Library
Maghanap
Home / Romance / LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN / 61. First Steps

Share

61. First Steps

Author: A mum to be
last update Petsa ng paglalathala: 2026-05-08 16:13:40

Aurelia let out a quiet breath and forced a small smile. She was trying to push the rather unpleasant events from the night before out of her mind. She had begun to realize that someone like Kirana was the kind of person she needed to watch carefully. But for now, she decided to set it aside. Today marked the beginning of something new for her. Her first step as a private tutor.

The doorbell chimed softly but clearly, cutting through the quiet afternoon in an upscale neighborhood in So

Patuloy na basahin ang aklat na ito nang libre
I-scan ang code upang i-download ang App
Nakaraang Kabanata Susunod na kabanata
Locked Chapter

Pinakabagong kabanata

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   189. Don't Overthink It

    "Bas... I'm so nervous," Aurelia murmured, pulling her jacket tighter around herself. They stood outside the IELTS testing center, where the crisp Melbourne morning air stung her ears.Baskara glanced at her, his expression as calm as ever."You've studied. You're ready, Lia. Don't overthink it."Aurelia let out a small huff, her eyes drifting toward the building's sign."What if my mind goes blank? The speaking section is terrifying, you know.""If you can argue with me about a project," Baskara replied evenly, "you can handle an interviewer."There was something in his eyes that didn't match his matter-of-fact tone. A quiet confidence that was strangely reassuring.Aurelia puffed out her cheeks, half annoyed, half amused."That wasn't arguing. I was learning, Bas."He raised an eyebrow."Learning or building mental resilience, it's the same thing. Think of today as more practice."They crossed the sidewal

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   188. A Strange Feeling

    The Melbourne night was cold enough to seep into the bones. The modest restaurant tucked away on a CBD street corner had quieted down after the project team gradually went their separate ways. Outside, streetlights reflected off the rain-soaked sidewalk from the afternoon shower, while the steady hum of passing traffic filled the air.Aurelia stood near the restaurant entrance, pulling her thin cardigan tighter around herself as she tried to ignore the sting in her bandaged right elbow. Ever since the accident at the construction site that afternoon, she had hidden the pain behind a smile, though her expression tightened every time she moved her arm too far.She lowered her gaze and was about to head toward the tram stop when a familiar voice stopped her."I'll drive you. Don't argue. We already agreed on that."Baskara's voice was calm but firm, leaving no room for debate.Aurelia looked up, a little flustered."You really don't have to, Ba

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   187. Don't Do Anything Reckless

    Baskara glanced at her, one eyebrow slightly raised. "Of course. Did you think I'd hire someone without paying them?"Aurelia froze, her cheeks instantly turning bright red. Only then did she realize she'd been so focused on the experience and the chance to work closely with him that she'd never even asked about her salary. She wanted to crawl under the table from embarrassment, though a part of her couldn't help finding it funny, like a child who had just stumbled onto an obvious grown-up secret.The neat office was bathed in cool white light, illuminating stacks of documents and the glow of laptop screens. Aurelia bit back a laugh and quickly covered her mouth before it escaped. Baskara kept his eyes on the paperwork, lightly tapping the desk with his fingers, completely oblivious to her silent panic. His calm, unreadable demeanor only made Gian's wife feel even more flustered."Today we need to finish revising the project documents, review the client notes, and make sure every time

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   186. Don't Overthink Something Silly

    Aurelia looked at the person who had made that comment one more time, wanting to confirm what had caught her attention in the first place.She even blinked rapidly, worried her eyes had deceived her.“Don't pay too much attention to it. Just treat it like trash,” Baskara said.Aurelia nodded in agreement.The man had turned out to be nothing more than an ordinary Indonesian. Probably someone who followed business fan pages and occasionally liked pretending he knew what was going on.“Oh my God...” Aurelia muttered under her breath.She smacked her own forehead, held a long breath, then released it forcefully.Her face burned with embarrassment and relief, like someone who had just realized their fear had been completely unfounded.Her cheeks puffed out in frustration, making her look like a child annoyed with herself.She even glanced around to make sure no one had noticed how ridiculous she must

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   185. It's Not Easy, Is It

    Devina's words came out effortlessly, brief but unmistakably clear.“Why don't you ask Mr. Gian yourself? I still have somewhere to be.”Her tone was calm, yet sharp, like an arrow deliberately fired into the air with the certainty that it would hit its target.After saying that, she offered a faint smile. It was the kind of smile that was impossible to read, whether sincere or carefully calculated.Then she gracefully walked away from the cluster of reporters, as though every camera in the room had been placed there specifically for her.Flashes erupted nonstop.The rapid clicking of cameras echoed through the hallway, temporarily blinding anyone standing nearby.The atmosphere instantly grew tense.Everyone knew that with a single sentence, Devina had just opened the door to endless speculation.And just as expected, every eye turned toward the man still standing his ground.Gian.He appeared

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   184. It Couldn't Be Canceled

    Afterward, Gian returned his attention to work, reviewing another stack of documents.His eyes moved swiftly across line after line until they suddenly stopped.A name he knew all too well was printed clearly on the front page of a committee report.“Chef Devina...” he murmured.His brows immediately drew together.Clicking his tongue softly, he leaned back in his chair.The committee had reached a final decision. Devina would officially collaborate with Mahesa Group for the Mahesa Foundation charity gala next month.A final decision.One that could not be overturned.A mixture of resignation and frustration settled heavily in his chest.He knew that sooner or later, avoiding Devina would become impossible.And now, that moment had been scheduled for him.It was late again when Gian arrived home.The clock was nearing eleven.Jakarta's air was thick with humidi

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   6. A Condition

    Gian moved toward Aurelia slowly, almost soundless, closing the small distance between them. His warm breath brushed her face, and it felt like the room itself was shrinking around them.Aurelia swallowed hard. Her body went stiff, her instincts firing off warnings.“What do you want me to do?” she

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   5. Gold-digger

    “Typical gold-digger!”That was the first thing that flew out of Mrs. Lestari’s mouth this morning. Her tone was sharp, cutting, like a whip cracking across bare skin. The usually quiet house was now heavy with tension.Aurelia stayed silent. Her head bowed, her eyes fixed on the floor. She knew th

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   4. You’re defending her

    “I want to ask you something,” Gian said quietly, though his voice carried an unmistakable firmness. “Who exactly were you trying to please?”Aurelia froze. Her lips parted, but no sound came out.Madam Lestari folded her arms even tighter across her chest. “Certainly not me, Gian,” she snapped.Si

  • LOVE BEYOND THE PAIN   3. Mother-in-Law’s Greeting

    Gian didn’t answer. Only a long, heavy silence filled the room, swallowing whatever courage Aurelia had left. She shut her eyes, desperately hoping for an explanation—anything. But all she heard was the faint rustle of fabric as Gian shifted on the sofa.Minutes passed before a voice finally broke

Higit pang Kabanata

Maaari mong magustuhan

Galugarin at basahin ang magagandang nobela
Libreng basahin ang magagandang nobela sa GoodNovel app. I-download ang mga librong gusto mo at basahin kahit saan at anumang oras.
Libreng basahin ang mga aklat sa app
I-scan ang code para mabasa sa App
DMCA.com Protection Status