Thump... Brian and Nadine froze as their eyes met through the reflections in the mirrors that surrounded almost the entire room."Let's get you changed first, Mr. Brian," the staff member said, bringing a silver and white suit in her hand, then leaving the fitting room."Beautiful!" Brian praised, still taken aback by seeing Nadine in a white bridal gown. Brian approached Nadine from behind, then mustered the courage to hug her around the waist without breaking eye contact."Am I dreaming?" Brian asked, disbelievingly, while Nadine could only stand still. Unconsciously, tears welled up in Nadine's eyes, and upon realizing this, Brian turned her around and looked into her eyes, full of love."Don't cry," Brian said, wiping away Nadine's tears and cradling her face with his hands."I love you, Miss Nadine," Brian murmured softly, then held Nadine's petite frame in his arms."I love you too, Brian Samudra," Nadine replied, her voice choked with sobs, and she held him even tighter.***"H
At exactly 11 PM, the wedding guests began to bid their farewells, leaving the wedding reception venue. Aside from Nadine and Brian's extended families, business partners, colleagues of Cakra and Brian, and even some of Henry's professional friends who had come from Kalimantan, were present at the event."Congratulations, Nadine. I never expected that you would win Mr. Brian's heart," Jeni whispered as they shook hands and hugged. Jeni and Rio were the most surprised when they found out about Brian and Nadine's sudden wedding plans. They never imagined that the two of them had a special relationship because neither Brian nor Nadine had shown any signs of it at work. Their relationship only became known when it started gaining attention in the office."Thank you, Jeni. I hope you'll join us soon too," Nadine replied with a smile."Amen," Jeni replied before stepping aside as Rio and Danisa lined up next to her to congratulate the newlyweds."Congratulations, Nadine. May you have a happ
"Darling, look at me!" Brian commanded as he saw Nadine's eyes closed, and she bit her lower lip, savoring the sensations Brian was creating. Nadine opened her eyes, locking gazes with Brian whose passion was evident. Brian grinned, then removed the last piece of cloth covering Nadine. Forty minutes passed, and their intimate encounter culminated in a shared climax."Thank you, my dear. I love you," Brian said as he kissed Nadine's forehead and then collapsed beside her, sweat dampening his body."Let's stay like this for a while," Brian said, pulling Nadine's body close and hugging her when she tried to get up from the bed."I want to take a shower, Brian," Nadine replied, forcibly breaking free from Brian's embrace. However, Brian tightened his grip around her, making it difficult for Nadine to escape his strong hold."Fine," Brian replied shortly, slowly releasing Nadine's body and then carrying her into the bathroom, sitting her on the toilet seat before filling the bathtub with w
Athalia stood still on her balcony, gazing at the setting sun in the western horizon, which shyly smiled at her. Soon, that smile disappeared, obscured by gray clouds that encircled it. In just a little while... yes, in a little while, the sky would cry, preceding the sorrow in her heart that had been drizzling in prolonged silence.Athalia was certain that Brian would make Nadine happy, but for some reason, she felt an incredibly deep pain within her. It wasn't the pain of having to let go of Nadine and Ricky to be with Brian; it was the fear of feeling Henry's coldness. Since Nadine's pregnancy five years ago, Athalia had lost the warmth of her husband, who used to provide her with comfort. Athalia could still feel the glimmer of love in Henry's eyes for her, but it was also in those eyes that she found her pain. Henry seemed absorbed in his own world, ignoring Athalia's feelings.Raising her hands to the raindrops, Athalia enjoyed the drops of rain, one by one, as they became more
"This is where we used to be," Brian whispered, hugging Nadine while gazing out at the open sea together. Nadine nodded, recalling the memory vividly. Actually, Brian had suggested an overseas honeymoon, but Nadine had declined. She didn't want to be away from Ricky for too long."Do you want to eat or rest right away?" Brian broke the silence, after who knows how long they had been silently enjoying the romantic atmosphere of the room."I want to take a shower first and then eat," Nadine said, releasing herself from Brian's embrace. She reached for her suitcase and took out a change of clothes to place on the bed."You don't need all of that because I won't let you wear any clothes while we're in the room," Brian replied with a mischievous grin.Nadine was taken aback when Brian suddenly pulled her body, causing her to fall into his lap. Before Nadine could say anything, Brian's lips pressed onto hers hungrily. Not staying idle, Brian's hands were busy exploring something soft and fi
"Let's go," Brian invited, pulling Nadine's hand as they headed towards the shores of Kuta Beach while jogging lightly.The sound of crashing waves greeting the beach, coupled with the harmonious chirping of seagulls, added to the romantic atmosphere between Brian and Nadine. Nadine burst into laughter as she followed Brian's steps. That morning was the most beautiful morning for both of them. Hand in hand, they strolled along the beach, enjoying the soft touch of the white sand beneath their bare feet. Kuta Beach was where their love had blossomed five years ago, and now, that love had grown even stronger, deeply rooted in their hearts."Thank you, Nadine. Truly, this is the most precious gift in my life," Brian said, looking at Nadine sitting beside him. Nadine smiled and hugged Brian, her heart brimming with emotion."Wanna go surfing?" Brian asked, still embracing Nadine while watching the excitement of the surfers riding the waves."No, Brian. I'm afraid," Nadine replied, startle
Nadine's breath hitched audibly as Brian's finger trailed down her neck. Brian smiled meaningfully and captured Nadine's lips with his own. While still kissing, Brian lifted Nadine's body and gently placed her on the edge of the bed. He slowly removed her bathrobe. Brian laid Nadine's innocent form on the bed and tried something new. Nadine gasped in surprise as Brian began kissing her neck, her stomach, and ended at a more intimate place. Nadine clutched the bedsheet as a tickling sensation spread across her abdomen. With a satisfied smile, Brian looked at the breathless Nadine. He then moved onto the bed, completing their intimate journey.***On their last night in Bali, Brian took Nadine out for a romantic dinner with a direct view of the beach. Brian had reserved a special spot just for the two of them. Illuminated solely by candlelight, they enjoyed the night with the accompaniment of melodious and romantic music."Special moment," Brian said after finishing their dinner. He sto
Upon arriving in the front yard, Brian and Nadine were greeted by their entire family, waiting on the terrace of their Samudra residence with wide smiles gracing their faces. After Brian and Nadine got out of the car, Mr. Ebrahim immediately took their suitcases containing their clothes and brought them inside the house, placing them in their room.With teary eyes, Nadine opened her arms wide to embrace Ricky, who ran towards her. She showered Ricky's face with kisses while tears streamed down her cheeks. Throughout their time in Bali, Nadine had constantly thought about Ricky, even though she was sure he would be well taken care of by Brian's family. Yet, what mother wouldn't feel sad when separated from her child, even for a moment?"Why didn't you guys take your one-week honeymoon that Papa gave you?" Cakra asked, hugging both Brian and Nadine one by one."We missed Ricky, Dad," Brian replied, then lifted Ricky into his arms. Nadine let go of Amanda's hug and moved towards Athalia
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