67.Creak.The door opened.Joe's and Gaston's eyes met. Joe stared sharply at the man in front of him, observing Gaston from head to toe. He noticed three buttons of Gaston's shirt undone, and his hair was disheveled. Joe's eyes sharpened as he spotted traces of nude lipstick on Gaston's lips."What's up? Can't you see I'm busy!" Gaston pretended to adjust his appearance. "Oh," his face looked surprised, and he quickly straightened his shirt buttons."What are you going to talk about! Spit it out now! I need to sleep and rest!" Joe said, trying to appear indifferent.Gaston nodded, turning back to glance at Clara briefly before closing the door."Let's talk downstairs!" Joe ordered. He really wanted to talk to Gaston and get him out of his house.Gaston followed, following Joe's steps down the stairs. They both sat facing each other in the living room."Here's the thing, Joe, when you were in a coma, Mr. Lim asked me to take care of Clara. Essentially, he preferred me to be Clara's h
68."Yes, Clara, I was looking for you," Joe replied. He kissed Clara. Starting from her forehead, then her eyelids, moving down to her left cheek and then to her right. Then, he gazed longingly at Clara's lips.Relieved, it turned out Gaston had never kissed Clara."Uncle...," Clara's words halted as Joe kissed her eagerly. Long, gradual, and deep. While embracing her, Joe continued to kiss Clara. Hundreds of kisses felt insufficient to make up for the month after he woke up from his coma. If he remembered correctly, he missed Clara every day. Morning, noon, and night. Clara, Clara, and Clara.Slowly, Joe released his kiss. He gazed at Clara's face carefully. Their gazes met each other."Clara Rusadi Lim, I apologize for all my mistakes towards you. Firstly, for not telling you when I woke up, and secondly, for pretending to have amnesia," Joe confessed. With his right hand, he brushed Clara's hair behind her ear, then cupped her beautiful face. "I missed you so much, Clara, I misse
Part 69Clara tightly held Uncle Joe Sebastian's hand. They had arrived at Changi Airport. A four-wheeled vehicle was parked at the airport exit."Are we meeting Grandpa now, Uncle?" Clara asked as she stepped into the car."I need to eat first, Clara. I'm very hungry," Joe made an excuse. He wasn't ready. Yes, meeting Freedy Lim, who clearly didn't like him, was daunting."Okay, we should eat first," Clara agreed. She felt very nervous. Her heart always wondered what would happen next? Of course, Clara had a backup plan in case her grandfather didn't give his blessing.The car they boarded stopped at a seafood restaurant. They got out of the car and started going in.Joe ordered some food from the menu. Strangely, his hunger vanished just like that."Why aren't you eating, Uncle?" Clara asked. She was trying to swallow the scallops she had chewed."I don't know, Clara, suddenly I lost my appetite," Joe answered. He just stared at his empty plate."Is Uncle very afraid to meet Grandpa
Part 70."First, I don't want Clara to become a mother at her young age, make sure she continues her education until she obtains at least a bachelor's degree!" he said. "Secondly, I don't want your married life to be consumed by the public, I don't like Lim family members being exposed to the media, and thirdly, guide Clara to become a businesswoman, I still want her to be the primary heir!" Freedy Lim revealed these three conditions to Clara."Alright, I agree," Joe replied loudly."Come closer!" Mr. Lim commanded."Yes, Sir."Overcoming his awkwardness, Joe got up from his seat and sat next to the middle-aged man."Thank you very much for taking care of Clara, if you weren't a good person, my grandson wouldn't insist on staying by your side," he said.Joe smiled. Freedy Lim wasn't as intimidating as the articles he had read about Clara's grandfather."Continue to take care of my granddaughter, as you have been doing for the past ten years, make her happy, because only you can make h
71.One month later.As requested by the grandfather, Clara and Joe's wedding was held in a simple manner, attended only by close relatives. On Clara's side, only Freedy Lim and Zio were present, while on Joe's side, both of his parents invited their close relatives.Freedy Lim was chatting with Bond Sebastian and Linn."Mr. Lim, you should stay here, and we can go on vacation together," Bond offered. Hearing that his in-laws were also leaving for Singapore tonight made him feel a bit sad."No, Mr. Bond and Mrs. Linn, I must leave immediately. My work is waiting, and I'm sure I'll only disturb the newlyweds if I stay here," he replied. "After this, I have to go to the airport so as not to be late," he added."Alright, sir, please wait a moment. We should have dinner together before you leave!" Bond requested.Freedy Lim nodded. Then Mrs. Linn moved towards the bridal chamber.Inside the bridal chamber, Clara was taking off the crown that adorned her hair. Meanwhile, Joe was in the bat
"I've loved you for a long time, Uncle." ~ Clara Rusadi. "No way, Clara, you have high taste but sorry, you're not my type!" said Joe Sebastian cruelly. ~~~~~~•••••~~~~~~ Clara, a 17-year-old girl, is just in the 3rd year of high school. She was forced to confess her love to a man 18 years older than her. Yes, because only Joe Sebastian could make her enchanted and fall in love. However, the man rejected Clara's love, because he only saw her as a younger sister. Joe understood Clara's stubborn nature very well. He was forced to reject her cruelly. What will Clara do? Will he give up? Or is she still struggling to fight for her love for Joe? ===Part 1Joe Sebastian, a 35-year-old man, was feeling sad because of his wife's recent divorce petition in religious court. He continued to consume the alcoholic drinks in front of him.One by one, the alcohol bottles became empty, but Joe still felt the emptiness in his heart. In an apartment unit, Joe isolated himself for two days, not
Part 2After Clara's departure, Joe took a moment to shower. Cold water always managed to reinvigorate him. He put on his best clothes and prepared to return home to his little daughter, Kimmy.From his marriage to Vivian four years ago, they had been blessed with a daughter. Kimmy, the little girl who was now three and a half years old.Joe walked toward the elevator, pressed the ground floor button, and waited for the elevator to reach the lobby. When the elevator doors opened, he walked into the underground parking area and got into his black Lamborghini. He drove to South Residence, a luxurious housing complex owned by the upper-middle class, where his parents' wealthy family resided.Joe drove his car at full speed, his parents would be furious about the divorce lawsuit that had been spreading in various media. However, the truth was, and as the man, Joe was ready to take responsibility for it all.Navigating a marriage was like sailing a ship. If the ship sank, the captain was t
Part 3After returning from Uncle Joe's apartment, Clara ordered an online motorcycle taxi to take her to the dormitory. Throughout the ride, she couldn't muster any enthusiasm. She was torn between feeling sad and happy about what had befallen Uncle Joe.On one hand, she was happy, but on the other, Clara couldn't help but cry for Uncle Joe's sadness.Once she got off the motorcycle taxi, Clara paid the fare and made her way slowly to her dorm room on the third floor.The time on the clock showed it was 4:00 PM. All the school activities had ended, and the resident students were in their rooms, preparing for dinner and evening study.Clara climbed the stairs, one step at a time, reaching the end where her room was. The door was open, revealing a room with six beds. There were both upper and lower bunks, making it a total of 12 girls sharing the room.Clara was closest to Nadia. Nadia slept in the upper bunk while Clara was in the lower one.Both of them were intelligent students, but
71.One month later.As requested by the grandfather, Clara and Joe's wedding was held in a simple manner, attended only by close relatives. On Clara's side, only Freedy Lim and Zio were present, while on Joe's side, both of his parents invited their close relatives.Freedy Lim was chatting with Bond Sebastian and Linn."Mr. Lim, you should stay here, and we can go on vacation together," Bond offered. Hearing that his in-laws were also leaving for Singapore tonight made him feel a bit sad."No, Mr. Bond and Mrs. Linn, I must leave immediately. My work is waiting, and I'm sure I'll only disturb the newlyweds if I stay here," he replied. "After this, I have to go to the airport so as not to be late," he added."Alright, sir, please wait a moment. We should have dinner together before you leave!" Bond requested.Freedy Lim nodded. Then Mrs. Linn moved towards the bridal chamber.Inside the bridal chamber, Clara was taking off the crown that adorned her hair. Meanwhile, Joe was in the bat
Part 70."First, I don't want Clara to become a mother at her young age, make sure she continues her education until she obtains at least a bachelor's degree!" he said. "Secondly, I don't want your married life to be consumed by the public, I don't like Lim family members being exposed to the media, and thirdly, guide Clara to become a businesswoman, I still want her to be the primary heir!" Freedy Lim revealed these three conditions to Clara."Alright, I agree," Joe replied loudly."Come closer!" Mr. Lim commanded."Yes, Sir."Overcoming his awkwardness, Joe got up from his seat and sat next to the middle-aged man."Thank you very much for taking care of Clara, if you weren't a good person, my grandson wouldn't insist on staying by your side," he said.Joe smiled. Freedy Lim wasn't as intimidating as the articles he had read about Clara's grandfather."Continue to take care of my granddaughter, as you have been doing for the past ten years, make her happy, because only you can make h
Part 69Clara tightly held Uncle Joe Sebastian's hand. They had arrived at Changi Airport. A four-wheeled vehicle was parked at the airport exit."Are we meeting Grandpa now, Uncle?" Clara asked as she stepped into the car."I need to eat first, Clara. I'm very hungry," Joe made an excuse. He wasn't ready. Yes, meeting Freedy Lim, who clearly didn't like him, was daunting."Okay, we should eat first," Clara agreed. She felt very nervous. Her heart always wondered what would happen next? Of course, Clara had a backup plan in case her grandfather didn't give his blessing.The car they boarded stopped at a seafood restaurant. They got out of the car and started going in.Joe ordered some food from the menu. Strangely, his hunger vanished just like that."Why aren't you eating, Uncle?" Clara asked. She was trying to swallow the scallops she had chewed."I don't know, Clara, suddenly I lost my appetite," Joe answered. He just stared at his empty plate."Is Uncle very afraid to meet Grandpa
68."Yes, Clara, I was looking for you," Joe replied. He kissed Clara. Starting from her forehead, then her eyelids, moving down to her left cheek and then to her right. Then, he gazed longingly at Clara's lips.Relieved, it turned out Gaston had never kissed Clara."Uncle...," Clara's words halted as Joe kissed her eagerly. Long, gradual, and deep. While embracing her, Joe continued to kiss Clara. Hundreds of kisses felt insufficient to make up for the month after he woke up from his coma. If he remembered correctly, he missed Clara every day. Morning, noon, and night. Clara, Clara, and Clara.Slowly, Joe released his kiss. He gazed at Clara's face carefully. Their gazes met each other."Clara Rusadi Lim, I apologize for all my mistakes towards you. Firstly, for not telling you when I woke up, and secondly, for pretending to have amnesia," Joe confessed. With his right hand, he brushed Clara's hair behind her ear, then cupped her beautiful face. "I missed you so much, Clara, I misse
67.Creak.The door opened.Joe's and Gaston's eyes met. Joe stared sharply at the man in front of him, observing Gaston from head to toe. He noticed three buttons of Gaston's shirt undone, and his hair was disheveled. Joe's eyes sharpened as he spotted traces of nude lipstick on Gaston's lips."What's up? Can't you see I'm busy!" Gaston pretended to adjust his appearance. "Oh," his face looked surprised, and he quickly straightened his shirt buttons."What are you going to talk about! Spit it out now! I need to sleep and rest!" Joe said, trying to appear indifferent.Gaston nodded, turning back to glance at Clara briefly before closing the door."Let's talk downstairs!" Joe ordered. He really wanted to talk to Gaston and get him out of his house.Gaston followed, following Joe's steps down the stairs. They both sat facing each other in the living room."Here's the thing, Joe, when you were in a coma, Mr. Lim asked me to take care of Clara. Essentially, he preferred me to be Clara's h
Part 66.Joe's words made Celine angry. Without much thought, she decided to leave the house."It seems like a mistake for me to be here. Uncle Joe, you need to be more decisive with your feelings. If you still love her, fight for it! I know your love for her is immense. It's impossible for you to protect Clara, sacrificing yourself if you don't love her!" Celine's message sounded slightly irritated. She realized she was defeated by Clara. "Dr. Gaston, Clara, I'll take my leave now! I hope you can resolve your feelings without involving too many parties! Goodnight!" Celine nodded respectfully and left Joe Sebastian's dining room.Clara's gaze fell downwards. She bowed her head, deeply hurt by Joe's words. Meanwhile, Dr. Gaston looked at Joe with disappointment. He felt Joe didn't need to go that far to make Clara give up; telling her directly would have been more mature."It seems like you've learned a lot from Vivian; now you're so good at acting like your late wife!" Gaston said. "We
Part 65.Clara lay down next to Kimmy, the little girl asleep from exhaustion. Clara's eyes focused on her phone screen, feeling frustrated and unsure who to contact.She continued to move her thumb, scrolling through her phone, and found Dr. Gaston's number.The call connected."Hello," greeted Dr. Gaston on the other end."Hello, doctor, it's me, Clara!" she said."What's up, Clara?" Dr. Gaston asked."Uncle Joe invited someone for dinner, can Dr. Gaston also come here? I need Dr. Gaston's help," Clara asked hopefully. She wasn't sure if her plan would succeed, but there was no harm in trying."So tonight, I come to Joe's house?" the doctor confirmed."Yes.""What can I help you with, Clara?""Dr. Gaston's presence!" Clara replied."Alright, what time should I come?""Just a moment, I'll ask Uncle Joe, then I'll let you know, the journey from the hospital to here is only half an hour!" Clara replied, looking at the wall clock showing it was almost half past four in the afternoon."O
Part 64."Nad, something's not right!" Clara exclaimed."What do you mean?" Nadia asked.In the afternoon, she purposely skipped her last class to meet Clara."Dr. Gaston and Uncle Joe seem to agree to hide something from me!" Clara said, lowering her head as she sipped her cold juice."What are they hiding?" Nadia inquired."Uncle Joe has amnesia, but I'm sure it's impossible! There must be something he's hiding!" Clara explained."What if he really has amnesia?" Nadia suggested another possibility, considering the gunshot wound on Joe's temple."Maybe, I just need to know what really happened!" Clara lowered her head, knowing that no one in Joe's residence would tell her the truth."When will you go home?" Nadia asked."I'll stay for two nights, then head to London!" Clara replied."Alright, I suggest that during your two days and two nights in Jakarta, you should stay at Uncle Joe's house. Maybe the parents, servants, driver, and gardener will keep silent! But, did you forget? Clar
63.The ticking of the clock in Clara's room was agonizingly slow. Standing while gazing at the city's beauty from her room tonight did little to ease the unease in her heart.Remembering that Mrs. Linn and Doctor Gaston hadn't responded to her messages for almost a week made Clara wonder what was really going on. Initially, Clara thought that the two of them were just busy. But the photos sent by Nadia made Clara suspicious.Clara got up from her seat. She left the room and immediately sought out her grandfather."Where's Grandpa?" Clara asked the maid."Mr. Lim is in his room, Miss," the woman replied.Clara walked towards her grandfather's room, which was next to Aunt Margaret's room.Knock.Knock.Knock.Clara gently knocked on the door."Grandpa," Clara called out.After a moment, the door opened, revealing the middle-aged man standing before her."What is it, Clara?"Freedy Lim observed his granddaughter's face. There was a restlessness there. Clara's eyebrows furrowed, and her