One week was all Arya had to get far away from his city—even beyond Rama's reach. Even without being told, he would still do everything in his power to make it happen. To keep that man in disguise away, especially from his beloved wife and child.
Ever since Arunika entered his life, Arya had left the house not only to work as a public minibus driver like before, but also to gather information about what kind of business he could start in another city—a city far from where he lived now.
He usually asked around among passengers who happened to work in other cities. He also gathered information from the students and workers who rode in his public minibus.
Aside from asking passengers, Arya had also started hanging out at coffee shops and at the places where his fellow drivers gathered, something he had never done before, all for the same mission: finding the information he needed. The more information he obtained, the better, so he could choose the best option for his family later.
All his efforts over the past few days finally paid off. Arya found a solution to his problem through an acquaintance at a coffee shop. As it turned out, the man was a broker, and what he offered was exactly what Arya needed. Because the place was so far away, Arya could only see the building through a video call with his acquaintance, who went straight to the location after noticing Arya's interest.
Although he could not see the place in person, it was convincing enough for Arya. He had also spoken directly with the owner, again through a video call.
All the preparations for starting a new life in a new place were complete. Now he only had to tell Rania about the plan—and, of course, convince her without making her suspicious or feel forced into it.
Arya would never forgive himself if he hurt his soulmate. Even if he had to lie, he was doing it to ensure the safety of Rania and their future child.
That was what had been weighing on Arya's mind these past few days, while time continued to pass. On the fourth day of the seven days Rama had given him, Arya finally gathered the courage to tell her about his plan.
“Sweetheart, there's something I want to tell you,” Arya said after he and Rania finished discussing Arunika's development and how increasingly active their unborn child had become.
“What is it? Just tell me. We've been talking this whole time,” Rania replied with her sweet smile, which briefly made Arya lose his nerve. He was afraid she would reject his plan.
“Weren't you going to say something? Now you're just staring into space. What is it, my beloved husband?” Rania asked, teasing her husband, who was beginning to look nervous.
Arya's wife, who had become much more patient, could not guess what he wanted to say. But she knew her husband well enough to recognize how nervous he became whenever his feelings and thoughts were troubled by something.
She had noticed it when he brought Arunika home, too. Rania had sensed Arya's nervousness at the time. But after hearing his explanation, she had tried to bury all the suspicions that had briefly arisen in her heart and mind.
She did the same thing now. As best she could, Rania tried to help Arya relax so that whatever he had to say would be easier to understand. Her growing curiosity, which had appeared a few minutes earlier, was one of the reasons she did so.
“I—I'm sorry, sweetheart. I was thinking about an offer from one of my friends the other day.” The halting sentence finally escaped Arya's lips.
“What offer?”
“About starting a business together....”
“Wow, that's great. What kind of business?” Rania asked enthusiastically.
“A printing business,” Arya replied. “He happens to have an empty commercial unit near a college and several office buildings, but....”
“What is it, then? I'll always support whatever decision you make, as long as it's a good one.”
“It’s far away, sweetheart. I don’t want to go alone. You’d be willing to move out of this city with me, right?” Arya asked as he clasped his wife’s hand tightly.
He was now pleading with his wife to move to the city he had in mind. Rania could only sit there, stunned.
So many things were churning in her heart and mind.
Rania had begun to feel comfortable in this city. Moving to another one meant having to adjust to many things, just like starting over.
Arya's grip tightened. She looked at her husband, who appeared completely serious. His usually calm eyes now looked desperate. Rania was trying to understand the feelings hidden behind his gaze.
With a heavy heart, she nodded. Arya immediately pulled her into his arms, unconsciously shedding tears of relief and emotion. He quickly wiped them away with his palm before Rania could notice. He felt relieved and happy, as if one of the burdens weighing on his heart these past few days had finally grown lighter.
“Thank you, sweetheart.... Thank you....” That was all he could say.
Rania could only smile. She felt forced to agree to her husband's request because she could not bear to see the pleading look on Arya's face. Once again, Rania knew her husband very well—a man who reminded her of an open book.
Everything he did was easy for Rania to read. Without Arya's knowledge, his wife always knew when something about him was out of place.
Meanwhile, in another city.
A woman named Mahira could not stop crying whenever she remembered her baby, who had disappeared at sea a few days earlier while they were vacationing aboard Alex's cruise ship. Alex was the man she had married two months after their daughter was born.
Mahira, who had lost her husband while pregnant, had not actually wanted to marry again. But pressure from her parents—especially her father—who did not want to lose the company he had built when it faced bankruptcy was the reason she agreed to marry Alex, none other than the man from her past who had remained single while waiting for her.
The beautiful three-month-old baby had been named Kiara. She was the only reason Mahira's longing for her late husband could be soothed, because her hazel eyes were the same color as Kenzo's—Kenzo, who was of European-Indonesian descent.
Now, it was all just a memory. The tragedy had not only taken her daughter; it had also taken Mahira's soul. She was utterly devastated. Mahira deeply regretted entrusting someone else—in this case, the nanny who cared for Kiara—with carrying her baby that afternoon.
“Please forgive me, ma'am....” Rita wept remorsefully in front of Mahira, who was wailing that afternoon.
They had done everything they could to search for Kiara, but to no avail. Unable to accept the painful reality, Mahira fainted repeatedly and had to be cared for by the family doctor for six full days.