Fathia didn't say a word. She just followed along with big steps because the moment Jess followed Vino, Sebastian Sachdev's big hand immediately pulled her away. It was rough and pressuring, but Fathia refused to complain. She kept all her feelings inside, letting them pile up without knowing when they would be vomited out.
Never before has she experienced a man who, in Fathia's eyes, is actually handsome, acting so roughly towards her. Maybe... it's just words, but what about actions? This is the first time Fathia has felt it. It's sad to experience such treatment from someone she used to be close to. Someone she has never forgotten how Sebastian treated her until now.
If she could turn back time and ask what happened and why Sebastian changed, she would definitely do it. Unfortunately, that courage never appeared. She could only nod and obey everything Sebastian said.
Even when Sebastian slightly pushed her when he told her to get into his luxurious car, there
"Uncle... aren't you eating?" Fathia asked softly. She was now sitting in Sebastian's office, a place she had only visited once before. It still held memories of her father's workspace. Even now, nothing had been changed by Sebastian. Fathia had visited this room once before for a dinner date with Felice.Her sister's desk used to be at the end of another corridor. Earlier, she caught a glimpse of the place where Felice used to be busy with his laptop. Now, someone else occupied that desk. Fathia suddenly remembered and missed her brother even more."Here, have a bite."Fathia choked. She quickly grabbed the glass of lemon tea, drinking it as if she had been stranded in the desert without water for two days. She wiped her lips roughly, and the back of her hand got wet from the drink."Quickly.""Sebastian! Be serious!"Sebastian looked up. He had been rereading the materials that Vino had prepared. The meeting would start in half an hour. Vi
"Sir, I think the meeting went well." Vino couldn't hide his excitement for a moment. As an assistant and trusted person of Sebastian Sachdev, he walked two steps behind him, observing the surroundings while his face showed a contented smile regarding the meeting's outcome.Sebastian's negotiating skills were truly praiseworthy, and Vino had learned a lot from him over the three years he had worked for Sebastian, despite the pressures. Vino enjoyed it. He gained many valuable lessons about the business world and everything that surrounded it.Sebastian shook his head slightly. Deep down, he truly believed that this negotiation would have an impact. Not a significant one, but it would at least prove to the shareholders that he still had potential.This was a significant task considering that until now, there were still many doubts and even strong suspicions about the direction and stability of the Azure Group. Sebastian could easily ignore the situation and simpl
The last thing Fathia remembered was lying in Sebastian's office. She couldn't just turn around as she would have fallen and met the carpeted floor. But when she did turn around, she didn't feel the pain of hitting the floor. Slowly, she opened her eyes, feeling like time had warped."Why am I in the bedroom?" Fathia mumbled to herself. To her surprise, she found Sebastian lying next to her. His breathing was steady, and his chest rose and fell rhythmically. From this brief observation, Fathia knew that the successful man who had ruined her mood earlier was still in his work attire.He had only taken off his Armani coat, rolled up the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows, and undone a few buttons, revealing a portion of his chest, which appeared ... sexy?Fathia quickly shook her head. Where did that thought come from?Originally, Fathia had planned to rush to the bathroom and change her clothes. Taking a relaxing bath seemed like a good idea since she hadn
A man walked confidently, surrounded by bowed heads as he passed rows of men dressed in all-black suits, including himself. He wore a black blazer, complete with a cane as his walking aid, and, of course, a cigar always faithfully by his side.Sitting with a rather dramatic gesture, he filled the spacious but dimly lit room with his intimidating presence. Smoke billowed from behind the cigar he had just taken a puff from. He closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the nicotine calming him. In that moment, he calculated what his men would carry out today.There could be no room for mistakes.He had no desire to fail again.Nor did he want to find himself in a situation where he had to perform another daring act to breathe the air of freedom.Everything had to be obliterated without mercy, especially when he glanced down at his feet, which would forever be bound in chains until he met his Maker. The embers of vengeance inside him flared up again.
"It's still there," Fathia mumbled."And the balance?"Fathia remained silent."The balance, Fathia," Sebastian pressed the question with a limit. If he didn't get an answer immediately, especially if Fathia seemed to be avoiding it, Sebastian couldn't control his emotions for long. But sometimes Sebastian forgot that this girl often acted as she pleased. Just like now.Instead, Fathia ran towards him, sat on his lap, and hugged him. She chose to bury herself in Sebastian's chest and repeatedly apologized. Sebastian wanted to let go, but then he felt the small girl's shoulders shaking with sobs."Forgive me, Sebastian. I've run out of pocket money."Sebastian closed his eyes for a moment. The hand he usually used to gently stroke Fathia's long hair hesitated in the air. He was restraining his rising anger. Her sobbing intensified, causing Sebastian to eventually sigh heavily. He wiped his own face a bit roughly and said, "Okay. I forgive you
"Hey, Fathia. What's up? Why are you zoning out so early in the morning? It's totally pointless." Jess plopped down next to Fathia immediately. This morning marked Clara's visit, the umpteenth one, with Fathia's gloomy expression.Once again, Fathia's absent-minded stirring of her breakfast was presented perfectly before Jess's eyes."I'm myself confused about why it's like this."Jess chuckled. "Is your uncle still mad about yesterday?"Fathia's shoulders drooped further. "It's more than that. He read our chat."Jess managed to choke on the air she took in through her mouth. "Wow... Uncle Sebastian sure is something, but I wouldn't want to deal with a cold guy like him. Eww ... its scary."Her conversation partner had already suspected as much. Fathia stared lazily again, without any interest, as her mood was really sour."Hey, if I'm not mistaken, isn't your uncle speaking at a seminar today? Get pumped up."Fathia only grima
"Where did you get that nonsense?" Fathia waved her hand dismissively and continued with her intention. She was telling the truth, though. She just used the excuse to return the book now. Fathia was prolonging her time. That way, when she returned, she could sit in the back area.She didn't want to stare at Sebastian for too long in front of the guests. Most likely, he wouldn't be far from the main podium. Jesslyn, on the other hand, would definitely choose a seat in the front. Not because she wanted to hear Sebastian's speech and advice. No, Fathia was certain of that. Jess was only doing it so that the two of them could sit and admire how cool Sebastian was, especially Fathia.Observing Sebastian from a distance because when he was with Clara, Fathia's mood felt even gloomier."What's wrong with me?" Fathia complained softly as she continued walking, strolling down the corridor toward the back cafeteria where the young man had informed her of his current locat
EARLY DECEMBER 2019The first time Fathia opened her eyes, what she remembered was her outburst towards Sebastian. Flash by flash, the events of the morning that should have been filled with happiness and enjoyment turned into pain. Although she remembered the pleasant breakfast she had. Seeing Sebastian's laughter and smiles, as well as their light conversation with their guardian.Fathia really wished that when she turned around, Sebastian would be beside her. Waiting for her like when she was sick before. However, that hope was now futile. All she saw was Clara, sitting there playing with her phone and occasionally giggling."Oh... are you awake already?"With a stiff movement and a sudden groan escaping Fathia's lips due to the intense pain coursing through her body, she needed to confirm one thing. "Where am I, Aunt?"Clara brushed her hair aside slowly, a cunning smile forming on her face. It pierced right through those beautiful eyes of Fath
What Jess fears the most when delivering orders is not just the payment. As for that, Jess doesn't worry too much because she's confident they will pay. What Jess worries about is suddenly receiving a message with a complaining tone from the customer. Even if the complaint is constructive, it still makes her feel small."Can you sit still, Jess?" Fathia had warned her friend not to be so tense. They had been in the apartment since the afternoon. The cake order had arrived safely and on time for the host's party there."I'm nervous!"Fathia shook her head in amazement. "You're usually the most confident one. Just now?""Ugh! This is different, Fathia. I'm not an expert at making cakes yet. I'm afraid it won't taste good. And it's not overly sweet."Seeing Jess's nervousness, Laras, who had been observing the two of them, approached. She took a seat right next to the girl whose hair always stood out with its cotton candy color but whose beauty contin
"This can't be allowed," Sebastian said angrily, his eyes flashing with rage. It sent a shiver down Jess's spine. They were in the middle of a discussion, especially after Vino had sent evidence of Sammy's crimes the day before. It included the name of the Mercury Company, which turned out to be true, just as Jess suspected.She was surprised herself, that it could be so well-orchestrated without many people knowing."I never thought Uncle Akmal would be like this," Fathia whispered, her eyes scanning each page of the reports."We need evidence to prove if Uncle Akmal is really involved," Jess replied.Fathia looked up from the rows of numbers she was examining."Because," Jess immediately handed over a report she was holding, "here it says that Uncle Akmal approved the amount the residents requested."Fathia immediately shifted her focus to the page Jess pointed to."And here, Mr. Sebastian. You can check," Jess handed another report
"It seems like we can't stay at my place, Fathia," Fathia, while gently pinching Gwen's chubby cheeks, looked up at Jess with a puzzled expression. "Why?""You're crazy, seriously. The house has been left for years, only peeked at occasionally to keep it maintained and not falling apart. There must be a lot of dust. Poor Gwen," Jess replied, her affection for Gwen was always genuine. Fathia could feel how sincere it was. "In that case, we'll just rent a hotel if it gets too late. It's not good for Gwen to stay in the car for too long. She won't be able to move freely."Jess agreed with that plan. In Fathia's luxurious black SUV, they decided to head to Ranch Village right away. They would return to Beverly Hills after a few days. Mirah and Laras joined them. Laras said, "Auntie wants to accompany both of you. And Gwen too."Both Jess and Fathia never wanted to refuse her. In fact, they were delighted when Laras joined them. At least, it meant she wouldn't be thi
Pulling out a regular notebook that she always carried around, it contained her activity planner and life goals. Jess liked planning like this, determining what should take precedence and what could be gradually worked on.She opened a new page, grabbed a blue pen, and started jotting down some notes. "High Priority," she wrote, thickening the letters and underlining them, adding a few small doodles around her words. She shifted slightly to the right to start with what she needed to prioritize.The cafe? It was stable; she didn't need any specific planning except for maintenance regarding quality and service to make it even better. However, she noted the order from Bu Loissa's friend who had already entered the place. Luckily for her, they were going back to Beverly Hills tomorrow. Fathia, Gwen, and Mirah were all going with her. The apartment Jess lived in was adjacent to Fathia's property. Her friend had gifted Jess a unit in the same neighborhood, even though Jess h
"This is the project in Ranch Village." Fathia handed over a rather thick file to Jess, who looked at her in surprise. "I know you need this, right?" she added with a grin on her lips, which made Jess laugh. Then the girl immediately examined each file that Fathia had handed over. Since Sebastian didn't come home today, Jess could freely discuss with Fathia, although occasionally she was interrupted by Gwen's presence. Ironically, she was the one who spent the most time playing with the adorable child."When I was found at Ranch Village the other day, they said it was for a supermarket construction. But, the price they offered is really low, Fathia.""Who offered it? Azure Group?""So here's the thing," Jess straightened her back. "There, residents often borrow money from loan sharks, like in one place. Mr. Imam said the name of the cooperative is Mercury PT. They use house certificates as collateral.""Mercury Company?" Fathia repeated with a furrowed br
As Jess talked to Kenzo about her burdens, half of that weight diminished. And when Laras hugged her tightly, Jess didn't expect the middle-aged woman she respected to say anything, and that reduced her burden even more. Even when Jess expressed her fear of Laras blaming her for Asmara, Laras pouted."Mami's not that heartless, Jess.""Sorry, Mi," she said, lowering her head. Fathia had gone back inside. Gwen was crying, asking for milk. She intentionally left them and gave them some time."This conversation should have happened a year ago, shouldn't it, Jess?"Jess frowned. "What do you mean?"Laras handed her a cup of her homemade jasmine tea. "Drink this first to relax a bit. Tea helps us calm our tense nerves, Jess.""Mami's right. When I was in Beverly Hills, I enjoyed my own jasmine tea. So when I went to Green Lake yesterday, I stuffed Kenzo with tea because he had too much coffee.""Oh, really?" Laras furrowed her brow in conf
"Your extra cheesy pasta always wins, Jess," Fathia says as she continues to eat her pasta without a trace of worry. Her body is naturally lean except when she's pregnant, and even then, it requires a lot of food to show.Jess just nods but feels pleased that what she's served is still her friend's favorite. After returning from the airport, Jess took a rest because her body was incredibly tired. She didn't even realize how long she had been asleep. When she opens her eyes again, morning has arrived. A series of messages flood in as Jess grabs her phone from the nightstand.Honestly, the past week has been exhausting for her, despite the enjoyment she shared with Kenzo. As she checks through the messages, most of which are from Kenzo, Jess can't help but chuckle.Jess. R: Sorry, I fell asleep last night. So tired, Ken. I still have a day off, right? Only back to work tomorrow?Just as Jess peels back the covers, getting ready to change, wash her face, and
Stopping by New York City, Jess didn't stay for long, just a few hours because Kenzo had to catch his flight. And for this time, using Dennish as a driver was the wisest choice. Kenzo was quite tired from driving from Beverly Hills to New York City and had to get to the airport right away. He didn't carry too much luggage, just a small suitcase, but he still needed to check if he had left anything behind.Meanwhile, Fathia advised Jess to go back to her place."Me and Mr. Dennish will manage it. How can I get back to Beverly Hills right away?" Jess smirked, but then she smiled. "Wait for me, okay? We'll gossip."Fathia, who was carrying Gwen, just shook her head in amazement at her friend's behavior. But really, Jess's eyes seemed more alive than they had been for the past few months. She felt like she was meeting the Jess she knew when they first met. Not the Jess who had been keeping to herself. Fathia knew Jess was close by, but not as close as she used to be
"Sebastian's been on a big expansion, you know, setting up a supermarket and all that. He's been working on that project for about a year now. Originally, it was in Uncle Alif's department, but it got stuck during his trial. It was handed over to Uncle Akmal for the continuation, and it's been running smoothly again," Fathia explains from the other end.Jess sits in one of the chairs on the balcony. She deliberately placed two chairs and a table to enjoy the evening. Just like now. Her gaze wanders far ahead, enjoying the chilly night atmosphere in Beverly Hills. She's sure Fathia might not know the exact location earmarked for development, which includes her parents' house and their graves.Talking to Fathia about this was the right decision, and she also feels like she needs to find out if Roy is deeply involved."Why are you suddenly asking about the Azure Group?"The pink-haired girl doesn't want to hide what's happening to her. "I'm going to New York