"Honey! Look, our daughter can ride a bike!" Azzura dragged Adrian towards the courtyard. Her eyes were sparkling and she had a look of happiness on her face.Adrian smiled sadly as he looked at Azzura from the side. There was a tightness he felt seeing the woman he loved like this. Azzura's schizophrenia was in a phase that could hurt herself or others."Kyra! Be careful, girl! You'll fall!" Azzura was still looking at the empty yard. The yard Azzura was looking at was just a blank yard. However, in the woman's mind, there was Kyra riding a two-wheeled bicycle. The memory of when Kyra was five years old and could first ride a two-wheeled bicycle as her fifth birthday present.It was probably about fifteen minutes before Azzura's smile grew before the look on the woman's face changed drastically. Her eyes, which had been full of a twinkle of happiness, became sharp with a flash of hatred."Don't take my daughter!" Azzura shouted as she ran towards the empty courtyard. Adrian was start
"Dad! Where's Mommy going? Why can't I meet Mommy?" protested Kyra as she sat her bum on the chair. The Pradipta family was currently having breakfast. Brian sat at the end of the chair, with Vio and Kyra on his right and left.Vio glanced at Brian to see how her husband would react when her daughter again asked about her mother. She felt both sad and sorry for Brian who could never answer Kyra's questions about Azzura."Um... let's eat first, dear. The food is getting cold." Vio tried to distract Kyra. But what she got now was a look in Kyra's eyes that implied deep hatred."You don't need to be so considerate, you're not my mom, so you don't need to call me 'darling'. It's disgusting to know!""Kyra!" snapped Brian, causing Kyra to immediately turn to her father."You dare to yell at me?" she asked with teary eyes."It's okay. I'm fine." Vio touched Brian's hand and stroked it to calm him down. It had been about a month since the family became heated. Precisely when Kyra found out a
Brian slammed his bag down as he entered his office. Lately, everything had been spiraling out of control. Wijaya had begun to slowly withdraw his business support from his company, and Kyra's attitude towards him and Vio was becoming increasingly disrespectful. With a bit of a grunt, Brian plopped down on his chair, automatically massaging his forehead, a reflex he had when he was stressed. On top of everything else, Azzura's whereabouts were still unknown.He sat like that for about fifteen minutes, startled when his phone rang. He squinted his eyes at the caller ID."Hello! What is it?" he asked, his voice a bit sharp. Brian was annoyed with this person because they'd been searching for months, but they hadn't gotten any results."Don't be so harsh, Boss.""Why should I be gentle with you? You can't even find one person." Brian snapped. The caller was Vincent, his subordinate who he had tasked with finding Azzura and Adrian. It had been over seven months, and Vincent still hadn'
"Vincent! Have you confirmed why my father-in-law went to Switzerland?" Brian asked as Vincent drove him to the airport. He had canceled all his appointments that afternoon and asked Risa to book a flight to Switzerland. He was sure that Wijaya's trip was related to Azzura."As usual, Boss. My men couldn't penetrate Wijaya's defenses. They only know his destination, but they couldn't determine what was happening inside."Brian nodded in understanding. It was indeed very difficult to keep tabs on his father-in-law. Somehow, Wijaya always managed to outsmart Brian's people.No more questions came from Brian's lips after that. His heart was preoccupied with what he would do if he saw Azzura. How was his wife doing? Was she okay?When they arrived at the airport, Vincent quickly grabbed Brian's suitcase. The man struggled to keep up with Brian's hurried pace, as he was clearly chasing something. Vincent was a little surprised when Brian suddenly stopped in his tracks to answer a phone ca
It was as if Brian had been struck by lightning. His knees suddenly went weak, turning to jelly, and his body crumpled to the floor. His backside hit the floor, his elbows resting on the long chair beside him. His head hung low, and soon his shoulders began to tremble. He cried again after learning that Vio's unborn child couldn't be saved.Vio had already miscarried, and the doctor was currently performing a dilation and curettage procedure with Vio's consent. She had assumed that Brian wouldn't come because he was going to Switzerland.The woman in front of him was flustered, unsure of how to act. She couldn't hug or pat Brian's back because she was just an employee. Thankfully, the awkward situation didn't last long. Brian lifted his face and wiped away the tears that had already fallen.Brian got up and went straight to the operating room. After all, he was a man. He couldn't appear weak, especially in front of his wife. If he crumbled, how would he be able to support Vio later?
After spending a few days in the clinic, Vio asked Brian if she could go home. Although she wasn't fully recovered, she didn't want to stay in a room that smelled of medicine any longer. Especially since this was the place where she lost her baby."I can manage on my own, Honey." Vio declined when Brian tried to help her walk after she first got out of the car. Brian sighed deeply because of Vio's sudden coldness. He had to be patient even though Vio had been ignoring him for the past few days.He followed Vio from behind, watching his wife's back made him feel guilty. His shoulders slumped as he remembered Vio's dazed expression these past few days. He had tried to make Vio smile, but all his efforts had failed. Vio looked more and more like a living corpse each day. She breathed, but she seemed to have no soul.The atmosphere was silent inside the car. Although their hands were intertwined, no sound was heard. Vio kept looking out the window as if there was something interesting
The air was scorching hot, just like Vio's head, which felt like it was about to explode. She still hadn't recovered from the devastation of losing her child, and now she had to face Kyra's anger.Brian told Vio that she didn't need to wait for Kyra because she was sleeping at her grandmother's house. He asked Vio to stay calm and not overthink things. But she still couldn't rest, even after spending the whole day in her room.Vio kept thinking about Azzura and Kyra. She also imagined how Brian must be feeling with all the problems piling up. While Brian was busy searching for Azzura, Vio had a miscarriage, and now Kyra was hostile towards her."I need to see Kyra." Vio got up and walked out of the room. She would go to Kyra's grandmother's house.Driven by the chauffeur, Vio arrived at the Wijaya family home half an hour later. Even though she was standing at the front door, she hesitated before pressing the doorbell. Vio stood for a long time in front of the large door with classic
The afternoon air was stiflingly hot, like the atmosphere inside the room. Kyra wouldn't even look at Vio, who stood before her. Her hands were clasped in front of her chest, and her face was turned towards the window. Her eyes stared blankly outside."If you don't have anything to say, I'm leaving." Kyra rose from her seat and prepared to walk out, but Vio quickly grabbed her arm. Kyra immediately turned to Vio and gave her a disapproving look. Vio quickly withdrew her hand."Sorry." Vio took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Come back, Kyra." Vio's soft voice sounded sincere, but not to Kyra. The young girl seemed even more annoyed. Her face hardened, and her fists clenched.She turned, and her face looked tense. Her gaze was sharp, as if she wanted to devour Vio alive. "I'll go home if you leave," she said firmly.Vio was shocked by Kyra's words. Her lips, which had already parted, couldn't make a sound. Vio swallowed hard and remained silent as Kyra walked out of the room. Vio's
The air felt heavy, as if the remaining oxygen was dwindling. The wall clock ticked slowly, each second sounding like an eternity. Five people sat there in silence, each trapped in their own thoughts.On the long sofa, Anthony Wijaya sat with his wife, Wening. They stared intently at Brian, who looked dishevelled in front of them. He hadn't stopped fidgeting since his wife had gone into hysteria because of him. Next to Brian was Kyra, still visibly shocked, witnessing the reality of her mother's condition.In the corner of the room, Adrian stood, leaning against the wall. He folded his arms in front of his chest, his eyes constantly watching the four people in front of him. The atmosphere in the room was more chilling than a cemetery. Even for Adrian, this was more horrifying than encountering a ghost.Although he was Azzura's best friend and doctor, he was confused by the situation. Both sides were unable to reconcile. Although Mr. Wijaya seemed more lenient than usual, he still felt
The father and daughter stared at each other for a long time. There was a sense of longing conveyed in Brian's gaze towards Kyra. He wanted to run and hug her, but he was also afraid that Kyra would reject him."Daddy…!" Finally, Brian felt relieved when Kyra approached him first. She ran and then hugged him. Brian happily returned Kyra's hug. He held Kyra tightly, as if he didn't want to let go anymore."Kyra, I miss you." One word that could explain all he had felt all this time. They had met a few times, but the closeness of a father and daughter had been lost for a long time."I'm sorry, Daddy. Forgive me for always blaming you. Forgive me for not understanding you." A sincere apology came from Kyra's small lips. She also longed for this, hugging her father with feelings of love and affection."No, dear. I am the one who needs to apologise to you for being selfish and never understanding you."Wening and Anthony Wijaya just watched silently. Although they were upset with Brian's s
Kyra remained silent after meeting Vio. She was still pondering over what had been said. For a long time, she had turned a blind eye and deaf ear to what happened to her parents. She simply wanted to blame Vio for everything that had happened.Kyra still held the agreement in her hands. Several times, she only glanced at it and was afraid to open it again. She still couldn't believe that her mother had planned all this. She still denied that her mother had schizophrenia.Kyra shook her head. "This can't be true, right?" Kyra asked more of herself. She took a deep breath and then lifted her head, which had been bowed down.Kyra remembered her grandfather, who had been in Switzerland for the past few days. Vio had mentioned earlier that her father was in Switzerland to pick up her mother. Could her grandfather have been with her mother all this time?"Sir! Can you go faster?" Kyra commanded the driver, who responded with a nod. The car sped up faster than before. Kyra sat anxiously in t
After hearing everything from Handoko, Vio decided to visit her mother's grave. Handoko had never told her about her mother, always keeping the truth hidden. Vio had grown accustomed to not asking. The most important thing for her was that she had a great father.Vio sat in front of the tombstone for a while, saying nothing. She didn't know how to address her mother because she had never done so in her life.With her mouth still closed, Vio began to move her hand to pull out the weeds growing on the mound of earth. Occasionally, her eyes would glance at the name on the tombstone."I wish I knew you before, Mom. I’m sorry it took so long for me to come here." Vio took a deep breath, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Although she didn't know anything about her mother, Vio could feel the sadness her mother had experienced. Thankfully, Handoko had finally made her stay, even if it wasn't for long.No more words came out of Vio's mouth. She just wanted to enjoy this mo
Wijaya didn't forbid Brian from coming after that incident. He was pleased to see Azzura becoming more cheerful. Although he would occasionally flare up in anger, Azzura's smiles were more frequent.Every day, Brian came with Adrian and always accompanied Azzura, whether reading novels or knitting. He was so attentive and meticulous in caring for Azzura that he seemed to forget about Vio's existence. He hadn't even contacted Vio since that day.Vio kept glancing at her phone. It had been days since her husband left without any news. Naturally, she was worried that something bad had happened to Brian. Brian had only called once when he left the airport on his way to the hotel."What's wrong, dear? Why do you look so anxious? Hasn't Brian contacted you?" Handoko emerged from his room. His right hand pressed a button, causing his wheelchair to move automatically.Vio winced. She hadn't even told her father about this, so how could he know?Vio shook her head. "No, Dad. Mas Brian usually
Wijaya strode quickly towards Azzura's bed. He then grabbed the back of Brian's shirt and shoved him hard, sending him crashing into the wall. Still not satisfied, Wijaya moved closer to Brian and pulled off the wig he was wearing. Wijaya's face turned crimson when he realized that Brian had been with his daughter all along.From the moment he saw the man carrying Azzura, Wijaya had suspected it was Brian. After all, there was no way Adrian would allow another man to touch Azzura. And this time, his suspicion was confirmed. Wijaya was furious to learn that Adrian had deceived him."What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you not to look for Azzura anymore?" Wijaya snapped at Brian. His blood was boiling because he couldn't stand the thought of Brian touching Azzura again. Even though Wijaya knew that Brian's second marriage was Azzura's wish, he hadn't accepted it yet. He didn't care who Brian was with now, but he didn't want Brian with Azzura anymore.Brian, who had been silent until
"What's going on, Adrian?" The sound of a familiar voice stopped them in their tracks. Both Brian and Adrian were so scared that neither of them turned around."Adrian! Why are you just standing there?" The sound of footsteps approaching forced Adrian to turn around. He smiled, greeting Mr. Wijaya as the older man drew closer. He hadn't expected the old man to arrive earlier than usual."Uh... I sedated Azzura because she was having a fit earlier, Uncle," explained Adrian, shifting his body to cover Brian's back. Even though Brian was still disguised, there was a chance Mr. Wijaya might recognise his son-in-law. After all, they had been father-in-law and son-in-law for quite some time.Mr. Wijaya sighed deeply. "Is there any treatment that can fully cure her? I'll pay anything." It was the despair of a father facing his daughter's condition. Azzura was his only child, and she was his world. He couldn't believe she would suffer from a mental illness like this.Adrian shook his head fee
The sound of Adrian's car horn caught the attention of the guard at the gate. Upon realizing it was Adrian's car, they opened the gate."Has Mr. Wijaya arrived?" Adrian asked the guard opening the door for him. Before answering, the guard glanced at the man sitting next to Adrian. His furrowed brow showing doubt about the person Adrian brought.Adrian, realizing this, briefly glanced at Brian. "Ah... this is my assistant. I brought him because I need his help. Azzura's condition is very bad, and I'm afraid she might hurt me."Brian pondered upon hearing Adrian's words. Was his wife's condition really that severe?"Don't make a scene!" Brian turned when Adrian said something. Adrian had just closed the car window and was about to drive off.Brian remained silent, looking confused. Eventually, he opened his mouth and asked, "Is Azzura's condition really that bad?" Half of his soul felt wounded after hearing Adrian's earlier statement. He couldn't ima
Brian drove recklessly despite the terrible weather conditions. The heavy snowfall obstructed his view. However, Brian managed to catch up with Adrian's car and cut him off, forcing Adrian to abruptly stop his vehicle.Brian slammed the car door shut, creating a loud noise. He quickly walked towards Adrian and began pounding on the man's car window."Adrian! Come out!" Emotions had taken over Brian, making him impatient. As Azzura's husband, he was not allowed to meet with her, so why could Adrian meet her?Adrian remained quiet for a while. He took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, and after a few moments, he opened his car door."What are you doing? Why are you behaving like a thug?" Adrian raised his face, indicating he wasn't afraid of Brian. Both men stared at each other sharply, each harboring resentment.Anger consumed Brian to the point where he couldn't remain calm. His hand suddenly reached out and grabbed Adrian's shirt collar. "Tell me! Is Azzura in that house?" Brian'