Unexpectedly, Calvin reached for Emily's bowl. "Come on, let me feed you!" Calvin took the spoon from Emily's hand and began to feed her."Oh, don't be shy, Vin, I can eat by myself," Emily shook her head tightly, covering her mouth."It's okay, let Ferry and Adelia envy us," Calvin responded casually, making Ferry and Adelia chuckle as they watched the cute couple before them."Too late to show off like that. Right, Ferry? We're not impressed by displays of affection. Whenever we go to Ferry's house, we're used to the affection from Gibran and Clara," Adelia explained, immediately receiving a sharp look from Ferry. Her boyfriend mentioned two names that only made Ferry feel more embarrassed."Isn't it normal for husbands and wives to be affectionate? What's not normal is you two. Holding hands everywhere, like the world belongs to just the two of you, and the rest of us are just renting," Calvin continued, teasing the young couple in front of him.Emily observed Ferry, who looked som
"Edwin, have you known Ryan for a long time?" Calvin asked, relaxing in the family room. The TV was on, but it was just background noise for their conversation."Well, kind of. But we rarely meet. Besides, because his house is far from Zeline's, Ryan is also busy with his work," Edwin replied, pulling out a cigarette to light it."You must be wondering why Ryan knows our grandmother's address in Madiun, right?" Edwin continued, taking a slow drag from the cigarette."Yeah, after spending the whole day with you and Ryan looking for Emily, I got a bit curious. Especially since you had prepared a surprise for her, even though it didn't work out," Edwin chuckled, successfully making Calvin feel a bit awkward. Calvin scratched his suddenly itchy head.Calvin swore to teach Ryan a lesson when they met at the hospital tomorrow. Of course, Calvin's suspicion was correct. Ryan must have entered his room while he was sound asleep after several nights of not being able to close his eyes, constan
"Thank you for your forgiveness and the chance you've given me," Calvin said, looking into Emily's eyes. He wanted Emily to know that he was serious and genuinely loved the woman.Emily smiled and nodded her head.***Four days later, Nadila's eyes welled up as she bid farewell to Calvin and Emily. It happened on a Sunday, and they decided to return to Calvin's parents' house, just as they had promised. Behind her sadness, Nadila felt a sense of peace as she watched Emily happy with her husband. It was only right for a woman to follow her husband wherever he went. Nadila didn't want to be selfish, although if she had asked Calvin and Emily to stay, they wouldn't have refused. However, Nadila had learned to accept her daughter's decision with grace. Letting go of Emily this time felt much heavier than when she and her husband had arranged Emily's marriage with Calvin in the first place.During the journey, Calvin's smile continued to grow. His heart was filled with happiness at this mo
"I'm pregnant Emily," Ara said, tears streaming down her face."Then Jerry has to take responsibility, Ara," Emily replied, holding Ara's hand and wiping away her tears. Her eyes welled up with tears too. For the past two years, Ara had been dating Jerry, her coworker, so Emily was aware of their relationship."It's not Jerry's child," Ara confessed with a trembling voice. Ara deeply regretted that she had given her virginity to a man she only met for one night.Emily was shocked. Her body froze upon hearing her friend's confession. She felt a mix of anger, disappointment, and empathy for Ara. Emily took a deep breath, holding it for a moment before exhaling. As a friend, she couldn't be selfish and judgmental about Ara's mistake. Ara needed support right now."Who is the man?" Emily asked as she embraced Ara, trying to comfort her."On that day, I intentionally went to Jerry's rented house at night because I wanted to surprise him for our anniversary," Ara explained, pausing briefly
After that conversation, both Calvin and Emily chose to remain silent. They were preoccupied with their own thoughts. While Emily was concerned about Ara's fate after marriage, Calvin was focused on something else. Calvin was trying to gather evidence to support his analysis, attempting to connect Ryan's story and Emily's story. But to confirm, Calvin planned to ask Ryan directly the next day.Calvin was irritated when he remembered that Ryan had already taken his wedding leave earlier. Out of sheer curiosity, Calvin immediately put on his earphones and contacted Ryan. It wasn't until the fourth call that Ryan picked up the phone."Ryan, what's the name of your future wife?" Calvin questioned, forgetting to greet him. Emily, who was sitting beside Calvin, turned to look at him."Why do you care, Calvin?" Ryan responded lazily on the other end of the phone."Just answer, it's easy, isn't it?" Calvin was getting annoyed because Ryan seemed to be beating around the bush."Virly. Are you
"And they can't understand what's more painful, trying to endure or pretending to be strong in suffering."***Calvin was quite surprised to find three neatly arranged shirts on the bed. Wrapped only in a towel tied around his waist, Calvin approached Emily, who was sitting in front of the dressing table."Darling, why are there three of my shirts?" Calvin asked, looking puzzled. Normally, Emily would prepare just one outfit for him, and Calvin never complained about whatever she chose for him.From behind the mirror, Emily smiled. "I couldn't decide which shirt you'd like to wear. So, I laid them out for you to choose yourself," she answered casually.Without further inquiry, Calvin immediately dropped the towel tied around his waist, exposing his body, except for his underwear. Emily seemed to sigh heavily upon seeing Calvin's appearance. For some reason, she found herself charmed by her husband lately. Emily kept observing Calvin as he put on black trousers, intending to pair them
"Wait, wait, you forgot something," Calvin said, grabbing Emily's hand. He then slipped his right hand into Emily's hair, brought their faces closer, and kissed Emily's lips deeply."Okay, Vin, I'm late," Emily said, pushing Calvin's chest to break the kiss.Calvin chuckled as he watched Emily rush into the school gate. Still with a smile on his lips, Calvin drove away, leaving the school area. It took him about 15 minutes to reach the Medical Center. Calvin got out of the car just as Chelsea also stepped out of her vehicle. Since their practice rooms were in the same direction, Calvin couldn't avoid her. Out of professionalism, Calvin greeted Chelsea warmly, just like he would greet any other doctor. Chelsea responded with a casual greeting.They walked side by side, neither of them intending to start a conversation. Not far from them, Ryan, who had just arrived, observed the interaction between Calvin and Chelsea. Various speculations filled his mind. Had Chelsea changed? Or did she
Once again, Calvin was puzzled by Emily's increasingly peculiar behavior. After returning from the hospital, as usual, they would look for lunch. Calvin simply complied when Emily wanted chicken porridge from a place they had visited a few days ago. Since moving into his parents' house, Calvin had been eating out for lunch more often. Honestly, he preferred eating at home because it was guaranteed to be clean. But the long distance made Calvin buy food outside because he was worried about Emily getting sick. Furthermore, Emily never ate rice in the morning. In reality, Calvin didn't agree with the daily diet menu that Emily had been following, even though he wanted to have a child soon.Calvin parked his car right in front of Mama Suka's chicken porridge stall. He turned off the engine and invited Emily to get out. Calvin walked around the front of the car while Emily remained in her place. He opened the door and spoke with a puzzled expression on his face."Come on," Calvin said, onl
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