"Elissa!" Ira called out to her daughter. Her hand knocked on the door."Just come in, Mom. It's not locked!" Elissa replied.Ira went in. She saw Elissa sitting on the bed. Her hand was holding something. And how shocked Ira was to see Elissa looking at her photo with Edgar. The image was taken when they were just married—Edgar with his genuine smile and Elissa with her carefree attitude.Ira sat next to her daughter. She touched Elissa's shoulder and hugged her."Can I ask you a question, Mom?" Elissa asked."Anything, dear. As long as I know the answer, I will answer.""Why can you forgive Daddy so easily? Especially since you saw it yourself when Daddy was ...." Elissa did not continue her words. She should have clarified what was already evident."Nothing in this world is perfect, dear. Your Dad is not a perfect man. He does love us; he is also able to protect us all. Your Dad never got angry and never held a grudge against anyone. But he is still a fragile man. Your Dad can make
"Are you ready?" asked Edgar.Elissa smiled and nodded. Now, holding hands, they headed to the airport. They were all fully dressed—all the clothes for a hike. Elissa was excited to buy this and that for her first climb. She had never climbed a mountain, so now she was pleased. Moreover, she was already on good terms with Edgar.Last night was a fantastic night. Elissa won the fireworks chase. Edgar fell, and Elissa hit Edgar with fireworks and a lighter. Elissa smiled wickedly. She lit the match and prepared to burn the fireworks, playing round two."Apologize or I'll shoot!" Elissa said.Edgar pursed his lips. "Hmm... no.""Seriously?" asked Elissa. The match she was holding was getting closer to the wick of the firework. "You really don't want to apologize and ask to be shot with fireworks like before?" repeated Elissa."No, I don't. I'm not going to apologize. I'm a good husband, I've never done anything wrong," said Edgar."Oooh, so ...." Elissa nodded her head. She started to li
One hour and fifty-five minutes.Elissa woke up. She looked out the window. The plane was still crossing the island and the sea. It seemed like a long journey. Elissa looked to the other side. Beside her was Edgar, who was asleep. Elissa smiled as she looked at Edgar's bobbing head. The plane was crossing the clouds, and it felt not much different from a car traveling a pothole.Elissa embraced Edgar's head. She hugged her husband's head and kissed him. Edgar seemed to correct his position. He seemed to be more comfortable. Elissa also closed the window so there would be less glare. After all, what was outside was still the same—the view of the green expanse of the island and the changes and the sea.Elissa smiled again. It was true what Edgar said. Sitting in economy class was the best choice for a married couple. They could cuddle without any restrictions. Yes, although in the VVIP class cabin, there is also a private room, the nuance is still different. Elissa can feel how special
"Why is Naia the harlot here?" Elissa wondered when they arrived.Edgar delibeLissaely sepaLissaed himself from the office group when they were about to leave. He wanted to travel alone from home to Lombok. He didn't know that Naia was coming.Edgar shook his head. "I thought she wasn't coming," Edgar replied.Elissa sighed. Her face, which had looked happy earlier, now turned cloudy. Even more cloudy than the incident earlier on the plane.There was turbulence just as Edgar was about to get some water for Elissa. Edgar immediately returned to his seat. He and Elissa held hands. The turbulence this time was more pronounced than before.The shaking was getting stronger. Edgar hugged Elissa. Everyone on the plane prayed according to their beliefs. Some screamed. Some even fainted. The lights in the aeroplane turned off and on indeterminately.Elissa looked at Edgar and vice versa. "At least if I die today, I die in your arms," Elissa resignedly.Edgar smiled. "I don't regret anything ei
"Are you sure you can do it?" asked Edgar when releasing Elissa to be carried on a dirt bike to post 2.The group climbing Mount Rinjani, this time, passed the Sembalun route. When they arrive at post 1, a motorcycle taxi will take the climbers directly to post 2. The road is quite far, passing through forest vegetation as well. So, it is very natural that Edgar is worried about Elissa. Moreover, Elissa has never ridden a motorcycle."Take it easy. I can do it!" said Elissa.Edgar held Elissa's hand. "Take it slow, sir!" said Edgar.The driver nodded, and Edgar went to the motorcycle taxi driver who carried him.Naia, who saw Edgar and Elissa's intimacy, could only exhale irritably. Seeing that, Araf patted the back of his motorcycle taxi driver to approach Naia."Patience, not yet. Stick to the plan!" he said.Elissa, who was in the back row, saw that. She was shocked to see Araf talking seriously with Naia. But Elissa chose not to bother too much.After all the climbing members clim
Elissa's breath began to break. Although she hated to admit it, Naia's words were valid. Only Elissa, who had only been walking briefly, was already inhaling. She kept stopping. Occasionally, she even vomited because of nausea."Do you want to go down?" asked Edgar.With great patience, Edgar accompanied Elissa. He didn't care about the other members' cynical stares. All he cared about was his wife's safety now. Although Edgar did not care about them, Elissa felt terrible.Elissa shook her head. She took another drink."That's because you ate too much earlier! You should know that if you want to peak, you should just eat as much as you need!" Angel said.Edgar looked sharply at Angel. His mouth opened, ready to say anything to protect Elissa. But when Angel took out the medicine, Edgar failed to say anything."Here, apply it on the stomach and neck. It usually helps!" Angel said."Thanks," said Elissa."Do you still want to go up? Usually, for beginner climbers, it's like that because
"What? No way! No, I don't want to!" exclaimed Naia after listening to Mika's solution."Do you have a better idea?" Mika asked back."I don't want to do that either!" said Araf.Mika shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I'm just offering options. The execution is up to you. If you have a better plan, go ahead."Araf sighed. He looked at Elissa, who seemed to be close to Edgar. But even so, in Araf's eyes, Elissa was still a source of trouble. She may seem nice now, but she would make Edgar sad again."You can't keep being nice in front of Elissa, Raf. And you also have to be more competitive, Nai!" Mika exclaimed.Naia rolled her eyes. She admitted that she was not trying hard enough. Every time she approached Edgar, Naia became ashamed of herself. She was not embarrassed because she wanted to snatch someone's husband, but more embarrassed if her actions were not right in Edgar's eyes. She was afraid that Edgar hated her. Although Edgar now keeps his distance from Naia regarding work, he c
"Wait, dear! Wait!" said Edgar, trying to prevent Elissa's departure. Now, they were in the wild. It was hazardous if Elissa acted rashly. Edgar himself had never climbed Rinjani. The two who were too far from the group might get lost."I'll prove that I can climb to the top without anyone's help!" said Elissa stubbornly.Araf commanded everyone to stand up. They had to go back to climbing. Initially, the rest of the hour was already over. But when someone asked why, Araf replied, "We can't lose anyone in this team." Therefore, some complained because they felt they had not had enough rest.One by one, people began to climb the hill of regret. The fog started to descend, resulting in a limited view. Monkeys were seen on rocks and trees, waiting for food to fall from the climbers. Although the sun has begun to lean towards the west, the heat is still rampant. Edgar wanted to stop for a moment and take a breath. But seeing Elissa, who kept walking, made him unable to do that.Araf left
Although Edgar didn't know what Hunter had promised Fritz, Edgar tried to remain calm. He wasn't going to stay undercover forever. Besides, the police and Desmond's security forces would soon arrive. Edgar only needed to find Elissa.Edgar watched every shape of the building. The building before him was a fairytale palace with towering towers and still black bricks. The structure was dominated by Greek architecture. Or even all of them had Greek flavor. Only one is not—the two date palms planted before the palace gate. According to Edgar, Fritz seemed to want to combine the two concepts of the princess kidnapped by the dragon and the princess from Aladdin's fairy tale."So, where is the gift you promised?" asked Fritz.Edgar was still calm. "You invited me all the way here just to collect a promise. You didn't serve me food first?""Oh right. Let's eat first while talking."Edgar laughed. "It's been a while since we talked together, right?""Yeah. But if you don't bring that gift, you
"What about Elissa, Bhim?" asked Edgar when Bhima finally visited the hospital.Edgar could now do anything. The doctor also advised him to start taking small steps. Fortunately, the fracture wasn't too severe, so the recovery period was also expected to be short."That's why I came to see you, Young Master. Today we'll be heading to Fritz's private island," Bhima reported."Tell me where it is!" he ordered."Sorry, Young Master. But I'm only here to tell you that. I'm not allowed to tell you the details.""Bhima. Where do you think I'm going? My leg still hasn't healed. My chest still hurts because my ribs still haven't healed. I just want to know how you plan to get Elissa back. Who knows, I can add to some of your plans that might be lacking," said Edgar.Bhima began to look hesitant."Anyway, Bhim. I won't be able to calm down if you only tell me the rough outline."Bhima exhaled. "All right. But young master, please calm down. I will only explain once because time is not our frie
Elissa knocked on Tory's room. She already had a plan to get out of here. What mattered to her now was that Fritz didn't always fixate on her."Miss Queen?" asked Tory in disbelief.She smiled. She hurriedly entered and locked the door. She didn't want the bodyguard Fritz had sent to follow her into Tory's room. No one should know her plan.During the night, Elissa thought about several possibilities. Although there was still a possibility of failure and the success Lissae depended on Tory herself, this was the only way she could think of for now. Elissa did not want to be confined here forever. Even though all her needs and luxurious things were fulfilled on this island, she still wanted to be with Edgar."What does Miss Elissa want? Do you want me to check on you again? Does Mr. Fritz want it?""I want to get straight to the point. Do you really love Fritz?"Tory's face turned red again. She also covered her face with her hands again. "Mr. Fritz is everything to me," she said."If y
Edgar kept thinking about something while lost in the forest and walking without direction. Why did all this happen? Edgar continued translating everything that happened until he realized that what Elissa said was true. Araf had planned something.Without a plan, there would be no climb to Rinjani. Without Araf planning it, there was no way Naia would suddenly be kind to Elissa. Naia would have preferred Elissa to be exhausted and unable to reach the summit. With Araf planning it, Mika would bring a particular mountain communication device and contact Fritz directly.Edgar only realized it after he repeatedly fainted from falling into the ravine. He regretted being so trusting of one person.Araf was speechless. No matter how neatly he prepared his plan, it would be revealed someday. Like a buried carcass, one day, it will leave an odor. Edgar is not a fool; he must have realized it quickly."I'm sorry. I had dark eyes. I thought you would never be happy with Elissa. I thought she wou
Bhima took off his mask. His hands were bruised. He was tired of beating so many people. The members under him were the same. They sat with their legs bent, resting. This day was already the fifth base they visited, but there was no sign of Fritz. Not even one of Fritz's men knew where his boss was."Check if there are any clues. I want to check Fritz's room one more time!" Bhima said.It had been almost a week since he went around looking for where Fritz was. He only found Elissa's picture in all the buildings he came across. And the headquarters in San Francisco was the same. There was nothing that stood out. Fritz's seat even looked like a regular office.Bhima entered Fritz's room once again. He looked around. Everything was a mess. Fritz's desk had also been destroyed. Cabinets, walls, and even the ceiling had been broken. But there was nothing suspicious. Everything inside was always the same. It only contained clothes and trinkets.Bhima lifted the cupboard that he had knocked
Ira continued Desmond's struggle. She started to meet the people behind Fritz. Ira was fed up with just being a behind-the-scenes supporter. She was also fed up that her son was now in Fritz's hands, and no one knew where she was. Only Bhima could track her down, which might take a long time.Ira contacted her acquaintances. She asked for help to collect any evidence of Fritz's crimes. Ira also has a hacker acquaintance. She needed information from an authority and digital data about Fritz's financial statements. If Ira's suspicions were correct, Fritz should never have paid taxes."Where are we going, ma'am?" the driver asked."We're meeting this person!" said Ira as she showed the photo and sent the address to the car's direction system."Are you sure, ma'am? He's nothing more than a deceitful loan shark.""There is no more time. Edgar needs Elissa and she needs to be by his side. If this man is still with Fritz, our efforts will have been in vain," Ira explained.From all the repor
News of Edgar's disappearance reached Mustafidz's ears. The search had entered its fourth day. And all that was found was a bloody shirt. Araf and Jef, who joined the forest and combed the river, had come out. They found no one.The drones that detect body heat also did not get any response. The helicopter boarded by the SAR team also came up empty. Those up there using binoculars with body tempeElissare tracking lenses also found nothing.Rumors that wild animals might have eaten Edgar grew. It seemed impossible that they could not find Edgar, even though the equipment was as complete as this.Mustafidz and Balqis bit their lips. They looked at each other, unable to believe the news they were hearing. The couple knew very well that Edgar had experienced climbing a mountain. He couldn't disappear.Mustafidz immediately gathered all his family and students in the dormitory. They immediately prayed together for Edgar.On the other hand, Sindi, who was visiting the orphanage that Edgar u
Edgar fell. His legs were no longer strong enough to walk. No matter where he went, he couldn't find water. Edgar sat down. He leaned against a tree. He took the bottle of mineral water that was left. He opened it slowly and drank a little. He didn't know when he would get out of this wilderness.Edgar knew that if he got lost on the mountain, the fastest way to return was to return to the top. But in his current condition, that was not possible. It was also impossible for him to return to the path he used yesterday to climb to the top.Edgar didn't know how long he had been here. He also needed to find out what day it was. The last thing he remembered was chasing after Elissa, who Fritz had brought. Edgar hoped that Elissa would be okay.Edgar took a breath. He picked at the young leaves beside him—the easiest way to have a little energy. There were only 500 milliliters of mineral water left in his bag. Fortunately, the water didn't break when Edgar fell into the ravine."I have to g
"Is this really Edgar's shirt?" asked Jef.Araf nodded. He couldn't have forgotten that Edgar loved the soccer team with the blue shirt. He also loved the number 9. Even though this shirt was torn and covered in blood, there was still the name 'GAR' written on the back of the shirt."Is he still alive?" asked Araf in a trembling tone.This shirt was already tattered. Its shape was also out of the body. When Araf was resting and drinking, he saw this shirt stuck on a tree."The possibility is still 50:50. This shirt got stuck on the tree because maybe a monkey carried it. Unfortunately, there are still blood stains on this shirt, which means Edgar was injured," Jef explained.He reported his findings. Simultaneously, the search began to center around the river and the landslide. The sound of flying drones and helicopters could be heard. Drones began combing again, looking for Edgar's body heat from a height of 20 meters. Meanwhile, helicopters began to monitor from a high altitude."I