Arrival in Bali
Andre, Diandra, Richie, Keira, and Selvia had just arrived in Bali for a vacation together. Diandra owned a villa in Seminyak, Bali, which had been a gift from her parents.
“Welcome, Mrs. Diandra and Mr. Andre,” greeted Pak Made, the villa’s caretaker, along with Bu Nimas, the housekeeper who had always tended to the villa for Diandra’s family.
“Thank you, Pak Made, Bu Nimas,” Diandra responded.
“Finally, we’re here!” Richie exclaimed with excitement.
“I know, darling. Are you and Keira excited for the vacation?” Diandra asked.
“We’re so excited, Mom!” Richie and Keira responded in unison.
Andre glanced at Selvia, who smiled as she watched Richie and Keira’s joy. He couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like if Richie and Keira were his children, not Diandra’s.
“Sel,” Andre called softly.
“What’s up?” Selvia asked.
“Let’s go over there.”
Selvia followed Andre into the kitchen. As soon as they arrived, Andre pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Mas, Diandra’s here. We’ll get caught,” Selvia whispered.
“Shh, quiet. Diandra’s busy with the kids; she won’t even think about us,” Andre murmured, tightening his grip around her.
“Mas, let me go.”
“I don’t want to.”
With a longing he could no longer suppress, Andre kissed Selvia passionately. Their kiss deepened, the tension of possibly getting caught adding to the thrill.
“I’ve missed you, baby,” Andre whispered.
“I miss you too, Mas, but Diandra’s here. I don’t want us to get caught,” Selvia protested.
“Alright, tonight, I’ll come to your room,” Andre promised, kissing her again with growing intensity.
Diandra, puzzled by Andre and Selvia’s absence, began searching for her husband.
“Mas… mas…” she called, but received no reply.
“Where’s Mas Andre?” Diandra wondered aloud.
Suddenly, Andre appeared from behind her and hugged her from behind. “Looking for me, darling?”
Diandra jumped in surprise but smiled as Andre embraced her. He was acting affectionate again, even more so than before. Their relationship had improved after Andre had explained that the woman at the Japanese restaurant was just an insurance agent sent by Bobby—someone who would go to any length to secure clients. Thankfully, Andre had not been swayed by her advances.
Although Diandra felt a flicker of doubt, she tried to trust him. She knew Bobby’s tendency to associate with flirtatious women, and so she hoped Andre would stay away from him. She feared that Andre might repeat past mistakes, but for the sake of their children, Richie and Keira, she would try her best to keep their marriage harmonious.
“Mas, where’s Selvi?” Diandra asked, noticing her friend’s absence.
“I don’t know,” Andre replied indifferently.
“Mas, don’t be like that. Selvi’s your friend. You should be a little nicer to her. I’ve seen you ignoring her all day. You haven’t even tried to talk to her,” Diandra said, her voice tinged with concern.
“What do you want me to talk about with her? Honestly, I’m not sure what to say. Let’s just forget about Selvi. It’s not important.”
Diandra sighed, her patience waning. This was how Andre behaved when he didn’t like someone. He would simply ignore them. But still, she was determined to encourage him to treat Selvia with more respect.
Selvia overheard their conversation. Though she felt a pang of disappointment, she knew this was just a façade Andre had put up to keep Diandra from suspecting their affair. She remembered the conversation they had last night when Andre had called her angrily.
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Flashback
“What do you mean you want to come on vacation with my family?” Andre demanded, his voice sharp with emotion.
“Mas, please listen to me before you start yelling. It’s not what you think,” Selvia said, trying to calm him down.
“Why?”
“I’m coming along so that Diandra won’t suspect anything. If you stay close to her, we can still be together in secret. The closer I get to Diandra, the easier it will be to gather information,” she explained.
“So, Diandra confides in you. She tells you about our problems?” Andre asked, his tone softer.
“Yes, Mas. Diandra shares everything with me, so I can anticipate if she suddenly becomes suspicious. We need to act before she does.”
“I see... But I don’t like you getting close to Diandra. The more you bond with her, the more it will hurt both of you. Please, don’t hurt her.”
“Does that mean you’d rather I get hurt instead of Diandra?” Selvia asked, a hurt expression crossing her face.
“Sel, Diandra is the mother of my children. Can’t you understand that? Please, stop getting involved with her. She’s my wife!”
“I just want to be close to you, Mas,” Selvia said, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I don’t care about your reasons. After this vacation, stay away from Diandra. Don’t come near my family again. Do you understand?”
Selvia fell silent, her heart aching from his harsh words. She began to cry.
“What’s wrong? Why are you crying, Sel?” Andre asked, his concern evident.
“I’m sorry, Mas. It’s my fault. I love you so much and miss you that I did something wrong.”
Andre sighed, realizing his words had gone too far.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I understand how you feel because I love you too… I miss you so much, baby.”
“I’m sorry, Mas.”
“Baby, you know that 60% of PT Pratama Abadi’s shares belong to Diandra’s family, or rather, to Diandra herself. My share is only 20%, and the remaining 30% is divided between two other shareholders. I became the director because I’m Diandra’s husband. If she divorces me, it could jeopardize everything for us, darling.”
Selvia was shocked by Andre’s revelation. She hadn’t realized how much influence Diandra’s family had in Andre’s career. The company she had assumed was his was actually controlled by Diandra’s family.
“I understand now, Mas. After this vacation, I’ll distance myself from Diandra. I’m sorry, Mas.”
“Thank you for understanding. I love you, Sel.”
“I love you too, Mas.”
---
End of Flashback
Selvia could only watch in silence as Diandra and Andre laughed together. The thought of losing Andre, and with it, the luxurious life he provided, filled her with dread. Andre had given her a luxurious apartment in Sudirman, a European sedan, designer clothes, and bags. Unlike her ex-husband, Yulius, who could only provide material wealth, Andre gave her passion and satisfaction in ways she could never have imagined.
She could never let go of Andre. Even if she would only ever be his mistress, she was willing to accept it.
The day passed as they toured Bali’s attractions and had dinner at Jimbaran. Later, they returned to the villa, where Andre put Richie and Keira to bed. Meanwhile, Selvia and Diandra chatted by the poolside.
“What’s our plan for tomorrow, Di?” Selvia asked.
“The kids want to go to the Safari Park,” Diandra replied.
“Haha, those kids. There’s a safari park in Bogor, but they want to go to the one here in Bali,” Selvia chuckled.
“Well, that’s kids for you, Sel.”
After their chat, Diandra returned to their bedroom. Andre was already sound asleep on the bed.
“Mas Andre, are you already asleep?” Diandra whispered, joining him on the bed.
Diandra closed her eyes, slowly drifting into sleep. But Andre wasn’t really asleep. He was only pretending. Once he was sure Diandra had fallen asleep, he quietly slipped out of the room.
Andre knocked on Selvia’s door, and she greeted him with a warm embrace. They resumed kissing, their yearning for each other growing as they shared moments of passion in the bed.
Diandra awoke, feeling thirsty. But when she turned to find Andre beside her, her heart sank. He was gone.
“Where could Mas Andre be at this hour?” Diandra wondered aloud.
“Maybe he’s outside,” Selvia suggested, trying to sound casual.
Diandra stepped out of the room to search for Andre. As she passed Selvia’s room, she inadvertently overheard the sound of a woman’s moans. Pausing, she pressed her ear against the door. The unmistakable so
und of Selvia’s moans filled the air.
Diandra hesitated, unsure whether to knock on the door. Her heart raced as she stood frozen in place.