Seeing that her daughter looked unusual, Kum immediately knocked on Lisa''s door gently. One knock and there was no answer.


    Kum was getting more and more suspicious. Could it be that Lisa was sick? Two more knocks and still no answer.


    "Lisa, are you okay, dear? I made your favorite rib soup! Come on, let''s eat!"


    Lisa didn''t dare go out and eat at home. She knew that if she ate something pungent like rib soup, she would definitely vomit and raise her mother''s suspicion even more.


    "Mom, I''ve eaten out earlier. You eat alone. I''m tired from walking around the park!" Lisa eximed loudly from inside her room.


    "Lisa, I can''t finish all this rib soup alone. Besides, why didn''t you tell me that you''ve eaten out?" Kum asked, seemingly a little annoyed.


    After all, Lisa wasn''t going to go out and eat her favorite ribs tonight. Since her pregnancy, she has had no appetite for all strong-smelling foods. Just smelling the rib soup made her nauseous, let alone eating it.


    Lisaid down on the bed while staring nkly at the ceiling. She was thinking about how she could tell Kum about her unexpected pregnancy. Sooner orter, her mother would suspect it and eventually found out about it. It never urred to her how much longer she would be able to hide this from her mother.


    However, in order to protect her mother''s feelings so that she wouldn''t copse from thinking about many problems, Lisa decided to hide her pregnancy until she was seven months pregnant. That way, Kum would not force her to marry a man she didn''t love just for the sake of finding a legal father for the child inside her.


    Lisa must return to Bekasi and pack all her belongings as soon as possible.


    Lisa thought she still had a lot of time before the baby in her womb was born. She had to work hard to support the child she was carrying since she didn''t want to depend on Oscar, even if the man had promised to help her and take responsibility.


    ***


    Early in the morning, Lisa said goodbye to her mother. It was enough for her to apany Kum. Now it''s time for Lisa to go back to work.


    "Mom, I have to return to Bekasi. My manager has called me many times asking me toe back," Lisa said, lying a little.


    "How fast is it, kid?" Kum asked in a disappointed and sad tone.


    "Sorry, but this is an order from thepany so I can''t bargain. Besides, there is something important at my office. You take care of yourself at home, okay? Don''t be too tired. Don''t wash too many clothes. Just take it to theundry and I will pay the fare," Lisa advised before the woman dashed from her mother''s house.


    "Okay, be careful. I won''t bother you," Kum replied while hugging her eldest daughter tightly.


    When Lisa walked to the busway stop before she missed her morning flight, she identally saw a very familiar ck Mercedes. The car appeared to be pulling up on the sidewalk not far from where Kum lived.


    A man got out of the car and greeted Lisa from a distance.


    "Rangga!? What are you doing here !?" Lisa asked in surprise.


    "I should ask, what are you doing in Jakarta while carrying that travel bag? Did you want to escape a jungle or?" Rangga teased, shaking his head amusedly.


    "I just came from my mother''s house, and now I''m about to return to Bekasi. What are you doing here?" Lisa asked back. Both of her hands were crossed.


    In return, the tall, thin man simply clicked his tongue while swinging his palm. "It doesn''t matter. By the way, where are you going?"


    "I said I wanted to go back to Bekasi, you stupid," Lisa said, looking annoyed as she stuck out her tongue nosily.


    "Okay, I''ll take you to Bekasi then. Let''s go." The man brought Lisa''s travel bag and invited her into the car.


    "Anyway, what are you doing here in Jakarta? Did you just visit your family or what?" Rangga asked curiously while driving.


    "My mother just got out of the hospital. I was in Jakarta for a week to apany her until today," Lisa said frankly.


    "Really! Auntie was hospitalized? Howe you didn''t tell me, Lis?" Rangga replied in surprise.


    "I don''t want to bother you, you''re also busy at work anyway, so it''ll disturb your time," Lisa replied as is.


    "What am I to you? A stranger? Ugh, I''ve been your friend from childhood, do you forget it? Or are you still mad about my rtionship with Maria?"


    "Let it pass then. You don''t need to bring it up again. It''s noy good for your mental health!" Lisa replied sharply.


    ***


    Arriving at Lisa''s boarding house in Bekasi, Rangga opened the door for hrt and brought her travel bag to the living room. The man took care of himself so as not to make others, especially thendy, suspicious of Lisa.


    "Thank you. Don''t you have toe back to work?" Lisa asked curiously.


    "Actually, I''m on holiday. I asionally take a day off since I''m the boss of my ownpany," Rangga replied, chuckling proudly.


    "By the way, shall we have coffee? It''s on me. Just take it as the fare," Lisa suddenly said.


    "Did you just invite me for coffee? I didn''t hear wrong, right !?" Rangga''s eyes began to sparkle when he heard Lisa''s unusual invitation.


    The rtionship between the two childhood friends was stiff and distant from a misunderstanding and nders. So, hearing Lisa inviting him to spend time together while enjoying a cup of coffee was very unusual.


    "Yes, I''m serious. Do you want to?"


    "Yes, please!"


    Arriving at one of the coffee shops in Bekasi, Lisa ordered a coldtte and a hot ck coffee for Rangga as usual. It''s not Rangga if the man drank coffee without enjoying his cigs.


    The man took a seat outside so he could blow out the smoke while sipping his hot ck coffee.


    "Damn, it''s been a while since I tasted a great coffee like this," Rangga said, throwing a satisfied smile on his handsome face.


    "Didn''t your holidayst too long?"


    "It''s been a long time since I took a day off. By the way, who is that bastard of your office friend? Johan? He doesn''t bother you anymore, right?" Rangga suddenly asked. The man sucked deep then exhaled the smoke with blinking eyes.


    Lisa took a quick sip of her coldtte. "He''s not bothering me. But I swear I am totally disgusted by his poetic love letter. It turned out that Johan was just a perverted guy targeting pretty girls."


    Hearing Lisa''s exnation made Ranggaugh. "Geez! He''s a cringe pervert, huh?"


    "By the way, how''s Be? She didn''t cause any scene in your office, right? Is she doing well?" Lisa suddenly asked.


    The man stoppedughing, hearing Lisa''s question just now made his cheerful face be serious at once. Rangga cleared his throat, swallowed his saliva and said, "Be, she...."