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
Who was now in her younger brother's house by her husband's unchallenged command. Supposedly, that house would soon be sold off once the power of Group Azure was in his hands. Her younger brother Akmal couldn't say much, only following all of Alef Walker's orders. Opting for the safest route; working within their limits, not involving themselves too much with Alef. And if Alef took power, maybe a retreat would be the choice for Iklima and her husband.For them, Alef wanted full control. What could Laras do? Nothing. All her voices were gone. Her courage had been reduced to zero by Alef. Alef often hurled hurtful words at her. So what? Why didn't Laras choose to leave?No. She chose to stay. Letting Alef do whatever he wanted. She had already sowed the seeds of revenge within her bloodstream. Waiting for the right moment, observing his moves, and watching him without him knowing that she was keeping an eye on him.Especially when, for the second time, Alef reveal
Both Fathia and Sebastian choose not to talk during the ride back from Laras's residence. The file Laras gave her was carefully placed in Fathia's bag. She glanced briefly at Sebastian, who seemed incredibly focused on the road around him. Their destination was still the same as Sebastian had mentioned earlier in the morning. After visiting Laras's house, they would head to Ronald Nasution's office.Only the music playing from the car's audio accompanied Fathia now. She actually wanted to ask, but in the end, she held back. Sebastian's face wasn't as relaxed as before. She wondered what was going on in his mind.Meanwhile, on the other side, Sebastian felt that everything the middle-aged woman had said was true. How could he let his guard down and let Fathia end up like this? He had promised to Protect and take care of the girl beside him.Sebastian was truly thankful to Laras for helping him look after Fathia. He hadn't prepared for Clara to be someone delibera
"Well, I'm right, aren't I? Jess says to consider getting scolded by you as if I'm being loved by Uncle for it. As long as my allowance is not— " Fathia stops herself without hesitation. She curses inwardly that her words could be misconstrued by Sebastian."Why is the allowance so important, Fathia?" Sebastian asks, suspicious.Fathia quickly shakes her head. "Nothing. There's nothing, Sebastian."Did Sebastian give up? No. He caught the continuation of her words quite clearly. Fathia's sudden shift in attitude made an intriguing idea pop into his head. He had parked the car in a slot close to Ronald's office, one he was sure Fathia didn't notice. When he pulled the handbrake, he leaned towards the girl.Fathia widens her eyes. It's the immediate reaction to Sebastian's sudden move."What's Sebastian up to?" she whispers softly, growing uneasy in her seat. Sebastian wasn't ready to let Fathia go just yet."What did you say earlier? I
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