Forced Mate

I've Never Been Her

Alex puts a smile on the pretty face on the screen. It was night, but he chose to remain in his room. Cleo came home an hour ago. In addition to the work, he also wants to control his heart so as not to continue to attach taste to Tamara.

He flipped the camera towards the beautiful looking view of the city from his room upstairs. There was awe from Ayu to see the Marina bay in the distance as well as the flickering lights of shops and vehicles.

"Beautiful, right?"

He saw a nod and a sweet smile from Ayu's face. That smile is getting more and more charming. The big eyes of the beautiful woman no longer harbored sincerity. There's another thing Alex read in that clear bead, sad. Did ya?

"You must miss me so much, honey?" alex said after popping his face on the screen. She was sure that look was sad because Ayu was missing her.

Ayu nodded again - with the same smile - making Alex want to teleport beside her. If only the company where he worked was privately owned, then without thinking long, he would move his office to Jakarta in order to live with Ayu.

"Lex!" call Ayu in a soft and gentle voice. Alex loves that sound, more beautiful than a maestro symphony. Let's say he's overreacting, but that's the truth.

"Oui, ma cheri," [Yes, my dear] sizzled Alex who immediately made Ayu chuckle. Not a mock piety, it sounds happy.

"What ... Tamara's still there?" Alex heard there was doubt in Ayu's voice. Although, he did not know why he should hesitate to question it. After all, Ayu can actually contact Tamara directly if you want to know her whereabouts.

"Yes" Alex replied with a nod. "He's home tomorrow morning like that." He continued with one eyebrow raised.

Ayu just took it slow in return. The woman smiled while looking at the screen. Alex doesn't know what's wrong with his wife. He became soft and calmer. He likes Ayu who is like this, not tearing.

"Darling!" alex said breaking the silence that had lasted a minute between them, smiling and looking at each other. Alex tries to herd toward a topic that allows her not to discuss Tamara again.

Both of Ayu's eyebrows were raised in response to Alex's call.

"Call me, baby!" Alex pinta.

Ayu also directly complied. "Darling!"

Alex's eyes grew bigger, not expecting Ayu to be so easy. In fact, he was ready to hear complaints and cynical scolding. Ridka wanted to throw away the opportunity, she asked again, "if you call Babe."

"Babe!" Ayu said the call gently, then both corners of her lips were immediately pulled.

Alex is excited to see Ayu's sweet behavior. Rarely does the woman do this. Honey, he's still busy the next two days so he can't go home to see his wife. If Ayu continued to act like this, she might not be able to hold back her already itching fingers to book a plane ticket.

"What's Mon Amour?" [What's the matter, my love?] ayu asked with her eyes fixed on the screen. That look and sound makes Alex's hormones uncontrollable.

"We're teasing me, honey?" Alex's smile widened, he could feel his cheek muscles gathering pushing against his lower eyelid. If the two corners of the lips could touch the ears, then Alex's smile would be wider than it is now.

"Non, Mon cher come," [no, my dear husband] Shall Ayu.

Instantly Alex throws his head to lean on the padded head of his work chair. He stared deeply at the face on the screen, then chuckled at himself who began to lose control and find a way to immediately embrace Ayu's body in the warm embrace.

"Keep that potent call for the day after tomorrow, dear." One of Alex's eyes winked at Ayu.

Ayu nodded and laughed a little. "You're not coming home?"

"Just be ready. Don't shut it down, okay!"

Alex put HP in a restraint on the dashboard of his car. He bought the device a few days ago, in order to see Ayu's face while driving. He occasionally hears Ayu laughing as they continue to chat while Alex's gaze is fixed on the streets. Chatting like this alone has made Alex very happy, he so there is no need to wonder about the situation of Ayu and her fetus.

"You've checked in, haven't you?"

"Udah, but not in Doctor Grace, far from the office," replied Ayu who had thought for a moment.

"It's okay, the doctor's a girl, isn't it?"

Ayu nodded.

Alex does not want to behave sexism towards men who work as obstetricians. However, he did not want Ayu to be touched by another man.

"What did the doctor say?"

"The baby is fine. He is strong he said," Ayu replied.

A smile curled up on Alex's lips. What's better if he knows that his son is strong and healthy in Ayu's stomach.

"So, can't you take a day off next Sunday?" alex asked with eyes fixed on the street in front of him.

"Yes, maybe," retorted Ayu.

Alex smiled broadly as he glanced at the HP screen. Ayu is seen lying on the sofa. Her long hair was unraveling and a few strands perched on her cheeks. He just misses more and more.

Alex has now parked the car in the basement of the apartment building. He grabbed HP before Ayu answered his invitation. His feet took a big step towards the elevator that would carry him towards his unit.

"Yes, I'm going to apply for a leave of absence, if at -ACC we can go on vacation."

If Ayu is not given permission, Alex plans to ask his stepfather for help. When else Ayu agreed to her request this easily. The woman is very hard if she refuses, it is difficult to be persuaded. However, he also had a magnet that somehow always made people around him approach and continue to surround him. No one can resist the woman's wishes. Alex seems willing to do anything for him.

"Yes, I want to go to the bathroom first" Ayu said when Alex was at the door. He had already rang the bell, he did not want to go straight in while knowing that Tamara was in there.

"Let's call again, okay?"

Ayu nodded.

"Call unfortunately where it used to be," Alex's whine made Ayu giggle.

"Darling!"

"Not that one, honey!" frick Alex.

"J' te aime, Mon cher let's." [I love you, my dear husband]

Alex wants to fly to hear Ayu's words.

"I love you more."  Alex retorted with a burning sense of happiness, unaware that the door in front of him was already open. He raised his face and pressed the HP screen to disconnect.

Tamara stood up with a smile. Alex smiled immediately, but stiffened. She never felt this clumsy with Tamara. However, lately for whatever reason in feel stiff and guilty every time meet him.

"Have you eaten?" ask Tamara when they come in. "I made lasagna, will you?"

"Well, I'm hungry." Where can Alex refuse Tamara's cooking. The woman is very good at cooking, tasty and healthy is a duty when she cooks.

"Yes, you take a shower. Let me heat up first." Tamara saunters into the kitchen, while Alex walks into her room.

Alex was eating Tamara's lasagna when the bell rang. Alex frowned, not feeling like he was waiting for a guest. Don't let who comes is a friend of the bully, they may continue to tease Alex because they find Tamara here.

"You eat it, let me open it" Tamara said as she saw Alex intending to stand.

"I'm done, really," Alex walked over. Tamara followed behind him.

Sure enough, Jonny appeared with a grin on his face. However, he is not alone. There was a cold-faced Richard behind him.

From Jonny's narration, they met in the lobby and all went up together. Richard before long, he just came to pick up Tamara. There is a sense of relief in Alex's heart, because finally he can be separated from Tamara's smile which sometimes still makes him want the woman.

"Basic crazy!" Jonny put the wine glass on the table. He is enjoying one of Alex's rare wine collections after threatening to contact Ayu and saying that Alex was alone with Tamara. Alex actually did not want to take a headache, he knew that Job would not be eaten by Jonny's bullshit.  "What's wrong with you, bro?"

Alex just gave Jonny a sharp look. He just wanted some quiet tonight; call Ayu and see the woman slumber. That simple. Unfortunately, Jonny came and continued to tease him because of the arrival of Tamara.

"If I were your wife, I would go berserk. Ah, you're even worse than Ben" said Jonny, who was twirling the wine in a glass.

"Don't equate me with Ben! Tamara just came, we didn't do anything."

Jonny laughed, then said, "you're stupid or something. Ayu clearly knew Tamara was your first love. Ben may play girls sometimes, but no Feeling invited. Clara still the one and only."

Alex takes his place next to Jonny. He poured the wine in the glass and sipped it slowly. He tried to think for a moment about the possible truth of Jonny's words. Unknowingly he continued to pour and pour without a word.

"No, Ayu can't possibly misunderstand," Alex finally said after remembering how sweet Ayu was on the phone earlier.

***

Ayu lay down while staring at the ceiling of the room. Sometimes he glanced at the device next to the pillow. It's been two hours he's been waiting for Alex's call. He wants to call the man first, but is afraid of being disappointed if it turns out Tamara is lifting.

He still remembers before ending the video call with Alex. She believes Alex accidentally pressed the rear camera switch, so she saw Tamara standing with a smile welcoming Alex's arrival, as if the woman was welcoming her husband home.

Ayu's tears dripped out from both pelupuk. No matter the thousands of affectionate calls or the millions of love words spoken by Alex will not change the situation. The mouth can say, but the heart cannot lie. Forever, Ayu will only be the responsibility that Alex is forced to bear. He would never be able to shift the perfect position of Tamara from the heart of the man.

Ayu turned around hugging the bolster and pulled the blanket to cover her entire body. The sound of sobbing and body tremors was clearly visible on the white blanket. He could only cry in silence and alone.

***

Still less, eeaa 🤭💜