The Billionaire's wedding

Xavier gazed towards a woman holding a bouquet of flowers in

her hands. The woman slowly approached, wearing a simple white dress that clung

to her petite frame. The onlookers witnessing their wedding admired the woman's

beauty. However, Xavier showed no reaction. He just stared straight ahead with

no expression or admiration for his bride.

Until finally, the woman stopped in her tracks when she

reached the altar, where Xavier stood upright, staring at her. Even the woman

hesitated to respond to Xavier's current cold gaze. Similarly, Xavier forced

himself to reach out when he saw the woman's trembling small hand, trying to

respond to her gesture. Especially when Xavier began to grip her hand, as if

her delicate fingers could shatter with the strong grip he gave.

They then stood in front of the altar to exchange their

sacred vows, promising to be faithful to each other and to love each other

forever. Her soft voice, which sounded like whispers at times, occasionally

made Xavier shift his gaze towards the side of the woman's face who would

become his wife. Xavier didn't know why he had to deceive himself, marrying a

woman he didn't even want. This made Xavier sigh or grunt several times.

Xavier didn't even seem to focus at all while reciting their

vows; it was as if it were just a sentence he had to read aloud. Xavier's

current focus was on a woman sitting in one of the chairs as a witness to their

wedding, his first wife.

His first wife displayed a stoic expression that seemed to

conceal her sadness. This left Xavier clenching his fists as he felt powerless.

Of course, his heart was deeply wounded seeing Anita could only reluctantly

accept her husband marrying another woman.

Until they finally finished the vows they had pledged to each

other, causing Xavier to finally turn back to face the woman named Nadira, who

was now his legitimate wife. The next step to complete their marriage was to

exchange rings on their respective ring fingers.

Even for their wedding rings, it was Xavier's mother who

chose them. Xavier had no knowledge of the preparations for his wedding with

Nadira. He simply arrived and now stood in front of the altar. That's all he

did.

After the wedding rings encircled their ring fingers, Xavier

finally, for the first time, looked towards the woman who still seemed

reluctant and fearful to meet his gaze. Xavier had no other choice but to grasp

her wrist firmly and press their lips together.

Xavier didn't care if it looked rough or not overly sweet.

He just needed to end this wedding ceremony as quickly as possible because

Xavier couldn't stand staying silent and suppressing his frustration any

longer. With the kiss that Xavier gave, which was more of a mere pressing of

their lips, their wedding ceremony finally concluded. Xavier even hurriedly

stepped down from the altar and distanced himself, leaving Nadira holding the

bouquet of flowers.

Until another woman approached, extending her hand and

gently touching Nadira's face. That was the last thing Xavier saw as he left his

bride at the altar. Meanwhile, he immediately pulled Anita's hand to leave,

making Anita feel slightly uncomfortable as the other guests stared in her

direction. Her husband's wedding did not invite outsiders; only close family

and friends were present, but they still looked down on Anita.

Xavier immediately pulled his wife into his embrace,

rendering Anita silent. "Forgive me," Xavier said, and that was the

only sentence he could utter to soothe Anita's heart. Anita immediately

returned the embrace from her husband.

"Why do you have to apologize? Isn't this what I wanted

too?" replied Anita with her soft voice, causing Xavier to release his

embrace and look at his wife, who smiled gently at him. But Xavier knew that

the pain Anita was enduring at the moment couldn't be healed by anything.

Xavier then extended his hand, gently caressing Anita's face, causing her to

grip Xavier's hand tightly.

"Don't show that expression; pity your bride over

there, whom you left behind just to comfort me like this. Don't you see how

they were looking at us earlier?" Anita said, making Xavier sigh in

frustration.

"Stop worrying about what other people think. Can't you

just think about my feelings? How I stood at the altar and waited for another

woman. Can't you think about the suffocating feeling I'm experiencing right

now?" Xavier said, feeling a bit irritated by Anita's ability to remain

composed even though she witnessed her husband's wedding.

"Let it go; besides, it's all done," Anita said.

"Everything happened because you asked me to. If you

had refused their request or rebelled a little, I would always be by your side.

I would do anything to ensure you wouldn't be hurt like this. But foolishly,

you begged to hold my hand, causing my defenses to crumble against them,"

Xavier said with a raised tone, leaving Anita silent, observing how sternly her

husband must have been angered.

Xavier, who also realized that he had raised his voice at

Anita, could only roughly rub his face before gripping his wife's hand.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to shout at you. I just...

you know, none of this was ever in my life plan," Xavier said, looking at

Anita with his serious gaze.

Xavier felt confused and didn't know which words could

describe his currently chaotic emotions. All of this happened a few weeks ago

when his extended family invited Xavier and Anita for dinner. Xavier had

initially been happy, thinking that his extended family was finally accepting

Anita after a year of their marriage.

Their marriage had indeed garnered a lot of controversy,

especially from Xavier's grandmother, who vehemently opposed it. Xavier had

married Anita for love, even though it faced rejection from some members of the

extended family because Anita was an ordinary girl raised in an orphanage.

Although Anita had now built a successful career as a recognized designer, it

seemed that it wasn't enough to be considered worthy of accompanying Xavier,

the heir to the Chandrawinata Group, a large family that dominated import and

export trade.

Xavier had tried hard to prove himself with his own efforts,

such as becoming the owner of a five-star hotel chain that he had built from

scratch in several major cities. However, his efforts appeared to be

insufficient to convince his parents and grandmother. Xavier vividly remembered

how they eventually accepted Anita, on the condition that she must produce the

next heir for the Chandrawinata Group. Xavier and Anita had happily accepted

this condition.

However, their dreams turned out to be too simple, because

after one year of marriage, Anita still couldn't conceive a child. This became

a significant issue, especially for Xavier's grandmother, who decided to marry

Xavier to Nadira, a woman of her own choosing.

Xavier roughly rubbed his face, recalling his love journey

with Anita. Xavier felt incredibly guilty for not being able to make his wife

happy. He thought his love for Anita was enough, but it was still far from what

he desired. Xavier's thoughts halted when he felt a gentle touch on his stern

jaw.

"Don't we often hear the saying that we can plan, but

God determines the outcome? Let's just consider this the best plan that God has

given us," Anita said, causing Xavier to stop his hand's movement and

gently kiss her palm. Anita couldn't turn away from the man who always gave her

so much love.

"I'm truly ready to accept any punishment you might

give me. I'm willing if you might torture me, no matter how severe it might be,

because it can't possibly compare to the pain you're enduring right now,"

Xavier said, making Anita laugh with amusement.

"What if I leave you?" Anita asked, immediately

making Xavier look at her with a displeased expression. "Except for that,

I can't accept it if you want to leave me," Xavier said, making Anita

laugh again.

"Even though that's the harshest punishment I could

give you. If I were just going to give you punches or kicks, it wouldn't make

your muscular body hurt, right? You can see the difference in the size of our

fists," Anita said, teasing her husband, finally making Xavier unwillingly

display his broad smile. Xavier knew that at this moment, Anita just wanted to

divert from the heavy conversation.

"Yes, even with just a slight grip, your hand would

definitely be crushed," Xavier said, then gifted a gentle kiss on the back

of Anita's hand, making her smile at him. They didn't realize that their

conversation was secretly being observed by a woman who had just entered their

midst.

Nadira, seeing how Xavier's loving gaze was directed towards

his wife and the tender words he uttered for Anita, somehow wondered whether it

was right for her to just enter their love like that and disrupt everything.

Nadira herself didn't want something like this. How could she ruin another

woman's happiness? Nadira had just been about to leave Xavier and Anita before

they noticed her presence. However, it seemed too late when a cold voice that

pierced her small back halted Nadira's steps.

"Stop right there," Xavier said, making Nadira

close her eyes tightly. Xavier then walked slowly closer. A few moments ago,

Xavier felt like someone was watching him, although he didn't pay much

attention to it. Xavier didn't care if there might be someone else listening to

their conversation. However, when Xavier saw a faint white dress behind the tree,

he knew who had been eavesdropping on their conversation. The anger that had

dissipated a few moments ago suddenly returned, squeezing at his chest. Xavier

immediately turned and looked at Nadira, who seemed to be about to leave.

Xavier quickly held Anita's hand and walked towards Nadira, who was still

facing away from him.

"It seems you really enjoy eavesdropping on other

people's conversations," Xavier said, leaving Anita silent, observing her

husband who appeared emotional again with his stiffened jaw.

"Did you hear me?" Xavier asked again, finally

making Nadira reluctantly turn to look at Anita and Xavier with her fearful

expression.

"So, after you've listened to all our conversation,

what plans do you intend to make? Are you going to report to my grandmother or

my parents?" Xavier asked with his cold tone, making Nadira immediately

shake her head. Xavier just contemplated, seeing the innocent response on

Nadira's face that she always showed to her extended family. However, Xavier

was determined that he would never be fooled by that puppy-like, pitiful

expression.

"I won't say anything to them. I was just asked by my

grandmother to call you," Nadira replied in a soft voice that made Xavier

look at her with raised eyebrows.

"Then, why didn't you just call me and instead

eavesdropped on our conversation? Don't you know proper etiquette?" Xavier

asked, making Anita immediately grip his hand. Anita seemed to feel that Xavier

was pressing too hard on his second wife.

"Let's go. It seems we've been away from the venue for

too long, especially since this is your wedding party, right?" Anita said,

making Xavier roll his eyes lazily.

"Wedding party," Xavier mumbled, belittling

himself. "I don't consider this my party. Yes, in a movie, just consider

me as an extra," Xavier replied, looking at Nadira who remained silent.

"It's better we go back. Grandma will definitely be

angrier if we don't meet her immediately," Anita said, not wanting to pay

any more attention to Nadira. Of course, there was no reason for Anita to be

friendly with her husband's second wife. While Anita agreed to all of Xavier's

extended family's plans, it didn't mean she had to be friends with another

woman in her husband's life.

"Yes, you're right. If not, maybe this woman will cause

problems for you," Xavier said, immediately pulling Anita back inside to

continue their wedding party. Even though it was just a continuation with the

meal, Xavier still didn't want his beloved grandmother to blow a minor issue

out of proportion and dump it all on Anita.

They left Nadira behind, still silent and motionless after

the sharp words Xavier had thrown at her. Xavier didn't care, because from the

beginning, he had no plans to be gentle or accept another woman into his life

when he was still wholeheartedly in love with his wife.

Xavier's steps halted again when he heard a voice that

immediately inquired about the woman he didn't care about.

"Where's Nadira?" Nenda, Xavier's grandmother,

asked, making Xavier finally turn around.

"Why is grandma asking me? Wasn't she in this room all

this time?" Xavier said, as if he had no knowledge of Nadira's

whereabouts.

"I told her to find you earlier. And also, why did you

leave your own wedding reception? I've been seeing Nadira sitting alone without

you by her side," Nenda said, making Xavier sigh deeply.

"I had to talk to Anita for a moment," Xavier

replied, making Nenda immediately cast her cold gaze in Anita's direction, a

gaze that Anita had become very accustomed to receiving from most of Xavier's

family members.

"What? You only talked to her now? Shouldn't you be

concerned about your wife, Nadira, right now?" Nenda asked, making Xavier

return his grandmother's displeased gaze.

"Isn't Anita also my wife? I can't keep hovering around

that woman, can I?" Xavier replied.

"And that woman is now your second wife. You should be

thankful that I didn't force you to divorce Anita. So, try to be fair if you

still want to maintain your first marriage, before I impose my will

again," Nenda said. After that, she immediately walked away with the help

of her cane and her personal assistant, leaving Xavier clenching his fists. Of

course, Nenda's words could not be challenged by his family because Nenda was

the eldest pillar of the Chandrawinata family, as were Xavier's parents, who

couldn't dispute their grandmother's words.

Xavier then turned to look at Anita. Of course, Xavier knew

that his grandmother's words had hurt his wife's feelings deeply, even though

Anita always said she was used to the cold treatment she received.

"I could already guess that Grandma would say that, so

now, instead of Grandma continually blaming me, you should try to think about

being fair, because you're the one who insisted on maintaining our marriage as

Grandma said, right?" Anita said.

Anita had indeed initially chosen to step aside when

Xavier's extended family urged him to marry another woman. But seeing how

Xavier pleaded with her melted her heart because Anita loved her husband deeply

and couldn't bear to leave him alone.

Anita was confident that her efforts to maintain their

marriage would bear fruit. Until her thoughts stopped when suddenly a scream

from another direction caused everyone in the room to become agitated,

including Xavier, who looked towards the corner of the room and widened his

eyes as he saw that his second wife didn't seem to be in a good state.

Xavier widened his eyes as he saw Nadira, who was shrieking

in pain when suddenly scalding soup, for some reason, splashed onto her,

drenching her wedding dress, which now looked disheveled. Several waitstaff

rushed over to her, and there were family members who seemed panicked and were

also shouting, making the atmosphere slightly chaotic.

"What is she doing?" Anita asked, making Xavier

shrug nonchalantly.

"I don't know, just ignore it. Right now, let's find a

seat. You must be hungry, right? I'll get some food for you," Xavier said,

causing Anita, who was still focused on Nadira and the people around her, to

nod in agreement.

However, just as Xavier was about to pull Anita away, he was

suddenly blocked by her father, making Xavier visibly frustrated. After Nenda

had blocked his way earlier, now it seemed Remon was going to make things

difficult for him.

"Don't you see that your wife is currently in distress?

Quickly, see what's happening to her and deal with the situation," Remon

said, causing Xavier to look at his father-in-law with a questioning

expression.

"Why me? Aren't there waitstaff and other family

members there already? They can take care of her, right? Besides, she's not a

child. She surely knows what to do," Xavier replied casually, making Remon

look at his son with a cold gaze.

"Right now, Nadira is your responsibility. If you

understand the meaning of responsibility as a man, take care of your wife

properly. Don't ever embarrass our family with your ungentlemanly

behavior," Remon said, further agitating Xavier's anger.

"And I also have to take care of my wife here. Anita

hasn't even had a chance to sit down and eat, and I can't just neglect her to

attend to others. There are plenty of people paying attention to them, while

Anita here is relying on me," Xavier said, choosing to walk away from

Remon. However, Remon couldn't be underestimated by Xavier. Remon immediately

grabbed Xavier's shoulder firmly.

"Go, see Nadira right now, before I do something that

will make you ashamed," Remon said, while looking at Anita who remained

silent. If Anita could maintain her composure when facing Nenda earlier, she

was completely unaccustomed to dealing with Remon, especially with his hateful

gaze. This eventually led Anita to release Xavier's hand, causing Xavier to

look at her with displeasure.

"I'll go see Nadira, you can find a seat and get your

own food. Besides, she looks like she's in distress," Anita said while

looking down. After that, she walked away, leaving Xavier and Remon behind, causing

Xavier to look at his father disapprovingly.

"Actually, what do you want from us? I followed your

wishes to marry that woman. Shouldn't you be satisfied with what I've done and

not bother me and Anita anymore?" Xavier said, making Remon respond with a

stern gaze.

"Don't jump to conclusions. Do you think your duty is

done just by marrying like this? You need to be a real husband if you don't

want your grandmother to separate you from Anita. Your father has been kind

enough not to interfere in your first marriage. As long as you can treat Nadira

as you treat Anita, because right now, Nadira is insurance for your first

marriage. Keep that in mind," Remon said, finally leaving Xavier who

remained silent with swirling emotions before clenching his fists tightly.

"So, she's just a woman who serves as insurance for my

marriage with Anita. Alright, if that's what you all think, I'll make the most

of my insurance," Xavier said, then turned with a hardened jaw and

approached the crowd of people who were still trying to help Nadira. They

immediately moved aside when they saw Xavier approaching, and without

hesitation, he firmly took Nadira's hand, causing Nadira, who was already in

pain, to widen her eyes.

"Where are you taking me? Can you walk slower? I'm in pain,"

Nadira said. However, it seemed that Xavier had no intention of showing any

compassion to the woman labeled as insurance by Remon.

"Please, stop. I can walk on my own," Nadira said

again, but once again, Xavier didn't listen, until Nadira finally felt that her

legs were not strong enough to be dragged like this by her husband. Nadira

immediately released Xavier's grip and pushed him away firmly.

"Stop if you have no intention of helping me. It's

better not to do anything. I can handle myself," Nadira said, leaving

Xavier laughing out loud. At that moment, Nadira could only remain silent.

"Handle yourself, if you can handle yourself. Why do

they keep telling me to take care of you? Shouldn't you just hide in the corner

as if you're invisible to me and everyone else?" Xavier said, making

Nadira speechless. Xavier then looked at the disheveled dress before pulling

Nadira's wrist again. This time, Nadira could only endure her pain without

saying a word or struggling. Xavier brought Nadira to a room he had used

earlier when he was getting ready.

"Take off the dress," Xavier said, causing Nadira

to widen her eyes.

"Don't you need help right now? I've been kind enough

to give you a little attention, so take off the dress now," Xavier said

again, making Nadira shake her head.

"No need, I can handle it myself, so you better go back

to the event outside," Nadira said, making Xavier fold his arms, looking

sternly at his second wife.

"Yes, and then you'll go create problems for Anita

again, won't you? If I go out after dragging you like this, my family will

target Anita. So, at least act as you should as my wife," Xavier said.

After that, he turned to a corner of the room where there was a wardrobe.

Xavier immediately opened each drawer of the wardrobe, leaving Nadira silent,

watching the upright figure of the man who had now become her husband. Then,

Xavier walked back with a box of medicine in his hand and threw it towards the

side of the bed where Nadira was.

"I don't care what you're going to do now. Just look at

the wounds on your body and treat them. I'll just be here watching after making

sure everything is okay. You can do whatever you want; that's all I want to

make sure of," Xavier said, making Nadira feel like she was just a tool to

Xavier.

"Why hurry to undress? Do you think I'll be tempted by

your body? Forget your dirty thoughts," Xavier said again, finally making

Nadira reluctantly take off the wedding dress that still clung to her body.

Xavier only stared at her with a cold gaze, as if he were

truly not interested at all. Nadira felt forced to do it. If not, she would be

stuck in the suffocating room with Xavier for even longer. Leaving only her

underwear hugging her body, Nadira was somewhat surprised when she saw her

thighs, which turned out to be far worse than she had imagined.

Nadira thought her thighs would just be red from the hot

soup, but the injury was more severe. Her skin was blistered, and it made

Nadira gasp, just as Xavier reacted the same way. Xavier had thought the thick

wedding dress would somewhat reduce the heat from the soup, but it didn't seem

to work, judging by Nadira's severely reddened and blistered thighs.

"Clean the wound first. It seems this medicine alone

won't be enough for the burns. I'll call the doctor right away," Xavier

said, albeit in his cold tone. But for some reason, seeing the injury, Xavier

felt a bit of sympathy. Yes, it was just a matter of his humanity, nothing

more, Xavier thought. Finally, he reached for his phone and called the Chandrawinata

family's personal doctor to come immediately.

After that, Xavier turned back to look at Nadira, who was

slowly opening the medicine box. As Xavier had said, she needed to clean it up

before waiting for the doctor to arrive. Xavier didn't know what he was

thinking right now.

As his gaze shifted away from the wound, he looked at

Nadira's face, which occasionally winced as she cleaned her injury. Her face

appeared petite with round eyes framed by thick and long eyelashes. Her small

nose and red lips made Xavier feel like this was the first time he had paid

such close attention to his second wife. Next, his eyes shifted to other parts

of her body, where Nadira was only wearing underwear, revealing her petite

figure, which turned out not to be as small in certain areas.

This finally made Xavier turn around and glance around the

room before his gaze fell on a hanging bathrobe, which Xavier immediately

pulled.

"Put this on before the doctor arrives," Xavier

said, making Nadira look at the bathrobe that Xavier had thrown onto the bed.

Nadira hadn't thought about covering herself before. With a sense of

awkwardness, Nadira quickly put it on and continued to tend to her injured leg.

Finally, about 20 minutes later, the doctor arrived.

"Is it very chaotic outside?" Xavier asked, seeing

how Irfan looked rushed with sweat dampening the sides of his face.

"Yes, earlier your grandmother stopped me because I

suddenly appeared at your event. Even though when your grandmother invited me

before, I declined because there was an important surgery going on," Irfan

replied, making Xavier nod. Irfan was indeed one of Xavier's close friends and

also their family doctor.

"So why did you come now?" Xavier asked.

"Didn't you call me? Fortunately, the surgery had just

finished, and I could come here right away," Irfan replied.

"What did grandmother ask?" Xavier asked again.

"Yes, because they didn't know I would come, and they

guessed that my arrival was because you called me, and they thought something

bad must have happened," Irfan said, glancing at Nadira, who was still

observing them. Irfan immediately looked at Xavier with a questioning look.

"Yes, whatever you have in your mind is correct,"

Xavier replied, seemingly understanding his friend's gaze. Irfan must be asking

if that was his second wife.

"Alright then, I'll start treating her," Irfan

replied, then walked closer to Nadira, who looked somewhat awkward. Nadira was

the type of person who couldn't immediately accept strangers close to her.

"Where is the injury?" Irfan asked, making Nadira

finally pull up the bathrobe she was wearing slightly, revealing the blistered

wound on her thigh, which made Irfan immediately look at Xavier.

"What happened?" Irfan asked.

"Because of someone's carelessness on her wedding day,

she ruined it and injured herself. I don't know what she was thinking to spill

hot soup on herself," Xavier replied sarcastically, making Irfan look at

Nadira again.

"I didn't do it on purpose. Suddenly, the waiter who

was placing the hot soup lost balance, and then the soup splashed on me,"

Nadira replied, seemingly understanding the meaning of Irfan's gaze, making

Irfan smile and nod.

"Alright then. Has the wound been cleaned? Because

afterward, I have to apply medicine and ointment," Irfan said, making

Nadira nod diligently. Irfan treated Nadira's thigh, and Xavier continued to

watch his friend's movements.

"This will sting a bit, but you can handle it,

right?" Irfan asked, making Nadira nod.

"Come on, she's not a child who will cry in pain. She's

25 years old, she's an adult," Xavier interjected, interrupting the

conversation between Irfan and Nadira. This made Irfan look at him with a lazy

eye roll. Irfan knew that his friend was a cold and untouched man, but he

didn't expect that this cold attitude applied to his second wife. Although

Irfan knew the course of Xavier's marriage, he still couldn't believe how tough

his friend really was.

A few minutes later, Irfan had completed his task of

treating Nadira's wound.

"This is the oral medicine, antibiotics, and this is

the ointment. You must take them regularly if you want the wound to heal

quickly, and if this ointment isn't applied properly, I'm afraid the wound will

scar," explained Irfan, making Nadira nod her head.

"Yes, thank you, Doctor," Nadira said, and Irfan

nodded. After that, Irfan got up and approached Xavier again.

"Make sure your wife takes her medication properly

because it's crucial. The wound is quite severe," Irfan said, making

Xavier shrug casually.

"Alright, I'll see you later then. I need to talk to my

second wife first," Xavier said, making Irfan look at Nadira briefly, who

just stared at him with a blank expression before nodding and leaving Xavier

and Nadira. Xavier then approached Nadira.

"Did you hear what Irfan said, and I don't need to

remind you three times a day to take your medicine," Xavier said, making

Nadira pause for a moment.

"Of course, as you said, I'm not a child. I know when

it's time to take my medicine," Nadira replied, making Xavier look at her

with raised eyebrows. It seemed that his wife could now respond to his gaze,

unlike before when she appeared fearful. Was it because of the injury she

experienced or the accumulated frustration in her heart, Xavier thought,

finally giving her a slight smile.

"Good, then. Live peacefully and don't trouble me so

that I can maintain this marriage a little longer," Xavier said, then

turned to leave Nadira when her words stopped him once again.

"Why are you holding onto this marriage if you don't

want it?" Nadira asked, making Xavier pause before turning around and

looking sharply at Nadira.

"Because someone said that you are insurance for my

marriage with Anita, so be useful insurance for me. Don't expect any reward,

that's why you exist in my life. Don't dream of getting more from me. Isn't the

attention from my family alone already a big advantage for you?" Xavier

said, making Nadira fall silent. Xavier didn't care if Nadira would consider

his words cruel or anything; he was just expressing his feelings.

"Do you think I want this marriage either?" Nadira

said, making Xavier turn around to look at his wife again.

"Well, if you don't want this marriage, why didn't you

reject it yourself? Why did you have to be a part of my life? I sacrificed all

the happiness I had with Anita just because of you," Xavier said, making

Nadira clench her fists and get up from her seat.

"Do you think I didn't sacrifice my happiness? Do you

think you're the only one who had a happy life with your wife? Didn't you think

that I have my own life too? Alright, as you say, I'll live without burdening

you. I'll live as if I'm not in your life, but don't blame me if one day you

might need my help. Because at that time, even if you beg me, I won't be easy

to help you," Nadira said. She didn't know how much courage she had to

answer Xavier's words, which made Xavier stiffen his jaw and walk closer to

Nadira before gripping her shoulder.

"That will never happen. Do you think I would ever beg

you? It's just a dream," Xavier said.

Xavier then leaned closer to Nadira to whisper the cruel

words he was about to say when suddenly the bedroom door opened. They fell

silent, both looking at someone standing at the doorway, staring at them with a

puzzled expression. They remained silent, unsure of how to react, and Xavier

had no idea how to proceed.

Xavier quickly released his grip on Nadira's shoulder when

he saw Anita, who was now standing silently in the doorway, looking at them

with a questioning gaze.

"What are you doing?" That was the question Anita

asked when she saw her husband and Nadira alone in the room. Although it wasn't

necessary for Anita to inquire, as it was perfectly normal for her husband to

spend time alone with his second wife, for some reason, just thinking about it

made something very painful well up inside her.

Initially, Anita had wanted to accept Xavier being with

Nadira, but after facing the reality, it turned out to be extremely difficult.

Anita could only clench her fists, feeling the pain she was now experiencing.

Even though Anita also clearly saw how surprised her husband, Xavier, was, who

then immediately approached her when he saw that his wife was still motionless.

"I was just making sure that she was properly treated

by Irfan," Xavier replied, making Anita look at Nadira for a moment, and

Nadira looked back at her silently.

"But I saw Irfan leave a while ago, and he also said

that he had treated her properly. That's why I followed you here," Anita

replied, making Xavier feel wrong for staying too long in this room. "I

just wanted to make sure that she takes her medicine correctly, that's

all," Xavier added. However, when Anita was about to respond further,

Xavier gently held her shoulder.

"Let's leave it. Besides, she's perfectly fine now.

Shall we go home instead? I've had enough of this party," Xavier suggested,

making Anita pause for a moment before nodding. They left Nadira alone in the

room.

Xavier put his arm around Anita's shoulder, even though he

knew his wife was still somewhat upset with him. However, Xavier knew how to

soothe Anita's gentle heart.

"Are you sure you want to go back to our

house?" Anita asked, making Xavier stop and face her before nodding.

"Yes, of course. Where else would I go?" Xavier

asked, making Anita sigh deeply.

"Hasn't your grandmother prepared a new

home for you?" Anita added, making Xavier realize that it was still their

wedding day, and he would have to consider the feelings of both Anita and

Nadira going forward.

"So what should I do? What do you want right now?"

Xavier asked, making Anita fall silent. Of course, if she followed her heart,

Anita wanted to go home with her husband to their house, where it would just be

the two of them. However, that wouldn't be easy, as her grandmother might not

allow Xavier to leave Nadira.

"You know what kind of answer you're going to hear.

It's your wedding day. How could you marry Nadira and come home with me?"

Anita replied, making Xavier close his eyes and then pull Anita into his

embrace.

"Can't we just ignore it? Haven't I done what I had to

do? I married her, and that's done, right?" Xavier said, making Anita

shake her head.

"It's not just that. There's a lot more you have to do.

Remember, they don't just want Nadira to enter your big family, but also an

heir. And that won't happen immediately if you two just marry like this without

being together," Anita said, finally making Xavier release his embrace.

"Okay, okay, I'll visit her occasionally, but not

today. I'm really exhausted, and I want to be with you. Can I take a break and

enjoy some quiet time with you? Can we just ignore them, okay?" Xavier

said, giving assurance to Anita, who finally nodded in agreement.

"Okay, then let's go home now. But remember, in the

future, be careful," Anita said, as Xavier led his wife side by side.

"Do I also have to be fair?" Xavier asked, making

Anita tilt her head for a moment before falling silent.

"I don't know if I like that phrase or not. But from

your family's point of view, of course, you have to be fair," Anita

replied, making Xavier smile. Xavier understood his wife's wishes, as it was

difficult for Anita to see her husband with another woman.

"Yes, I'll do my best, but I can't promise to always be

fair. Anyway, let's stop talking about me, you, and her. Didn't you allow

ourselves to rest?" Xavier said, making Anita finally nod without

answering, showing that she wanted to stop the topic and enjoy time with her

husband.

They immediately left for the back door after Anita

instructed one of the servants to check on Nadira's condition. Xavier turned

off his phone and Anita's phone. They wanted to enjoy time together without any

interruptions. Xavier was sure that a few minutes after they left the party,

people like his grandmother, his father, or the head secretary would try to

contact them, wondering why they left Nadira alone there.

Xavier then turned to Anita, who had already fallen asleep

beside him in the car. Even though he had been the one whining about tiredness

earlier, Anita looked even more tired than him now. Xavier smiled and let Anita

sleep until they arrived home.

As Xavier looked at the road that was starting to get dark,

he was disturbed by Nadira's words. He didn't know what expression Nadira had

shown, and he couldn't read that woman's mind. Xavier pondered why Nadira had

left the happiness he had intended. His mind continued to churn until they

arrived home.

Xavier got out of the car and carefully opened the door,

seeing Anita still sound asleep. He knew that in this state, it was better not

to disturb his wife's sleep. Xavier decided to cradle Anita gently. Anita

shifted in his embrace and eventually nestled against his chest. Xavier smiled.

Anita always did this when she slept, clutching him tightly, and Xavier always

felt warm and enjoyed her scent.

After that, Xavier carried Anita inside their residence.

Some servants who saw them seemed somewhat surprised, but Xavier didn't care

about their feelings. "Sir," greeted the head servant, and Xavier

looked at him.

"Please prepare Anita's favorite meal for dinner

tonight," Xavier said, surprising the head servant. They might have

thought that Xavier wouldn't return home on his wedding day, but Xavier paid no

mind to their assumptions.

"Is it only Mrs. Anita's favorite food, Sir?" the

head servant asked, and Xavier nodded in response.

"Yes, of course, because I can eat anything, and I also

like Anita's favorite food, so I want dinner tonight to be dedicated to my

wife," Xavier said, but the head servant still looked at him with a

puzzled expression, perhaps because his orders weren't entirely understood or there

were other thoughts they had.

"Why, is there something else you want to ask?"

Xavier asked, making the head servant tilt his head slightly, indicating there

was another question.

"What about Miss?" the head servant inquired,

causing Xavier to furrow his brows.

"Miss who?" Xavier asked, only to turn around when

he suddenly saw Nadira standing behind him with a suitcase. Xavier didn't know

when Nadira had appeared behind him, and he was surprised.

Xavier sighed and decided to address the situation. "Listen,

Nadira, I understand you might have your reasons, but this isn't the right

place or time for you to be following us around," he said sternly.

Nadira met his gaze with a hint of defiance. "What do

you expect me to do, Xavier? You left me alone, and I didn't know what else to

do. I followed the car, hoping to find some answers," she replied, her

voice tinged with frustration.

Xavier's expression softened slightly, realizing that Nadira

might indeed be feeling lost in this complicated situation. "Look, I

appreciate that you're concerned, but it's better if you stay here for now.

I'll sort things out with my family," he suggested.

Nadira didn't seem convinced. "And what if they don't

want me here? What if they want me to leave?"

Xavier sighed again, unsure of how to handle the situation.

"We'll deal with that if it happens. But for now, please stay in the guest

room. I'll talk to my family, and then we'll figure out the next steps

together," he explained.

Nadira nodded reluctantly, realizing that she might not have

much of a choice. Xavier turned to lead her to one of the guest rooms, hoping

to settle this matter before it escalated further.

"And you should be thankful that I followed you. I

can't imagine how your family would react if you left your bride alone in her

room with an injury on her leg. Wouldn't that cause a big problem for

you?" Nadira said, leaving Xavier momentarily speechless.

"I will handle that issue on my own, so you don't need

to dwell on it too much. I also won't thank you just for what you did. It's

best if you leave this house now because I don't want to make Anita

uncomfortable," Xavier replied, causing Nadira to grow frustrated.

"So you're kicking me out. Where should I go?"

Nadira asked, making Xavier glare at her.

"Didn't Grandma provide a house for you? You can stay

there. Why did you follow?" Xavier responded, causing Nadira to let out a

long sigh.

"And right now, Grandma is at our new home. She's

waiting for us. Unfortunately, I can't go alone. That's why I kindly picked you

up to go to our new home. How about it?" Nadira replied, making Xavier

widen his eyes.

"What? Why did Grandma go to the new house? Shouldn't

she be resting? Moreover, her condition isn't that great to welcome newlyweds,

is it?" Xavier said, making Nadira shrug indifferently. She then

approached her suitcase and began pulling it slowly.

"I'll wait in the car for five minutes, no more. If

not, I'll go alone, and you'll have to face the consequences if Grandma happens

to be angry with you," Nadira said before truly leaving, leaving Xavier in

silence. Xavier rubbed his face roughly. If this was about his Grandma, he

couldn't just stay quiet, especially since his Grandma was already at their new

home.

Xavier returned to the second floor, where their room was

located. Anita was still fast asleep, and Xavier checked the time on his

wristwatch. Time was running out, and if he took too long, Nadira would surely

bring it up again. That could affect Anita, and Xavier didn't want that. Xavier

summoned the head servant.

"I need to go. Prepare dinner for Anita and say I have

urgent business if I'm late," Xavier said, leaving the head servant

somewhat puzzled by the situation his master was in.

"And if Madam asks where you're going, what should I

say?" the head servant asked, causing Xavier to pause for a moment.

"Tell her I'm taking care of some outside matters, and

hopefully, Anita is still asleep when I return later, because I'll handle it

quickly," Xavier said, making the head servant nod. Xavier rushed out of

the house without changing out of his wedding attire. He spotted the white car

parked behind his black one, where Nadira was already waiting inside.

"You're five minutes late," Nadira said when

Xavier got in, her jaw clenched.

"I didn't want to waste any more time, so let's go now.

I have to be back before dinner and before Anita wakes up," Xavier said,

then started the car's engine and sped off. Nadira simply shrugged.