The butler was called into Afgan's study. The old servant immediately fell to his knees in fear.Adelia, who heard this report, immediately hobbled into the same room. She had to defend the old butler!“Who allowed a man into the house?” asked Afgan, looking intently at the old butler who was kneeling and crying in fear.Receiving no answer, Afgan threw a glass and the shards hit part of the Old Butler's face.At the same time, Adelia had arrived at Afgan's office. Immediately, Adelia hugged the Old Butler's body.“Afgan!” Adelia shouted, returning the glare.“You've lost your conscience!”“What do you mean?” Afgan stood up and his temper rose to the top of his lungs.“She's old, you youngsters shouldn't be rude like that! Even if she is a servant!”Afgan looked sharply at Adelia, but after seeing the angry and disappointed expression on her face, he felt compelled to give a defense of himself.“I don't have time for this useless act, Adelia. This servant has neglected her duties. I f
The nurse, who had been assigned to look after Adelia, immediately opened the IV needle in Adelia's hand and corrected its location.“Is she okay?” asked Afgan frantically, while the cell phone in his pocket rang continuously.Adelia shook her head softly from the pain, her eyes glancing at the butler who was wiping her old face. Dar*h was still flowing from the broken glass that had hit him.“Sus, please take care of the butler's face. I'm fine,” Adelia said in a soft tone holding back the pain.The nurse turned to the butler and nodded. “Just a moment, I'll finish this first.”Meanwhile Afgan just sat on the other side of the bed and looked at Adelia with a thoughtful gaze. The cell phone in his pocket kept ringing, although the sound was small, but it was quite disturbing.“Why don't you pick up the phone first?” Adelia looked at Afgan with a strange look.Annoyed, Afgan took the phone out of his pants pocket.The phone screen showed the name “Melinda” and 19 missed calls by the sa
In the evening, Adelia waited for a long time, but Afgan did not come home as he had promised.Devastated, Adelia looked out of the window. The rain was falling harder and the room felt colder.Adelia tightened her blankets and tried to sleep, hoping that by morning, her body would have recovered and she could return to work.Her contract was still two years old. Adelia decided to look for another job after the contract was over. She couldn't stand having to see Melinda and Afgan all the time. The hotel also caused the fateful night that she had to deal with as a bad trauma for the rest of her life.Adelia really wanted to put everything behind her, save up money to pay off her father's gambling debts and then pay back the dowry that had been used to pay her father's debts. The only way to get out of this marriage was to be able to pay the dowry.Staring blankly at the window, Adelia finally drifted off to sleep.Meanwhile, at Melinda's house, Afgan could not contain his anxiety. He w
“Well, that's it,” said the nurse as she stuck a small plunger in the syringe site.“Thank you.”“I'll take my leave now that you've recovered, make sure you get a good rest and eat a nutritious meal,” said the nurse then stood up and carried her medical kit out of the room, leaving Adelia and the butler.“I'm going to work today,” said Adelia as she stretched her body which felt stiff.“... but, doesn't the master want you to rest at home?” asked the butler, getting nervous.“I have to work, I can't be spoiled. It's only a day's fever, it's okay,” Adelia said, pulling the butler's hand and clasping it like a child clinging to its mother.“I will eat regularly. Why don't you prepare some delicious food for me? I'll take it with me and eat it at the hotel later.”Adelia's words made the butler's eyes sparkle.“Okay, I'll go and prepare that meal now.”Immediately, the butler stepped out to do the task Adelia had given him, making the woman smile meaningfully.Adelia immediately went in
“Adelia?” greeted Edward as he knocked on the unlocked door of the employee break room.Adelia was startled out of her reverie. “er, Edward... uhm, I'm having breakfast, come in.”“You forgot your flowers,” said Edward as he stepped inside.“Uh, this looks really good, did you make it yourself?” asked Edward with his eyes looking at the delicious looking lunchbox.“It's really good, well, try it...” Adelia pinched an egg roll and fed it to Edward.At the same time, Afgan accidentally passed by the employee break room.Adelia froze when she saw the presence of Afgan who was rounding his eyes and staring intently at her who was bribing Edward.How could Afgan be here? Adelia couldn't help but ask, then in an awkward manner, swallowed her saliva with difficulty.
Adelia had nothing to say in her defense. In fact, the food was not given to her by Edward as she was accused of and her working hours had not yet begun.Afgan's accusations had destroyed Adelia's innermost being so much that she hated him now.Adelia cried as she picked up the food that had fallen on the floor with tears streaming down her face.She felt really guilty because apart from the sincerity of the person who made the food, the taste of this food was really good. With an affectionate look, Adelia threw everything into the trash can, along with the crushed fresh flowers.Meanwhile, Afgan walked to find Mrs. Smule in her office.The fat woman with glasses was surprised and hurriedly invited Afgan into her office as soon as she realized the hotel owner had come to visit.“What would you like to say, Mr. Afgan? Is there anything I can resolve?&rdq
“What!!!” Afgan rounded his eyes at the report from Mrs. Smule about Adelia's appointment as his personal assistant.Mrs. Smule put her phone away because Afgan's shouting was deafening her ears.“Yes, sir. Didn't I fulfill all the tasks you gave me?” Mrs. Smule replied as if she was innocent.“What do you mean?”Mrs. Smule adjusted her seat and replied, “First, you said that she should not be fired, didn't you?”“Yes! So what?”“Second, she has to work behind the counter and can't go to the warehouse anymore!”Afgan knitted his eyebrows together and replied, “Yes, that's right. Then?”“Well, third, he can't go anywhere alone including to the toilet!”Afgan swallowed his saliva quickly and was at a loss
Adelia returned to the room of Mrs. Smule who was staring at some brochures in her hand.“Well, you're back. Take a look at these brochures. Which one do you think is the best?”Adelia approached Mrs. Smule's desk. Fatigue was in her eyes, but she had to be professional because she had just accepted a new position as assistant to the CEO.Adelia looked at the brochure in her hand and began to analyze it. The brochure was a promotion that would be delivered in nearby villages starting this week.“This looks like the best one,” said Adelia after selecting a brochure that looked interesting.“Yes, your taste is indeed the same as mine, you are quite talented at judging objects,” praised Mrs. Smule with that big smile of hers.“Alright, take this to the printer and print as many as needed. By the way, you must ask your fa
Melinda approached him, gritting her teeth. "Time? It's been a year!""Shintya needs her father, now! You're going to ruin her first birthday with her father's absence?"Afgan growled, "You don't understand!""You don't understand, Afgan! You make Shintya and me feel insignificant!" Melinda shouted, eyes glazed over.Afgan felt stabbed by those words, but he persisted. "I'll be gone for a while, Mel. This is important to me.""And what is important to you, Afgan? What did you choose to miss this moment for?" Melinda tried to get his attention by grabbing the sleeve of Afgan's shirt."Let go!" she exclaimed.Afgan shook his head. "You can't just force me to leave Adelia.""She's dead, Afgan! Please come to your senses!"The argument escalated, and a tense atmosphere pervaded their home. Melinda felt disappointment and frustration growing inside her. Afgan, fixated on his inability to let go of the past, decided to leave w
Melinda felt a change in her relationship with Afgan. Although their home was again full of laughter and jokes, there was an ice that had slipped between them. Every day, Melinda felt like she was facing a cold wall that she couldn't break through. The once beautiful landscape became increasingly bleak.Melinda tried to find answers within herself. She brooded in the middle of the night, sitting on her bed with her mind in turmoil. The silence of the house was only interrupted by the wind tapping on the windows. "Why has everything changed?" she muttered to herself."Why is there no love from Afgan at all even though I got rid of that pesky woman?"Melinda always slept alone without Afgan. The cold nights were shared only with her little daughter who often woke up at night to ask for milk.A message arrived on Melinda's cell phone in the middle of the night, as she was giving milk to the little one.[Already asleep?]Melinda simply read the
That morning, the sun shone down on their house. Afgan sat on the terrace, gazing at the garden that was slowly recovering from its sadness. Today he wasn't working because it was the first day of 2024.All employees were closed and Afgan had no reason to work. The gaze of the man looked pseudo and passionless.Even though the house was quiet with most of the servants on leave, there was still the occasional sound of little Shintya crying.However, the man did not respond to the cries at all.Melinda came out of the house, realizing that their conversation last night still left a wound in Afgan's heart.“I'm sorry, Afgan,” Melinda said regretfully. Her hands made a tray of tea and glasses. Melinda stepped closer to Afgan and tried to soften the heart of the man who became her husband.“I know it's complicated, and I want to make you ha
“What do you mean?”Afgan begins to tell Achmed about Bayu and Melinda having an affair. However, Achmed didn't fully believe him until Afgan showed him the evidence from the recording.“Let's do a DNA test!”“Okay! Do as you wish, Dad!” Afgan refocused on his work and didn't respond to his father's words anymore.The DNA test was conducted, but Melinda cunningly managed to trick the test employee by taking a sample of Afgan's own hair left in her comb.A few days passed, and the DNA test results finally came out. Achmed held the results tremblingly, seeking reassurance over the doubts that crept into his mind. Afgan, who had kept his distance from the situation from the start, finally agreed to speak.“Dad, what's the result?” Afgan asked, his face determined.Achmed stared at the DNA test results, then nodded with disappointment. “This... this is impossible. The results show that
“You want to visit his grave? Yes! Go to the Sanjaya Cemetery in South Jakarta. Look for Adelia's name in block 7!” exclaimed angrily through the speaker on the cell phone. The man did not allow the security guard to open the door at all.Hearing the answer from Edward, Afgan's heart was like being struck by lightning and then slashed by several sharp daggers.“Go back to your country. I really hate you for letting Adelia's body go up in flames like that!”Edward switched off the call from the security cell phone. With languid steps, Afgan stepped back into his car.The fact that Adelia was dead made his life feel shattered. With his left hand, he called his father to check the whereabouts of Adelia's grave.The driver drove the car back to the airport. Afgan did not wait any longer, but went straight to the private plane that his father had prepared.“Go home, Afgan,” Achmed said wearily.“Adelia's grave is indeed there and the death
“What's going on, is she awake?” asked Afgan with his breath caught in his throat as he ran from the hospital parking lot to his mother-in-law's room.“No, she's not conscious yet, but we heard her delirious.”“Edward and Adelia?”Kanya nodded her head confidently, as did Achmed.“It seems that Adelia's loss has something to do with Edward.”Afgan snorted harshly then said, “that man has been gone since before the fire. He's already engaged to Emily and they've returned to Dubai.”“How could he be involved?” Afgan asked himself.“It's good you're investigating, Afgan. All the possibilities are there, after all you've been looking all this time.”“By the way, what about Melinda, have you forgiven your wife?” Achmed asked his son.Afgan looked at his father meaningfully. He couldn't bear to tell him the secret abou
“I'm sorry for everything I did that was unfair to her, Father.”Afgan's voice was hoarse and his chest felt tight.Achmed looked at his son with compassion. “We cannot control fate, Afgan. Life sometimes gives us difficult trials, but we must fight through them together. We will find a way out, and we will be stronger than ever.”Afgan nodded, the man wiping away tears with the back of his hand as he absorbed his father's words. Although there were still many questions and uncertainties ahead, he felt that his family would find a way to get through all the obstacles and rebuild their lives.The two sat together in the hospital waiting room, embracing each other in an emo-laden silence. They realize that in order to achieve happiness in the future, they must unite and support each other, even though the road ahead may still be difficult and full of challenges.“I'm going to go calm down, D
Achmed Al-Futtaim and Kanya, Afgan's parents, heard news that shook the peace of their lives. The news of their in-law's sudden shock and illness left them with a deep sense of anxiety. Their faces were etched with expressions of worry and fear as they walked at a brisk pace towards the hospital.On the way to the hospital, Achmed and Kanya's minds were full of questions and worries. They looked at each other, and their eyes reflected deep worry. They couldn't imagine that their lives would change in an instant due to this unexpected situation.“Really, what happened?” said Achmed in a hoarse voice, trying to calm himself and his wife Kanya's heart. “Hopefully this is just a temporary incident and everything will be fine.”“True, I can't imagine how Adelia would feel if she were still alive. We as a family owe so much to that poor woman who is nowhere to be found.”Kanya clasped Achmed's hand tig
“No! Bik Minah!”Brak!Afgan felt like his spine was broken. The pain of the wooden beam hitting his small body.He could feel the searing heat and hear the sound of small explosions. The scene grew darker, until Afgan felt as if he was drowning in a sea of fire.He vaguely saw in the flames Adelia waving with a warm smile. Next to her was Bik Minah and on the other side was Adelia's father.“No! Don't leave me!” Afgan shouted frantically.Afgan woke up with a gasp, his body covered in cold sweat. The morning sun shone brightly through the window of his spacious bedroom. He sat bolt upright in bed, still struck by the nightmare he had just experienced.His heart was racing, and his face was pale. His nightshirt was also stained with sweat. Afgan tried to push the shadows of the dream from his mind, but the memories of the extravagant events in his house continued to haunt him. The licking flames, the panic, and