Hendrik woke up at three in the morning. His throat felt dry.
He got out of bed and glanced briefly at Lanny, who was still sleeping soundly, her body uncovered.
Without saying a word, he walked out of the room and headed to the kitchen. He drank a glass of water in one go, the coolness soothing his thirst slightly.
As he was about to put the glass down, his eyes fell on his phone, still in his pocket. He quickly took it out.
And when the screen lit up…
His eyes widened.
50 missed calls from Jenny.
"What…?" his breath hitched.
Cold sweat formed on his forehead. His heart began to pound uncontrollably.
"No… don't tell me…" he muttered.
He shook his head hard, trying to push away the terrible thoughts creeping into his mind.
"No! Katrina must be fine…"
With trembling hands, he immediately called back.
Tut… tut…
A moment later, an automated voice responded.
"The number you are trying to reach is currently unavailable."
"Damn it… why is it unavailable?!" he snapped in panic.
He tried again. And again.
Still nothing.
Frustration and fear collided inside him. He kicked the chair in front of him hard.
Bang!
The chair fell and split apart.
Hendrik stood there, breathing heavily. Dark thoughts about Katrina kept haunting him.
Without thinking twice, he made up his mind—he had to go to Singapore immediately.
He rushed back to the bedroom and shook Lanny awake.
"Lanny… wake up. I have to go to Singapore now!"
Lanny blinked, her eyes still heavy. "Yeah… what's going on?"
"Jenny called me 50 times last night! But now I can't reach her!" Hendrik's voice rose in panic.
Seeing her still not moving, he snapped,
"Hurry up, Lanny! We need to go to the airport now!"
Lanny flinched. "Okay… I'll take a shower," she replied, slightly annoyed.
She wrapped a towel around her body and rushed to the bathroom.
Meanwhile, Hendrik stood in the dining area, his thoughts in chaos.
No… Katrina can't be in danger…
His chest tightened. Without realizing it, tears slipped down his face.
He grabbed a slice of bread, spread some strawberry jam on it, and took a bite. But he couldn't taste anything.
His mind was completely focused on Katrina.
He picked up his phone again and tried calling Jenny once more.
Still unavailable.
"Jenny… why is your phone off…" he murmured, crushing the bread in his hand.
Not long after, Lanny came out.
"Mas, I'm ready. Let's go."
Without responding, Hendrik walked straight to the car, started the engine, opened the gate, and drove off without hesitation.
Since it was still early, the roads were relatively empty. Hendrik decided to drop Lanny off at the office first.
Throughout the drive, he barely spoke. His heart kept racing.
No messages. No calls. Even the chat showed only one check mark.
It only made him more anxious, though he tried to stay focused on driving.
Beside him, Lanny sat silently. But her mind was anything but calm.
Damn it… he still cares that much about his wife.
She bit her lip.
Deep down, she knew—she was nothing more than a mistress, not a legal wife.
But beneath that realization, she harbored ambition. She wanted that position. To be the only woman recognized as his wife.
Her hand clenched tightly around her bag.
I hope… his wife dies soon.
Her eyes hardened, filled with suppressed anger.
Meanwhile, Hendrik was consumed by fear.
To him, Katrina was everything. He wasn't ready to lose her.
As for Lanny… she was nothing more than a temporary replacement.
The car stopped in front of the office building. Hendrik didn't get out.
He glanced briefly at Lanny.
"Lanny… cancel all meetings and client appointments today and tomorrow. I don't know when I'll be back. Handle everything."
His tone was firm—like a boss speaking to an employee.
"Okay, Mas. I'll inform all the clients," Lanny replied flatly.
Without another word, Hendrik pressed the gas pedal and drove off, leaving Lanny behind.
Lanny stood there, frozen.
For the first time in her life, she felt something she had never experienced before—being nothing more than an accessory.
And it hurt.
She took a deep breath.
This is the choice I made… as a secret wife.
Slowly, she walked toward the building entrance.
But deep inside, she held onto a quiet ambition.
One day… I will become his legal wife.
Her steps continued, slightly unsteady.
It felt like… this was only the beginning.
After driving to Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Hendrik parked his car.
He immediately called his driver, Mang Nurdin.
"Yes, Boss… what is it?"
"Udin, get to the airport now. Take my car key. I'm leaving for Singapore at 9:30," Hendrik ordered firmly.
"Understood, Boss. I'm on my way."
He ended the call.
Hendrik walked toward the departure area and checked the flight schedule.
It was only 8 a.m. He still had an hour and a half to wait.
He sat down, staring blankly.
His chest felt heavier by the second.
Then—
His phone vibrated.
Jenny.
He answered immediately.
"Jenny! What happened to Katrina?!"
On the other end, he heard sobbing.
"Ka… Katrina… she's in the ICU…"
On the other end, Jenny's voice trembled as she struggled to hold back her tears.
"Last night… my sister collapsed. Her condition kept getting worse… I was so scared seeing her like that…" she explained, her voice hoarse.
Hendrik immediately cut her off, his voice rising in panic.
"How is Katrina now?!"
Soft sobs filled the line.
"She's still unconscious, Hendrik..."
There was a brief silence.
"The specialist said… her condition is critical. They still can't be sure…"
Hendrik couldn't say a word.
His throat felt tight, as if something was choking him from the inside.
"Mas… are you still there?" Jenny's voice came again, trembling.
He blinked slowly, trying to steady himself, but his vision blurred.
"I… I'm here…" his voice came out hoarse, almost unrecognizable.
His grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles turning pale.
"What did the doctor say exactly?" he forced himself to ask, though part of him was afraid to hear the answer.
Jenny sniffled, trying to calm herself.
"They said… the cancer has already spread to her lungs. The doctors are doing everything they can, but they can only try their hardest…"
Each word felt heavier than the last.
Hendrik lowered his head, his breath uneven.
The world around him faded once more, leaving only fear—raw and suffocating.
The words hit Hendrik like a hammer.
He froze.
For a moment, Hendrik's world stopped.
His hand went weak. His phone almost slipped from his grip.
Finally Hendrik said desperately
"Wait for me, Jen! I'm at the airport… I'm coming as soon as possible !"
The call ended.
Hendrik froze.
He grabbed his head, his breathing uneven.
His world collapsed in an instant.
"Katrina!…" he shouted
If he was even a little too late…
Would he still be able to see her… one last time?