Late into the night, Alvian still could not fall asleep. He tossed and turned on the super-sized soft bed. However, even that bed could not make him sleep soundly like a king. Because now he was anxiously thinking about a woman who had taken his virginity.
Worse still, the woman was heavily pregnant. Alvian thought he had to meet her and ask directly whether the baby in Aylin's womb was his or not.
"But what if the child really is mine?" Alvian's heart was pounding wildly. For anything, he wasn't ready to take on the role of a hot daddy.
Growing more anxious, Alvian sat back on the bed. He grabbed his mobile phone from the bedside table and immediately called someone. It seemed that Alvian didn't care that it was late at night and that the person he was calling might already be asleep. Sure enough, after trying several times, the call finally connected.
"I have an important task for you!" he said to the person on the other end of the line.
"What task, sir?" The voice on the other end sounded weak and hoarse.
It seemed that he was indeed asleep, but had been disturbed by his boss's barrage of calls.
"Do you still remember the woman I hired a few months ago?"
There was a moment of silence. It seemed that Alvian's subordinate was surprised to hear his boss's question. Why was Alvian asking about that woman?
"I remember, sir. Do you want that woman again for tonight?" That stupid question made Alvian's dictatorial soul rebel. Did Bara, his subordinate, think that his boss was a sex maniac?
"No!" he shouted angrily. "I want you to investigate that woman!"
"What? Investigate?"
"Yes. She currently works at the Orchid Cafe. I want you to find out where she lives and who she is with."
"That's all?" "
"Hmmm!"
"Alright, sir. I'll start investigating tomorrow." Just obey the boss's orders without asking questions. Sometimes the boss is a very nice person, but he can turn scary in certain situations.
"But remember, this is a secret! Not even Galih can know!"
"Of course, sir. The secret is safe."
"Good!" Because it was such a secret, Alvian would give Bara a large sum of money to keep quiet.
Alvian ended the call afterwards. He sat in silence, his thoughts wandering.
"I could be sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean by my grandmother if I were to impregnate a woman outside of marriage."
***
The next day, at the office....
It was late afternoon when Alvian was visited by Bara, one of his subordinates whom he had ordered yesterday to find information about Aylin.
To maintain secrecy, he locked the door tightly so that no one could hear their conversation. This made Riana and Galih wonder what secret conversation Alvian and Bara were having.
"She's currently living in a boarding house. Alone and in a state of..." Bara trailed off. Alvian could guess what his subordinate was about to say.
"I know. She's pregnant."
"That's right, sir."
"Are you sure she lives alone? Not with her mother, husband or boyfriend perhaps?" he asked to confirm.
"I'm sure, sir. According to several people I asked, Aylin has been living alone for several months. She also never has guests or family visit her rented room."
Bara's report made Alvian's mind even more turbulent. He glanced at the watch on his wrist. It was already time to leave work. It seemed like a good idea to meet Aylin now and ask her about the baby she was carrying.
"Where are you going, Al?" asked Galih, when Alvian rushed out of the room.
"I have an important appointment with someone," he replied briefly. Then he walked past Riana's desk.
Meanwhile, Riana gave Galih a questioning look.
"Alvian has an important appointment with whom? As far as I know, he doesn't have any meetings scheduled for today."
Galih shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it's an appointment with a woman outside of work. You know Oma and Mama Veny keep pressuring Alvian to get married quickly."
Riana fell silent. Deep down, she wouldn't want Alvian to end up with another woman.
After work, Aylin cooked instant noodles in her room. Usually at the end of the month, when money was tight, saving was the only option. Cheap and filling instant noodles were her go-to meal. Besides, they tasted good to Aylin, who was used to simple food.
The sound of a knock on the door distracted Aylin. She turned off the stove, then transferred the hot noodles into a bowl. The stove was on the floor, so she had to cook while sitting down. It was really difficult. Plus, her growing belly severely limited her movement.
"Just a moment!" the woman replied when she heard the knocking on the door getting louder. It was as if the person outside was impatiently waiting for the door to be opened.
Aylin quickly stood up, her hands resting on the floor. She then walked towards the door and opened it. Instantly, Aylin felt her whole body tremble when she saw who was standing in front of her now.
"Mr Alvian?"
Aylin was so shocked she couldn't blink and thought she was hallucinating. How did Alvian know where she lived?
Aylin froze. Alvian's gaze was very unfriendly. It carried a dark and gloomy aura. The tall, sturdy man scanned Aylin's body from head to toe. For a few seconds, he focused on her bulging stomach. However, Alvian's concentration was broken when his sense of smell caught the aroma of hot instant noodles wafting through the room.
Alvian's gaze rotated to every corner of the room. Of course, the 3x3 metre room was very cramped for Alvian, who was used to living in a spacious and luxurious room. There was nothing there but a small foam mattress, a single-burner stove on the floor, and the freshly cooked instant noodles. For some reason, Alvian's heart felt a twinge.
She ate instant noodles while pregnant? Wasn't that bad for her health? Alvian thought.
"Do you still remember me?" he asked flatly.
"Yes, sir," Aylin whispered.
"Can we talk for a moment?"
Aylin nodded hesitantly. She didn't dare to lift her head in front of the man. Alvian immediately closed the door, leaving only a small gap.
Alvian was not the type of person who liked small talk. Without wasting any time, he immediately expressed his intention for coming to see Aylin. "A few days ago, we met at the Orchid Cafe. I came here to ask you something important."
Again, Aylin only nodded. Shock made her tongue feel stiff. Especially since every word Alvian whispered sounded very scary.
"Who is the father of the child you are carrying?" That direct question made Aylin's eyes widen.
Although Alvian's tone was very casual, it sounded terrifying to Aylin's ears.
"Hey, why are you silent? Answer me!"
Aylin jolted. Suddenly, her entire body felt weak. Both her hands immediately touched her stomach when she felt a small movement there. She didn't know what answer to give. She still clearly remembered Alvian's threat a few months ago to destroy her life if what happened between them that night leaked out to others.
"I'm pregnant from another man, sir," Aylin whispered. Lying might save her. If Alvian found out who the biological father of her child was, it was possible that he would try to harm Aylin and her child in the future. And Aylin would do anything to protect her child.
"Are you sure?"
Aylin nodded hesitantly. She bowed her head to hide the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Then where is this man now and who is he?"
"I don't know who he is or where he is."
Alvian took a deep breath. Perhaps Riana was right all along. That Aylin was a woman who often sold herself for money. It just so happened that Alvian was the first to find out.
"All right, I came to see you just to ask that. You still remember my warning a few months ago, right? Keep your mouth shut and don't let anyone know what happened between us that night."
"I understand."
Just as Alvian was about to leave, there was a knock on the door. This was followed by the sound of a woman shouting Aylin's name repeatedly.
"Who is it?" whispered Alvian.
"It might be the owner of this rental house, sir. Can you stand over there for a moment?" Aylin pointed to the corner of the room.
Alvian looked confused. He didn't know where to hide. Aylin's room was very small and there was nowhere to hide. There was no bathroom or window. Finally, Alvian chose to stand in the corner of the room to hide.
When she opened the door, she saw a woman standing there with a stern expression like an owl. It was Mrs. Tari, the owner of the boarding house where she lived. Aylin already guessed why Mrs. Tari had come to see her that morning. Aylin positioned herself right at the doorway.
"What is it, Mrs. Tari?"
"Aylin, you are two weeks late on your rent! I'm here to collect!" Without further ado, the woman stated the purpose of her visit.
Aylin's fingers clenched. She hadn't paid her rent yet. Last month's salary had been spent on a check-up for her pregnancy. Aylin had experienced unbearable stomach cramps and needed medical attention.
"I'm sorry, Madam. I don't have it right now. If possible, I'd like to ask for another extension. Can I pay after I get my salary?"
Mrs. Tari's expression suddenly turned furious. Her eyes widened, adding to the horror in her demeanour.
"Can you actually afford to live here? If you can't afford it, find another place to stay for free! This isn't a social welfare centre!"
Aylin didn't know what else to say except to apologise. "I ran out of money after going to the gynaecologist, ma'am. I had stomach cramps a few days ago."
"Where is the man who got you pregnant that you have to live alone like this?" Now Mrs Tari was standing with her hands on her hips in front of Aylin. "Don't tell me the neighbours' gossip is true, that you're a call girl and now you're carrying a bastard child."
Aylin's heart felt as if it had been cut by a sharp knife. The seed growing in her womb belonged to a wealthy man with untold riches. Ironically, Aylin had to struggle alone for the foetus in her womb and live in economic hardship.
"I'm truly sorry, Madam. As soon as I have the money, I'll pay the rent immediately."
Mrs Tari snorted harshly. "Alright, I'll give you one week to pay the rent. If you haven't paid by then, you can leave this place!"
"Thank you, Madam."
Aylin felt she couldn't take it anymore. If it weren't for the little angel growing in her womb, she might have taken the easy way out by committing suicide. Unable to control herself, her tears began to flow. The more she tried to hold them back, the more they flowed.
Alvian, who was behind her, just stared at Aylin's back as it moved up and down. Although Aylin was silent, Alvian could guess that she was crying. He didn't know why, but Alvian felt his heart ache thinking about Aylin living in such a sad situation, alone, heavily pregnant and having to endure the ridicule of others.
Unconsciously, his hands clenched when he heard the boarding house owner yell and treat Aylin very rudely. What's more, the woman had even insulted the child in her womb.
Alvian's focus shifted to a bowl of instant noodles on the floor that had already expanded.
"Does she have no money at all that she has to eat instant noodles?"
Alvian's mind was filled with questions. Hadn't he bought Aylin for an exorbitant price that night? One billion was certainly no small amount of money for someone like Aylin. Had the one billion been spent that quickly?
***
The atmosphere was calmer after Alvian left Aylin's room. The woman sat on the floor. She reached for the instant noodles she had made earlier, which had already expanded.
One of her hands caressed her stomach as she felt a small movement from within. Since Alvian had arrived earlier, the tiny baby inside had been moving actively.
"Forgive me, my dear. Tonight, we'll have instant noodles first. You have to be a strong child."
Aylin began to spoon the noodles into her mouth. The taste was starting to feel unpleasant because it had grown cold. However, she had no other choice. This was the path that God had given her at this moment.
"I have to be strong. At least I'm lucky because I can still eat. While many people out there have nothing to eat."
That was the thought Aylin clung to in order to survive. As she ate a bowl of instant noodles, her tears kept flowing, and the more she tried to hold them back, the more they streamed down her face.
The small room was filled with sobs.
***
Alvian leaned his back against the car. He was currently sitting by a quiet lake to calm himself down.
Alvian's heart should have been relieved after talking to Aylin and confirming whether the biological father of the child Aylin was carrying was his or not. And Aylin's answer should have made him happy and satisfied.
But for some reason, Alvian's heart felt a pain and disappointment that he couldn't explain. Even though he clearly had no feelings for Aylin. She was nothing more than a virgin he had bought for a billion rupiah to satisfy him for one night.
Alvian was filled with doubt. His heart ached at the thought of Aylin possibly still eating the instant noodles even though they were cold and soggy. It must have tasted awful.
If only the baby was his, perhaps Alvian would not have let Aylin eat unhealthy food like instant noodles. He would have provided the best nutrition for the future heir to the Darmawan family.
Alvian grabbed the mobile phone he had left on the seat next to him and immediately called someone.
"Yes, sir," Bara replied as soon as the call connected.
"I have one more task for you."
"What is it, sir?"
"Meet with Aylin's landlord and pay her rent for one year."
"What?" Bara could hardly believe his boss's request.
"Do I always have to repeat my orders?"
"No, sir. Alright, I'll find the owner of the rental property tomorrow."
"But don't let Aylin find out that I paid. Keep this a secret even if it costs you your life."
"Alright, sir."
***
"Arrrgghh!" Riana's scream echoed throughout the room.
Her anger exploded. Anything within reach of her hands ended up thrown against the wall. Glass shards scattered everywhere. The sheets were strewn across the floor, and she pulled the curtains until they tore.
Riana threw herself onto the bed. She grabbed her long golden hair and screamed at the top of her lungs.
Earlier, when she saw Alvian leaving the office in a hurry, she decided to follow him secretly. She drove at a safe distance so he wouldn't notice her. Riana was surprised when she realised that Alvian was going to a cheap and cramped boarding house.
And what Riana found made her whole body feel like it was being consumed by fire. She heard Aylin and Alvian's conversation herself.
"Damn you, Aylin! I should just get rid of you from this world!" She shouted again, roaring at the top of her lungs.
Mrs Nana, who had just arrived home, jumped when she heard the screams coming from Riana's room. The woman hurriedly went to the room.
"Riana, what's wrong?" Mrs Nana's eyes widened when she saw that Riana's room was a mess. Riana herself looked like someone who had lost her mind. Her hair and clothes were dishevelled. Her makeup was smudged and her hair was a mess.
"Aylin, Ma'am! Aylin!" She was still shouting angrily.
Mrs Nana's brow furrowed deeply when she heard Riana shout Aylin's name. "Calm down, Riana. What's wrong with Aylin? Did you meet her again?"
Instead of calming down, Riana became even more frantic. She threw a photo frame containing a picture of Alvian against the wall, smashing it.
"Aylin is pregnant with Alvian's child, Ma'am!"
Mrs Nana's eyes widened. For a moment, she seemed to be in a different dimension.
"What do you mean?"
"The rich man who hired Aylin for a billion rupiah is Alvian!"
"What? How is that possible? Isn't it Mr Al who bought Aylin? That old man?" Mrs Nana was certain that Aylin had slept with Mr Rizal, who was usually called Mr Al, that night.
"Mr Al was just the middleman, Ma'am? He was the one who found a virgin for Alvian. No wonder Alvian disappeared that night and didn't go out of town the next day!"
"Where did you hear this?"
"I heard Alvian's conversation with Aylin myself! Alvian said that he was the one who bought Aylin that night!"
"But Aylin could be pregnant by another man, right?"
"Aylin is not that kind of woman, Ma'am! She has never even been in a relationship, let alone slept with just any man! She must be pregnant with Alvian's child!"