Ariana entered the restaurant and was greeted by Amber's sharp gaze and furrowed brows. "What are you doing?" Ariana asked with her usual calm demeanor. "Isn't that Karenina?" Amber inquired, curious. Ariana just nodded. "Are you planning to chat and gossip with her? Go ahead, she might leave soon," she said. Jody, who heard Ariana's voice, immediately emerged from the kitchen. The same goes for Adel, whom Ariana momentarily forgot was present. "Who?" Jody asked, displaying an extraordinary level of curiosity. Ariana pointed with her thumb over her shoulder. Jody and Adel walked closer to the window and were shocked to see a more feminine version of Ariana outside. "Oh my God, she looks amazing," Jody unintentionally praised. Amber scoffed upon hearing the tone of admiration. Meanwhile, Ariana ignored them and continued to the second floor. Since earlier, she had been trying to hold back the tightness in her chest and the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. Today - n
Ariana attempted to rise, her head still throbbing. She made her way to the bathroom, searching for the headache relief she usually kept there. She forgot that she hadn't bought it the last time she intended to. As a result, she went back downstairs, intending to buy the medicine from the nearest store. However, her plans were hindered by the presence of Adel and other staff members who were ready to work. Consequently, Ariana shifted her focus to her duties. She ignored the pulsating pain in her head as she tried to push away all the negative thoughts in her mind. For her, it was just a matter of time until the bomb containing the word 'divorce' escaped Gerald's lips. Shouldn't she be happy? Yes, she should be happy because that's what she had been hoping for all this time. But why did her heart say otherwise? Why wasn't she willing? Why did she feel disliking? Why did she feel disappointment and sadness? Customers started to arrive, and Ariana chose to continue working in the k
Ariana wasn't surprised to find out that the person knocking on the door was Gerald. She tried to act normally. When she asked him to use the bathroom quickly, he instead sat casually on the bed without saying much. Consequently, Ariana grabbed her clothes from the wardrobe and went back into the bathroom to change. After dressing, Ariana sat down on the toilet. Her stomach suddenly felt queasy and painful, and her head throbbed intensely. Her body started shaking uncontrollably. She leaned her head against the toilet wall, trying to take slow breaths to alleviate the sudden pain and tightness attacking her chest. She felt weak all of a sudden and couldn't even support herself on her own feet. She knew Gerald was out there, and he would help her if she asked. But she was reluctant to do so. The cold ceramic floor touched the soles of her feet, sending a shiver up her spine. She was still trying to keep herself conscious when she heard the bathroom door open, and Gerald walked toward
Gerald left Ariana when the female nurse he had requested arrived. In less than ten minutes, Ariana felt clean again and lay back on the bed, which had also been changed with fresh sheets and pillowcases. After the nurse left, the man entered the room again. "Are you okay? Do you want to eat something?" he asked once more. Ariana shook her head again. "Why are you still here? Just go home," Ariana ordered softly. "Why can't I stay here with my wife?" Gerald countered. Ariana snorted upon hearing his response. She chose to close her eyes even though she didn't feel sleepy at all. "What's wrong with you?" Gerald asked softly. He clearly knew that Ariana wasn't truly asleep. He intentionally raised the back of the bed so Ariana could see him clearly. Ariana, who also felt tired, pretended to open her eyes. "Nothing. Why?" she replied. "I prefer the sarcastic and rude Ariana over this silent one. Tell me, did I do something wrong?" he asked again. Ariana shook her head. There was no
Vivan arrived at six in the morning, carrying two paper bags in his right hand and Gerald's suit still hanging on a hanger, wrapped in clear plastic, in his left hand. He looked more like a laundry worker than Gerald's assistant. "Your breakfast, Madam," he said to Ariana after Gerald took his suit and went into the bathroom with one of the large paper bags in his hand. "Thank you," murmured Ariana. Vivan helped Ariana by raising the table next to the bed and arranging all the food he brought. Warm white rice. Sautéed beef. Steamed broccoli, green beans, and carrots. Fresh fruits were arranged in front of her. He also opened a thermos containing warm green tea. "Mrs. Rosaline prepared all of this specifically for you. She said she would come here after dropping Axel off at school," Vivan explained again. Ariana didn't respond to anything. The food in front of her was far more interesting than Vivan's words. Ariana devoured all the food in front of her eagerly. She didn't intend t
Ariana remained silent. After Gerald left, she knew that the two male guards who had been watching her were now stationed outside her door. Was she annoyed? Definitely. But what could she do? She could only sit on the bed, turning on the television aimlessly, just to dispel the silence. Afterward, she picked up her phone and checked her messages. There were messages from her father and her mother, inquiring about her well-being. A message from Aisyah asking when she would come home. And a message from her younger sister inviting her to play together over the weekend. But those messages had been received a long time ago. Her phone had been in Gerald's possession all this time. A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. An elderly woman entered the room. Who else could it be but her grandmother-in-law, Mrs. Rosaline? She wore her usual expensive attire and politely asked Ariana for permission to enter her room, as if she would leave if Ariana denied her entry. Ariana sighed inwardl
Since then, Gerald no longer relied on his father. Even though my son supported him financially, Gerald tried to make his own way from his teenage years. His life abroad was truly independent. He even forgot the teachings of his grandfather, my husband, about worship. And I couldn't make him change. I could only hope that someday, the old Gerald would return. Years passed. Darrel, a teenager at the time, started to look up to Gerald. Gerald loved him dearly. Even though he knew they didn't share the same blood, they came from the same lineage. Darrel always considered Gerald his role model. Then one day, Darrel fell in love with a girl from California. She seemed like a good girl to me. Axel's mother was very polite and cheerful, despite her ordinary background. Axel wanted to introduce the girl to his mother, but even before anything happened, Isidora rejected her. Apparently, Isidora had already decided on a match for Axel—a daughter of a wealthy businessman. She thought that by
The doctor came to check on her at nine in the morning. After ensuring that she was okay, Ariana was finally allowed to go home, but not before getting permission from Gerald, who was contacted by his loyal bodyguards who had been tailing him since he left for the office that morning. Mrs. Rosaline asked Ariana to come back home with her, but Ariana refused. She felt uncomfortable staying there. She decided to go back to the restaurant instead. Again, she could only leave with Gerald's permission. Did she really have no say in her own life anymore? Ariana snorted. But well, what could she do? Running away seemed pointless. She didn't say much when she entered the restaurant. Although Jody, Amber, and Adel looked at her with concern, they didn't say anything. Ariana just went upstairs, intending to lie down there. She wouldn't force herself to work for now, even though she wanted to. Amber and Adel entered shortly after Ariana found her comfortable spot. "Are you okay?" Amber asked