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Once Shabila had finished packing all her clothes, she dragged her suitcase down from the second floor. When she reached the ground floor, she encountered Mariana, who was on her way to her husband's office.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law looked at each other, locking eyes and silently assessing each other's appearance. Mariana shook her head, unable to fathom how Bryan could marry a woman who dressed as provocatively as Shabila.
Her intention to marry Bryan off to Alesya wasn't solely about seizing Aditama's wealth but also about changing Bryan's taste in women from someone who liked revealing clothing to someone with class like Alesya.
Unfortunately, Bryan had squandered the opportunity to marry a good girl like Alesya and had chosen to continue his relationship with Shabila instead. Mariana couldn't be angrier about it. To make matters worse, Bryan had auctioned off Alesya to several men, and now she had ended up with Nicholas. Whether that was a blessing or a problem for her, no one knew.
Mariana simply hoped that Nicholas and Alesya's marriage would bring a positive impact to the company because her husband's business was the only source of income they had been relying on all this time.
Instead of trying to stop Shabila from leaving, Mariana simply turned and continued on her way to the kitchen to check on her family's lunch. She ignored Shabila, who seemed to be visibly upset. From the suitcase Shabila was dragging, Mariana could tell that she intended to leave the house.
Mariana was also certain that the relationship between her son and daughter-in-law was not in a good place. So she seized this opportunity to let Shabila leave without interference, not caring where the woman would go. After all, Bryan was at home and now seemed to be on their side.
This would make it easier for Mariana to remove Shabila from Bryan's life. She really didn't want to have a daughter-in-law with such a tarnished reputation as Shabila. Perhaps it was also time for Bryan to learn about all the wrongdoing Shabila had done all this time.
"Ungrateful mother-in-law," Shabila muttered to herself, continuing her steps to leave the house. She felt even more hurt because Mariana didn't seem to have any good intentions to stop her.
Unlike other mothers-in-law who wouldn't want their children's marriages to fall apart, Mariana seemed to support the idea of her and Bryan getting divorced in the future.
"Father, I want to talk," Bryan sat in front of Handoko's desk. The middle-aged man turned his chair to face his eldest son.
"Speak," Handoko interlaced his fingers, ready to receive Bryan's explanation. Although Handoko had already heard the full story from Nicholas, he secretly hoped that what Nicholas had said wasn't entirely true. He hoped that the situation wasn't as dire as it appeared, as seizing Aditama's wealth would be a heavy task, and Handoko would have to secure nearly a billion more to resolve all the company's affairs.
"I can't marry Alesya because I love Shabila very much."
"And?" Handoko replied briefly.
"I've given her to Nicholas so that she can get pregnant as you wish."
"Why Nicholas?"
"Because he's also a Handoko's child. If we did a DNA test, my DNA and Nicholas's wouldn't be significantly different, so no one can deny that a child born to Nicholas and Alia is also mine. So, nothing fails here, and I can have a child with Alesya without leaving Shabila."
"So all of this is because of Shabila, and you've handed over your own wife to your brother?" Handoko confirmed. Swearing by anything, his chest felt tight when Bryan casually mentioned that he did all of this to salvage his relationship with Shabila.
Was that how Bryan saw a woman like Shabila? If only Bryan knew about Shabila's past, he wouldn't have endured this long.
But when Handoko remembered that Bryan and Shabila were already married, he couldn't believe that Bryan didn't know something was amiss with his wife's past.
"You know, Father, I'm disappointed because you prioritize Shabila over Alesya," Handoko opened his desk drawer. "Everything I've done wasn't just for our company but also for your future."
"I know, Father. Shabila isn't a perfect woman. She dresses provocatively, as you've always told me. But I believe that over time, I can change Shabila into the kind of daughter-in-law and wife that you and Mother want. She can become a good mother to our children as well."
"That's not what Dad meant." Takes out a fairly large folder and holds it out. "Try opening it and seeing there is a track record of a Shabila, which Dad has collected over the years. And the plan is a gift that Dad will give you when we come home from vacation. If only you knew, Dad already knew that you and Shabila were married two weeks before you and Alesya got married.
By allowing the marriage, Dad thought you realized that Shabila was not a good woman, but unfortunately you stayed in the marriage. Whether it's because of love or stupidity, Dad doesn't understand, now you see what and what. How did Shabila behave behind your back when you were dating?"
Bryan gulped, suddenly he felt bad when he opened the green folder. His hands shook when he saw the contents of the folder. He didn't expect that there were photos of Shabila dancing with several different men.
Remember that Shabila, who dresses openly, will of course be bolder when she is at the club. Bryan didn't think that his wife could go that far, even though she was already in a serious relationship with him.
“That's not much.” Handoko again took out a blue folder from the drawer, handed it to Bryan.
It made the man break out in cold sweat even more. The first folder alone already contains indecent things, but now we will add another one, of course even worse than this first one.
So it felt like the soul in Bryan's body was ripped out. Look at the photos in the folder.
“T-this, it's impossible.” Bryan covered his mouth with his palm. Not only was he staring, he was now holding back his anger because there were clearly visible photos of his wife sleeping with the same man who asked her to dance at the club.
“That's your wife's digital footprint. And just so you know, the man with him is someone sent by Dad. That's just what was recorded by the person Dad asked. Not to mention the pure ones from the club goers, tasting her body. And now Dad asks you, how do you feel when you find out that the woman you slept with was the ex of many men? Don't you feel disgusted?”
“This is impossible, Dad!” Bryan still tried to deny it.
“Isn't it possible? Everything has been neatly stored there. Dad has collected all the evidence. You yourself felt it on the first night, didn't you? Is it true that you've been married for almost a month, you and he have never had a relationship like that?" Handoko raised his eyebrows, intimidating Bryan into being honest when answering his question.
"Of course, we did it, Daddy. But she said back then it couldn't be perfect not because of her wrongdoing, but because an irresponsible man forcibly took her purity. It's not like what Daddy accuses her of now."
"Accuses?" Handoko interrupted sharply. "After seeing so much evidence, you're still denying and saying Daddy is accusing her? Accusations are made without evidence, Bryan. This is clear and out in the open. Open your eyes wide, set aside your love, which is better described as foolishness, and evaluate, ponder whether Shabila is worthy of you or not!" He slammed the table, making a loud noise.
Handoko couldn't understand what made Bryan so foolish, especially when all the evidence had been presented fully without any attempt to cover it up. All those photos were genuine and not manipulated in any way.
Unfortunately, Bryan still considered it all mere accusations. Whether true or just a shock reaction to finding out that his wife had been with so many men.
"Now, think carefully whether you still want to continue your relationship with Shabila or not. Honestly, even though Nicholas has resolved the company's financial problems by bringing a baby
161from Alesya, Daddy still disagrees with you keeping your household with Shabila. Do you understand that?"Bryan fell silent, staring blankly at the photos in front of him.He never expected at all that these facts would be thrown in his face by his father.Shabila had truly embarrassed him like this, even though Bryan loved her so much. He had been careful when they were still dating, cherishing the idea of purity within marriage.But what was the reality? He cherished someone else, and it took everything away from Shabila. So now he received this terrible news."Now, divorce Shabila and Alesya!""Why Alesya too?" Bryan protested. If, by any chance, Shabila was divorced, he would automatically not have a wife. If Alesya was also divorced following his father's wishes, that was fine.As long as Bryan didn't lose track of Silvi. If not, he might as well build a new family with Silvi. Even if he had to learn to love that girl."Nicholas wants to marry Alesya, so naturally, you have t
162Once in the family room, Bryan took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. He stood in front of Alesya, pronouncing divorce upon his wife.One task for Handoko was now completed. Now he just had to divorce Shabila, whose whereabouts were unclear."Bryan has divorced Alesya; you can get married whenever you want," Handoko broke the silence after Bryan pronounced the divorce to Alesya."And Dad prays that you will be blessed with children soon to end this. And please leave this house as soon as everything goes as I want."An ending that deeply offended Nicholas."No need for that, Dad. After we get married, I'll take Alesya to live separately from all of you."Not wanting to be belittled, Nicholas quickly corrected his father's words."Dad won't allow that," Handoko responded to Nicholas without looking at his son. "Until both of you leave this house, just see what will happen to Alesya.""This is not fair. Dad, you know, Bryan is Alesya's ex-husband? Naturally, I'm not comfortable leaving
163She emphasized every word she spoke.Bryan and Nicholas both fell silent. Repeating their words wouldn't change anything; their mother was genuinely concerned about their father's health.As they all remained silent, lost in their thoughts, a woman approached cautiously, realizing that her position was very precarious.Lusi nervously interlocked her fingers, feeling anxious. She wanted to ask about her husband's condition inside there, but seeing the tension, she decided to wait for the doctor to finish his work."Nik," Alesya called, poking Nicholas's arm with her finger to make him aware that Lusi, whom they had been discussing, had arrived."He'll be alright, don't worry," Mariana answered Lusi's unspoken question."May I speak with the doctor?" Nicholas approached Lusi, followed by Alesya from behind.Lusi could only nod, allowing Nicholas to walk ahead before she followed him to the back of the ICU.Nicholas remained stern as he waited for Lusi to sit on one of the concrete b
164Lusi also handed everything over to Nicholas and was ready to accept Handoko's decision to divorce her. There was no point in preserving a marriage that had long lost its health.While Handoko still loved her deeply and could share fairly with Mariana, living a life filled with lies was not good for Lusi's mental and emotional well-being.Before Aditama passed away, he entrusted Alesya to Lusi, not to anyone else. And the reason Aditama did that was because Lusi was good at acting, hiding her true self, and concealing Handoko's wickedness."So, Daddy did it willingly?" The grip of Alesya's hand on Nicholas's tightened. Lusi nodded slowly. "So there were no traps or anything like that? Daddy really did it willingly?"Once again, Alesya sought clarity so that she would understand the depth of pain her mother had felt when betrayed by the man she loved dearly. Alesya knew just how much her mother had loved Aditama, a gentle and caring man when it came to their family. She had never s
165"You don't need to get involved in Alesya's life anymore. She's happy with my son Nicholas. It's better if you focus on your life and repent for ruining other people's marriages, including mine."Mariana prevented and blocked Lusi from following Nicholas and Alesya. She didn't want Lusi to plant any ideas in Nicholas's mind to investigate the accident Aditama had that day."Don't act as if there's some hidden agenda behind Aditama's accident." Lusi stared sharply at Mariana. "And don't ever act like you're the one who stole Handoko from me. Understand, Anna, I am Handoko's first wife, not you?! I'm Lusi Yana, I'm Handoko's first wife because I couldn't give him children, so he cheated on me with you. When I found out my husband was cheating, you were already eight months pregnant with Bryan. I knew he could have children with you, so I let your relationship continue until now.Because I realized I couldn't give Handoko children. And, for your information, the reason for having a d
166Nicholas was a source of happiness in her life, despite his origins in Mariana and Handoko's relationship. He had made her life better, and Alesya couldn't imagine where she would be without him. She understood that without Nicholas, her life would have taken a much darker turn."Al, there's something I want to ask you," Nicholas said as they entered their hotel room. He led Alesya to sit on the edge of the bed, wanting to have an intimate conversation without any interruptions."What do you want to talk about? I'd rather not discuss our parents' issues right now, Nik. I just want some peace," Alesya replied."But I do want to talk about it, Al. Don't worry; I'll approach it from a different perspective.""What do you mean?"Nicholas held Alesya's hand. "I want to ask you if you've been keeping something in your heart since you found out what happened to both of your parents. Because...""Are you saying that my parents caused their own deaths?" Alesya interrupted Nicholas. "Yes, m
167With a nod, Gibran stood up from the table. "I appreciate your time, Nicholas. I'll respect your wishes and leave you to your meal. If there's ever anything else I need to discuss, I'll find another way."Nicholas acknowledged this with a curt nod and returned his focus to the food in front of him. Alesya, while still processing the revelations, remained silent but offered Gibran a small, understanding smile as he left.As Gibran exited the restaurant, he couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions – guilt, regret, and a sense of closure. He knew that repairing his relationship with Nicholas would take time, and he needed to focus on mending things with Viska first.Back at their table, Nicholas and Alesya resumed their meal, albeit with a more relaxed atmosphere now that the unexpected confrontation was over. The weight of the past was still there, but they were determined to focus on their future together, leaving the past behind as much as possible.Understood, Gibran nodded slowl
168Shabila laughed, occasionally moaning when naughty hands squeezed her soft curves. Someone hugged her from behind, kissed her neck, and left wet marks there. Shabila even let those naughty hands remove the mini dress she was wearing, leaving only her lingerie to cling to her body."Everyone, come down and take turns dancing with me. Why are you just sitting here alone?" She approached a man who was enjoying his drink.In a corner of the club, far from the crowd of visitors, a man looked dejected, sighing with regret. It was heavy living because his beloved wife had left him.The man, none other than Gibran, had trapped Viska there, resulting in her pregnancy, and they were forced to marry. Now, Shabila was reliving that story.While others were lightly touching her, Gibran wasn't interested at all. He preferred to be alone, which challenged Shabila to seduce him.It was quite difficult, but when Shabila sat on Gibran's lap, the item that resembled his glasses had disappeared witho
Gibran continued, "As for our divorce, I've already agreed to it. We'll proceed with the legal process, and you'll be free to start a new chapter in your life. I hope you find the happiness you deserve."The conversation between Viska and Gibran marked the beginning of the end of their tumultuous marriage. While their emotions were still raw, they had come to a mutual understanding that it was time to move on and seek happiness elsewhere.Gibran's frustration and pent-up emotions poured out as he defended his actions. He felt betrayed by Viska, who had consistently pushed him away and made unfavorable comparisons with Nicholas. Their relationship had become a battleground of insecurities, and Gibran had sought solace with Shabila.Viska's accusations stung, but Gibran was determined to make her understand the context of his actions. He continued, "Viska, I don't want to justify what I did, but it was a result of our broken marriage. We both contributed to its downfall. I needed someth
190"Also," Bryan paused, kissing Silvi's lips briefly."Don't forget that the night we were together, I can assure you, it's my child."Silvi shook her head. "It's not Devin's child. Do you think after that night, I didn't do anything with other men? Did you really think that night was the only time someone touched me? No, there have been many other nights with so many men because I felt like I wasn't pure anymore. So I was free to do it with anyone since my life was already a mess.""S-so... instead of slightly more ruining myself, and the last time it was done to me was by Devin. That's why he's willing to take responsibility. He's also convinced that this is his child."Bryan let out a bitter laugh, releasing Silvi from his embrace. "Is that so?" He loosened his tie, which had felt suffocating after hearing Silvi's explanation. "Let's prove that what you said is true." He took off the suit jacket that clung to his body.“W-what are you doing?” Silvi stepped back. Hugging her own b
189"No way! I won't leave until I meet Gibran. He has to take responsibility for this child," Shabila insisted, refusing to budge. She held onto Viska and stood her ground."Leave, I said! Go!"Viska couldn't bear Shabila's stubbornness and forcefully pulled her arm, nearly causing Shabila to stumble."What's wrong with you!" Shabila pushed away Viska's hand and fixed her disheveled hair. "Are you afraid your husband's actions will be known to your parents? Or is it that you refuse to accept the truth?" Shabila began to rant."I don't understand what you're saying. Now leave!" Viska demanded."Wait, Viska! Mom wants to ask this woman something." Viska's mother restrained her daughter and turned to Shabila. "Why did you let my granddaughter get pregnant? Don't you know he's already married? What do you want from us? Money?"Shabila seethed with anger. Her dignity felt insulted when the middle-aged woman mentioned money."Do you think I'm a lowly woman who just surrenders her body to a
188Shabila spent the whole day in frustration, angry that she couldn't meet Gibran at his cafe. She paced back and forth in her room, thinking of ways to meet him."Do you think you can avoid me forever? You won't be able to, Gibran. I have to make you take responsibility for the child I'm carrying. You won't be able to escape. Just wait and see."Shabila clenched her fists, planning a thousand ways to meet Gibran. "If I can't find you at the cafe, I'll come to your house. Let's see if you can still avoid me," she muttered to herself.Gibran decided to visit the club where he had met Shabila some time ago. He had a bad feeling about Shabila's visit to his cafe and wanted to find out what had really happened between them that night. Honestly, Gibran didn't remember much because he had been heavily intoxicated that night.Upon arriving at the club, Gibran called one of the waitresses and conveyed his request to meet with the club's owner."I'd like to discuss something important with y
187"What brand would you like, Miss?" The employee asked while displaying several different brands of pregnancy tests.Shabila looked puzzled, which only fueled the employee's suspicions. "Is this your first time buying a pregnancy test?" she guessed with a condescending glance."Y-yes," Shabila replied hesitantly. Seeing the employee looking down on her, Shabila's heart began to boil. "I am already married, just so you know. Here's my ID," she said abruptly, opening her wallet and showing her ID card, which still stated her marital status as MARRIED. Her divorce from Arya was only religious; it wasn't legally recognized yet.Seeing the ID placed on the counter, the pharmacy employee became flustered. She was torn between embarrassment and guilt. "I'm s-sorry, Miss, I didn't mean to—""It's fine, I understand!" Shabila retorted sharply, then pointed towards the pregnancy tests. "So, which one is the best?" she asked.She deliberately didn't want to prolong the issue since she wanted
186Several days had passed, and today was the ceremonial bath event for Silvi. Everything was well-prepared, and the guests were moved by the event, which was expertly guided by the paid organizers, arranged by Silvi's parents. Silvi's large family wore matching light green kebaya, while Devin's family, who were present, wore light blue kebaya. The event was conducted with great solemnity, and Silvi looked beautiful despite wearing makeup that wasn't too flashy.This ceremony included many symbols and motifs that served as lessons or guidelines for the couple, influencing their married life. These symbols or motifs mainly conveyed advice and useful insights for the newlyweds' life together. That's why Mama Silvi insisted on holding the ceremonial bath event, even though Silvi and Devin had been married before.In addition to the food ordered for the guests and relatives, the organizers had prepared specific dishes usually served during this ceremonial bath event. These included tumpe
185Meanwhile, Silvi and Devin listened to the doctor's explanations during the examination. Silvi's pregnancy was already at three weeks. The doctor prescribed vitamins and anti-nausea medication since Silvi mentioned she often felt dizzy and nauseous. Devin didn't ask any questions because it was his first time in a obstetrician's office. He was confused about how to react. Silvi was the one who asked all the questions.Silvi got her next appointment scheduled, and then they left. Devin and Silvi went to the hospital's pharmacy to pick up the prescribed medicines first. Then, Devin asked Silvi where she wanted to go."I don't know. I just feel like lying down in my room.""Why's that? Don't you want to go out together?" Devin asked softly. They were now in the car. "How about having ice cream and buying some new sleepwear for you?""What's the point of buying sleepwear?""Because you're pregnant, and I want you to sleep comfortably. How about it?""I don't want to," Silvi said, maki
184As a father, whose heart wouldn't break upon learning that his daughter is pregnant with no official partner by her side? He felt like a terrible father, willing to do anything as long as the man who impregnated his daughter, Silvi, would take responsibility.Pregnancy is never an easy journey for a woman, especially without a husband by her side. The man Silvi referred to as the father finally decided to find Devin, the man who should be held accountable for what happened to Silvi. He took a taxi to Devin's whereabouts, hoping that he would indeed be there. Impatiently sitting in the taxi, the weary-looking man, no longer in his youth, stared at his phone screen. The journey from the city to the village was quite long, which was why he opted for a taxi. Besides, he didn't want any unpleasant conversations about Silvi if he had brought his driver along.Fortunately, he found out about Silvi's pregnancy before it was too late, or who knows what might have happened. He sighed wearil
183Nicholas didn't want anything to happen to their unborn child. So, he tried his best to grant her wishes. Besides, Alesya's request was relatively easy to fulfill, and it had been quite some time since they had visited her hometown."Are you happy?" Nicholas asked.Alesya turned and nodded. "I've really missed my hometown. As nice as it is to live in the city, the hometown is the number one place to visit," Alesya replied. "Besides, all my childhood memories are buried there."Hearing Alesya's response, Nicholas could only smile. He, who had lived in the city since childhood, never experienced life in the village. So, he didn't fully understand what Alesya meant. In his mind, Alesya might just miss the peaceful atmosphere of the village because the city was quite noisy."Get some rest; I'll wake you up when we arrive," Nicholas said after a moment of silence."Okay."Alesya adjusted her seating position to make herself more comfortable. She also slightly reclined her seat to make