"How about later, after I get back from the office?" Indra offered. "I'll accompany you."
But his brow furrowed instantly upon hearing Dinda’s reply, "No need, I can go by myself. Besides, I'm just going for a short walk at the mall near the apartment."
For a moment, Indra fell silent. A sense of unease settled in his chest as he heard that Dinda was going out for some fresh air. He wasn’t sure why, but the worry still crept in, even though it wasn’t the first time.
"Are you sure you'll be okay?"
"Yes, I'm sure. Don't worry about me," Dinda replied, trying to reassure him. "Just focus on your work."
Indra let out a long sigh, knowing he couldn't force Dinda to change her mind. Moreover, he still felt a lingering awkwardness due to the emotional distance she was putting between them.
"Alright then, be careful. Let me know if anything happens," Indra said.
"Of course. I’ll let you know. See you later!"
The call ended, but Indra still felt uneasy every time his wife left the apartment, even if it was just to handle what he considered trivial matters.
“Will everything really be alright?” he wondered silently. “Can’t she just stay home?”
His anxiety bubbled back up. Indra clutched his chest, feeling tightness from his erratic heartbeat. He knew he shouldn't dwell on the feeling, let alone feed it. Still, he couldn’t deny that his concern for Dinda—and the baby she carried—had only grown stronger, even though the child wasn’t biologically his.
A moment later, Indra shook his head, trying to snap out of it.
"Come on, I shouldn’t be acting like this... I might end up making Dinda uncomfortable with how overbearing I’m being."
Bzz… Bzz…
The vibration from his phone notifications snapped him out of his thoughts. When he opened the message, his brows furrowed again. His eyes narrowed at the contents of the message.
Without replying, Indra slid the phone into his pocket and quickly left the building.
Within minutes, he arrived at a café not far from his office building. The man scanned his surroundings before entering.
“I should’ve asked her to wait somewhere else,” he muttered, worried that Anggoro’s security team might see him meeting another woman.
Indra composed himself before walking into the café. The place was fairly busy with guests enjoying lunch or hanging out.
His eyes finally landed on a woman waving at him, smiling sweetly. Indra walked toward her without returning the smile.
"What would you like to order? I can—"
"Just water. I won’t be staying long," Indra interrupted Sonia, cutting her off.
"Tch! Come on, eat with me. Would you really let me eat alone?"
Indra shot her a sharp look. "Not my problem."
Sonia pouted in annoyance at his cold demeanor—one she had become all too familiar with. Oddly enough, Indra’s attitude did nothing to diminish her feelings for him. In fact, they only grew stronger.
She then called over a waiter and ordered just two drinks.
Though the café was bustling, the atmosphere between the two was thick with tension—awkward, even suffocating. Indra’s gloomy expression alone was enough to make Sonia fume, but it also stirred her desire to win back the man she longed for.
Indra cleared his throat. "Alright, I’ll get straight to the point. I want to clarify some things about our agreement."
"Just you and me? Shouldn’t we discuss this with her too?" Sonia arched her eyebrows, clearly disapproving of having the conversation without the third party involved.
But Indra didn’t seem to care. He simply didn’t want to get too entangled with his ex.
"No need. I’ll talk to her later. She just needs to agree."
Sonia scoffed. "You're such a sneaky man! You've become scary, Indra!"
Indra said nothing, unfazed by her sarcastic words. His silence only deepened her frustration.
She let out a loud, sharp breath as if trying to steady her growing emotions.
"Fine… So, what’s your plan?"

"This looks cute, but I don’t know yet if my baby is a boy or a girl."
Dinda was now in a store that sold baby accessories. Though she hadn’t initially planned to visit, her eyes were caught by a pair of tiny pink baby shoes while strolling through the mall.
Without a second thought, her steps led her into the store. Soon she was completely engrossed, almost losing control as she felt tempted to buy everything she laid eyes on.
Her face lit up with joy every time she discovered a new and adorable item.
"Good afternoon! Can I help you with anything?"
A bright voice startled her. Dinda turned to see a female staff member approaching.
"Oh! N-no, I’m just looking around for now," Dinda replied with a smile.
The employee returned her smile. "Alright, just let us know if you need anything."
Dinda nodded, and the woman walked away, leaving her alone again.
For a moment, Dinda stood still, staring at a few items she had picked up, only to put them back on the shelves.
"Should I ask Indra to come here with me?" she wondered.
She looked around the shop. Several pregnant women were busy choosing baby gear—with their husbands beside them. Unlike her, who was there all alone.
"It must be nice to do this together..."
A vision flashed in her mind–her and Indra smiling as they picked out baby things, maybe even arguing over which ones to choose.
It was such a happy thought that it made her smile to herself, unknowingly. But it didn’t last long. Dinda quickly shook her head.
"Oh God, what am I thinking?! There’s no way Indra would come with me. He’d just feel awkward if I invited him here."
Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, Dinda hurried out of the store. As she walked, she blinked repeatedly, trying to clear away the strange thoughts that clouded her mind.
Finally, she exited the mall, carrying a shopping bag filled with maternity clothes and a pair of flat shoes. But her steps halted again when she tried to hail a taxi by the roadside.
She looked around the street, then glanced at the watch on her wrist.
“Lunch hour is over… Should I stop by the office? It’s been a while since I visited Dad,” she murmured, considering her options.
Then suddenly, her heart skipped a beat as a certain man who worked with her father came to mind.
"Has he had lunch yet? Maybe I’ll ask him to join me."