"I did sleep with Clara." Feeling Fathia's face suddenly tense, Sebastian quickly supplemented his words. "But only once, Fathia. Seriously. And that was when I felt like I had no hope left for your existence."
Fathia pouted. It's so frustrating to hear those words coming from the guy. The image of that vixen woman being under Sebastian, where Fathia caught them, making them stop the activity, repeated in her mind. Just that alone disgusted her. What if they really... oh God! Fathia closed her eyes briefly. She felt her chest pounding heavily. She chose to move from her position. Rather than letting her anger escalate and her thoughts become more chaotic, Fathia chose to step aside.
"Hey," Sebastian stopped Fathia's movement. "I'm sorry if that's disturbing, but I really have to say it." Even though the girl didn't want to look at him anymore, Sebastian insisted. He pulled the blanket and Fathia's body, enveloping her in his embrace. "Listen to me, can you?"
The
Fathia didn't not believe in what Sebastian was saying. No. It's just that the woman's heart needed more proof than just words and sincerity from the guy. That's what she's doing now. Leaning half against the edge of the bed with a pillow propped against her back, Fathia activates her cellphone. She gently moves Sebastian's hand, which had been holding her tightly in an embrace that was hard to break free from.Nothing happens between them. To continue what Sebastian had mentioned earlier, he chose to make Fathia a replacement for the pillow. Fathia, pretending to be half-asleep, chooses to enjoy the rhythm of Sebastian's even snoring and the rise and fall of his breath, second by second. As she gets the chance to slightly loosen his hold, Fathia puts her plan into action.She checks all of Clara the Fox's social media accounts, just as she's done recently. And..."Oh my God!"Fathia immediately covers her mouth quickly. Afraid her voice will disturb Seba
Fathia takes a deep breath. Her hands are trembling quite a bit because what she's about to attend is quite nerve-wracking for her. For the first time, she's attending Alef Walker's court trial where today's session will announce the final decision regarding the judge's verdict. Throughout the investigation, testimonies in court and the collection of evidence have taken place, and not a single one from Alef Walker came out to defend himself.Except for a few things he didn't do related to the fund markup associated with Sailendra. It took time to prove it, but Fathia is grateful that Vino periodically updates her that everything is going smoothly without any significant obstacles. Alef Walker can truly cooperate and seems to genuinely regret his actions.Beside her, there's Jess trying to calm Fathia down. Since leaving the room, Fathia has looked anxious and even unenthusiastic about finishing her breakfast. Even though Naomi made pasta with an extra load of cheese.
Sebastian bursts into laughter. "It really seemed that way, didn't it?" He starts driving the car, following the convoy in front of him. The leading car is driven by Jack with Kenzo and Laras inside. Meanwhile, Jess is in another car with Ronald. Then there's Sebastian's car. Finally, the convoy is closed by Sebastian's hired bodyguard's SUV.At the very front of the convoy, two large motorcycles are also guarding. Sebastian intentionally provides such tight security because he really doesn't want any unfortunate incidents that Fathia might experience again.Their destination: the Alvin family grave.This idea was sparked by Fathia a day before the verdict was announced. Laras was happily on board with it, as she hadn't visited her brother's and her best friend's graves in a long time. Laras considered Rossie to be like her best friend."You still won't tell me what you were about to say earlier?" Fathia breaks the silence. Sebastian seems focused on the
Clara doesn't care how many things she does alone. Even a simple reply from the guy never arrives. Continuously, she tries various ways to get that stiff guy to respond to her messages, but it feels futile. There's never a response. She even threatened to bring reporters to cover her visit to her future husband's office, but Vino... seriously, if there's one guy that woman hates the most, Vino's name is at the very top.He's the one who shields her boss from all disturbances; her prospective husband.Canceling the wedding event when all the preparations have reached about 85% is something she never could have imagined. But there's one worst-case scenario among all the preparations she's working on. Sebastian never showed up at the reception where they were supposed to be king and queen for a day. Enjoying the grand party that Clara desired.Luxurious and glamorous. Just like her taste.Including the riskiest move, she's made: meeting Larasati and asking f
Usually, Fathia is the laziest when it comes to visiting the Energy Building. Besides her own trauma, it reminds her of her responsibilities. Seriously. It's not that she doesn't want to be responsible. But the world behind the desk with lots of reports around it, that's not her at all. She prefers to wrestle with various flowers and fertilizers and soil.Arranging artificial flowers into a beautiful and elegant bouquet for an event. Also, fresh flowers as a lovely bouquet to be given as a gift to someone.That's what she enjoys.However, if it weren't for an emergency call that Fathia couldn't avoid, she wouldn't be strolling here. Wearing five-inch heels to enhance her semi-formal look, she walks confidently. A semi-flannel pink shirt with blue stripes paired with well-fitted jeans. Her long hair is wavy. Her makeup remains natural because Fathia herself doesn't like her face being too heavily made up.The rhythmic sound of her heels echoes as she heads
Their wedding party was lavish yet intimate. It was held in Hawaii, on a tranquil beach where the vows were exchanged and followed by a celebration with a modern and elegant theme.The white dress with a low neckline and an open back that Fathia wore throughout the party made Sebastian want to curse. Curse at anyone who asked his girl about this dress. If necessary, even the designer. Couldn't they see how many eyes were on Fathia?Like they were starving?Oh my God!Sebastian had to admit, fully admit, that when Fathia entered the main ballroom accompanied by Jess, where he had been waiting, he was stunned. Stunned by everything Fathia was wearing. Maybe the word 'beautiful' alone wasn't enough to describe Fathia today. She looked like an incarnation of Aphrodite, capable of enchanting many men around her. Her gaze was serene, and her smile bloomed like a blossoming rose. And, oh my, seriously, Sebastian was going to protest against whoever styled Fathia
Sebastian doesn't even know how he managed to get home so quickly. Fathia's phone call one and a half hours ago had him worried sick. He even handed over this afternoon's report to Vino. Who cares if Vino protests later because he didn't bother checking the report at all.As soon as he arrives home, Sebastian ignores the greetings from Jack and Naomi, who have puzzled expressions on their faces. He's headed straight for Fathia."Where's Fathia?""Mrs. Fathia is in the backyard. Miss Jess just came back."A sigh of relief escapes Sebastian's lips. Although he's still worried because Fathia mentioned that she's been suffering from a continuous headache since this afternoon. Sebastian asked the family doctor to visit, but Fathia firmly refused. She just wanted Sebastian to come back quickly, and that's exactly what he did – he came home immediately."Okay," Sebastian says quickly, taking wide strides toward the backyard as Naomi informed him. Th
For Fathia, family is everything. The birth of Gwen clearly brought a lot of changes to Fathia's life. Even though the activities she faced became busier and more demanding, she didn't want to complain. Right now, she felt that all kinds of her happiness were already complete.Her office job and flower shop were running smoothly. Her daughter was growing up well and healthy. She's five years old now. Her husband's love was something she never expected. Seriously. Even up to this moment, Fathia still couldn't believe what was happening in her life. Sometimes, when she's sitting alone by the window in the living room, she would ponder. Realizing how much luck has been present in her life.Even though Clara the Fox is truly deserving of being called the owner of a cunning nine-tailed fox, Fathia can still breathe because of her helping hand. Despite the mastermind behind everything happening in Claire's body, complete with many things that resulted in significant losses,
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