Se connecterI pulled Sherly’s hand, dragging her away from Mama. "Tell me the truth, what is actually going on? Why did you lie to me back then?" I demanded."Which lie are you talking about, Sis?" she countered, trying to evade the question.I took a deep breath, fighting to control the emotions rising within me. "Sherly, when we first met in Jefri’s office... why were you acting as if you’d just had sex?!" I asked sharply.Sherly gave a thin, obviously forced smile. She looked away, scratching the back of her neck, clearly feeling awkward. "I'm sorry, Sis. I was just told to do it by Jefri," she replied apologetically."For what? Why would he do that?" I asked, my curiosity spiraling into an interrogation.Sherly jumped, her face full of unease. "Oh, goodness... about that, you’d better just ask Jefri," she said, her voice wavering. "I have to go now, Kak. Excuse me..."She tried to slip away, but I quickly grabbed her hoodie. "Hey... wait a minute. You can't just run off after successfully dec
Mrs. Niken approached me and helped me to my feet. "Miss Erika, what’s wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?"I shook my head, continuing to sob as I curled up on the floor. People started to crowd around, staring at me, but I didn't care. Right now, my heart was truly constricted, aching over Jefri."What’s all this commotion about?!" Mia’s cynical voice cut through the air.I stopped wailing and slowly lifted my head, choking back the rest of my sobs."Oh, it’s you, Erika?" Mia looked at me with a sneer, hands on her hips. "Why are you crying, Ello? Did Jefri finally dump you?"She chuckled, looking genuinely delighted by my misery. "What did I tell you? You’re just his mistress; don't even dream of becoming Jefri's legal wife!" she said sharply.I stood up and walked away without giving Mia the slightest response."Huu... What a homewrecker!" Mia shouted after me.I refused to listen. My heart and mind were far too heavy to deal with Mia's trivial insults."Where do I go now?"
"Dear... who exactly is Dita?" his mother asked, turning me around to face her.I stood stunned for a moment, then pulled out my phone. I quickly opened my gallery and searched for a photo of Dita."This one. Has Jefri ever sent this photo to you?" I asked, showing it to her.She took my phone. Her eyes squinted as she stared at the photo on the screen, then she shook her head while handing it back to me. "Never, dear...""Ah, wait," she said suddenly, sparking both surprise and curiosity in me.She pulled out her own phone and tapped at the screen with a serious expression, searching for something."Jefri once sent a photo. If I'm not mistaken, it was from the very first time you two met," she said, scrolling up as if hunting for something of great importance."Oh, here it is!" She beamed, showing me her screen. "This is you, isn't it, dear?"She looked from the phone screen to my face, as if comparing the two."Yes, it's you. You're much more beautiful now than in this photo," she p
I buried my face in my knees, allowing my defenses to crumble completely. I sobbed uncontrollably, filling a room that suddenly felt too vast and hollow.My world grew dim in an instant. It felt as though I’d been cast into the middle of a barren desert—empty and suffocating. I realized then that Jefri had been the only source of water for my parched soul, and now, I was the one who had driven him away."Why did you have to leave me?" I sobbed, my breath hitching in my chest. I grabbed a tissue, wiping away the tear-streaked mess on my face, only to break down even harder. "I love you... Why did you have to give up now?"I felt like a lost child who had just lost her only place of comfort. And the bitterness of it all was that no hand reached out to steady me. As always, I was left to crumble on my own. There was never a warm embrace waiting to catch my tears.An entire box of tissues was gone, scattered around me like the fragments of my broken heart. "Jefri... please come back... pl
Jefri went silent, his hands clenching into fists as he glared at me. "Everything you said in the car, and at the dinner table—could those feelings actually be true?" he asked, his voice icy.My blood ran cold, and my heart hammered against my ribs. In an instant, a suffocating tightness gripped my chest. My lips trembled, and my eyelids fluttered uncontrollably.I wanted to scream, to confess, 'Yes... those are my true feelings.'But I didn't have the courage to admit my love—not when the truth was so stark. Jefri was only drawn to me because I reminded him of Clara.If I confessed, he would only laugh at me, feeling a sense of victory over Clara’s betrayal. He’d pride himself on having broken me. But I am not Clara, and this is so incredibly unfair. I hate him!I clutched the fabric of my skirt, lifted my chin, and replied with a quivering voice. "It was all just an act. You wouldn't be naive enough to believe my lies, would you?" I hissed.Jefri didn't respond immediately. His knuc
I stood stunned for a moment, staring at Jefri as he looked at me with doubt. 'Why can't you see the love in my eyes?' I asked myself.I forced my lips into a smile, though my heart felt shattered. "Of course. I’m certain I only love you," I replied, my eyes welling up with tears.Jefri gave a lopsided smile, the skepticism clearly etched on his face. "Thank you for loving me, Erika," he said in a cold, sarcastic tone.I knew he would never believe me, even if I said it a thousand times. Because in his heart, I was just an illusion that never truly existed. Or perhaps... he just viewed me as a shadow of Clara, someone meant to be hurt?Good heavens! I never expected my toughest rival wouldn't be Dita. My biggest obstacle wasn't the other women around Jefri, but his own wounded heart.I finally realized why Jefri never opened his heart to me. It wasn't because I was incompetent. It wasn't because Dita seemed more perfect than me. It was because my face was the very thing that had hurt
My body froze as Dita stopped in front of a stunning building with glass doors. A small voice inside me whispered, 'A salon? In all my life, I’ve never set foot in a place like this.'Dita kept beaming, peering inside before turning back to me. "Why are you just standing there like a statue? Get in
"Dita!" I shrieked. "Have you lost your mind?" My eyes bulged as I shoved the plate of croissants toward her. "You were just jealous because I had a dream like that about Mr. Jefri. Now, why on earth are you suggesting I actually do it for real?"Dita scratched her head, looking just as frustrated
The call was abruptly cut off from his end. I stood there, reeling from the weight of his final ultimatum."What? Married off? Mr. Darman certainly knows how to keep things surprising!"That was my father’s name, Darman Dwi Atmaja. A titan in the culinary industry, and I was his sole heir. Yet, I h
I glanced toward the corner of the bathroom. A mountain of laundry lay there, neglected and forgotten. Perhaps the suffocating pressure had finally pushed the simple task of washing clothes out of my mind. My apartment was a complete disaster now, looking like a shipwreck."Ugh... What am I suppose







