"Liz, Lizi," Lexy called out when she found an empty bed.Lexy thought Alice might be in the bathroom. She walked around to pick up and fold the blanket neatly. But her body froze as she saw the edge of the blanket on the floor. Intending to pick it up and fold it, Lexy's body froze when she saw Alice curled up there."For God's sake, Liz, why are you sleeping on the floor?" Lexy exclaimed, then quickly lifted Alice's body and laid her back on the bed.Alice's feverish body temperature naturally penetrated Lexy's skin. Panicked, Lexy covered Alice with a blanket and searched for something. Thud... Lexy's heart seemed to stop for a moment when she found scattered pills from the bottle. Pills that, as far as she knew, Alice had stopped taking a year ago. Lexy quickly gathered the scattered pills and put them back into the bottle."Mom, Dad."Lexy, hearing Alice's delirium, instantly snapped back to reality. She hurriedly went to the kitchen to prepare a warm drink and fetch the medicine
"Remember, Liz, what Dr. Henry said. Your body can no longer tolerate alcohol," Lexy reminded Alice after their visit to the gastroenterologist, commonly referred to as an internal medicine doctor.Dr. Henry specialized in treating various digestive system disorders, including issues with the stomach, intestines, liver, pancreas, gallbladder, and rectum. Alice had been a regular patient of this young and handsome doctor for almost six months. Lexy understood how challenging Alice's life had been. It was no wonder that the 23-year-old woman had her own way of healing the emotional wounds she had carried since childhood, even though it was not the right way.Lexy had no intention of judging Alice in any way. In fact, she now realized that she wasn't the only one with a difficult past. Alice had been through much more. All of Alice's confessions were etched strongly in Lexy's memory. The arrogant and selfish woman held so many scars behind her smiles. Born from a womb that repeatedly att
Alice's lips kept cursing as she drove her car. She paid no attention to Lexy, who had been non-stop with his complaints since they left the nightclub. Despite being drunk, Lexy was still 100% aware that Alice was driving at high speeds above the average. Lexy had lost count of how many times he asked Alice to stop the speeding car. But instead of listening to Lexy's requests, Alice's foot pressed the gas pedal even harder. Alice went crazy, fueled by the deserted road."Liz, I still want to live. If you want to die, do it alone, don't involve me," Lexy yelled, gripping tightly onto whatever he could."Don't die, okay! Who else will care about me?" Lexy corrected himself, looking horrified at the asphalt road ahead. Not once did the honking sound from other cars, shocked by Alice's reckless driving, make her flinch.Lexy closed his eyes because now Alice's laughter sounded like the call of the angel of death. Lexy's face turned pale, as if the blood in his body had stopped flowing due
"Oh my God, Lex, you're like someone who hasn't eaten for a week," teased Alice while handing a glass of water to her personal assistant. Earlier, due to hunger, they woke up and immediately ordered food for delivery. Lexy didn't hold back and ordered 4 portions of different dishes. And now, Lexy was in the process of devouring the second portion. "I swear, Liz, I'm so hungry. Just imagine, I haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon. And last night, you invited me to challenge the angel of death, and the next thing we knew, we were stranded at the police station until morning," explained Lexy while continuing to feed herself. "Such an exaggeration," chuckled Alice. "Not an exaggeration, Liz, this is real. Luckily, I don't have a history of heart disease. Imagine if I did, it would just be a memory by now," Lexy complained, shaking her head as she imagined a tombstone with her name on it. "So thrilling to know. Sometime later, let's do something even more exciting." "No no, I won't
"Miss, let me introduce my daughter, her name is Zahra. She's almost the same age as Miss Alice," Asih introduced her youngest daughter.Alice promptly shook hands with Zahra, who had just arrived after serving a customer at Asih's call. Alice herself looked affectionate towards Asih. Lexy, who had been standing beside Alice since earlier, chose to observe the passersby in the market or pay attention to Zahra, who was serving customers with friendliness. The woman in hijab had a simple appearance, no makeup on her sweet face. Everything looked natural, a stark contrast to the appearance of young people nowadays who were adept at applying thick and flashy makeup.Alice's heart was filled with joy. The burden in her heart instantly lifted, along with the gentle touch of Asih's hand on the top of her head. Finally, she could reunite with the caregiver she considered her own mother after five years of separation. Alice shared a lot about her current life in modeling. Asih's eyes became mi
Alice squirmed, trying to stretch her muscles that felt weak. Her hands reached to the side of the bed, searching for the presence of the man who had pampered her last night while simultaneously pounding her body until she was helpless. Recalling last night made Alice's face feel hot. She touched both her cheeks, slowly opening her eyes. Realizing it was already noon, Alice quickly got up; she had a photoshoot at the studio in the afternoon. She pushed aside the blanket covering her naked body and walked towards the bathroom to freshen up.With a happy feeling, Alice emerged from the room in her usual casual dress. She let her wet hair flow freely. Her steps headed towards the kitchen. Instantly, Alice smiled widely upon seeing Andrew, who was only wearing boxers, sitting at the dining table with a cup of hot coffee in front of him. The man seemed to be reading the newspaper seriously. Not to mention, his hair still looked wet. A week without meeting him made Alice miss him a lot.And
Andrew's face now turned cold along with rising emotions. Without warning, Andrew forcibly pulled Alice's hand to enter the room. Andrew opened the backpack he brought to Surabaya yesterday to take out something that made his life uneasy."Explain to me, since when have you been taking these contraceptive pills?" Andrew said with a hardened jaw. His eyes looked reddened as he stared into Alice's eyes, which were clearly surprised."Oh, that...," Alice replied before continuing her sentence, "Remember, Andrew, we have no relationship whatsoever. You always refuse to use protection when we make love. Besides, I don't want to get pregnant out of wedlock. I don't want to have illegitimate children," Alice admitted honestly, which only made Andrew angrier. Andrew didn't realize that Alice was also hurt after saying those hurtful words. Alice didn't want her child to be called illegitimate, just like herself.Andrew grabbed the vase of white tulips that Alice had just bought yesterday. He s
In the morning, Alice still went to the photo studio. Fortunately, her pale face and swollen eyes could be perfectly covered. As usual, Alice completed her work smoothly according to the photographer's instructions. As the ambassador of a well-known brand, Alice had to appear flawless in front of the camera.After the photo session, Alice didn't immediately return to Andrew's apartment. She invited Lexy to go to her regular beauty salon for her routine self-care. Lexy gladly accepted her boss's invitation. Lexy also wanted to pamper herself after various problems hit Alice. Although the issues were Alice's, Lexy couldn't just stand by and leave Alice alone in her sadness.Actually, Lexy didn't know the reason for the argument between Alice and Andrew. Seeing the chaos in the room and Alice's condition earlier, it was certainly not a trivial matter that triggered the couple's quarrel. Lexy intentionally kept her lips sealed before Alice herself would talk. But Lexy speculated that the
Andrew couldn't hide his emotion when he uttered the marriage vows. Just a few seconds ago, those sacred words resonated in a room adorned with white and silver tones. Andrew managed to pronounce them loudly and smoothly, accompanied by the harmonious echoes of the official announcement. Now, Andrew looked at the beautiful woman beside him, gazing at the woman in a white kebaya who had been lowering her face. Andrew reached for the fingers of the woman named Alice Nichole Wirawan and then placed the ring on her ring finger.Slowly, Alice lifted her face, daring to look at Andrew with teary eyes. With trembling hands, Alice switched to holding Andrew's fingers, placing the ring on his ring finger as a sign that their relationship was now recognized both in the eyes of religion and the state. Nothing could separate them now except death.After Alice kissed the back of Andrew's hand for the first time, Andrew kissed Alice's forehead while reciting a prayer. This was followed by a collect
Now they were all in the dining room except for Melinda, who had not come out of her room yet. Despite receiving a warm welcome from Papa and Andrew's younger sibling, Alice's heart was not at ease. The key was Melinda, Andrew's mother. She was the instigator of the arranged marriage plan between Andrew and Nafisah that Alice had successfully thwarted. This was the reason causing fear in Alice at the moment."Alice, are you feeling better?" Anindya asked, as Alice looked pale and anxious since her arrival."I'm fine Nin, I'm okay," Alice replied with a smile."There, your Mom finally came down. Women always need more time to get ready," Januar whispered so as not to be heard by the hijab-wearing woman currently descending the stairs.Andrew and Alice immediately approached to greet Melinda. Then Melinda sat next to Januar, facing Alice without saying a word. The woman stared at Alice expressionlessly, while Alice chose to lower her head, her heart pounding. Honestly, Alice wanted to g
Andrew remained silent while playing with the ends of Alice's hair as she leaned against his chest. The facts he learned today truly opened his eyes, making Andrew determined to keep Alice by his side. However, a significant obstacle lay ahead. Could he keep the promise he made to Alice? Could he prove to her that his love was not just a mere joke? This time, Andrew was truly serious about falling in love, a feeling he had never experienced before. His emotions for Alice were so strong that Andrew felt powerless. He was like a tortured man awaiting a death sentence, just waiting for certainty from Alice. Ahead were two obstacles that Andrew couldn't predict. How to thwart his arranged marriage with Nafisah and waiting to see how Alice's parents would react when he came. Everything was still unclear, making Andrew's heart feel uncertain. All he could do now was wait, because forcing his will on Alice would be akin to torturing her. And Andrew didn't want to inflict more wounds on Alice
"Do your parents accept a prospective son-in-law like me?" Alice said with a wistful smile, looking at Andrew who was driving seriously.Andrew remained silent. Unable to answer Alice's question because he had never introduced a woman as his girlfriend to his parents."I haven't tried," Andrew finally answered, seeing Alice's disappointed expression. "We will meet my parents soon after you're ready. And I hope that won't be too long," Andrew said firmly, then reached for Alice's fingers to hold them.Alice snorted in annoyance. Why did it have to be so complicated? Alice's intention was to corner Andrew, but it turned into a boomerang attacking herself."Ahem... So, who was the woman in a hijab you hugged at the mall that time? I'm sure it wasn't your sister Nindy," Alice asked, shifting the conversation in a teasing manner."Are you jealous?" Andrew teased, receiving only a head shake from Alice. "Okay then. I won't answer if that's the case," Andrew replied, holding back a smile."J
"Oh, my God, I forgot to inform Mr. Andrew. I might get scolded later," Lexy muttered while holding his phone.Andrew, who was still talking with his colleague, immediately excused himself to answer the call."What's wrong, Lex?" Andrew said, getting straight to the point."Alice is now in the hospital, Sir," Lexy replied hesitantly, successfully surprising Andrew."Since when?" Andrew asked, sounding clearly panicked. Now he was walking towards the exit door of the ballroom."At 7 pm, Alice had a fever again. Then...""Tell me, which hospital?" Andrew interrupted impatiently."Medical Center Hospital, Cendana Pavilion VIP 03," Lexy explained quickly.Andrew quickly took brisk steps towards the parking area. Due to his haste, Andrew didn't even reply to the greetings of the security personnel on duty there. In a rush, Andrew started his car's engine and swiftly left the building area. Ignoring his duties entirely, he considered the most important thing at the moment was to meet Alice
A beautiful woman of English-Indonesian mixed heritage walked casually down the hospital corridor. Despite nearing half a century, her age didn't seem to affect her beauty. Her glossy, black, long hair was neatly tied. There was not a hint of sadness on her face. Unlike most mothers who would panic upon hearing that their daughter was sick, she remained calm and composed. Two words aptly described the expression on Valerie's face: calm and composed.Lexy, who had just stepped out of Alice's hospital room, was startled to see Valerie's arrival."Where's Alice?" Valerie asked arrogantly."Inside," Lexy replied briefly. Regret instantly crept into Lexy's heart. It seemed he was greatly mistaken in contacting a woman who did not deserve the title of a mother.Valerie stared at Lexy sharply, as he stood there dumbfounded, blocking her way. "Can you step aside?" Valerie said sarcastically. Lexy immediately snapped back to reality and quickly stepped aside, making way for the arrogant woman
At exactly seven in the evening, Asih, accompanied by Zahra, arrived with the bouquet of flowers ordered by Lexy – red and white lilies, Alice's favorites. Since their encounter at the flower market, Alice had never been late in ordering flowers to adorn her apartment. Every three days, Alice would order lilies and use a courier service to deliver them to her apartment."Where's Alice?" Asih asked with a worried expression."Alice is in her room, Ma'am," Lexy replied politely, accepting the bouquet from Zahra's hands and inviting them to enter.Asih's eyes instantly welled up with tears seeing Alice curled up under the blanket. Slowly, she approached the bed and sat by Alice's side."Oh, Lord, Miss, how did it come to this?" Asih exclaimed, tears rolling down her cheeks.Asih held Alice's shoulder while gazing at the pale face before her. Then, with trembling hands, Asih reached out to touch Alice's forehead."Son, let's go to the doctor. Miss Alice has a high fever," Asih said in pan
"Alice, what's wrong, Sir?" Lexy asked in a panic, barging in past Andrew. Passing through the living room, Lexy caught a glimpse of an empty whiskey bottle there. Without permission, Lexy entered Alice's room. Fortunately, earlier when Andrew called, Lexy was on his way to Alice's apartment. In his rented house, Lexy was restless after seeing the news on television about the marriage of the man who had once been engaged to Alice. So Lexy decided to cancel a date with his girlfriend and chose to accompany Alice during the weekend. And indeed, Alice violated Dr. Henry's prohibition on consuming alcohol again."Liz?" Lexy called when he saw Alice curled up under the blanket. "You're really stubborn, I've told you not to drink again, but you keep breaking the rules," Lexy scolded while taking a compress cloth from Alice's forehead."Alice has a fever, but she hasn't regained consciousness; I don't know where she keeps her medicine," Andrew said, walking towards the bed. "I'm also confuse
And Andrew finally gave in. With uncertain feelings, Andrew reached for the back of Alice's head and gently kissed her lips. Shortly after, Alice released their lip connection to take a breath. She looked into Andrew's eyes, now filled with passion, and kissed Andrew's lips again to release all the burdens in her chest. In reality, Andrew was the only man who always worried about her, the man who always came at the right time. Without any resistance, Andrew took Alice's body to the bedroom.Andrew started his actions, playing with Alice's body until she felt crazy. Unlike usual, this time Andrew quickly finished their passionate encounter. Alice quickly got up from the bed and put on her clothes casually, while Andrew still stared at Alice's back with an indescribable feeling."Liz!" called Andrew, instantly making Alice turn and mumble, "As long as we're having sex, I've never used protection. I'll take responsibility if you get pregnant," Andrew said for the umpteenth time, looking