Even though everything was over, there were no more voices of other people with cameras or mics asking endless questions, as well as some things that made his head dizzy, for Arslan all this really made him want to immediately sit down and lean back. If possible, just lay down for a moment. While thinking what steps he would do.“Please.” One of the officers opened the door for Arslan and Deny. They were temporarily in the same cell. Before later they were placed in special cells for prisoners related to corruption cases and other criminal offenses.“Tsk! Does the room you have to be this narrow?” asked Deny Jacob in an annoyed tone. “You know, I have a history of asthma. If my asthma flares up, I'll make sure you pay dearly.”The officer just grinned. “We're sorry. If your asthma flares up, the doctor here is willing to examine you. You can rest easy.”Deny growled in annoyance and pushed Arslan who was slightly blocking his way to the small room where they would be staying temporari
“Have a seat, Mr. Tan,” the doctor said, inviting Arslan to sit down after entering a room that was quite far apart from the operating room.Due to Arslan's status as one of the detainees, there were two supervisory officers following him. But Arslan had no desire to cause trouble in this hospital. The only thing that bothered him was Tiara's condition. According to the doctor, her condition was quite alarming.Even so, the surgery process that his wife underwent went quite smoothly. But why did the doctor who handled Tiara call him? Isn't that an indication that something quite alarming is happening?“Thank you, Doc.” Arslan tried to remain calm.Meanwhile, the doctor seemed to be busy taking some files before finally sitting in front of Arslan. “I'm glad that the surgery that Mrs. Tiara underwent ended well.” His face was serious, bringing new tension in the midst of an atmosphere that was not yet completely calm. “But there's still a phase that Ibu Tiara has to go through before it
Meanwhile in the hospital waiting room, Deny Jacob could not contain his frustration. This condition made him even more depressed and uncomfortable. He felt like a stranger trapped in a place that didn't belong to him. Moreover, this was a hospital. He hated places where the smell of medicines and disinfectants was strong.“How long will I wait here?” asked Deny as he ruffled his hair. He no longer thought about his appearance especially since he officially wore the prisoner's uniform. Ignoring the fact that he had always paid attention to how neatly he was dressed.“Be patient, Mr. Deny,” said the lawyer accompanying Deny Jacob and Arslan Tan. “The doctor and Mr. Tan are still talking about Mrs. Tiara's condition.”Deny let out a long sigh. “Did something really bad happen to my daughter?”The lawyer smiled slightly. “Nothing, Mr. Deny. But you'd better calm down. Some of the supervisors who came along are also keeping an eye on your behavior while you're out of custody.”Deny snorte
Two weeks have passed since the court verdict against Arslan and Deny Jacob. Despite their verdicts, news of the Tan family scandal still reverberates across the media. The family, once known as one of the most respected families, was now the subject of public scrutiny and speculation on various platforms. Helena found her phone screen full of notifications for online articles about the family's troubles.“Thomas really doesn't let his quarry off easy.” Helena chuckled. Her eyes remained fixed on her phone. While taking a sip of the coffee she had ordered, her fingers skillfully swiped across the flat screen of her sophisticated gadget. Reading one news story after another that tirelessly talked about the downfall of the Tan family.It seemed Helena wasn't the only one interested in keeping up with the news about the Tan family. Oh, my. Helena had never thought of helping the family out of the trouble they were in. Why wouldn't she be so busy with Nakia and the many work programs she
“I don't know what your plans are with Mr. Tommy, but it seems a little serious?” Wilna asked in a cautious tone. She didn't want to make Helena uncomfortable because this question was a slight reference to Tiara and Helena's ex-husband Arslan Tan.“I don't know. What angle do you see it from. Whether it's serious or not,” Helena said casually. Her eyes were still focused on the files in front of her. A few times she also sighed and re-centered herself so that what she wanted could be done immediately by all the staff who worked together under her orders. “What about the marketing team's research? Any problems?”“Nothing so far. In a month we can prepare for the launch of the newest unit.” Wilna smiled broadly. “Our hard work is finally paying off.”“That's to be expected, isn't it?” Helena let out a long sigh. She took off her glasses and closed her eyes a little just to get rid of the fatigue she was experiencing. “Maybe things didn't work out the way I wanted them to but seeing how
A month has passed since the birth of a baby boy named Andy Tan, a child who is now the only light in Tiara's stressful life. The baby makes Tiara happy even though she is still physically weak, and her movements are limited due to the difficult labor process. She never imagined not being able to meet the child she had conceived.When she first saw the baby, Tiara cried non-stop for several minutes. Besides being touched, Tiara felt grateful that for the first time there was something that made her feel more alive. The doctor suggested that Tiara should take a lot of rest and maintain a good diet. Tiara's condition was quite life-threatening after giving birth some time ago.Thankfully, everything has passed and Tiara can return home feeling happy. Although it is incomplete without Arslan's presence, Tiara tries to accept it. Although there are many pressures in Tiara's life now, she feels that the most stressful thing is not only the postpartum recovery - but also the presence of Mir
A week has passed since Tiara received a summons from the police regarding Helena's accident. Tiara's days since then have been filled with endless anxiety. The fear and anxiety that gnawed at her mind affected everything, including her health and comfort while sleeping.Tiara couldn't even close her eyes peacefully; images of bad possibilities kept haunting her, keeping her awake at night. I don't know how many times she had nightmares and woke up in the middle of the night, then could no longer close her eyes just to sleep for a moment. Even the sleeping pills prescribed by the doctor had little effect. Her anxiety even affected her little baby, Andy, who cried constantly as if he could sense his mother's anxiety.This morning, when Andy started crying again, Tiara woke up with a heavy head and puffy eyes. She got out of bed, looked at Andy crying in his bed, but her body felt so tired. She felt like everything around her was spinning and out of focus. Tiara even had to hold onto th
“Finally,” Tiara said with a sigh of relief. “I should have done this a long time ago.” She looked around her house, which looked deserted.Tiara was starting to feel a little peace in her life after Mirna and Yori left. With the two new maids she had hired to help take care of Andy, her little baby, the atmosphere at home had become much calmer.“I didn't expect them to be so annoying.” Tiara let out a long sigh. “It's really only sweet at first.”“Madam, what would you like to have for lunch?”Tiara turned her head and looked at the new waitress who started working yesterday afternoon. Since Mirna and Yori had left, Tiara had hired two additional people to help her. No, she didn't. Even when Mirna and Yori were around, they didn't do much in the house to help out. After all, there were already specialized servants hired to serve in this house. But Tiara decided to really focus on taking care of Andy and herself first.She could now focus not only on Andy, but also on the business af
The school hall was filled with the noise of the students who were busy preparing for Olin's farewell event. That day, Olin stood in the center of the hall in his neat school uniform. Although he tried to smile, the heaviness of leaving this place was clear on his face.“Lin, are you sure you want to go?” Jihan stood beside him, her eyes glazed over. “You know we're all not willing to let you go.”Olin took a deep breath, then looked at his best friend. “Jihan, I have to go. I can't stay here.”“Why not? We can face this together. You don't have to run away from everything.”Olin smiled, but didn't answer. He knew this decision was the best for him and for his family.One by one, his friends came up to Olin, saying goodbye. Adel, Maria, and Rihanna had been crying since the beginning of the show.“We'll miss your chatty voice in class,” Adel said as she wiped away her tears.
“Dad, I need to talk,” Olin's voice was soft but full of anxiety. She stood in the doorway of her father's study. Michael, who was busy reading a document, looked at his daughter. There was something in her tone of voice that made Michael immediately close the document and wave a hand, inviting her in.“Sure, honey. What's wrong? Sit here,” he said, pointing to the chair in front of him.Olin stepped in slowly, sitting with her back straight but her face downcast. She clutched the hem of her sweater tightly, a clear sign that she was agitated.“Pa... I'm confused. I don't know where to start,” she said finally, her voice trembling.Michael smiled a little, trying to offer some comfort. “Try starting with what's bothering you, Lin. Papa is here to listen.”Olin lifted his head, looking up at his father with teary eyes. “It's about Andy, Pa. And about what Mama said yesterday at the festival.&rdqu
“Olin, what's wrong? You're not usually like this,” Jihan opened the conversation in a quiet but worried voice. They were sitting on a bench in the school garden during recess. Olin just sighed, his eyes fixed on the grass in front of him.“I'm fine, Ji,” Olin replied briefly, without turning his head.Adel, who was sitting beside him, rolled her eyes. “It's okay? Seriously, Lin? If you're okay, why do you look like you've lost something? Even your voice isn't as loud as usual.”“Yeah, Lin,” Maria added as she leaned forward, trying to find Olin's gaze. “You didn't even respond when we teased Rihana earlier. You're usually the most excited when there's something to joke about.”Rihana nodded in agreement, though she was a little disturbed by the discussion. “That's right, Lin. You didn't even laugh when I almost fell earlier. Are you sick? Or... something wrong at home?”Olin s
All the way home, Helena chose to remain silent. The atmosphere in the car was eerily quiet, filled only by the sound of tires rustling across the road. Occasionally, Olin glanced at her mother, hoping for an explanation, but Helena kept her eyes straight ahead, focused on the road stretching out in front of her.Helena was being deliberate. She knew that if this conversation took place in the car, she would not be able to convey everything calmly. The mixed feelings she had been bottling up for so long were now coming back to the surface, hitting her hard ever since that encounter at the festival.“What are you really thinking, Helena?” she muttered to herself. Her hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, while her mind went back to the past that she wanted to forget.Helena knew the look Andy had given Olin earlier. It wasn't just a friend's look. There was something there-a feeling she recognized all too well. It made her chest tight, not because
“Olin, are you ready?” Jihan's voice broke the silence in the preparation room. She looked up at her best friend sitting at the piano, seemingly practicing the last notes.Olin let out a long breath, trying to compose himself. “Not sure, Jihan. I don't know why our homeroom teacher chose me to perform. There are many others who are better.”Jihan chuckled and sat next to him. “Olin, you're really good. They chose you because you're the best. Besides, you're not alone. We're all here to support you.”“But my family will come,” Olin rolled his eyes. “I told them that Mama was enough. If they all came, I'd be even more nervous.”“Your family is fun,” Jihan patted his shoulder. “Think of them as hard-core fans.”Meanwhile, on the main stage, Andy stood in the center of the crowd, monitoring the festival. His face serious, he occasionally spoke into a walkie-talkie to ma
“Who are you looking at, Lin?” Jihan's voice suddenly broke the silence in the cafeteria, making Olin startle and almost choke on the orange juice he had just gulped down.“Huh? Who?” Olin hurriedly turned to Jihan with a panicked face, trying to hide his nervousness.Jihan narrowed her eyes, giving Olin a probing look. “Don't pretend, I saw you just now looking at Andy from a distance. What's wrong, huh?”Olin let out a long breath, then shook his head quickly. “Nothing, Jihan. You saw it wrong.”However, Adel, who was sitting next to Jihan, immediately chimed in. “Oh? Andy? Isn't he that cold guy who rarely talks? How can you be interested, Lin?”“I'm not interested! Gosh, what's wrong with you guys?” Olin tried to deny it, even though his face was starting to turn red. He knew Jihan wouldn't let go of this topic easily.Vina, who was usually more reserved, suddenly ch
“Helena, you look a little tense,” Michael said in a soft tone as they sat in the living room after dinner. He looked at his wife, who sat staring blankly out the window, her eyes seemingly glazed over.Helena took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. “I'm fine, Michael. It's just... earlier, when I met Jacob's family, I felt that there was something evocative of the past. Especially with that young man present... I feel anxious.”Michael looked at his wife with concern. “Are you feeling anxious because of him? Or is it something else?”Helena shook her head slowly. “Not because of him, Michael. It's more about the complicated past... which is long forgotten, but not completely gone. I know I've forgiven everyone, including Tiara and Arslan. But seeing their son, seeing him next to Luna... it's like I'm reminded of everything that happened.”Michael sighed and sat closer, taking Helena's hand gently. &l
“Ah, Olin, you finally came too!” Vera greeted Olin with a warm hug, her eyes shining with excitement. “Grandma's been waiting a long time.”Olin smiled and returned the hug. “Yes, Grandma, I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I had a little business earlier.”Helena, his mother, greeted Vera with a warm smile. “Thank you for inviting us, Vera. We're glad we could make it.”Meanwhile, Michael, Olin's father, who was rather quiet, just smiled and greeted Tomy who was busy in the kitchen. “Grandpa, how are you?” he said as he sat down at the dining table.“Ah, Michael! I'm fine, my son. Come, sit, sit. Lunch is ready,” Tomy said with a big smile, his eyes radiating warmth.Olin nodded, followed him into the dining room, and sat next to Vera. Vera immediately grasped his hand with great concern. “Come on, sit down first, son. I want to hear how you're doing.”Olin smil
Andy sat on the living room sofa, scrolling through his phone without really paying attention to the screen. His lips formed a small smile, recalling the moment when Olin bravely chased after his cell phone thief. The girl was completely different from his first image-there was no fear, only genuine courage.However, her smile did not go unnoticed by Luna Jacob, her grandmother who was knitting in a rocking chair not far from her. The old woman knew her grandson all too well. Andy, who was usually serious and quiet, was often seen smiling to himself these days.“What's wrong, Andy?” Luna's soft voice broke the silence.Andy looked up, a little surprised. “What, Grandma?”Luna stopped knitting, looking up at her grandson with concerned eyes. “You seem different lately. Is there something you want to tell me?”Andy smiled slightly, trying to distract her grandmother. “Nothing, Grandma. Probably just a lot on