At that moment, Hendrik called Jenny to inform her that Katrina's mother was at the office.
Meanwhile, Jenny was in a panic over the pink bra she had found in the bathroom. Katrina, nearby, also looked tense. Jenny picked up the phone, moving away from the bathroom so her sister wouldn't hear too much.
Hendrik's voice came from the line, strained.
"Jen! Your mom is here… she wants to invite Katrina to stay at her place!"
Jenny held her breath and whispered anxiously.
"Mas… whose bra is this? Don't tell me… is it Lanny's? My sister is panicking and getting suspicious!"
"What?! A pink bra? I… I don't know!" Hendrik replied quickly, trying to deny it. But his heart started pounding, and his breath caught in his throat.
His mind raced.
Maybe Lanny forgot to take it this morning… after her shower she rushed out…
The more he thought about it, the more panicked he became. He knew that if this issue escalated, it could ruin everything.
Jenny's voice came back, firmer this time.
"Mas! My sister wants an explanation about this after you come home! That's it!"
Click. The call ended abruptly.
All this time, Meliana had been observing Hendrik's expression. Her suspicion grew stronger.
Hendrik, realizing he was being watched, grew flustered. He turned to face his mother-in-law and met her sharp gaze.
"What's going on?" she asked, suspicious.
Hendrik stammered, his voice trembling.
"N-nothing, Ma… it's just about the bra. They think I brought another woman home. Maybe it's Katrina's… she forgot it."
He looked down, unable to meet her eyes.
Meliana simply nodded slowly.
"Oh… I see."
"Yes, Ma… Katrina's been forgetful lately," Hendrik added, trying to sound calm even as cold sweat formed on his temples.
He chose to remain silent after that. Not a word more. Deep down, fear gnawed at him. He knew… the lies he had been hiding were beginning to crack.
After discussing work matters at length Meliana prepared to leave. Before going, she looked at Hendrik firmly.
"Hendrik! After this, I'm coming to your house," she said authoritatively.
Hendrik swallowed hard, his heart racing, but he tried to sound casual.
"Y… yes, Ma. Go ahead. Katrina and Jenny are home," he replied quickly, keeping his voice steady.
Meliana nodded, then turned and left, leaving Hendrik in the living room with mixed feelings: relieved that his mother-in-law was gone, but worried… the pink bra still haunted his mind.
At home, Katrina started throwing a fit, suspicious of her husband.
"Jen!.. Has Mas Hendrik been hiding something while I was sick?!" she shouted, eyes blazing with questions.
Jenny hesitated. She wanted to tell her sister, but she feared Katrina's condition would worsen.
"Ehh… I'm not sure, Kak. As far as I know, he rarely brings other women here," Jenny said gently, trying to calm her sister.
Katrina felt a momentary relief. But her eyes caught the pink bra again, clearly a different size from hers. Her suspicion flared stronger than ever.
In her mind, the question kept haunting her:
"Could Hendrik be cheating?!"
With heavy steps, she left the bathroom. Her stomach growled—she hadn't had breakfast.
"Jen! Help me to the dining table. I'm hungry!" Katrina called.
"Okay, Kak," Jenny replied briefly, hiding her worry.
They sat at the table. Breakfast, already prepared in the morning, had been bought by Hendrik. The warm aroma slightly eased the tense atmosphere.
Suddenly, the car horn blared outside.
They exchanged glances, curious who would visit in the middle of the day.
Jenny went to the door, stepping outside cautiously, her eyes scanning the visitor.
"Mom!.." Jenny shouted in surprise.
Katrina, mid-bite, choked slightly at her sister's shout.
"Mom is here?! She rarely… rarely visits!" Katrina exclaimed, eyes wide.
A middle-aged woman with long, white flowing hair, elegant like a socialite, stepped out of the car.
She approached Jenny confidently and hugged her tightly.
"Hey… my Jenny. How are you, dear?"
Jenny returned the hug, but tension ran through her body. She wasn't fully opening herself, still holding back her worries and the secret she couldn't yet tell.Meliana stepped inside and saw Katrina eating, approaching her gently.
"Katrina… so you've returned from Singapore! How are you feeling? Better now?" she asked, genuinely concerned.
Katrina remained cold, not responding to her mother's hug.
"Yes, Ma. I've been feeling better," she replied shortly.
"That's good… Mama's glad you're improving," Meliana said, her tone full of sincerity.
But Katrina wasn't satisfied. With a sharp tone, she asked, "Why are you here, Ma? You rarely come to visit me."
Meliana was unfazed. She knew her daughter's blunt character.
"Mama just misses you… I want you to come stay with me. So someone can take care of you, dear," she said, her voice trembling as she tried to hold back tears.
"No need… I'm fine staying here!" Katrina replied impulsively, her voice firm, hiding the mix of anger and worry inside.
Meliana looked slightly surprised but remained patient.
"Dear… here, Hendrik leaves you alone most of the time. Let Mama take care of you," she said, reassuringly, gentle but firm.
Katrina paused, feeling a flicker of doubt in her heart. Especially after seeing the pink bra, her trust in Hendrik was shaken.
She glanced at her mother, seeing the genuine care in her eyes.
Finally, Katrina spoke softly but firmly, "Okay, Ma… I'll let you know. I want to talk to Mas Hendrik first."
Hearing that, Meliana smiled warmly. "Alright… Mama will wait for your answer."
Not long after, Katrina's mother left.
Once the car was gone, Katrina began thinking about her mother's invitation. Yet her emotions flared again as her eyes fell on the pink bra, mixing suspicion and frustration.
A short while later, Hendrik returned from work. He entered the living room and then headed to his room. But all he found was an empty room.
His emotions became a chaotic storm. Normally Katrina would be in her room, or if not, in the dining room. But this time, she was nowhere to be found.
"Katrina… Katrina, where are you, dear?" Hendrik called, searching the kitchen—nothing.
He ran upstairs, checking every room. Still nothing. Even outside, front and back yards, Katrina was nowhere. Jenny was also missing.
Exhausted from searching, Hendrik sat on the living room sofa. His face tense, hands raking through his hair.
As he thought, his eyes caught a piece of paper on the table. He picked it up and read:
"Mas Hendrik! I'm staying with Mama. Don't look for me!"
Hendrik froze, chest tightening.
"What?! How could this happen…" he muttered, running his hands through his hair, a mix of confusion, worry, and anger flooding him.