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59. The Birthday Party
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2026-05-08 08:12:08Aurelia sat in her graduate class chair with a frustrated expression she could barely hide. Her face looked gloomy, and she kept tapping her pen against the desk as if she might explode but had nowhere to direct it.
Fortunately, she still managed to deliver her group presentation well. Standing in front of the class, her voice was clear and confident, every argument structured neatly. When she finished, her classmates applauded as she walked back to her seat.
But once she sat do
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LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 269. Proving Herself
“Lia, take a breath first.”Wulan gently shook Aurelia’s shoulder. She had been standing stiffly in front of the faculty’s colloquium room, taking short, shallow breaths as if the air itself refused to fill her lungs. The click of shoes and murmurs from other students echoed through the third-floor hallway.“Lia,” Wulan repeated, more firmly this time. “You’re ready. You studied all night. You know every page of that proposal by heart. Don’t let anyone make you doubt yourself.”Aurelia took a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Yeah... I’m ready.”“And remember, you already changed your research title. Don’t get it wrong again, okay?” Wulan reminded her.Aurelia nodded quickly.A voice from inside the room announced, “Next presenter, Aurelia Seraphine Alinda. Research topic: ‘Psychological Resilience in Women Who Experience Fetal Loss During Pregnancy.’”Aurelia’s steps felt heavy as she walked toward the podium. The colloquium room was packed with students, senior faculty members, an
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 268. Confiding in Her Husband
The air in the second-floor hallway felt heavier than usual. Every step Aurelia took felt like walking over sharp gravel, slow and painful. The door to the advising room had closed behind her, but Professor Malika's flat voice still echoed in her ears.Her hands trembled as she reached into her bag for her phone. She stared at the screen for a moment, hesitating. Part of her wanted to go home quietly and cry alone inside the tent. But another part of her wanted to hear Gian's voice.Finally, her thumb moved. She tapped the contact number she knew by heart.The phone rang once.Twice.Then that calm, familiar voice came through."Yes, sweetheart?"The softness in Gian's voice made Aurelia's defenses crumble instantly.Her voice came out hoarse. "Gian... I'm tired."There was a brief silence on the other end."Are you on campus?""Yes.""Where exactly?""On the stairs near the garden behind the faculty building.""Don't move. I'll come pick you up.""Gian, you don't have to go through a
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 267. A Clash of Arguments
The sun had barely begun to filter through the leaves when Aurelia sat on a long bench in front of the faculty building. She nervously twisted the edge of her skirt, a small habit that always surfaced whenever she felt anxious.Students walked past her in every direction. Some were busy joking with their friends, while others hurried toward their classrooms. But to Aurelia, the morning felt strangely quiet despite the crowd around her.She stared at her phone and reread the reminder on the screen.“Meeting with Professor Malika, 9:00 a.m.”Her stomach felt tight, not only because her pregnancy was becoming more noticeable, but also because of a pressure she could not quite explain. She took a deep breath before getting to her feet.When Aurelia knocked and stepped inside, Professor Malika's sharp gaze immediately met hers. The professor did not even gesture for her to sit.“I read your revised draft last night,&rdq
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 266. You’ve Got This
“You’ve got this, Lia.”“Yeah,” Wulan replied, giving Aurelia’s shoulder a gentle pat. “You managed to win your mother-in-law over. I’m sure you can handle this too.”Aurelia only grimaced before forcing a smile that never quite reached her eyes. Her stomach felt a little tight, not because anything was wrong with her pregnancy, but because she was nervous. She slowly exhaled, trying to calm herself.The graduate school building felt colder than usual that afternoon. Maybe the air conditioning was turned up too high, or maybe it was the tense atmosphere on the second floor, where Professor Malika’s office was located.The sound of Aurelia’s footsteps echoed as she climbed the stairs. Each step seemed to add another weight to her shoulders. Her fingers tightened around the strap of her shoulder bag.By the time she reached the office door, her heart was pounding.Just then, two
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 265. Thank you, Darling
Aurelia sat at the dining table with a blissful expression, almost like a child enjoying her favorite meal. Steam rose gently from the freshly cooked pepes ikan, filling the dining room with the mouthwatering aroma of spices.“Sorry, Mom. I know this was supposed to be for dinner, but I couldn't wait. I only had steamed sweet potatoes earlier,” she said between bites.She made no attempt to hide how much she was enjoying the meal.Mrs. Lestari smiled warmly. “It's all right, sweetheart. I'm actually happy you like it. Want some more?”Aurelia nodded eagerly, her eyes lighting up as her mother-in-law placed another large mackerel in front of her. She added another serving of warm white rice and the last few shrimp crackers from the glass jar.Round two of Aurelia's feast officially began.Meanwhile, her mother-in-law simply sat across from her with a cup of jasmine tea, watching her daughter-in-law eat with ge
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 264. The Dilemma
Aurelia stared at the laptop screen without blinking.The morning light filtering through the tent made the words on the screen appear brighter than usual, almost as if it were highlighting every sentence that now had her heart beating faster.[Good morning, Aurelia. I have reviewed the revisions to Chapters 2 and 3 that you submitted. Your research demonstrates a depth of analysis that I rarely encounter at the graduate level. However, there is something important I would like to discuss with you in person. I have received an offer for a collaborative research program from one of our partner universities in the Netherlands, and I would like to recommend you as one of the candidates, considering your experience in Sydney a few months ago. The program begins in two months. We need to meet this afternoon to discuss it.]Aurelia instinctively covered her mouth.“The Netherlands...?” she whispered, as though the words were too overwhelming to leave her lips.She read the email again. Then
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 6. A Condition
Gian moved toward Aurelia slowly, almost soundless, closing the small distance between them. His warm breath brushed her face, and it felt like the room itself was shrinking around them.Aurelia swallowed hard. Her body went stiff, her instincts firing off warnings.“What do you want me to do?” she
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 5. Gold-digger
“Typical gold-digger!”That was the first thing that flew out of Mrs. Lestari’s mouth this morning. Her tone was sharp, cutting, like a whip cracking across bare skin. The usually quiet house was now heavy with tension.Aurelia stayed silent. Her head bowed, her eyes fixed on the floor. She knew th
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 4. You’re defending her
“I want to ask you something,” Gian said quietly, though his voice carried an unmistakable firmness. “Who exactly were you trying to please?”Aurelia froze. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.Madam Lestari folded her arms even tighter across her chest. “Certainly not me, Gian,” she snapped.Si
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 1. A Sacrifice
“You’re going to take your sister’s place and marry Mr. Gian.”The words fell from her father’s mouth with a coldness that sliced straight through her bones. As if he were asking her to run to the corner store for salt, not telling her to hand over her entire life to a man she’d never even met.Aur
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