"What does Miss want to eat? Does Miss want a warm bath? Miss's room is always tidy," Naomi says with a sparkle of joy. Before Fathia's lips can reply to her words, Jack arrives with his report.
"Does Miss not want to see the backyard? All the flowers are growing nicely. I take good care of them, Miss."
"I'll cut some fruit for you, okay? Miss looks really skinny."
"Miss, Mr. Jack will change the flowers in your room right away, alright? Starting tonight, Miss will be staying here, right?"
Amidst all their attention and the mix of feelings today, Fathia just chuckles. The corners of her eyes have been watery for who knows how long. Maybe since Fathia and Naomi shared tears? Or when the embrace, in which Jack, with a voice trembling withheld-back tears, joined on the front porch, dissolved.
"I... I... I truly can't believe you weren't buried. Every day, I prayed to God, hoping that what I saw was all just a trick," Naomi sobs briefly after unravelin
Fathia had heard about her cousin named Kenzo. He studied abroad and even worked at an internationally known communications company. Felice said that Kenzo's job could be categorized as impressive. Fathia had never met him in person. Besides, she was always sheltered by her father, and her uncle only attended dinner gatherings with his wife, Aunt Larasati.Maybe it was because Claire's blood flowed in Aunt Larasati's veins, the middle-aged woman who always appeared glamorous with lots of jewelry on her hands and neck, and though she was pretty friendly, Fathia was sure it was just a formality. Although Aunt Larasati never talked in a way that offended or seemed cold and distant towards her, Fathia still felt strange under her gaze.The name Kenzo Walker, the only child of Uncle Alef and Aunt Larasati, she only knew from their stories boasting about their son's achievements. Young Fathia remembered, her dad and mommy rarely bragged in the way they did about Felice.
Ideas and spur-of-the-moment scenarios put together by Jess and Mr. Jack were smoothly accepted by Kenzo. In front of the tall, bespectacled man, Naomi introduced Jess and Fathia, saying that they were her nieces from her hometown who were studying abroad. They asked for permission to stay temporarily here until they found jobs and to help around while looking for work.Kenzo just glanced at them reluctantly before heading up to the second floor. "Up to Aunt Naomi. Just don't disturb me," he said at the top of the stairs before he started ascending step by step.Jess sneered. "What's his deal?! He's just a guest here."Fathia gently pinched Jess's arm, making the green-haired girl wince in pain. She shot an annoyed look that clearly pointed at Fathia. "I'm right, aren't I? He's the one being a guest, and you're the one who owns this place.""I'm Anne, Jess, in case you forgot. Fathia's been buried." It seemed Fathia was getting used to referring to hersel
"What did you graduate in?" Fathia tried to steady her breathing. In front of her sat Kenzo, looking relaxed. He wore a black collared shirt paired with knee-length shorts and casual house sandals. Choosing a seat in one of the rooms where a non-functional large TV sat in the right wing, Fathia was instructed to follow him.As Kenzo observed them standing in front of a large portrait of an Alvin Mehram, his uncle, he didn't like it. They were strangers to him. Why bother paying so much attention to everything in this house in such detail? Walking confidently toward the murmuring pair, and sure enough, there was a visible flinch as they were surprised by Kenzo's approach."What are you doing?" Kenzo asked, his gaze piercing particularly at the green-haired village girl. Where was she from? A village? And her hair? Oh my God! Was she trying too hard?"Apologies, Sir," Naomi quickly approached and lowered her head slightly. "I'm explaining the portraits.""T
In the morning, Fathia helped a trembling Naomi in the kitchen. She watched her with fear and worry, especially when Fathia started slicing onions for seasoning. Occasionally, Clara Naomi would give warnings that only made Fathia burst into laughter."Don't worry about it. The kitchen and I are now friends," Fathia reassured her."Who's making friends with the kitchen?" someone said, causing Fathia's movements to freeze suddenly. Her eyes widened in surprise and she almost jumped in her place. Why did she talk so carelessly while Kenzo was in the house? How foolish of her! Fathia cursed internally."Why, silent now? I heard someone talking about making friends with the kitchen. You, Anne?"Fathia turned pale. Since when did Kenzo appear in the kitchen? Did he secretly eavesdrop on her conversation with Naomi? The well-dressed man with his long-sleeved shirt, who appeared out of nowhere, was now staring at her questioningly. Oh God!"Maybe you mishe
"We're supposed to eat, Fathia," Jess said with a chuckle. "And besides, we've been in here for how many hours? Aren't you hungry?"Jess didn't need Jess's answer when she heard Fathia's stomach loudly demanding to be filled. Making the girl laugh. "You're right. I'm actually hungry. Tomorrow we'll continue, and the suspicious folder, we'll take it to the room. I want to study it.""Got it, boss!"Fathia just shook her head. Quickly tidying up some scattered documents on her father's desk. She followed Jess, who was already heading out with the folder she had pointed at earlier."Lunch with what menu, Aunt? I feel like I'm about to faint," Jess complained the moment she opened the door. She intentionally made her face look as dramatic as possible. As if spending hours in there had completely drained her.Naomi laughed when she saw her. Jess's behavior was truly entertaining. If her young lady appeared quiet and untouched, Jess was the opposite, alw
"So, what's the deal?" Kenzo crossed his legs. His gaze lingered on Jess longer than usual, the girl who always left notes for him to communicate. Annoying Jess, she looked like she wasn't happy with what he had just offered her. A job.Kenzo had his own satisfaction when he told them about the kind of work for the both of them. Was it the same? Definitely not. Kenzo took advantage of this opportunity well and cleverly, even making Jess cast an unfriendly look at him.Yeah, right. Who does he think he is? Just a close relative of a servant here, right? Why does he seem to look at her with a disapproving gaze? So different from Mr. Calm who had already caught his attention. Not because of his looks, really... that was way different from Jess. But his behavior and polite body language, along with how he kept his head down, made Kenzo feel sorry for him.A note was received again by Kenzo as a response from Mr. Calm.[We'll think about it thoroughly, Sir.]
At the same time, on the balcony of Sebastian's luxurious apartment, the large curtains were pulled open on purpose. Revealing the New York City skyline pulsating at night. The surrounding buildings were illuminated with bright lights."So, how did it go?" the man who was Sebastian's guest tonight asked. In front of him, Sebastian let out a slow sigh, massaging his temples roughly."We have evidence of money laundering in our hands, Sir. Just hand it over to the police, I'm sure Mr. Alef won't be able to deny it anymore."True, what Sebastian was saying was accurate. With the help of his assistant, Sebastian had been trying to uncover what Alef had been hiding. There were a lot of projects that were hindered, but the costs flowed heavily. Every time Sebastian started digging in, Alef immediately defended himself and spoke with a dismissive attitude as usual."Before you came, Alvin always approved things for me, Sebastian. Remember, you only work here. Do
Fathia let out a slow breath, feeling the nervousness creeping in every time she entered the corridor she had stepped into before—under duress—from the man who still ruled her heart. Sebastian Sachdev.Here, Fathia was sure no one recognized her except for... the owner of the room at the other end of the corridor.Luckily for Fathia, in the four years she worked here, she had never once set foot near the CEO's office at Azure Group; Sebastian Sachdev. Azure Group consisted of five floors, with the 35th floor housing the top executives, including Sebastian. Meanwhile, Jess and Fathia were placed on the 31st floor. In the marketing division, where Kenzo worked as the Marketing Manager.Not so lucky for Jess. Often, their journey home was colored by Jess's grumbling and griping about being tormented by Kenzo. It seemed like that guy had managed to dampen Jess's cheerful days. There was always something Kenzo demanded Jess to do, and what Jess hated the
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