Part 186

186

Several 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 tumpeng rice, five-colored glutinous rice porridge, pisang raja (a type of banana), and more. Each of these foods had deep philosophical meanings and conveyed wishes of goodwill for the couple.

Devin and Silvi appeared to be like a young couple deeply in love, despite having gone through a wedding ceremony before. However, Devin admitted that this time, it felt more meaningful. Both of them were now ready to undergo the ceremonial bath wearing special attire designed for the occasion.

After the ceremonial bath event concluded, all the guests and relatives who were staying overnight returned to their hotel rooms because the wedding ceremony would take place there the next morning. Devin was forbidden from seeing Silvi until their wedding ceremony. He spent the entire day in his room, contemplating what awaited him after he officially remarried Silvi.

Morning arrived, and Silvi had already woken up early to prepare herself. Still feeling a bit drowsy, she managed to close her eyes briefly before the wedding ceremony began. Wearing a white wedding kebaya, Silvi looked incredibly beautiful and sweet. This kebaya was Devin's personal choice. A team of event organizers entered Silvi's room and called her to go to the hotel's ballroom because the ceremony was about to begin. Silvi was accompanied by her mother and one of her cousins as she walked to the hotel's ballroom.

Devin couldn't take his eyes off Silvi as she appeared at the entrance. Silvi indeed looked stunning, and she smiled shyly when she caught Devin's gaze. "You look beautiful," Devin whispered, causing Silvi to blush and lower her head. The officiator called Devin's name and asked for the witnesses to the marriage. The wedding ceremony began solemnly, and after Devin successfully recited their sacred vows, everyone applauded, and they prayed together. Silvi kissed Devin's hand after they exchanged wedding rings.

The rings they had worn before were now on their fingers again. Silvi and Devin smiled together, taking photos to capture the moment. After the wedding ceremony, Silvi and Devin had to change clothes again. Devin was now allowed to enter Silvi's room. The room they were using was not a bridal suite but a special room for the newlyweds to prepare.

"Darling," Devin called out, making Silvi nervous. Even the makeup artist who was helping her couldn't help but smile when she heard Devin call Silvi "darling."

"What's wrong?" Silvi asked, avoiding looking at Devin.

"Can't we skip going back downstairs? I'm tired, and I think you must be tired too, right?"

"How can we? Don't you remember we've invited guests to this event? Let's respect them for taking the time to come to our party." Silvi wisely said. Devin only changed his wedding attire; now he was wearing a suit to make himself look more handsome. Meanwhile, Silvi, who was now officially Devin's wife, wore a pastel purple dress that matched the inner shirt Devin was wearing.

Silvi looked incredibly beautiful and captivating. Her makeup was flawless, with her hair styled in a modern bun. Some strands of hair were left to cascade in waves, highlighting Silvi's sweetness. Devin couldn't take his eyes off her. "Devin, come on," Silvi called out when Devin just stood there, looking at her.

"Be patient, Mr. Devin. Tonight, you'll have plenty of time to admire your beautiful wife's face." Devin rubbed the back of his neck, feeling embarrassed, and Silvi shook her head at him. They held hands and were accompanied by several close relatives. This time, the reception was held outdoors behind the hotel, leading to the beach. The outdoor reception had a garden party theme, and Silvi had chosen red flowers, creating a striking contrast with the white sandy beach.

Silvi's father and mother sat at a long table with Devin's parents. When they entered the area, everyone applauded. The band played lively music, and Devin smiled broadly while Silvi remained a bit shy. "Darling, you don't feel nauseous, do you?" Devin whispered to Silvi as they sat on the special seats for the newlyweds.

Devin also intentionally asked Silvi not to wear high-heeled shoes because he was afraid it would be uncomfortable for her, especially since she was pregnant. "No, it's strange. I usually feel nauseous at this time."

"Maybe our child knows that Mama and Papa are on duty," Devin said jokingly, making Silvi laugh. Behind the happiness of Devin and Silvi, there was someone watching them with a bewildered look. Silvi and Devin then enjoyed the available dishes, greeted the guests, and took photos when people wanted to take pictures with them. The host also asked Devin and Silvi to sing to entertain their families and guests.

In the midst of the event, Devin's father asked his wife, "Honey, do you know why our son decided to marry this woman again?"

"Why are you talking like that, dear? Silvi is already our daughter-in-law. Her family is also very kind to Devin, and they respect us."

"Respect? What respect? They made wedding preparations without even consulting us, even though we're Devin's family."

"Regarding that, Devin specifically requested Silvi's family to handle the preparations. But if Mama looks closely, a day before the ceremonial bath, Silvi was already vomiting in the hotel room. Mama suspects she might be pregnant," the woman who had given birth to Devin said.

"Well, if she's pregnant, that's not a problem, as long as it's indeed Devin's child and not someone else's, and our son takes responsibility."

"There's no way Devin would willingly take responsibility for marrying Silvi if he didn't impregnate her, Pa. Well, let's just pray that their marriage this time will go smoothly. To be honest, Mama feels embarrassed because they got married just a day after their divorce, and now they're getting married again."

Meanwhile, Silvi's parents overheard the conversation but pretended not to hear. They didn't want to belittle Devin's family, especially since Mama Silvi had already seen that Devin was taking good care of Silvi, and she believed that this time, they were marrying out of love and wouldn't separate again. However, Silvi's father was still pondering why Devin suddenly wanted to take responsibility that afternoon, considering he had vehemently refused before.

"What's Papa thinking?" his wife asked, and then Silvi waved to her parents, inviting them to join the stage. Her mother hesitated but was pulled by Devin. Devin came down from the stage again to invite both of Silvi's parents to enjoy their wedding party.

Devin and Silvi danced, as did the other guests. The luxurious setting and beautiful location made the guests comfortable. All their close relatives praised their wedding as the best they had ever attended. Mama Silvi was proud to hear those compliments.

The party didn't end abruptly. Devin had prepared a surprise for his wife to make Silvi fall deeper in love with him. When night fell and the party was almost over, Devin asked Silvi to look at the night sky. Suddenly, there was a beautiful fireworks display that spelled out 'I love you, Silvi.' It was an amazing sight, and it touched Silvi deeply. She hugged Devin, and they kissed.

This indirectly made both of their parents, especially Silvi's mother and father, believe that Devin truly loved their daughter.

Shabila felt uncomfortable. She held her stomach, which felt queasy, and she had the urge to vomit. She rushed to the bathroom sink and retched there. However, as usual, nothing came out of her mouth. Just a bit of bitter, acidic-tasting liquid that made Shabila feel even worse.

She rinsed her mouth with water and spat out, trying to cleanse her mouth of the remnants of vomit. Then she left the bathroom, wiping her hands with a small towel. Her mind wandered, analyzing her body's condition over the past few days.

Suddenly, her entire body tensed as she remembered something. She hurriedly climbed up to the nightstand where she had placed her calendar. She usually marked it with a red marker to keep track of her monthly cycle. And it turned out she was already several days late.

"D-Do I...am I pregnant?" she whispered softly.

Panic surged through her heart. She grabbed her wallet and hurriedly dashed out of the room. She needed to go to the pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test.

"Sa, where are you going in such a hurry?" Her mother called out from the dining table. The woman was cleaning up the remains of their breakfast.

"Just going out front for a bit, Ma. I won't be long," she replied without turning.

Her mother sighed and continued her work. Not once did she suspect her daughter's strange behavior in the past few days.

Shabila stood frozen in front of the pharmacy. She hesitated to enter. But curiosity got the better of her.

"Miss, I'd like to buy a pregnancy test," she said to the female employee behind the counter. Fortunately, it was still quiet in the store, so she didn't feel too embarrassed purchasing the item.

The pharmacy employee gave her a scrutinizing look, seemingly suspicious of Shabila's situation. However, she still went to get what Shabila had requested.