'I didn't get a chance to say this earlier. But I'm grateful that Bryan said that you were the one who helped convince Mr Hart that he was willing to be a partnership again.'Vivi had just eaten dinner in the hospital cafeteria after making sure Darren was asleep, and in the middle of her meal, she got a message from Lucas.Vivi put down her spoon and used both hands to answer Lucas' message. 'You don't need to thank me because I should be the one to apologize because it's of me that you have to go through all this. From now on, I'll try to make sure that Darren doesn't bother you just because of our past.'Vivi hadn't even had time to put her phone down on the table when Lucas replied quickly. It was a short message that gave Vivi a strange feeling when she read it.'I'm sorry. And thank you for everything.'Vivi didn't understand what the words 'sorry' and 'thank you' were for, but the more she thought about it, the stranger it made her feel. And when she imagined Lucas' face, which
"Oh, shit! I'm late! I'm late!"Darren, who was working from the bed with a laptop on his lap, turned his attention away from his work when he heard the commotion caused by Bryan's awakening.Darren just raised an eyebrow, enjoying the show Bryan was putting on before his eyes because in his carelessness, Bryan, who thought he was running late, was trying to get to the bathroom with his eyes still too heavy to open, causing him to bump into objects or walls in front of him repeatedly."Where are you going?" asked Darren after Bryan came out of the bathroom only five minutes after the man had entered it because it looked like Bryan had just peed and washed his face."To the office," Bryan said as he hurriedly buttoned his shirt–the more he hurried, the more chaotic his work became as he had to undo the wrong button several times."So early?" asked Darren again."I'm so late!" Bryan said."What's late? It's four in the morning," says Darren, bringing Bryan's movements to a screeching ha
"It's okay. This is the best decision."Sitting in one of the seats at the café across from the hospital, Vivi reassured herself as she fiddled with the wedding ring on her left finger. She hoped that remembering how Darren had given her that ring on their wedding day would reassure her that what she was about to do was indeed the right decision."Vivi."Vivi immediately raised her head when she heard someone call her name, and her lips immediately curled into a smile when she saw Lucas coming and filling the chair in front of her."It seems like you've gotten close to Bryan lately," Vivi commented after Lucas ordered a drink."He's helped my company a lot, so I try to maintain a good relationship with him," Lucas said. "So... What did you want to talk to me about?" he asked, not wanting to linger with Vivi, fearing that it would cause more problems for him and his company."This..." Vivi took something out of her bag and placed it on the table. Lucas looked at her in surprise when he
"I thought Vivi would finally change you."Darren, who had just gotten into Bryan's car that picked him up at the airport after he had been in London for three days because he had to solve the problem the man had created, turned his head to Bryan, who was driving the car after hearing what he had said to him."Did you deliberately try to show Vivi that you met a hot bitch in Singapore?" Bryan asked as he gave Darren's neck a mocking look.Darren immediately examined his neck through the rearview mirror and hissed in annoyance when he saw a deep red kiss mark on the left side of his neck."I warned her not to leave a mark, but how dare she leave one here?" Darren grumbled as he rubbed his neck furiously."You can make Vivi regret it if you keep being an asshole like this," Bryan said, which made Darren turn to him and give him a cold stare–which Bryan should have understood if it meant Darren didn't want to hear him talk about it because if they continued, they might fight."And I coul
“Oh, finally! I'm glad to see someone I know!"Bryan, who had previously looked bored being stuck at a party with important people he didn't know, immediately seemed very happy when he saw Lucas."Thanks for inviting me to your party. And congratulations on your new position as CEO," Lucas said."I should say thank you. I wouldn't be in this position without your help," Bryan said.Bryan looked genuinely happy to finally find someone on the same frequency as him. But in the middle of his conversation with Lucas, Bryan's attention was distracted by the slight commotion in the luxurious ballroom that had been transformed into a party venue by the presence of Darren and Vivi."Wow, do they think they're celebrities? It's my party, but I'm not even greeted with that much excitement," Bryan said spitefully as he saw Darren getting a warm welcome from the guests while Vivi walked beside him, grabbing Darren's left arm and putting a sweet smile on her face."I'm sorry I didn't roll out the r
"Aaah..." The soft moan made Lucas, who was treating the wound on Vivi's temple, stop immediately. He turned his eyes to Vivi, who was beginning to regain consciousness, and slowly opened her eyes."Here, drink this first," Lucas said as he handed Vivi a glass of water.Vivi, who was still not fully awake, obeyed Lucas' order and drank the water the man gave her. But after drinking the glass and regaining consciousness, Vivi was surprised to find herself on the bed with Lucas sitting beside her."What are you doing here?" Vivi asked frantically."Don't you remember what happened to you?" Lucas asked back, and Vivi, who couldn't remember anything, just shook her head."I don't know when you came. But when I went out this morning, I found you unconscious in front of my door."Lucas' explanation made Vivi frown. But as her memory began to clear and she could recall what had happened to her last night up until now, the confused expression on Vivi's face slowly faded and was replaced by a
"Oh my God, Vivi... What happened to you?"Like Lucas, Bryan's first reaction to seeing Vivi's condition was shock. Bryan had seen her as a goddess the night before at his party, Darren had turned her into this miserable woman in just one night."I'm fine now, so you don't have to worry," Vivi said."What's fine? Look at you!" Bryan looked at Vivi's swollen and scarred face with concern. "Vivi, if Darren did this to you, you should report him to the police–“"No matter where I go for justice, I won't be able to beat someone like Darren. You know that," Vivi said, making Bryan sad because he realized what she said was true."How is Darren now?" asked Vivi."He's still furious, and his emotions are out of control,” Bryan replied. He took out a thick brown envelope and placed it before Vivi. "You can use this money for a while. Tell me what you need, and I'll give you more money–""No, Bryan. I don't want to ask you for money," Vivi refused and pushed the envelope away. "I have my own mo
"Oh, is it done?"Sitting outside Vivi's room, Bryan was quite surprised when the door opened. Darren walked out with a blank stare while Vivi's crying could still be heard from inside the room."What's wrong?" Bryan asked as he held Darren's arm and made him stop walking. "Vivi's still crying. Are you just going to leave her?""It's done," Darren said in a weak voice while his eyes looked at Bryan with a look that still seemed blank."What's done?" Bryan asked, confused because he didn't understand what Darren was saying."Our marriage. I'm getting a divorce." Darren said, which made Bryan's eyes widen. Even though what had happened with Vivi was very bad, Bryan had not expected them to make the decision to divorce so quickly."Hey, why all of a sudden– Darren! Are you just going to leave?"Darren ignored Bryan's words and walked away, leaving Bryan calling out to him to come back and talk about it properly.But Darren felt that there was nothing left to talk about with Vivi. Everyth
Bang!"Oh, my goodness!" Lying on the bed and playing with his phone, Bryan jumped in surprise when the door to his room suddenly opened. And he immediately glared at Vivi as he saw the woman with the big belly walking toward him while ruffling her waist."What? Where are your manners, huh? Why did you just barge into a virgin's room?!" Bryan snapped."Where are you hiding him?" Vivi asked with an annoyed look."Hiding who? Can't you see I'm busy, huh?" Bryan argued as he was busy with his phone again."Seriously, Bryan! I don't have much time. The plane is leaving soon!" Vivi raised her voice in an annoyed tone, but Bryan just shrugged."Then hurry up and get going! Why are you lingering in my room?" snapped Bryan–who could comfortably call one of the rooms in Darren's house 'my room' due to the number of times he stayed there and used it."You don't want to tell me?" asked Vivi, and Bryan shrugged again. "Just watch out if I find him here!"Vivi turned to leave Bryan, causing the ma
Lucas put his cup down on the table after taking a sip. It hadn't been ten minutes since he'd sat down in this cafe to meet Vivi, but he'd almost finished his coffee before Vivi arrived. Unconsciously, the nervousness he felt was making him thirsty.Lucas didn't know why he felt so nervous. But the feeling came only after Vivi, whom he hadn't heard from in 5 months, suddenly contacted him and invited him to meet.Since Vivi returned to Darren, his relationship with Vivi, which was once intense, has been severed. He never hears from Vivi again, and even Bryan, who is still on good terms with him, never mentions Vivi or Darren in his presence.Lucas was very worried and wanted to contact Vivi at least once to check on her. But Lucas tried to suppress his curiosity for fear of putting Vivi back in a bad relationship with Darren. He assured himself that if there was no news, everything was okay because if something happened to Vivi, he would hear about it from Bryan."Have you been waitin
"Because there is a childhood wound that I want to heal.""What wound do you want to heal?" asked Vivi."My wounded heart from parents who never loved me at all," Darren says, causing Vivi to fall silent as she remembers Bryan's story about Darren's mother killing his father."As a kid, I wanted a lot of trivial things. But because I was afraid of my parents, I never said it and grew up without ever feeling those things. Now that I can get everything easily, I will no longer feel happy. So I want to heal the wound my parents left in my heart by giving my future child all I never had in my childhood," Darren explains."This child is so lucky," Vivi said as she gently rubbed her belly. "I am so jealous that he has a dad who loves him so much because I never really felt my parents' love." "Why would you be jealous? This baby's daddy is your husband. He's all yours," Darren said."I like this kind of feeling. Feeling happy without much effort. Just being in your arms and chatting without
"No need to go to the hospital!" Vivi immediately rejected Darren's invitation in a panic. "It's probably not because I'm pregnant. Maybe... Maybe it's just fatigue or a cold."Darren looked at Vivi worriedly–more worried than ever because Vivi refused his offer to go to the hospital."It's okay if you're not pregnant, Vivi. You should still go to the hospital for a checkup. We can't go home if you're sick," Darren said. He tried to say it softly so Vivi would not feel depressed because she thought he wanted her to be pregnant.Although, in truth, Darren was very upset to hear Vivi's suspicion that she might be pregnant with his child."You looked very happy when I said I might be pregnant." But it seemed that Darren had unconsciously made it clear enough for Vivi to see. "I didn't want you to be disappointed because–“"I told you I wouldn't force it. If you're not pregnant, if you're not ready, then it doesn't matter. But please, you should still go to the doctor and get checked out
"You're just in time." Standing in front of the stove with an apron attached to her body, Vivi greeted Darren's arrival with a warm smile. "I just finished making lunch. Wash your hands and..."Vivi stopped talking when Darren, who was walking towards her, suddenly hugged her tightly. It surprised Vivi that the man hugged her like that without saying anything."Darren?" Vivi called Darren's name softly. "What's wrong?" she asked in a worried tone."I miss you so much. So let me hug you like this for a while until my longing goes away," Darren said, which made Vivi hug him back immediately."Vivi." Darren then called Vivi in a soft way that he only used to call his wife. And after Vivi answered him with a soft murmur, Darren asked, "Are you happy with me?"Vivi did not answer Darren's question right away. She put her arms around Darren so she could see his face. And she felt that Darren must have said something that had shaken Darren's heart to ask her such a question.And without answ
"A- Ah! Shit!"Bryan cursed in annoyance that his gaming fun had to end when his phone suddenly rang. And he was even more annoyed when he saw Vivi's name on the screen."Hel-""What, huh? WHAT?!" Bryan didn't need to hear Vivi finish a word to immediately interrupt her with a yell, which surprised the woman and made her hastily move the phone away from her ear."Why are you yelling-""You don't remember how arrogant you were to me this morning about getting back together with Darren, do you?!" Bryan interrupted Vivi again, still yelling, which surprised Vivi very much because she was being scolded like that."Have you been fighting with Darren again? Did he hit you again? Hah! Enjoy it! I don't care anymore, so you don't have to call me to tell me-""What's wrong with you?" Vivi, who couldn't stand Bryan's incoherent tirade, finally interrupted him. "Are you secretly hoping that Darren will hurt me again?""So he hasn't hurt you?" Bryan asked, lowering his voice, while Vivi only answ
"Why do you look so upset? Is there a problem?" Lucas asked after sitting down in front of Bryan.A few moments ago, Bryan called him and invited him to dinner at a restaurant near his office. At first, he thought that Bryan just wanted to have dinner with him, but when he saw the annoyed look on the man's face, Lucas wondered if Bryan might have some problem."Yesterday, you said you were going to Vivi's apartment, right?" Bryan asked as Lucas nodded. "So it must have been you who beat up Darren so badly?"Lucas didn't answer Bryan's question right away. Because Bryan was so nice to him, he sometimes forgot that he was Darren's best friend since he was a baby. And it made him a little sad to think that Bryan had come to him with such an upset face because he was disappointed in him for beating up his best friend."Yesterday, I lost control of myself and beat him up like that," Lucas said in a low voice that sounded like a mumble.But Bryan's reaction was unexpected. In an angry tone
"Good morning, darling."Since her parting from Darren, Vivi had never seen anything like this, not even in her most beautiful dreams. To wake up from her sleep and to be greeted by a good morning from Darren, and then to receive a loving kiss on the forehead from the man.And the best part of it was that Vivi experienced it directly, not just in her dreams or wishful thinking."Good morning," Vivi answered Darren's greeting with her hoarse voice. She pulled the blanket over her body, which felt cold because it was not wrapped in any cloth. "What time is it?""It's very early. Go back to sleep if you're still tired," Darren said, tucking Vivi's messy hair behind her ear.Vivi turned her head to the window, which made her squint when she saw the sunlight shining brightly."Looks like it's already noon," Vivi said as she looked back at Darren. "Why aren't you getting ready for the office yet?""I'm not going to the office today," Darren replied as he shifted his body to get closer to Vi
"For the last time. If the same thing happens again, I'll let you go myself. Please give me another chance to prove how much I've changed for you."Vivi listened to Darren's plea while looking directly into the man's eyes. And it touched Vivi's heart when she saw how sincere and how much love Darren showed her with his gaze.Vivi had never received so much from anyone else. She had never felt so much sincerity from anyone. But Darren always gave her more than she could bear, whether sincerity, love, or fear. And Vivi felt thrown back into the abyss of dilemma when she couldn't decide if the love Darren gave her was strong enough to overcome her fear of him."You can have any woman you want. Easily, without all this struggle. You can make women crawl under your feet. But why did you go to all this trouble just for me?" Vivi asked about the confusion that had always been in her heart.The question of what exactly Darren saw in her made him willing to give up everything for an ordinary w