In the dim light of the hotel's quiet corridor at night, Adelia Putri Asmarini, twenty years old girl, clutched a room key with a neatly laundered and polished suit jacket.The suit belonged to a VIP guest in room 1808 of the Mutiara International Hotel - where she had worked as a Hotelier for the past two years.“I have to cover Melinda's night shift again. How annoying it is to have to deliver suits at night,” said Adelia with an annoyed step.“Hopefully I won't run into any drunk men,” Adelia muttered as she walked into the quiet hallway of the hotel room with a bad feeling, but she had to be professional in her duties.Adelia took the night shift in place of Melinda, although she felt tired and had been working continuously since morning, Adelia didn't dare complain. She needed the extra bonus in her salary.Her father had a huge gambling debt, so she had to work as hard as she could to pay it off. If she didn't get the night shift, then she would have to find another side job at
Adelia arrived at the hotel staff's break room. With her breath roaring, Adelia tried to control herself and her still trembling body.“I have to buy contraceptive pills,” muttered Adelia as she changed into the change of clothes she had brought with her.After cleaning herself up, Adelia immediately ran out without filling in the finger attendance on the attendance machine next to the door.In a hurry, Adelia made a small run to the clinic not far from the hotel.“I can't get pregnant! I'm going to marry my future husband who has been set up by my father or I have to return the dowry,” Adelia muttered as she moved hurriedly.Arriving at the clinic, Adelia gritted her molars in disappointment because she still had to queue.“I'm going to be late for the wedding,” Adelia grumbled as she stood in line counting the number of people waiting in line.The clock hanging on the wall of the clinic was already seven o'clock....Afgan Al Futtaim, the sole heir of the Futtaim group-the largest r
“Afgan,” he whispered, Achmed's eyes flashing, ”You cannot cancel this wedding. Your parents have made their decision, and you must abide by it.”Afgan looked at his father with angry eyes. “But father, I cannot marry such a woman. I... I feel humiliated.”Achmed pressed his son's arm tighter, “listen to me!”Achmed gave him a sharp look, “If you call off this marriage, I will cross out your name from the family legacy. You will not inherit anything from us. You will lose everything.”Gluck!Afgan swallowed his saliva violently.After saying this, Achmed again called out to the guests. “The party continues, please enjoy the meal and please give your blessings to the bride and groom!” Achmed exclaimed and then sat back down beside the aisle chair as if nothing major had happened.Afgan sat with a vague feeling in his heart that was rumbling.His father's words had created a tense silence between them. Afgan felt himself being dragged into a trap, caught between an unwanted marriage and
The next day, the sun has risen with warm rays shining through the hotel room window. A tension was still in the air after last night's heated argument.Adelia opened her eyes with a heavy feeling in her chest. Her mind was filled with uncertainty, anxious about her future with Afgan. However, although her heart was filled with worry, she refused to sink into despair. With strong determination, she forced herself out of bed, even though her legs felt so heavy.Sitting on the edge of the bed, Adelia drew courage from within herself. She spoke to herself, “I have to be strong. I must move forward, even if those steps feel difficult. I must not let sadness stop my life. I must work, build my own future.”After taking a deep breath, she got up and stepped towards the bathroom. Warm water splashed over her body, trying to ease the burden of her thoughts. Under the shower, she let the water run over her head, trying to wash away all her worries and uncertainties.After the shower, Adelia dr
Melinda glanced at the handsome Afgan who was at the wheel, driving the blue sports car steadily. This was Melinda's first time driving an expensive sports car.“I apologize for that night,” Afgan said, breaking the silence between them.Melinda furrowed her brow, not understanding.Afgan stopped the car at the curb and turned his body to face Melinda.“You delivered my suit and I... I'm sorry for what I did last night,” Afgan said and then took Melinda's hand and held it with sincere feelings.Melinda began to understand about the situation last night. Her smart head already understood what Adelia and this man were facing, but because Afgan was so stunning and wealthy. Melinda didn't want to waste the opportunity.“I can't just forgive what you did that night. You know my self-esteem is ruined!” Melinda tried to put on a sad face.Afgan was still frozen staring at her. Then, when she had had enough, Melinda wiped away her tears as she looked at Afgan.“You must take responsibility, s
Afgan felt the weight of guilt choke him as soon as he smelled Adelia's scent, reflecting on his foolish actions the day before. His eyes were filled with regret, and his heart was haunted by the image of the woman he had taken his virginity from the day before his wedding. The man felt he had also been incompetent in this marriage.Afgan stepped back, releasing his grip on Adelia's hand and collapsing into a sitting position with his breathing ragged and ragged.“Adelia,” Afgan called in a broken voice, trying to contain the anger that was about to boil over.Adelia turned her head, her eyes glazed over, radiating deep disappointment. “What do you want, Afgan?” she asked in a voice filled with emotion.Afgan swallowed, trying to find the right words. “I... I don't know where to start,” he said quietly.“If you want a divorce, then.
Adelia felt insulted by Afgan's words. She realized that Afgan did have a cold and hard nature. However, she could not help the feeling of disappointment that arose within her. “Okay, I understand,” she said in a bitter tone and chose to remain silent.Adelia cast her gaze at Afgan's back as he put on his shirt.Adelia stared at the burns on Afgan's back in confusion. However, as she stared longer, images of the strange marks on the back of a man who had once hurt her flashed through her mind. A sense of dread and unease instantly swept over her.Afgan, who saw Adelia's gaze in the reflection of the mirror in front of him, was disturbed. He snapped at her in a sharp tone, “What are you looking at? This is my body and I don't want any questions. Don't act like you have rights over my body.”“You're just a wife on paper, get it!”Adelia was stunn
Afgan felt cornered because of the wound on his back. The man had experienced a great tragedy when he was still a child. He grew up in the midst of his busy parents who were rarely home. Despite being neglected by his father and mother who were too busy with their own world, Afgan found true comfort and affection from a loving middle-aged nanny.“Bik Minah,” Afgan murmured in a trembling voice, trying to mask the pain that hit him so deeply. He felt dew starting to collect in his eyes, signaling that even his frozen heart couldn't contain his emotions.Afgan drove the car faster. “I should have been the one who died in that incident!” Afgan screamed in a high tone and was still trying to contain his anger.The nanny was the only person who really cared about him, giving him the love and attention he needed. She replaced the role of his father and mother who were never there for him.
Afgan snorted and went into the master suite.Melinda began to feel isolated and unsupported. When she tried to talk to Afgan's family, they just rolled their eyes and avoided talking about their domestic problems.One lonely Sunday, Kanya, Afgan's mother, suddenly came to visit Shintya. She focused on playing and joking with her granddaughter. Melinda's presence was simply ignored.A distraught Melinda tried to seek support from Afgan's mother, hoping to find understanding or a solution. However, her hopes were dashed when she spoke to her mother-in-law.Melinda approached Kanya who was playing with Shintya and said in a soft tone. "Mom, I feel lost in our marriage. Afgan is getting distant, and I don't know what to do."Kanya, Afgan's mother, a stern and cold woman, just smiled sarcastically. She already knew all of Melinda's dark secrets. As well as her involvement in the deception of Afgan's fateful night out."Oh, Melinda, you're always so dramatic. Marriage is hard, wasn't this
Achmed gripped his staff angrily. Afgan had dared to challenge him by allowing the woman who had the affair to stay in the house and look after the child.He himself was suspicious about the authenticity of his grandson being a biological grandson, but somehow he had to trust the DNA report.No one will ever know how Melinda managed to outsmart the test results.Achmed's fear is that Melinda will have a bad influence on his grandson's development."Why is he still unwilling to let her go? She will only bring bad influence to Shintya, my beloved granddaughter!" Achmed said as he turned to his wife who was acting indifferent.Kanya was busy knitting a scarf. The woman only snorted softly at her husband's frustration."Shintya still needs a mother, maybe your son is holding back the woman who cheated on him for this reason," Kanya said while still knitting the yarn to make the scarf."Look, is the length of this scarf suitable for Shintya?" asked Kanya as if she didn't care about Melinda
After all the secrets were revealed, Afgan decided to visit the cemetery, where Adelia, his long-dead first wife, was buried. He walked alone among the tombstones, staring at the picture of Adelia on her grave.Afgan's face was full of regret and devastation. "Adelia, I'm sorry. I have wasted your love and sacrifice. I was so stupid," he murmured, eyes full of tears.Afgan sat in front of Adelia's grave, letting his emotions explode. He was devastated, not only by the breakdown of his marriage to Melinda, but also by the realization that Adelia had given him everything, and he had never fully appreciated it."Adelia, I know I've made you lonely all this time. You deserve better than me. I can't apologize to you directly, but I promise, I will learn from my mistakes. May you be at peace there," said Afgan while wiping away the tears that kept flowing.As Afgan sat in the cemetery, he realized how futile his struggle to find happiness in the wrong place had been. Despair crept into his
Afgan sat at his desk, a pile of documents piled up in front of him. Reports from the investigators he had hired provided clear evidence of Bayu and Melinda's affair.Some of Bayu and Melinda's togetherness was caught on camera."This evidence should be enough to convince you that Shintya is not my daughter!"Afgan's life as a successful businessman was suddenly shaken by feelings of suspicion. He began to smell unfaithfulness in the air, and his intuition led him to Bayu.After conducting a discreet investigation, Afgan became convinced that Bayu was the man behind his wife Melinda's affair. Maybe it was just a baseless feeling of suspicion, but Afgan couldn't resist seeking the truth. His decision to send some people to spy on Bayu and arrest him was taken without hesitation."I'll ask Bayu myself before giving these documents and evidence to Father!" Afgan exclaimed, pounding the table. The male heir was helpless when faced with Father's decision to favor his grandson.Afgan was ce
The next day, Melinda came home with a sluggish face and a tired body. Bayu had attacked her so hard that she felt a sting between her thighs.Carrying Shintya, the woman shouted at her servant."Take care of the child first and call Aunt Kusuk!" she ordered and strode irritably to the room.All the clothes were placed unceremoniously on the floor. The woman quickly made her way to the bathroom.Not long after, Aunt Kusuk came in and Melinda quickly got out of the bathtub wearing only a bathrobe."I'm so tired, put all your energy into giving me a massage!" ordered Melinda as she lay face down on the bed.The therapist, who was giving Melinda a massage, occasionally furrowed her brow as she watched Melinda's body covered in tiny blues and hickeys.After finishing Melinda's massage, the therapist quickly left the room. Her mistress was already fast asleep.The therapist immediately reported everything she had seen to Afgan.
Bayu sits in the corner of the cafe with a serious expression. Melinda enters the room, and their gazes meet. They sit in a quiet corner, under dim lights. Tension hung in the air."How did you find me after so long?" asked Bayu with a questioning, longing look on his face.Melinda took a deep breath before answering, "Afgan and I, we've been drifting apart. Something is wrong, and I feel like I'm losing him. I miss him, Bayu."Bayu looked into Melinda's eyes, trying to read what was really going on. “So, what do you want from me, Melinda?”Melinda was shaken. "I don't know, Bayu. Maybe I'm looking for answers. Maybe I'm looking for support. I feel alienated in my own home."Bayu nodded, feeling sympathetic. They engaged in an open conversation, expressing their respective anxieties. They talked about their overly complicated lives, about the haunting past, and about the sense of loss they felt.Occasi
Melinda approached him, gritting her teeth. "Time? It's been a year!""Shintya needs her father, now! You're going to ruin her first birthday with her father's absence?"Afgan growled, "You don't understand!""You don't understand, Afgan! You make Shintya and me feel insignificant!" Melinda shouted, eyes glazed over.Afgan felt stabbed by those words, but he persisted. "I'll be gone for a while, Mel. This is important to me.""And what is important to you, Afgan? What did you choose to miss this moment for?" Melinda tried to get his attention by grabbing the sleeve of Afgan's shirt."Let go!" she exclaimed.Afgan shook his head. "You can't just force me to leave Adelia.""She's dead, Afgan! Please come to your senses!"The argument escalated, and a tense atmosphere pervaded their home. Melinda felt disappointment and frustration growing inside her. Afgan, fixated on his inability to let go of the past, decided to leave w
Melinda felt a change in her relationship with Afgan. Although their home was again full of laughter and jokes, there was an ice that had slipped between them. Every day, Melinda felt like she was facing a cold wall that she couldn't break through. The once beautiful landscape became increasingly bleak.Melinda tried to find answers within herself. She brooded in the middle of the night, sitting on her bed with her mind in turmoil. The silence of the house was only interrupted by the wind tapping on the windows. "Why has everything changed?" she muttered to herself."Why is there no love from Afgan at all even though I got rid of that pesky woman?"Melinda always slept alone without Afgan. The cold nights were shared only with her little daughter who often woke up at night to ask for milk.A message arrived on Melinda's cell phone in the middle of the night, as she was giving milk to the little one.[Already asleep?]Melinda simply read the
That morning, the sun shone down on their house. Afgan sat on the terrace, gazing at the garden that was slowly recovering from its sadness. Today he wasn't working because it was the first day of 2024.All employees were closed and Afgan had no reason to work. The gaze of the man looked pseudo and passionless.Even though the house was quiet with most of the servants on leave, there was still the occasional sound of little Shintya crying.However, the man did not respond to the cries at all.Melinda came out of the house, realizing that their conversation last night still left a wound in Afgan's heart.“I'm sorry, Afgan,” Melinda said regretfully. Her hands made a tray of tea and glasses. Melinda stepped closer to Afgan and tried to soften the heart of the man who became her husband.“I know it's complicated, and I want to make you ha