worries by finding a conversation topic that had been filled with silence for a long time. "How are Simon after you were sent to Hong Kong alone?"

Ethan looked directly at her, then the man laughed. "Do you want to know what he said to me when we called?"

"What is it?"

Ethan repeated the sentence that Simon had said to him in a voice that was also made up to be the same way Simon spoke about how the man said he would spend his 18 billion money, Elena who heard that burst out laughing because she didn't know what Simon said. Or how Ethan imitated Simon, it was all very funny to Elena.

"So what if he spent your money, Than?"

"That's impossible, honey. Just think about it, how do you spend 18 billion in just one night?"

Elena was still laughing. "Simon could just spend it gambling and it turns out he lost."

Ethan, excited by Elena's answer, immediately rubbed the top of the girl with annoyance. Actually, Ethan's palms were itching to rub his lover's hair but he was afraid that Elena would be angry because her hairdo was damaged for free.

No one knows when a disaster can occur. No one will ever be able to understand when, where and to whom the disaster will be given exactly as if the universe had arranged everything. Like tonight, when many people were happily waiting for the turn of the new year's eve, when everyone was flocking to their destination to celebrate one of those special nights, something happened.

Amidst the laughter of happiness that still adorned Ethan's car that night, no one would ever know that a few minutes later a bus that was traveling at high speed was speeding towards the traffic jams of Jakarta's streets that night. It all happened so fast when the bus hit one of the cars in the last row, then the collision happened in succession until it hit the cars in the next row.

As if that wasn't enough, things were made worse when the bus exploded causing a loud bang and of the many cars affected by the explosion, Ethan's car was one of them.

It took Ethan a while to respond to what had just happened to him, he realized at that time, that the car was already overturned, and Ethan felt that his head was spinning tremendously. The last time Ethan saw her was Elena who was still laughing, but now as soon as Ethan glanced at the girl he immediately widened his eyes when he saw a lot of blood around Elena and the girl was unconscious.

"Argh!" Ethan grimaced, closing his eyes tightly as the pain in his head worsened. Even now, his ears are also emitting a loud ringing sound, which is unknown why.

'Help....'

'I-it hurts... help me... it hurts....'

Ethan wanted to scream because of the pain he was experiencing right now, especially in his head and ears when he suddenly heard the sound of people moaning in pain simultaneously. Ethan wanted to tell them that he was in the same pain here too, so don't say they were the only ones feeling the pain, but he couldn't do anything about it now.

Unable to endure the pain in his head, Ethan's consciousness was forcibly taken away again. There was only one conclusion that Ethan knew at that moment, they had an accident.