Audrey Andrews, a beautiful woman of Indonesian-American descent, gentle, and kind, 36 years old, works as a chef in a Chinese Food restaurant.
She worked very enthusiastically and did not feel tired at all, even though she was pregnant with her first child.
Audrey's skillful hands made all dishes so delicious, fragrant, and also interesting. Thanks to her skills, the restaurant owner planned to move Audrey to a Japanese restaurant outside Surabaya City.
When it was 21.20 and no one else came to the restaurant, Vonny told one of the waiters to call Audrey from the kitchen because she wanted to talk to Audrey about something important.
Vonny stepped out of her office, towards Liana who was cleaning the table in the middle of the dining room.
"Liana, please call Audrey in the kitchen. I want to talk to her. Tell her to meet me in my office," said Vonny.
"Yes, Ma'am," said Liana, then the waitress quickly left the dining room, entered the kitchen, and called Audrey. Meanwhile, Vonny waited for her proud chef in her room.
At that time, Audrey's face and lips looked pale after a full day of work and only resting for a while in her spare time. As usual, every Saturday Night, many visitors would come to the restaurant with their family and friends just to have dinner while chatting with each other.
"Sis Audrey," Liana called.
"Yes? What's wrong, Liana?" Audrey asked without looking at the waitress, she was busy washing the vegetables she would prepare tomorrow morning.
"Mrs.Vonny asked you to meet her in her office," answered Liana.
"Ah, okay. Later when I finish washing these vegetables, I will meet her in his room," replied Audrey.
"Okay, Sis," Liana smiled broadly at Audrey, then she left the kitchen and returned to the dining room.
Liana didn't realize that Audrey's condition was not fine. A few moments later, after finishing washing the vegetables, Audrey put the round container of vegetables on the kitchen table, took off her apron, hung the apron on the wall, then immediately went to Vonny.
Audrey stepped in while occasionally rubbing her distended stomach that was in pain. Arriving in front of her boss's room, she slowly knocked on the door waiting for Vonny to tell her to enter the office.
Knock, knock, knock...
"Come in, Audrey," said Vonny loudly.
Audrey opened the door wide, stepped inside, turned around, closed the door and approached Vonny who was sitting relaxed behind a long table.
"Please have a seat, Audrey," said Vonny with a friendly smile.
"Alright, Ma'am," Audrey replied shyly and awkwardly, she pulled a black chair near her and sat on it.
"Are you alright?" asked Vonny anxiously after seeing the chef's pale face.
"I am fine, Ma'am," Audrey smiled faintly.
"Are you sure? If you don't feel well, you should just rest at home," Vonny suggested.
"But now is not the time for me to go home, my working hour is until 22.00. Besides, if I go home now, I am afraid that my friends will envy me because you always treats me more special than them," said Audrey honestly.
"You don't have to care what they think of you. You just focus on your health and also on the baby you are carrying," added Vonny softly and sincerely.
"I will take you home, okay?" She continued.
"Thank you very much. I don't want to bother you, I can go home alone," Audrey refused.
"Well, why did you go home alone? It's late now and you are heavily pregnant. Where is your husband? Why didn't he pick you up?" Vonny kept asking the curly-haired chef.
"My husband is out of town. He was assigned by the company to manage a branch office in Bali for a while," She said slowly.
"Poor to you, Drey," Vonny looked pityingly at Audrey, "Then I willl take you home, you can't go home alone."
"Alright," Audrey was forced to accept her boss's offer.
"Tomorrow morning, before you go to work you should check your womb first at the hospital, okay?" Vonny really cared for Audrey as if she was Vonny's younger sister, "And don't forget to take vitamins, so that your body and womb are stronger."
"Yes, Ma'am. Thank you for the advice," Audrey replied softly while holding back the pain in her stomach.
"Alright, you wait here first. Let Liana do your work in the kitchen and bring your bag here," said Vonny.
Audrey nodded slowly and leaned back in the chair. Meanwhile, Vonny went out to meet Liana and Indra in the dining room.
When Vonny was about to tell Indra and Liana to finish Audrey's work in the kitchen, suddenly Audrey's moaning sound came from Vonny's room.
"Aarrghh!! My stomach ... hurts so bad!"
Suddenly Vonny, Indra, and Liana turned towards the office, while the other employees were silent for a moment after hearing Audrey's grievous moans. They wonder what happened to their friend, would Audrey give birth soon?
"Sis Audrey! Quickly, help her!" cried Liana panicked.
The three of them immediately ran over there and burst inside, approaching Audrey who was barely able to endure the pain.
Audrey's head drooped to the left, her face and lips were getting paler, her right hand was squeezing her distended stomach tightly. Slowly, a clot of blood mixed with the broken amniotic fluid oozed out, soaking Audrey's clothes.
"H--help me ... save my baby," She pleaded so low and low.
"You have to hold on for your baby, Drey!" cried Vonny.
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"You have to hold on for your baby, Drey!" Vonny looked sadly at Audrey while embracing and tightly gripping Audrey's arm to give her strength.
"I am... not strong ... it hurts... arrghh!" Audrey groaned again, she squeezed her distended stomach.
Sweat dripped down Audrey's forehead and neck, instantly tears flowed from her eyelids.
"Indra, help me quickly! You carry Audrey to my car! Liana, get Audrey's bag and jacket in the kitchen!" Vonny ordered her two employees.
"Yes, Ma'am," they answered in unison.
Without delaying the time, Indra rushed to carry Audrey out of Vonny's office, while Liana stepped into the kitchen to get Audrey's things.
Indra carried Audrey to the backyard of the restaurant, where Vonny's personal car, a silver mpv, was parked.
Ferdi, the personal driver of Vonny, a stocky man with a bushy mustache, helped Indra carry Audrey as soon as he saw them. They placed her in the back seat of the car. Then he immediately sat behind the wheel, turned on the engines and waited for Vonny to come out of the restaurant.
Vonny quickly cleaned up all the files scattered on her desk, turned off the computer, grabbed her cellphone and black bag from the table, then hurriedly walked to the restaurant yard.
Meanwhile…
"Dra ... please ... call Do--Donna, my sister," Audrey asked Indra softly.
"Yes, Drey," said Indra, his voice and body shaking when he saw more and more blood coming out of Audrey's stomach. He reached for his phone with shaking hands.
He immediately dialed the number of Audrey's sister.
At the same time, Vonny appeared in the yard and walked towards them, followed by Liana who brought her friend's bag and jacket.
"This is Audrey's bag and jacket, Ma'am," said Liana, giving the items to Vonny.
"Thank you, Liana. You and Indra don't have to go to the hospital, finish your work and go straight to your respective homes," Vonny gave the order.
Both Indra and Liana could only say yes. They did not dare to contradict their boss' orders, even though they wanted to accompany Audrey in the hospital and at the same time await the birth of Audrey's baby. They loved the chef as much as they loved their own family.
After Vonny ordered the two restaurant employees to finish their respective jobs, she ordered the driver to take Audrey to the Sejahtera hospital. The car immediately sped away from the restaurant.
While the two employees watched the car, speeding away from the restaurant, Indra's call to Audrey's sister finally connected.
"Hello Donna … it's Indra. Your sister is currently on her way to the hospital…"
***
On the way to the hospital, Audrey couldn't stand the excruciating pain. She moaned and cried as she hoped that the baby in Audrey's womb could be saved.
"Miss Vonny ... will you... consider my son as your child?" Audrey asked, her voice so low.
Vonny quickly looked back and looked pitifully at the woman, "What do you mean, Audrey?"
"My husband ... he doesn't want to admit the child I am carrying..." Audrey sobbed in the midst of her struggle to hold on to her baby.
"Come on, don't cry and don't talk too much. You need to calm down, relax, and save your energy for later," Vonny said softly and sincerely, she really couldn't bear to see her favorite and proud chef in such a sad state.
"Promise--promise... to me ... arrghh! My stomach hurts ... I can't take it anymore..." Audrey groaned, her right hand gripping the back of the car seat tightly, while her left hand squeezing her big belly.
"Ferdi, hurry up a bit!" Vonny ordered Ferdi.
At that time Vonny grew more panicked, afraid, and restless. She didn't want anything bad to happen to Audrey or the baby.
"Alright, Ma'am!" said Ferdi, then he drove the silver mpv as fast as possible so they could get to the hospital as soon as possible.
The hospital was almost at sight but Audrey's head drooped to the right side, her left hand was released from her stomach, her beautiful eyes were closed, blood was continuously flowing out of Audrey's stomach.
In a city that is very far from where Audrey is, a man was seen drinking with two other men.
One of the men was face down on the bar table, the clothes he was wearing looked shabby, and his black hair was disheveled.
"Hey, Bro. Let's have another bottle," coaxed the man sitting to the left of the shabby man.
"I don't want to," He said flatly.
"Come on, John. When else can you drink all you can with us in this place?"
"Ha, ha, ha ... you are right Edmund. John is poor, how can he eat and drink at the bar if we don't treat him," sneered another friend.
"He is poor, but John served as assistant manager of headquarters," Edmund quipped at John who was late, bored, and half drunk.
His two colleagues who worked at the branch office constantly bullied, insulted, and ridiculed John. Unable to bear to hear the sickening babble that came out of their mouths, John slowly lifted his face, then he turned towards Edmund, and instantly he punched Edmund in the face as hard as he could.
Bugghh!! "Once again you dare to mock me, you will know the consequences!" shouted John who almost fell to the floor after punching the tall, skinny man.
As if he wasn't satisfied after punching Edmund, he gathered his strength back and then turned to punch Anthony.
The man named John Gunardi is the husband of Audrey Andrews, a husband who didn't want to admit Audrey's baby.
He was not aware that while he was wasting his life in drinking and getting into fights, while Audrey and their baby that he didn't want to admit were at death's door already.
Would Audrey and her baby survive or would they both die after they arrived in the hospital?
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"Hey! How dare you punch me in the face, John!" shouted Edmund staring blankly at John, he clenched his fists to punch John back.
"If you don't want me to punch you, don't insult me! Got it!" blurted out John.
Seeing John and Edmund still busy fighting in front of him, Anthony stood up from his seat after he had been punched by John.
"John!" Anthony grabbed his seat and with full force, smashed John's head from behind.
"Argh… you bastard." John fell to the ground, unconscious.
All the visitors at the bar fell silent when they saw the fight between the three men who worked at PT. Pacific Jaya. A company engaged in contracting. The visitors distanced themselves so that they would not get inflicted with the riot.
Meanwhile, the bartender rushed to call the security guard outside the bar to kick them out, at the same time throwing John out of the bar because they had caused a lot of trouble in the place.
The bartender approached the security guard who was burly, tall, and had a grim face, then shook the security guard's arm.
"Quick Sir, come with me inside! There are people there who have had a fight, one of them fainted from being smashed in the head!" cried the bartender frantically.
Hearing the bartender's words just now, the security guard rushed into the bar. The bartender followed behind. They walked over to the three men who were acting there, then he dragged Edmund and Anthony roughly out of the bar.
Meanwhile, the bar patrons watched them from their seats.
"Watch out! If you dare to mess around, here again, I will not hesitate to expel you in a way that is much more violent towards you!" threatened the security guard putting a fierce look on the two men.
They were forced to remain silent because they did not dare to fight the security guard who was very tall. After kicking Edmund and Anthony away, the security guard entered the bar, carried John on his back, and dropped John in front of the bar.
John had an argument with two of his colleagues who worked at a branch company until he was unconscious. He wasted his time in another city, without thinking at all about his wife and child. But he couldn't really care less. Since he was truly disappointed and angry with Audrey. He already lost any amity with her, and even didn't care anymore about what would happen to his life.
That he even took out his disappointment with Audrey on hooking up with some other woman he had known some time ago, while he was staying at his cousin's house in Bali.
What kind of husband could have an affair, when his wife was pregnant with their first child.
But his actions were not baseless. If the night Audrey hadn't gone with Alvin to their high school friends' reunion, maybe John wouldn't be ignoring his wife right now. Or maybe their relationship would not be so strained as this.
*****
The beginning of everything that caused the rift in Audrey's household began when Alvin offered to pick up Audrey at the reunion.
Alvin was Audrey's ex-boyfriend during high school and he was obsessed with the beautiful woman who was the Bella of their school. Though they didn't end up together, he tried every chance he could get to be with Audrey. But she rejected him all the time, telling him that she was busy with work.
But Alvin finally got a chance to be with Audrey. It was the time around for their high school reunion. He invited Audrey, who would like to escort her to the venue. And he even used some of her classmates before, to press Audrey to attend the reunion, telling her that she had never gone to a reunion so at least this once, they wished for her to attend and talk about the old times.
In the end, Audrey reluctantly agreed. Even though Audrey actually felt uncomfortable going out with other men, she couldn't help but accept Alvin's offer without thinking negatively about him. She was just simply thinking that after he escorted her to the venue, she would go home after a few hours of staying and talking with her old friends.
As a wife, of course, she told John that she was going to the event with an old friend, and at the same time asked John's permission. John agreed that time without thinking much. And since he had work to do, he couldn't really escort Audrey. He also had complete trust in Audrey that she would do anything that would hurt him or destroy their marriage.
However, he trusts his wife. But the people around her were not someone to be trusted. He failed to see all of this in the end.
When they came home from the reunion, Alvin didn't immediately take Audrey to her house but took her to the hotel, telling her that he had something to get there and from time to time chat with Audrey.
Without Audrey knowing, Alvin trapped Audrey by putting sleeping pills into her drink.
At the hotel, Audrey was made to sleep with Alvin. Towards morning, Alvin quietly left the hotel feeling very satisfied and with a victory in hand.
Alvin is a rich and powerful person, so he is able to do whatever he liked including searching for John's personal data.
After he found John's cell phone number, Alvin asked his assistant to send a photo of Audrey wearing only a thick blanket, where Alvin seemed to be doing something forbidden to the woman.
When John received all the photos, his attitude changed completely from a kind, gentle, and caring husband, to a cold, indifferent man, who ignored Audrey's pregnancy, he even hurt his wife by saying that the fetus Audrey was carrying was not John's seed.
He left Audrey and hooked up with a different woman. While Audrey worked hard to support herself and save money so that when her baby was born, she had enough expenses that would help them live.
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