The apartment had grown quiet in his absence.
It had been three days since Leonard left for Singapore, and Ayla found herself slowly falling into a rhythm she hadn't expected. There was something oddly peaceful about the space without him—no tension, no awkward silences, no heavy stares from across the room.
But there was something missing, too.
His absence wasn't loud. It was echoing.
She found herself checking the clock more often. Listening for footsteps that wouldn't come. Catching herself wondering what he ate, if he was sleeping well, if he even thought about her.
It was foolish. She reminded herself every night: This is a contract, not a romance. You're not here for love.
And yet, when the sound of the penthouse door unlocking echoed down the hall, Ayla's heart gave a traitorous little jump.
He returned earlier than expected.
No warning.
No message.
Just a click of the lock, the soft thud of polished shoes on marble—and then Leo, stepping into the living room with the look of a man who hadn't slept in two days.
"...You're back early," she said, blinking at him from the couch.
Leo loosened his tie, voice lower than usual. "I cut the trip short."
Ayla raised an eyebrow. "Business emergency?"
He met her eyes. "Something like that."
For a beat, neither of them spoke.
Then, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Leo walked over and sat beside her—not across the room, not at a distance. Right next to her. Their shoulders nearly touched.
Ayla looked at him, unsure. "You okay?"
He let out a tired breath. "No. But I'm here."
Her heart fluttered in confusion. In surprise. In something she refused to name.
✧
Later that night, Ayla brought out a small tray—just two cups of chamomile tea.
She placed one in front of him wordlessly. He took it, fingers brushing hers for the briefest second.
"I heard the baby for the first time while you were gone," she said quietly.
Leo looked up. His expression shifted—no longer tired. Just still.
"At the clinic?" he asked.
She nodded. "Heartbeat. Fast. Strong. It sounded like... rain."
She smiled softly to herself. "It made everything feel real."
Leo said nothing.
Then, to her surprise, he asked: "What does it feel like?"
She blinked. "The baby?"
He nodded.
She took a deep breath. "Like a... flutter. Like butterfly wings inside me. Sometimes it catches me off guard, like a reminder. Hey, I'm here."
His eyes flickered to her belly, lingering for a moment.
"Do you want to feel it?" she offered.
His eyes widened slightly. "Is that—allowed?"
She stifled a laugh. "It's not a security vault, Leo."
Tentatively, he reached out.
His hand hovered just above her stomach. Then, gently—reverently—he placed his palm against the slight swell of her lower belly.
They both stilled.
A moment passed.
Then—kick.
Leo's breath caught.
Ayla watched his expression soften in real time, like something melted through his careful, controlled mask. For once, he looked awed.
"...That was real," he whispered.
She smiled. "Told you."
He didn't pull his hand away.
✧
The spell was broken the next morning.
Ayla had just finished folding laundry when the doorbell rang.
She wasn't expecting anyone.
She opened the door—
—and froze.
A tall, elegant woman in a designer trench coat stood in the doorway, glossy hair perfectly pinned, lips painted a deep, dangerous red.
Her eyes scanned Ayla from head to toe with surgical precision before she spoke.
"You must be the nurse."
Ayla's stomach dropped.
"I'm sorry, do I know you?"
The woman smiled tightly.
"You will. I'm Adelina Wardhana. Leonard's fiancée."A pause. "Ex-fiancée. Apparently."
Ayla gripped the edge of the door.
Adelina leaned in slightly. "We were together for three years. Engaged for two. He left without explanation, and next thing I know, he's married to a stranger."She tilted her head. "Tell me—was it the money, or the baby that sealed the deal?"
Ayla's eyes burned, but she refused to flinch.
"I think you should leave."
"Oh, sweetheart," Adelina said sweetly. "You may have his ring, but trust me… you have no idea what kind of man you're married to."
Ayla slammed the door shut without another word.
Her hands were shaking.
✧
That evening, when Leo returned from the office, he found Ayla in the kitchen—not cooking, not eating, just sitting.
Her back was rigid.
"You didn't tell me," she said.
He paused in the doorway. "Tell you what?"
She turned to face him. Her eyes were calm, but the fury behind them simmered.
"That you were engaged. That she showed up today. That she talked to me like I was your dirty little secret."
Leo's jaw clenched.
"I broke it off months ago. Long before I met you."
"She doesn't seem to know that."
"I'll handle it," he said firmly.
Ayla stood, her voice cracking just a little. "This is exactly what I was afraid of. That I'd be nothing more than your temporary fix."
He stepped toward her. "You're not temporary."
"Then what am I, Leo?"
His silence was the loudest answer of all.
To be continued...