filzebub

Ayla Rahmani never believed in fairy tales—especially not the kind where a broke nurse like her ends up in the bed of Indonesia’s most untouchable billionaire after a single night of escape from reality.

But one drunken mistake at a high-society masquerade ball leaves her with two surprises: a positive pregnancy test... and a cold, unwanted proposal from Leonard Darmawan—the very CEO she can’t stand.

To Leo, marriage is just another business contract. To Ayla, it's a lifeline for her unborn child. Neither expects the sterile, awkward marriage to become something warmer, deeper—something real.

But behind closed doors, love begins to grow in the quietest ways: in late-night meals, shared silences, and a husband's gentle hand on a swelling belly. Until the past catches up—with secrets that threaten everything they’ve built.

Will their fragile bond survive the truth? Or will love after marriage prove too delicate to endure?

In the Shadow of His Name

AYLA DARMAWAN: PREGNANT BRIDE OR PLANNED SCANDAL?EX-BOYFRIEND BREAKS SILENCE: "I WAS REPLACED BY A BANK ACCOUNT."IS LEO DARMAWAN BEING MANIPULATED?

Ayla sat at the edge of the bed, phone in hand, every article a fresh bruise.

She couldn't breathe.Couldn't blink.Couldn't scream.

She had lived quietly.Carefully.But now — she was everyone's public property.

And everyone had an opinion.

Leo paced the living room, phone to his ear.

"No, we are not issuing a neutral statement.""No, I don't care what the board thinks.""Yes, I understand the market implications. I said what I said."

"Ayla," he said gently. "We need to talk."

"Are you… going to walk away from this?"

"I'm dragging your name through the mud."

Leo stepped closer. "No, Ilham is doing that. And he's about to regret it."

The Darmawan press conference was held the next morning.

Leo stood behind a row of microphones in a charcoal suit, his wedding ring visible, his tone unreadable.

He didn't open with a denial.He didn't open with a corporate apology.

"My name is Leo Darmawan. I am the CEO of Darmawan Holdings.Four months ago, I married Ayla Mariani.She is not a gold-digger.She is not a liar.She is not the woman my ex-girlfriend or her former partner want to paint her as.She is, however, the mother of my child.And the person I would burn every asset I own to protect."

"But you don't have to take my word for it.You'll hear from her yourself."

Just a pale blue blouse, loose around her belly.Hair pinned up. Face bare.

Her hands trembled. But her voice didn't.

"I didn't marry Leo Darmawan because he's rich," she began."I married him because I was scared, and alone, and he showed me kindness without asking for anything in return."

"Yes, I was in a relationship before. It was toxic. It ended with me running. Not for money — but for air. For peace."

"Leo didn't ask me to prove myself. He didn't demand I explain every scar.He just stayed."

"You don't have to believe I'm a good wife.You don't have to believe I'm worthy of this name.But I do.And I won't apologize for surviving."

But they didn't tear her apart either.

And that, Leo would say later, was a win.

Backstage, Ayla collapsed into his arms.

"You were incredible," he whispered.

"Next time we do this, I'm giving you a teleprompter."

Leo smiled. "They'll write a dozen stories about us. Might as well give them chapters."

Hours later, in a dark corner of Jakarta, Ilham watched the replay of her speech.

From: A.D.Subject: We both lost him. But we can win something else.

"Now that's interesting."

To be continued...

Chapter Fourteen: The Truth Doesn’t Whisper