Suddenly the atmosphere became tense, Berli and Denzel fell silent because they didn't know whether to speak honestly or pretend not to understand the meaning of the middle-aged man's words in front of them. "Dad, don't ask like that. Berli is already grown up, let her handle it, she can understand the risks. Besides, Denzel is taking responsibility now, right?" Berli's mother said, patting her husband's thigh. Soon, laughter erupted from Berli's foster father. He chuckled seeing the reactions of his foster child and Denzel, who were both panicked, their pale faces making him laugh even more. "Dad!" Berli whined because her father was only teasing her. "Your mom is right, you're already grown up. If this man is the one you choose and he chooses you too, we can only support and help with the preparations." "Really?" Berli asked, her panicked expression now turning cheerful and happy. She couldn't hide her joy. Berli's foster parents nodded and said, "But, before you get married, we
Lyyana stayed silent as two middle-aged men standing in front of her also turned to follow Lyyana's gaze, observing the confident footsteps of the man in a neatly tailored suit, making him look even more handsome."Mr. Petra?" the middle-aged man greeted with a broad smile.Petra just nodded and stared at them sharply. "Darling, could you bring Garret inside?" the man requested Lyyana.Lyyana nodded and led Garret into the house without asking anything. Hearing Petra address Lyyana as 'darling' was enough to convince the two middle-aged men that she was indeed Petra's wife or at least his fiancée."Why are you here?" Petra asked, his face appearing cold, his eyes seeming to dissect them on the spot."We came here to talk about something important with you. Regarding—""Your adopted daughter?" Petra guessed, cutting off the words of the elderly man.The atmosphere fell silent until the door of the silver car opened. Petra sighed lazily as Berli and Denzel got out of the car. Their face
"The henchman of Renaldi."Upon hearing the name Renaldi, Petra immediately looked up and stared sharply at Berli. "Yes, I'm Renaldi's henchman. I did everything –"Petra stood up from her seat and reached for her phone in her pants pocket. "I need to contact the police!" Petra said as she pressed the numbers on her phone screen."Wait, Mr. Petra. Our daughter hasn't finished speaking," Berli's foster father said with a panicked and fearful expression.Lyyana acted quickly, she touched Petra's arm and asked the man to sit down first, "let's listen first, then you can make your decision." Petra melted at Lyyana's words, the man sat back down and stared sharply and piercingly at Berli."Please continue, Berli." Lyyana looked calmly at Berli, making the woman stunned and embarrassed.Berli took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "That day, I got a job offer from my manager, to be a brand ambassador for a cosmetic company. I had no idea it would end up like this. You know, Petra, what my l
Flashback onJessica sighed lazily. "You're good in bed but stupid about issues like this! Get close to Petra, make her dependent on you, then we'll eliminate her family!"Berli's breath caught instantly, her heart stopped beating upon hearing Jessica's account. "I don't want to, I can't."Jessica laughed sarcastically, "Who's offering? I'm not making an offer. I'm commanding you, well if you don't want to, it's okay, be prepared for your career and future to be ruined."Berli looked at Renaldi as if asking for help from the man who had trapped her in such a heavy situation. In reality, the man just shrugged indifferently, he walked up to his wife from behind and said, "Just think about it for now, we'll give you until tonight. If you still have questions, ask them. Go home, I want to enjoy my wife's beautiful body tha
Lyyana remained silent, not uttering a word. Petra still cried in Lyyana's embrace; this was the first time Petra had cried in front of someone else. Even when her family passed away, she didn't cry in public; she only stayed silent and observed their lined-up bodies.Lyyana released her embrace and touched Petra's arm. "Let's take it slow. You have the accurate evidence now, we just need to report it to the police and let them handle the investigation."Petra cupped Lyyana's face and looked at her with teary eyes. "Should I report Berli?""No, you shouldn't. I see him here as a victim. He did it reluctantly. Hopefully, he won't get into trouble with the law."Petra nodded, embracing Lyyana again and resting her chin on Lyyana's head. They hugged for quite some time until Berli's phone, which he had given earlier, rang briefly. Petra and Lyyana frowned and Petra turned on her phone. Petra read the text message from Jessica, asking about the poison and the progress of her relationship
"I remember my father," Petra whispered hoarsely and softly behind Lyyana's back.Lyyana and Robert smiled. "You'll be marrying Lyyana soon, consider us your parents too. So don't hesitate anymore, okay?"Petra nodded, but she still hid her face behind Lyyana's back. Petra's behavior was just like a sulking child, making Lyyana unable to hold back her laughter. They chatted about many things, from Lyyana's wedding plans to Petra's visit to Laura's new school earlier that morning.In her heart, Petra felt grateful to once again feel the warmth of a family she had longed for. Now Petra wasn't alone anymore; there was Lyyana and her large extended family faithfully accompanying and listening to her stories. While they were engrossed in conversation, Petra received a text message from her lawyer informing her that her report had been received by the police and was ready to be processed."From whom?" Lyyana asked Petra, noticing her worried expression."Mr. Regen, he said the report has be
"To see my grandson, what else?" she replied casually as she walked towards Garret.Garret immediately hid behind Lyyana's legs, the toddler showing a fearful expression and reluctance to approach the two middle-aged women. "Don't come closer," Lyyana warned the woman."Who's this young lady? Is she your lover? Or your grandchild's babysitter?" the woman asked, her tone condescending towards Lyyana."Mama Garret scared, Garret no want!" Garret exclaimed in fear, his body trembling as he hugged Lyyana's legs tightly."Mama? Wow, you teach your grandchild to call someone else mama?" the woman retorted, glaring angrily at Petra. "You're very audacious, Petra. I'll take Garret from you and take care of him myself."The woman then moved forward to take Garret from Lyyana's legs. "Dare you touch Garret, I'll report you to the police!""How dare you forbid grandparents from meeting their own grandchild? Anyway, compared to you, I am far more entitled to take care of my own grandchild!" Jessi
"Petra and I have agreed to leave everything to the police. Even if the police outcome doesn't meet our expectations, maybe we'll help alleviate it.""Why are you so good? I mean, she and her lover have done wrong, they've destroyed Petra's life and nearly ruined your future," Liza said from the dishwashing area.Lyyana shook her head, "My parents always said that we shouldn't respond to wrongdoing with the same. " Her five friends sighed; they couldn't understand why Lyyana was so kind to someone who had wronged her.Days passed, and Petra's and Lyyana's lives went on as usual. Garret also began to show increasingly positive developments. A few days ago, Petra began discussing Garret's early education, which he would undertake when he turned 5.Unlike Berli, who was still anxious about Renaldi and Jessica's arrest. Berli's anxiety worsened when she received a summons from the police office to come as a witness to the recent arrest of Jessica and Renadli.On the day of the examination
Petra smiled mischievously, then ran and shut the bathroom door, ignoring Lyyana’s playful shouts at her. Lyyana then changed into her usual nightgown. After that, she sat at the vanity and looked at her reflection in the mirror.Lyyana applied her usual skincare routine, getting so absorbed in it that she didn't notice Petra had come out of the bathroom and was now standing behind her. "Honey," Petra called in his baritone voice.Lyyana jumped in surprise but then gave a small smile. "What?" She got up from her chair and stood in front of Petra.Unexpectedly, he lunged at her and hugged her tightly. "Sweetheart, I can't believe this dream has come true. You and I will be together forever."Lyyana returned Petra's embrace, stroking his back while trying to calm her racing heart. "Me too. I still can't believe I ended up marrying a nerd like you.""Haha, that was in the past, darling. I'm not a nerd anymore," Petra said, loosening his embrace and gazing intently at Lyyana.Lyyana raise
"Yes, it's me, Sarah. Do you remember me, Laura?" said the woman with a sweet smile on her face.Laura nodded. "Of course I remember, come in." Laura pulled the woman named Sarah into the room and introduced her to Lyyana."Sis! Look who's here!" exclaimed Laura, standing in front of Lyyana. "It's Sarah!" she added, unable to hide her joyful expression.Lyyana looked at Laura in disbelief, her eyes stopping on the beautiful woman in a peach dress that matched Laura's dress. "Sarah!" Lyyana stood up from her seat and walked towards Sarah, who also approached her.Lyyana hugged Sarah tightly, unable to believe that the woman could attend her important event. "Sarah, how have you been?" Lyyana asked, releasing her embrace."I've been good, Lyyana, really good. Congratulations, I hope you are always happy." Lyyana smiled happily, her eyes looking teary. "Don't cry, your makeup is expensive, haha!" said Sarah, laughing at her friend."Where have you been, Sarah?"Sarah gave a thin smile. "
Lyyana turned slightly in her seat and excitedly recounted her day. Petra listened attentively and responded warmly. One thing that brought them closer was their mutual respect and understanding of how to treat each other.Time passed, and the next morning Petra’s house was bustling with Lyyana and others preparing to leave for the wedding venue. Lyyana and Petra weren’t going alone; they were bringing along several staff members to help, as well as Robert, Olive, Laura, and their friends Denzel and Berli, along with Benji, Petra’s assistant and friend.“Is everyone ready?” Petra asked, looking at the group gathered in front of him.“Yes!” they replied in unison.Petra nodded and started giving directions for the journey and car assignments. “Benji, please drive the car. Amber, Liza, Chala, Mila, and Adelia will go in one car with Tomy. The rest will stick to the usual cars,” Petra said, looking at each of them. “Oh, and please check the cars before we leave. We don’t want a repeat of
Lyyana smiled, remembering their past relationship and how they met. “I still can't believe it, honey, that now I've been reunited with the woman of my dreams.”Lyyana blushed at Petra's words, “I also never expected that fate would bring me back to you.”That night, under the starlight, they shared their feelings, reminisced about their childhood, and talked about their goals and plans for after their wedding.Time passed, and for two days, Petra had been increasingly busy with his company affairs, but he still made time to prepare for their wedding. Lyyana, too, despite being busy taking care of Garret, helped Petra with the wedding preparations, such as handling the souvenirs and organizing the wedding attire for their siblings.Of course, Lyyana wasn't alone; Berli was always there with her. Since getting out of the hospital, Berli often visited her home and spent time together, either learning to cook or helping Lyyana wrap the souvenirs. Berli’s presence was still a source of an
"Simply put, Lyyana, try talking to Petra about this. Even though it’s a trivial matter, we need to prepare now. Otherwise, you’ll end up confused and possibly facing more issues." Lyyana sighed, nodded, and went back to finishing her drink.After finishing the dinner preparations, Olive asked Lyyana to invite Petra and Robert for dinner. Lyyana nodded and walked to the living room where Petra and Robert were. From a distance, she saw the three men of different ages laughing and playing with a Rubik’s cube."Looks like fun?" Lyyana greeted as she sat next to Petra.They turned to look at Lyyana, who smiled at them. Garret immediately stood up when he saw Lyyana nearby. "Mom! Can we stay here tonight? Garret wants to sleep with Grandpa," he pleaded with an adorable, begging face.Lyyana glanced at Petra and Robert, who both nodded in unison, understanding Lyyana’s questioning look. "Alright, we’ll stay here tonight.""Yay! Thank you, Mom!" Garret exclaimed joyfully, giving Lyyana a qui
"Why wouldn't I? Uncle Robert is like our substitute parent, darling. If he invites us for dinner, it means no matter what, we should make an effort to attend. Besides, his house is close to ours. After Garret's bath this evening, we'll visit him. Is there anything you want to buy?"Lyyana shook her head, taking Petra's finger, which was near her, and bringing it to her lips. Unexpectedly, Lyyana kissed the back and palm of his hand. "Thank you, you've accepted me and my family so well."Petra smiled broadly. "Your family is my family too, darling. Whatever the circumstances, I'll wholeheartedly accept." Lyyana smiled as she looked at Petra, and he gently kissed the back of her hand.Petra then played romantic songs to accompany their journey. Along the way, they both softly sang along to the songs playing on the car radio. Before they knew it, Petra's car had arrived at their home. As usual, Petra got out first and opened the door for Lyyana. Petra took Garret from Lyyana's lap and c
“Because you smell like cigarettes‼ Clean yourself up first, Denzel‼” Berli yelled, her face looking adorably exasperated.“Sweetheart‼ you’re scaring me‼” Denzel said as he ran to hug Berli. He didn’t care if she would push him away; all he wanted was to hold the woman he deeply loved and cherished.Berli chuckled softly, allowing him to hug her, her other hand still connected to an IV drip. “Please don’t do that again, I’m so afraid of losing you.” Denzel wept in her embrace.Petra and Lyyana smiled happily, watching the two people who had been through so much come back together and reconcile. Petra wrapped his arm around Lyyana’s shoulders, holding close the woman who would soon be his wife. “Thank you for still accepting me,” Berli whispered with a hoarse voice.Denzel loosened his embrace, cupping Berli’s face, kissing her forehead, and then tightly gripping her hand. “There’s not a single reason for me to leave you, my love. No matter what, in any situation, you will always be m
"Darling, don't be like this," Denzel said, gently patting his wife's head. However, to everyone's surprise, Berli refused Denzel's hand and tried to distance herself from him."Sweetheart, what's wrong with you?" Denzel asked, still trying to persuade Berli.Berli shook her head and didn't want to be close to him, her attitude confusing and worrying Denzel. Lyyana took the initiative to talk to Berli face-to-face, as it would be much more comfortable for Berli to confide in her fellow woman.Initially, Denzel refused Lyyana's suggestion because he wanted to always be by Berli's side no matter what. Fortunately, Petra understood Lyyana's intention. She tapped Denzel's shoulder and asked him to step out for a moment. "Dad, Garret will stay here, okay? To keep mom company?" Garret requested, holding Lyyana's hand.Petra looked at Lyyana, waiting for her response. Lyyana nodded and smiled. "Alright, then take care of mom and aunty Berli, okay?" Petra instructed Garret, the toddler noddin
"Where are you going? We're already here!" Petra said in a raspy voice, pulling Lyyana's hand, causing her small body to fall onto Petra's chest."I'm going to catch up with Garret," Lyyana replied, trying to steady her surprise and racing heartbeat due to their close proximity.Petra smiled mischievously, gazing at Lyyana without blinking. "You're forgetting my morning kiss, honey!" he said, immediately capturing Lyyana's lips and kissing her lovingly without demanding anything more.Petra kissed Lyyana for quite a while until he let go when Lyyana ran out of breath and gently pounded his broad chest. "Petra!" Lyyana said, straightening her clothes."What, honey?" Petra replied, pulling Lyyana back and hugging her from the side.Lyyana tried to resist, but Petra tightened his embrace, stroking Lyyana's flat stomach and whispering, "Soon there will be a Petra Junior, Garret's sibling. Are you ready, honey?"Lyyana looked up and bumped into Petra's chin. "Is it okay?""Why?""I mean, G