Hendrik approached Lanny. While embracing her, he said with a regretful tone,
"Dear… I'm sorry, our honeymoon has to be postponed. There's a problem at the office. The company's funds were withdrawn by Mr. Hendra. I need to take care of this immediately!"
Lanny frowned, but deep down she understood.
"Alright, dear… it's okay."
Hendrik smiled faintly and held her hand.
"Come on, let's go to the office first. I need to prepare the contract signing with Maria and their partnership."
Lanny nodded in agreement, and they headed to the office.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Katrina's condition worsened. Her heart monitor showed alarming weakness. Jenny, constantly watching the monitor, grew anxious. Panic spread across her face as she realized the situation was becoming critical.
Every minutes the atmosphere became more tense. Katrina's body weakened, her breathing slowed.
Jenny stared at the monitor in terror. Cold sweat ran down her face, her hands were wet, and her complexion pale. She rushed to the nurse's station.
"Nurse! The patient's condition is worsening!" she shouted in panic.
The nurse hurried to the ICU, while another nurse called the on-duty doctor.
In the ICU, the nurse checked Katrina's pulse, blood pressure, and other vital signs. Deep concern appeared on her face. She quickly went out and called the doctor, carrying the patient's data.
"Doctor… the pulse is weakening, blood pressure unstable… I'm afraid she might—" the nurse stopped, unable to continue.
The doctor immediately ran to the ICU, performing all emergency measures. Yet, despite repeated efforts, Katrina's condition deteriorated further. The heart monitor stopped… completely.
Beep… beep…
Katrina was gone.
The attending doctor wiped the sweat from his brow, his face tense and resigned.
Jenny couldn't hold back. She screamed, her voice breaking into sobs:
"sist…!"
Tears streamed down her swollen face. Inside, grief and anger intertwined, fueling her rage against Hendrik.
"sist! Don't leave me! I still need you!" her cries echoed throughout the room.
All this pain stemmed from Hendrik marrying Lanny—an unbearable blow now compounded by loss.
With trembling hands, Jenny grabbed her phone. She typed a short message to her parents:
"Mom! …Sist has passed away!"
The message was sent via WhatsApp, her tears flowing freely.
Not satisfied with just lamenting, she sent another message—to Hendrik:
"Hendrik, are you satisfied now? My sister is gone!"
Jenny's eyes were vacant, her face frozen. Losing Katrina felt like losing half her soul. The nurse tried to console and support her, but Jenny was already consumed by grief and anger.
For a brief moment, memories of her childhood with her sister returned. Katrina had always cared for her, prioritizing Jenny in games and meals. Katrina had been her confidant and comforter through every heartbreak. To Jenny, her sister had been everything.
Now, losing her sister fueled Jenny's wrath. Her expression turned terrifying as she murmured with trembling resolve:
"Hendrik! I promise I will destroy your life!"
Jenny's anger blazed, casting a dark shadow over the room. Anyone witnessing it instinctively recoiled, some even fled, overwhelmed by the intensity of her emotions.
Meanwhile, Hendrik was still driving to the office, focused on the road. Suddenly, a notification sounded on his phone.
Ding! ...
He glanced at the incoming message—from Jenny.
Annoyed, he thought, "Probably another threat." Shrugging slightly, he continued driving. Upon reaching the office, he ignored the message and focused on signing contracts with Maria.
At home,Meliana saw Jenny's message and felt her heart shatter. Tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Losing her child was a devastating blow.
She called Hendra from another room, her voice trembling:
"Pa! Our child… Katrina has passed away!"
Hendra, in another room, froze at the shout. His face furrowed in anguish, his white hair emphasizing the weight of life's burdens.
"Ma! …let's go to the hospital! We need to handle her body!" Hendra exclaimed, a mixture of grief and anger in his voice.
Mama Katrina replied weakly, almost whispering, "Yes… pa…"
They hurried to the hospital, hearts heavy with emotions: disappointment toward Hendrik, anger at being powerless to help their child, and grief over Katrina's death.
Their turbulent feelings added to the burden of thinking about their future. Jenny had no partner, and their family had no children. Everything compounded their stress at their advanced age.
Upon arriving at the hospital, they rushed to the ICU and met Jenny, who was waiting for the transfer of Katrina's body to the funeral home.
Seeing her mother, Jenny hugged her tightly.
"Mom… sist…" Her sobs were the only words she could utter.
For a moment, mother and daughter held each other. Silence filled the room, only broken by their tears. Some of Mr Hendra's colleagues offered condolences.
Mr Hendra arranged for a viewing room at the funeral home, instructing his assistant to prepare everything, including invitations for guests.
At Hendrik's office, employees began receiving the news.
Hendrik, however, was late to hear of it. Some employees started gossiping, blaming Mr. Hendrik or linking Katrina's death to Hendrik's secret marriage to Lanny.
Lanny overheard the gossip from other employees. Her face paled, eyes wide with shock.
"Lanny… the boss's wife passed away. Didn't you know?" a colleague said.
Lanny gasped, breath caught.
"What?! Dead… but… does the boss know?!"
Another employee joined in, sneering,
"Ah, who cares? There's already a replacement anyway."
Lanny flushed, quickly entering Hendrik's office.
Seeing her pale and breathless, Hendrik asked,
"What's wrong… why do you look so scared?"
Lanny stammered,
"I-it's… Hendrik 's wife… Katrina has passed away!"
Hendrik froze, recalling Jenny's message earlier. His body went weak, his heart heavy. He gazed at Katrina's photo still on his desk and murmured softly,
"Darling… forgive me… goodbye…"
His expression blank, Hendrik felt the weight of losing a partner he had loved for ten years. Regret gnawed at him for hurting Katrina, but he knew there was no hope left for her.
The remorse lasted only briefly. In his heart, he whispered,
"Katrina… I was wrong… but I still love you. I had no choice!"
But the remorse faded quickly. His face hardened, overtaken by ambition. The desire to claim Katrina's family fortune consumed him entirely. His empty stare shifted to cold calculation.
Only one thing remained in his mind: power, wealth, and his plans for the future—even if it meant sacrificing feelings and memories of Katrina.