The worry and pain came back to him, because he knew how complicated their relationship was in the past. “Dad, I’m not sure I’m ready to deal with her right now. There’s a lot of pain that’s still bothering me,” he said. “I understand. But sometimes, in order to move forward, we need to face the past and resolve things that are unfinished. This could be an opportunity to find the peace you need. It will give you strength on your journey forward,” his father said, adding that sometimes facing memories can be an important step in healing. Sebastian was silent, torn between his past and the path ahead. He knew that facing Sara, and everything that had happened, would be a challenge. But at the same time, it could be a new beginning, a chance to close an old chapter and open a new one entirely. He considered all of this as he stared out the window, watching the scenery pass by, feeling the weight of the burden on his shoulders but also the hope that, maybe, things could be fixed.
And behind every step he took toward Sara, there was a new dream being woven—a dream of starting over with his life, though he didn’t realize that behind it all, his father had his own agenda that could possibly shake the world he was building. Upon arriving outside the Blue Net Group building, Sebastian felt his heart pounding. The grand building stood tall before his eyes, towering with a professional and prestigious air. He swallowed, feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety as he entered a new world. However, as soon as he stepped forward, he was stopped by the security guard standing guard at the entrance. “Excuse me, sir,” the guard said in a formal tone, “but we cannot let you in with such casual attire. Only employees who are properly dressed are allowed to enter this building.” Sebastian looked at the guard in frustration. He was wearing jeans and a plain jacket, perhaps not fitting the formal look expected in this building. “I’m Sebastian,” he replied with a slight
After saving the woman, Sebastian took a closer look at her face and quickly realized that she was not Sara, but a woman who had been his co-worker. She was known for her beauty and always exuded a charming aura, but their circumstances had never been close. He remembered how, during their time working together, he had often kept his distance because he was married and wanted to avoid unnecessary gossip or rumors, especially because his wife was known to be abusive. “Thank you for coming on time!” the woman said, her voice calm and nervous. She was still sobbing a little, and Sebastian could see the fear in her eyes. “I’m not sure what would have happened if you hadn’t shown up.” Sebastian tried to reassure her. “You’re safe now. But how did you get into this situation?” he asked, trying to catch his breath. The woman shook her head, her face pale. “I was invited to meet some of the employees here, so I came to the office and… he just came up to me. I didn’t know what to do,” she
The manager stood his ground, refusing to let Sebastian go. “You’re not getting away with this after all you’ve done! If you dare threaten one of our employees, I won’t hesitate to call the police and make your life even harder,” he said, his voice full of challenge. Sebastian felt a surge of anger but tried to remain calm. “I didn’t threaten anyone, and I will explain myself to the management. I have no intention of dealing with people like you, but if necessary, I will not let this situation go.” With that determination, Sebastian refused to back down. He knew that it was important to maintain his integrity, especially after saving Lila. He had no choice but to stand firm in his belief that what he did was right. However, the manager seemed to be getting more and more agitated and called out to the security guards who were hanging around. “Looks like we’ll have to settle this in a more… direct manner. Take action now!” Sebastian stared at the door as the two security guards
Lila held Sebastian’s hand, feeling the throbbing of her own emotions rising. “Sebastian, let’s go,” she pleaded in a calm voice, but Sebastian felt the anger boiling inside him. In that moment, he realized that this whole situation wasn’t just about him—it was a battle to protect Lila’s integrity, too, and nothing would destroy the peace they deserved. With renewed vigor and determination, he said, “We will get out of here, and no amount of threats or taunts will stop us. We will face any challenge and show who we really are.” Those moments were pivotal for Sebastian—he knew that this situation would shape the next steps of his life. And while it all seemed hopeless, he was determined to never be left behind by this sickening situation again. They may face many difficulties, but with courage, they can find their way out. Sebastian escorted Lila to the front lobby of the Blue Net Group building, feeling relieved that they had managed to get out of the tense situation. He looked
Sebastian felt confused and frustrated. He didn’t want to get caught up in this devious adult game. Deep down, he wanted his father to want something more genuine and meaningful for their relationship. “But this isn’t what I expected, Dad. I wanted us to build a stronger relationship based on honesty, not manipulation,” he insisted, feeling the emotions roiling inside him.Of course, his father remained firm. “I know this seems difficult, but we have to play this game for our own good. Let them help us with connections and business opportunities. It’s all for your future,” he said again, trying to defend his position. Sebastian still couldn’t believe that his father hadn’t changed a bit. Deep inside, he felt a combination of anger and deep disappointment, but he realized that some things couldn’t be changed that easily.
Sebastian seemed at a loss for words. He was not only angry with Sara, but also with himself for still paying attention to her argument, even though there was clearly injustice in this situation. “You really have no shame,” he said, staring at her with a sharp gaze. He was sure that all of this was not solely about Dinda, but more focused on Sara’s personal interests and the egoism that always overshadowed her decisions.“I’m just doing what’s best for Dinda. You should understand, this isn’t just about the two of us—she’s the most important,” Sara said coldly, as if she was trying to dramatize the situation to gain sympathy.Sebastian bit his lip, feeling the emotions inside him rising. “You may be able to pretend like you care about Dinda, but everything you do is only for your own benefit. If you truly want what’s best for
“She’s Sara’s child!” his father retorted, as if trying to emphasize that Dinda wasn’t entirely his. “You’re just caught up in these emotions. This isn’t the way to solve problems, Sebastian.”“It may not be the way you want, but it’s the way I believe in,” Sebastian said, his tone firm. He knew that his father didn’t want to understand what he was feeling. “I’m not going back to Sara. She stabbed me in the back, and I’m not going to let myself be tied down again to someone who betrayed me.”His father fell silent, perhaps surprised by Sebastian’s assertiveness. “But legally, this could be a serious problem. You can’t live your life based on feelings alone,” he tried to explain, but Sebastian no longer paid attention to his words.“
Flashing red and blue lights filled the accident scene, signaling the arrival of the medical team and security officers. The paramedics quickly evacuated Sebastian and Dinda from the wrecked car. At the same time, Sara and Rendy arrived at the scene with panicked and anxious faces after receiving a call from the hospital.When she saw Sebastian’s car, which was almost no longer in shape, Sara was shocked, her body shaking violently. She could barely recognize the shape of the car. Her little heart sank, filled with incredible fear and worry.“Where is Dinda? Where is my daughter?” Sara asked in a desperate tone to one of the officers there.The officer calmed Sara down by saying, “We have sent them to the hospital. Their condition is quite severe, but the doctor has prepared emergency measures.”&n
After the ice cream was finished, Sebastian took Dinda to a small bookstore not far from the park. He knew that Dinda really liked storybooks, and this had been their favorite place for a long time. Every time she went to this store, Dinda always looked so excited to choose books with animal stories or fantasy stories.In the store, Dinda started walking from shelf to shelf, looking for a book that caught her attention. Sebastian followed her, occasionally helping her reach the books neatly arranged on the high shelves. Finally, Dinda found a picture book of a little elephant going on an adventure to find a friend. Her eyes shone as she showed the book to Sebastian.“Daddy, I want this book! Look, there’s a cute little elephant!” she exclaimed, smiling broadly.Sebastian stroked Dinda’s head gently. “Of course, hon
Sebastian nodded. “Yes, Sara. I will be on time,” he said with a faint smile, calming Dinda who was holding his hand tightly. Today, he was determined to make Dinda happy, no matter how short their time together was.He took Dinda by the hand towards the car, then closed the door slowly. With a hopeful gaze, Sebastian looked at his little daughter sitting beside him, ready to bring simple but meaningful happiness. Today was the day he had been waiting for with all his heart, and he knew how precious every second he had with Dinda was.Sebastian drove his car with a heart full of hope, his eyes occasionally glancing at Dinda who was sitting beside him with an enthusiastic face. In his mind, he had imagined this day over and over again. A full day that he would fill with happiness and beautiful memories with his daughter."Daddy, where are
Sebastian took a deep breath, trying to steel himself. Lila’s words gave him a little hope, even though the bitterness had not completely disappeared. “Thank you, Lila. I just… I just need time to accept all of this.”Lila smiled faintly. “I’ll always be here, Sebastian. Whenever you need help or just want to talk, you know I’m ready to listen.”Sebastian smiled back softly. Even though his life felt like a mess, Lila’s presence gave him a little light in the darkness he was facing. And for now, that was more than enough.***Two weeks had passed, but for Sebastian, time felt like it was moving slowly, every second filled with immeasurable longing for his little daughter, Dinda. This was the day he had been waiting for with all the mixed feelings, the first day he cou
The next morning, even though his heart and mind were still in chaos, Sebastian still had to attend the proposal submission meeting. He walked into the company meeting room with heavy steps but tried to hide all his pain behind a strong face. The office was the only place he felt he still had control, a space that would not judge or abandon him like what had just happened in court.The meeting room was already filling up when Sebastian arrived. There were several employees sitting there with thick documents in their hands, ready to present new proposals. Not far from them, Lila was busy reviewing several files, focused as usual. Their gazes met, and Lila gave a thin, sincere but understanding smile.Sebastian returned it with a small nod, although his smile was not entirely sincere. Lila knew exactly what was going on in his life, and her presence gave him a little comfort in the midst of t
"Yes, custody has officially fallen to Sara," Rendy continued with a thin grin, his expression changing to a satisfied smile. "The hardest part is over. Now all that remains is to make sure she continues to comply with everything that has been agreed upon."Rendy listened for a moment, then added, "Sebastian will not be a problem. He just needs to be left aside, with no chance to interfere again."Rendy's smile grew wider, his face now filled with suspicious confidence. "Just a few more steps and everything will go perfectly. Sara just needs to be kept from ruining this plan.”At the end of the conversation, he nodded slowly and said, “We will meet as usual, next week. Don’t worry, everything is under my control.”Rendy hung
Sara let out a long sigh, looking at Rendy with eyes full of disappointment that she had long suppressed. “Rendy, I should feel relieved now. I should feel victorious. But, look… Dinda is still looking for Sebastian, even though we’ve done everything to make her feel comfortable here. It feels like… all this effort is in vain.”Rendy nodded, trying to understand Sara’s feelings. He knew this wasn’t just about winning legal custody; it was about winning Dinda’s heart, something much more complicated.“Sara, I can see how much effort you put in. You’ve given your best, more than most single parents out there can do,” Rendy said while touching Sara’s shoulder, giving her a little encouragement. “But we also have to accept that the bond between Dinda and Sebastian has indeed formed so strongly. It’s not easy to erase thos
Dinda looked at Sara with a clear disappointed expression. “But why can’t Daddy come in? Why can’t you just meet me for a moment, Mom?”Sara sighed, a little confused about how to explain this complicated situation to her young child. “Honey, this is indeed difficult to explain. Daddy and Mommy have an agreement for certain times so that everything goes well for you.”Rendy looked at Sara as if he wanted to add something. He knelt down next to Sara and spoke softly, “Dinda, Mommy, and Daddy Sebastian have agreed to meet at a predetermined time. Daddy Sebastian loves you, and he will come at the predetermined time. You will meet Daddy soon, on Sunday, as scheduled.”However, Dinda did not look satisfied with that answer. Her face looked even sadder, and her tiny lips trembled, trying to hold back tears. “But&h
The rain grew heavier, wetting Sebastian’s face until he had difficulty distinguishing between the rainwater and the tears that were starting to wet his cheeks. His gaze shifted from Rendy to Sara, then back again, hoping to see even a little sympathy between them. However, both of them looked cold and unaffected.“Sara, please…” he said again, his voice breaking with deep sadness. “I know I’m not her biological father. I know you think I’m not good enough, but Dinda is everything to me. I’ve taken care of her since she was little, I’ve given her all the love I have…”“And I also gave her love, Sebastian. Love that gives her peace, not anxiety,” Sara replied loudly, trying to hold back her thinning patience. “Dinda feels safer with me. And you should start to appreciate