"Uncle, you have to try my cooking." Caroline said enthusiastically when Jared came home early today. Jared couldn't wait to taste Caroline's cooking, so he decided to go home earlier than usual. As long as he was working in the office, he couldn't focus on what he was doing because his mind was left at home with Caroline."Come quickly, Uncle." Caroline pulled Jared along by grabbing his wrist. She forced Jared to follow her into the dining room. On the dining table was a sumptuous spread of food. From the aroma, Jared could already guess that it must be very delicious."I don't feel like eating. I'm tired, Caroline; I want to go straight to bed." Jared tried to hide his enthusiasm. He acted as if he was being forced."Try it first, Uncle. I made it for you." Caroline insisted.Jared sat down happily, but his expression showed that he was very distressed."It's bacon. I made it for almost three hours just for this." Caroline cut the meat and placed it on Jared's plate.Jared ate it w
"Uncle, can I come with you to the office? We're on the same page, so it'll be easier if we go together." Caroline approached Jared as he was preparing to leave for work.Jared, who was looking down at his shoes, looked up at Caroline. He was speechless when he saw the woman in front of him. Caroline was beautiful this morning. She was wearing a black span skirt with a white shirt top. It looked very formal, but very attractive in Jared's eyes. Moreover, her hair was in a neat ponytail, making her sexy neck stand out.Caroline smiled widely when Jared looked at her."You deliberately dress like that to attract the men in my office?" Jared asked in an unpleasant tone. There was a sense of jealousy that could be captured from his tone.Caroline frowned. She looked at her appearance, which she thought was ordinary. She had tried to look as formal as possible. There was nothing strange about the way she was dressed."Your skirt is too tight." Jared commented."You bought it for me.""I bo
"Stop dreaming; I will never come back to you. I don't want to repeat a story that has a clear ending. Please stay away from me, Jake. I don't want Uncle to misunderstand our relationship again." Caroline said pleadingly."Uncle Jared doesn't really love you, Caroline. He just pities you; love and pity are two different things." Jake continued to provoke."Mrs. Smith, Mr. Mark is waiting for you." The receptionist reminded her again because Caroline did not leave to meet the HRD."You heard; I'm waiting for Mr. Mark now. Goodbye." Caroline said firmly, then left for the room where she was being waited for now. Although her mouth said no to what Jake had said, she was actually beginning to worry. She was afraid that Jake was right and that Jared was just sorry for her, not in love.The most frightening and painful thing is when the people we love accept us not out of love but out of pity. She would never accept that Jared was just feeling sorry for her. Her pride would be trampled on.
"Uncle." Caroline walked over to Jared who was eating lunch in the office cafeteria today."I told you, don't call me uncle at work." Jared commented with an annoyed look on his face."Sorry." Caroline smiled and said. She sat on the chair opposite Jared. Hoping that this time they could have lunch together. Because Jared always ate lunch outside during the few days Caroline worked there."Behave like a subordinate and a superior, Caroline." Jared rose to his feet, carrying his tray of food to move elsewhere. He began to avoid any interaction with Caroline.Caroline could only stare in confusion. She looked at Jared, who was enjoying lunch with other staff at a table not far from where she was sitting. She felt sick at Jared's rejection. Why avoid it? After all, everyone knew they were engaged. There was nothing to worry about their closeness in the office.Caroline looked around as Donny approached Thalius' table to eat together. It was unusual for them to eat in the cafeteria. Usua
"Let's go!" Jared said to Donny, who got to drive this time."But, sir. Caroline's not in yet." Donny told him, because there were only three of them in the car. Donny, Thalius, and Jared. Caroline was nowhere to be seen."Don't mind her, let's go now." Jared emphasized that he was still angry about what he saw and heard in the office cafeteria this afternoon. How could Caroline play with two hearts at once? If she really still wanted to be Jake's girlfriend, she shouldn't have given Jared hope.Donny didn't know what was going on, but he could tell that his boss was angry right now."Uncle!" Caroline called out as she half ran to Jared's car. Jared had given her extra work after hours so that she would be late for the parking lot and not go home with him.The car started off at a moderate pace, then slowly began to accelerate.Caroline ran, trying to catch up as she called Jared's name. Hoping the car would stop and she could go home with it. However, there was no response. The
"Uncle!" Caroline kept calling, as there was no response from inside. She kept knocking on the door, hoping Jared would come out of the room and want to talk to her. It seemed that their relationship had been damaged so far because of a misunderstanding. "Uncle, I think we need to talk!" Caroline persisted. She don't know how long she stood there, knocking on the door and calling his name. Finally, the door opened with Jared appearing behind it. The man had a somber face, as if he had a lot on his mind. He was only wearing a white undershirt, so his beautiful muscles were perfectly visible. Caroline wasn't tempted this time, as she had more important things on her mind. "What's wrong?" Jared asked in an annoyed tone. "Are you mad at me?" Caroline asked reassuringly. Jared sighed harshly. It was obvious he was angry; why ask again? "What did I do wrong?" Caroline asked again. "Do you really not know where you went wrong? Or are you pretending not to know?" Jared stared
Caroline stopped the taxi and asked the driver to take her to her old home. She had nowhere to go but back to her apartment that had been the scene of a murder. What that place looks like now, she doesn't know. She no longer goes there because there is a lot of trauma left behind in that place. She lost her parents there; perhaps she will also lose her life in the same place.Caroline couldn't stop crying. She cried all the way because the pain she received was unbearable. The man she thought would be her last port of call became the man who hurt her the most. She was dumped when she thought she would find happiness in the man she hoped would be her true love.She should have known from the start that Jared didn't really love her.A ringing cell phone broke the silence in the car. Caroline turned her head briefly, looking at who was calling. Donny's name appeared on the screen. Of course, only Donny really cared about her.Caroline immediately rejected the call. She even blocked t
"Arght!" Jared yelled at the top of his lungs. He slammed everything in his room. He felt so upset, angry, and sorry. All the feelings were mixed up now. He couldn't believe that he would say such a terrible thing to Caroline. He was completely out of control.Jared went back and forth in front of his bed repeatedly. He looked so agitated. The slap he received from Caroline made him realize that he had become a bad person. Since when did he turn into such a man? He was never willing when Caroline was hurt, even a little bit. Yet, now he was the one who gave Caroline such a big hurt.Jared ran a hand through his hair roughly. He grabbed his phone and dialed Caroline's number to apologize. However, the number could not be reached. This was because Caroline had deactivated her cell phone a while ago.Jared was so frustrated; he didn't know what to do now. However, he knew that if it was too late, he would lose Caroline forever. Quickly, he ran out of the room, then rushed to call Donn
"Yes! We'll leave as soon as possible. I'm really looking forward to spending time with you on the beach and enjoying all the beauty of Bali," Caroline said, feeling equally happy."Me too! Ever since we got here, I've missed you so much. It feels like something is missing without you," Aalya replied, her tone full of emotion."And we can mend our broken relationship," Caroline continued, recalling all the tensions they had experienced. "I want us to turn over a new leaf.""That's right! We'll talk about everything and fix what can be fixed. I'm so excited!" Aalya replied, her voice full of excitement. "When do we leave?""We leave tomorrow morning! Jared has organized everything. We'll fly out early in the morning and be in Bali by noon," Caroline explained, feeling a little less anxious."Wow, that's fast! I'll prepare everything that needs to be brought. What should I prepare?" asked Aalya, eager to welcome her sister."Bring all the beach clothes you have! We'll have fun in the se
After arriving at the car, Jared started the engine and drove the car towards home. On the way, he envisioned the evening he had planned. Caroline must have prepared something special. When he arrived home, Jared opened the door and was greeted with silence. "Caroline?" he shouted, hoping to find his wife in the living room. "Over here, baby!" came Caroline's voice from the kitchen. Jared rushed towards the voice, and when he entered, he saw Caroline standing in the kitchen, wearing an apron, while stirring something in a pot. She smiled when she saw her husband. "You're finally home! I've been waiting," Caroline said, stepping closer. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Caro. It's been a busy day," Jared said, leaning his back against the table. Caroline looked at him understandingly, but there was a hint of longing in her eyes. "I know, but I missed you so much. Dinner is ready; let's eat," she said, trying to cover her sadness with a smile. They sat down at the dining table, and wh
Jared sighed, sensing the sadness in Caroline's heart. He understood how important the relationship between the sisters was. "I know, Carol. But we'll see each other again soon. They're only gone for a week," he said, trying to comfort."And you know how it is. Everyone around me is having fun while I'm here," Caroline said in a tone full of unfulfilled expectations."Don't worry, I have a plan," Jared said, trying to distract Caroline. "I'm taking you to a fancy restaurant tonight. We can enjoy some uninterrupted alone time.""A fancy restaurant?" Caroline looked over, a little surprised. "You had it planned?""Yes. It's time for us to indulge ourselves. Don't think about Aalya now; let yourself have fun," Jared replied with a confident smile."Okay." Caroline nodded slowly, though her heart was still heavy. She knew Jared was trying to make her happy, and she appreciated every effort he made.After a few minutes of driving, their car finally arrived in front of a fancy restaurant wi
Aalya was annoyed and dismayed by Brian's nosy attitude. "Do you want me to walk naked on the beach? I don't want to be a crowd pleaser!" she replied, frowning.Brian stifled a laugh, further amused by Aalya's reaction. "Ah, but only I can look at you! Only I can look at you that way," he said as he stepped closer.Aalya felt her cheeks heat up at Brian's words. "Stop making this up! This isn't about that!" she exclaimed, trying to push Brian's body out of the way."Well, I just want to see you glowing on the beach," Brian said, still hugging Aalya. "Imagine how beautiful you'll look in these clothes in the sun!"Aalya tried to push Brian further, but she couldn't help but laugh. "You're so naughty, Brian! This is no time for jokes," she said, shaking her head, but couldn't avoid the smile on her face."So, why not be a little more daring? We're in Bali, baby!" Brian replied in a teasing tone, continuing to put his arm around her."Well, maybe I can add a more revealing shirt or two,"
Jared looked at Caroline and Aalya with pride. "I'm glad to see you two getting along. This is what I expected from the beginning," he said. "And if we all go to Bali, we'll make wonderful new memories."Caroline nodded in agreement. "Yes, it's time we focus on happiness and the future. No more jealousy or hatred. We are a family now, and we need to support each other."Brian, who had started to feel more comfortable in this family, added, "And I promise to take good care of Aalya while we are in Bali. We'll travel around, explore the island, and make beautiful memories."Aalya looked at Brian with sparkling eyes. "I am so lucky to have you by my side. This is a new beginning for all of us.""Let's make this moment special. We can explore the beach, try the local food, and maybe bike around the island," Caroline said, her spirits rising."And don't forget the surf! We have to learn to surf!" Aalya adds, eager to imagine the adventures they will have.They all laughed together, sharing
It was a sunny day in Perth. Inside the Madison family mansion, Caroline was preparing dinner in the kitchen. She sang her favorite song while stirring the pasta, a smile never leaving her face. Aalya, who was now closer to Caroline, helped by chopping vegetables."Ouch, Aalya, don't cut them too big! It'll be hard to eat," Caroline said with a laugh."I know, I know! Is it small enough?" replied Aalya in a joking tone, showing the cut vegetables that didn't quite meet Caroline's criteria."Yes, yes, good. I just remembered we have to prepare dessert. Do you want to make brownies or chocolate cake?" Caroline asked, getting excited."Brownies! I love brownies! Let's make them!" Aalya replied cheerfully. Their voices filled the kitchen, creating a warm atmosphere in the house.Meanwhile, in the living room, Jared was talking to Brian. Jared looked very serious, while Brian looked a little worried."Brian, I've been thinking about our relationship. Ever since you came back to Aalya, thin
"I can't believe Brian finally did it," Caroline murmured with a smile. Memories of when Brian and Aalya first met flashed through her mind. Although Aalya didn't believe in their relationship at first, Brian patiently proved how sincere and loyal he was. Caroline felt proud to see her brother finally find his true love.Caroline turned on her cell phone and decided to call Aalya. She knew how happy her sister was when she accepted Brian's proposal. After a few ringtones, Aalya answered in a cheerful voice."Caroline! How are you?" Aalya sounded very excited, her voice full of joy that flowed into every word."I'm fine, sis. I just heard from Brian, and I'm so happy for you!" Caroline couldn't hide the smile on her face.Aalya chuckled. "Oh, thank you! This is a very special moment for me. Brian really moved me. He proposed to me in the park where we used to spend time together.""Wow, that's so romantic! I know Brian must have planned it well. You deserve that happiness, sis," Caroli
Caroline's eyes lit up. She knew that Aalya's statement was not just empty words. She saw the commitment on Aalya's face, and it made her feel optimistic. "I want us to be able to repair our relationship, Aalya. We can start from here. We can support and help each other."Aalya smiled, feeling new hope in their relationship. "Thank you, Caroline. I promise I will try hard to be a better sister. I won't let jealousy get the better of me anymore. I will support you, no matter what."Days passed, and Aalya began to show a marked change in attitude. She spent more time with Caroline, helping her sister in the recovery process. Aalya learned to listen to and appreciate Caroline's feelings, which she had previously ignored. They talked more openly, shared stories, and planned for a better future.Aalya also started looking for ways to improve herself. She went to support groups, trying to work through the emotional issues that had plagued her life. She learned to love herself and let go of
After a dark period that almost took Caroline's life, she is now lying in a comfortable hospital bed, surrounded by modern medical equipment and the pungent smell of antiseptics. However, within the room, there is one thing that gives her peace of mind: the presence of Jared beside her.Jared sat in a chair next to the bed, his eyes never leaving Caroline's face. He looked tired, but his passion for caring for his wife kept him strong. Every day, Jared arrived early, bringing fresh flowers and a warm smile, despite the weight on his shoulders."How are you feeling today, dear?" asked Jared gently, stroking Caroline's bandaged hand.Caroline smiled faintly, trying to hold back the pain that was still in her chest. "I feel better, but I'm still tired," she replied, her voice soft. "You're always here, Jared. Thank you."Jared nodded, his eyes full of love. "I'm not going anywhere. You are everything to me, Caroline. I will always be here for you," he said firmly. The pain Caroline was e