With the sweetest smile on her face, Laura walked toward Aryan and the beautiful woman. She observed the woman carefully, who appeared perfect in her knee-length black dress that contrasted beautifully with her fair skin. Her long, curly brown hair cascaded elegantly, and her natural makeup enhanced her features. Her 7 cm high heels added a sensual touch to her slender figure.
Aryan smiled as he saw Laura approaching, and he reached for her hand, guiding her towards where the woman was standing.
"Vika, let me introduce you to Laura, my wife."
"Darling, meet Vika, my college friend." Aryan introduced them one after the other, and Laura offered a friendly handshake. "Did Aryan just call me 'darling'?" Laura's mind suddenly went into overdrive as she tried to process something, her gaze shifting between Aryan and Vika."Laura," Laura replied, momentarily breaking Vika's contemplation.
"Vika!" Vika responded to Laura's handshake, looking at the young wom
Pretending to ignore Aryan, Laura kept herself busy setting the dishes on the table. Aryan, on the other hand, continued to observe Laura's every move, growing increasingly restless."Do you have nothing better to do than watch me like that? Go take a shower! Afterward, we can eat. I'm starving because you didn't invite me to eat earlier. You're so heartless!" Laura protested, glancing briefly at Aryan before grabbing the juice she had prepared and adding some ice cubes."Still half-past five; let's eat first. I'm hungry too. Besides, I can't wait to devour my beloved wife's cooking," Aryan replied playfully, winking at Laura. Laura didn't respond to Aryan's remark. She fetched two plates, one for Aryan and one for herself, and served rice on Aryan's plate, just as she always did."Thanks, dear," Aryan said as Laura handed him the plate of rice. Aryan was eager to dig into Laura's cooking. He admitted that Laura's cooking was just as delicious as his mother Lian
"Aray, in marriage, you must understand each other, love each other, and compromise. You can't just get angry over small things and run back to your parents' house without your husband's permission; that's a grave sin. If there are problems, they should be resolved calmly instead of walking away," Della said to Laura that morning as they cooked breakfast together."Yes, Mom, we're fine. You and Dad don't need to worry," Laura replied as she stirred coffee for Johan and Aryan. Laura took a deep breath; she couldn't imagine what would happen if they found out that the marriage would eventually end in divorce.Not long after that, Aryan and Johan returned and sat down to talk on the long wooden bench on the house's terrace. They seemed to be having a friendly conversation while enjoying the fresh morning air characteristic of the rural atmosphere. The classic house faced north with a spacious yard, and the tall mango tree, now in bloom, looked magnificent, surrounded by orc
Noval pulled his car over to the side of the road, took a deep breath, and expressed his desire. He didn't like being ignored like this."Why aren't you answering? It must be your husband who called, right?" Noval said, looking at Laura, who was only staring at the name displayed on her phone screen."Laura, give me one more chance. I promise to make everything right, and I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes," Noval continued, his gaze fixed on Laura, who still seemed indifferent."Laura?" Noval called out and was about to touch Laura's hand, which she pulled away instantly."I've already told you before, I'm married. Please don't bother me again," Laura replied, irritated. Although there were lingering feelings for Noval in her heart, she would not betray her marriage to Aryan for any reason. Even though their marriage might only last for eight months, Laura wouldn't rekindle her relationship with Noval. She wouldn't repeat the past.Nov
Upon arriving at Laura's apartment, she immediately went into her room and locked it from the inside. Her body slumped onto the bed as she cursed herself for being entranced by Aryan's charms. She was confused by Aryan's behavior, which could be sweet at times, but also harsh, often reminding her of their agreement. Laura was afraid that if she truly fell in love with Aryan, he would eventually divorce her, and she would be heartbroken, especially since Noval had just recovered. She wasn't ready to experience heartbreak again.*Knock... Knock... Knock...* "Laura, I'm hungry. Can you cook something for me? You haven't eaten since this afternoon. Aren't you hungry?" Aryan said from behind Laura's bedroom door after she had locked herself in her room for an hour. Aryan felt guilty for his earlier behavior at the hotel. He roughly ran his hand through his hair as there was still no response from Laura.*Click...* Laura's bedroom door opened just as Aryan was about to leave
"What if we just cancel that agreement?" Aryan proposed after Laura released her breathless kiss.Laura averted her gaze to the side to hide the blush on her cheeks. She felt utterly out of control, regretting her impulsive actions and feeling embarrassed. Her heart was still racing, and she struggled to calm it down.Aryan fell silent as Laura ignored him. He was unsure of what to say next. Laura's kiss had momentarily rendered him speechless. While saying "I love you" wasn't an option for Aryan, as he wasn't entirely sure of his feelings for Laura, he still needed time and a way to figure it out.Aryan's smile suddenly brightened as he remembered the dinner invitation with Vika. Maybe this was his chance to test his feelings."Laura, will you join me for dinner with Vika tonight?" Aryan invited, glancing at Laura, who was still gazing out of the window."What? Do you want me to be a mosquito repellent or something?" Laura protested indignantly.
"Good evening, Mr. Aryan Alfarizi... Let's get straight to the point, I don't like beating around the bush... How does Laura feel? Are you sure she's a good girl?" Aryan grumbled in frustration as he read a message from an unfamiliar number that suddenly appeared on his phone."Who are you? How dare you talk about my wife? If you're a man, meet me in person, you can choose the place and time," Aryan replied with intense emotion."Hahaha... Just relax, I don't have the time. Wait for another 5 seconds, and you'll be surprised." Before Aryan could respond to the mysterious message, his phone kept vibrating incessantly, inundated with dozens of photos. Fueled by anger, Aryan began downloading the photo files one by one. His eyes widened as he saw intimate photos of Laura with another man, culminating in a picture of Laura being embraced by a man in a car in front of the campus, and it was a photo taken after their marriage."Shit," Aryan muttered, he didn't expect
The apartment door creaked open, and Aryan entered, slipping off his shoes and placing them on the shoe rack behind the door. He slowly made his way inside, hearing the sound of the television still on. He glanced at his wristwatch, which showed 11:30 PM. Aryan stood there for a while, watching Laura engrossed in her favorite Korean drama while cradling a jar of snacks. A smile spread across Aryan's face as he saw Laura was fine during his absence. It turned out that this woman could make him miss her terribly. It wasn't just her smile or her cooking, but also her chattering that he missed."You're not asleep yet?" Aryan asked gently, which immediately made Laura turn in surprise. Aryan approached and sat cross-legged on the floor, facing Laura, who was on the sofa. He took the jar from Laura's lap and placed it on the table. Laura froze, looking at Aryan, unable to believe that the man before her was the same person she had missed so much that she couldn't close her eyes for
The next day, Laura went to university with Aryan. Throughout the journey, Aryan couldn't stop smiling and occasionally stole glances at Laura. Aryan felt like a lovesick teenager, and Laura, on the other hand, often looked out the window to hide her blushing cheeks from Aryan's gaze."When you finish your classes, come to my office, and I'll ask Dodik to give you a ride home. I'll call Mbak Arabella," Aryan said as they arrived in front of the Faculty of Economics building. Aryan deliberately dropped Laura off in front of her faculty to prevent Leo from approaching her."Sure, it's up to you," Laura replied, reaching for Aryan's hand and kissing the back of it before bidding farewell."Wait," Aryan said, then he pulled Laura's hand and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. Laura's cheeks immediately turned rosy. She hurried out of the car, closed the door, and walked away toward her class. Aryan chuckled at Laura's shy demeanor as he watched her leave.Sinc
After the birth of the twins, the life of Aryan and Laura's small family became even more colorful. There was no happiness that could replace it, but behind all that, Aryan became the subject of jokes among relatives and family members due to the fainting incident while accompanying Laura during her recent surgery."Seriously, you're so funny for fainting next to your wife during her surgery. Luckily, Laura didn't go into shock; it could have been fatal," Andre said with laughter as they had just returned home from the hospital."Let it go, Dad, there's no need to talk about it again," Aryan replied with irritation as he guided Laura into the bedroom, while the twins remained calm in the arms of Liana and Della.Laura rested for a while, trying to ease the pain from the incision in her abdomen following the cesarean section surgery, which still greatly affected her movements. Aryan wiped the sweat from Laura's forehead with a tissue and gently kissed her.
Seven months later…Laura and Aryan were now in the final trimester of her pregnancy. It wouldn't be long before she would give birth to their twin babies, a boy and a girl, according to the ultrasound results. Laura's pregnancy had been progressing smoothly, even though she had experienced morning sickness for two months.She managed to meet all of Dr. Rahma's recommended nutritional requirements. Despite occasional morning sickness and vomiting in the morning, Laura's appetite had increased with her advancing pregnancy. It wasn't surprising that her weight had increased by 30 kg. Dr. Rahma estimated that each baby weighed around 3 kg, so Laura was advised to follow a diet while waiting for the delivery.For the past two months, Laura and Aryan had moved to a ground-floor room, using the living room as their bedroom because Laura wasn't allowed to go up and down the stairs. When Aryan was at the office, Liana, his mother, would be on standby, and Bi Ana an
Aryan's overprotective attitude made Laura both happy and annoyed. She was ecstatic because she felt deeply loved, but at the same time, she was frustrated by Aryan's constant restrictions. Like tonight, Aryan didn't allow her to do anything except go to the bathroom. He prepared a glass of water for her medication along with the prenatal milk they had bought at the mini-market. And, of course, he always accompanied her to the bathroom every time."Thank you, Honey, for all the happiness you've given me. I promise to be the best husband and father for you and our children," Aryan whispered while hugging Laura from behind. He nuzzled his face into the curve of Laura's neck, his right hand gently caressing her still-flat stomach."You're welcome, and thank you for all your love," Laura replied while stroking the back of Aryan's hand, which was wrapped around her belly. Laura couldn't believe that after all the pain she had endured, God had given her a perfect husband and
Slowly, Laura's eyelids opened for the second time, and now it was the peaceful face of Aryan that greeted her. Laura gazed at the handsome man's face in front of her for quite some time. He was the source of her love and greatest strength up to this point. Not satisfied with admiring her husband's handsome face, a sudden sense of curiosity began to disturb her. She glanced at the wall clock, which had stopped at exactly 4 in the early morning. Without much thought, she pulled open the drawer next to her bed, carefully retrieved a pregnancy test from inside it, and entered the bathroom without making a sound that could wake Aryan.Laura's heart pounded loudly as she looked at the pregnancy test that she had dipped into a small container containing her urine. She lifted the test stick slowly with trembling hands, and there it was... two red lines she had been waiting for appeared. It was crystal clear. For a moment, her body felt boneless, and she sat down on the bathroom floo
Laura's proposal seminar went smoothly with an A grade, which made her more enthusiastic as she entered the final semester of her college. She only needed to complete the data from her research that she had already conducted. Anton, as her thesis advisor, was now more flexible with all of his supervised students, even though he had a busy schedule as a professor and head of the university's research center. Everything was scheduled, from the day, time, and location of the advisory sessions. If he had any sudden commitments, he would reschedule them at another time, ensuring that all his students for the year progressed smoothly, including leading up to their thesis defense in two weeks."Look at that belly, just like a balloon, Ara," Laura pointed out as she walked with Arabella towards the faculty cafeteria after their last thesis advisory session before the upcoming defense in two weeks."Yeah, it's like a balloon. It can expand and deflate," Arabella replied, pantin
Laura completed her makeup exams without any issues. Everything went according to the schedule set by their respective course instructors. And semester 6 ended with a GPA (Grade Point Average) of 3.6, alongside Arabella, her close friend and now her sister-in-law.Laura spent her semester break learning to cook with her mother-in-law, Liana. They experimented with various recipes from both Indonesia and other countries. Aryan no longer worked late into the night at the office, and if there were urgent tasks, he entrusted them to his personal assistant, Jefri. On Sundays, he spent quality time with his family at home or went out with Laura. Trying out new recipes was something Aryan looked forward to every day because his wife's cooking experiments never disappointed.Finally, the plan to cook together with Laura's friends could be realized. Arabella, along with Andra and Baby Azka, arrived early, followed by Aurora and Laura's younger siblings, who joined in to make th
One week after the surgery, Laura had already started to resume her usual activities. During that week, Aryan had been constantly by Laura's side, handling all his office matters while Andra and Jefri took care of them. Even if there were documents requiring his signature, Jefri would bring them home, allowing Aryan to stay close to Laura and attend to her. Aryan could still manage to check on Jefri's work and reply to emails from his colleagues at home.He did all of this solely for Laura's recovery. Laura often urged him to go to the office, but Aryan refused to budge. He wanted to focus on taking care of Laura until she was completely healed. Arabella and Aurora, as their best friends, always provided their support. Additionally, Nancy and Ricard came to the house to deliver Laura's favorite dishes, prepared by her mother, Della. Many of their classmates also visited Laura at home."Look, Honey, two weeks at home, and my body is getting all soft. How can I resist yo
The long-awaited day finally arrived, the day when Laura was to undergo surgery to remove the cyst in her abdomen. All the preparations for the surgery were in place, and there were only 30 minutes left before Laura would be taken into the operating room. Feelings of relief and worry dominated everyone's thoughts, but they all had to hide those emotions behind smiles to show support for Laura."Aryan, where's Mom?" Laura asked anxiously, looking at the clock on the white-walled room. In five minutes, she would be moved to the operating table, but Aryan had not been seen since he left briefly to go to the bathroom.Liana was nervous, but before she could answer Laura's question, two male and female nurses entered to take Laura to the operating room. Everyone held back their tears as Laura smiled at them, trying to show that she was strong and brave. As the nurses pushed the wheelchair carrying Laura toward the door, Aryan suddenly appeared with a smile. Laura returned h
Aryan could only gently pat Laura's trembling shoulder. He was confused about how to calm his wife. Since returning from the hospital the previous night, Laura had been silent in her room. Aryan had been shocked by the results of Dr. Rahma's explanation that Laura had been diagnosed with an ovarian cyst. This was the reason for Laura's recent abdominal and hip pain, as well as her occasional fever and nighttime vomiting. What pained Aryan even more was that he had been unaware of Laura's illness. Regret. That was the feeling weighing heavily on Aryan's chest now. He felt like he wanted to pound his own chest in frustration. His heart shattered as he looked at Laura's sad state, a promise to never make her cry that he had now broken."I'll get you breakfast first," Aryan said softly as he kissed the top of Laura's head before leaving the room.Aryan walked to the dining room with a heavy heart. Instead of finding his parents there, he saw Ana, their maid, covering the d