Masuk"Yes, sir. Lia said she wanted to be alone."
"What the hell is wrong with you two?!"
Gian exploded the moment he realized Aurelia had deliberately avoided him.
His fists clenched, and his eyes blazed as he stared at Wulan and Doni.
"You think you're helping her by doing this? You're only making her more stressed out!"
But Wulan didn't back down.
She squared her shoulders, her face flushed with anger.
"Stressed out?" she shot back. "You're the o
"Yes, sir. Lia said she wanted to be alone.""What the hell is wrong with you two?!"Gian exploded the moment he realized Aurelia had deliberately avoided him.His fists clenched, and his eyes blazed as he stared at Wulan and Doni."You think you're helping her by doing this? You're only making her more stressed out!"But Wulan didn't back down.She squared her shoulders, her face flushed with anger."Stressed out?" she shot back. "You're the one who's stressing her out, Mr. Gian!"Her voice rose sharply, striking Gian right where it hurt."Her parents never really cared about her, and her husband? God, her husband is always busy with work, busy with projects out of town, while Lia has to deal with everything by herself. She's pregnant, for crying out loud! Pregnant! Do you have any idea how vulnerable she is right now?"Gian blinked, stunned.Every word felt like a slap across the face."Wulan, that
"I can't do this anymore..."Aurelia's voice cracked between restrained sobs. Her shoulders shook, and her trembling hands clutched a tissue that was already soaked through with tears.The three of them sat in a quiet corner of campus near a small garden that was usually filled with students chatting or eating lunch. But today was different. There was only the soft breeze drifting through the trees and the occasional chirping of birds perched on nearby branches. The silence seemed to magnify the pain tearing through Aurelia's heart.Wulan looked at her friend with an aching heart. Aurelia's eyes were swollen from crying, her face pale, as though every bit of light inside her had burned out.Finally, unable to hold back her curiosity, Wulan asked softly, "So... who do you think told Mbok Sumi to do all that? Who could be cruel enough to put you through this?"Aurelia shook her head as her sobs grew stronger. Her cheeks were flushed red, and her eyes
"Sweetheart, let's go to our room first."Those were the words that finally left Gian's lips after standing there in silence for what felt like forever, watching Aurelia cry and plead without getting any answers. His voice was soft, almost hoarse, as if he were carrying something unbearably heavy on his chest.Aurelia shook her head in disbelief."Gian?" she whispered, her voice breaking.Her whole body trembled. She tried to pull away, but she didn't have the strength. Gian gently but firmly guided her toward the bedroom.Once the door closed behind them, Aurelia continued struggling.Her breathing came in ragged gasps, and her face had gone completely pale.Gian held her shoulders, trying to calm her down."Lia, please calm down. I'm here. No one is going to hurt you."But his words weren't enough.Aurelia didn't believe them.Her sobs only grew louder.Then a knock sounded from outside the room.
The house suddenly felt frozen.The air, which had seemed perfectly normal moments ago, now pressed in from every direction. Aurelia stood rigid, her fingers still wrapped around Mbok Sumi's wrist as if she were being dragged into darkness itself. The older woman's body shook violently. Tears streamed down her face, and her broken sobs filled the air, making it seem as though the entire house could hear her anguish."Ma'am... I can't take this anymore..." Mbok Sumi whispered through choked sobs.Her words sounded full of surrender and heartbreak, carefully crafted to be as convincing as possible. Her shoulders trembled. Her body curled inward, presenting the image of someone deeply wronged.Aurelia froze.Her tongue felt tied. Her heart pounded so hard it hurt.Everything had happened so fast.In a matter of seconds, she, the actual victim, now looked like the aggressor cornering a helpless elderly woman. Mbok Sumi's swollen eyes, her
Aurelia hurried forward, her breathing ragged, her heart pounding so hard it felt ready to leap out of her chest. The sound of footsteps at the end of the staircase grew clearer, echoing through the narrow hallway illuminated by dim lights. The night felt suffocating, as though the very air around her had joined forces to keep her on edge. Her eyes narrowed, her body leaning forward, like a hunter preparing to catch its prey.The moment the figure stepped into the pale yellow glow of the hallway light, Aurelia froze.Her eyes widened.Her entire body tensed.She stared in disbelief.“Mbok... Sumi?” she choked out, her voice hoarse with shock, anger, and utter disbelief.The middle-aged woman jumped as though she'd just been caught stealing. Her body stiffened, her face drained of color. In her wrinkled hand, she was still holding something.A red marker.Its tip was still wet with ink.Aurelia's gaze immediat
The day seemed to pass faster than usual.The afternoon sun was already beginning to sink toward the horizon when Aurelia returned from campus. The family driver assigned by Mrs. Lestari drove her home in silence while her mind remained occupied with the developmental psychology theories she had been reading for her thesis.When she arrived home, she found her mother-in-law sitting comfortably in the living room, a cup of warm tea in hand.“How is it? Are you settling in here?” Mrs. Lestari asked pleasantly, as though she genuinely wanted to make sure her daughter-in-law felt comfortable living in the large house.Aurelia nodded awkwardly.“I am, Mom. The driver is very kind too. It's made commuting to campus much easier.”“That's good to hear,” Mrs. Lestari replied briefly.The faint smile on her face looked sincere at first glance, but Aurelia still felt a trace of uncertainty. There was something about the way her mother-in-law looked at her, as though she were always hiding an ult







