Aryan held Laura tightly, his arms providing a comforting sanctuary for her. He gently wiped away her tears with his thumb, his expression filled with love and understanding.
"Honey, I'm not going anywhere. We're in this together, no matter what challenges come our way," Aryan reassured Laura with a soft, tender voice. "I meant it when I said I love you, and that includes accepting you, your past, and any mistakes you might have made. What matters most to me is our future together."
Laura nodded, her heart feeling lighter with each reassuring word from Aryan. She realized that she had been carrying the weight of her fears and insecurities alone, but now, with Aryan by her side, she could face anything.
"I promise, from now on, we'll tackle any problems together. No more secrets, okay?" Aryan said, looking into Laura's eyes with sincerity.
Laura smiled through her tears and nodded again. "No more secrets."
With that promise, they sealed their love w
All night long, Laura couldn't close her eyes due to the anxiety that gripped her as she awaited the new day. It had been three days since she hadn't set foot on campus because of the scandal involving her provocative photos. She wasn't prepared to face the judgmental stares of her friends, and this time, it wasn't just friends from her faculty but the entire campus."Finish your breakfast first," Aryan said when he noticed Laura was merely playing with her food, lacking an appetite. Laura looked at Aryan with a half-hearted smile.Laura observed Aryan approaching her while fixing his hair. If her mood were better, Laura would have chosen to stay home. She couldn't bear the thought of her husband becoming the object of attention for the campus girls. She understood all too well what went on in the minds of women who admired handsome men like them because she was one of them. However, ever since she had fallen in love with Aryan, there was no man more handsome in Laura'
Aryan stared at the large sign displayed in front of the café where his car was parked. He observed Laura, who remained motionless in the passenger seat, lost in her own thoughts and unaware that they had reached their destination.Gently, Aryan caressed Laura's cheek with the back of his hand. He was truly puzzled by Laura's continuous somberness, missing the spirited girl who always challenged him. Laura was startled by Aryan's tender touch and looked at him as he smiled."So, is it a date?" Aryan asked, giving her a playful wink."Let's go!" Laura replied briefly, then opened the car door and stepped out.They chose a spot at the back of the café, specifically the outdoor area, which faced a lush garden with coffee trees and colorful flowers. The sound of a babbling artificial stream made Epic Caffe feel like a natural paradise. It was serene and comfortable, making visitors want to linger and spend their time there.Laura's eyes s
Aryan's eyes widened almost bulging out of their sockets when Laura casually removed her swimsuit and left it carelessly aside. Now, Laura was only wearing her underwear as she playfully pulled Aryan, who was frozen in place, towards the pool."Are you trying to tease me, or what, honey?" Aryan whispered while carrying Laura into the pool. Laura simply laughed and teasingly traced her finger along Aryan's bare chest."Why not? You're my husband, so it's my duty to tease you," Laura teased even more, playfully running her fingers across Aryan's exposed chest with a mischievous smile."Alright, it looks like it could be fun to play here," Aryan whispered as their bodies started to enter the pool.Aryan felt Laura's body tense, and her hands gripped his neck tightly. Laura was panicking with her eyes closed. Aryan knew that Laura had intentionally teased him earlier, attempting to distract herself from her fear of the water. Slowly, Aryan released Laura's le
Aryan parked his car in front of the Coffee Resto where he and Dion had agreed to meet. With a sense of unease still lingering, he walked into the cafe, scanning the surroundings to spot Dion. In the southern corner, he saw a man in a bright blue shirt and black-framed glasses waving at him. Aryan returned Dion's wave and made his way to table number 14, which had a clear view of a large window overlooking the busy street.Dion stood up with a smile, greeted Aryan, and gestured for him to take a seat. He handed Aryan the menu so he could choose his preferred food."What would you like to order, Aryan?" Aryan asked as he browsed through the menu options."Up to you, Aryan. You must still remember our favorite menu, right?" Dion replied with an unreadable grin.This cafe had been Aryan and Dion's regular spot before the conflicts that tore them apart, back when they were involved in a love triangle that fractured their long-standing friendship from high sch
Laura's smile brightened as she opened her eyes to find Aryan's face greeting her. She had chosen to enjoy every moment of happiness with him and had not paid attention to his late-night arrival.This morning, as usual, Laura prepared breakfast for the two of them. She couldn't help but touch her belly, imagining the possibility of carrying their child. Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed the time on the clock: 7:17 AM, and Aryan had yet to leave their bedroom. Curious, she made her way to their room and found Aryan still comfortably wrapped in his thick blanket.Laura grabbed the remote control for the air conditioner from the nightstand and turned it on. Simultaneously, she drew back the wide silver curtains that covered the glass window, allowing the sunlight to flood the room. The sudden brightness made Aryan reflexively shield his eyes with his hands due to the glare."Aryan, wake up! Aren't you going to the office today?" Laura said while tuggin
Laura's gaze remained fixed on the orchids with purple, white, and yellow hybrid blooms that thrived on the sturdy mango tree in her spacious front yard. Normally, when she looked at these flowers that she had always cared for alongside her younger sister, Nancy, her heart would be filled with joy. But this time, she felt sadness and loneliness. She lifted her head to look up at the golden sunset, which appeared to be marching with the clouds to hold back the tears that were on the verge of falling.What Arabella had said to her earlier had only added to her dilemma. Laura was confused about her feelings for Aryan now. Her lips might say otherwise, but her heart couldn't lie; she was genuinely concerned about Aryan's well-being. "Has Aryan eaten? Where is he now? Does he miss me?" These questions filled her mind."It's getting late, Laura. Come inside," Nancy called out from the doorstep of their house, where she had been observing Laura.Laura quickly wiped her
"Morning, Honey. Don't forget to have breakfast before heading to class. Love you."A faint smile greeted Laura in the morning after reading Aryan's message. She couldn't deny that she missed him. Laura shook her head, trying to push her thoughts of Aryan aside. She had to leave early because she had a class with Bu May, her academic advisor. She had already missed three classes since the scandal of her photos with Noval had spread a week ago. Even though the issue had been resolved, Laura still felt embarrassed about stepping onto campus. Her reputation had been tarnished.Laura quickly grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulders as she headed outside. She bid farewell to her parents. Since Laura and Nancy were going to the same direction, they rode together on Laura's old automatic motorbike, which was now owned by Nancy. In Nancy's front yard, she had honked her motorbike horn several times to hurry Laura along."Laura, you took forever; now I'm goin
"Shh... Did you invite us here just because you wanted to meet that foreign guy?" Laura teased, nudging Aurora, who suddenly blushed."What are you talking about? No way," Aurora replied, trying to avoid the topic.After selecting their menu items, they chatted and teased each other as usual, with most of the teasing aimed at Aurora. Laura and Arabella couldn't help but notice that something was amiss with their friend, especially considering they rarely saw her due to their different faculties. Aurora was in her third semester of law school, and she was pursuing a modeling career for magazine covers. Since high school, Aurora had been a cover model while living in Jakarta with her parents. Thanks to Arabella's influence, her parents had agreed to let Aurora continue her career, and that was also under the watchful eyes of their extended family in Yogyakarta. Aurora often received offers to do catwalk modeling, but she was selective when accepting jobs for two reasons: