Episode 4

Andini's body was getting thinner by the day, emaciated like a skull covered in pale skin. Hendra felt incredibly guilty towards his wife because she ended up like this as a result of carrying his child. But what made him admire her was Andini's ability to still smile genuinely at him. She sincerely endured all of this, considering her pregnancy as a form of devotion.

Despite her frail body and increasingly foul breath, which made even standing up a struggle due to fatigue, Andini continued to eat fruits and other foods. She also took vitamins prescribed by the doctor, expensive ones, as Hendra desperately wished for his wife's swift recovery.

Although Hendra sometimes had to suppress his nausea when talking to his wife, he tried his best to endure it so as not to hurt Andini's feelings. It would surely devastate her if he, her own husband, were to vomit from the smell of her breath. He even bought mouthwash to try and lessen the odor.

He consulted the doctor numerous times, hoping to find a solution, but the bad breath persisted. Andini, who was once so beautiful, had transformed into a rather ghastly sight due to her frail condition. Fortunately, Hendra had absolutely no intention of straying, not even slightly.

"Mr. Hendra is so handsome. The woman who becomes his wife is incredibly lucky," whispered Laila, a clothing store employee, to her friend.

"His wife is beautiful too," replied Rena.

"Beautiful, how? Didn't you see her current state? I bet Mr. Hendra can't stand his wife's transformation," Laila sneered at Andini.

"She's pregnant; it's natural for women to change like that due to hormones!" Rena was equally annoyed by her friend's words.

"Ugh, but she looks so scary. Mr. Hendra must have lost all desire for her. There are so many cases of husbands cheating when their wives are pregnant," Laila, who had a penchant for gossip, remarked.

"Why are you like this, Laila? It's not right to talk about someone like that. We're both women; your words are just awful!" Rena admonished her friend.

"Whatever, it's my business. Besides, it's Mrs. Andini's fault for not taking care of herself. There are plenty of women who remain beautiful during pregnancy; some even look more beautiful," Laila continued to insult Andini.

Rena sighed and promptly walked away from her friend. Let Laila fantasize about someone else's attractive husband. Rena didn't care how handsome or wealthy Hendra was; if he belonged to someone else, she wouldn't dare to take him, as it would be a sin.

Laila, being flirtatious by nature, deliberately arranged clothes near Hendra, who was checking the inventory. Hendra was working alone now because his wife was in no condition to move. Andini could only stay at home, enduring her agonizing pregnancy. Sometimes she wished to go out, but her body wouldn't allow it.

"Are we out of stock of these?" Hendra asked Laila, who was nearby.

"We still have some in the warehouse, Sir. I'll get them now," Laila replied with a wide smile.

"Make sure nothing is empty. If we have the items, restock them quickly," Hendra instructed.

"Of course, I'll refill them. Empty shelves are no good, just like a heart, for example," Laila said, blushing coyly.

Hendra glanced at the girl who was rambling. He had no interest in engaging with her flirtation. In fact, he felt uncomfortable around girls like this. Since turning over a new leaf, he only wanted to be faithful to one woman, and he had already found her.

"Geez, he just walked away. At least respond to me," Laila grumbled, annoyed at being ignored.

"That's what you get for flirting with a married man!" Rena scoffed.

"Why not seize the opportunity while it's there?" Laila replied shamelessly.

"You're shameless! Flirting with a married man, the very man who pays your salary? Have some self-respect!" Rena was now genuinely furious.

Utterly clueless, Laila stormed off to the warehouse to fetch the items Hendra requested. She thought to herself that once the items were displayed tomorrow, Hendra would be pleased with her work. In reality, it was simply her duty, but Laila was just desperate for attention.

"Don't bother with her. What matters is that we're not like that," Putri advised.

"But you saw how shamelessly she flirted, even though Mr. Hendra clearly ignored her," Rena said, still irritated.

"It's good that Mr. Hendra ignored her. Let's hope he's a faithful man," Putri said, understanding the bitterness of betrayal.

Putri was divorced because her husband had cheated on her while she was away at work. She knew the pain of infidelity all too well. With all her heart, she prayed that Hendra would remain true to his wife, regardless of how challenging Andini's pregnancy became.

...****************...

After leaving the clothing store, Hendra stopped by his grocery store to check on things. He usually spent more time there as the grocery store was busier. The couple's financial situation was quite comfortable; any business they started seemed to thrive. Usually, they would go together, but now he was alone because his wife wasn't well enough.

"Please make me an instant coffee," Hendra requested to his employee.

"One moment, Sir. I'll make it for you right away." Ayu hurried towards the kitchen to prepare the coffee.

Ayu quickly prepared the coffee for her boss, stealing glances at him while he was preoccupied with reviewing the earnings at the cashier counter. A trusted employee managed their grocery store, so Hendra's visits were mainly to collect the earnings.

"Here's your coffee, Sir," Ayu said, handing him the glass of instant coffee.

"Thank you," Hendra replied without looking up.

"If you need anything or want something to eat, just call me," Ayu offered, leaning forward slightly to accentuate her cleavage, hoping to catch Hendra's attention.

"Hmm, alright," Hendra nodded, still without looking up.

Ayu felt a pang of annoyance at being disregarded by her boss. She went back to attending customers, putting on airs in an attempt to attract his attention. She hoped the handsome boss would find her appealing. After all, who wouldn't be smitten by Hendra's looks?

"You will be mine," Ayu thought to herself, smiling slyly.

Whether it was at the clothing store or the grocery store, Hendra always seemed to attract unwanted attention. However, he remained indifferent to these advances, his heart and mind solely focused on his beloved wife, who was carrying their child.

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