4. Wedding Ceremony

"You look so beautiful today. Even though it's simple, you still look like you're wearing an expensive kebaya," Ella said with a cheerful face.

Indeed, the kebaya she was wearing cost hundreds of millions of rupiah. Ajeng felt that Ella was deliberately mocking her. Someone with limited financial means like herself would never be able to afford an expensive kebaya just for a wedding ceremony that would only last a few minutes.

"Why don't you look happy?" Ella asked in surprise.

Ajeng should have been the one asking Ella that question. Why did that woman look so happy when her husband was about to marry her own best friend? What kind of world was Ajeng living in now? Maybe this was all just a dream. Maybe she was going crazy and hallucinating.

"You and Evan look so perfect together. I made the right choice in choosing you as his wife," Ella continued, holding both her hands with a happy smile.

Ajeng was even more speechless. Had Ella gone crazy because of her illness? But the woman had blood cancer, not brain cancer, which could cause the sufferer to ramble and become senile.

Last night, what did Ella mean when she said that the woman had finally won? Won from whom? Or could it be that Ella was gambling?

"Ajeng, your uncle is here." Aunt Dahlia entered Ella's room. The woman's mouth gaped when she saw Ajeng's appearance. "Where are you actually from? Your uncle looks completely Caucasian. You also look like the wife of that mud businessman, you know."

Ajeng widened her eyes when she saw her future mother-in-law, who didn't look mean or angry when she approached her. She was very different from her former mother-in-law.

"Why a mud businessman, Mom? Mud is a natural disaster. Besides, Ajeng is prettier." Ella tightened her grip on Ajeng's hand with a wide smile.

"Yes, Ajeng is pretty. Do you want to be an artist after this? Or a model? It would be a shame to waste that face. I can get you into a modeling agency."

Ajeng could only grimace. She couldn't believe the pair of in-laws and daughter-in-law in front of her. Why did they look so happy with the arrival of a new person? Those two should be hostile towards her. She was Ella's future rival, soon to be Evan's mistress.

"Alright, let's hurry down. Ella, Mr. Asep will help you. Rudi will take your wheelchair. Or do you want to move to a room downstairs?"

"Just move, Mom. Besides, my belly is already big. The wedding ceremony will wait for me first, okay?"

Ajeng just obeyed when Aunt Dahlia led her out of Ella's room and down the stairs. Her heart was pounding. Evan's parents might accept this decision, but what about Ella's parents?

They would surely be furious to see Ajeng stabbing Ella in the back and taking her husband. Even though she herself did not want to be in this position.

Ajeng's legs felt weaker when she saw the place that had been set up for a simple wedding ceremony. There was a photographer ready to capture this moment. It must have been Ella's doing.

She glanced at Uncle Dennis and Ansel, her cousin. They smiled, as if to give her strength. Aunt Dahlia led Ajeng to sit next to Evan, who was wearing a white suit.

"Shall we begin now?" the officiant asked.

They all nodded. Ajeng was actually surprised that it was the officiant who was marrying them. Usually, for a secret marriage, it was enough for the ustadz to do it. That was what she knew.

"I accept the marriage of Ajeng Maheswari van Otten daughter of Mark van Otten with a dowry of 100 grams of Antam gold paid in cash," Evan said fluently.

The clear, authoritative words startled Ajeng. Why did this marriage feel so serious? Shouldn't Evan have to give her such a large dowry? After all, they were about to divorce. Look at Ella, who looked healthy after chemotherapy.

"Let's take a photo, Jeng," Ella said enthusiastically.

Ajeng was like a robot. She just obeyed when the photographer kept directing her poses every time someone else joined the photo shoot. She even remained silent when her body was forced into the car and taken away with Evan to who knows where.

Her fate had officially changed completely now. She had become the second wife of her own best friend. What kind of life was she living now? How was her father doing? Was the operation successful? She wanted to run away from all this and return to her hometown. Let her find work there, as long as she no longer had to deal with those terrifying conglomerates.

"How long are you going to daydream in the car?"

Evan's cold words startled Ajeng. She saw a house that looked luxurious and large. Ajeng used to have a house like that. However, since her father had a heart attack, their wealth had gradually been depleted by medical expenses.

Ajeng got out of the car and followed Evan. The driver who had brought them carried a large suitcase and a small suitcase. Her feet followed wherever her husband stepped. Including into the bedroom.

Her eyes widened. Why did she look as if she wanted to be alone with her husband? Husband. Ajeng grimaced. It had only been six months since she divorced Dimas, and now she was married to her best friend's husband. Did that mean she was a home wrecker?

"This is your house. It's up to you how you want to arrange it. Don't wait for me. I'll be going home to my wife more often," Evan said with a cold expression.

Ajeng rolled her eyes. Who was waiting anyway? In fact, Ajeng hoped Evan would never come here and focus more on Ella's recovery.

The man left after showing Ajeng her room. Shrugging, she entered the room and immediately removed the accessories attached to her hair.

"Ugh! It's just a secret marriage, but the makeup is already like a real bride's," she grumbled as she removed the jasmine garland that hung down to her waist.

After struggling to remove everything, Ajeng hurried into the bathroom. Her body felt hot and uncomfortable wearing the tight kebaya.

"Hopefully, after this, I won't have to get married again. I'll just be a widow so it's not complicated. Who says being a bride is fun? The dress is uncomfortable on the body."

The cold water from the shower made Ajeng sigh in pleasure. It felt truly amazing. For a moment, she wanted to let go of everything. She didn't want to think about anything. After all, she married Evan only for the sake of status, to silence Ella so she wouldn't complain.

After finishing her shower, she dried her hair with a towel before wrapping her body in the same towel. She actually saw a bathrobe, but she preferred to use a towel. After this, she wanted to sleep.

Ajeng casually opened the bathroom door, but her body froze instantly. Evan was standing in the doorway still wearing his wedding clothes, also frozen.

They looked at each other with their mouths slightly open. Ajeng could swear that Evan's eyes had glanced at her chest and thighs.

"Why are you still here!" Ajeng shouted as she slammed the bathroom door.

She leaned against the door, her heart racing wildly. Oh God, she had only ever been naked in front of Dimas before. Now, she felt like a cheap woman for being in front of her best friend’s husband wearing only a towel.

Wait, she was officially Evan’s wife now!