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
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
"Say it, Fahira!" Darian said, gazing intently into the woman's black irises in front of him."Do whatever Mr. Darian wants from me!" Fahira replied softly, raising both hands and standing on tiptoes, slowly moving towards the back of Darian's head. With courage, Fahira's hands encircled the man's neck.Darian's smile immediately widened, and without wasting any more time, he began to unite their lips. Darian kissed Fahira gently, and his initial tenderness began to demand a response. Darian lightly bit Fahira's lips to gain access to explore within."Respond, my dear!" Darian whispered in the midst of their kisses.With closed eyes, Fahira began to respond to Darian's kisses. Following her instincts, Fahira followed the movements of Darian's lips with a racing heart. This was Fahira's first kiss with her boss. Fahira's hesitant and rigid kiss made Darian's passionate kissing even more intense.Darian could feel Fahira's body relaxing and following his lead. Darian had never brought a
"Fahira!" Ariel called out as she shifted her position to sit and closed her book."How are you feeling now? Are you better?" Fahira asked, touching Ariel's forehead to check her temperature. Last night, Ariel suddenly shivered with a body temperature of 38°C, and today, she had to take a day off from school. Since being diagnosed with a heart condition, Ariel often had to skip school."I'm feeling better now. By the way, I'll make some drinks for us," Ariel said as she got up from her seat and headed towards the refrigerator.Fahira placed her bag on the table and straightened her legs. She removed her scarf and blazer and placed them on her lap. Shortly after, Ariel returned with a glass of cold tea and handed it to Fahira."Thank you," Fahira said, reaching for the glass and taking a sip until it was empty."Fahira, I'm sorry for making you go through all of this," Ariel said with a sad look, gazing at Fahira, who smiled back at her."Don't worry, Ariel. It's not your fault," Fahir
Ariel continued to question Fahira, his gaze sharp as she packed some items and food into the small cabinet next to his hospital bed."Fahira, where did you get all that money?" Ariel asked, staring intently at Fahira. She momentarily hesitated before sitting down beside Ariel and giving him a reassuring smile. She held Ariel's hand, and he had an IV attached to it."Listen, Ariel, I got this money through legitimate means. You know Mr. David, right? I borrowed money from him, and I'll pay him back in installments from my monthly salary," Fahira explained. She had no choice but to lie because if Ariel found out how she had obtained the money, he would likely refuse and opt for a life of suffering."I promise that as soon as I recover, I'll help you work. Coincidentally, I've been asked by Andre's parents to tutor their younger sibling in math and science. They're still in middle school," Ariel said, his eyes gleaming with hope at the prospect of recovery from his ailment. He didn't wa
Fahira's smile widened as she recalled Ariel's improving condition after his heart surgery two days ago. Although he still needed some days of hospital care, he appeared much healthier."Fahira, are you better now? David said you were sick?" Mira asked with concern as she stood in front of Fahira's cubicle."I'm thankful, Mira. Thank you," Fahira replied sincerely, taking off her blazer and placing it on the chair beside her."Here, I brought this for you. You need proper nutrition and vitamins, especially since you haven't been coming to the Big Boss's office. He's been quite grumpy lately, and almost everyone here got scolded!" Mira explained, handing Fahira a package filled with food."Thank you so much, Mir. But why are you going through all this trouble?" Fahira replied and looked at Mira with gratitude in her eyes. These little acts of kindness touched her heart, and she silently expressed her gratitude for being surrounded by good people."It's okay, pretty Fahira!" Mira respon
Darian stretched his stiff muscles by raising both hands and leaning his body against the chair back. His eyes were closed, attempting to relieve the strain in his tired eyes after a day of dealing with files and laptop screens. Today, Darian intentionally cleared his meeting schedule to focus on checking the detailed reports from the finance director. Fahira had been in and out of the young CEO's room countless times to carry out all his orders. Darian had even consumed nearly three cups of coffee today. For lunch, he opted to eat in his office, ordering from his favorite restaurant.Fahira started to worry when the time on her wristwatch showed three in the afternoon, and Darian seemed engrossed in the stack of papers before him. Fahira remained silent for quite a while until Darian's voice startled her."What's wrong, Fahira? Are you still not feeling well?" Darian asked, causing Fahira's tongue to feel parched.Darian stood up, facing the giant mirror in front of him that revealed
The next day, Fahira asked for permission to come to the office late as she had to handle all the paperwork for Ariel's discharge from the hospital. The examination results from the previous night stated that Ariel was allowed to go home with outpatient treatment. Next week, he had to come back to the hospital for his first follow-up check-up, to ensure the success and compatibility of the heart ablation procedure. Many patients faced risks of incompatibility with the implanted devices, and Ariel needed close monitoring by Dr. Gavin until he fully recovered.After dealing with all the administrative tasks and picking up Ariel's medications, Fahira neatly packed Ariel's change of clothes into a bag while Ariel underwent his final health check-up with the nurse."Fahira, I'll be fine at home alone, right?" Ariel asked after the nurse examining him left the hospital room."Don't worry, Ariel. Arif will come straight home after school. He already sent a WhatsApp message saying so," Fahira
Darian collapsed onto the sofa, his hands splayed on the sides of the couch, and he rested his head with his eyes closed. The curiosity about Fahira overwhelmed him even more after his mother, Yasmin, conveyed the late Rusdi's message. Yasmin had never met Fahira, but a week before Rusdi passed away, he had left a message that if a company employee named Fahira Ramadhani ever appeared, Yasmin and Darian must take good care of her. Rusdi never explained who Fahira was, but fate took him away before he could reveal anything. Now, what puzzled Darian was that Yasmin herself had no knowledge of Fahira and was clueless about the connection between Fahira and Rusdi."What's the connection between Fahira and Papa, Ma?" Darian asked with deep curiosity."I don't know, Darian, but your Papa once said that Fahira is the daughter of someone who greatly contributed to his company."The conversation with Yasmin earlier in the afternoon kept echoing in his mind, adding to his growing sense of guilt
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