Dea and Devano exchanged silent gazes, feeling a spark between them. The man didn't blink at all, causing Dea's heart to beat faster. She felt like she was hypnotized by Devano's intense gaze."Come in, dear," Hando said with a cheerful smile. Finally, the woman's pupils dared to move elsewhere due to the voice of the room's occupant. Gracefully, she walked towards the patient she was about to escort home. The woman's mouth then opened, asking a question to Hando."How is Father doing?""Better than before," Hando replied gently.Hearing that answer relieved Dea's heart, and she added another question. "Is Father coming home with me today?""Of course, sweetheart. Your father has been waiting for your arrival since earlier," the middle-aged man's eyes sparkled as he looked at Dea. The loving gaze from the middle-aged man warmed Dea's heart."I'll bring grandfather, you go ahead," Devano stated firmly and coldly. Dea immediately looked at him with confusion.However, Hando strongly opp
Zain quickly carried out the task given by Hando. He never resisted anything instructed by the middle-aged man. With trembling hands, he placed the typewriter and the stamp requested by Hando on the table. His fingers started typing a few letters quickly on the paper, and Zain watched with a racing heart. Meanwhile, Dea seemed indifferent, not wanting to interfere in the affairs of the two men. Even Toni chose to leave the room as he felt this wasn't his domain."Dear, put your thumb in the ink pad there. Then press it here," Hando instructed, a smile on his face as he observed his work.Dea raised an eyebrow, "Why, Dad?""Just do it. Dad will tell you. This isn't a crime, just a small gift from me," Hando reassured. He understood his daughter's uneasiness. She glanced at Zain for a moment, sighing quietly, as the man didn't dare to meet her gaze. Eventually, she did as her father instructed, pressing her thumb on the paper that contained a collection of words."Good," Hando expressed
"Stop," Wendy glared at Dea, intensifying the tension in the room. The physical touch from Aiden's girlfriend conveyed a strong force through Dea's body. She glanced briefly at Wendy. The woman's furrowed eyebrows and forehead, fiery eyes, and tightly shut mouth all indicated a volatile situation. Dea understood what Wendy was feeling. 'Always something,' Dea thought.Everyone in the living room stared at the interaction between the two women in silence. Most of them widened their eyes as if trying to catch every moment of this intense scene. Reluctant to engage in an argument, Dea let out a sigh and without responding to her opponent, tried to break free from Wendy's grip, intending to walk into the bedroom. However, Wendy suddenly grabbed her hair. In response to this rough treatment, Dea instinctively stepped back."Wendy!" someone shouted as they witnessed the scene. It was a combination of various voices that turned into a unified shout, creating a chaotic atmosphere. The delicat
Not long after, Dea approached Aiden with a neutral expression. Initially, she had intended to go to bed earlier, but her plans were thwarted yet again by a call from her contract husband. Her lips jutted out slightly as she asked, "What is it?"Aiden could sense the irritation in his wife's demeanor. He had prepared himself for all the emotions that usually accompanied Dea. Before answering, he took a moment to exhale, composing himself."Please, sit down," he instructed, a command that Dea complied with. She made no resistance, surprising Aiden who had expected her to protest. His assumption was proven wrong; his wife followed his instructions in silence. Yes, even though her gaze was icy, it didn't change the fact that his command had been communicated clearly."Akhem," Aiden cleared his throat to ease the tension. "Do you remember Dad's message from the dinner the day before yesterday?" he began, initiating a conversation with his wife."Yes." There was no expression on Dea's face
After conversing with Dea, Aiden watched her departure until her back disappeared from his sight. It didn't take long before he immersed himself in deep thought. The dim lights adorned the living room with warmth. His head was filled with various problems he was currently facing. He let out a hot breath from his nostrils, savoring the slight burning sensation in his sclera."Why does tomorrow feel so far away?" he asked himself. "I want to resolve this issue as soon as possible."He had received a schedule for a meeting with Jamono and Triyo. This was good news for him, considering he had to plead with his father-in-law to expedite the group's plans. Wijaya's words had been fulfilled, and now it was his turn to fill in the stages of their plan."One million dollars, I hope my money won't go to waste like last year. Especially with Candra pressuring me, and that damn investor getting increasingly rude to me." Aiden clenched his hand tightly, he still remembered how he had chased an int
In a room bathed in ample light, Dea sat comfortably on an old sofa. Although it appeared somewhat worn, the seat was incredibly soft and cradled her body well. She looked around the room without blinking, taking in the antique decorations scattered here and there. A faint sigh could be heard from someone nearby. Dea turned her head to locate the source of the sound, a radiant smile spreading across her face."Ah..." Hando appeared somewhat startled by the sight before him. "Since when have you been here?" he asked his daughter. Before responding, Dea leaned closer to the middle-aged man."About 30 minutes.""My dear, why didn't you wake me up?" Hando placed his hand on his forehead, as if unable to believe his daughter's answer."I didn't want to disturb your sleep."Hando looked at Dea with genuine warmth, then recalled one of the people waiting for him earlier in the morning. "Where is that young man?""He's outside," Dea replied. She knew exactly who Hando was referring to. The ma
Aiden's eyes widened, and his body froze in surprise as he felt someone physically embrace him. He quickly turned around to see who had hugged him without any warning. After realizing it was Wendy, he let out a sigh.A person with a wide grin and sparkling eyes greeted him, "Hi, Baby!"Her soothing and sweet voice eased Aiden's heart, and he found himself reaching out to hold Wendy's arm. "Hi, dear. Why didn't you tell me you were coming to my office?" he asked, slightly flustered."I wanted to surprise you. Are you happy?" Her innocent, earnest gaze melted Aiden's heart."Of course, I'm happy. But... I still have work, and I'm waiting for a new investor for our company. Can you wait for me in my office? Bella is there; you can ask her for anything.""Hmm..." Wendy formed puppy eyes and placed her index finger on her lips. "So, you're very busy today?""Not too busy. The most important task today is welcoming the new investor. It will take at most an hour. Wait for me there, okay?" Ai
"Has Mr. Aiden been missing Madam since they parted ways?" teased one of the executives sitting beside Aiden. The question caused Aiden to blink his eyes a few times."That's impossible.""Ahaha... No need to lie, sir. We know what it's like to be newlyweds. Every second, every minute, you want to be with your wife," the man teased again. Everyone chuckled at the jest."Of course, my daughter-in-law is very beautiful. He must not be able to take his eyes off her," Kusuma replied, followed by laughter from everyone. His staff's statement was indeed accurate if it were a normal marriage. Unfortunately, Dea and Aiden had only entered into a contract marriage with no chemistry between them. Kusuma and Rita smiled at their son's awkwardness."Darn, why am I the subject of jokes like this?" he muttered to himself. "Dea is indeed beautiful. But what's the use if she's a crazy, sickly woman?" His mind couldn't stop negatively commenting about his wife."What are your plans for having grandchi
Aiden answered his wife's question with a nod. Aiden nodded slowly, leaving Dea silent in confusion. Behind the seemingly simple nod, there was a deep seriousness in the man's gaze as if he had carefully considered the answer for a long time."Yes, I agree," Aiden answered without hesitation, his calm voice containing a certainty that could not be ignored. “If that's what you want, I can consider it.”Dea was stunned, not expecting this response to come so easily from Aiden. He stared at the man in front of him, trying to look for signs that this was just a game or a trick. However, Aiden's eyes seemed sincere, implying something deeper than just words."Are you serious?" Dea repeated, her voice shaking, half in disbelief. “You… don't mind if child custody falls to me?”Aiden stared at him for a moment longer before answering. "Yes, Dee. Maybe all this time I have been too fixated on the idea that a child must be the heir who maintains the family name. But,” he paused as if searching
Aiden thought to himself, his conscience seemed dead when he heard Dea's words. Aiden only wants an heir to inherit from his parents. He couldn't deny it, but his pride felt tarnished. The man chose to leave the room to calm himself. Asih, who had worked for Aiden's family for a long time, watched her employer with a caring gaze. He had watched the man since childhood, and to him, Aiden was like his own son. With calm steps, he approached and placed a tray with a cup of warm coffee on the small table beside his mistress."Please, sir," said Asih in a soft but authoritative voice. "Warm coffee can help calm the mind."Aiden looked at Asih for a moment, then nodded and said thank you without saying much. Asih noticed something different in the expressions of her foster children. The feeling of anxiety and confusion that was rarely seen in Aiden disturbed him.Asih dared to ask, "Sorry if I'm being presumptuous, Mr. Aiden. There's something on your mind, sir, isn't it?"Aiden was silent
That morning, sunlight seeped through the curtains, warming the room with its golden rays. Dea and Aiden lay in the same bed after a night filled with complexity. The air between them felt heavy with awkwardness, and neither spoke for a moment, both avoiding each other's gaze.Dea opened her eyes, sensing the tension. She glanced at Aiden lying beside her, his face calm, though her own heart was racing. Quickly, she pulled the blanket over herself, feeling a bit self-conscious about the situation.“Good morning,” Aiden said softly, his voice barely audible. Dea just nodded, too unsure to reply. The discomfort between them was palpable, like an invisible wall separating them despite their physical closeness.Aiden searched for words to break the silence. “Last night… uh, that didn’t go exactly as planned, did it?” he asked hesitantly, trying to keep the conversation light, though his heart was pounding.Dea managed a faint smile, still uncomfortable. “Yeah, you could say that,” she res
A few days later, Dea was as healthy as ever. Rara had taken great care of her employer, which had a significant impact on her recovery."Is there anything you need, Madam?" Rara asked after checking her blood pressure.Dea shook her head."Alright. In that case, Madam, you can rest."The servant closed the bedroom door softly. She didn't want to disturb her employer with any noise pollution. However, just as the door was about to close completely, Aiden barged in. Rara quickly lowered her body, but Aiden paid no attention to her."There's something important we need to discuss," Aiden said to his wife without preamble. Dea simply stared at him without responding."My parents have given me a condition to remain their primary heir," the man paused for a moment. His pupils trembled slightly as he looked at Dea. "The condition is a grandchild. They want a grandchild from us. What do you think?" Aiden quickly swallowed the saliva that had gathered in his mouth.Dea remained silent for a w
Asih carefully chose one of the new servants to approach. The two women stared at each other for a moment, and eventually, the one standing on the right took three steps forward and began to speak, "Mr. Aiden, allow me to introduce myself."The man addressed by the woman nodded coldly."I'm Rara, 24 years old, assigned as both a servant and personal nurse to Madam Dea. I graduated from the health academy three years ago with 2 years of work experience in the National Medicane hospital in the capital. In-""Enough," Aiden interrupted, not wanting to waste more time. Asih quickly called another servant to step forward."Mr. Aiden, allow me to introduce myself." Again, Aiden only nodded."Nina, 25 years old. Here, I serve as a personal servant and nutritionist for Madam Dea. I graduated from National Louis University three years ago with 1 year of work experience at Camberg Office.""Yes. Please leave."Aiden concluded the introduction session for the new staff in his house. He immediate
The sweet nickname made Elvaro smile. If before, he stomped his feet to walk, now the steps of his shoes felt softer and rhythmic, reflecting the user's feelings. He approached the woman sitting at her desk with a gaze full of love. The presence of the woman felt like a blessing in the chaos of the company."Since when have you been here, Bae?" Elvaro asked as he approached Wendy. Yes, it was Wendy, Aiden's girlfriend.The woman pursed her lips as sweetly as possible. "Since a while ago. I've been waiting for you for 30 minutes. But you didn't show up." Wendy began to put her arm around the man's shoulders. She slowly inhaled the gentle scent of his cologne. Elvaro could feel Wendy's breath on him. He immediately put his arm around her waist."Sorry, Bae. I was in Aiden's office earlier. We had a lot of reports to review."Wendy raised both of her eyebrows. "Is Aiden at the office today?""Yes. Do you want to go there?"Wendy fell silent but eventually answered, "No. Today, I want to
Because she was accustomed to seeing the old house deserted, discovering a foreign car parked haphazardly made Dea wonder who was visiting her father."Madam, we'd better go inside together. Let me park first," Toni cautioned, sensing a foreboding creeping into his heart. Dea agreed with her friend's suggestion.'For some reason, I feel that something bad is about to happen,' Dea thought, her hand clenched. Sweat moistened her palms, and her anxiety was so strong that it triggered a stress response within her body.When the car was neatly parked in the front yard, Toni quickly opened the door for his employer. Dea slowly walked towards Hando's house. Faintly, she could hear commotion inside, and she heard Devano's voice several times."Calm down, Ma," Devano exclaimed in frustration. Dea could clearly see the man's face. Unfortunately, Devano didn't notice Dea's presence. Hando, who appeared to be in good health, could only heave a sigh for a moment, but his eyes were fixed when he sa
Getting caught by her husband made Toni confused about what to say. Dea asked him to hide today's events, while Aiden was now in an angry mood."I'm sorry, Sir, I can't answer that. You can ask Madam directly. However, Non Dea's condition is likely dropping again because she didn't have breakfast and didn't take her medicine," Toni explained with slightly trembling fingers.Aiden stared sharply at his wife's driver. "So, where were you earlier?""At Madam's friend's house.""Was it a man or a woman?" Aiden probed."Both men and women.""Are you keeping something from me?"Toni remained silent, reluctant to speak up."Great!" Aiden nodded. "It turns out you're conspiring with Dea."Toni could only swallow his saliva."Now you can rest, leave.""Am I fired, Sir?" Toni was shocked by the word 'leave' that came out of his employer's mouth."No, just take a break. You've been with Dea all day," Aiden expl
Last night's conversation left Aiden deep in thought this mor