Don't ask about Jess's response when they're in the cafeteria for lunch. Her laughter is so loud and boisterous. Not to mention, she's wiping the corners of her eyes that are wet from tears, not because she's crying. Not at all. But she finds it funny listening to all the stories Fathia just told.
"Can you stop?" Fathia has rotated her eyes in annoyance so many times she's lost count. This time, her lunch isn't extra cheesy pasta. For some reason, the spicy chicken dish is really tempting. Eating at one of the cafes not far from the Energy Building, but with a quick time limit because they both know that eating out in a situation like this could be considered suspicious.
"Ah... if you miss him, just say it honestly, Fathia."
Fathia snorted irritably. Stirring the remnants of her strawberry smoothie, she glanced briefly at the watch on her wrist. "Come on. Let's go back."
With a sigh, Jess finished her meal. Along the way back to the office, Jess chuckled
"Sir," Biyan greets softly. He doesn't want to disturb his big boss for too long. Throughout his years of working here, he's avoided interacting with Sebastian. Not without reason, the guy has an aura that makes Biyan's confidence suddenly shrink. Even now, when Sebastian raises his gaze from the report he's reading.His gaze as sharp as an eagle's, ready to strike him down if he makes a mistake. Biyan nervously swallows."Starting today, Anne is in my office. Cleaning the 35th floor, Biyan. Also, place two others here to assist her."Biyan blinks slowly but doesn't dare voice his confusion. On the floor where all the directors of Group Azure are located, indeed two staff members are assigned to clean and ensure all the rooms are neat and tidy. But if three people are on this floor? Isn't that excessive?"Understood, Biyan?""Got it, sir," Biyan startles but quickly thinks about how to arrange his subordinates on each floor. Even though they've jus
"What did you tell Mr. Sebastian?" Fathia presses again. She needs an answer that can put her mind at ease. Because today, Sebastian's behavior has made her feel like he knows who she is."I didn't say anything, Miss. I swear," Naomi says with the same words she's been using since the young miss arrived, bombarding her with urgent-sounding questions. Looking at her, the miss's lips pucker. She sits with a hint of annoyance, avoiding Naomi's gaze. The middle-aged woman can only let out a soft sigh. "Is something wrong, Miss?""What do you mean, something's wrong? At the office, Sebastian acted as if he knew it was me. But I haven't even told him that I'm Fathia. My plan could get messed up," Fathia complains with a long exhale."Listen, Fathia dear," This time, Jess speaks up. Taking a seat right beside Fathia. They can both breathe a sigh of relief because it's Friday night, and Kenzo won't be coming back home; he's going to his parents' house. "How long have yo
"Sit down here, quick!"Fathia pouted again. "Next time, I'll ask Aunt Naomi to get a different cookie jar. You cheated.""You're quick with food problems. You're really slow with Clara issues.""Why, though?"Despite the teasing, Jess still recounted the conversation they had at the dining table. Fathia was hit with surprise. She hadn't expected that this time the conversation would be about her Aunt, Larasati."Do you know Aunt Laras? I mean, do you know her well?"Jess's answer to Fathia's question was a shake of the head. "I've never been close to Uncle Alef's family.""I think we really need to plan this out.""Oh my gosh, Jess. We're like detectives.""Hey! We need to. Clearly, we're in the middle of a tangled web. We're just starting to unravel it, and we're already feeling overwhelmed, right? If we don't make a plan and set goals, we won't get answers anytime soon.""How about the archives?"Jess sn
Tonight, Fathia couldn't sleep again. Many nights had passed where Fathia chose to sit near the window. Staring at the clear sky from this corner of her room. The guest room window was large, designed like a cozy couch with lots of cushions nearby. Fathia simply pulled back the curtains, revealing the expanse of the night sky.And she did that just to summon sleep, which stubbornly refused to come for two or three hours since she woke up. Just like now. Should she take a sleeping pill to finally doze off?The book that was the reference for their planning was still lying on the table along with the nearly empty snack jar. They discussed like professional mystery solvers, connecting dots beyond Fathia's and Jess's thoughts. This made Fathia realize if the path she had to take to reach 'peace' had to be this complicated.She let out a long sigh, moving down not to return to bed but to pick up the portrait she always carried. She gazed at it closely, as usual, her
Fathia just chuckled. Her mind drifted back to her activities in her parents' room earlier in the afternoon. Nothing was strange there except she found a book that she thought belonged to her mother. It was inside a special safe where her mother's jewelry was neatly stored. She had trouble opening the combination lock after inserting the key. Many numbers were tried, and Fathia almost gave up.She chose to lie on her parents' large bed. She closed her eyes briefly, inhaling the scent of lilies that she liked. Ah... she liked lilies because her mother did too. It brought back many sweet memories between her and her mother."Mom, why do you like Lilies?" Fathia asked one time. At that moment, both of them were sitting in the garden beside the house. Many flowering plants were thriving thanks to her mother's care. Young Fathia was wearing a dress with lace accents at the chest. Her long straight hair was tied into two ponytails like rabbits, complete with ribbons. And not
Fathia didn't know how to act. Her body felt stiff, her eyes could only stare at Jess, who was lying weakly by the edge of the pool, gradually becoming blurry as tears welled up. Her hands were trembling fiercely. She desperately wanted to shout, "Jess, wake up!" But here, there was Kenzo. Busy attending to Jess since she hadn't resurfaced.If only she hadn't daydreamed about other things, she would have realized that something was wrong with Jess's movements in the pool."Don't just stand there! Call Naomi!" Kenzo's urgency snapped her out of it.The girl blinked frantically. Kenzo was right. Naomi. Yes. She needed Naomi. Without needing words, Fathia half-ran to find Naomi, wherever she might be. Luckily, she still remembered that she was pretending to be mute. Otherwise, she would have shouted for Naomi or anyone near her. Whether it was Dennis or Jack."Naomi, help Jess," Fathia panted when she found Naomi in the main living room, tidying up the ornam
As Jess finished her shower, Fathia patiently waited, gazing at a map and a notebook with her mother's name on the cover. Fathia admired the beautiful handwriting of her Mommy, silently praising it in her mind. She gently wiped away tears, imagining her mother's smile that was as warm as the sun. That comforting look that always filled Fathia with spirit when she felt overwhelmingly sad and alone back then. Suddenly, she reached for an old photo carefully tucked behind the portrait that always accompanied her.The photo of her mother and her uncle. Taken in 1982."What did you find, Fathia?" Jess asked softly, skillfully drying her wet hair. She had changed into more comfortable clothes, carrying the scent of eucalyptus oil from Jess. "My stomach feels a bit queasy. That's why I used eucalyptus oil. Aunt Naomi is taking a while, isn't she?" Jess explained, noticing Fathia's raised eyebrow and puzzled gaze."Ah, this... is what I was talking about earlier." Fathi
Fathia gathered her strength once more. She turned to the next page.July 1988I didn't expect to be pregnant with your child, Mas. I'm beyond happy. I also didn't expect that all my observations of your silly behavior back then meant you were holding warm feelings for me. I didn't even realize that... you meant so much to me. Can't wait for you to come home, Alvin.Fathia's heart was suddenly filled with a million butterflies. She was ecstatic due to her mother's words. They indicated that these words represented all the feelings her mother had. Her eyes welled up again, and with renewed excitement, Fathia turned to the next page.November 1988Thanks for loving me, Alvin. Thanks.Then there was a single photo on the page. Her mother was cradling her growing belly. She was slightly looking down and caressing her belly. Wearing a midi dress with a large coat and a scarf wrapped around h
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