Semua Bab I'm Glad We Met After Marriage: Bab 331 - Bab 340

Just then, Austin called, so I went back inside to pick up the phone.He asked, “Have you guys reached Malaysia?”“Yes, we have.”“I’ll come over later.”“It’s okay. Zach came with us. You can handle things at Sophie’s place.”Austin hesitated and asked, “Sophie… How is she?”I looked out through the glass door at the harbor lights. I could only see Sophie’s silhouette. She was sitting in a wicker chair and eating the bread slowly.“She’s okay for now.” That was all I could say.“She’ll be fine until Bryce’s funeral is over.”We both knew Sophie. It was not time for her to break down yet.“Do you want to talk to her?”“No, it’s okay.” Austin hung up.I went over to the glass door and observed Sophie from a distance.Right then, I saw the reflection of another person in the glass. It was Zach.He was standing and smoking on his room’s terrace.It was strange. My vision suddenly seemed clearer, and I could see the smoke from his cigarette.I wondered what he was thinking.

There was a large beach behind the tourist center. Many of the victims’ families were kneeling on the rocks. They were calling out to the sea and hoping for a miracle. Unfortunately, miracles did not always happen. No one on the ferry survived, not even the captain.Sophie leaned on me, and I held her trembling hand.We waited from day to night, and eventually, Bryce’s body was recovered.This time, I was the one who had to identify the body. Sophie had already used all her courage when she identified Luna’s body.Zach helped me slowly walk on the sand. It was very dark, and there was no power on the beach, only a few temporary shelters with lights and cooling from generators. The bodies could not be handled until the families identified them. The temperature in Melaka was very high.Inside the identification shelter, it was freezing cold, like being in a completely different world from the warm beach.The bodies were laid on mats, surrounded by large blocks of ice. Two powerfu

By the time we returned, Sophie had seemingly left her sadness back in Malaysia. She was acting normal and even talking to us like before. Bryce and Luna’s bodies had also been brought back to a local funeral home. Aunt Lauren and her husband went to see Bryce one last time.I did not go with them. I watched as my mom helped Aunt Lauren out of the funeral home. She was sobbing uncontrollably.The funeral was scheduled for the next day, and Sophie’s house set up a funeral parlor. You could feel the grief pouring out the moment you stepped in. Austin had been helping with arrangements, and he asked, “How’s Sophie doing?”I glanced at Sophie, who was busy greeting guests who came to pay their respects. “It’s just like what you see.”“She looks composed. She’s strong.”I paused and then looked at him. “Her fragile moments are already over.”“Let’s hope she can get through this soon,” Austin murmured.“She probably really needs your support right now.”“Other people’s support ca

Some time later, my aunt was finally discharged. My mom took her to Tibet for some peace and healing. But true healing was something you had to do for yourself. A beautiful place could not be a permanent escape. Eventually, you had to come back to reality.Sophie started working at the branch office as the deputy manager. It was the highest position she could get given her lack of experience. Bryce had been the general manager, and his position was still open.She left her coffee shop with the manager and her entertainment company with a friend. On her first day at the branch, I went with her to drop her off.I went to Sophie’s place. When I saw her come downstairs in a formal business suit, she looked almost like a stranger. She had always been a bit wild, and her style showed it. Even in the middle of winter, she would wear shorts and leather boots. My aunt used to say she dressed like a little rebel.But today, this “rebel” looked like a real businesswoman. We wished this toug

The days passed by slowly. This year, we had the quietest New Year’s Eve. My mom and aunt went on a trip again and stayed in a warm, beautiful village. New Year’s Eve used to be a time when our whole family got together. But this year, there were fewer people. My mom and aunt were not around. Bryce and Luna would never come back either. The big dining table was usually full of people. This time, it could not be filled. My dad poured a drink and symbolically offered it to Bryce. Then, he raised his glass to my uncle and said, “Bryce and Luna will be fine up there.” My uncle raised his glass with shaky hands and drank it all. Even though there were not many of us this year, we were still together as a family. Two people were probably alone on this New Year’s Eve. One was Austin. Yesterday, he told me that his dad was in Kentucky with his new Mexican girlfriend, who was thirty years younger than him. I joked that his dad was still full of energy. Austin smiled and said