Substitute Mother

Chaptre 156. Hide & Seek

“Dad.”

Robert Mahendera looked up, the white-haired man frowned at the arrival of his son in a hole.

“What's up, Arman?”

“Sorry if I come suddenly. I want to ask father”'s opinion

Robert took off his glasses. Making a firm line of faces that are no longer young is clearly visible. “Sit. Don't talk to me while standing”

Arman pulled a chair in front of his father to sit in.

“What's up? Quickly say, don't waste my time”

Arman took his breath. “Begini, I have plans to establish cooperation with Jeanno Alexander. How.. according to father?”

“Hmm.. Jeanno Alexander” Robert upholds his sitting position, a gesture that he does if interested in a topic of chat. “He's a great guy, but I'm not sure if you can be on par with him”

If not in a position to need information, Arman would not be willing to spend his time to sit face to face with his father just to be reviled and compared to others.

“Even working with Jeanno will be a stepping stone for me for my next career, dad. I begged for your support”

Robert grinned. Not without reason he who has entered the head of six is still reluctant to bequeath the throne of his leadership to Arman who incidentally his only son. Compared to his elder sister who is a woman, Arman is much worse if faced with business problems. His son was still putting forward worldly pleasures. Pursue passions and spend the family money for whatever purpose. It is a dream if Arman hopes his father will voluntarily leave the company to him. And what else is this, working with Jeanno Alexander? A scorching afternoon joke, for Robert.

“You are my son, but I must be honest here. Jeanno Alexander is no match for you, my son. He built his company as big as it is now from his hard work. Without interference from his father who was no less successful. You know who his father is?”

Arman nodded stiffly. “Thomas Alexander”

“But father, if Mr Alexander is indeed that great, why did he not help Jeanno to build the company?”

“The problem of the family” Robert back leaning his back against the sofa. He grew tired of his conversation with Arman. “They have been in a cold war for years, ever since Jeanno decided to marry a regular girl”

“Do you understand what I mean, Arman? Jeanno chooses the ordinary girl and works hard to prove that she can be without her father's name. Something worth appreciating. Proof that you can never do”

“What is Jeanno so great that it makes you humble your own father's son?”

The cynical scorn of Arman, which even invited Robert's trivial laughter. “Not everyone is still focused on working when their partner is seriously ill, Arman. That's what Jeanno did when his wife was very ill. Thinking about work, taking care of his wife and taking care of their child. If I were Thomas, I wouldn't waste Jeanno and his little family”

Arman was silent, no longer put into the heart of his father's sharp words. The focus was on the word about Jeanno just now. So his wife was sick? that serious? But the last time he met, Nayara Alexander seemed fine. Very healthy even, like never infected with a serious disease.

Like finding an exciting new game, Arman decided to go deeper.

**

“Sorry, but I still can't give you what you want, mrs”

“Why can't you?!”

Judith's head throbbed in pain, almost half an hour ago her shop had the arrival of a fashionable-looking woman who vented emotions and forced her to give an address. Judith refused for privacy reasons.

“My husband obviously bought the cake from this store and sent it to his mistress. I as his wife have the right to request the address of the*****, while you here complicate and withhold the information. Or maybe you. my husband's prostitute friend?”

Honestly speaking, the presence of this unexpected guest was very disturbing. Other customers who originally wanted to stop by, chose to leave because they refused to wait long because the owner was still busy taking care of another ‘tamu’. As for expelling the woman, Judith was not up to the heart. Moreover, the temperament is bad, what happens if he is expelled? Oh, by the way they're not alone. Some buyers who have been there first, decided to stay just to see ‘tontonan’.

“What is this?”

Owen came to interject, entered and positioned his body between his legal wife and Judith. Either the question that was posed to whom, which in the end the wife who answered was still in a high tone and cynical gaze.

“My husband bought a cake here yesterday, I saw from his credit card bill. Then last night there was a message from his phone saying thank you for the cake. I knew it was from her mistress, so I came here to ask this young lady for an address, but she continued to twitch and refuse. Shouldn't she be a fellow woman, defending me who is the legal wife?”

Judith grimaced as she exchanged glances with Owen before returning to her legal wife. “Begini bu, I beg maa—“

“Isn't what you should press is your husband?”

The woman was wide-eyed, thinking that Owen had come to side with her. “What did you say?”

Owen folded his arms in front of his chest. “This phone is just carrying out its obligations. Your husband buys, as a good owner, he should provide the best service. If your husband wants this cake to be delivered to an address, then delivered without the need to know for whom this cake is intended. Regarding the address, I think keeping it a secret is a form of professionalism and. As a form of respecting the privacy of others. Unless you have no ethics. Oh right, you're going to check your husband's phone which I think it's done secretly. Breaking privacy”

The woman's face flushed red, followed by whispers and nods of agreement by the people there who had been watching since.

“Now let's return it, if I were the one who leaked your home address. Are you angry? And again dragging and blaming others for the damage to your household rather than pressing your own husband, I think it's the behavior of cowards”

Owen smiled. “So before the mistress feels humiliated even further, I hope the mistress goes from here peacefully”

The mistress of the legitimate wife muttered words of wry cursing before turning around and barging through the crowd violently accompanied by paltry cheers from the spectators. Cake shop activities that had stopped, back to normal activities. Judith looked up at Owen, calling for ‘thank you’ before saying goodbye to the cashier table to serve.

Owen's still there, waiting until the store's quiet. Occasionally give recommendations on which flavor is the most in demand.

“Nona, you are really lucky to have a lover like” a curly haired woman pointed at Owen with a seductive smile of Judith, who was replied with a smile only.

After the woman left, the shop was quiet. Owen walked over to the cashier's desk.

“Thank you very much, Owen. I don't know what it would be like if you hadn't come. It happened so suddenly, I didn't even know what to respond to”

His opponent smiled. “You have made the right decision. But Aleta... can I ask for other rewards other than.. thanks?”

Judith narrowed her eyes. “Pamrih, huh?” avenged Owen with a ruckus. “I only see opportunities here”

The sweet woman breathed. “All right, what do you want, Owen? Don't be anything difficult, okay?”

“No. I just wanted to take you out for. Well watch, dinner. That's also if you deign”

“Bby. When?”

“Tomorrow nights?”

Judith nodded without a burden. “OK. Tomorrow night”

**

The man's forehead frowned when he learned of the drama that happened between Jeanno and his family. That Jeanno fell in love with his college friend who was a simple woman, then opposed his family until not recognized as a child. Then Jeanno decided to marry his lover, and lived a simple life for a few years. Not long because Jeanno with his intelligence was able to build a company from 0. When his efforts began to rise, his wife was found to be ill. No matter how bad, no one knows. In the past Jeanno's name and company were not as big as they are now, so people don't really care about what happened to his family. Nayara Alexander only appeared once in public, before disappearing rumored to be seriously ill to death. Since then Jeanno Alexander is known to be a mysterious man who is very secretive. Then suddenly, Jeanno came to the Iris Group grand event by bringing the woman he recognized as Nayara Alexander. Contrary to rumors of severe pain, Nayara actually came very beautiful, healthy and perfect.

Coincidentally, Judith also disappeared just as if swallowed by the earth. Disappeared and no one told him where the dancer was. At first Arman thought Nayara was Judith. But it's a little unlikely considering that Nayara, who Jeanno once showed, looks a lot like Nayara, whom he met at the party.

“Jeanno looks really angry when I bother Nayara. If he was Judith, it would be a little unreasonable to see her reaction as she was. But it would make sense if the woman was indeed Nayara. I mean. who received seeing his wife harassed”

Arman massaged the base of his nose. The crazy theory about Judith is that Nayara, who was once far away, now appears again in his mind. It's not surprising that Jeanno hired Judith to replace ailing Nayara. Right, guys?

**

The night that Owen waited. The man has prepared his ‘date’s plan with Aleta very well. Starting from picking him up, to driving him home in one piece. An important step in his approach. According to Owen, if tonight goes well, then the opportunity to touch the girl's heart will be easier in the future.

So by evening, Owen had already left early. Prepare to wear the most slick clothes until inviting asked the mother. Owen wanted to introduce Judith, but she didn't want her mother to expect too much. Later if their relationship is clear, the mind.

And here he is, sitting on his bike waiting for Judith to come down. He already sent a message, replied ‘Ok’ by the girl five minutes ago.

Clad in the evening weather wrapped in stars, Owen felt the universe helped support his move closer to Judith. His mood was great, even all the way to Judith's apartment he spent whistling and humming cheerfully.

The next five minutes, the wait came. Owen got up, prepared to greet him. Just to be greeted with a panicked face Judith.

“Owen, can you please take me to the station?”

When viewed from Judith's clothes, the girl was indeed seen preparing to leave with her. But what did he just say, the station?

“Station?” Presumably the brain that had not been connected between its cells perfectly, Owen asked back with a puzzled face.

Judith nodded. The panic was evident in the twinkle of his eyes. “Iya. The station. Help me one more time, will you? I have to go to the hospital now”

“R-hospital?” judith's fast and trembling tone, of course, made Owen panic. More tucked away said the hospital there. Why would Judith go to the station to get to the hospital? aren't there many hospitals in the city?

“But.. but who hurts?”

Judith let her neutrals look at Owen. There was anxiety there, but Judith had no time to tell in detail. Really, he was scared. There was only one name that filled his mind, which made him want to go to the hospital this second as well.

“My daughter is in the hospital. I have to go there right now. So please.. just take me to the station, okay? sorry if my show was cancelled. My daughter's health is my top priority now”

‘Princess..? so Aleta... already have children?’

Various questions raged in Owen's inner self. Yet he could refrain from brazenly asking further. All he can do now is help Judith get to the station as soon as possible.