Darian didn't say anything. He stood up and approached Fahira, smiling meaningfully. Dinda gave a signal to the employee who stood beside Fahira to leave with her. She gave the young couple a moment of privacy, immersed in their romance.
"Beautiful!" Darian praised without blinking. He traced Fahira's body from her toes to the tips of her hair. Instantly, a blush spread across Fahira's face and neck. Darian could only hold his breath as other feelings disturbed his mind and body. Two intertwined elements that usually hit adult men seemed to stir within him.
Darian's hand extended to caress Fahira's cheek for a moment before calling Dinda. "Mrs. Dinda!"
Soon, Dinda entered with the employee who had helped Fahira change clothes earlier. "Yes, Mr. Darian, is there anything else I can help with?" Dinda asked politely.
"Find some shoes that suit Fahira!" Darian replied, still captivated by Fahira's presence. "Okay, sir!"
"Let Miss Fahira!" the employee
Only faint breaths accompanied Fahira and Darian on their journey from Setiadi's grand residence. Darian chose to focus on the asphalt road ahead, while Fahira preferred to look out the window. Even without Darian saying anything, Fahira already knew that Mama Yasmin didn't approve of their relationship. It hurt, knowing the reality that their love wasn't sanctioned by Darian's parents. Love and pain came hand in hand.Fahira knew that all of this was bound to happen, and she had to be prepared. Memories of their time together flashed before her eyes. Fahira's smile blossomed as tears that had been welling up in her eyes started to fall. The tears flowed freely, and she couldn't hold them back any longer. Tomorrow, everything would change.Darian reached for Fahira's right hand and held it tightly. Both of them were hurting. Darian guided Fahira's fingers to his lips and kissed them repeatedly. He couldn't be fair to the two women he loved so deeply. He couldn't choose
Darian lifted Fahira's body and carried her to her room. He laid her down on the bed and covered her with a blanket. Darian stood there in silence, gazing at Fahira's serene face. The pain that had been slowly slicing through him now felt like a heart-wrenching tear as he realized that this was the last time they would spend together."My life is incomplete without you, Fahira!" Darian whispered, looking at her with a melancholic expression as he took a deep breath to replenish the fading oxygen in his chest.He felt suffocated.Then, he laid down beside Fahira, facing the beautiful face that had captured his heart and mind. He examined every line on her face, almost driving himself mad. He carefully stored every detail in his memory, preserving it neatly and eternally, until slowly, but surely, his consciousness began to fade.***Fahira's comfort was disrupted as the melodious call to prayer echoed softly. The beautiful sound seemed to beat on her
Fahira thought her feelings for Darian would fade away with time, but in the second week of their separation, her heart felt even more wounded. She had tried countless times to convince herself that everything would be fine. Fahira, who was always strong and resilient, felt different this time. She was in pain. She was fragile.Instead, Fahira experienced severe sleep disturbances or insomnia. Every night, she remained awake, her eyes reluctant to close as beautiful memories with Darian pulled her back into the past. It was only around three in the morning that Fahira could finally shut her eyes, but only for 1-2 hours. She felt like giving up, but she also needed to work; she couldn't just leave her hard-earned job because of personal issues.Moreover, the pressure from her coworkers, who would look at her with disdain whenever they met, added to her burdens. Her closeness with Darian a few weeks ago had become the subject of gossip among almost all employees in the c
When Fahira was about to remind Darian about his meeting schedule, suddenly a hand landed harshly on her shoulder. "Move aside, I want to meet my future husband!" Alea said arrogantly. David and Ray, who saw Alea's arrival, were already on alert. Like her previous visits, the model seemed to always seek trouble with Fahira, who remained polite and friendly to her."I apologize, Miss Alea, let me escort you!" David responded, quickly opening Darian's office door and signaling Fahira to return to her desk."Thank you, David," Alea pretended to be sweet, then entered Darian's office."Hi, Sweetheart!" Alea greeted, approaching Darian. Alea lowered her head to kiss him, but Darian immediately got up from his chair, nearly causing Alea to stumble."What do you want here? Didn't I tell you that I'm busy today?" Darian said firmly, then moved to sit on the sofa where he usually met with guests."I want us to have lunch together. Besides, before we get eng
"Have you bought the engagement rings for next week?" Yasmin asked during dinner at Setiadi's residence.Words couldn't describe how elated Alea's face looked upon hearing Yasmin's question tonight. The engagement ceremony would be held alongside the company's anniversary, meaning she would soon become a part of the Mahesa Putra extended family. Her name would also become more renowned in the world of modeling, given that her future mother-in-law was an international model herself."Not yet, Aunt. Maybe tomorrow. Right, Darian?" Alea replied with a beaming smile, while Darian seemed lost in his own thoughts."Darian!" Yasmin called out in annoyance, giving Darian a sharp look."Oh, yes. What is it, Mom?" Darian replied, as he hadn't heard what Mama and Alea were discussing."My goodness, Darian, Mama and Alea have been talking about the engagement ceremony, and you're daydreaming! Can you be serious for a moment?" This time, Yasmin's angry gaze was
Alea poured a glass of drink for herself and Darian, and they clinked glasses. Ting... The sound of glasses clashing mixed with the loud music and colorful spotlights in the night club. Sip by sip, the alcohol wet Darian's throat, but suddenly, a strange feeling washed over him as he remembered Fahira's sad face. He quickly put down his glass and fell silent, staring at his now empty glass, while Alea began to babble incoherently under the influence of alcohol."Stop, you're already drunk!" Darian reprimanded as Alea poured more drinks into their glasses."Come on, Darian, darling, tonight is just for us!" Alea rambled while snatching her glass from Darian's hand and gulping it down quickly.Darian gazed at Alea intently. She was undeniably beautiful and attractive, but Darian hesitated if he could ever fall in love with her. He couldn't envision what his married life would be like with her, especially when his heart was still reserved for Fahira.Thinkin
29Alea tried to calm her throbbing headache as she slowly opened her eyes. "Where am I?" she mumbled as she found herself in an unfamiliar room, mostly decorated in shades of brown. Her attention was immediately drawn to the man sleeping on the other side of the bed. "Darian?" she whispered, gazing at the lion head tattoo on his shoulder. But a sudden uneasiness washed over her when she noticed that the man's hair was jet black, unlike Darian's dark brown hair. Even his skin tone appeared slightly lighter.Suppressing the pain that surged through her body, Alea attempted to sit up. However, her surprise grew when she realized that the blanket slipped, leaving her completely exposed."No, this can't be!" she said with tears welling up, quickly covering herself with the blanket.The man stirred and turned to face her, his voice hoarse from sleep. "Awake already?""You, you scoundrel! What did you do to me?" Alea shouted, her tears streaming down as sh
30Fahira was both surprised and happy when her three friends came to visit her at the hospital. Not only Fahira, but her friends were also shocked and excited to see Gavin with her. Mira and Susi immediately competed to introduce themselves to Gavin, and their playful antics made Fahira burst into laughter."Oh my goodness, Fahira, if I were you, I would prefer to stay sick just to be waited on by a handsome doctor like him," Susi, who was usually quiet, suddenly chattered, leaving the others stunned with their mouths wide open."Are you okay, Susi? It's unusual for you to have a sane moment and appreciate a good-looking guy. Usually, you can only be a secret admirer of the boss," Ray quipped, masking a smile on Fahira's lips.Mira quickly pinched Ray's arm when she saw Fahira's expression darken. The atmosphere fell silent for a moment."Are you all colleagues of Fahira? Let me introduce myself; my name is Gavin, and I'm one of the doctors at this
That afternoon, David and Alea came to visit the twins. They were warmly welcomed by the entire Setiadi family. Apart from being Darian's personal assistant at the office, David was also his best friend. In fact, Yasmin had known about the close bond between the two men since they were in high school."Honey, aren't you tired of kissing baby Joziah all the time?" David protested, as Alea had been adoring the handsome face of baby Joziah non-stop since they arrived an hour ago. If observed closely, the two babies looked like duplicates of Darian, but one of them had darker brown eyes. Coincidentally, baby Joziah, with Darian's signature dark brown eyes, was in Alea's arms."Don't tell me you're jealous of this handsome little guy!" Alea squinted her eyes at David, her husband of three months and the father of the baby in her womb."You know how jealous I can be!" David replied, stealing a kiss on Alea's cheek.Alea laughed and apologized to Darian and Fahi
With a blossoming smile, Fahira examined herself in front of the mirror. She scrutinized her body, which had undergone drastic changes. From being slim and sexy, she had transformed into a curvier woman, especially in the chest area. The smile at the corners of her lips was momentarily concealed by the sudden appearance of tears in her eyes. Then, her hands lifted to cup her chubby cheeks in front of her reflection. Occasionally, she would gently press her cheeks to make them look slimmer, reminiscent of her appearance ten months ago when she was not pregnant with the twins.A heavy sigh filled the quiet room. The woman standing in front of the dressing table shook her head repeatedly, trying to dismiss the sudden negative thoughts that rudely disrupted her happiness and wreaked havoc on her emotions.Fahira reached for the makeup set on the dressing table to apply a bit of powder to conceal the dark circles under her eyes and her pale complexion. She als
In the waiting area outside the operating room, Yasmin and Santi remained silent. However, prayers continued to resonate in their hearts for Fahira's safety and the well-being of her two sons. Not far from them, Gavin hurriedly approached. He had learned about Fahira undergoing a cesarean section from his assistant. After completing his visiting duties for inpatients at the hospital, Gavin immediately went to the operating room."How is Aunt Fahira?" Gavin asked, trying to catch his breath. Hearing Gavin's voice, the middle-aged woman stood up and embraced him tightly. "We're still waiting!" Yasmin replied, still held in Gavin's embrace."Don't worry, Aunt, Fahira and her two sons will be safe and healthy. The surgery will be over soon." Gavin released the embrace and gestured for Yasmin to sit back down.Suddenly, anxiety overwhelmed Gavin's heart as he imagined Farah being in that operating room. The thought of being by his wife's side during a cesarean sectio
Ariel, who was about to leave for school, finished his milk and said his goodbyes to Yasmin. After kissing her on the back of her hand, the teenager quickly caught up with Darian and Fahira to say goodbye.The aroma of petrichor filled Fahira's senses as her wheelchair came to a stop. Her clear eyes scanned the entire garden, admiring the beauty of the blooming flowers. The colorful blossoms captivated her heart, which had been troubled since the night before. Fahira smiled as she watched butterflies and bees fluttering around the flower buds, like soldiers ready for battle."Are they more fascinating than your husband?" protested Darian, who had been observing Fahira's cheerful expression. For him, Fahira was the beauty he had admired all this time."Oh, I think my husband is just jealous of them. How can fellow butterflies be jealous!" Fahira chuckled, playfully squeezing the hand of her brown-eyed man."I am a jealous man," said Darian, kissing Fahira'
Days passed and months went by unnoticed, and now Fahira's pregnancy has entered the final trimester, which means the Darian family is now filled with a mix of worries and happiness about the upcoming arrival of the twins into the world.Since the first trimester of Fahira's pregnancy, Darian has been on high alert as a husband and has become more possessive and protective. He frequently goes back and forth to the office just because Fahira wants to be close to him. Fahira's sweet and clingy behavior has also increased multiple times since entering the eighth month of pregnancy. She experiences various discomforts, and Doctor Intan, who is in charge of Fahira's pregnancy, has already warned Darian and the family about the risks and vulnerabilities of a twin pregnancy.One of Fahira's severe complaints is the pain in her back and legs. She can't sleep if it's not Darian caressing her back or massaging her legs. Even light activities like standing and walking become diff
55The scorching sun, descending towards the southwest, failed to untangle the traffic jam in Jakarta, the capital city. Unfortunately, Darian was still trapped in the crawling traffic. Both hands, which had been resting on the steering wheel, were suddenly lifted when the harsh sunlight hit his retinas. He pulled down the sun visor to shield his brown eyes. Normally, no matter how long the traffic jam, having David in front of the wheel would never make Darian feel irritated like he did now. At least light banter or David's usual jokes would entertain Darian and make him forget how annoying it was to be stuck in traffic.After about 15 minutes, the car that Darian was driving slowly began to move. To dispel his frustration, Darian finally played his favorite song. The old song by Westlife started melodiously greeting his ears. As the music played, a sense of calm began to soothe Darian's heart, which had been grumbling incessantly. Unknowingly, his car began to move o
54David entered the Putra Corporation building feeling a bit annoyed since David hadn't picked him up as usual. Moreover, David hadn't given any updates at all. Usually, his personal assistant never skipped work or disappeared like this. He suddenly felt worried because David wasn't just his assistant; he was also his best friend—the only best friend he had.Reluctantly, Darian pushed aside his ego and decided to call David first."Shit!" Darian cursed under his breath when the operator on the other end of the line told him that David's phone was inactive.The elevator opened, signaling his arrival on the desired floor, and Darian stepped into his office. He glanced at David's desk, which was empty and tidy, indicating that he hadn't arrived yet."Lily, where's David?" Darian asked as they entered his office."I'm sorry, sir, I don't know. I tried to contact him earlier, but his phone was off," Lily explained, standing in front of Daria
53Four months later...Fahira was incredibly grateful that her first pregnancy didn't come with severe morning sickness like most pregnant women experience. However, she did feel nauseous and vomit every morning upon waking up. After vomiting the bitter yellow liquid, she would feel weak and easily exhausted. To alleviate the discomfort, she would drink warm tea and then rest in Darian's arms.As a result, Darian would arrive late to the office every day. David and Lily had arranged all of Darian's schedules to ensure he wouldn't miss any important company meetings. David himself became busier since Fahira's pregnancy began, with his workload multiplying several times over. He frequently had to go back and forth from the office to Darian's house whenever Fahira needed something.As the days went by, Fahira's clingy behavior and emotional sensitivity increased, often leaving Darian confused and overwhelmed trying to fulfill her desires. Furthermore, Fahir
"Miss Fahira! What's wrong?" Aminah called out, panicking as she had been in the kitchen earlier and witnessed Fahira's rush to the bathroom.Fahira could only manage a weak response, "I'll be fine, Aminah. Just feeling a bit sick."Despite her concern, Aminah gave Fahira some space, sensing that she might need some privacy. However, the uneasiness persisted, and Fahira couldn't help but wonder about the strange reaction she had to the mukbang video. She decided to keep it to herself for now, not wanting to worry anyone.Aminah knocked on the bathroom door repeatedly while calling out Fahira's name upon hearing Fahira's vomiting sounds. Shortly after, the door opened, revealing a pale and weak-looking Fahira. Aminah quickly assisted Fahira to sit on a chair and made her a cup of warm tea."Can you help me to the bedroom, Aminah?" Fahira asked after finishing her warm tea. The nausea in her stomach was starting to subside, but now she felt dizzy."S