"Can you play chess, Mr. Axell?" Yuda asked. "No, I can't play chess. When I was a kid, there was no time for that. I could only play when the basket of fried snacks was empty," Axell chuckled, reminiscing about his childhood full of struggles. "Mr. Axell likes to be humble," Yuda replied again. "I'm not lying. I grew up in an orphanage, and our orphanage didn't have regular donors. Only occasionally did someone donate, and we were grateful for it. For daily needs, the caretaker sold things in front of the orphanage, and we older kids would sell around the village," Axell explained. "Hard work never betrays the results, Sir. Now, you've become a successful person," Yuda added. "The wheel always turns, Yud," Axell said, taking a drag of his cigarette. Jojo and Yuda nodded. Meanwhile, the fierce chess battle between Rido and Rigo was still ongoing without a clear winner. "Earlier, young master Tama cried, wanting to take Ms. Emily to the mall," Jojo said. "Didn't Emily t
Ding.Notification of a message popped up on Axell's phone that he was holding."I've arrived home," the message from Emily read."Is Jojo acting weird or rude?" Axell replied."No, he's unusually quiet. All the way home without a sound, not even music," Emily replied with three laughing emojis."Good," Axell responded."Why?" Emily replied again."I'm jealous," Axell answered, ending the conversation and closing the previous message tab after deleting Emily's messages from his phone, then he sighed in relief.Zahra only observed her husband's strange behavior silently."Do not let me have bad thoughts, Allah," Zahra thought to herself.Zahra sat beside Axell, glancing at the phone in Axell's hand, but Axell promptly put the phone in his pocket and tightly hugged Zahra's shoulders."Darling, haven't you taken a shower?" Zahra asked as she moved away from Axell."I have," Axell replied shortly."The shirt smells. Change your clothes, dear," Zahra said.Axell was surprised but complied,
Mrs. Ania ran to call one of the guards to prepare the car, Axell carried Zahra out. Meanwhile, Mrs. Celline, who was initially indifferent and annoyed with Zahra, became panicked seeing Zahra completely powerless."Mom, what's wrong?" Tama and Rikel asked as they came out of their playroom hearing the commotion outside."Mom is sick, Tama and Ikel, stay here with the maid, okay?" Mrs. Sri persuaded."I want to go with dad," they shouted when they saw Axell, Mrs. Ania, and Mrs. Celline getting into the car heading to the nearest hospital. Jojo hadn't had a chance to turn off his car from dropping Emily off and immediately hit the gas to the nearest hospital."Zahra," Axell called, holding Zahra's pale cheek.Mrs. Ania appeared to apply eucalyptus oil on Zahra's neck and nose, but Zahra still showed no signs of waking up."Hurry up, Jo, turn on the hazard lights," Mrs. Celline, who sat next to Jojo in the front passenger seat, said."Yes, ma'am," Jojo replied and turned on the hazard l
"Darling, does that mean I'm pregnant?" Zahra asked with sparkling eyes.Axell only nodded and smiled softly at his wife."Ya Allah, Alhamdulillah," Zahra said as she hugged Axell tightly."Congratulations, my love," said Axell, kissing his wife's forehead.The couple embraced tightly, while Mrs. Celline just watched without intending to interrupt and chose to lie down on the sofa instead. Tonight she would stay overnight at the hospital."Take care of the pregnancy, don't get too tired, and one more thing, don't overthink," said Axell, framing his wife's face with both hands."Uh-huh," Zahra only nodded and rubbed her still-flat stomach."Zahra has to inform father and mother," said Zahra happily."Tomorrow, if you tell them tonight, they will insist on coming here. Tomorrow, Rido will pick them up," said Axell, and Zahra agreed with a nod.Axell hugged his wife again, and Zahra rested her head on Axell's broad chest."Thank you, my love," said Axell."For what?" Zahra asked, looking
"Do you want to eat something else?" Axell offered to Zahra, who looked weak after throwing up everything in her stomach.Zahra just shook her head."How about some fruit Zahranad?" Axell asked again."No, Axell," Zahra answered weakly.Axell was confused about how to help his wife and felt sorry seeing her so weak. He gently Axellsaged Zahra's shoulders."Ya Allah, hang in there, my love," Axell said, hugging Zahra tightly.Zahra just nodded weakly.A nurse brought breakfast for the patient."Let me feed you," Axell said softly.Zahra nodded obediently.Axell fed Zahra patiently while Mrs. Celline and Mrs. Ania were at the hospital canteen looking for breakfast.Axell hadn't finished feeding Zahra when she felt nauseous again and vomited."Please eat, our baby. Poor mommy is getting so weak," Axell said, stroking his wife's stomach."Drink some tea," Axell urged, and Zahra nodded in agreement."Do you want to eat more?" Axell asked, as Zahra's plate was still mostly full."No, Axell,
"Mommy?" Zahra called out as she opened her eyes, unable to believe her mother was already beside her.Zahra rubbed her eyes to make sure it was her mother, then immediately hugged her tightly."Congratulations, dear, finally I'm going to have another grandchild," said Mommy Melati while kissing Zahra's cheeks."I keep throwing up, Mommy," whined Zahra."Be patient, dear, that's the joy of becoming a mother," her mother said."Do you want me to feed you?" her mother coaxed."Yes," Zahra nodded."Axell, is this food for Zahra?" Mommy asked Axell."Yes, or should I get something new?" Axell asked."No, this is fine, I think," Mommy replied, and Axell nodded.Axell was busy with his phone."Hello Hardi, how are you?" Axell finally answered Hardi's call."I'm good, Mr. Axell," Hardi replied with a chuckle."What brings you to call me, Mr. Hardi?" Axell asked, glancing at the time as he had a meeting soon."Hmmmm... It's about your report for Hernadi," Hardi's voice was interrupted."What
"Why are you all silent?" Axell asked, puzzled."Hooray!" Rikel and Tama answered together. It turned out they were both teasing their papa."Where's the baby?" Rikel asked."Still in Mommy's belly, dear," Axell replied."Mommy, get well soon, Tama wants to see the baby," said Tama, holding Zahra's hand.Zahra furrowed her brow at Tama's words."We can see the baby using a doctor's equipment, dear, only after the baby is born can Tama play with them," explained Mrs. Ania."Oh, so we can't play with the baby yet?" Tama asked curiously."Not yet, dear," Axell said, stroking the heads of his two children.They both scrambled to sit close to their mother."Is Mama not coming here?" Axell asked Mrs. Ania."She said she might go to the office," Mrs. Ania replied."Why go to ABC Company?" Axell muttered in confusion."Maybe because she hasn't been to the office in a while," Mrs. Ania answered."Could be."Mrs. Ania brought lunch for Axell, Mommy, and Abah. She also brought various foods, inc
Axell remained silent, staring at his phone screen. Emily kept calling him.“Don’t tell me you have something going on behind Zahra’s back,” Mrs. Celline glared at Axell.“There’s nothing, Ma, really,” Axell answered like a child caught breaking the rules.“Then why is she calling you?” Mrs. Celline asked again.“Axell doesn’t know, Ma,” Axell replied briefly.“Why don’t you answer it?” Mrs. Celline pressed.“If I answer, I might get it wrong again,” Axell said, sipping his coffee.“Then answer it in front of me,” Mrs. Celline ordered.Finally, Axell slid the green button on his phone.“Hello, Emily,” Axell greeted.“Axell, why isn’t Zahra’s number active? I wanted to tell you the goods will arrive tomorrow if you want to come,” Emily said excitedly.Meanwhile, Zahra, who overheard Mrs. Celline and Axell’s conversation, sighed in relief when she heard Emily’s voice. Zahra’s phone had run out of battery and was completely dead.Initially, Zahra wanted to go downstairs to get a drink be