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Releasing her tiredness for a moment, Alesya sat on the sofa. Leaning there, and throwing his head back. Occasionally he seemed to take a deep breath, forming a plan for what he would do before searching his parents' room.
"Honey," said Nicholas. Standing behind Alesya, he kissed his wife's lips briefly.
"Already?" Alesya replied. Rubbed Nicholas' jaw, which was starting to grow fine hair. She made sure that her husband had locked the main door.
Nicholas nodded. "Of course." His hand reached out to squeeze Alesya's moci. "Suddenly I wanted to do it here."
Alesya closed her eyes. Feeling Nicholas's squeeze always aroused her desire.
"Of course, darling," said Alesya, agreeing to her husband's wishes. He also imagined how to make love in the living room, something they had never done before.
Nicholas tugged at the corners of his lips. Turning around the sofa, without breaking his gaze from Alesya.
"I love you," whispered Nicholas, as he guided Alesya to remove every piece of clothing that was attached to their bodies. Don't forget to put their lips together, as a warm-up so that their love becomes even more passionate.
“Nik!” Alesya restrained Nicholas. When the man knelt in front of him. Instead of bringing his sister, Nicholas instead brought his face closer when his thighs were opened.
"Why?" Nicholas' face rose.
“I-I…”
Not accepting the rebuttal, Nicholas buried his face there. Enjoying the place where his little brother had been playing. Her ten toes flexed, resisting the new pleasure.
Alesya's sigh echoed. Along with the suction down there. Nicholas's squeeze on his moci wasn't even intoxicating. So Alesya couldn't stand it and pushed Nicholas to lie down. He quickly directed Nicholas to the core of his body. Alesya bit her lower lip when Nicholas entered, perfect.
They both touch and worship each other. Looking for satisfaction even if it's just a shaggy carpet. Enjoying pleasure with various styles of lovemaking, including lying Alesya on the table so that Nicholas can freely go in and out without any obstacles at all.
Maybe because he was tired, Nicholas fell asleep immediately after their lovemaking. Alesya covered her husband before going to her parents' room. She glanced at the clock hanging on the wall at 23.00. It was natural that her husband was tired because he had driven the car to the village for almost half a day.
Alesya slowly left the room. He slowly closed the bedroom door, afraid that Nicholas would wake up because he wanted to check several things in his parents' room. As planned, before leaving for home, Alesya wanted to know more about the past.
Alesya's heart felt pinched as soon as she entered Liliana and Aditama's room. There he usually chats with his parents. Almost every night, because Alesya is the only child, she is used to lying in bed and sleeping on her mother's lap.
Liliana often ran her fingers through her long hair while recounting everything the middle-aged woman did while at home. Alesya was busy with training at the village hall every weekend. Besides that, she was also pursuing her education not far from the village to fulfill her dream of becoming a designer.
Now, all those beautiful memories and daydreams were just that – memories. They vanished in an instant as Alesya turned on the light in the room. She was touched, unable to find happiness as she did before.
The happiness had been false because, for the past year, Aditama hadn't maintained a good relationship with his wife. However, he concealed it so well that Alesya had no idea there was a third person in her parents' marriage.
Alesya didn't waste any time. She began examining every bookshelf in the room, where her mother usually kept magazines and reading material. She also checked the desk her father used for work, searching for anything that might be a clue to uncover what else might have been going on with Lusi.
Initially, nothing seemed unusual in the room. Everything appeared as it had been before her parents passed away, or at least as far as Alesya knew.
That was until she accidentally knocked over a box inside the wardrobe. The box had fallen when Bryan was looking for important documents there, but Alesya had never paid any attention to it. She hadn't suspected that the box could hold the silent witness of her parents' crumbling marriage.
Opening the box was a bit difficult for Alesya, but her persistence finally paid off, and she managed to open it quietly. She started to pull out pieces of paper and a small diary from inside the box.
Her hands trembled as she saw photos of her father and Lusi being intimate, even one where they were passionately kissing at a villa. She had no idea when these photos were taken.
What she did know was that all of this had reached her mother's hands, but Liliana had never been willing to say anything or confide in her about her husband's cruelty. Alesya didn't stop at the photos; she began to read her mother's diary, where Liliana first became suspicious that something was wrong with her husband.
Usually, Aditama greeted her affectionately, hugged her, and even immediately invited her to rest in the bedroom when he returned late from the city. But since the day whose exact date Alesya couldn't recall, Liliana noticed something strange. Aditama would spend a long time in the bathroom and prefer sitting on the back porch while making phone calls to someone.
He claimed it was a business associate, but Liliana knew her husband had never brought work matters home before. However, from that day on, he began using work as an excuse to answer calls from someone. What was strange was that he never took these calls in front of Liliana, instead choosing to contact this person separately. Alesya tried to recall when this behavior began, and she remembered that it happened more than twice a week.
At another time, Aditama continued to accompany Alesya until she fell asleep in her room. When she woke up, Alesya was usually in her room on the first floor.
Unbelievably, everything was written neatly and orderly, along with pieces of evidence that Liliana somehow obtained from somewhere.
However, Alesya was convinced that her mother was investigating what her father was doing while in the city. And there it was written that Liliana wanted to step back but loved her husband so much. She couldn't bear to separate Alesya from her father either.
Alesya's heart ached as she read her mother's diary, seeing how hurt the woman was because her love had been shared with another woman. However, she couldn't do much about it because that love still had a strong hold on her heart.
Even if they were to separate, she couldn't bear to see Alesya separated from her father, so she ignored all her pain for the sake of their family's unity. That was the choice Liliana made. To preserve their marriage even though it was different from before.
What was even more painful was that Liliana said the other woman easily entered their lives because she could satisfy Aditama in ways Liliana couldn't due to her illness, which caused her sexual desires to be lacking.
But on the other hand, she was able to bring forth a child, making Alesya their only child now. Alesya also never knew that the illness appeared during her pregnancy.
As soon as Alesya was born, Liliana's womb had to be removed with great reluctance, disrupting her sexual hormones. Every time they had intimate relations, Liliana complained of pain, but Aditama accepted it all. However, since Lusi came into their lives, Aditama hardly touched her anymore because all his emotional needs were being fulfilled elsewhere.
175Even Liliana knew what had been given to her all this time after going through Lusi first. Alesya squeezed the photos of Aditama and his secret lover tightly.She swore to destroy Lusi to the lowest point in her life. Here, she hated Lusi more than Handoko, who forcibly took her father's company. Because of that woman, she lost her mother forever. It's not that Alesya hated material possessions; she was never taught to live lavishly. She was truly simple. Very different from her friends, and even now, Alesya couldn't drive a car because she was comfortable with the automatic motorcycle Liliana gave her for her 19th birthday."Where are you from, Darling?" Nicholas tried hard to open his eyes, which felt sore from being abruptly awakened. If Alesya hadn't suddenly laid down beside him and reached for his hand to hug her, Nicholas would still be in shock."I just came from the bathroom, I was going to sleep again, but I couldn't because I couldn't resist leaving your embrace." Alesy
176Again, Alesya nodded quickly. "Of course.""Alright, since you understand what I'm saying, pack your things now. We're going for a walk!" Nicholas exclaimed, so Alesya could return to her usual self.Honestly, Nicholas felt a bit uncomfortable seeing Alesya suddenly change drastically like before, and he was lucky that he could easily control his wife. Because Alesya was obedient by nature.As he waited for Alesya to pack, Nicholas began to clean up the remnants of their celebration. Of course, he was assisted by several villagers who had come to help. Nicholas was truly grateful to those who came to assist and liven up the event.And when everything was done, Nicholas invited Alesya to tour the village. Not by using a car but by borrowing an automatic scooter from one of the villagers. Nicholas didn't forget to give some money as payment for renting the scooter."Tell me a place we can visit to relax and unwind.""There's no massage place here, Nik," Alesya replied from behind."
177Perhaps not all the problems in Bryan's life were entirely due to bad luck, as he saw that because of these mistakes, he was now sitting in a roadside café adjacent to a flower shop. Bryan was startled and couldn't blink when he saw the woman who was arranging flowers there."Silvi," he mumbled, finally finding the woman who had first introduced him to the concept of perfection.Hastily, Bryan followed Silvi's presence, completely unexpected that she would immediately evade when she realized Bryan was approaching.Silvi quickly hid behind the partition door between the flower displays and the room she used to rest in. Based on the contents in the room, Silvi lived in the flower shop with two other employees."Welcome, what are you looking for?" one of Silvi's employees greeted him."Is it Ms. Silvi?" Bryan asked."Yes, is she here?""Yes, I'm her fiancé.""Oh, her fiancé? Really?" The girl was incredulous about Bryan's statement. As far as they knew, Silvi had chosen to live in th
178"No, I will be responsible for you, but there's something I'm sure you'll agree to. If you're not pregnant within the next month, we won't get married. However, I'll watch wherever you go. After one month, I'll take you to the hospital to check if any part of me is alive inside you or not. If there is, you have to agree. If not, I'll expose everything you've done.""No one will believe that he's your child.""That's what you say, but don't forget that there's something called a DNA test in this world," Bryan replied vehemently.Silvi struggled to remain calm in the face of Bryan's attacks. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Okay, if that's what you want. Please come back in a month. I will go to the hospital with you.""No, I won't leave you alone. Because I know you could do anything to my future child to avoid responsibility from his father.""So, what do you want?" Silvi was desperate. Her hands clenched tightly; she felt like hitting Bryan just to make him go away. La
179Mariana couldn't help but look sadly at her husband, Handoko, who had been in a deep slumber for a month now, showing no signs of waking up. She missed him deeply and wished he would regain consciousness soon.Mariana held Handoko's hand tightly, reflecting on their decades-long marriage. There was nothing inherently wrong with Handoko's actions, but his ambition and selfishness had often led to the sacrifice of others' happiness for their own.For Lusi, Mariana had been unaware that she was Handoko's first wife during all these years. While Mariana was the second wife, she felt entitled to happiness and primary attention because she had given Handoko children.Bryan and Nicholas, two handsome and different sons, had been their solace at home. Despite Nicholas and Bryan's unhealthy relationship, their youngest son had always tried to provide the best for them all."Darling, don't you want to wake up? Don't you miss my cooking?" Mariana asked while still holding Handoko's hand. She
180Bryan had mentioned a meeting he had to attend. That's why he didn't have time to ask how they ended up at the hospital, as Bryan seemed to be in a hurry."Why would you think that way when you're my top priority? I've been...""I'm fine, Nik. I just have the usual dizziness and nausea. It's common for young pregnant women," Alesya explained, instantly changing Nicholas's gloomy expression to one of happiness."You're pregnant?" he asked.Alesya nodded quickly. "If I weren't pregnant, there's no way I'd be in the doctor's office."Nicholas glanced around and realized that he was now in the obstetrics examination room. Overcome with emotion because Bryan had brought Alesya to the hospital, Nicholas hadn't even noticed where Alesya was. "Why would Bryan guess that you're pregnant?" Nicholas asked, his mind still slightly troubled. It struck a chord in his heart."Does that mean Bryan carried you earlier?""Of course, he didn't roll me like a ball to get me to the hospital," Alesya'
181Following the instructions on the packaging, Nino began preparing the milk for his wife. Three scoops of milk powder mixed with 200ml of warm water. After measuring everything and ensuring that the water wasn't too hot, Nicholas stirred it and brought the glass of milk to their bedroom. He also brought along an apple and two bananas to fill Alesya's stomach.Nicholas entered the bedroom but didn't find Alesya on the bed."Al, where are you?" he called out, looking worried."Nik!" Alesya's voice came from the bathroom, but it sounded very soft and weak. Without wasting any time, Nicholas placed the tray with fruit and milk on the nightstand and rushed into the bathroom."Oh my God! Alesya!"Alesya was already sitting on the bathroom floor with an extremely pale face. Nicholas immediately lifted her and carried her back to the bedroom. He gently placed her weakened body on the bed and covered her with a blanket.Alesya was in a very weakened state and couldn't even open her eyes. Ni
182He turned his body and walked out of the room while carrying his wife. Once they reached the door, Alesya helped open it so they could pass through."Am I heavy?" Alesya asked as they made their way to the dining table. They were currently on the stairs, and it was evident that Nicholas was bearing a weight in both of his arms. Especially with Alesya in his embrace, their progress was a bit slow and cautious."No, just a bit heavier than before," Nicholas replied honestly."It's the same thing," Alesya pouted playfully.Nicholas chuckled softly, amused by his wife's expression. Without saying anything more, he carried her to the dining table.Slowly, Nicholas set Alesya down on one of the chairs at the table. After she had settled in and was sitting comfortably, Alesya looked at her husband, who appeared a bit fatigued in his arms."Are you tired? I'm sorry," she said remorsefully.Nicholas gently cupped both of Alesya's cheeks and looked at her tenderly. "There's no such thing as
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