Unspoken waves surged in Celine's heart, rushing down like a waterfall from a great height. She read that line with a quivering chest, filled with a mix of emotions—joy, gratitude, and even a hint of happiness. Was this what they called love? Even without a meeting, a simple line from him could shake her heart. Even without his voice, a string of characters could sway her feelings. Truly, the power of that one feeling, called love, was magnificent. Gina observed her sister, noting the reddening cheeks and the restrained smile playing on the corners of her lips. Ah, there was indeed something between Celine and Zack, Gina thought, growing more convinced of her speculation. Sometimes, words were not necessary to convey an understanding; body language could be enough. "Ehm, I'm choking on love here," Gina started teasing her sister. It was one of her favorite activities. Teasing people who were easily affected was a joy for mischievous beings like her. At least now she didn't need to w
"Alright, let's go." Gina slightly dragged her sister to get inside while anxiously looking back and forth at the hands on the watch on her left wrist."Oh my, what a rush. Take it easy, okay?" Celine protested to her sister, who seemed too hasty for some reason."I'm so hungry," Gina replied casually. They had just arrived at the Meatball Hitz restaurant. Gina was in a hurry because the hour she promised Zack and Kylie had long since passed. She was late because Celine initially refused to come, and Gina had to persuade desperately in all ways before her sister finally agreed."Ish, wormy stomach," Celine grumbled, forced to follow her sister's fast pace because her arm was being dragged by force.Arriving inside, Celine felt a little strange. The place that was usually crowded with visitors somehow seemed deserted, and there were still many empty tables. Even though the parking lot was almost full of motorbikes, she was grateful for that, so they didn't have to struggle to find a s
The afternoon was passed happily. Gina and Kylie, who were busy eating meatball soup, did not forget to continue pestering Celine and Zack, who were getting to know each other better. More precisely, Zack had to answer a long interrogation launched by Celine about many things. "So, what Gina told you is true?"Celine asked after Zack told her about his bad experience with his ex."Does Gina usually lie?" said Zack, throwing the question back."Yeah, no. But who knows, it was you who lied to her." At the same time, she examined Zack's eyes, whose dark black orbs looked mesmerizing when viewed from this close."That's fine. I'm not a liar, just so you know," Zack concluded, for the umpteenth time reassuring the girl. Celine did not see any hint of deceit in his eyes, only earnestness, seriousness, and great confidence."For you, Gina didn't tell me about your problems with your ex. She just said you've been hurt too many times, so if I want to approach you, I have to be ready to fight
"Huh? So it's all about listening to our jokes?" Celine was stunned.Zack nodded, definitely behind the wheel. They were in Zack's car, which was driving slowly through the road, which was quiet that afternoon. Celine frowned for no apparent reason. She had been asking what exactly made Zack like her at first sight.And when he honestly answered her, she had that expression. Zack wondered to himself. Did she say it wrong or what, he wondered. Ish, women are such absurd creatures, he decided silently."What's wrong, anyway? Why are you pouting?" he asked bravely."It's not so sweet!" said Celine, pursing her lips forward even more."What?" Zack, who didn't know the direction of Celine's conversation, instead asked a random question."Yes, that ..., how can anyone suddenly like someone just because they hear them joking with their friends? Where's the special part?" Celine finally said."Oooh, that's so sweet, anyway. Here you go. I'll change the sentence. So, when I first heard you ta
Zack parked his car outside Celine's house. After neatly parking the vehicle, the 27-year-old man followed Celine as she walked home. Celine's house was next to a grocery store, which, according to Celine, belonged to her mother.“Mom!” Celine greeted after she was in the living room.There was no response, but Celine persisted."Please have a seat here. I'll go find my mom," Celine invited Zack to sit.Zack only said a little; he followed Celine's instructions.Celine then walked towards the kitchen to search for her mother but couldn't find her. She heard the sound of water from the direction of the bathroom and smiled. No wonder her greetings had yet to be answered; her mother was showering.Knowing her mother was still in the shower, Celine returned to Zack, still sitting in the living room looking nervous."What's wrong? Why do you seem tense?" Celine asked."N-nothing... I-I'm fine. Where's your mom?" Zack inquired."It seems like my mom is still in the shower.""And your dad?"
The food was ready. Celine's mother signaled her daughter to call Zack and her father.Celine quickly obeyed her mother's command. She invited her father and Zack to have lunch. The two men hurried to the kitchen and positioned themselves for the meal.During the meal, they chatted as if Zack had known Celine's family for a long time. Celine was overjoyed to see Zack getting along with her parents."Sorry, Zack, may I ask again?" Celine's father inquired."Of course, Sir," Zack replied amiably. He was no longer as tense as he was a while ago."Are you sure about my daughter?""Yeah, I am sure, Sir.""So, when are you two getting married?"Celine's father's question made Zack choke. Celine's reaction is similar. They had just started their relationship; how could her father have already suggested marriage?"Wait, Dad, we've just started dating..." Celine suddenly felt nervous."Celine is old enough to get married. Don't prolong the courtship. And you, Zack, are old enough, right?" Celi
A slim and short-haired woman approached Zack and Celine while the couple was enjoying their food and the songs performed by a band at the café. The woman looked beautiful with her fair skin and curly short hair, resembling a Korean woman."Are you Zack?" the woman asked."Yes. And you...?""Hey, how could you forget? I'm Monica.""Monica? Oh, hi, how are you?" Zack stood up immediately and shook Monica's hand."I'm good. Is she your wife?" Monica pointed at Celine."She's my future wife.""Hi," greeted Monica, extending her hand to Celine.With a forced smile, Celine accepted Monica's handshake, standing up to greet her."Why are you in here?" Zack inquired."I live here now. My husband works in this city. Anyway, I'll have my meal first. My husband and kids are over there.""Sure," Zack replied.After bidding farewell, Zack noticed a change in his girlfriend's expression. Celine looked unfriendly – her mouth was pouting, and her eyebrows were furrowed."Why the long face?" Zack aske
The morning after their argument, Celine woke up with swollen eyes. She cried, feeling that Zack didn't truly love her. That day, Celine had a day off, and they had planned to visit Zack's parents in Manhattan. However, Celine was curious if Zack would still pick her up as planned. Celine glanced at her phone. The awaited message had yet to arrive, even though it was already 6:00 AM. Celine sighed, then lay back down, turning her body. Once again, tears streamed down her face. Her feelings were a mix of anger, sadness, and guilt. Since becoming Zack's girlfriend, this was the first time he refrained from sending her a message. Celine felt insignificant to Zack now. In truth, she wasn't ready for their relationship to end. "Celine...." Her mother's voice made her wipe away her tears. She got up again, trying to compose herself so as not to look sad. She combed her hair, patted her cheeks gently, and then opened the bedroom door. "What is it, Mom?" "Zack is waiting for you in the l
About 5 years later ...."Don't run around, Dear. You might fall."Celine tried to catch Eve, who was happily running around in the yard, though she struggled a bit due to her bulging belly. Despite the difficulty, Celine continued to chase after her princess. Witnessing this from inside the house, Zack quickly walked over to them."Sweetheart, don't make Mama worried," Zack said, catching and holding Eve in his arms."Papa, why haven't the others come yet? It's taking so long," Eve said amusingly.At the age of five, Eve was already very smart. Celine and Zack never expected their firstborn to be chatty like her mother but wise like her father."They'll be here soon, don't worry. That's why Eve has to be a good girl. No mischief, no running around, be kind to Mama," Zack continued, pointing towards Celine.Celine smiled while gently rubbing her growing belly. She was truly grateful that, in this second pregnancy, she didn't experience the same difficulties as her first. Even the docto
Not hearing Joe's response to her question convinced Kylie that it was true. That the real reason was Joe being tempted by the charm of the karaoke hostess. "Oh God...," Kylie moaned. She was still accompanied by sobs that seemed endless from her red lips. "You're so heartless!" she protested angrily. Honestly, Kylie never expected that her husband, who in her mind was always gentle and deeply in love with her, would have intentions to betray their sacred love! Her mind refused to accept it. "I can't believe that you have such rotten behaviour. At home, I pretend to be gentle and full of love for myself, but outside, I shower the same love to another woman. Even a karaoke hostess gets a share of your affection!" Kylie continued to curse while seeking forgiveness repeatedly. Her heart was in pain. Very painful, indeed; she couldn't describe how hurtful it was when the fleeting temptation of a karaoke hostess overshadowed her pure love and dedication! For a wife, there is no more s
After fully understanding her husband's intentions, Kylie's body automatically rose. Even the table in front of her shifted due to her movements. With an unconsciously gasping breath, Kylie looked towards Joe with a poignant and sharp gaze."You want to get married again? Hahaha! Don't joke!"Kylie tried to laugh, although it felt like the laughter coming from her mouth was very bitter. She tried to think positively, assuming that Joe was joking or trying to surprise her with some emotional twist. Unfortunately, Joe still looked very serious.The man stood up. His eyes glanced anxiously at Kylie as if afraid that the woman before him would explode."Kylie, please listen to me first. I am not joking at all. There is a woman who needs my guidance, so I want to marry her to ensure that our closeness doesn't turn into a sin."Kylie blinked her eyes several times; a thousand pains seemed to pierce her heart. Yet, what Joe revealed might not even be true. She gazed at the face of the man wh
Spontaneously, Monica covered her mouth, unintentionally shocked by what had just been said by the man who had been filling her days recently—the man whom she had targeted to be her life support."Did I hear it correctly? Do you want to marry me?" That was the only question her tongue could muster, suddenly feeling stiff.Joe stared into Monica's eyes intensely,"Listen first. I mean, I want to ask permission from Kylie first, whether she allows me to marry you—""But of course, she has to agree. You have the right to make choices. Besides, religion doesn't prohibit it, right?" Monica interrupted with great joy.She almost couldn't contain herself from jumping with happiness.However, in front of her, Joe shook his head, making Monica pout because she didn't understand what the man meant by being so elaborate. Wasn't it the man's right as the husband to make decisions in his household?"That's not the correct concept, Monica. I am indeed the husband and have the right to decide the di
"Darling, where were you? I've been looking for you!"Kylie asked as she met her husband in front of the office building. Surprisingly, this made Joe, who had just returned from Monica's place, panic.With a tense expression, Joe immediately embraced Kylie's shoulders and said, "Darling, I had lunch outside. Lately, you've been so busy and always eating in your room. So, I thought you didn't want to eat with me!"It was okay if they didn't eat together because of Kylie's recent busyness. However, knowing that her husband had eaten elsewhere, Kylie felt confused.The woman, who always appeared in public wearing a hijab, asked, "Where did you eat? I had prepared your lunch as usual. Why didn't you eat that?"Joe grimaced, just remembering the packed lunch. When he went for lunch at Monica's place, Joe would usually ask his colleague to eat the packed lunch prepared by Kylie. But yesterday, Joe forgot to do so, and Kylie must have noticed the untouched lunchbox.Guiding his wife back int
On that afternoon during lunchtime, Joe was startled by the noticeable transformation in Monica's appearance. He spontaneously stared at the beauty of God's creation embodied in Monica's figure, now adorned in a soft salmon-coloured modern gown with a simple design that perfectly complemented her body.Her beautiful face was covered with a matching ssawl, styled how Kylie usually wore her pashmina. Instantly, Joe felt as if he were seeing Kylie's twin but in a more attractive package, as Monica's curves were still entirely exposed.For a moment, the time he seemed to stand still. Joe's desires, which he had been trying to suppress, ignited passionately. The sight presented by Vioan tempted his faith to its core. It seemed as though he was genuinely captivated by Monica's undeniable charm."Joe? Do you think I look good in this outfit?" Monica asked with an uncertain gaze. She intentionally displayed a shy smile to appear like a maiden seeking approval from her beloved. My goodness! Mo
"Hello, Honey. Have you finished your overtime?" Joe spoke into the phone as Kylie called him. Remembering, he told Monica to be silent. He couldn't let Monica make any noise that Kylie might hear.On the other end, Kylie replied, "Darling, it seems like I'm going to work overtime until 09:00. Is it okay if I add an hour? Because my work is not finished yet, and if I pile it up for tomorrow, I'll be overwhelmed."Joe took a long breath, but he felt a bit happy. If Kylie extended her overtime, Joe could spend more time with Monica. Finally, he replied, "Yes, that's okay. When you're done, call me, Honey!"After that, their phone conversation ended. Joe put his phone back in his pocket. Kylie was busy; even coming home had to be postponed. But it didn't matter for now because Joe was at Monica's inn."What's your wife's position in the company, Mas? Why does it seem like she's so busy, working overtime almost daily like this?"That was a question posed by Monica as she took her seat nex
Joe firmly emphasized to Monica that he did not want to betray Kylie. A sense of guilt immediately overwhelmed him. After returning from the mall, Joe promptly dropped Monica off at her accommodation. For now, that place was the safest for Monica.Joe then prohibited Monica from going back to the karaoke place. Instead, he always gave her money and had already bought her a phone for everyday use. Joe didn't want to label what he and Monica were doing as an affair, but he realized that what he had done couldn't be justified.A shiver ran down his spine as he thought about the possibility of Kylie finding out about his actions. Indeed, she would be deeply disappointed."Aren't you coming in? Although it's an inn, I'm free to bring guests inside! Because people staying here often bring their friends in freely, the owner never minds!" Monica offered before getting out of Joe's car.The invitation Monica gave sounded very tempting, and there was a strong desire in Joe's heart to nod his he
"Oh my God! You're so absurd!" Joe retorted, refocusing on driving. They were on a quiet road, so he had pulled over easily to recover from the shock of Monica's statement."How am I absurd? I do want to be your wife. I believe I can live a better life under your guidance. I'm sure because I see, Joe, you're so good as a husband," Monica elaborated, emphasizing her words. Joe, in turn, shook his head in disbelief, wondering about the basis of her thoughts."But there are still many single men out there who would want you, Monica!" Joe, once again, expressed his disapproval. He believed Monica should not dare to speak like that to a married man. Yet... why did he feel a sense of pride and joy when he first heard it? Oh God! Something was wrong with his heart, Joe pondered."I've met many men. Most of them only wanted my body," Monica lamented with a bitter tone. "They didn't care about my job. I want a life like other women, sheltered by their husbands, feeling safe and guided to becom