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30. Closer
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2026-05-01 18:15:53The sound of the slap shattered the silence. Even the ticking clock seemed to stop. Gian didn’t move. His head tilted slightly from the force of his mother’s hand, yet his eyes stayed steady, cold, burning, unshaken.
Aurelia covered her mouth, her whole body trembling as she witnessed a line finally being crossed: Mrs. Lestari had slapped her own son.
Gian slowly turned back to his mother. His jaw tightened, but his expression didn’t change. Not anger. Not rage
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LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 175. Stop Apologizing All the Time!
Morning arrived in Melbourne wrapped in golden sunlight filtering through the thin curtains of Aurelia's dorm room. The air was still bitterly cold despite the rising sun.Aurelia opened her eyes, her eyelids still heavy with sleep.She slowly sat up, giving her body time to adjust. Rubbing her face, she reached toward the nightstand and grabbed the glass of water she had prepared the night before. She drank it slowly, savoring the coolness that soothed her dry throat.The moment her gaze fell on her phone screen, she remembered something.The message she had put off reading the night before.With a sluggish motion, she unlocked her phone.Sure enough, there was a message from Gian.[Sorry. I just finished. Are you already asleep?]Aurelia stared at the message without much expression.Her heart had become numb to apologies that came too often without any real change behind them.Her lips moved sl
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 174. About the Sweet Reunion
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. Something urgent came up. I'll call you back later."The short message was finally sent.Gian stared at his phone screen for several seconds longer than usual, as if hoping Aurelia would understand. Even though he knew that, for what felt like the hundredth time, he was postponing time meant for his wife.His thumb had hesitated before pressing send, but the reality in front of him left no room for another choice.With a long breath, Gian slipped his phone into his suit pocket.The real world demanded his presence, even when all he wanted was to choose Aurelia, waiting across the ocean.As he approached the front door, the noise outside grew louder.Camera flashes.The glare of spotlights.Reporters shouting over one another.All of it shattered the usual tranquility of the official residence."Mr. Gian! Is it true that you met Chef Devina this afternoon?""Are you pl
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 173. Why??
"Mom..." Gian drew a breath. "Why? Why are you asking me that?""I heard Devina came to your office. Around lunchtime," his mother replied calmly.Gian blinked.So the news had already reached her.He rubbed the bridge of his nose, recalling Devina's gaze in his office. Calm. Certain. Direct.Divorce Aurelia.She had said it without hesitation.And he had refused without hesitation."Yes, she came," Gian finally admitted. "Without an appointment. She brought lunch and invited me to eat with her. We only talked for a little while.""A little while?" Mrs. Lestari raised an eyebrow. "And... did she ask for anything?"Gian suppressed a sigh."She wanted me to divorce Aurelia."His voice was low but firm."I told her I never would."A flicker of relief crossed his mother's face, though it didn't last long."Good. But there's still something I need to know, Gian."Mrs. Lestari stepped forward and took a seat."When the past comes knocking, even the most honest person is tested by how they c
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 172. Do You Still Love Her?
Aurelia nodded, signaling that she accepted Baskara's offer.The decision came with a heartbeat that thundered louder than usual in her chest.She reassured herself that this man was not a complete stranger. He was Caca's father, after all. Caca had been her private tutoring student.So wasn't it reasonable to trust him?Wasn't there already a connection between them that made things feel a little safer?But when they stepped out of the restaurant, she was met with a small surprise.She had assumed Baskara would be driving himself.She was completely wrong.A sleek black car was already waiting at the entrance, and a chauffeur stood beside it, promptly opening the door for them.Aurelia felt slightly awkward.She climbed into the car and sat beside Baskara.The scent of expensive leather filled the enclosed space.Without saying much, Baskara immediately pulled out his phone. His fingers moved swiftl
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 171. A Good Opportunity
Aurelia shot to her feet.Her body felt hot despite the cool air drifting from the restaurant's ventilation system. Her cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and irritation as she stared wide-eyed at the man sitting across from her."I'm sorry, but I'm married. And I don't think it's appropriate for me to hear something like that," she said, her voice trembling but firm.A few people at nearby tables glanced their way, making her even more uncomfortable.She lowered her gaze briefly and took a deep breath to calm herself.Meanwhile, Baskara let out a soft chuckle.His expression remained calm, as though he found her reaction amusing."Hey, don't get the wrong idea. That's not what I meant. I was joking," he said, raising both hands in surrender. "When I said you were interesting, I wasn't talking about you personally. I just realized you might be the perfect temporary assistant."Aurelia frowned."An assistant?"
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 170. It's Me
No.She couldn't bring herself to look back toward the street.Aurelia squeezed her eyes shut, her entire body trembling as though she wanted to disappear from the world.A sob escaped her lips, soft but unmistakable."No! Don't hurt me, please!"Silence hung for a fraction of a second.The pounding of her heart roared in her ears, louder than the traffic surrounding them.Then—"Calm down. I'm not going to hurt you.""No!" Aurelia snapped as she quickly pulled her arm free.A second later, she realized something.That voice...Her eyes flew open.It made no sense, but she recognized it clearly. Not only because of its calm tone, but because...The man had spoken Indonesian.At least, that was the first thing that crossed her mind."Mrs. Aurelia. It's me."Her head turned sharply.Her gaze landed on a man with a firm, handsome face and an awkward half-smile.For a moment, she sat frozen, her mind refusing to process what she was seeing.Then she whispered, almost inaudibly,"Mr. Baska
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 147. Disappointed
"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 unbearabl
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 146. I'm not crazy
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. Te
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 144. Harassed Again
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 be
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 142. Only Temporary
Gian froze.Aurelia’s words landed like a gentle blow that somehow hurt even more. He had never expected her to say that. Despite all her hesitation, she was the one choosing to give in, accepting the very option she had firmly rejected before.“Sweetheart... are you sure?” Gian’s voice trembled, b
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