After finishing their lunch, Ariana decided to go to the playground with Axel. Their driver returned to the parking lot while their nanny continued to follow them. Axel cheerfully ran around, playing all the games available in the mall area. Meanwhile, Ariana and the nanny sat on a bench, watching the little boy play tirelessly. "What was Axel like when he came to Zeroun's residence?" Ariana suddenly inquired. Her attention remained fixed on the small child who was now busy hitting a plastic crocodile with a toy hammer. "Um, well, that..." the nanny hesitated. "Don't worry. I won't report anything. This conversation is just between us. I just want to get to know Axel better," Ariana replied candidly. "Back then, when Axel was brought here, I was still a household assistant. My husband and I had been working at the Zeroun's house for a long time. We were quite surprised when Mrs. Isidora suddenly arrived and brought a young woman and a little child to the house, saying that he was

Ariana chose to sit on the balcony of Gerald's room, because up until now, she still considered the room not to be hers. The balcony wasn't as spacious as the one in Gerald's private home that Ariana had visited before. Still, it was enough to accommodate two cushioned rattan chairs and a round table large enough for tea and snacks. She looked at the view in front of her: densely populated houses that weren't exactly a beautiful sight to behold. She fell silent, contemplating this marriage. Could all of this be a test for her marriage with Gerald? A strengthening of their spiritual bond? Was God testing Ariana by showing her the women from Gerald's past, even though she didn't want to know? Perhaps God wanted to make Ariana realize that she was disturbed by their presence. And, in fact, this was also a test for Gerald. Maybe God was testing his loyalty. Would Gerald remain steadfast with Ariana despite the arrival of those women, or would he be tempted and turn away? These were the

Ariana covered herself with a blanket up to her shoulders. Gerald also climbed onto the bed and got under the blanket, positioning his body next to the girl. Gerald lay on his side. He was looking at Ariana's shoulders and neck, which were covered by a thick blanket. "Ariana..." he whined. And Ariana knows what that means. "What?" he asked curtly. "Can't we do it now?" asked Gerald again. The man's hands played with the blanket covering Ariana's body and was about to open it. But Ariana brushed it off vehemently. "Do what?" she asked curtly, even though he could already guess the direction of their conversation. She still had her back to Gerald, so she didn't know that her husband was now looking at her with sparkling eyes. "You know, ignoring your husband is a sin. Refusing to serve him for unclear reasons is also a sin. Angels can curse you all night long. Did you know that?" He threatened. Ariana turned her head. Instantly, his body angled so they were facing each other. She

Gerald heard the bathroom door open. Ariana was wearing one of Gerald's oversized bathrobes, and seeing her like that warmed Gerald's heart. Ariana glanced in his direction, her forehead creased. Her gaze was, of course, directed at the fabric in Gerald's hand. "I don't want the servants to fuss," she replied casually. She took the bathrobe from him and headed into the bathroom, but Gerald stopped her. "Let me wash it later," Ariana insisted, but Gerald shook his head. "I won't wash it. Just soak it in the bathtub. The servants will finish the rest," he replied. Ariana nodded and walked toward the walk-in closet. Gerald held her arm, kissing the top of her head, which felt different to Ariana this time. He cupped Ariana's face with both his hands. A smile played on his lips, mischievousness evident in Ariana's eyes. "What?" she asked challengingly. "Can we do it again?" he teased. "That is if you don't mind," he added. "What if I do mind?" Ariana asked with a deadpan expression.

Her eyes welled up with tears. "I can't keep asking for their help forever because I know their lives aren't that rich to fulfill all my needs. And they're also financing my father's medical treatment and hiring a nurse because they don't want me to struggle. And all of that surely isn't cheap. So, to meet my needs, I chose to earn money myself. I worked." Gerald was surprised. He glanced at his wife, who still hadn't looked his way. "I met an unfortunate boy who worked as a street performer at traffic lights," Ariana smiled. "If you think I became a street performer too, you're wrong; I'm not that good at singing." She chuckled. "I sold newspapers," she continued. "Alongside him, I learned about the world of the streets. I understood how difficult it was for people out there to find food. Even though some of them were just pretending. But I knew some of their stories were real. He also taught me that, regardless of my situation, I should always be grateful because there were many pe