"Can we talk for a moment, Cesilia?" William approached Cesilia, who was still sitting in front of her vanity table. She had been cleaning up her makeup for a while but was reluctant to move from there. Her thoughts were wandering, and everything became even more chaotic after seeing Alexander's arrival earlier.He seemed to have become a better person since they separated, which meant that Alexander's decision to leave her was the right one."What else is there to talk about?" Cesilia turned her head, looking at William standing at the bedroom doorway."Let's talk in Daddy's office. He's the one who wants to talk to us. He mentioned that there's a new job for you that could boost our stock price and elevate your career again. Just as Daddy promised when you decided to marry me, he would help restore your career to its former glory.""Can't we discuss it here?""We would have preferred it here, but Daddy wants you to come to his office. Come on, the sooner we get there, the sooner we
Frans parked his car, with no intention of getting out or waking up Yasmin who was still fast asleep. He would wait for her to wake up on her own to avoid surprising her or making her angry for disturbing her sleep.He understands that someone who's tired and forcefully woken up can feel uncomfortable and sometimes end up with a headache. As the car stopped moving, Yasmin began to blink her eyes open and slightly squirmed, looking around to see if they had arrived yet."Where are we, Frans?" she asked upon noticing the surrounding trees."We've reached the summit. Come on, let's get out and put on this jacket." Frans took off his jacket and handed it to Yasmin. The cooler temperature in Puncak compared to Jakarta means Yasmin's dress wouldn't be sufficient to shield her from the cold.Without much questioning, Yasmin put on the jacket. Not out of fear or anything, but from where she was seated, Yasmin could see that no other visitors were dressed like her. They were all wearing covere
Cesilia didn't care about her current pregnancy. Her steps were rapid as she made her way through the luxurious house, heading towards the room where Maxime was staying. Earlier, she had overheard that a doctor was going to examine and heal Maxime, taking away his pain and suffering. After the incident a few days ago when Tomas was instructed to end Maxime's life, Cesilia was panicking at the thought that Maxime might be executed today.The lack of humanity in sacrificing Maxime's life for agency shares and money was horrifying. It was an atrocity to gamble with someone's life for personal gain. Cesilia was determined to save Maxime at all costs. She had resolved to do whatever it took, even if it meant losing her reputation, to rescue Maxime from the clutches of these ruthless individuals.Cesilia had sworn to herself that she would find a way to escape from that house. She didn't care if her name was tarnished further or her career destroyed. All that mattered was that Maxime surviv
Frans chose not to go to an expensive restaurant, but instead, he searched for a simple yet beautiful place to eat, offering a different view than usual for him and Yasmin. He wanted to show Yasmin how beautiful Puncak was and how it could help ease her mind. Given the ongoing issues in Jakarta with Robert, Frans thought that Yasmin needed a place like Puncak for mental refreshment. Therefore, he chose a restaurant overlooking a plantation. The gentle rain added a romantic touch, and he and Yasmin occupied a small gazebo for two. They enjoyed grilled chicken and fish, and Frans ordered more grilled dishes as extras.The romantic ambiance supported their connection as a couple. However, unlike other couples, Yasmin and Frans were both hiding their true feelings. They were aware of Robert, who loved Yasmin deeply. After receiving Robert's call earlier, Frans felt a bit guilty. Yet, he tried not to let it affect his mood. After all, he hadn't directly lied to Robert; he had said he was f
There's no need to question what happiness Cesilia felt back when she had Alexander, a loving and caring husband. The wealth was abundant, enough to last generations. But it all disappeared within a few days after she signed the agreement with Maxime. It's not fair to solely blame him, as Cesilia also played a part in her own downfall.Now Cesilia had to meet with Alexander. Unlike before, when she used to meet him with a calm and comfortable heart, she didn't have to be afraid. She was aware of her past mistakes.Cesilia used to rush into Alexander's arms whenever they had time together. Now she was desperately begging Robert to get Alexander to spare a bit of his time for her. The turn of events in her life had been drastic, but Cesilia had to try to rise above it and be grateful for what she was going through. She was still fortunate to have a chance at a normal life, unlike Maxime, who was now lying weak and only able to utter a few imperfect words."I was actually going to send y
It was quite exhausting for Yasmin to enjoy a short vacation with Frans after collecting strawberries, horseback riding, and savoring various culinary delights at the peak. This day marked a completely new experience for Yasmin spent with Frans. She felt a sense of tranquility after having been able to express her feelings to him.Yasmin didn't care what others might think of her, whether they saw her as a flirt or something similar. What mattered to her was that her heart was now free of any burdens. Before confessing her feelings to Frans, Yasmin had already planned out possible outcomes.If Frans didn't share her feelings, she would move on. If he did have feelings, they would have to find a way to navigate their relationship without Robert knowing the extent of it. If questioned by Robert about their relationship later, Yasmin and Frans could both honestly say that they were just good friends.There would be no lies involved, as there was truly no romantic connection between them.
Cesilia placed her phone on the car's dashboard after reading the message sent by Tomas. The middle-aged man had warned Cesilia to return home soon since she was only allowed a two-hour window to be outside. Tomas had restricted Cesilia and Maxime's movements within the house, not wanting anyone to know about his sinister plan for his own son.Tomas didn't want anyone to realize he was plotting something terrible for his own child. While he didn't want to harm Maxime himself, the condition Maxime was in could be deemed unsuitable for living, so he followed his secretary's suggestion to eliminate Maxime altogether.However, Cesilia stood up against it, thus saving Maxime's life. If not for Cesilia, it was almost certain that Maxime would not have survived. With the remaining time, Cesilia headed to the house she had recently bought. Perhaps she would sell the house after this, instead of using the debit card Alexander had given her.Her purpose in going there was not to beg, but to see
Cesilia didn't expect everything to go smoothly like this. At the very least, she wanted to speak with Maxime's lawyer, to convey his current condition and perhaps get some assistance or advice. However, she got more than that. Prasetyo, the middle-aged man who accompanied her, was willing to help her and Maxime resolve their issues. He even rushed to Maxime's residence to meet him and inquire about what had actually happened, as he had lost track of Maxime's whereabouts.Since the accident was reported, Pras had been told that Maxime was being treated in Singapore. But after Maxime returned to Indonesia, Tomas had never given him any updates, not even a brief notification about Maxime's current condition. When Cesilia approached him and revealed that Maxime was currently paralyzed and only able to speak, she also asked Prasetyo to keep Maxime's condition a secret. She didn't want anyone to know that Maxime could speak now."What exactly happened to you that led to this?"Maxime smile
Alexander didn't expect that his morning decision to stay at home was a sign from the universe for him to be there to support Casandra before giving birth. However, Casandra refused his offer, fearing that his work might be disrupted because of her. And now, Casandra was crying in fear of facing childbirth alone, only accompanied by Yasmin and Frans.While Yasmin was trying to comfort Casandra, she found herself reluctant to leave the house due to her persistent headaches in recent days. Feeling irritable, she didn't even want to face anyone, including Frans. Luckily, her understanding husband didn't make a fuss about it, and he was now accompanying Casandra, although not in the delivery room. He was waiting outside, also trying to contact Alexander to inquire about his whereabouts.In the delivery room, Yasmin continued to grumble at Casandra, not being pleased that she had to be the one accompanying her sister. Yasmin's bad mood even extended to Frans, and she was making a scene in
Despite feeling a slight pang of pity for his father in his heart, Maxime tried to strengthen himself to not give in just because of his father's tears. Even though the investigation results indicated that his father was manipulated by his secretary and there was no true intention to eliminate him, Maxime was still disappointed. His father chose to follow his secretary's desires instead of fighting for his own son's life, to give him the push to survive. This anger fueled Maxime's determination, and he refused to forgive Tomas or withdraw the charges. He proceeded through numerous court sessions, awaiting the verdict that would determine how long Tomas would spend in prison for his actions.Nevertheless, Maxime continued with his wedding plans with Cesilia after she obtained a new status from William. In the eyes of others, Cesilia might be a widow twice over, but in Maxime's eyes, she was still his for the first time.Cesilia and Maxime's wedding took place simultaneously with the we
"It's been quite a while, and I can see there's been no progress at all. Even the health reports give me a headache," Tomas said, tossing the documents that Cesilia handed him.The documents contained numerous lies to make Tomas believe that Maxime's condition hadn't changed at all."Yes, what can I do? Maxime has been treated with whatever funds I could spare from my limited savings. Naturally, that's the best result we can achieve. But at least I'm fighting for Maxime's life, even though I don't have the ability for it. You should be ashamed that you can't fight for your own son and instead hope he dies at such a young age," Cesilia jabbed at Tomas, who persisted in wanting to end Maxime's life despite Cesilia's efforts to save him."Rather than struggling like this, it's better to live your life with William. Your life would be much better and peaceful. You don't need to care for an ailing man like my son.""Your son, you say, yet you've never once given me a chance to live after w
If only Robert hadn't met Cesilia and Tiara a few days ago, he would have been genuinely shocked now as Frans and Alexander suddenly invited him to a meeting room that was usually used for discussing business agreements.But here they were, sitting face to face, Robert appearing to sigh heavily several times, as if he was attending a trial about his life. He had a feeling today marked the end of any chance he had with Yasmin. Today, he had to let go of all his dreams, which were now being taken over by Frans."We don't need to beat around the bush or prolong this. I want to discuss something that our friend has been keeping from us," Alexander started the conversation."This is quite surprising, but that's the reality. The relationship you've been yearning for has actually been happening between Frans and Yasmin," Alexander carefully conveyed the news, but soon his eyebrows furrowed as he observed Robert's response.Robert remained silent, his expression flat, and he tapped his finger
Before meeting Alexander at his office, Frans managed to have lunch with Yasmin at a cafe near her campus. After lunch, he proceeded to Cesilia's residence to check on Maxime's condition.Maxime's progress had been quite remarkable, even though he couldn't engage in too much physical activity yet. Cesilia was already grateful for Maxime's current condition. He could sit up and move his limbs, although he still felt weak and experienced some discomfort when moving.Despite his condition, Cesilia was thankful that she could hold Maxime in her arms again. However, every time Tomas visited, Maxime would lie down as if only his eyelids could move. Several times, Tomas tried to persuade Cesilia to let Maxime go and seriously consider marrying William.But Cesilia remained adamant against Tomas's suggestion and would often berate him for even suggesting such a thing. She accused him of being heartless, willing to sacrifice their son's life for a sum of money that would be spent within a few
Casandra folded her arms across her chest and stared at Yasmin from head to toe. Naturally, Yasmin didn't understand what to do or say after Casandra had suddenly asked her to talk, especially since she and Frans had just finished kissing. She was now haunted by fear."Now tell me, what kind of relationship do you have with Frans?" Casandra asked once her emotions had calmed a bit."There's nothing between me and Frans, sis.""Are you sure there's absolutely nothing between you and Frans?"Yasmin attempted to maintain her composure, even though her head felt heavy as she did so. But to hide her relationship with Frans, she still went along with it."If there really is nothing between you and Frans, then whether you like it or not, you'll have to accept Robert's proposal."Casandra averted her gaze elsewhere, anywhere but at Yasmin."Why all of a sudden, sis? Asking me to accept Robert's proposal. What's going on? Didn't I already tell you I would never accept that guy's proposal?""It
Perhaps about two weeks had passed since Frans accompanied Yasmin for shopping. Yasmin had also started attending classes. An unusual feeling began to arise in Alexander and Cassandra's hearts. Why? Because Yasmin always returned home with Frans. Their excuse was that they accidentally bumped into each other on the street, even though as far as Alexander knew, the hospital where Frans worked was in the opposite direction from Yasmin's campus. Even their visits to Maxime's house had this same pattern. The oddness intensified when Alexander checked his bank account transactions. He looked at the dates and times when Yasmin went shopping with Frans. Alexander clearly remembered that on that day, Yasmin came home with a lot of shopping bags, but when he looked at his bank account, there was no expenditure recorded for that day. This meant Yasmin didn't use the debit card he had given her. So, whose money did Yasmin use for shopping?Placing his phone on the nightstand, Alexander glanced
Frans immediately reached out his hand to the woman and kissed the back of her hand."Mother, let me introduce you to Yasmin, my girlfriend.""Girlfriend?" the middle-aged woman repeated, observing Yasmin from head to toe. "Frans, you're not joking, right? Is this really your girlfriend? Whose niece did you pay to pretend to be your girlfriend?""Mother...," Frans interjected. "Please don't let your teasing strain our relationship.""Well, come on, she's so young and beautiful, she surely wouldn't be interested in a widower like you.""Mom," Frans cautioned again, and the middle-aged woman rubbed her temple."Get to know Mother first. My name is Tiara, Frans' mother.""Yasmin." She extended her hand to introduce herself, not forgetting to kiss the back of the middle-aged woman's hand."Don't listen to Mother. It's all just playful banter," Frans said, lightening the mood.However, Yasmin was already too scared to face the woman. Sensing Yasmin's nervousness, Tiara immediately embraced
"Where are we going first, to find clothes or books?" Frans parked his car in the mall parking lot."Let's look for books first, Frans. So that later we can just focus on finding clothes. I think I don't need many clothes; I still have so many in my closet. The first time I came here, my sister suggested online shopping.""Alright, books it is then." Frans helped Yasmin unfasten her seatbelt, and they both got out of the car together. Just like usual, they walked side by side, holding hands, as they explored the various stores in the mall.Yasmin seemed enthusiastic about choosing all the supplies she would need for her upcoming college. Patiently, Frans followed behind, observing Yasmin as she carefully selected each item."Which one is better?" Yasmin asked, handing over two larger-sized books."Which one?" Frans asked, puzzled, as he didn't see anything particularly special about those books. To him, a book was used for writing, and there was no difference."Isn't the cover nice? D