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
It was already noon. Celine's stomach began to growl, but she was still afraid to talk to Zack.Zack smiled as he observed his girlfriend. He knew Celine was hungry, but he was reluctant to ask about her preferences, fearing it might end up annoying like the previous night. Eventually, he took Celine to a food stall on the Street.After parking the car, Zack gestured for Celine to enter. They chose a sitting mat to enjoy the spicy dishes they had ordered."Is it good?" Zack asked."Delicious," Celine replied, chewing her food eagerly.Zack was pleased to see his girlfriend eating so heartily. He even added some sautéed water spinach to Celine's plate."Eat more, Darling. Stay healthy.""I've eaten a lot. I'm full already. If I eat too much, I might get fat.""It's okay if you get a little chubby; you'll still be beautiful.""Flattery."They laughed. Such cheesy humor only brought them closer."Are you ready to meet Mom and Dad?" Zack asked."I'm not ready. But whether I like it or not
It was 5:00 AM when Celine prepared to return to her home. She had already dressed casually and gathered her belongings.Remember, Mrs. Zack had prepared some souvenirs for Celine's parents. The woman in her fifties hoped to establish a good relationship with Celine's parents. Even if fate allowed, they could become family."Celine, I hope you marry Zack soon. It's time for Zack to get married. We'll wait for the next news, Dear. Zack will propose to you," Mrs. Zack said."Ehm, yes, Mom," replied Celine nervously.There was happiness within her, but on the other hand, she still felt unprepared. Celine herself didn't know what was holding her back. At a quarter of a century old, she should be ready. It wasn't as easy as wanting to get married, even though she loved Zack.Many burdens weighed on her mind, alongside fears she couldn't comprehend. Celine was afraid Zack wouldn't be as she hoped. She was afraid that if they married, she wouldn't be a good wife.Celine was afraid she didn't
"Damn Celine! She's getting more arrogant. Taking leave whenever she wants. Others are struggling." Emma muttered to herself repeatedly.She had been envious of Celine's fast-rising career here from the beginning, even though Emma, with more experience and seniority, should have been more deserving.But it seemed like Celine's luck was better. Emma thought to herself angrily. She didn't care. She had to sabotage Celine's plan to become a supervisor. It wasn't even confirmed yet, and she dared to take leave, two days nonetheless. No one else was allowed to do that easily.Eventually, Emma's envy-filled mind pondered on ways to obstruct Celine's work. Something that would make her look bad in the eyes of the department head, Mrs. Jane, and the Head Supervisor, Miss. Tiffany.Even though Celine was genuinely liked by her superiors due to her hard work and intelligence, Emma decided she needed to do something to tarnish her image. Celine was the type who always planned meticulously in eve
"Wait, why are so many defective materials entering the Line?" Someone in the Line sewing materials was surprised when they executed their stitches and saw that the material they worked on needed fixing. There was a small hole that wouldn't pass the QC control later. "MISS Tiffany, take a look at this." The seamstress reported it to Ms. Tiffany. Ms. Tiffany was furious, especially after checking some that had already been sewn, and there were indeed several with defective materials. "So careless, Kylie!" Ms. Tiffany raged. Approaching Kylie and Celine's desks again, Kylie wasn't there, so Ms. Tiffany expressed her frustration TO Celine. "Look, there are many defective materials that entered the Line. How did this happen? Why wasn't it checked properly?" Celine examined a stack of materials already sewn in several places and found some defects. "This is strange; Kylie usually doesn't miss segregating defective materials. Especially not so many like this, Miss." Celine was not convi
Emma finally faced significant consequences for her actions. She attempted to frame Celine by cutting materials with scissors, making it look like Celine was responsible for defective materials entering the Line.And somehow, Miss Tiffany, initially furious about the material check, turned her anger towards Line and began to rage.Oh no! Her mischief was exposed. Even though Miss Tiffany didn't know the culprit was Emma, she was sure it was Line's fault. To make matters worse, Emma, responsible for adding materials, was in charge of the damaged material exchange.This is a case of the tables turning, she thought, regretting her actions. Her intention to defame Celine had backfired on her. This only fueled her envy and hatred towards Celine. How could that girl remain untouched? Everything she had done to bring down Celine had failed miserably.She contemplated adopting a new strategy. She wouldn't disturb the girl's work anymore. Now, she would interfere with another aspect of her lif
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