2. Rejecting Medical Care

Ajeng's eyes widened in horror as she waved her hands frantically.

"No, Auntie. Ella was just joking. She's rambling," Ajeng protested, shaking her head.

  Evan's gaze turned cold, piercing Ajeng and making her hair stand on end. How could she possibly want to be the second wife of a man as cold as a refrigerator? Especially since Evan was the big boss at the company where she worked.

"Ella, I want an explanation." Aunt Dahlia, Ella's mother-in-law, pulled Ajeng's hand and dragged her towards the bed where Ella was lying.

  Ajeng wanted to escape from the hospital immediately and calm herself by immersing herself in her pile of work. But the presence of the fifty-year-old woman ruined everything.

Ella smiled when she saw her mother-in-law's grip on Ajeng's wrist. Meanwhile, Evan stared coldly at his wife.

  "Explain why you are lying helpless in this hospital? Why didn't you tell me, instead of her finding out first?" Evan demanded.

Ajeng winced at the cold tone of Evan's voice. If he was like that, it meant Evan was very angry.

"I'm fine. Just a common cold," Ella replied casually.

  "Ella was diagnosed with blood cancer," Ajeng corrected.

The two people who had just arrived immediately tensed up. Aunt Dahlia covered her mouth, while Evan rubbed his face roughly.

"So it wasn't because you were pregnant that you were vomiting severely every day and always complaining of dizziness? You always refused when I told you to go to the hospital for a checkup."

  "Don't exaggerate. Come here, I want to talk." Instead of responding, Ella reached out for Evan's hand.

Although he looked angry, Evan approached his wife with a gentle gaze. This surprised Ajeng, because Ella did not return the same gaze. The woman looked indifferent.

"I want you to marry Ajeng. So she can take care of you and our future children."

Evan immediately became angry.

"You're crazy! I love you so much. How can you ask me to marry again? Other women beg not to be shared, but you're the opposite."

"Listen to me first. I just want Ajeng to take care of you..."

  "I'm not a child! I can take care of myself!" Evan snapped.

"But I can no longer serve you in bed. So Ajeng can..."

"Ella, stop! You're starting to lose your mind. Evan, go to the administration room immediately. You have to take care of Ella's paperwork so she can undergo chemotherapy right away," Ajeng interrupted.

  Ella shook her head stubbornly. "I don't want to undergo chemotherapy before you marry Ajeng."

"Ella Paramita! You can't disobey your husband. You have to undergo chemotherapy immediately," Evan ordered.

"Not before you marry Ajeng. Do you want to put our child in danger?"

  Evan was about to argue again when the door opened. A doctor entered, followed by a nurse.

"I'm sorry, but the patient must undergo treatment immediately before her condition worsens and affects her unborn child," the doctor said.

Ella shook her head again. "I don't want to undergo any treatment before you marry Ajeng."

  Evan groaned in frustration and ran his fingers through his hair. "Why are you so stubborn? Why do I have to marry Ajeng first before you'll undergo chemotherapy?"

"Just think of it as Ajeng paying off her debt by serving you and taking care of our child. She can no longer have children. So, let her be a mother to our child."

  Ella's words really hurt Ajeng. What was Ella's real motive? Why was her friend so insistent that her husband remarry? Unable to bear it any longer, she pulled her hand away from Aunt Dahlia's and left the room, wiping away the tears streaming down her face.

She saw the sympathetic looks from the nurse and doctor, but she ignored them. She felt both offended and embarrassed.

She ignored Ella's calls. She hurriedly left Ella's room and walked quickly towards the hospital gate.

  "Miss, what's wrong? Do you need help?"

Ajeng didn't even know who was asking her. She was crying uncontrollably while crouching down.

"Eh, what's going on? Is there anyone who can calm her down?" A man's panicked voice reached Ajeng's ears.

  Someone patted her shoulder gently.

"Miss, what's wrong? Do you want a ride home?" a woman around Ajeng's age offered.

Ajeng quickly wiped her cheeks and eyes. She looked at the crowd in front of her, embarrassed.

"Sorry. I'm fine," she said, her face red.

  "There's a car. Please take this lady home. It's a pity if she goes home alone," the woman said.

Ajeng obediently got into a black car. Her mind was confused, so she couldn't think clearly.

"Where to, Miss?" the driver asked.

  Ajeng gave the address of her rented house. Throughout the journey, Ajeng remained silent, staring at the row of buildings along the road. She recalled Ella's hurtful words and the woman's request.

  Now, she owed Ella 21 billion rupiah. She couldn't refuse because the situation was truly urgent. If only there was still a chance, she would try to get the money without having to be trapped by Ella's request, which felt like a noose around her neck.

Why did problems come one after another after she divorced Dimas? Was her fate really that bad?

  "Miss, which house is it?"

Ajeng gasped and immediately looked around. It turned out that the rented house was already in front of her.

"Get off here. How much?" she asked, unzipping her sling bag.

"It's free, miss."

  Ajeng looked up and raised her eyebrows. "But sir..."

"It's okay. Just consider it me helping you out."

"Thank you so much, sir," Ajeng said sincerely.

She got out of the car and smiled at the driver before walking past several houses to get to her rented house. She wanted to calm herself down for the rest of the day without any distractions.

***

"Ajeng, Mr. Evan is calling for you." Mrs. Martha, the manager in the division where Ajeng worked, looked at her suspiciously. "Why are you dealing with Mr. Evan?"

  Ajeng opened her mouth, then closed it again. She saw her coworkers staring at her curiously. No one knew about Ajeng's relationship with Evan and his wife at the company.

"Um, I don't know either, ma'am. Excuse me." Ajeng quickly escaped from the eagle-eyed gaze of her boss, who did indeed have feelings for Evan.

  She bit her lower lip, her heart pounding. Why did Evan suddenly call a lowly employee like her? He never did that before.

When she arrived in front of Evan's office, his male secretary smiled and invited Ajeng to enter.

  Suddenly, her hands were sweaty. Could her actions yesterday have hurt Ella, and was Evan angry with her? Ajeng entered Evan's office hesitantly. Her face felt cold when she saw Evan staring at her with a blank expression.

"Let's get married as soon as possible."