Fathia used to live in fear after the events on the night after her parents passed away. Those bad memories often haunted her, gradually fading away as she found solace in realizing that Sebastian was never far away. Then the nights she went through, they returned. Peaceful and calm, though sometimes the sadness remained.
Which child or sibling wouldn't be sad upon realizing they were alone in this world? Even though she still had relatives, considering the history through her mother's notes, Fathia didn't expect anything from them.
What she had heard when Sebastian and Ronald talked one night was true. Alvin, her paternal side's relative, only saw Group Azure as a great inheritance full of wealth. How to get it without having to deal with the sole heir of the owner, Fathia, seemed to be their mindset.
And then... that dreadful night returned. To be precise, it was utterly terrible. Fathia often fell asleep for only a few hours, exhausted from crying. Her eyes w
Opening the buttons of his pajamas one by one before stepping into the shower. He didn't take a long shower on purpose because he really enjoyed talking to Sebastian. They exchanged a lot of stories last night. Fathia remembered them clearly.A cup of coffee, two plates of buttery fried rice that Sebastian prepared for dinner, became the companions for their exchange of two stories that left Fathia utterly amazed.How Clara executed a grand scheme to hide her. The involvement of Larasati Acsia Claire. Not to mention how quickly the two of them made decisions. According to the results of Ronald's investigation, the mastermind behind making everyone believe that Fathia was critically injured due to the explosion that occurred. Even the fake funeral using another person's name, for which Larasati was paid a high sum; Alef Walker's wife.And the latest fact, where Fathia finally pieced together her suspicions and findings about Alef's cunning in relation to what hap
Fathia chose to enjoy their journey. Since the breakfast that was initially filled with cheerfulness, Sebastian suddenly became silent. Fathia wasn't afraid to ask. She was worried that his answer might just take away her sudden burst of happiness. No, she wasn't ready to let that slip away just like that. Besides, she used his silence to think about what she would do when she stepped into Mahesa's residence.Throughout her life, Fathia had never visited her uncle's house. Now, she knew the secrets of the past regarding her uncle's relationship with her mother. If Fathia could draw a conclusion, it was only after Jess opened up many assumptions in front of her, that her aunt... was in a forced marriage. Especially considering the stories her mother wrote about Alef still trying to reach out to her.All sorts of questions had taken over Fathia's mind, especially as she examined the documents that pointed to one conclusion. Unexpectedly, Fathia found out that there was a
Ah... Sebastian was being dumb! Didn't women with all their weird assumptions need a clear explanation? Saying "I love you" and having a clear bond between them? Sebastian had thought about it after sorting out all the issues with Clara. Nothing could stop him from canceling all his plans with Clara. After everything that woman, the Fox, had done. That's right. What Fathia said about her being a Fox was accurate. Clara was an incredibly cunning Fox. And damn it, Sebastian was deceived. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!If he hit the steering wheel again, he might not just damage the steering wheel. He might even damage the car itself, as his emotions surged again mercilessly. He was so frustrated thinking about Clara swirling in his mind."When did you meet Clara?"Sebastian slammed on the brakes instantly. The steering wheel he had been keeping balanced was immediately turned to the left side of the road. Quickly followed by the honking of the car behind them. Luckily
"Mrs. Laras," called one of the servants around her. It interrupted her while she was enjoying her favorite salad, making her turn with a displeased look."Sorry for disturbing. There's someone named Sebastian Sachdev who wants to meet you.""I don't want to meet him."The servant nodded obediently, stepped back slowly to give some distance for the lady to continue her meal. Glancing briefly around at the peaceful surroundings, Laras resumed her meal. The sound of the pool's water behind her provided a soothing backdrop to the morning nearing noon. In three hours, she had an appointment with Clara. The girl was back from a photoshoot, and Laras was sure she needed some retail therapy, spending quite a bit at her favorite stores.Her activities revolved around the house and shopping. Enjoying all the luxury with a sense of confinement, yet she managed to wear a fake smile as much as possible. There was only one person who kept her spirits alive to this day
"That's what I meant, Ras." The joy in her eyes was so evident that without realizing it, the corners of Laras's lips were pulled upward."Meanwhile, Fathia prefers indoor activities. She seldom talks, only responds to us briefly, but when she does, it makes us all smile."Laras joined in the laughter."My life is for my child, Ras. Even if Alef is out of reach, at least there's Kenzo. You should be proud of him, Ras. The second source of happiness is children and they can become the most important thing in life."Laras remained silent for a while after Rossie's words. "You're right again, Ros."Rossie smiled slightly."I never thought that someone I despised would speak so intimately to me now."Laras took as many breaths as she could. That memory couldn't be erased from her mind. Not to mention their friendly conversation after a long time of not seeing each other. Though brief, Laras felt Rossie could be her support in facing days
Laras maintained her seated position. The two guests from earlier had probably left about an hour ago. Nothing was disturbing her now. The rustling of the wind mixed with the leaves and the faint fragrance from the nearby garden wafted by. Even though there were several servants standing around ready to serve her, she still felt lonely. Even the sound of the pool's water, which was always present, was a loyal companion in this solitude of Clara's.The sun had shown its full strength. The bright heat should have prompted the woman to move away, to go inside her cool house. It would offer a special comfort that would lull her. But she chose to stay. Under the sizeable gazebo that could provide shade.The difference was that here she felt the breeze, which didn't make her suffocate as indoors did. All that luxury caused a dramatic effect that was enough for her to decide not to move."Would madam like lunch?" one of the servers offered."No, just bring some
That small smile now carried meaning. She directed a waiter to move Fathia's chair closer to her. Laras rarely interacted with Fathia. Even Felice. But that didn't mean that as their stories grew, she lost her moments. It wasn't that Laras didn't want to see them often. Though her heart didn't doubt Rossie's words about her feelings for her husband, Laras was simply trying to guard her heart.There were days when, if Alef picked up Laras from Alvin's residence, the vividness of his longing gaze was clear. It was directed at one point; Rossie."Close enough to be categorized as our strange relationship," Rossie had said.Fathia's gaze remained fixed on her father's half-sister. "Aunt... Does Aunt hate Mommy?"Laras chuckled softly. She gently stroked the top of Fathia's head. "Hate? What's the basis?"Fathia wanted to voice what was bothering her about her mother's relationship with her uncle. The man who was now looking at her closely."Ross
That alley was really dark. Suddenly, he felt his breath tighten. With minimal lighting, he tried to walk. Feeling and using the walls around as support seemed like the best choice he could make. Larasati remembered, when she left her room earlier, her steps would lead to the staircase towards the lounge area. Right. Trying hard to remember, because the lighting was really insufficient. She was going to scold everyone working in her house later. She wanted to shout and call one of them, but she couldn't.It's like there's a huge barrier blocking her voice from coming out. And just as she reached the stairs, she descended slowly. She used the stair railing as a support. Slowly, she went down the stairs while wondering what was actually happening. And to make things worse, her hair stood on end due to the dominating darkness.Before she could even finish descending the stairs, a voice that was too familiar to her ears was heard. Heavy. Full of threat. But she tried to mu