Alvian was still sitting alone in the reading room, playing with his mobile phone. He was thinking about the many strange things he had discovered. Alvian was a very meticulous person. Bik Nana's attitude and answers had caught his attention. Bik Nana had mentioned her daughter, calling her Ria, but then suddenly stopped. She then became flustered.
He picked up his phone and called Bara, his best informant. Besides being loyal, Bara was also very meticulous and reliable in finding hidden information, even if it was as small as an ant hole.
"Yes, Boss!" Bara's voice came from the other end of the line.
"Are you busy?"
Silence! Bara seemed surprised. Since when did Mr Alvian ask questions politely? Usually, he would give orders freely, like a smooth motorway.
"Not really. I'm at Mami Viola's nightclub."
"What are you doing there?" Alvian asked suspiciously.
"You asked me to find out everything about Miss Aylin."
Alvian laughed cynically. Of course he knew Bara's habits and what his subordinate liked. "Are you looking for information about Aylin or enjoying the fresh scenery there?"
"Hehe, you caught me, didn't you? It would be a shame to miss out on such a good thing." Bara's innocent answer made Alvian sigh in annoyance.
"I have a more important task for you than just looking at scantily clad women!"
Bara swallowed hard. Ah, his boss was extraordinary. He knew what was hidden in his heart. Bara did enjoy going to nightclubs to see beautiful women.
"I'm ready, boss. What's the task?"
"I want you to follow Bik Nana. Find out where she lives and who she's with!"
"Why Bik Nana?" he asked, a slight frown appearing between his eyebrows.
"Just do it, don't ask so many questions!"
"Okay, I'll do as you wish."
Alvian ended the call. He sat for a moment, opened his phone gallery, and stared at a photo of his son sleeping. Earlier, at the hospital, he had secretly taken the photo.
"So adorable."
A slight smile appeared on his lips. His index finger moved across the screen, as if caressing his son's face.
"Boy Alviano Darmawan," the man muttered.
Boy was the nickname he had deliberately given his son. For some reason, just looking at Baby Boy's photo filled Alvian with longing. He smiled slightly, then put his phone in his blazer pocket and walked out of the room.
Alvian headed to the second floor. Today's activities had been exhausting. Perhaps he needed a warm bath to refresh his body.
As he walked towards his room at the far end of the corridor, Alvian passed Oma's room. His steps faltered when he heard the sound of sobbing.
Slowly, Alvian approached the slightly open door. He peeked inside to make sure. Sure enough, Oma was sitting on the edge of the bed crying. Alvian was sure the cause was the same as what had made his mother angry earlier.
Alvian chose to knock on the door, causing Oma to look towards the source of the sound. However, the old woman immediately turned away in annoyance when she saw her grandson standing at the doorway.
"Grandma..." Alvian stepped inside and crouched down right in front of her.
Grandma, who was still sobbing, wiped her wet cheeks with a tissue. She even seemed reluctant to look at her grandson.
"How could you do this, Alvian? You are Grandma's pride and joy. How could you tarnish our family's good name?"
Alvian took a deep breath. Whatever the risk, he had to explain himself to his grandmother.
"I'm sorry, Grandma. I didn't know it would turn out like this."
Hearing Alvian's words, Grandma Titin's tears flowed even more freely. It took her several minutes to stop crying.
"I did say I wanted to have a great-grandchild from you soon. But not like this. Even if it has to be a child from a relationship outside of marriage, why does it have to be with a woman of the night? I don't want to have an illegitimate grandchild."
Alvian's heart ached when he heard the word "illegitimate" from his grandmother. If anyone else had said that, Alvian's fist would have landed squarely on their face. However, Alvian heard those hurtful words from his own grandmother, the woman who had raised him with love.
"Grandma, he is my son. He was born innocent and without sin. How can you call him illegitimate?" Alvian replied indignantly. He almost shouted at Oma. Fortunately, Alvian still had his sanity and full awareness.
Once again, Oma's tears flowed. Especially after hearing the anger in every word that came out of Alvian's mouth.
"The point is, Oma will never accept that child, even if he is your biological son!"
Alvian's hands clenched tighter. However, he tried to suppress his anger. He didn't want to get into an argument with Oma. Moreover, Oma was no longer young. Unstable emotions could affect her health.
"My child isn't at fault, Oma. I'm the one who's wrong."
"Alright, the baby isn't at fault. But the mother is, and she's trapped you!"
"Aylin isn't entirely at fault either. I'm the one who bought Aylin that night and forced her."
"Anyway, you can't marry that woman! What will people say if you marry a woman of the night? Leave her and her child. Give her a lot of money. You can still find a more respectable woman later."
Alvian closed his eyes. Suddenly, his chest felt tight. It was as if there wasn't enough air in the room for him to breathe.
"I can't, Grandma. I will still marry Aylin."
"Then you must choose between your family and that woman!" Grandma's hoarse voice echoed throughout the room.
"Don't give me that choice, Grandma. Because you will be hurt if you find out what I choose."
"Yes, of course. You will still choose that woman, because she has already managed to manipulate you!"
"Enough, Grandma! Aylin is not that kind of person!" Alvian's patience finally ran out. "It doesn't matter whether you accept Aylin or not. I will still marry her."
"You are completely under that woman's control."
Not wanting to get into a further argument with his grandmother, Alvian chose to get up from his crouching position and immediately left her room. He wasn't sure he could control his emotions if he continued to argue with her. Especially since she was openly opposed to his plan to marry Aylin.
As soon as he entered his private room, he immediately took off all his clothes and headed for the bathroom. Leaning his head against the bathtub, Alvian stared blankly at the bathroom ceiling. Images of Aylin and his son flashed through his mind.
If he insisted on keeping Aylin and Boy, he would have to fight the entire Darmawan family. Including his mother and grandmother. Alvian did not want his son to live with the hatred of others. He would make sure his child grew up surrounded by love. And Alvian would do anything for that.
***
Early in the morning, Alvian was already out of his room. While he usually wore a work suit in the morning, this morning was different. He looked relaxed in jeans, a short-sleeved shirt, and sneakers.
He hurried down the stairs. This morning, he had an important appointment with a doctor.
"Where are you going so early?" His mother's greeting stopped Alvian in his tracks. He turned to the source of the voice. His mother was sitting in the television room with a magazine on her lap.
"I'm going to the hospital, Mum."
Mama Veny closed her eyes in annoyance. She placed the magazine in her hand roughly on the table.
"To the hospital? To see that woman again?"
"Why not, Mum? Aylin is alone there and she has no one."
"That's her business!" said Mama Veny curtly.
"Mum, you're really not sure that the baby is yours."
"Do I need to prove it with a DNA test?" challenged Alvian.
Mama was speechless at her son's conviction. It was as if there was no longer any doubt in her mind about whose blood flowed through the little baby's body.
"Fine, Mama will wait for the DNA test results. Maybe then your eyes will be opened and you can judge that woman properly."
Alvian did not respond to his mother's words. He glanced at the clock on his wrist.
"Sorry, Mum. I'm in a hurry. We can talk later," said Alvian, ending the conversation.
"Alvian, wait! I'm not finished talking!" called Mama Veny, but Alvian didn't care. He continued walking out.
In front of the house, a driver was cleaning the dust off his car. As Alvian approached, the man, who was about 40 years old, handed him the car keys.
"Thank you."
***
It wasn't easy for Riana to accept the fact that the man she had been pursuing had spent the night with her own stepsister. Moreover, Aylin had now given birth to a baby boy.
It could be said that Riana deeply regretted having drugged Alvian that night by putting stimulants in his drink. She should have been patient and done it outside the city. After all, they had planned to go out of town together. Unfortunately, that plan had to be cancelled.
This morning, Riana deliberately visited Mama Veny. Fortunately, Alvian had already left, so the two of them could talk more freely.
"Alvian is determined to marry that woman, Riana," said Mama Veny, looking very desperate.
Riana wiped away the tears that kept streaming down both sides of her cheeks.
"What am I lacking compared to Alvian? Why is Alvian so cruel to do all this? I'm far more beautiful, more classy, and more deserving."
"Just calm down. Mum will never approve of Alvian's decision."
"Aylin isn't a good woman, Mum. I know who she is. She's nothing more than a nightclub girl. Do you want a daughter-in-law like that?"
"Of course not. Heaven forbid!" said Mum Veny, shuddering in horror.
Just imagining it was unbearable. "Mum, I want to go abroad too, Mum. I'm disappointed with Alvian's attitude. He said he wants to set me up with his friend's son."
"Are you going back abroad, dear?"
Riana nodded slowly. "I can't stay here much longer."
Mama Veny looked at the girl with concern. "Be patient, dear. Mama will refuse Alvian's decision to marry that woman."
"Thank you, Mum."
Riana rested her head on the woman's shoulder. Her tears broke that morning. Now, she was thinking of a plan to get rid of Aylin.
"Mum, what if you meet that woman? If you talk to her, she will surely realise her mistake and leave Alvian."
"Are you sure?"
Riana nodded confidently. She would do anything to prevent Alvian from marrying Aylin. Even if it meant inciting Mama Veny first.
"You're right. It seems like I have to intervene in this matter."
Riana hid a meaningful smile. Mama Veny was truly in her grasp.
Sure enough, after a long conversation with Riana, Mama Veny decided to go to the hospital to see Aylin. Armed with the hospital address and room number provided by Riana.
Yesterday, Riana secretly followed Galih when he left the office. It turned out that Galih was indeed heading to the maternity hospital. Riana even followed Galih to the treatment room.
Mama Veny was already on her way to the hospital with a driver. To avoid Alvian's suspicion, Riana suggested that Mama go alone and that Riana would pretend not to know.
Riana was indeed a cunning woman who could take advantage of Mama Veny's innocence. She also succeeded in brainwashing Mama Veny and planting seeds of hatred in the woman's heart.