"It's his right to hold it anywhere!" protested Adine loudly. "Besides, we haven't seen each other since we broke up a few years ago."Dominic knitted his eyebrows together as he gave Adine an annoyed look."I'm sorry, sir, we should immediately process the design that Miss Adine presented. Isn't the sooner the better?" Arion finally intervened in the unimportant debate between Adine and Dominik."That's right, Mr. Arion," Adine replied cheerfully."Leave it to the design team; they'll take care of it," Dominik said as he returned to his tablet.Arion tidied up the design papers that lined Dominik's desk while Adine glanced at Dominik, wondering how to get him to invite her to the party."Mr. Arion, I also brought the soft copy." Adine reached into her clutch and pulled out a tiny object the size of a child's thumb.Arion accepted the object from Adine, his feet immediately stepping out of Dominik's study. Now, it was just Adine and Dominik in the room.It was silent.There was no sign
"Who would like to see me, ma'am?" The question still rang in Adine's head as she walked with Mrs. Nita. "Have you been here before?"Mrs. Nita stopped her steps; the middle-aged woman looked confused. She had never met anyone who wanted to meet Mr. Michael."If I recall correctly, that person has never been here," Ms. Nita replied."What does that man look like?" asked Adine curiously."If I'm not mistaken, he looks like a lawyer," Ms. Nita replied.Hearing the word lawyer from Mrs. Nita's mouth, Ara glared and started half running."Where is that man, ma'am?" asked Adine in her stride."In my room," replied Mrs. Nita.From the nursing home hallway, Adine took a small run through a straight hallway and turned left. After entering the particular building used as an orphanage, Adine and Mrs. Nita still turned into the hallway on the right.Right at the end of the hallway, half out of breath, Adine stopped in front of a room used by the foundation's chairman and vice chairman.Adine adju
"Are you okay?" The voice made Adine look up and stop whimpering.A shady, Latin-faced figure with gray irises gazed admiringly at the small face before her.Adine watched the figure while frowning; perhaps the tip of her nose that hit the strapping figure was still sore."It hurts," Adine replied honestly while still rubbing her nose.The figure stared at Adine intently, his thin lips showing a smile. The thin, dark sideburns around his chin add to the handsome side of the figure's face."I'm sorry," said the man, "If you don't mind, I can check your nose."Adine leaned back slightly, avoiding the touch of the man's firm hand."No need," Adine said while looking doubtfully at the figure standing before her. "Excuse me, I have to go."Adine stepped past the man's body, of course, before Willy found out about this and made Dominik misunderstand."Wait, Miss!"Adine stopped her steps, turned around, and saw the man in his white shirt walking towards her."If your nose still hurts, look
"I-I...." Adine's voice stopped dead in its tracks, her throat choking like a person being strangled.She did not move a step from her position as if her feet were already glued to the floor.Dominik's movements were so fast that Ara didn't notice the sturdy arm pulling her roughly.With the sound of the door slamming loudly, Adine only felt her back cold as Dominik pushed her against the wall beside the door.The woman's adrenaline began to race; her heartbeat thumped loudly. Accidentally, the paper bag she had been holding fell to the floor."Why be quiet!" Dominik's voice came booming back, accompanied by hot breath, no longer the warmth Adine was used to.Dominik's handsome face turned into a man and a lion; if it were to be compared, it might be like Adine was dealing with a tiger."Why are you so angry?" Although her throat felt like a sharp object was stabbing it, Adine dared to ask Dominik's unclear anger."You dare to fight me!" The cold tone made Adine instantly freeze."I n
"How's the burn, Doc?" asked Dominik of the silvery-haired doctor wrapping gauze around Adine's hand."You need not worry, young sir. The burns are not severe," the doctor replied. "I'll give you some cooling ointment and paracetamol for pain relief."The doctor took out the mentioned medical items and handed them to Dominik."Thank you," said Dominik, who quickly escorted the doctor out of the apartment.Leaving Adine still sitting on the living room sofa. Her body was twitching restlessly.Her annoyance grew, and after being angry for no reason, Dominik made one more mistake to her."Why isn't this lion bear going to the office," Adine muttered with a chuckle. "I have to check the camera footage at Dad's house."A second later, Dominik's figure could be seen approaching."Once again, I'm sorry," said Dominik as he threw his bum on the sofa.Dominik looked at Adine, who was still unmoving. He found her face scowling without saying anything."Speak up, don't make me feel so guilty!" e
"Take a look at yourself in the mirror." Monica pulled Adine from the dressing table to the large mirror attached to the walk-in closet.Adine didn't move; she followed where Monica had taken her. When she stood in front of the mirror, Adine did not blink.Nude makeup mixed with gray and beige emphasized her beautiful dark irises. Meanwhile, red lipstick polished her thin, sensual lips that looked even fuller."I'm sure Mr. Dominik won't blink an eye at you," chirped Monica, who secretly admired her best friend's beauty."That's my goal, especially since Laura will always be around," said Adine in an emphasized tone.Monica stared intensely at her best friend. The narrow-eyed woman seemed to see something different in Adine."Are you worried about Laura being mean to Mr. Dominik, or are you worried about her getting close to him?" Monica's question provoked Ara's reaction.The beautiful woman in her silk dress was stunned for a second. Of course, in her mind, she was still unsure of w
The gurgling sound of water in the toilet had stopped; Adine got ready and grasped the object she had taken out of her clutch.On the count of three, Adine deliberately crashed back into Laura."Argh, you bastard!" cursed Laura, half-bouncing backward."Sorry," Adine said while putting on her innocent face."Damn it! You again!" Laura reflexively raised her right hand. Before it landed on Adine's cheek, she managed to block it."Don't try to bully me again!" Adine's voice, more like a growl, made Laura a little pale. "If you chafe my skin even a little, Dominik will kick you!"Adine jerked Laura's hand roughly, while Laura, with a slightly pale face, quickly left Adine."I'm sorry, Laura, you'll soon be the drama queen of this party," Adine muttered with a grin.Meanwhile, Laura, who was walking in the hallway after coming out of the toilet, grumbled incoherently. After mingling back in the party room, her eyes seemed searching for something."You think I can't get back at you! I'm go
The sound of the alarm and the cell phone ringing made Adine reach for the nightstand. She tried to grab the alarm while it was still closed."Noisy!" grumbled Adine as she was forced out of bed.A second later, the sound of the alarm stopped, but the cell phone ringing still echoed in her ears."Who the hell is making noise in the morning!" cursed Adine as she accepted the call without first looking at the identity on the screen. Sticky eyes made her lazy.["Heeii...Miss, wake up!"]Monica's shrill voice made Adine's ears ring as she instantly moved the smart, flat object away from her ear."Noisy! It's still early to disturb people!" grumbled Adine.[Monica] "Hey, Miss, look at the wall clock; what time did you go to bed last night? Perhaps Dominik didn't let you sleep?"]The sound of giggling instantly echoed from the other side."Quickly tell me, what's wrong?" asked Adine in a lazy tone.["Hey, you missed the news! Check out the news; last night's incident went viral!"]Adine qui
That night, Dominik decided to stay at the villa. Accompany Adine and order Arion and Richie to return to the capital and will pick up Dominik the next day. However, Adine said firmly if Adine wanted to stay at the villa during her pregnancy. Dominik forbade her, however, as Mr. Michael, accompanied by Mrs. Nita, had to go to Singapore for treatment. “We will get married again. Pledge before God and accompany father to Singapore,” Dominik said convincingly. Adine looked at Dominik with a shady look in her eyes. “Dominik, I understand your concern. But believe me, I'll be fine in this villa. I want to enjoy my pregnancy in a quiet and peaceful place.”Dominik let out a long sigh. “But Adine, your father has to undergo intensive care in Singapore. What if something goes wrong when I'm not by your side?”“You don't have to worry, Dominik. Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Melati will accompany and take care of me while you're away,” Adine said reassuringly.Dominik looked doubtful for a moment, but
Adine was busy preparing the porridge that he would give to his father, while Mrs. Nita was almost finished with all the menus for breakfast that morning. Vegetable beef soup, grilled chicken and potato cakes were the side dishes they would eat that morning. Tofu tempeh bacem was also part of their menu.“Bu Nita, the smell of her cooking makes me hungry,” Adine said as she mixed the chicken porridge.Mrs. Nita smiled as she poured all the dishes into plates and bowls. “We'll have breakfast soon, Miss,” she said.“Daddy's porridge is done. I'll help you prepare the food,” Adine replied.Adine quickly brought the vegetable bowl and a plate of potato cakes to the dining table. All the food was ready. Adine then stepped into her father's room to help him get ready for breakfast.While Mrs. Nita was still struggling with some kitchen utensils, she heard the bell ring. She stopped washing the utensils, washed her hands, wiped them on her apron, and then quickly took it off. She walked qui
Traveling for almost two hours, the car Richie was driving arrived in Lembang when the sky was already dark. Although the city lights would never go out at night, it was impossible to reach the villa Adine was staying at that night because the road was dark and surrounded by tea gardens on the slopes of the mountains.“Sir, it would be very risky if we continue our journey tonight. Perhaps, you can stay at the hotel just for tonight. Tomorrow morning we will continue our journey,” suggested Richie who was still circling the city streets.Dominik still looked silent and didn't say anything. His head was still filled with considerations. A moment later, he nodded and accepted Richie's suggestion. “Find a hotel nearby,” he told Richie.The man who was still focused on driving nodded and started looking for one of the inns that they would use to rest for a few hours. After a few minutes, Richie found a hotel that looked comfortable and safe. They immediately pulled up in front of the h
The sky was already dark. Dominik seemed reluctant to move from his black chair in the study. His expression was completely glum. He clutched his smart flat object tightly and stared at it as if he was afraid it would disappear. He didn't even hear the creak of the door opening, his only focus was on the phone screen.“Sir,” Arion called, which didn't take Dominik's gaze off the screen. Arion, the personal assistant, continued to step closer to Dominik who looked completely disoriented.“Mr. Dominik, it's getting late. Aren't you going home and resting?” repeated Arion, which still made Dominik flinch.Dominik let out a long sigh, his voice sounding weak and full of despair. “If I go home, Adine's face will always decorate my head. I can't live without her, Arion. Please, tell Richie to find her soon. She's pregnant with my child. That's what made him leave for fear that I wouldn't accept my future child.”Arion looked at Dominik with concern, understanding how deeply his boss felt.
Dominik hurriedly called Richie to pick her up, and also interrogated the man who had driven Adine back to the penthouse. “Ckck...where's Adine?” muttered Dominik who was sitting next to Richie. The man who was driving beside Dominik gave him a glance, revealing the panicked face of the young master. “Richie, why didn't Adine answer my call earlier. Are you sure you drove Adine to the apartment?” he asked the Richie beside him who was turning the wheel. “I dropped her off in front of the lobby and she walked quickly into the lobby,” Richie replied. Dominik who was listening breathed a sigh of relief, but the look of panic was still on his face.Richie remained focused on the road, but his answer clearly gave Dominik some peace of mind. “But I didn't see Madame go upstairs, young sir. I believe she went into the lobby, but after that I can't be sure,” Richie added, his voice sounding cautious.Dominik squeezed his cell phone, anxiety taking over his mind. “Try calling again. Maybe
Upon arrival at the penthouse, Adine was pacing back and forth on the terrace. Right on the top floor of one of the high-rise buildings in the city of Jakarta. The weather that was not too hot blew a gentle breeze right in the woman's face. Her face looked confused, she didn't know how to tell Dominik that she was pregnant with his child. “I have to go,” she muttered. “He'll be furious if he finds out I'm carrying his flesh and blood.” Adine's tears suddenly fell unbidden, imagining if Dominik would force her to abort the seed that had grown in her womb. Adine shook her head vigorously trying to dismiss all her bad thoughts. “No! I must act immediately.” She ran to the small table there and grabbed her cell phone. Her hands were shaking as she scrolled through the phone. As the dial tone began to sound, Adine was filled with worry. Her only thought was to protect the baby in her womb. Three times the dial tone was heard, the voice of someone on the other side began to sound. [“M
Adine was startled when she heard banging on the door. She was nervous and quickly put away all her test pack results. “Adine, are you okay inside?” Dominik's voice was getting louder. “If you don't answer me, I'll break down this bathroom door!” Adine hurriedly put her test pack into the pocket of her dress carefully so as not to be found by Dominik. The banging sound was getting louder, she was getting more nervous, “Dominik, be quiet! I'm fine!” she replied in the bathroom. But Dominik, a stocky man with short hair and eyes that always seemed to be looking for answers, was not satisfied. “If you don't answer me, I'll break down this bathroom door!” His threat grew more serious, his voice rising, sounding frustrated. With a pounding heart, Adine unlocked the door and opened it slightly so that only her head and some of her shoulders were visible. Through the crack in the door, she saw Dominik standing with both hands clenched at his sides, his face showing a mixture of wo
"I don't know, suddenly my head is spinning."Adine tightly gripped Dominik's hand as he tried to support her. He helped his wife to sit on the sofa."Sir, I will get the wind oil from Belle's place."Dominik nodded, and Arion quickly left his master's study."We need to go to the hospital," Dominik said while rubbing Adine's left hand."There's no need, it might just be exhaustion. It will pass," Adine replied while massaging her temples and closing her eyes."Exhausted? Exhausted because you have to attend to me in bed every night?" asked Dominik with a chuckle."Dominik! That's not funny!" Adine slapped Dominik's arm and glared at him angrily."I'm calling the doctor!" Dominik declared firmly."But I'm fine," Adine protested with a pleading look."No arguing!" Dominik stared at her sternly, stepped towards the desk, and grabbed his phone.Adine just watched him pace back and forth, trying to reach someone on the phone.A serious conversation unfolded between Dominik and the person
“Dominik! I was asking!” Adine looked annoyed as Dominik just smiled lightly while ruffling his hair.“I don't know where your anti-ham pills are,” Dominik finally replied, albeit falsely.“Maybe you ran out and forgot,” Dominik quipped again.“But I'm sure I still have my anti-pregnancy pills,” Adine said as she recalled them.“My safeguards are out, but I don't think there's any need to use them,” said Dominik, which made Adine's eyes round, looking more and more like the eyes of a bambi deer.“But...”“No buts! I think you'd like it better if I didn't wear a harness,” Dominik cut in with a mischievous look at his wife.Adine couldn't interrupt, her body felt weak. Dizziness, that was all she could feel right now.“Dominik, what if there is already something growing in my womb?” asked Adine with a pained face.Dominik looked at Adine with a warm smile. He could see how tense his wife's expression was.“Do you mind keeping my seed there?” asked Dominik, which immediately made Adine c