A smile graced Emily's lips, and their eyes slowly closed, feeling the warmth of each other's embrace. Being in the arms of the one they loved was priceless, worth more than anything. Emily kept silently thanking God because her prayers had been answered. Sowing the seeds of love in their hearts through the sacred vow they'd taken was a precious gift. Even if it required a high price to maintain it, in the form of loyalty and trust.***Fortunately, Calvin had brought a change of clothes when he picked up Emily in Madiun, including his work attire, just in case. It turned out they needed to leave early the next day due to the considerable distance from Emily's parents' house to the hospital and the school where Emily taught.After finishing breakfast, they quickly headed out. This time, Edwin and Erick also bid their parents farewell. Nadila and Hans accompanied their beloved children to the porch. There was an indescribable feeling that the parents couldn't explain as they watched th
In an attempt to silence Ryan's laughter, Calvin grinned and said, "Well, thanks to my best friend. But now that you've tasted Chelsea, you have to take responsibility." Just to mess with Ryan, Calvin wore a sly smile.Ryan's laughter disappeared instantly, and his fair skin seemed to lose all its color. He was caught off guard by Calvin's words."What do you mean, Calvin?" Ryan stammered.Now, it was Calvin who wore the smile. "I might not know everything, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid, Ryan," he said calmly. However, Ryan appeared flustered. Even though Calvin didn't have any feelings for Chelsea anymore, Ryan still felt guilty for taking advantage of her while she was intoxicated, especially since Chelsea had mistaken him for Calvin."Wait a minute," Ryan interjected, trying to clarify the situation. "Chelsea and I were just having fun. Nothing more," he admitted, which left Calvin looking at him with suspicion."Does that mean you've spent the night together before?" Calvin's q
"Well, it's complicated. He's my ex-boyfriend, after all. Plus, during our relationship, Rama was always kind and protective of me. Forgetting him is almost impossible," Emily admitted, shocking Calvin. Calvin lifted his head to look into the beautiful eyes in front of him."But it's too late because when Rama was honest, I was already married to you. And I'll never play with a marriage," Emily continued, instantly bringing relief to Calvin. Calvin admitted that he had not treated Emily well as a husband."I'm sorry," Calvin said, feeling guilty. "I promise I'll never hurt you again, Emily," Calvin said, then hugged Emily tightly."From now on, you have to change if you don't want to lose me. I've said it before, I will never accept betrayal," Emily reiterated firmly."Forgive me, dear. I'm sorry," Calvin repeated because that's all he could say at the moment."Besides, Rama and I were never meant to be together. Rama is meant for Sinta. I'm not Sinta," Emily's last words disrupted th
After dinner together, Calvin and Emily chose to relax on the terrace of the house, savoring the beautiful moonlit night. They sat on the floor, Calvin on the ground with Emily beside him, holding her hand."Promise me you'll never leave me again," Calvin said, still looking straight ahead, observing the passing motorcyclists on the road in front of Emily's house."It depends on you, Calvin. I only have two choices: stay or give up," Emily replied honestly while gazing at Calvin, full of questions."Why did you choose to give up yesterday when I hadn't had a chance to explain everything?" Calvin asked and then returned Emily's gaze. He took Emily's fingers and kissed them.Emily took a deep breath before answering Calvin's question. "I was indeed doubtful of what I heard, but I also believe in what I saw for myself," Emily admitted. Calvin looked into Emily's eyes, which indicated doubt."Tell me what's still bothering you, and I'll answer all your questions honestly," Calvin replied,
"Calvin, I swear, this is the craziest experience ever. Being with Ara like this is absolutely insane. Can you believe we got caught by the parking attendant while fooling around in the car? Oh my goodness, it was so embarrassing!" Emily complained from the moment she got out of the car until they reached the ticket booth at Dufan."Especially for me. But it was fun, right, dear? We can try it elsewhere sometime," Calvin teased, earning a hard punch in the shoulder from Emily."It was fun, I admit. But... oh my God, the embarrassment!" Emily exclaimed, her cheeks turning red as she remembered the recent incident, the craziest thing she had ever done in her life."I'll go buy the entrance tickets first," Calvin stood in the long line to get the tickets, while Emily waited not far from the ticket booth.Calvin and Emily soon entered Dufan, with Calvin following wherever Emily went. Dunia Fantasi, or Dufan, was an amusement park located in the Taman Impian Jaya Ancol complex, quite popul
"We haven't prayed yet, dear," Calvin tried to reason while tidying Emily's disheveled hair.Emily pouted, "Okay, just one more time. But with you, okay?" She pleaded, putting on a pitiful expression.Calvin sighed and reluctantly nodded."Yeah!" Emily cheered happily. She then held Calvin's hand and dragged him toward the ride she had been eyeing.Calvin was stunned when he saw the giant ride in front of him. Riding it felt more terrifying than a thesis defense, scarier than his mother's threats. If Calvin could have disappeared, he would have done it a long time ago.Kicir-Kicir, also known as the Power Surge, would take visitors on a 360° spin from bottom to top. Not only would it spin, but passengers would also experience being twisted while moving at high speed."Come on, let's get in line!" Emily enthusiastically called, paying no attention to Calvin's paling face.Calvin's heart palpitations skyrocketed once again. He felt like his blood was draining from his veins. His body tr
Hastily, Emily left the room, remembering her main purpose was to get the medicine. She put the box containing the diamond ring back where it belonged and then headed to the table to get the medicine from Calvin's work bag. Emily planned to ask about everything later once Calvin was feeling better."Calvin..." Emily called out with no response as she discovered that Calvin had fallen fast asleep on the sofa. Feeling bad, Emily decided to let Calvin rest and hurried back to her room to change her clothes. Afterward, she rushed to the kitchen to prepare lunch.Emily glanced at Calvin with a smile as she passed by. With enthusiasm, Emily opened the fridge, and a moment later, a long sigh escaped her lips. The fridge's fate was quite unfortunate. All the vegetables appeared wilted and drying out, not to mention the unpleasant smell that greeted Emily's sense of smell. Without hesitation, Emily grabbed a large plastic bag and put all the vegetables and fruits inside it. After emptying the
Emily glanced at the wall clock in the kitchen and nodded. With a smile, Calvin took Emily's hand and led her into their bedroom, which was indescribably messy. Besides scattered flower petals, dust clearly dominated the room.Upon entering the room, Calvin walked over to the curtains and drew them open. In an instant, the hustle and bustle of Jakarta's capital city was revealed before them. The streets were filled with motorbikes, perhaps already or about to enjoy the remaining weekend. Calvin slid the glass door, allowing fresh air to displace the stuffy room odor. Emily followed Calvin to the balcony and took a seat in one of the chairs. However, Calvin suddenly got up from his seat and re-entered the room. It didn't take long before Calvin returned to the balcony, holding a red velvet box in his hand. Unexpectedly, Calvin sat down on the balcony floor in front of Emily."I may be a scoundrel of a man," Calvin said as he locked eyes with Emily, which began to glisten with tears, "b
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