Unpredictable Betrayal : A Sweet of Revenge

Ultimately, Alden had to admit Dilan’s words were true, that holding back longing was indeed very difficult. It had only been three days since he hadn’t met or communicated with Aurora, yet it felt so agonizing.

Even though he knew Aurora would never reply, almost every day Alden still tried to send messages. He told her about his activities, hoping that perhaps her phone would suddenly become active and then Aurora would read what he sent, stirring her heart to respond.

Admittedly, the likelihood of that was very slim, especially since Asher had repeatedly confirmed that Aurora needed time to be alone.

“Doc, don’t look so gloomy and sad.”

Velia intervened. At that moment, she saw Alden sitting in the hospital cafeteria lost in thought. She approached him and offered a box of cakes and snacks she had just bought from the market.

“Eat first. To boost your spirits. Otherwise, we might find Doctor Alden fainting in the operating room.”

Alden looked up. Despite trying to smile, his expression still conveyed sadness, worry, and distress.

“Thanks for the offer, Doctor Velia. I’ll taste them later.”

Velia smiled, urging him further by pushing the box of cakes closer to him on the table. Then she insisted that Alden eat. From Velia’s perspective, she believed her colleague must have skipped breakfast this morning.

“Come on, Doc. Try one. It’s seriously delicious and quite filling. If Aurora were here, she would be the first to eat it. It’s her favorite snack.”

Hearing Aurora’s name mentioned, Alden’s focus immediately shifted. He glanced at the box of cakes and then looked back at Velia.

“She likes savory snacks? Since when?”

Velia chuckled softly. Her bait had successfully diverted Alden’s attention.

“Since she became friends with me, Doc. Yeah, I know. At first, I knew Aurora really liked sweet foods.”

Alden nodded in agreement.

“That’s right. She likes treats like red velvet cake, cheesecake, brownies, or croissants. So I was a bit surprised when Aurora was said to like savory snacks.”

“She didn’t like them before,” Velia explained. “But I convinced her to try risoles, fritters, Sumedang tofu, Solo sausages. And it turns out she ended up liking risoles and chicken dim sum. Anyway, whenever she craves them, she always asks me to buy her two or three boxes. And funny thing is, as much as that, Aurora eats and finishes them alone while working on patient reports.”

Alden nodded in understanding. From Velia, he finally got some new information.

“Usually, if it’s eaten repeatedly and that much, it must be really tasty.”

“It’s seriously tasty, Doc,” Velia assured. “Come on, give it a try. So you’ll know how it tastes. Next time Aurora returns, you can buy her this food.”

Alden agreed. He sampled and tasted various cakes that Velia had offered him.

“Does Doctor Alden really miss Aurora so much?”

Velia deliberately asked. Although she could guess the answer, she just wanted to hear Alden’s response directly.

“Absolutely. If I’m being honest, I feel like going crazy. And this moment, it’s exactly like what I experienced a few years ago when I broke up with Aurora.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah,” Alden nodded, convinced. “Honestly, back then, my heart felt shattered. I couldn’t accept it because suddenly Aurora married someone else. I even prayed badly to God hoping that Aurora’s marriage would end and she would return to me soon.”

Velia burst into laughter. Especially seeing Alden’s serious face while telling the story.

“And it seems like God really sided with Doctor Alden.”

Alden nodded.

“That’s why I’m afraid of losing her for the second time.”

“Be patient, Doc. Aurora is just gone for a while. She promised to come back as soon as everything is settled and back to normal.”

At the same time, when his heart condition slightly improved, Alden received a call from Asher. The man asked him to come to his room immediately.

“What’s up, Ash?”

After knocking on the door, Alden chose to enter directly. Likewise, Asher gestured for him to sit down.Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

“I want to ask about yesterday,” the man said, shrugging his shoulders, appearing more relaxed.

“Do you mean about the schedule for the social gathering?”

Asher nodded.

“Yes. So, when does your mother have another meeting or gathering with her socialite friends?”

“I didn’t ask directly. Because we had some arguments before. But, I confirmed with Auntie Fatima, she said they have a meeting this afternoon.” Alden informed him, providing the information Asher needed, though unsure of its purpose. Because for days now, the man had been asking and seeking certainty.

“Do you know where the event is located?”

Alden nodded.

“I know. I’ve been informed. Let me forward the address to your phone.”

Seconds later, Asher’s phone rang. One notification message and he was sure the message was from Alden. So Asher immediately checked it.

“Holicow Meet and Grill. Okay,” nodded Asher, then smiled. “Thank you very much for your help.”

“What’s this for? Are you joining the gathering?” Alden guessed.

Asher laughed. He immediately denied Alden’s guess. After all, there was no way he would join a gathering like that.

“No, it’s not for that. There’s something I need to take care of. You don’t have any plans for this evening, right?”

“Not really,” Alden shook his head.

“In that case, just be on standby. If I say ‘follow’, you have to follow immediately, alright?”

Alden agreed. Although he didn’t know what he would be asked to follow up on, he agreed with Asher’s request.

***

Having finished all his work at the hospital, Asher decided to go home early. Besides, there was an important task he had to complete right away.

Checking his phone, Asher reread the short message containing an address sent by Rayyen. Squinting as he thought, he speculated on the location indicated on his phone.

As he approached the elevator, Asher’s steps momentarily halted. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a woman who was very familiar to him.

“Nicole!”

The firm voice called out immediately. Staring straight ahead, he observed Nicole, who had just stepped out of the elevator.

“We need to talk for a moment.”

Nicole seemed puzzled. Maintaining her composure, she tried to remain calm.

“What do you want to talk about? I have no business with you.”

Asher chuckled dismissively. He gestured for Nicole to move to a corner not far from the elevator.

“You indeed have no business with me. But your behavior has clearly been disturbing me and my extended family.”

Nicole rolled her eyes. She seemed reluctant to deal with Asher’s seemingly arrogant speech. She had always known that Asher was a dominant figure in their extended family and held the most influence. No one dared to confront him.

“Enough, Asher. Don’t beat around the bush. What do you actually want to say? Just get to the point.”

“I know you’re friends with Doctor Regina. Here, I just want to warn you not to instigate, let alone teach Doctor Regina to join in your misbehavior!”

Nicole narrowed her eyes. Besides being surprised that Asher knew she was friends with Regina, she also felt uncomfortable with her cousin accusing her of being deviant. After all, Nicole had never joined any forbidden sect or deviant group.

“What do you mean instigate? Don’t you dare accuse me!”

“Accuse me of slander?” Asher laughed. “It’s actually you who have been slandering Aurora. Why are you provoking Doctor Regina to ruin Aurora’s relationship with Doctor Alden?”

Nicole laughed now.

“Why are you blaming me? Just so you know, whether or not I provoke, Regina has liked Doctor Alden for a long time. Besides, they knew each other well before Doctor Alden met Aurora.”

“Yeah, but you don’t need to instigate. Do you want me to tear your mouth apart or what?”

Asher approached. He closed the distance between him and Nicole.

“After the disrespectful act you did with Alex, you should be grateful you’re still walking around out there. Aren’t you concerned about your mother who begged so that you wouldn’t be punished and followed up?” Asher stared intently into Nicole’s eyes. He didn’t let her escape from his grasp. “But, if you’re tired of living freely, just say the word. I’d gladly send you to jail or a mental hospital.”

Nicole swallowed her saliva. From Asher’s eyes, it seemed he was serious.

“Don’t mess around,” Nicole hastily replied. Her voice sounded panicked after hearing Asher’s warning.

“Do you think I’m joking? I’ve been patient enough. But apparently, the longer your behavior goes on, the less tolerable it becomes. And I think you need to be taught a lesson to realize or even repent if necessary.”

“Asher, please don’t talk like that.” Nicole suddenly panicked. Afraid Asher would realize what he said to her. “I didn’t mean—”

“If you don’t want me to drag you to jail, please listen carefully to what I’m about to say. Feel free to do whatever you want out there, but beware if you continue to disturb or intentionally harm Aurora. It won’t just be you, but Mom and your siblings will also face the consequences.”

Nicole nodded obediently. Out of words, she left before Asher could give her another ultimatum.

Meanwhile, Asher seemed to continue what he had to do. He quickly drove his black Jeep Rubicon to one of the houses he had never visited before.

When the black car was neatly parked, Asher hurriedly got out. He made sure once again that the house he visited matched the address Rayyen had given him.

Taking large strides, Asher quickly headed to the door. He knocked repeatedly until someone answered from inside. Then, shortly after, the sound of the door opening was heard.

“Yes, looking for—”

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Savana,” Asher greeted with a smile. While the woman in front of him looked surprised. “It’s nice to meet you in such good health like this.”