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30. Closer
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2026-05-01 18:15:53The sound of the slap shattered the silence. Even the ticking clock seemed to stop. Gian didn’t move. His head tilted slightly from the force of his mother’s hand, yet his eyes stayed steady, cold, burning, unshaken.
Aurelia covered her mouth, her whole body trembling as she witnessed a line finally being crossed: Mrs. Lestari had slapped her own son.
Gian slowly turned back to his mother. His jaw tightened, but his expression didn’t change. Not anger. Not rage
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LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 201. Win Her Back
“Knock it off, Jer. This is none of your business.”The sharp words left Baskara's lips without hesitation. His eyes narrowed, his expression firm and unyielding as he stared Jeremy down.But the moment his gaze drifted toward Aurelia and Caca, everything about him softened. The tenderness in his eyes appeared almost instinctively, as if the two of them were too precious to be touched by Jeremy's cynical remarks.Jeremy only laughed.His amused chuckle echoed through the bustling departure terminal as travelers hurried past.“Oh, come on, Bas. You can do anything if you set your mind to it. If you want her, then win her back from that greenhorn who's about to inherit Mahesa Group.”Baskara fell silent, holding back the surge of anger threatening to break loose.His jaw tightened.His teeth clenched.He knew Jeremy enjoyed pushing people's buttons. He had always loved poking at personal matters jus
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 200. Is She the One?
Baskara stood by the apartment window, watching the soft morning light spill through the sheer curtains. The cool Melbourne air drifted inside, carrying the smell of freshly toasted bread from the kitchen.A smile spread across his face when he heard the sound of little footsteps approaching.“Daddy...” The sleepy voice was soft and sweet, the unmistakable voice of a child who had just woken up.Baskara turned around.Caca stood there with messy bed hair and half-closed eyes, dragging her stuffed bunny behind her.The sight instantly warmed his heart.“Good morning, Daddy's little princess,” Baskara said gently.He walked over, scooped her into his arms, and held her against his chest.“Did you sleep well?”Caca gave a sleepy nod.“But... I'm hungry.”“Then let's have breakfast, sweetheart.”They headed to the dining table.A simple b
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 199. Don't Get the Wrong Idea
“Caca?”Aurelia called softly, her body still halfway out of the car. Her voice trembled as if she couldn't quite believe what she'd just heard. She leaned closer to the back seat, her eyes searching through the dim shadows lit only by the streetlights.Her heart hammered against her ribs.Caca was still fast asleep, her tiny face completely peaceful. Yet those little lips had just whispered a single word that pierced straight through Aurelia's heart, a word she had never expected to hear from the little girl.“Mommy.”Even now, still asleep, Caca murmured again. The words were too faint to make out, more like the rambling of someone caught between dreams and reality, as if she were continuing a beautiful dream that only she could see.Aurelia froze.Her chest tightened, and her breathing grew heavy. After a few long seconds, she forced herself to take a deep breath, trying to steady the emotions threatening to overwhelm her.She knew Caca was sleep talking.Even so, that single word
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 198. I Was Just Tagging Along
“I still don't want to say goodbye to you, Miss Lia,” Caca whined, her lips puffed out like a squished mochi. Her wide eyes shimmered under the glow of the streetlights as she clung to Aurelia's arm in the back seat.Aurelia smiled gently and stroked the little girl's soft hair. “We'll see each other again tomorrow, sweetheart. It's already late. You need to get some rest so you'll have lots of energy tomorrow.”Instead of calming down, Caca pouted even more. She blinked rapidly, as though trying to keep tears from spilling over.“If you want, you can spend the night with Miss Aurelia. We could get a hotel,” Baskara said from behind the wheel.His tone was casual, as if he were offering the simplest suggestion in the world, but his eyes briefly sharpened in the rearview mirror as he watched Aurelia's reaction.Aurelia's eyes widened.“Huh?” The tiny sound escaped before she could stop it. She looked toward the front of the car, staring at his back in complete surprise. Her heart began
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 197. Walking Together
The question slipped out so casually from the mouth of a first grader. But to Aurelia, it struck like lightning in the quiet meeting room. Her breath caught, and the smile on her lips instantly froze.Across the room, Baskara was still focused on the files spread across the conference table, completely unaware that his daughter's innocent question had shaken Aurelia to her core.Before Aurelia could recover, the notification on her phone chimed again.The screen lit up with a name that made her heartbeat quicken.Gian.It wasn't just a text. He had sent her a photo.In it, Gian sat in a conference room wearing a perfectly tailored suit. His expression was serious, though he still managed a faint smile for the camera. Beside him, Rafi was busy flipping through a stack of documents.Below the picture was a short caption filled with longing.[I miss you so much. What are you up to, sweetheart?]Aurelia stared at the screen.
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 196. A Call from Her Mother
That morning, sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains of Aurelia's room. The smell of freshly toasted bread filled the small apartment. She sat at the little table by the window, looking down at a simple breakfast of scrambled eggs, toast with jam, and a steaming cup of tea. For a moment, she welcomed the silence, hoping it would calm the thoughts that had been weighing on her since the night before.The peaceful moment didn't last.Her phone rang.It was the ringtone she had assigned to calls from home.Her hand froze above her spoon.The hesitation was immediate. It was the same familiar reluctance she always felt whenever her parents' names appeared on her screen.Aurelia drew in a quiet breath.Should I answer... or ignore it?Her heart urged her to let it ring.Her mind told her otherwise.In the end, she gave in.She swiped the green icon and raised the phone to her ear."Hi, Mom,
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 136. You’re Still My Child
“It’s not even lunchtime yet. Where would you like to go, Mom?” Kirana asked cheerfully, her voice bright and energetic as ever.She looked especially radiant that late morning.Her hair fell neatly over her shoulders, partially hidden beneath a wide cream-colored
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 135. A Warm Morning
Mrs. Lestari’s eyes narrowed briefly when she caught Mbok Sumi whispering softly to Aurelia.It was such a small gesture, probably nothing more than a greeting or a short comment. But to someone as naturally cautious as her, even that was enough to spark suspicion.“It&r
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 134. Attention From Her Mother-in-Law
“I changed my mind. Let’s go home.”What did she just say?Changed her mind?Aurelia tried to process what her mother-in-law meant.Her eyes automatically drifted toward the large bag Mbok Sumi was carrying. The thick fabric bulged with folds, as thou
LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN 133. The Seven-Door Refrigerator
Mrs. Lestari fell silent for a moment.Even after the payment was finished, the woman continued walking behind them until Aurelia and Gian finally reached the parking lot.The atmosphere turned painfully quiet.The evening breeze only seemed to thicken the silence.Neither Gian nor his mother spoke
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