"Chelsea?" Calvin was taken aback."Why are you here so late, Calvin?" Calvin became more confused as he saw Chelsea's sad expression and the strong smell of alcohol emanating from her."I love you, Calvin," Chelsea whispered as she tried to reach out to Calvin. But Calvin stepped back to avoid Chelsea."Come in. We need to talk," Calvin said, unable to refuse Chelsea's plea to sit in the living room.Calvin took a seat across from Chelsea to maintain some distance. Before he could say anything, Chelsea cut in."I just want you, Calvin. Isn't it allowed for a man in our religion to have more than one wife? I'm willing to be the second. I'm willing, as long as I can be close to you," Chelsea said with a pleading look."Do you know how hurt I was when I found out you were married? Our relationship never really ended. Am I just garbage to you?" Chelsea continued, tears welling up in her eyes.Calvin fell silent, looking at Chelsea with compassion. He never expected to be faced with such
"Oh God, Emily. What's happened?" Ara exclaimed as the door to her house opened, revealing a disheveled Emily. "Come inside!" Ara grabbed Emily's hand and guided her into her home. "You sit down first; I'll make you a drink," Ara said after ensuring that Emily was sitting comfortably.Emily rested her head on the couch with her eyes closed. The image of Calvin and Chelsea embracing earlier had made her chest tighten. Calvin had been so heartless to do this to her. How could a husband bring another woman to their apartment in the middle of the night when his wife was not around? Emily's heart ached even more when she imagined Calvin being affectionate with Chelsea in their bedroom. That room bore witness to the passionate moments between her and Calvin. It was also where all the beautiful memories of her time with Calvin were etched.Once more, Emily's tears welled up. It was as if her tears were endless, shedding sorrow over the wound that had cut too deep into her heart. The pain was
Calvin fell silent in his car, watching several well-dressed people return from their place of worship. The tranquility on their faces was evident, having spent time connecting with God. The pre-dawn hours were the most challenging for everyone; staying awake in the early morning was difficult. Calvin sat there, faithfully, pondering what he had witnessed earlier that evening. He couldn't remember the last time he had prayed, the last time he had found the peace of mind and comfort he saw in the people who had just come from their spiritual refuge. Calvin only had vague memories of rushing through prayers, often catching up when he was pressed for time. At the apartment, his extended conversations with God were typically during the few times he and Emily had prayed together, something that had only recently begun after they had worked on their relationship. "Dear God, forgive me," Calvin whispered, with a mix of emotions he couldn't quite identify. "I have done wrong." Calvin felt li
Now, the three of them are taking a break at a rest area for lunch and a short rest. Earlier, out of necessity, Ara accompanied Rama to take Emily to her grandmother's house in Madiun."So, have you been ordering people to follow Emily wherever she goes all this time?" Ara said, shaking her head when she heard Rama's confession to both of them. Rama still held hope for Emily's love, but he wouldn't force his will upon her. Two years of being in a relationship with Emily was not a short time, and Rama knew Emily well. The woman he loved would never betray a commitment, especially now that she was a married woman. So, Rama intentionally brought a driver and forced Ara to accompany him. He didn't want their togetherness in the future to cause rumors and tarnish Emily's reputation. Rama just wanted to ensure Emily was safe. If, in the future, Calvin came looking for her to find out Emily's whereabouts, Rama himself would be the one to accompany her. But with one condition: a man named Cal
Since last night, Calvin had not given up on finding Emily's whereabouts. With Ryan's help, he managed to locate some of Emily's friends' houses, but the results were disappointing. None of them knew where Emily was. Even when he found Ara's house, it was tightly locked. From the information Calvin obtained from Ara's neighbor, it turned out that she was out of town with her family."It's better if I take you back to the apartment. Since morning, you haven't eaten either. So...""I have to meet Emily right now, Ryan!" Calvin interrupted Ryan's sentence."Think with your brain. If you're sick, how will you have the energy to look for her? Besides, you also declined to go to her parents' house. What if your wife is there right now?" Ryan said, annoyed, while glancing at Calvin briefly. Then he refocused on the road in front of him."That would be my suicide, Ryan," protested Calvin. If it weren't for Ryan speaking to him, his friend would have surely given him a good lecture by now."On
"I don't care, you just have to find Emily, bring my daughter-in-law back safe and sound. If not, never come to see me again.""I already warned you before. A wife is a trust that you must take care of. I don't blame Emily if she eventually chooses to leave you. You should know the boundaries of a relationship between a man and a woman, especially when Chelsea openly declares she wants to return to you. You should be firm, Calvin. You feel guilty about Chelsea, you're concerned about the feelings of your ex-girlfriend, but you're neglecting the feelings of your wife. The woman who should be your priority."The words of his parents continued to echo in Calvin's mind like a series of heavy blows. However, that wasn't what tormented him the most at the moment. The lack of news from Emily was what shattered his spirits. Calvin felt like he had lost his sense of direction and purpose in life, haunted by guilt.A week without Emily by his side had turned Calvin's life upside down. Just like
Dita couldn't ignore the change in Calvin's behavior as a doctor. Calvin continued to work as usual, but he became quieter. He only spoke with his assistant, Dita, when there was a work-related matter to discuss. Dita could feel that Calvin's attitude had shifted, and she knew the reason behind it. Twice in the past week, she had witnessed arguments between Calvin and Chelsea in the practice room. Chelsea had forcibly entered the room without Calvin's permission, leaving Dita feeling frustrated with Chelsea's actions. However, she knew her place and didn't want to meddle in their personal matters.Suddenly, Chelsea barged into the practice room without knocking. "Sorry, Dr. Chelsea is not allowed to enter this room anymore," Dita said firmly, her gaze sharp and directed at Chelsea."Where's Calvin? I want to talk to him," Chelsea replied, ignoring Dita's warning."Insolent woman," Dita muttered under her breath. If they weren't in a hospital, she would have dragged Chelsea out by now.
Chelsea roughly wiped the tears from her cheeks, her self-esteem shattered, and she left Calvin's practice room. Her hopes of winning back Calvin's heart were completely dashed.With trembling hands, Dita kept her head down, refusing to make eye contact with Calvin. She should never have eavesdropped on that conversation. "I'm, I'm sorry, Doctor. I'm leaving now," Dita stammered and, without waiting for a response from Calvin, she grabbed her bag and hastily exited the room.Calvin let out a long sigh, trying to refill his lungs with much-needed oxygen. His breaths felt constricted, not due to Chelsea's selfishness, but because he still had no clue about Emily's whereabouts. It was as if he couldn't breathe, overwhelmed by the longing for the woman he once fondly nicknamed the "Busy Bee."His body still trembling, Dita left the room, and he knew he had caused her discomfort. He watched her retreat, but he was paralyzed by his own turmoil. His efforts to meet Emily the previous night h
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