Lara shook her head, not wanting Mti to know about her husband’s depravity.


    “It’s okay, Ma’am. You can go,” Lara said.


    Mti nodded and then left.


    Lara resumed her halted crying. Then, she scrolled through her phone screen to find ‘Seno’s’ name there.


    At first nce, she couldn’t see clearly. These teardrops blurred her vision. She was still sobbing while trying to press the ‘call’ button but failed. The wet screen was the cause. Lara quickly wiped the screen and tried again. This time, she found a busy tone.


    “Seno, damn it! Where has that man gone? Why hasn’t he even once informed me?”


    She pressed the ‘call’ button again and tried to contact Seno’s phone, which was still busy with another call.


    Suddenly, the call was cut off. She felt even more despondent. Why didn’t Seno answer her call? What was really happening out there? Those questions kept spinning in her mind without clear answers.


    Lara tried to gather courage and call Seno’s number again. The busy tone sounded, intensifying the tension within her. She felt like time was passing so slowly. She even held her breath every second.


    “Hello?”


    Finally, he picked up her call. Seno’s voice sounded, but it wasn’t as usual. There was something different, something that made her even more anxious.


    “Lara?” he called again, his voice sounding hesitant.


    “Seno, what’s going on? Why haven’t you been at home for two consecutive days?” she shouted, trying to control her raging emotions.


    For a moment, there was amotion behind Seno. It seemed like he was in a busy ce. “Inform? For what?” he asked mockingly. She could clearly tell that he was scoffing at her concern.


    “For what?” she repeated his question. “I’m your wife!” she yelled with a high pitch.


    Senoughed. Aughter that belittled.


    “Wife? Whose wife can spend the night with another man, Lara?” Seno asked sharply. Laughter could be heard in the background. Whoseughter?


    “Seno!”


    “Enough. I’m busy.”


    Seno was about to end the call but paused momentarily when Lara mentioned ‘Olivia’s’ name.


    “Are you… spending the night with Olivia?” she asked insistently. Of course, she was suspicious. His words could be rted to that vile woman.


    “O… Olivia?” Seno sounded flustered.


    Lara could conclude that Seno had indeed spent the night at that home-wrecking woman’s apartment. The photos Olivia had thrown at her turned out to be new photos.


    “You… haven’t changed, Seno.”


    This time, she ended the call with tears resurfacing. Her heart hurt. Apparently, Seno was still the same.


    “What’s wrong with me? What are my shorings? Why is he so heartless to cheat on me with another woman?”


    Who could answer that question? No one, except Seno. Lara was sure… even he didn’t want to say anything.


    Days passed, once again without Seno’s presence. Lara got used to it. Although Seno eventually sent her a message saying he was on an important business trip out of town, she remained unmoved.


    That trip must have been just an excuse.


    At that moment, Lara chose toment her situation alone. The days passed slowly, and the silence in the house deepened her loneliness. Every time she looked at their empty bed, feelings of annoyance and disappointment resurfaced.


    Mti, who always faithfully apanied her, tried to give support. But she was still too wounded to ept warmth from others. Her tears became her faithfulpanion, and the pain froze within her.


    “Ma’am. It’s time to eat.”


    Mti’s voice interrupted her reverie. Lara tried to go through days without Seno. Doing routines without his presence. Her heart felt empty.


    “Yeah, M. I’ll be there,” Lara replied from inside the room. She didn’t want to make Mti worried.


    After her phone conversation with Senost night, she didn’t leave the room until this morning. She tried not to dwell too much on Seno’s struggle with Olivia, but their shadows continued to haunt her.


    She couldn’t go out of the room looking sad. Her eyes were swollen. Tears wet her face and clothes. A feeling of suffocation enveloped her. Strangely, she didn’t feel nauseous. Her progressing pregnancy seemed to support her emotionally unstable condition.


    Her unborn child understood its mother well.


    “What’s cooking?” Lara asked when she arrived at the dining table. Beforeing here, she made sure there were no traces of swelling left on her face. Her sadness also began to fade thanks to her arriving hunger. She did need breakfast.


    “Fried rice, Ma’am. Do you like it?” Mti asked, as if… if she didn’t like it, she would cook another dish for her.


    “I like it,” Lara replied with a smile. The sweet girl warmed her heart. How could she say ‘no’ to her?


    “Thank goodness…” Mti smiled too.Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    At that moment, Lara decided to live even without Seno’s presence. Although she did still maintain their rtionship… but, she started to reconsider.


    Was it right for her to continue suffering like this?


    She buried all her thoughts and anxieties in a spoonful of rice and devoured it. She hoped all these worries would pass as her stomach filled.


    “How does it taste, Ma’am?” Mti, who was sitting not far from her, asked.


    “Delicious. Thanks, M,” Lara replied, giving her a thumbs up.


    Mti’s smile warmed Lara’s heart. She began to realize that happiness must be pursued. For some time now, she would try to reflect and introspect. If, indeed, these things beyond her control continued to happen… then, she could find another path simr to other people’s choices: separating from her husband.


    ***


    In the following days, Lara tried to create a more stable life without Seno’s presence. Although feelings of disappointment and sadness still lingered, she tried not to get too lost in emotions. Mti remained her pir, providing unconditional support to her.


    Time kept moving forward, and Lara decided to focus on work and pregnancy. Although her heart was still full of wounds, she couldn’t sacrifice her health and that of her unborn child. She started attending childbirth preparation sses and preparing all the necessities to wee the baby.


    Mti, with her kindness, also helped in preparing the baby’s needs. She happily assisted in choosing baby supplies and arranging the baby’s room that Lara had prepared months ago. Their togetherness created a new bond, like a newly formed sisterly rtionship.


    Seno’s shadow still lingered in her life. Short messages from Seno asionally appeared, giving news that he was still alive, even though there were no apologies or exnations for his behavior. She chose not to pay too much attention to those messages; she focused on her new life instead.


    ***


    “Working?”


    “Yes, this is my job now,” Lara said, showing her journal.


    “Ma’am, writing? What are you writing?” Mti asked curiously.


    “Hm… for now, I’m writing daily activities. Who knows, maybe I can write a novelter?”


    “Wow! That’s great!”


    Lara smiled when Mti praised her.


    Every second and time that had passed, she recorded neatly in her journal. She named it a new job so that she could be disciplined and focused on that activity. A job? Does anyone sell journals?


    “Always be happy, Ma’am.”


    Mti’s words encouraged her. She even forgot that Seno was a husband and also one of the upants of this house.


    He had not returned home for almost five consecutive days. Lara’s feelings became numb. She no longer felt lonely or hurt from being ignored.


    Her growing belly indicated that the delivery time was approaching. Although the presence of the baby brought its own happiness, the shadow of an iplete family always haunted her. How could she provide a good life for her child if this family continued to be gued by such conflicts?


    “What… should I do?”