Hot Night With CEO (English)

"Say Fahira!" Darian said, gazing intensely into the black irises of the woman in front of him.

"Do whatever Mr. Darian wants from me!" Fahira replied softly, lifting her hands and tiptoeing, slowly moving towards the back of Darian's head. Summoning her courage, Fahira's hands encircled his neck.

Darian's smile instantly widened, and without wasting any time, he began to unite their lips. Darian gently nibbled on Fahira's lips, the soft kiss demanding a response. Daringly, he bit Fahira's lip, seeking access to explore further inside.

"Respond, darling!" Darian whispered amid their kisses.

With closed eyes, Fahira started to reciprocate Darian's kiss, following her instincts as her heart raced. It was the first kiss she had ever given to her own boss. Fahira's hesitant and nervous kiss only fueled Darian's passion.

Darian could feel Fahira's body relaxing and responding to his touch. Although he had never taken a girl to his bed before, with Fahira, he managed to hide his nervousness. It would be embarrassing if Fahira found out that the man usually admired by women was still a virgin.

Unconsciously, Fahira let out a soft moan that sounded extremely seductive to Darian's ears, making him explore every inch of her smooth body with his hands. Darian's kisses moved down to Fahira's slender neck, occasionally leaving a mark of ownership. He then pulled away from her body for a moment, gazing at Fahira with a tender smile she had never seen before. Not the sharp, intimidating gaze he had at the office, but the gaze between a man and a mature woman.

With a single touch of Darian's hand, the small strap on Fahira's shoulder slid down to the floor, leaving her topless. Fahira felt nervous again as Darian's hazel eyes scanned every inch of her body. Darian chuckled at the blush that appeared on Fahira's pretty face. Gently, Darian resumed kissing Fahira's lips while lifting her onto the bed. Not wanting to play for too long, Darian soon removed all of his clothes and continued by removing the last piece of cloth on Fahira's body.

With full submission, Fahira closed her eyes tightly as Darian began to claim her most precious possession. Darian felt a little awkward trying to unite their bodies as it wasn't as easy as he had imagined. Especially when he saw Fahira's pained expression, he felt hesitant. But due to his high ego, he had to succeed that night. Darian didn't want to risk his pride in front of Fahira, who was merely his subordinate. Finally, with their breaths racing and covered in sweat, Darian fulfilled his desire.

"Where are you going? Remember, tonight you belong to me," Darian warned when he saw Fahira about to get off the bed.

"I want to clean myself up, Sir," Fahira replied with a trembling voice, holding back the pain in her core while wiping the tears that started to fall.

"We'll shower together later. I want to rest for a while before we do it again," commanded Darian, causing Fahira to shoot him a sharp, tearful gaze. How could Darian do that with pride while Fahira felt nothing but shame and disgust towards herself.

"Damn bastard!" Fahira cursed in her heart while wiping the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I have told you to stop me. So don't blame me if I want your body all night," continued Darian as he pulled Fahira's body and covered both of their innocent bodies with a blanket.

Fahira chose to sleep with her back facing Darian, who hugged her tightly. Fahira bit the edge of the pillow to muffle the sound of her crying, enduring the pain stabbing her chest and shattering the self-esteem she had upheld. Fahira remained in the same position for a long time, until Darian fell asleep, and then slowly got up from the bed.

Darian's eyes slowly opened as he realized the empty spot beside him. The corners of Darian's lips lifted into a thin smile when he heard the sound of the shower turning on. Of course, Fahira was cleaning herself up after their passionate encounter, which lasted for three rounds. Darian chose to pretend he was still asleep when Fahira came out of the bathroom wearing only a bathrobe. Unexpectedly, Fahira took out something from her bag – a prayer rug and mukena (a veil worn during prayers). As Fahira solemnly performed her night prayer, Darian's eyes were open, carefully observing every movement.

Darian closed his eyes again when Fahira finished cleaning her prayer equipment. Fahira changed her clothes in the bathroom and soon came out wearing a black knee-length dress. Darian stretched his body and changed his position to face Fahira, who was sitting in front of the dressing table. Darian sat, leaning against the back of the bed, and let his bare chest be exposed.

"It's still very early, honey. I still want to have fun with you," said Darian, immediately stopping Fahira's activities as she applied peach-colored lipstick to her lips. Fahira turned and looked at Darian with a hurt expression, while Darian laughed and enjoyed Fahira's facial expressions, which made him want to relive their passionate night from before.

"Come on, Fahira! Wasn't last night really fun? In fact, you really enjoyed every sweet treat I gave you!" Darian's teasing intensified, and he pushed aside the blanket that covered part of his body. Darian walked over to Fahira, after picking up his boxers scattered on the floor.

"Transfer whatever amount you want to your account," whispered Darian, now hugging Fahira from behind and nuzzling his head into Fahira's long neck, inhaling the soft scent from her body that still carried his fragrance from last night.

Fahira's body stiffened as Darian's affectionate touches resumed. Darian kissed Fahira's neck several times, seemingly never tiring, while Fahira swallowed hard, trying to muster the courage to politely reject Darian because she was still sane enough to think about her job-the job she had worked so hard to get two years ago.

"Sorry, Mr. Darian, I was paid only to accompany you for the night. So I hope you will allow me to go home now," Fahira replied firmly as she looked into Darian's eyes through the mirror, forcibly releasing his hands that were holding her.

"And I hope that what happened between us last night is something you'll pretend never happened," continued Fahira, turning her body to face Darian with an unreadable gaze. Darian grinned at Fahira's cold attitude, instead of getting angry, he wanted to tease her-the only woman he ever played games with.

"Hahaha, you are very sweet, Fahira. I really like it! You are the only woman who dares to reject me! But it's okay because I'm the first to touch and enjoy your body," Darian replied, followed by laughter.

Feeling humiliation and tightness in his chest, Darian stood up from his seat, took his bag, and left the hotel room, deeply wounded. To him, she was just a woman with no pride left.

***

Darian massaged his throbbing head with his fingertips, closing his eyes. His body leaned against the back of his large chair. The bright sun rays shone on his face and through the large glass in front of him. His emotions were in turmoil ever since he returned from the hotel where he spent the night with Fahira. He couldn't shut his eyes even for a moment. Darian couldn't describe the sudden feelings that sneaked into his heart. The feelings that were previously reserved for his mother were now starting to waver. He didn't know what was happening to him, but one thing was clear: he wanted to have Fahira completely, just like last night.

"Shit!" he cursed when suddenly Fahira's image, wearing sexy lingerie with a seductive smile, danced in his mind.

Elsewhere, Fahira stood frozen behind her boss's office door, her heart pounding. She wasn't prepared to face Darian after surrendering her purity willingly last night.

"Is there something wrong, Han? Are you feeling sick?" David asked, standing by Fahira's side for a few minutes now, without her realizing it. Fahira was startled and dropped her agenda and papers to the floor.

"I'm fine, Mr. David," Fahira replied shortly, quickly picking up her scattered documents with David's help.

"I have something to discuss with Mr. Darian, but you can leave first," David said with a smile, patting Fahira's shoulder gently. Fahira nodded and knocked on Darian's office door.

"Come in!" Darian's voice came from inside, and Fahira took a deep breath before opening the door and entering.

Darian, sitting in his high-backed chair, smiled faintly as he looked at Fahira, who appeared different today. She was wearing a scarf wrapped around her neck, and he was sure that his kiss marks were scattered there. Remembering the sensual night, Darian suddenly felt hot and suffocated. He loosened his tie, which seemed to be choking him, and adjusted the room temperature with the remote.

"Okay, thank you, Fahira. Oh, please call David to meet me," said Darian in his usual cool and composed manner.

"Yes, Mr. Darian. I'll inform Mr. David right away. Excuse me," Fahira replied respectfully, then hurriedly left Darian's office.

Once outside, Fahira went to her desk. She placed her agenda on it and stared blankly at her flat computer screen, trying to calm her racing heart. Her legs felt weak, as if she were made of jelly, after leaving Darian's office.

"Be strong, Fahira," she whispered, trying to soothe herself like the gentle breeze. Regardless, she had to maintain her job, even though her dignity had been tarnished. Regret filled her heart. She had exchanged her virginity for a sum of 100 million rupiahs. However, she also felt happiness, thinking of her brother Ariel. He would soon be healthy again, not needing to take medication every day. Fahira was happy that there was still hope. Hope for the only family she had.

At 11 am, Fahira prepared herself to accompany her boss for an important meeting with a client at a booked restaurant. She checked herself in a small mirror she took out from her desk drawer, retouching her makeup to conceal her pale face and cover the fresh tear tracks on her smooth cheeks. Her tears seemed endless since yesterday.

"Meeting time," Fahira said to herself, mustering a natural smile in front of the mirror before putting everything back in place. She had to be professional, forget everything that happened, and fix the consequences of her big mistake. Fahira resigned herself to the possibility that no man would ever want to marry her again. But that was fine; she believed that God had a better plan for her.

The meeting went smoothly. However, something irritated Darian's heart suddenly. Usually, he didn't care if his clients paid attention to his secretary, as it was not the first time they were enchanted by Fahira's charm. The charm he only realized last night. His body felt hot and stifling. He loosened his tie, which seemed to be choking him. He increased the room temperature while trying to divert Mario Attala, a 35-year-old CEO of Sagara Company, who kept looking at Fahira with evident interest. Mario's gaze was clear to Darian as a mature man. Mario was standing with his secretary, welcoming Darian with a friendly smile and a firm handshake.

"Thank you for your time and the opportunity, Mr. Mario. We need to meet another client now," said Darian politely, rising from his seat and extending his hand to Mario.

"You're welcome, Mr. Darian. It's an honor for us to meet you in person," replied Mario, standing up with his secretary, and shaking hands with Darian warmly.

David, sitting in the driver's seat, glanced at Darian and Fahira sitting side by side in the passenger seats through the rearview mirror. It was unusual for the atmosphere inside the car to be so tense and quiet. Darian seemed preoccupied with his Apple logo-adorned gadget, while Fahira gazed seriously out the window beside her. Although Darian was always cold towards everyone, this time the atmosphere felt more suffocating. Usually, light business conversations accompanied their journey. But now, it was completely silent. No music, no conversation. Only the faint sound of Darian's long sighs, which filled the narrow space between them a few times.

David's intuition told him that Darian was under strong pressure from the powerful Mrs. Yasmin, who was urging him to get married. However, as far as David knew, his boss had never dated any woman. A few months ago, David accidentally overheard a heated argument between Darian and Yasmin during a dinner at the grand residence of the Putra family, where the topic of marriage was brought up. David was quite sure about what he heard, that Yasmin was going to arrange a marriage for Darian with the daughter of a business associate. And of course, Darian couldn't refuse because he hadn't fulfilled his promise to Yasmin.

Darian had promised on his 30th birthday to bring a prospective daughter-in-law for his mother. And in two months, that deadline would arrive. If Darian couldn't fulfill his promise, he would have to accept the woman chosen by his mother, whether he liked it or not.

As usual, Fahira returned home using the services of Go-Jek. Mr. Damar, the Go-Jek driver she had been using for almost a year, was a middle-aged man who was very kind and courteous to her.

Fahira sighed as she recalled the wise advice from her Go-Jek driver. Those pieces of advice were like bubbles constantly popping in her mind. They were real but intangible, even though her faith and principles had been tarnished, she was determined to improve herself and not repeat the same mistakes. From a distance, a tall, well-built man, about 180 cm tall, was observing Fahira from inside a car. Like every other day, he had to make sure that Fahira's regular Go-Jek driver arrived before he left.

Soon, the Go-Jek driver named Damar arrived and handed Fahira a helmet. They seemed to have a brief conversation before Fahira sat in the backseat with Damar and they drove away, disappearing from his view.

"I will definitely keep my promise, Fahira, to take care of you and Ariel," the man mumbled to himself as he drove away from the towering building of Putra Company.

2

Fahira handed a piece of money to Mang Damar after he dropped her off in front of the Mawar public housing building. Her steps were weary as she made her way to the stairs leading to her unit on the second floor. Her mind was exhausted from a long day at work, especially since she had been experiencing sleep disturbances since last night. Thoughts of Darian caressing her body kept crossing her mind every time she closed her eyes.

Creak. The door to her home opened, and Fahira entered, immediately approaching her younger brother, Ariel, who was engrossed in reading a book on the floor with the TV on.

"Fahira!" greeted Ariel as he shifted positions to sit up and closed his book.

"How are you feeling now?" Fahira asked, touching Ariel's forehead to check his body temperature. Last night, Ariel suddenly shivered with a temperature of 38°C, and today he had to take another day off from school. Since being diagnosed with a heart condition, Ariel often had to miss school.

"I'm feeling better. Oh, let me make you a drink," Ariel said, getting up and heading towards the refrigerator.

Fahira placed her bag on the table and stretched her legs. She took off her scarf and blazer, placing them on her lap. Shortly after, Ariel returned with a glass of cold tea and handed it to Fahira.

"Thank you, little brother," Fahira said, reaching for the glass and taking a sip until it was empty.

"I'm sorry for causing you trouble like this," Ariel said sadly, looking at Fahira, who immediately smiled back at him.

"Don't worry about it. Hurry up and get ready. We have an appointment with Dr. Gavin this afternoon. I called last night, and we got the number three slot, so we mustn't be late," Fahira continued, changing the subject.

"I promise, Fahira, I'll get better soon and graduate from school quickly so I can find a job and..."

"You don't have to worry about that right now. The most important thing is for you to focus on school and get well soon," Fahira interrupted before Ariel could continue. She didn't want to see sadness and vulnerability in his eyes every time Ariel expressed his feelings.

At 04:30, they arrived at the Medical Center where Dr. Gavin practiced. The handsome and young cardiologist had been Ariel's attending doctor since he was diagnosed with arrhythmia four months ago. From Dr. Gavin's explanation, arrhythmia is a heart rhythm disorder that indicates a disruption in the heart's electrical system, causing the heart to beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly. This condition occurs due to disturbances in the electrical impulses that regulate the heartbeat, leading to the heart not functioning properly.

Dr. Gavin's observations indicated that the main cause of Ariel's condition was the heavy pressure and stress he had kept to himself for so long. And of course, Fahira knew the exact reason.

Reluctantly, Fahira recounted the events that happened to her and Ariel three years ago to Dr. Gavin. She explained about their life in Surabaya when their parents were still alive and the accident that befell their family. Fahira's honesty made Dr. Gavin feel a sense of unease and sympathy.

However, Fahira knew better than to divulge all the details since she herself never knew how she and Ariel ended up in Jakarta. Even the apartment where they lived seemed to have been prepared for the two of them. What's even stranger was that Fahira received a letter stating that she and Ariel had to stay there for an unspecified period for their safety. During the first month of living in that apartment, Fahira used the money included in a brown envelope under the letter to meet their needs until she found a job.

After consulting with Dr. Gavin, it was decided that Ariel would undergo a heart ablation procedure, which had a permanent success rate of 97%. Tomorrow, Ariel would be admitted for observation by the medical team before the operation. Knowing that Ariel would soon recover filled Fahira's heart with immense happiness. Her sacrifices would not be in vain.

***

The next day...

Darian had just taken off his coat and placed it on the back of his large chair when he noticed the sight of hot coffee mingling with the rays of sunlight filling his room. It was his secretary's signature coffee, which he enjoyed every morning. Darian let out a frustrated sigh as he once again found himself thinking of Fahira's sad face. The girl seemed to have mesmerized him, rendering Darian helpless with his own feelings. He shook his head to dispel the unfamiliar emotions that had been bothering him for the past few days, then opened his laptop. He needed to check the emails he hadn't had a chance to open yesterday.

Darian reached for the phone on his desk and dialed the extension that connected him to Fahira's desk. As he waited for an answer, he absentmindedly toyed with the rim of his coffee cup with his fingertip.

"Unusual for Fahira not to be in my office by 9," Darian muttered to himself as Fahira had not yet picked up his call.

He placed the phone back on its receiver and grabbed the coffee that had been a target of his frustration. As the dark liquid warmed his throat, Darian suddenly realized that this coffee was not made by Fahira. He roughly placed the cup back, causing some of the liquid to spill onto the table.

"David, come to my office immediately!" A loud, high-pitched voice echoed before a folder was thrown far from Darian's desk.

"I'm sorry, what's wrong, sir?" David asked, taken aback by the unusual state of his boss's office. It was a mess. Without waiting for any orders from Darian, David immediately picked up the scattered papers from the floor.

"Where's Fahira? Why isn't she here in my office at this hour? She's not picking up my calls either!" Darian's voice boomed, making David lower his head in response.

It was unusual for Darian to be so angry like this. Normally, when Darian was in a bad mood, he would ask David to accompany him to a nightclub. Darian would have fun with fellow young executives, accompanied by alcohol and attractive women by their sides. However, strangely enough, every time Darian entered a nightclub, he always prohibited David from touching alcohol. He instructed David to take him away when he became unconscious due to alcohol. That meant Darian didn't want to end up in bed with unwanted women.

"Did Fahira not inform you, sir? She's not coming to work because she's sick," explained David, placing the neatly arranged documents on Darian's desk.

"Sick?" Darian murmured softly, causing David to be puzzled by the unexpected change in his boss's expression.

"Yes, sir. Fahira is sick. She told me this morning," continued David, furrowing his brows as he noticed the change in Darian's facial expression.

"You should leave my office now, and today I don't want to be disturbed by anyone," ordered Darian, making David quickly step out of Darian's office before becoming the target of his boss's wrath.

After his personal assistant left, Darian took out his cell phone from his coat pocket. He unlocked the screen and found several missed calls and text messages from Fahira, asking for permission to take a day off from work today.

***

Two hours passed, and Darian was immersed in the stack of documents in front of him. He read and studied each one carefully before signing them. "What's happening to me?" Darian murmured in frustration as the papers in front of him still couldn't drive his thoughts away from Fahira.

Suddenly, his phone rang, interrupting Darian's reverie. Seeing his mother's name displayed, Darian answered immediately.

"Good morning, what's up, Mama dear?" Darian pretended to speak gently, still irritated with their conversation earlier in the morning.

"Good morning too. Meet Alea at the Japanese restaurant this afternoon. She'll be waiting there at 1 pm!" Yasmin ordered with a tone that Darian knew he couldn't argue with.

"Alright, Mommy dear!"

"Watch out if you come up with excuses again!" threatened Yasmin, which instantly elicited a sarcastic laugh from Darian.

"Are you sure you won't be jealous if my love is shared with another woman?" Darian teased while trying to hold back his laughter, successfully teasing his mother.

"Mommy is serious, Darian," Yasmin said in a soft voice, sighing deeply.

"Alright, Mommy, I love you," Darian chuckled, ending the call with a farewell greeting.

At 12:30, Darian paused his work. He put on his coat and quickly headed for the exit, as his mother called again to remind him of his promise to meet a girl named Alea. David smiled and nodded as he followed Darian's steps toward the executives' special elevator.

"When will Jakarta ever be free from traffic? It's annoying!" Darian complained as they got stuck in a long traffic jam.

"Hehehe, it wouldn't be Jakarta, Boss if it weren't for the traffic," David replied casually.

"If it weren't for the Madame Boss's orders, I wouldn't bother meeting that woman," Darian continued, earning a laugh from David.

"The Madame's orders are your command, sir!" David replied, receiving a hard punch on his shoulder.

"Yeah, you're right," Darian agreed. "Finding a wife that fits my criteria is challenging, huh, Vid?" he added, feeling frustrated.

"What are Mr. Darian's ideal woman criteria, may I ask?" David's question naturally provoked annoyance in Darian. The question sounded mocking to him.

After being stuck in traffic for quite some time, the car they were in finally managed to break free from the gridlock. Darian glanced at his wristwatch, which showed 13:25, indicating that he was already late from the time set by his mother. However, Darian's gaze suddenly fixed on the woman who had been disturbing his mind since this morning. The woman was standing by the roadside, at the end of a zebra crossing, with pedestrians waiting to cross.

"Fahira," Darian murmured soundlessly as he looked back when the car had passed Fahira's location. As the car was moving slowly, Darian still had a chance to see Fahira crossing the road while carrying a plastic bag, heading towards the Medical Center hospital.

"Is there a problem, sir?" David asked, feeling puzzled as he noticed Darian continuously glancing behind.

"No, just keep driving!" Darian replied, quickly adjusting his sitting position.

Darian couldn't shake off the image of Fahira from his mind. He wondered why she was heading to the hospital. Was she feeling unwell? He felt an internal struggle within himself, torn between his responsibilities and the inexplicable concern he had for Fahira.

"Sir, are you sure you're alright?" David asked again, this time with more concern in his voice.

"I'm fine, just a little distracted. Let's focus on the road," Darian replied, trying to hide his unease. He knew he had to clear his mind and concentrate on the meeting with Alea, but Fahira's presence was still lingering in his thoughts.

"Where did you get all that money, Fahira?" Ariel scrutinized Fahira sharply as she was arranging some items and food in the small cabinet next to Ariel's hospital bed.

Fahira paused for a moment before sitting down on Ariel's bed, smiling softly. She held Ariel's hand, which was connected to an IV, and looked into his eyes. "Listen me Ariel, this money was obtained in a proper way. You know Pak David, right? I borrowed the money from him, and I'll pay it back through monthly deductions from my salary," Fahira explained. She had to lie, knowing that if Ariel found out the truth, he would refuse the money and choose to suffer for the rest of his life.

"I promise that after I recover, I'll help you with work, Fahira. Arif's parents asked me to privately tutor his little brother in math and science since he's still in middle school," Ariel explained with his eyes shining brightly. He hoped to recover from his illness, so he wouldn't be a burden to Fahira anymore. He had seen Fahira working hard day and night to provide for both of them while they lived in this foreign city, a city known for its nightlife and glamour, but hiding its true cruelty.

"It's up to you, Ariel. The most important thing is for you to recover quickly and stay focused on your studies. We can think about the tutoring later, okay?" Fahira replied, her eyes shining with happiness at seeing the spark of joy in Ariel's eyes.

"Oh, by the way, Fahira, if you have to work tomorrow, I'll be fine alone at the hospital. Ariel said he would accompany me after school," Ariel said, returning Fahira's hand squeeze.

"I've already asked for two days off, so it's okay if Ariel wants to come here," Fahira replied with gratitude in her heart for Ariel's kind friend.

Fahira knew Ariel well. The teenager had been coming to her house since they were in 10th grade, which meant they had been friends for almost two years.

Shortly after, two nurses entered Ariel's hospital room to take him to the operating room. "I love you, Fahira. Promise me you'll recover," Fahira whispered, kissing the top of Ariel's head with tearful eyes.

"I promise, Fahira. I love you too, Fahira," Ariel replied, looking into Fahira's eyes. With all his strength, he managed to smile before the nurses took him away.

Fahira's body slumped weakly on the sofa as tears streamed down her cheeks. She clutched her chest tightly, trying to ease the suffocating feeling. After managing to calm her anxious heart, she wiped away the tears that kept flowing. "Ariel will get better, Fahira," she whispered to herself, pounding her chest to alleviate the tightness. Fahira got up from her seat and quickly followed the two nurses taking her brother. According to the doctor's estimation, Ariel's surgery would last around 2-3 hours.

At the Japanese restaurant, a woman with long brown hair was engrossed in her phone. Darian walked towards table number 7, as instructed by his mother.

"Excuse me, are you Miss Alea?" Darian greeted, trying to appear friendly, which was something he rarely did with anyone. He did it all for the sake of his only parent.

The woman tensed up and looked up to see Darian standing in front of her. With a wide smile, she stood up to welcome him and gestured for him to sit across from her.

"Let me introduce myself, I'm Alea," she said warmly, extending her hand towards Darian.

"Let's just get to the point, what does Miss want from me?" Darian replied bluntly, looking at Alea's outstretched hand. He sat down and glanced at Alea, who was pulling back her hand.

Rather than being annoyed by Darian's cold and distant demeanor, Alea became even more intrigued by the man in front of her. Darian was the only man who didn't seem interested in her. Most of the men she met would look at her with admiration for her beauty and allure.

"Aunt Yasmin must have told you who I am, right?" Alea replied with her sweetest smile.

"All I know is that I'm not interested in you, and Mommy's plan to set us up will definitely not happen!" Darian replied calmly but firmly.

"Really?" Alea challenged, becoming more convinced that Darian was not just another wealthy man who only cared about his desires. Darian leaned back in his chair, looking at the woman who seemed to want to play with him.

"Of course!" Darian retorted with a hint of mockery, observing Alea's seductive appearance. Alea was mistaken if she thought she could tempt Darian with her physical perfection. For Darian, women like Alea were like venomous snakes.

"Come on, Darian, am I not attractive enough?" Alea replied with a teasing look that made Darian feel disgusted and nauseated.

"I'm sorry, but it seems you have the wrong perception of me, Miss." Darian got up from his seat and gracefully left Alea.

"Darian Mahesa Putra," Alea murmured with a smile as she reached for a cup of choco vanilla, sipping it slowly. She enjoyed the sight of Darian's strong back walking away from her view.

Seeing his boss coming out of the restaurant, David quickly got out of the car and opened the door for Darian. He got back in the car and drove back to Darian's office.

"Is there a problem, Boss?" David broke the silence because Darian hadn't said a word for the past 10 minutes.

"I don't know, David. I don't like Mommy rying to set me up with that model named Alea," Darian explained casually. Besides being his personal assistant, David was also his only friend.

"She's beautiful, Boss, looks like the actress Atiqah Hasiholan hehehe," chuckled David, looking at Darian who looked more disheveled than earlier in the morning.

"For you, then. I'm not interested in her," replied Darian, returning David's gaze with an inscrutable look.

"Unfortunately, I already have a woman in mind, Boss. Just tell me what type of woman you like, and I'll find candidates for you," David added, earning a playful punch from Darian on his shoulder.

"Boss, are you really never been in a relationship?" David asked again, feeling puzzled because he had never seen Darian dating anyone.

"What's the point of dating? I don't need women, my life is already comfortable without those annoying creatures called women."

David burst into laughter, shaking his head at his boss's way of thinking. For him, women were the most enjoyable creatures. What was the point of having so much wealth if not used? Even if Darian had a wife and many children, it wouldn't diminish his wealth.

"Keep it down, and tonight, accompany me to the club," Darian replied, ignoring David's teasing remarks that sounded annoying.

Despite their formal boss-subordinate relationship, Darian and David were close friends since high school. While Darian pursued his education in America, David pursued a military career. David came from an upper-middle-class family, and becoming a police officer had been his childhood dream. After Darian graduated from his college in America, he immediately contacted David to work for him.

David often found himself confused by Darian's anti-women attitude. Everywhere else, men would be interested when they met beautiful and attractive women. But not Darian; he was different. Darian always claimed that women were the most annoying and complicated creatures.

"Why are you grinning?" Darian snapped, annoyed by his friend's weird smile that suddenly appeared.

"Are you still normal, Darian? Nothing's twisted, right?" David probed further, laughing.

"Shit!" cursed Darian. "Of course, I'm normal! I've even removed the seal," Darian continued grumbling, causing David to suddenly slam on the brakes.

The sound of a honk and cursing immediately came from behind their car. Without paying attention to the noisy commotion from behind, David quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road.

"Are you sure? I don't know about it at all? I've been with you for almost 24 hours. You must be dreaming!" David replied, surprised. He was torn between believing and not believing, but he knew Darian was serious at the moment.

"Are you my mother? Should I report to you every time I go on a date with a woman?" Darian snapped, irritated, and ordered David to drive the car again.

David grinned suspiciously but immediately obeyed his boss, who seemed to be in a bad mood now. Throughout the journey, the cramped space was filled with silence between the two of them. Darian was once again troubled, thinking about Fahira's sad face, while David seemed focused on the busy streets ahead, with a smile on his face.

"Finally, my best friend is falling in love too. I'll investigate who the lucky woman is that has stolen Darian's heart," David thought to himself as he glanced at Darian, who was now staring out of the window.

At the hospital, Fahira remained silent, covering her face with both hands. In her heart, she prayed endlessly for Ariel's heart surgery to go smoothly. Tears began to flow again. She finally decided to perform the Dhuhr prayer in the hospital's prayer room. It was the only place where she could pour out her heart's sorrows and plead for her brother's safety as he fought for his life on the operating table.

In her long prayer, suddenly a middle-aged woman sat next to Fahira. "God will surely hear your prayers, dear," she said, causing Fahira to open her tear-stained eyes. Fahira then wiped away the tears that had moistened her cheeks.

"Ameen," Fahira replied briefly, smiling softly at the woman.

"I'm sorry, I have to excuse myself for a moment," Fahira politely excused herself as she took off her prayer robe, folded it, and placed it back where it belonged.

"Just a moment!" The woman interjected and opened her bag, handing Fahira a business card. "If you need anything, you can contact me through this number, dear," she continued before Fahira expressed her thanks and accepted the business card.

Arriving at the waiting room for the operation, Fahira froze when she saw the door of the operating room open. She ran towards Dr. Gavin, who had just come out of the operating room with a nurse.

"Thank God the surgery went smoothly for Brother Ariel," said Dr. Gavin, causing Fahira's body to tremble with her mouth wide open. She was speechless, but her heart couldn't stop expressing gratitude.

"In a moment, Brother Ariel will be transferred to the observation room first," Dr. Gavin continued, looking at Fahira for a moment before leaving.

"Mom, Dad, Ariel will soon recover," Fahira whispered in her heart as she collapsed on the floor, tears streaming down her face. Unbeknownst to Fahira, a man was observing her with a melancholic gaze.