Episode 20

Archie awaited her husband with impatience. Even though Kaivan was already aware that she had secured the job, Archie still wanted to share the news with him as his wife, not merely as the interviewee from earlier.

The clock now read 7 PM. She sat in the living room waiting, sipping a glass of iced coffee.

"Ma'am, I've made oxtail soup and fried chicken today. Would you like something else to eat?" Bi Sari, the house assistant, inquired.

Archie looked over. "No, Bi. Once you're done, you may go on with your other work," Archie replied cordially.

"Alright, Ma'am. I'll take my leave," Bi Sari excused herself and promptly left without waiting for another response.

Not long after Bi Sari had departed, Archie heard the sound of a car stopping outside. She rose from her seat, a wide smile brightening her face.

It didn't feel awkward like during her interview earlier. If anything, Archie was brimming with excitement to see her husband.

"Honey, you're back," Archie said, approaching and kissing the back of his hand.

Kaivan merely cleared his throat. "How did your interview go?" he asked, settling onto the couch.

Archie didn't answer immediately; instead, she went to fetch a glass of water for him, returning only after this brief errand.

"Smoothly, honey. I got the job and start tomorrow," Archie beamed with a smile.

Kaivan drank his water and nodded, then stood up, making sure to grab his jacket.

"Good, work diligently," he commented before heading upstairs to their room.

Archie sighed. Even at home, Kaivan's aura as a CEO remained undiminished.

They had been married for only a few days; naturally, Archie was still unsure about her husband's work. Previously, Aditya had simply mentioned that Kaivan was a businessman, without further details.

Honestly, Archie was still puzzled, uncertain if it was true that she would work as her own husband's secretary. The thought seemed almost unbelievable.

Archie let out another sigh, climbing the stairs to follow Kaivan to the room, only to find him absent. The faint sound of running water told Archie he was in the shower.

She hesitated to enter the walk-in closet; through its transparent glass, anyone showering could easily be seen.

Archie didn't dare enter, fearing Kaivan might think she was peeping and might get the wrong impression about her interest in the male form.

Archie sat on the sofa, receiving a message from her friend who had moved to another city after college.

"I'm coming to Jakarta in two months, Ci. Once my internship ends, I'm being transferred to the headquarters," read the message from Archie's friend.

Archie quickly replied, elated at the prospect of her friend's return to Jakarta, hoping to meet at least twice a week.

She kept messaging back and forth, grinning to herself, so engrossed that she didn't notice Kaivan emerging from the bathroom.

Kaivan, now dressed in a black tee and knee-length home shorts, dried his hair as he observed his engrossed wife.

He frowned, wondering whom Archie was messaging that had her smiling and laughing so freely.

"Archie, let's eat," he called out without even looking at her.

Startled, Archie dropped her phone and stood up.

"You're done, sorry I didn't see you. Let's eat, honey," Archie responded softly.

"Of course, you didn't see me; you were preoccupied with your phone," Kaivan retorted and walked out of the room ahead of her.

The two proceeded to the dining room. As usual, Archie served her husband by fetching him rice and side dishes.

"Finish it all, honey," she urged him gently.

Kaivan just grunted and began eating in silence. Archie did the same, quietly finishing her meal as usual.

While still dining, Kaivan's phone vibrated on the table, and Archie felt it.

Kaivan answered his phone in front of Archie, unusually not shying away from her.

"What is it, Mom?"

Archie knew it was her mother-in-law, as suggested by Kaivan's initial address.

He glanced at Archie, "She's fine; we're just eating."

He passed the phone to Archie as his mother wanted to speak with her favorite daughter-in-law.

The conversation with her mother-in-law lasted long enough that Kaivan finished eating before Archie ended the call.

As Kaivan washed his hands, Archie, preparing to set down his phone, was startled by a message preview on the screen.

"Kai, are you going to meet me? I miss you," read the message from an unsaved number.

Archie's heart skipped uncomfortably; she quickly placed the phone on the table and tried to calm her breathing, gulping down a glass of water.

"Archie, I still have work to do. Don't forget to lock the door; I've taken my spare key," Kaivan said, taking his phone and slipping it into his pocket.

Archie watched her husband, attempting a smile though it was a struggle. She nodded.

"Yes, honey. Be safe," she said softly.

Kaivan grunted in acknowledgment and promptly left the house in his car, not disclosing any details of his destination to his wife.

Archie, meanwhile, tried to collect herself. She slapped her cheeks in an attempt to remind herself that their marriage was one of convenience.

It wasn't wrong for Kaivan to leave. To go meet his lover, perhaps his heart's desire.

"Wake up, Archie. Kaivan has that right; he deserves to seek his joy. He did well marrying you; let him," Archie murmured while still slapping her cheeks.

She breathed deeply and then exhaled slowly, rising to clear the dinner remnants and wash up.

Afterward, Archie decided to retire to the bedroom, opting to distract herself with the latest Korean drama to forget what she had read.

Archie had no intention of staying up late; she knew tomorrow was her first day at the new job.

While engrossed in the show, a scene played where the main characters kissed in a beautifully lit park at night.

Archie glanced out her bedroom window. The night was indeed beautiful, and the thought flashed in her mind that Kaivan and his lover might be sharing a similar moment.

"Arghhh… Archie, stop!" she rebuked herself, shaking her head.

She decided it was better to sleep than to dwell on unnecessary thoughts. Archie was ready to embrace tomorrow and the responsibilities of her new job.