"I heard you didn't go to the office today, Helena?" Thomas said as he enjoyed the salad that was his dessert tonight."Yes, I'm seeing Doctor Adi today." Helena didn't keep her pregnancy a secret from her brother. "He said he's sorry he couldn't make it to see Papa."Thomas let out a soft sigh. "How long are you planning to keep this on the down low? You know, it's a bit of a burden for me.""I'm not asking you to overthink this," Helena said, looking at her brother with frustration. "After all, you're the one who decided to find out what happened to me, right? I didn't plan to tell anyone but Wilna.""You're such an annoying sister, Helena.""Thanks for the compliment." Helena went back to enjoying her meal. The potato soup with chunks of meat, made by the chef at home, tasted just right on her tongue. "This is really good. I like it."Helena looked over at Gina, who was standing nearby. Gina was always on hand to help Helena with whatever she needed at home. This also meant making
"My advice would be not to talk to Michael," Tiara said while making sure her dress fit correctly. The white dress with crystals on the chest looked really elegant and expensive. Tiara isn't interested in a simple wedding party. In particular, the dresses and decorations during the procession should be eye-catching and generate a lot of conversation for the next few days.Yori, who had been helping Tiara get dressed, looked surprised. "Why are you suggesting that?""Are you being foolish or are you just too naive?" Tiara let out a laugh. "Michael works at the hospital, right? Who reached out to him first? It was Helena. I caught them at the hospital, which means... Helena approached Michael on a whim. I'm sure your boyfriend couldn't possibly refuse, right?"Yori blinked in confusion, but then she noticed her hands were firmly clenched. "You're right. Why didn't I think of that?" The younger woman followed Tiara's lead and went over to the large mirror. The dress was quite heavy, but
Helena knew this annoying woman would be at the inauguration event. But Helena hadn't expected to run into Tiara so soon. And right in the middle of all the invited guests. Was Tiara trying to cause a scene on purpose? Should she confront her?"I'm curious, how did you end up at an event like this, Helena?"This time it was Yori, Helena's former sister-in-law, who spoke up. It was clear that she was with Tiara. And let's not forget the middle-aged woman standing not far from them. Didn't they seem like a group of women who liked to put others down?"Oh, Yori. We should have guessed that her arrival must have been supported by someone." Mirna said, folding her arms across her chest. "You want to greet the event owner? Hmph! She won't even recognize you!"Helena gave a small, amused smile. "As a guest, I should say hello to the event owner. At least in the name of courtesy."Tiara rolled her eyes in frustration. "You'd better leave, Helena. You're not exactly a looker.""Is Tiara Jacob
"What happened?" Tiara asked, looking a little confused. She was taken aback by what she saw, which was very unexpected. This also made her stop in the middle of the party crowd. She watched Helena and Raline walk away together, hand in hand. She was confused and annoyed. She never thought Helena and Raline would be so close. On top of that, Tiara understood Raline was known for being very selective about her friends."What's going on, Tiara?" Yori expressed her surprise. She hadn't expected to get a surprise like this either. Before they went into the inaugural event, Tiara told Yori not to worry about where Helena was. There's going to be a pleasant surprise that'll put Helena in an even tighter spot.On top of that, Yori is eager to reveal Helena's identity. Despite her seemingly innocent and simple demeanor, he believes she is not what she appears to be. Yori sees Helena as a cunning woman. She's good at positioning herself and using others to achieve her goals. When she thought a
As Helena thought would happen, Raline wasn't letting go easily. Helena was asked to be there with Raline for the whole inauguration, from the opening to the casual moments where Raline would be meeting lots of people. At the same time, Raline, with her rather loud mouth, made the unofficial announcement that Adelia Helena Edison was back."What do you think?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. She was trying to get Helena's attention, who seemed annoyed by Raline's behavior tonight."You said you wouldn't act childish, but why do I have to deal with this?" Helena snorted and folded her arms across her chest."What if they all know anyway?" Raline was a little surprised by Helena's unusual request. Raline said that if she wanted to be more private, then her privacy would be respected. But who wouldn't want to know the Edison family? Even without any reason to hide, lots of people are looking for Tehu.Unless they really limit access so that no one knows what happened. And Edison was mor
Raline gave her chest a little rub. She'd even finished the bottle of mineral water her assistant had given her, but it hadn't made her feel any less surprised about tonight. It was supposed to be a great night for her. The launch went well, she met up with some old friends, there weren't any problems, including a nice dinner together, and her assistant told her that the new product launch graph had stabilized and was sure to dominate the market.But there was one thing Raline had missed: the drama."Are you okay?" Viona asked, looking concerned. It was pretty unusual for SK Platinum's CEO to lose control like this. Her face also looked pale and dazed. "Your car is ready and waiting for you. We can drop you off right away.""What about Helena?" Raline asked. She realized she needed to think about the person she'd just met. "I can't leave without knowing how Helena is.""You can relax. Mr. Thomas picked up Miss Helena. You must not have noticed Mr. Thomas' arrival just before Miss Hele
"I just can't help myself anymore, Helena!" Thomas said, sounding frustrated. His eyes were red with irritation, and his hands were clenched into fists as he tried to stop himself from destroying everything around him. It was a way for him to channel his frustration over what had happened to his sister."I'm okay, Thomas," Helena said with a small smile. Although she had a long scratch on her forehead from an earlier impact, Helena was otherwise fine. There was no need to worry, including about her pregnancy. Helena was really lucky because when she woke up earlier, the only thing she was worried about was the condition of her fetus.Luckily, the doctor who examined her put Helena's mind at ease on that front."I know you want to vent your frustration on them," Thomas said, pulling out a chair at the edge of the bed. It made a rather rude sound, and Thomas's handsome face still looked fierce. It seemed like whoever interrupted him tonight would end up in trouble because Thomas was fee
Michael closed his eyes and tried to bear the heat and pain that spread across his face. He was pretty sure that the area where his father had hit him directly had left a reddish mark. Michael even thought he could feel the corners of his lips were cut by the blow."You idiot!" Tomy Andreas was livid. The tall, well-built man was taken aback by the unexpected news. "What were you doing on the show if you were caught off guard by Helena?""My apologies." That was all Michael could say in the moment. He owned up to his mistake. One of the interns at the hospital where he worked struck up a conversation with him. He wasn't paying much attention to Helena because he thought she was talking to the event owner."I don't even know how to handle Mr. Thomas in a situation like this!" Tommy was clearly frustrated. "Any word on Helena's condition?" he asked the people around him. Tommy wasn't one to shy away from holding anyone accountable when he felt they'd made a mistak
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