The doctor left the room after changing the bandages, leaving Aylin and Alvian alone in the room. Shortly afterwards, a hospital waiter entered carrying a tray of food.
The warm aroma of the food spread throughout the room. Aylin swallowed hard. To be honest, her stomach was already rumbling.
"Why are you just sitting there? Come on, eat!" said Alvian as Aylin stared at the menu in front of her.
"Yes, sir."
Slowly, Aylin reached for the spoon. The IV needle stuck in her right wrist severely limited her movements. Even now, she couldn't hold the spoon properly.
Seeing Aylin struggling to move, Alvian immediately took over. He took the spoon from Aylin's hand.
"Here, let me feed you."
Aylin was still silent. However, she did not refuse Alvian's kind offer to feed her. After all, she was feeling very hungry now. She was so hungry that she didn't even chew each spoonful. She just swallowed it whole.
Alvian's heart ached to see Aylin eating like someone who was starving. The instant noodles that had expanded in her boarding house room still lingered in his memory. For some reason, he wanted to hug her. However, Alvian tried his best to suppress the strange feeling in his heart.
"Would you like some more? Shall I order some more?"
Aylin just shook her head slowly. She didn't want to be seen as taking advantage of Alvian's kindness. Moreover, she had to be wary of him.
"If you want something to eat, just order it. There's a café in this hospital with a wide selection of food. Just call them and ask them to deliver it to your room."
"Thank you, sir. But that's okay."
Alvian looked at the woman. He could see how uncomfortable Aylin was and how she was keeping her distance from him.
***
The car driven by Alvian entered the spacious yard of his house. The man leaned back for a moment while glancing at the door. After causing a commotion and not coming home for several days, Alvian already guessed what would happen next. He had to be prepared to face his mother's anger.
Sure enough, as soon as he stepped through the door, Mama Veny greeted him with a sour expression. The chaos Alvian had caused had truly embarrassed and enraged her. Moreover, the incident had become the topic of conversation in her socialite group. Mama Veny was even embarrassed to meet her friends.
"We need to talk!" said his mother.
The reading room was the room Mama chose to have a private conversation with her son. A room that felt like the safest place to discuss even the most secretive matters. Now the two of them were sitting facing each other. Alvian could see the hidden anger in his mother's gaze.
"You really disappointed me, Al. Do you realise what you've done?"
"I'm sorry, Mum." Those were the only words Alvian could say.
Mama Veny's piercing gaze was directed straight at him. "Sorry? After all the chaos you've caused, you still have the nerve to say sorry?"
Alvian remained silent. He let Mama Veny forget all her anger.
"Mama knows everything. Mama also knows about the woman named Aylin who made you leave last night's event."
Although surprised, Alvian did not show any excessive reaction. He remained calm, as if the thing that made his mother angry was not a big deal. Now he was trying to guess how his mother knew about Aylin.
"Since Mama already knows, I guess I don't need to explain anymore."
Mama Veny was nearly losing her mind dealing with Alvian. How could Alvian still be so relaxed in the midst of such a major issue?
"I will take responsibility for Aylin and her child."
"Do you mean... you want to marry that woman?" Mama Veny's voice trembled.
Alvian nodded firmly. Marrying Aylin and taking responsibility for his actions was the best solution he could think of. After all, he couldn't ignore Aylin and her son.
"Have you gone mad?"
Mama Veny's heart felt like it was about to stop beating. For anything, she would not accept a former nightclub woman as her daughter-in-law. She held her son's hand while tears streamed down her face.
"Al, are you sure that child is yours? That woman could be trapping you by using her child, right? Maybe she got pregnant by another man and is accusing you."
"Mah, Aylin isn't like that."
"Then what kind of woman is she? A woman who likes to trade her body cannot be called a good woman!"
Alvian's eyes narrowed suspiciously. His mother's words made him realise that it was Riana who had poisoned his mother's mind by saying bad things about Aylin.
Mama Veny began to sob. "Our family's good name will be tarnished if this gets out. Mama doesn't care, you have to leave that woman! Mama also wants you to go to Riana's house and apologise. Persuade Riana to renew your engagement."
After finishing her sentence, Mama Veny left. Leaving Alvian alone.
Alvian just stared at his mother's back as she disappeared behind the door. He knew his mother would not accept his decision easily. Moreover, his mother wanted a son-in-law from a respectable family. In addition, Alvian would have to face his extended family later.
Alvian let out a harsh sigh, then called one of the maids and asked her to bring him a cup of coffee.
Within minutes, Bik Nana arrived with her employer's order. Suddenly, Alvian's hands clenched into fists. The anger that had subsided rose back up to his head.
"Here's your coffee, sir!" Bik Nana slid a cup of black coffee onto the table.
"Thank you, Bik." Alvian tried his best to act normal, even though his heart was burning with rage.
The same was true for Bik Nana. It would be a lie to say she wasn't angry with Alvian for playing with Riana's feelings. However, now there was nothing she could do to defend Riana.
"Do you need anything else, sir?" asked the woman.
"No. Thank you."
"Then I'll excuse myself and go back to the kitchen, sir."
The woman was about to leave the room. However, Alvian's call stopped her in her tracks. The woman approached again, bowing her head politely.
"Oh yes, Bik... how is Bibi's child who was sick and had to undergo surgery?"
Bik Nana looked quite surprised to hear the question. However, a bitter smile then appeared on the corner of her lips.
"She's fine, Den. She's better now."
"Oh, thank God. Come and visit us sometime. I want to meet your aunt's child."
Once again, Alvian's words made Bik Nana's whole body tingle. Now she was wondering whether she should also hire a girl to pretend to be her child, just like Riana had hired someone to be her fake mother? How ridiculous.
"Okay, Den. I'll bring Ria... um... I mean, I'll bring her here. My daughter is a bit shy. She never wants to leave the house." Bik Nana breathed a sigh of relief. She almost slipped up and said Riana's name.
"All right. Whenever you have time."
"Yes, sir. Excuse me, I'll go to the back."
When Bik Nana hurriedly and nervously left the reading room, Alvian smiled cynically.
"I won't fire you that easily. Let's see how you react when you find out that the child you have been torturing and selling is now the mistress of the house where you work."
***
The brief conversation with her employer a few minutes ago created ambiguity in Bik Nana's heart. A big question mark appeared in her mind. Why did Alvian suddenly ask about his daughter?
"What is this? Does Den Alvian suspect something?"
The middle-aged woman looked distraught. She thought about what would happen to her if Alvian found out about her lies. Perhaps the prison doors would be wide open to welcome her.
"No, no!" She shook her head quickly. Becoming an inmate behind bars was never part of her life plan. She had to spend her old age in comfort, as she had always planned. If not with Alvian, Riana had to find another rich man out there.
Taking her mobile phone out of her pocket, the woman immediately called her daughter. She didn't know where Riana was now, as she wasn't answering her calls. Bik Nana had to call several times before the call connected.
"Where are you, Riana?" she asked in a half-whisper. Every now and then she looked around to make sure no one was watching her.
"On the road, Mum. Why?" Riana replied casually.
"This is serious, Riana!"
"What's serious, Mum? What's going on?"
Bik Nana slumped into a rattan chair. She raised one hand to massage her throbbing head. "Riana, does Alvian know that you're my daughter?"
Silence fell for a moment. Riana seemed surprised by the question. "No, Ma'am. Alvian will never know about that! Why do you ask?"
"Then why did he ask about my child earlier? He's never asked about my personal life before."
Suddenly, Riana became anxious. She would be the one who would suffer the most if this lie was exposed.
"What happened that made Alvian ask that?"
"I don't know. I was just bringing coffee to the reading room and he suddenly asked. Could it be that Aylin leaked something to Alvian?"
"No way, Mum. I threatened Aylin. She wouldn't dare leak everything." Riana knew very well that Aylin was very timid and didn't dare to fight back. Even the slightest threat would scare her.
"I hope you're right. Because if he tells Alvian everything, we're done for."
"Don't worry, Mum. I'll take care of Aylin."
"Alright, but you have to be careful and don't act recklessly."
"Yes, yes, Mum!" Mrs Nana ended the call. Her head felt increasingly dizzy. She remembered the night she sold Aylin, which had left her with endless regret.
If only she had known that Alvian was the one who would buy Aylin, she would have offered Riana instead. Unfortunately, she thought that the one looking for a virgin girl was Mr Al, the old, fat, ugly and scary man.
"Damn Aylin! Why is she so lucky? Giving birth to a child for the Darmawan family, when it should have been Riana in that position!"
***