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14. Lodging
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2024-07-20 16:43:02Related chapters
Between Love and Scandal 15. Special Feeling
That night, Aileen helped Mark apply compresses to the bruises on his face that were beginning to fade. The bluish color had faded, and the swelling had gone down."How does my face look now?" Mark asked, trying to be funny. He felt that his communication with Aileen could thaw and they could get along after what they had been through together the last few days."It's pretty good to look at," Aileen replied grimly."Being looked at while you giggle and fantasize sweetly, huh?" teased Mark, who stared into Aileen's eyes even though she avoided his deadly gaze at all costs."Ish. Such a big narcissist." Aileen sneered.Mark laughed, which stopped the movement of Aileen's hands, which were busy applying antiseptic to several parts of the man's face."Okay, done. I told you it's already healed. It'll get better on its own." Mark insisted andThe next day, early morning, Mark drove Aileen to her rented house. Nothing happened there. It was in the same condition as the last time Mark had be
Last Updated : 2024-07-20Between Love and Scandal 16. Incidental Meeting
Aileen smiled at each of her colleagues who had entered the room and those who had just arrived. She noticed that most of them frowned when they saw that Mark occupied the main seat at the end of the long table where the meeting leader sat.Aileen realized that they must all be wondering why Mark, known only as a new employee in the marketing department, was sitting in the front chair. And she couldn't wait to see their immediate reactions to what Mark had to say next."It's done." Aileen gave Mark the code when she saw that every seat in the room had been filled except for a few that were supposed to be hers, Laura's, and Mr. Vince's.She immediately realized that Mr. Vince must also be one of her henchmen. He had been suspicious of the accounting manager's closeness to William lately. They often discussed things together, plus Laura, in a particular room.She didn't know why she hadn't been suspicious for a long time. But the bald man's absence in the meeting room with Laura and Wil
Last Updated : 2024-07-20Between Love and Scandal 17. The Pursuit
Since no one had moved from their seats, Mark came out first, carrying a bundle of documents. Aileen quickly followed after closing her laptop. Usually, there would be their officers to clean up the rest of the meeting later."Looks like no one else in the room was involved, huh?" Aileen said as she walked next to Mark."You think so?" Mark asked a question that sounded enigmatic.Aileen turned to him with a frown,"Yes, I do. Everyone seemed surprised and didn't expect the facts you were talking about in there."Mark snorted."Ah, that's the only basis for your conclusion? That's very hasty and arbitrary, Aileen. Someone who's a professional can certainly package their facial expressions to look the way they want. Haven't you ever heard of an image attitude, huh?""So you don't think so yourself? You think one of William's henchmen was in there, is that it?"Aileen tried to confirm because, her feelings earlier while in the room had noticed changes in the expressions of each of the m
Last Updated : 2024-07-23Between Love and Scandal 18. The Charm Of The Partner
Mark hurried to get out of Aileen's way. The girl obviously had her charms. Several times, he was tempted to approach her and caress her. Oh dear! What a crazy thought.Mark slipped into William's room. The police would have to get a warrant to search the room, and the process would probably be slow. It was not bad for him to get there before them.Ah, but a moment. He needed Aileen. And right now he had to keep his feelings in check so he wouldn't just want to rub up against her. Tsk! Okay, her face was beautiful and always looked fresh, not to mention the scent of her synthetic body, which has a refreshing and uplifting citrus scent. The attractive yet sweet type of Aileen.Full lips polished with thin cherry red lipstick and thick black eyebrows emphasized Aileen's natural beauty. Mark dared to say that Aileen's attractiveness was number nine in the eyes of any normal man. Ah, he have to find out the facts about who her lover was!Thinking of this annoying possibility, Mark immedia
Last Updated : 2024-07-24Between Love and Scandal 19. Living Together But Bickering
The day passed quickly in a flurry of activity. Mark called Mr. Ben several times to ask for an update on the search for Laura and Mr. Bram. There was still no result, and the police, who were also represented by Mr. Ben, were still unavailable.Aileen returned to Mark's apartment later that day. She had tried to persuade Mark to let her move back into his rented house, but he wouldn't let her. The man was still paranoid about Aileen's safety, which was still in danger because not all of William's henchmen had been caught."Never mind, just obey. We both don't want there to be a kidnapping scene in part 3, do we?" said Mark in a reluctant tone."Besides, it's nice to have me here, isn't it?"Aileen pouted as she pursed her lips forward."What's so good about it? There's never any food!" She grumbled as she flopped down on the soft sofa in the living room of the apartment, which looked spacious and cozy with its simple minimalist design. The furniture was dominated by gray and white. T
Last Updated : 2024-07-24Between Love and Scandal 20. Suffering In Prison
William was restless in the holding cell, where he was temporarily confined. He had contacted his best lawyer for legal protection but still had to be there until the case was resolved. The police immediately denied his request for house arrest on bail."Everything has to go through the proper procedures, sir. You wait in line for the record hearing first. Only then can you apply for house arrest if there is not enough incriminating evidence." An officer explained the process.William grumbled and became angry. It was unclear who he was shouting at. The man couldn't stand being in a holding cell. Well, of course. His life, accustomed to luxury even though it was based on the proceeds of crime, made him feel as if he was suffering greatly in the detention cell.The place smelled of rusty iron. The floor was filthy with thick dust. Even the air he breathed felt different from the usual air of freedom."Shit! It's all because of Mark and Aileen!""You'll see! I'll never let them go. I'll
Last Updated : 2024-07-24Between Love and Scandal 21. No Result
That morning, Mark suddenly took Aileen to William to find out the whereabouts of Bob and Laura. At the very least, they should be able to prune all the names involved to rid the branch of the traitors.Only then will they be able to normalize the branch office and make it "healthy" again. But in reality, interrogating William was a waste of time. The man, who was still arrogant and haughty even in his position as a prisoner, would not speak at all."You think you know everything, don't you? Then find out for yourself! How do I know where they're going? They have their brains and legs!" This super annoying reply came from the thin lips of the man with the equally thin mustache."Damn it! Then you'll rot in jail! You criminal!" Mark almost threw his fist at William from behind the bars. Fortunately, Aileen quickly grabbed the man's arm, preventing him from hurting his fist, which the bars would have blocked.Mark's emotions were uncontrollable every time he saw William, especially when
Last Updated : 2024-07-26Between Love and Scandal 22. The Partner
Two people were organizing the scattered data they had received from William's office in a room that looked a bit chaotic. They would use it to find the data of the clients the man had sabotaged.After almost an hour, they hadn't gotten much; William did his job neatly and cleanly, and they had trouble collecting all the missing data.Aileen searched every locker and pile of important documents. At the same time, Mark went into William's computer to look for any other clues.They needed the data of the clients the former director had defrauded for his gain. They needed a different approach to regain the trust of their customers and, at the same time, look for marketing targets. After this incident, the previous customers can run away and have difficulty getting new customers."How was it? What did you get?" asked Mark. He was tired of working on his laptop. Searching for hidden documents, unzipping, and even cracking the web password William had created to find the data they were look
Last Updated : 2024-07-31
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Between Love and Scandal 102. ENDING
The family was filled with happiness when Aileen finally gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Deborah Fredina Bagaskara. The smart and chatty little girl became a source of pride for her parents, as well as for her grandparents. The house immediately came alive with the arrival of the first grandchild in the Bagaskara family, which had been rather quiet in terms of descendants.Deborah’s birth story was quite an adventure. Aileen had cravings as her due date approached, and her parents had warned her to stay home. However, Aileen insisted on going to Monas (National Monument) to see the tower up close. “My goodness, darling. What a ridiculous request is that?” Mark was frustrated because he was in a dilemma: everyone had forbidden him to fulfill his wife’s wish, but as her husband, he couldn’t bear to deny her. During her pregnancy, Aileen had rarely asked for anything unusual.He felt terribly guilty if he didn’t fulfill her request. So, that afternoon, he decided to take Aile
Between Love and Scandal 101. Pregnant
Two months after their wedding, Aileen discovered she was pregnant because her period was late by more than a month. So, the menstruation she had on their wedding night was the last one she experienced after marriage. After that, she didn’t have any until a pregnancy test confirmed two lines. "Is it true, darling? Are you pregnant?" asked Mark, looking very enthusiastic. Aileen was so moved that she couldn't speak. She had, of course, hoped to get pregnant right away after marriage, but she never expected it to happen so soon. "Thank you, darling. I’m so touched. I'm going to be a dad!" said Mark, jumping around with joy. He immediately ran downstairs to share the good news with his parents. "What? Aileen is pregnant? Alhamdulillah!" Mrs. Anna exclaimed. She was so happy because she had requested from Aileen and Mark that they wouldn’t delay having children with contraception. Mr. George was just as happy and cheered when he heard the news. "Finally, Pa. Next time, we wo
Between Love and Scandal 100. Unforgettable Moments
And finally, the long-awaited day arrived. The Bagaskara family's house had been lavishly decorated for the important once-in-a-lifetime moment between Mark and Aileen. Aileen’s extended family from Mataram had arrived the day before and stayed at her apartment to ensure they wouldn't be late for the marriage ceremony and reception. The invitations, which numbered no less than a hundred people, came in waves, filling the yard which had been set up for a garden party, much like Lisa's party from before. The only difference was that the theme here was Mediterranean, whereas Lisa’s party had been modern and contemporary. The akad nikah ceremony took place at the large mosque near the Bagaskara home, attended by close family and a few necessary witnesses. Naturally, there were also a few showbiz reporters covering the wedding of such a prominent figure in the city. Mark successfully recited his vows in one smooth breath, and everyone cheered "SAH" when the imam asked the formal ques
Between Love and Scandal 99. Found
In the morning, even before Mark could head to the police station, he was shocked by a message from an unknown number on his phone's messaging app. When he opened it, the message contained a photo of Mr. George after an accident, lying by a river in an unknown area. Mark nearly screamed when he saw the worrying condition of his father in the photo. There were bloodstains on his father’s shirt inside his suit, which had torn in several places. Without thinking, he immediately called the number that sent the message, but there was no response. He sent several threatening messages and questions, but there was no sign of them being read or replied to. "Mr. Edo, please come to the house. I need help tracking a mysterious number. Someone sent me a picture of Dad injured somewhere unknown," Mark said while forwarding the image to Mr. Edo’s number.Mr. Edo acted quickly. He also noted down the sender’s number to have their IT team check it. While waiting, they speculated about where the pho
Between Love and Scandal 98. Disappear
That night, Mr. George came home late after attending an important invitation for a project planning. He didn't invite Mark, thinking his son must be busy preparing for their upcoming wedding.As usual, whenever he traveled without Mark, Mrs. Anna insisted that he use a driver. He had rarely been allowed to drive himself lately because of concerns over exhaustion. His advancing age made it necessary for him to be more compromising and dependent on others.On the way home, unexpectedly, one of his tires went flat. He had to get out of the car and let the driver search for a repair shop. Deciding to take a taxi, he provided his address and focused on his phone. He had been reviewing some documents that his secretary had just sent, trying to match the data with the recent meeting results to decide if the project would be profitable for his company.So absorbed in his phone, Mr. George didn't notice the driver taking a different route, not the usual one leading him home. Suddenly, he real
Between Love and Scandal 97. Lisa's Wedding
"Forgive Lisa, okay? Really, it wasn’t me who pressured her to rush you," Lucas said as they had dropped everyone off at their homes, with his being the last stop. Lisa had already gone inside due to being so tired. He took this opportunity to speak privately with Emma.Emma was just about to start her car to drive home alone when she heard Lucas’s words."Oh, no problem. Maybe if I were your sister, I’d rush you too, because she wants to get married, right? Maybe she just feels bad about going ahead of you, Ed." Emma responded wisely. Despite being an only child, the girl had such a mature and understanding attitude. She could always see the good in others. Even when discussing Courtney, she defended her, explaining that Courtney was simply devoted to her mother and that deserved some appreciation. Oh my!"Thank goodness you’re not offended. What if the more I pushed, the more you’d pull back? What would happen to me?" Lucas continued.Emma smiled, holding back a laugh. "I already
Between Love and Scandal 96. At The Peak of The Hill
Lucas, feeling sorry for Emma’s life being too heavily criticized by Lisa and Aileen, tried to change the subject. He asked about possible beginner-friendly hiking destinations that weren’t too far from Jakarta. “Are you really interested?” Emma asked, seemingly unsure of Lucas’s question. “Of course!” Lucas replied, shrugging his shoulders. “Whatever you like, I’ll like it too,” he added, which caused a burst of laughter around the campfire. Immediately, everyone began teasing the couple, who were clearly smitten with each other. “Come on, just get together already. Why drag it out?” Lisa scoffed, pouting her lips. “Yee... why are you so impatient? Want me to have a brother-in-law like Lucas?” Emma teased, stepping aside to the tent to grab something from inside. A few moments later, she returned holding a plastic bag filled with snacks. “Here! Share it equally, okay? Don’t fight over it!” she said, handing it to Lisa, who then distributed it to the others. “Wee, nice
Between Love and Scandal 95. Hiking
The day Mrs. Anna came back from the hospital after the poisoning incident, Mr. Alex, Lucas, Lisa, and Gio came together to visit and check on her condition. During their friendly conversation, Lucas once again suggested going hiking together once everyone was feeling better.Mark remembered this and quickly contacted Lucas to confirm that he and Aileen were available for hiking next weekend if their schedules allowed. Of course, Lucas was thrilled. He immediately started organizing the schedule with Emma, Lisa, and Gio.Mr. George and Mrs. Anna were a bit worried, but then they remembered that Mrs. Rebecca and Courtney, who had motives to harm their family, were still abroad for an extended period. So, they eventually gave their blessing."Really? Your friends are coming?" Emma sounded so excited on the other end of the line as she told the girl she was close with."Yes! Lisa and Gio are coming too. How fun is that? So, can you make it next weekend?" Lucas asked to make sure. He woul
Between Love and Scandal 94. Leave
"Shut your mouth, Al!" Mrs. Rebecca shouted loudly while holding her chest. Courtney, worried about her mom, immediately approached and hugged her. "Mom, are you okay? Hang in there, Mom, just stay calm. I won’t be easily tricked by them. Let’s go home, okay? You don’t look too well," Courtney urged, very concerned as she saw her mom's face turn pale and her chest rise and fall, struggling with her emotions. She feared her mom might suffer a heart attack, which could be dangerous, she thought to herself. "Listen! I’m leaving Dad for now! If anything happens to him, you’ll know how cruel I can be!" Courtney threatened as she pointed toward Mark and Mr. George. She then turned back toward her car, guiding her mom. Mrs. Rebecca reluctantly complied because she wasn’t ready to face the arguments from Mr. George and Mark. For a moment, she was terrified that Courtney would realize the truth and turn away from her to side with them. Thankfully, Courtney still loved and trusted her
