It's true, I'm really not pregnant. After the dinner on our Girl's Night, Dian and Luna shared a ride since their house is close to each other while Mama who was supposed to go home with me decided to go with Papa; he showed up at the very last minute, wanting to have late-night snack with his wife so yeah, I had to drive home all alone. I don't know what happened, perhaps to succumb to my doubt about earlier event, I stopped by at a pharmacy and got myself three pregnancy tests. Maybe the one my mother bought was somewhat faulty? According to Go0gle, it's best to take the test right after you wake up in the morning so I went to bed, forced myself to sleep though I remained awake until Fajr prayer. I decided to take the test afterwards and as expected, it was another negative. I repeated the same routine for the next two days, but they all gave me the same answer- a big fat Not Pregnant. To remove the doubt further, I purchased three more that were from different brands and types
I feel so much better, like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders after spilling everything out to my sisters. To keep it bottled, brewing in me for three whole months clearly made me a bitter person so today, I'm back to being the cheerful Alya I once was. Well that's what they said, because I don't even realise it impacted my personality that bad. "Can you pleaseeeee stop ordering pizza again? I feel like vomiting every time I see that pizza box, I sure will vomit for real once you open the box and flaunt that triangle thing to my face." Dian groans while Luna giggles for succeeding to annoy her sister. "Get a bucket then, because I already ordered one for me!" By me that would mean her and 'me', because Luna eats like two slices and the rest would always be shoved towards me- the walking trashcan. And yes, she has been eating pizza everyday since last week, though thankfully they're of different flavors. I'd vomit too if it's the same thing because like I said, I'm the on
I hardly think this is stalking.Borderline stalking, sure. But the intention matters, right? That's what differentiating this from either being a stalker, or just a worried husband. I am a billionaire, and according to some ridiculous lists by those tv shows and magazines, my family is one of the top five richest family in US. So it's perfectly justifiable to hire a whole squad to keep an eye on my wife, because it would be too late to do anything if she somehow got discovered by bad people who aim to retrieve money from me by the act of kidnapping, blackmailing, or any other crime. I have money and power to shut them up, or blackmail them back, but if they touch my wife, or do worse things to her, I'd regret it till the day I die for not protecting her with all I have. She wants space, I'll give her space. But to pull the plug on security, there is no way in hell I'm going to agree to that. Be it stalking, or invasion of privacy, I'll deal with the lawsuit if she so much wants
Jakarta is known for its ridiculous traffic jam so being the adventurous city girl, I influence my little sister to follow me to the night market by motorcycle. Luna and I had been doing this since I got my licence in high school but we stopped when she went overseas to further her studies so to do this again, to reminisce our fond memory, shopping at such crowded places hunting for cheap, authentic Indonesian street food, ahhhhh I'm homeeeee! After seven weeks of being in my hometown, I must say I'm born to be an Indonesian. I'm born to spend my days in this tropical weather rather than the four seasons at a big city called New York. I love how I can converse with anyone without needing to stutter just because I can't find the right word in English. Everybody speaks Indonesian, and everybody shares the same cultural behaviour. I don't have to worry if anything I do will offend someone. Most importantly, the one thing that I will always treasure is how easy it is for me to get my
I'm gonna see my baby today!It's already tomorrow where he or she is but you get what I mean. So yeah, I'm gonna see my baby!When I read the report Hank sent during the phone call, I couldn't believe it. I thought my mind was doing a trick because of the excessive worry I've had since yesterday, and also the fact that I was talking to my sister in law. But when I read it again, digest every sentence, with the statement clearly written that she's pregnant, I still thought it was impossible. Because I was sure as hell she's on birth control by how much she wanted to be out of this marriage; the last thing she needed was an anchor that would forever attach herself to me. Also because I saw an empty pack of birth control pills thrown in her room's trash can that one time we had sex. I scanned through the attached result from the lab since I honestly had no idea what the figures meant to actually read it comprehensively -because believe me, if I had the knowledge of a lab technician,
"But I had ten negatives! Ten! I tested every single day for ten days, and they were all negative. Are you sure I'm pregnant?" Despite my weak facade ten minutes ago, I'm very much energised right now, sitting down facing my doctor who had to come back to answer my doubt eventhough she just left the room; the perks of being a VVVVVVIP patient. I bet this is Honey's doing because instead of looking like a normal ward, this is more like a hotel suite. According to Dian, she slept in the other room last night while waiting for me to wake up. Hah! A hotel suite with two bedrooms! And a kitchenette. With a big dining table as if I'll be entertaining. Have I mentioned the whole set of three seater and two seater sofa? And a huge LED tv? With sound system? "When did you take the test?" She asks calmly, as if she's not fazed with the conflict between what I said and the blood test result. "A week after I arrive here. Like maybe, uhh, six weeks ago?" She smiles widely as if she just figu
I purposely made sure she's booked for a suite knowing how particular she is with her hair and whatnot- she fucking wore her hijab to bed when we shared a room during my nephew's wedding at Italy back then.But when I stepped into the room, with a pillow being thrown straight to my crotch, I was surprised to see the culprit dressed in a hospital gown with a shawl wrapped around her head. Who is she covering her hair from? I wanted her to be comfortable, to the point of assigning only female doctors, female nurses, and female bodyguards but there she was, covered from head to toe despite looking weak. The last thing I want for her is to worry about trivial stuff when she's already tired from carrying my baby. I'm gonna get Hank for this. "Call me if you need anything," Dian says once we’ve reached the main entrance of this suite, "Anytime. Okay?" I nod, "Okay. But I got this."She chuckles instantly at my confidence, "I'm available 24-7. Just call me if she's too difficult to handl
I'm trying my best to be grateful for this pregnancy knowing I'm one of the lucky ones, to be able to conceive without much difficulties compared to those who have been trying for years, even decades. So believe me when I said I really, really am trying my best. But one after another issues keep happening in my life, in just two days, that I start to question if this is what I get for being a wife who always fight with her husband; Islam teaches us, women, to treat the husbands as a king, contrary to what I've been doing since the past five years. I even went rogue these couple of months when I purposely rebelled to ensure a divorce at the end of the two years contract. Here I am, horrified with what I've gathered in just two short days. One, an unexpected pregnancy when I was so sure about the divorce. Let's just say I've accepted the fact that there will be a child in my life, though divorce is still at the back of my mind. Two, it was fun during the baby-making, yes. Very fun
"You're... still pregnant?" I can't believe that came out of his mouth. What did he mean by that? I was only five months pregnant when he left, of course I'm still pregnant six weeks later! Does husbands have pregnancy brain too? But he looked so fuckable since I laid my eyes on him at the dining hall so I'm gonna let it pass. You're lucky you're gorgeous, Honey. Tapping my tummy, I reply him with the sweetest smile, "Nope, just had a big Thanksgiving dinner." "But... but the kicks-"I rub my tummy in a big circle, the way we always do when we're full from eating too much, "Must be the turkey." "Alya." He warns dangerously that I bat my eyelashes as adorable as I can, "Yes, Honey?" "It's not funny." He puts his palm back on the same spot, which I can't help but to grin. Have I told you how fuckable he looks right now? Or since my eyes laid on him earlier in the evening? Sooo fucking hot with the whole beard thing, I swear it feels like I'm back to the time when I was his sugar b
"You did a good job today, Princess." Dad has marched to his eldest grandchild who would always hold a special place in his heart, the same way she does to me. Genevieve immediately turns to him with a wide smile, "Wait till the dinner is served, you're gonna be even more grateful I'm the planner this year!" "I'm already grateful you managed to bring Alya here this year." The twinkle in his eyes can't be missed, as if he's really glad my ex-wife is joining. I knew it, I should've told everybody about the divorce. I should've known my grandparents would account every Gunn for this yearly family event, her included. Somebody is hitting the glass again, signalling everyone to be seated- the event is about to begin. I can see my grandparents are already at the head of this long table, thankfully they're at least ten seats away from us. The perks of not being a favorite family member. "Calvin." Dad suddenly calls my name, grabbing the attention of everyone to turn around and look at m
I hate how my grandparents still have control over me despite being in my forties. The fact that I too have four grandchildren makes it hilarious of how silly this has become. But that's what everyone in Gunn family gotta do- listen to the one who holds the mighty power. I'm not sure if all of us are in the will but it would be stupid to risk your name being excluded just because you're not feeling Thanksgiving this year. I've been working in Berlin for more than a month now. I made a deal with my cousin to switch our role that instead of handling the headquarter at New York, I asked if I can take the European branch. She wasn't too excited about it; nobody knows about my divorce except for my lawyers so she didn't understand why I asked for this all of a sudden.Our grandfather is the founder of Gunn Chocolate so everything has to be signed off by him. Emily suggested to hold it off and present the proposal to Grandpa in three months for me to think it through, only then we'll go a
Genevieve might be persistent but I'm a certified hard-head with stubborn as my middle name to listen to her when it comes to accommodation. She insisted I stayed with her because of how dangerous it is to be on my own in my late second trimester, at a three star hotel that's an hour away from everyone. She even whined on how unfortunate her little sibling is to live in a dumpster when the sister and brother are spoiled with luxury. Her endless chatter in manipulating my mind about what my baby deserves versus what he's getting because of my stubbornness, won. I finally moved to a brownstone near theirs on the next day; she accepted the condition that I would go anywhere but hers and Nate's place because the last thing I wanna do is to disturb them or interrupt their daily life. A week later I'm still here, with frequent visit from Gen which on the day she isn't coming, she'd call me to get updates, asking if I'm okay or if there's anything I need. There couldn't be possibly anyth
This is stupid. Everything is stupid ever since I left New York. Every single thing is fucking stupid since I figured out her game. "Another, Honey?" She doesn't wait for my response and waves for the bartender to get me my third fill of Macallan. Third or tenth, I don't bother counting anymore. It's just a stupid drink anyway. I've been heartbroken for more than a month now but it doesn't get easier. Heck, I feel like it's worse than when Scarlett left me. Perhaps because she did drop hints here and there that she's getting bored of our marriage, it's just that I chose to ignore them and that's how she just took off to find what she called, her long-lost happiness, in that stupid note she left on the nightstand. It was a classic rich women move, to get rid of boring toys and get themselves a new one simply because they have their own billions. But Alya, well, she's definitely the best player in the arena when she checkmated me at this game. I was so fucking stupid I hadn't rea
"Daddy didn't tell us anything about the divorce!" She gasps in disbelief the moment I told her what was going on, "I thought you followed him to Europe! I thought you guys are on your second baby-moon!" I smile bitterly while shaking my head, "I haven't seen him for a month now." Thirty nine days to be exact. "Oh my God!" She takes my hands in hers, gripping them tight as to give me the courage I've been needing since he left, "What happened? Why did he divorce you? So you're alone at the penthouse now? You should move in here, Al! It's too dangerous to stay alone when you're already in your third trimester!" I pull another smile, "Not yet, another two weeks till the next trimester." "So it's agreed? You'll stay here? Hmm?" "It's okay, I'm good where I am. I'll be here for another week then I'll fly to Jakarta." Because international travel is only permitted until the 28th week of pregnancy. I'm gonna need all sorts of documents and letters from my gynae if I were to travel beyo
It feels like only yesterday we had sex on this kitchen island when today, merely hours later I'm suddenly being served divorce papers by his squad of lawyers. "You just need to sign here." The grey haired man whom I believe is the leader of the squad, since he was the one who's been talking since the beginning, puts his index finger on a dotted line at the end of the page he's showing. Half an hour ago, I was busy prepping for dinner since tonight's theme is Indonesian Food so I always get excited and cook at least three different dishes as to introduce him to my culture when my helper who comes twice a week to clean this place told me a few men in suit wanted to see me.I rushed upstairs to grab a shawl before welcoming them only to be told they were sent by Mr Gunn to finalise the divorce. I stood there like an idiot neither mad or angry because I was too stunned for the fact he left this morning all cheery and happy with his promise to come home earlier than usual to help me co
Being told you're the centre of his universe, the bane of his existence, and all other sentences we only read in romance novels, well, I've gotta say I'm head over heels for him. As if this dreamy baby-moon at Bali is not enough, he had to top it up with the ultimate surprise when he planned a perfect beach wedding with the attendance of both my family and his (he actually flew every one of our family members from all over the world!) to witness the event where he made it official that I'm his forever, and he to me.We've been back in New York for a month now and have lived like a true couple who's madly in love with each other that it gags everybody out (by everybody I mean Genevieve) to see how cheesy he is all the time. I'm already halfway through my pregnancy though it makes me worried that I'm not showing at all, I actually avoid talking about the baby with Honey because I'm afraid I'm gonna freak out and ruin our relationship that's beginning to blossom.So Gen is the only per
I know this will never be easy. I know anything with regards to Alya will always be challenging but I welcome them all, with open heart and even bigger mind; I've always loved a feisty one anyway. Scarlett was feisty too, that's why I never got bored with her. She's the exact balance of yin and yang; sometimes she's calm and supportive but most of the time she's that feisty woman who always excite me. When I had women posed as Scarletts, they tend to follow the script too much that after a few months, I got bored easily with the realisation that this is not the Scarlett I was married to. When I met Alya, she gave me the same vibe I had when I was with Scarlett. At times she's submissive and followed the script Drey and Ms Collins had drafted for all my Scarletts but most of the time she just went rogue with her own lines that I became addicted as to know what else was she going to do that is the opposite of what she's told. "I married you because I needed to sleep with you." I wa