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179

Mariana couldn't help but look sadly at her husband, Handoko, who had been in a deep slumber for a month now, showing no signs of waking up. She missed him deeply and wished he would regain consciousness soon.

Mariana held Handoko's hand tightly, reflecting on their decades-long marriage. There was nothing inherently wrong with Handoko's actions, but his ambition and selfishness had often led to the sacrifice of others' happiness for their own.

For Lusi, Mariana had been unaware that she was Handoko's first wife during all these years. While Mariana was the second wife, she felt entitled to happiness and primary attention because she had given Handoko children.

Bryan and Nicholas, two handsome and different sons, had been their solace at home. Despite Nicholas and Bryan's unhealthy relationship, their youngest son had always tried to provide the best for them all.

"Darling, don't you want to wake up? Don't you miss my cooking?" Mariana asked while still holding Handoko's hand. She clung to him as if she believed that letting go would mean losing him.

Mariana couldn't help but shed a few tears as she expressed how much she missed her husband. She longed for the attention that no one else could replace.

"I'll be gone for a moment, dear. There's an urgent matter I can't postpone," Mariana said as she reluctantly left Handoko's side.

She didn't want to leave her husband, even for a moment, but nature called. She couldn't hold off too long, as it might lead to health problems.

Shortly after Mariana left for the bathroom, a woman dressed in all white entered. Her mouth was covered with a mask to avoid being recognized. She tiptoed inside to meet Handoko.

It had been a very long time since she had been able to see her husband. Fortunately, when this woman, none other than Lusi, entered, she didn't find Mariana in the room. So she didn't need to pretend to be someone else to meet Handoko.

"How are you, my dear?" Lusi asked as she held Handoko's hand. Just like Mariana, she missed her husband deeply. If only she could replace Handoko's position, she would be there instead because Handoko still had responsibilities to fulfill.

Unlike her, who had no one left. Aditama had left, and Alesya despised her. There was no longer any purpose to her life, as the only remaining people were those who loathed her.

If Mariana had known that she was there, she would be furious.

"What brings you here?" Mariana questioned, clearly displeased with Lusi's presence.

"Why do you question it, when I'm still legally Handoko's wife?" Lusi retorted sharply, disliking Mariana's inquiry, even though she had been trying to stay away.

"Of course, I question it. As Handoko's special and perfect wife, that's precisely why I want to know why you're here. Don't you adore Aditama more than Handoko, just because of the attention he gave you? Don't act like he's oblivious and doesn't know about the relationship you've pursued beyond the boundaries he set."

"Lusi, what I did was also a mistake, but Handoko was the one who initiated it," Lusi defended herself, despite her relationship with Aditama starting as per Handoko's request. So, there was no wrongdoing on her part; she found it hard to forget Aditama, but everything she did was out of love for Handoko.

However, Mariana pointed towards the exit of the room. "It's better for you to leave this room before I ask the hospital security to kick an unethical doctor like you out!" Mariana threatened sternly, not wanting Lusi around.

She had just been waiting for peace and happiness with Nicholas and Alesya, and she didn't want to lose it all again. Mariana wasn't ready to deal with Lusi's presence anymore.

"I will never leave Handoko with a hypocritical woman like you!" Lusi retorted.

"Who are you calling a hypocrite?" Not accepting Lusi's accusations, Mariana grabbed the collar of her dress. "Aren't you the one who betrayed us? Instead of doing your job, you played with fire with another man. Do you call that being a good wife?"

"Don't you speak carelessly!" Lusi pushed away Mariana's hand. "You should close..." Their conversation halted upon hearing a faint call from Handoko.

Handoko began to open his eyes, and instantly Mariana and Lusi rushed closer. They were relieved because after a month-long slumber following his surgery, Handoko finally woke up.

"Ana..." Handoko uttered, his hand reaching out to touch Mariana's cheek, attempting to wipe away her tears. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, the pain stopped him.

"Why, ?" Mariana panicked as Handoko's hand trembled but refused to move.

"What's happening to you?" She desperately inquired when Handoko didn't respond to her words.

Handoko could only say Ana, and it was enough to bring tears to Mariana's eyes. She wished for her husband to return to the world as she had feared all along.

"Brain bleeding from before has damaged several nerve systems. As a result, Mr. Handoko can no longer move his hands and feet. He can only speak and blink his eyes to communicate," explained a middle-aged man, briefly describing Handoko's current condition.

Mariana slumped down, devastated. It turned out that something even more frightening had happened to her husband. She didn't know if it was karma for their actions or something else, but her world had completely crumbled upon learning of her beloved husband's illness.

Lusi, too, was speechless upon realizing that there would be no more special attention given to her. Handoko's condition had deteriorated significantly, and it left him unable to move, let alone provide the attention Lusi had once sought from him.

She realized that staying by his side was no longer meaningful, and it was time to move on and live her life away from the people who now knew her true nature. Especially Alesya, whom she was ashamed to face, considering what she had done to her over the years, especially the slow destruction she had caused.

Alesya repeatedly massaged her temples, trying to endure the excruciating headache she was experiencing. She wanted to contact Nicholas and ask him to come home, but she hesitated because he had mentioned some business event at his restaurant that he needed to oversee.

Alesya was concerned about bothering Nicholas during his busy schedule, but the discomfort she was feeling became unbearable. She had been nauseous and had a throbbing headache for several days now. Usually, she could endure it, but today was different.

Despite her fatigue and weakness, Alesya had not eaten anything since morning. She'd only been sipping on the bottled mineral water she found in the cabinet.

With great effort, she forced herself out of her bedroom, taking careful steps down the stairs. However, she stumbled and nearly fell, saved only by Bryan, who caught her just in time.

"Are you okay?" Bryan asked, genuinely concerned about Alesya. He couldn't help but worry when he saw her looking so pale and unsteady.

Alesya blinked, her head spinning. "I'm fine. I just feel really sick right now. Could you help me downstairs? I'm starving, but I can't move around too much." She leaned on Bryan's shoulder, relying on him for support.

"Alright," Bryan agreed, carrying Alesya down to the living room and seating her on the couch. "I'll get you some food." He quickly prepared some toast and brewed green tea for her. "You seem unwell. Maybe you should contact Nicholas and ask him to come home. If you're left alone like this, something could happen."

Alesya shook her head. "Nicholas has been very busy these past few days. I don't want to disturb him, especially if it means slowing down his work."

"You shouldn't think like that. As a husband, his first priority should be his wife," Bryan advised, even though his relationship with Alesya was not particularly close. Still, as her brother-in-law, he felt obligated to provide some care and attention.

Despite initially resisting, Alesya eventually accepted the food Bryan offered her. Her hunger was undeniable. She was about to decline Bryan's offer to take her to the hospital when he insisted.

"You should go to the hospital. Don't take this lightly. I'm worried something might happen to you," Bryan said firmly.

"I don't understand what you're talking about," Alesya replied, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Something besides what? There's no one else here besides me."

"Don't ask questions. It's better if you just come with me. What I'm saying is not up for debate," Bryan stated. He finished feeding her the toast and helped her to her feet. Alesya tried to protest, but the more she moved, the worse her headache became. Eventually, she reluctantly agreed, and Bryan carried her to his car, determined to take her to the hospital.

The man was sure something was wrong with his sister-in-law. And true enough, when they arrived at the hospital, Alesya underwent an examination. The doctor casually stated that she was now three weeks pregnant.

Between happiness and sadness, Bryan didn't understand, because now he was no longer Alesya's legal husband. He was now just her brother-in-law and ex-husband.

"Is that true, Doc?" Alesya asked with teary eyes. She truly didn't expect that what she and Nicholas had been waiting for had finally come.

"Of course, look here, there's a sac that will be the baby's place of growth." The doctor showed a small sac on the screen.

Alesya could clearly see what the doctor was pointing at. She couldn't wait for the birth of their child. Excessive? No, because since the beginning, she had feelings for Nicholas, and she had hoped for a lovechild to grow in her womb. So now, she cried tears of joy, truly happy that there was another life growing inside her.

"Nicholas, I've already contacted him; he'll be here shortly." Alesya broke her gaze from the screen. "When Nicholas arrives, I'll excuse myself; there's something I need to take care of," she said, glancing at the clock on her wrist.

Nicholas wasn't too far from where Alesya was being treated, which meant he could arrive shortly. Hearing that Alesya was three weeks pregnant, Silvi could certainly do a test like Alesya was doing right now. She hoped that there was a part of her growing and developing inside Silvi's womb.

With that, there would be no reason for Silvi not to accept responsibility from him. Alesya nodded quickly. She couldn't wait for Nicholas to arrive and tell him that he would soon become a father.

And when Nicholas arrived, it was clear from his expression that he didn't like Bryan's presence there. He couldn't believe Bryan was the one who brought Alesya to the hospital, not him. But Nicholas held back, waiting for his brother to leave first.

He didn't want to be seen as an immature man. It wasn't that he didn't want to thank Alesya for getting her to the hospital; it was just that he didn't want to show any bitterness.

"Don't misunderstand, please. It's not that I didn't want to tell you, Nik. It's just that I didn't want to inconvenience you. I know you've been working late for the past few days because of your workload, not to mention your pending thesis defense," Alesya explained after Bryan had left.