The next morning, even though his heart and mind were still in chaos, Sebastian still had to attend the proposal submission meeting. He walked into the company meeting room with heavy steps but tried to hide all his pain behind a strong face. The office was the only place he felt he still had control, a space that would not judge or abandon him like what had just happened in court.
The meeting room was already filling up when Sebastian arrived. There were several employees sitting there with thick documents in their hands, ready to present new proposals. Not far from them, Lila was busy reviewing several files, focused as usual. Their gazes met, and Lila gave a thin, sincere but understanding smile.Sebastian returned it with a small nod, although his smile was not entirely sincere. Lila knew exactly what was going on in his life, and her presence gave him a little comfort in the midst of the chaos. As Sebastian took a seat at the end of the table, he tried to coSebastian took a deep breath, trying to steel himself. Lila’s words gave him a little hope, even though the bitterness had not completely disappeared. “Thank you, Lila. I just… I just need time to accept all of this.”Lila smiled faintly. “I’ll always be here, Sebastian. Whenever you need help or just want to talk, you know I’m ready to listen.”Sebastian smiled back softly. Even though his life felt like a mess, Lila’s presence gave him a little light in the darkness he was facing. And for now, that was more than enough.***Two weeks had passed, but for Sebastian, time felt like it was moving slowly, every second filled with immeasurable longing for his little daughter, Dinda. This was the day he had been waiting for with all the mixed feelings, the first day he could spend time with Dinda after the painful trial results.Sebastian stared at the clock with hope trembling in his heart. Every second that passed seemed to be a reminder of
Sebastian nodded. “Yes, Sara. I will be on time,” he said with a faint smile, calming Dinda who was holding his hand tightly. Today, he was determined to make Dinda happy, no matter how short their time together was.He took Dinda by the hand towards the car, then closed the door slowly. With a hopeful gaze, Sebastian looked at his little daughter sitting beside him, ready to bring simple but meaningful happiness. Today was the day he had been waiting for with all his heart, and he knew how precious every second he had with Dinda was. Sebastian drove his car with a heart full of hope, his eyes occasionally glancing at Dinda who was sitting beside him with an enthusiastic face. In his mind, he had imagined this day over and over again. A full day that he would fill with happiness and beautiful memories with his daughter. "Daddy, where are we going first?" Dinda asked while looking at him with sparkling eyes. Sebastian smiled warmly. "Let's go to
After the ice cream was finished, Sebastian took Dinda to a small bookstore not far from the park. He knew that Dinda really liked storybooks, and this had been their favorite place for a long time. Every time she went to this store, Dinda always looked so excited to choose books with animal stories or fantasy stories. In the store, Dinda started walking from shelf to shelf, looking for a book that caught her attention. Sebastian followed her, occasionally helping her reach the books neatly arranged on the high shelves. Finally, Dinda found a picture book of a little elephant going on an adventure to find a friend. Her eyes shone as she showed the book to Sebastian. “Daddy, I want this book! Look, there’s a cute little elephant!” she exclaimed, smiling broadly. Sebastian stroked Dinda’s head gently. “Of course, honey. Daddy bought it for you. You’ll definitely like the story about this little elephant,” she replied, then took the book to the cashier.
Flashing red and blue lights filled the accident scene, signaling the arrival of the medical team and security officers. The paramedics quickly evacuated Sebastian and Dinda from the wrecked car. At the same time, Sara and Rendy arrived at the scene with panicked and anxious faces after receiving a call from the hospital.When she saw Sebastian’s car, which was almost no longer in shape, Sara was shocked, her body shaking violently. She could barely recognize the shape of the car. Her little heart sank, filled with incredible fear and worry.“Where is Dinda? Where is my daughter?” Sara asked in a desperate tone to one of the officers there.The officer calmed Sara down by saying, “We have sent them to the hospital. Their condition is quite severe, but the doctor has prepared emergency measures.”Sara couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. Rendy, who was standing beside her, tried to calm her down and guide her into their car, heading to the hospit
“What do you mean? What cyst?”Sebastian blinked, staring at the small screen on his phone, feeling his heart beat faster. The emergency information he had just received made him pause in front of his door, but then he ran to the car without thinking. He knew that something serious had happened to his wife. He had to get to the hospital immediately.His voice was hoarse as he spoke to the hospital operator, trying to get a grasp of the situation as quickly as possible.“This is a complication… You need to come to the hospital immediately and sign the consent form for surgery as soon as possible.” The voice was flat but urgent.Sebastian pressed the accelerator, his eyes scanning the road anxiously. His breathing was erratic, his mind spinning with various bad scenarios. His heart was filled with overwhelming fear—his wife, Sara, had always seemed healthy. They had just celebrated their wedding anniversary last week, and there had been no sign of anything like this happening. She had t
“Sebastian, listen to me. You need to know something.” Sara’s voice was firm, but Sebastian could feel the tension behind it.They had been in this uncomfortable situation for a few minutes, but Sara’s next words would change everything.“What else do you want to explain?” Sebastian asked in a flat tone, trying to remain calm even as his anger boiled beneath the surface. He didn’t know what else Sara could say after the affair was revealed.Sara took a deep breath, then in a bold tone, said, “I may be married to you, but that doesn’t mean I lose my sexual freedom. Just because we’re married doesn’t mean I’m completely yours.”Sebastian was silent. His eyes stared at Sara sharply, waiting for the continuation of her sentence, but in his heart, he could hardly believe what he had just heard.“As a woman, I have the right to explore my own desires. I don’t think this is wrong. We haven’t been together for a long time, so I—I have the right to find my happiness elsewhere!” Sara continued
"Who is Rich Daddy, Dinda? I am your only father!" Sebastian's voice trembled, trying to hold back his burning anger. But the words came out louder than he intended.Dinda frowned, looking at her father with a scared look. She took a few steps back, slowly releasing her grip on Sebastian. “No, Dad! Rich Daddy is good. He often gives me toys!” Dinda shouted, her voice getting higher.Hearing those words made Sebastian's chest feel tight as if something was strangling him. How could Sara bring another man into their daughter's life and make Dinda believe that there was another father figure who replaced him?Sebastian knelt in front of Dinda, trying to calm his anger and speak more softly. "Dinda, only me is your father. No one else. Whoever the man your mother brought here is, he is not your father." However, his words did not reach Dinda. His eyes began to fill with tears, and he began to tremble in fear. "Why is you angry? I don't like you angry!" Suddenly Dinda pushed Sebastian
“Ah, Sebastian. You remember, right? This land is under my name. You gave it to me as our wedding gift. Even the house you built with great difficulty, it’s all mine now.”Sebastian fell silent, his heart felt like it was being squeezed. That house was where he had placed his hopes and dreams, every stone he had stacked was a manifestation of his love and dedication to their little family. He used to think that the house would be a place where they would grow old together, watching their children grow up. But now, reality hit him. Sara not only claimed the property but also lived there with another man—her lover. The thought of that stranger sitting in the living room, walking on the floor that Sebastian had once built with his own hands, was something he could barely accept.Sebastian’s lawyer coughed softly, drawing his attention back to the pile of documents in front of him.“You need to sign this as soon as possible. The longer we delay, the worse the situation will be. Especially
Flashing red and blue lights filled the accident scene, signaling the arrival of the medical team and security officers. The paramedics quickly evacuated Sebastian and Dinda from the wrecked car. At the same time, Sara and Rendy arrived at the scene with panicked and anxious faces after receiving a call from the hospital.When she saw Sebastian’s car, which was almost no longer in shape, Sara was shocked, her body shaking violently. She could barely recognize the shape of the car. Her little heart sank, filled with incredible fear and worry.“Where is Dinda? Where is my daughter?” Sara asked in a desperate tone to one of the officers there.The officer calmed Sara down by saying, “We have sent them to the hospital. Their condition is quite severe, but the doctor has prepared emergency measures.”Sara couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. Rendy, who was standing beside her, tried to calm her down and guide her into their car, heading to the hospit
After the ice cream was finished, Sebastian took Dinda to a small bookstore not far from the park. He knew that Dinda really liked storybooks, and this had been their favorite place for a long time. Every time she went to this store, Dinda always looked so excited to choose books with animal stories or fantasy stories. In the store, Dinda started walking from shelf to shelf, looking for a book that caught her attention. Sebastian followed her, occasionally helping her reach the books neatly arranged on the high shelves. Finally, Dinda found a picture book of a little elephant going on an adventure to find a friend. Her eyes shone as she showed the book to Sebastian. “Daddy, I want this book! Look, there’s a cute little elephant!” she exclaimed, smiling broadly. Sebastian stroked Dinda’s head gently. “Of course, honey. Daddy bought it for you. You’ll definitely like the story about this little elephant,” she replied, then took the book to the cashier.
Sebastian nodded. “Yes, Sara. I will be on time,” he said with a faint smile, calming Dinda who was holding his hand tightly. Today, he was determined to make Dinda happy, no matter how short their time together was.He took Dinda by the hand towards the car, then closed the door slowly. With a hopeful gaze, Sebastian looked at his little daughter sitting beside him, ready to bring simple but meaningful happiness. Today was the day he had been waiting for with all his heart, and he knew how precious every second he had with Dinda was. Sebastian drove his car with a heart full of hope, his eyes occasionally glancing at Dinda who was sitting beside him with an enthusiastic face. In his mind, he had imagined this day over and over again. A full day that he would fill with happiness and beautiful memories with his daughter. "Daddy, where are we going first?" Dinda asked while looking at him with sparkling eyes. Sebastian smiled warmly. "Let's go to
Sebastian took a deep breath, trying to steel himself. Lila’s words gave him a little hope, even though the bitterness had not completely disappeared. “Thank you, Lila. I just… I just need time to accept all of this.”Lila smiled faintly. “I’ll always be here, Sebastian. Whenever you need help or just want to talk, you know I’m ready to listen.”Sebastian smiled back softly. Even though his life felt like a mess, Lila’s presence gave him a little light in the darkness he was facing. And for now, that was more than enough.***Two weeks had passed, but for Sebastian, time felt like it was moving slowly, every second filled with immeasurable longing for his little daughter, Dinda. This was the day he had been waiting for with all the mixed feelings, the first day he could spend time with Dinda after the painful trial results.Sebastian stared at the clock with hope trembling in his heart. Every second that passed seemed to be a reminder of
The next morning, even though his heart and mind were still in chaos, Sebastian still had to attend the proposal submission meeting. He walked into the company meeting room with heavy steps but tried to hide all his pain behind a strong face. The office was the only place he felt he still had control, a space that would not judge or abandon him like what had just happened in court. The meeting room was already filling up when Sebastian arrived. There were several employees sitting there with thick documents in their hands, ready to present new proposals. Not far from them, Lila was busy reviewing several files, focused as usual. Their gazes met, and Lila gave a thin, sincere but understanding smile. Sebastian returned it with a small nod, although his smile was not entirely sincere. Lila knew exactly what was going on in his life, and her presence gave him a little comfort in the midst of the chaos. As Sebastian took a seat at the end of the table, he tried to co
"Yes, custody has officially fallen to Sara," Rendy continued with a thin grin, his expression changing to a satisfied smile. "The hardest part is over. Now all that remains is to make sure she continues to comply with everything that has been agreed upon." Rendy listened for a moment, then added, "Sebastian will not be a problem. He just needs to be left aside, with no chance to interfere again." Rendy's smile grew wider, his face now filled with suspicious confidence. "Just a few more steps and everything will go perfectly. Sara just needs to be kept from ruining this plan.”At the end of the conversation, he nodded slowly and said, “We will meet as usual, next week. Don’t worry, everything is under my control.”Rendy hung up the phone with a mysterious look. The smile on his lips reflected a hidden plan that only he knew, and it seemed that everything that had happened so far was just part of a grand scheme that was slowly star
Sara let out a long sigh, looking at Rendy with eyes full of disappointment that she had long suppressed. “Rendy, I should feel relieved now. I should feel victorious. But, look… Dinda is still looking for Sebastian, even though we’ve done everything to make her feel comfortable here. It feels like… all this effort is in vain.”Rendy nodded, trying to understand Sara’s feelings. He knew this wasn’t just about winning legal custody; it was about winning Dinda’s heart, something much more complicated.“Sara, I can see how much effort you put in. You’ve given your best, more than most single parents out there can do,” Rendy said while touching Sara’s shoulder, giving her a little encouragement. “But we also have to accept that the bond between Dinda and Sebastian has indeed formed so strongly. It’s not easy to erase those feelings.”Sara stared at Dinda who was sleeping on her bed, feeling increasingly cornered by the reality that Rendy had just revealed. “S
Dinda looked at Sara with a clear disappointed expression. “But why can’t Daddy come in? Why can’t you just meet me for a moment, Mom?”Sara sighed, a little confused about how to explain this complicated situation to her young child. “Honey, this is indeed difficult to explain. Daddy and Mommy have an agreement for certain times so that everything goes well for you.”Rendy looked at Sara as if he wanted to add something. He knelt down next to Sara and spoke softly, “Dinda, Mommy, and Daddy Sebastian have agreed to meet at a predetermined time. Daddy Sebastian loves you, and he will come at the predetermined time. You will meet Daddy soon, on Sunday, as scheduled.”However, Dinda did not look satisfied with that answer. Her face looked even sadder, and her tiny lips trembled, trying to hold back tears. “But… I miss Daddy Sebastian. Why do I have to wait until Sunday? I… I want to meet Daddy now.”Sara felt a tremor in her chest. She could not deny
The rain grew heavier, wetting Sebastian’s face until he had difficulty distinguishing between the rainwater and the tears that were starting to wet his cheeks. His gaze shifted from Rendy to Sara, then back again, hoping to see even a little sympathy between them. However, both of them looked cold and unaffected.“Sara, please…” he said again, his voice breaking with deep sadness. “I know I’m not her biological father. I know you think I’m not good enough, but Dinda is everything to me. I’ve taken care of her since she was little, I’ve given her all the love I have…”“And I also gave her love, Sebastian. Love that gives her peace, not anxiety,” Sara replied loudly, trying to hold back her thinning patience. “Dinda feels safer with me. And you should start to appreciate that.”Sebastian clenched his fists, feeling great disappointment welling up inside him. “I’m just asking for a little time, Sara. Just a little. You’ve already won custody. I’m n