Chapter 6 — One Step Behind
Night was beginning to fall when Alya arrived at Ms. Sari's home.
For some reason, she hadn't been able to settle down since what happened at the terminal that afternoon.
She felt as if someone was watching her.
Alya glanced over her shoulder several times.
But the street looked completely normal.
There were no suspicious cars.
No one was following her.
Maybe it was all in her head.
“Alya?”
Ms. Sari's voice made her turn around.
“Yes, Ms. Sari?”
“What’s wrong?”
Alya gave her a small smile.
“Nothing.”
But her hand unconsciously returned to her stomach.
Ms. Sari noticed the movement but didn't ask.
“Come inside. The night air is getting cold.”
Alya nodded.
Before going in, she looked back at the street again.
For some reason, Adrian's image suddenly appeared in her mind.
She quickly shook her head.
“No way.”
There was no way Adrian could find her this quickly.
At least...
Alya hoped so.
Elsewhere, Adrian stood in a small hotel.
He had just received a report from his assistant.
“Sir, we've checked all the CCTV footage around the terminal.”
“And?”
“There isn't any footage clear enough to confirm that the woman is Mrs. Alya.”
Adrian fell silent.
He stared at the laptop screen in front of him.
A blurry image showed a woman walking through the crowd.
“Zoom in.”
His assistant obeyed.
But the woman's face was still impossible to make out clearly.
Adrian sighed.
“Check every vehicle that left the terminal today.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And don't tell anyone we're looking for Alya.”
“Even the family?”
Adrian shot him a sharp look.
“Especially the family.”
His assistant nodded.
“Yes, sir.”
After his assistant left, Adrian stared at the blurry photo again.
Something made him certain.
It was Alya.
But for the first time, he realized something.
Alya didn't want to be found.
And for some reason, that truth only made him want to search for her even more.
The next morning.
Alya woke up early.
Ms. Sari was preparing breakfast when Alya suddenly said,
“Ms. Sari, I want to find a job.”
Ms. Sari turned to her.
“A job?”
Alya nodded.
“I can't keep staying here without doing anything.”
“You just got here.”
“I know.”
Alya smiled.
“But I want to start my life over.”
Ms. Sari nodded slowly.
“There happens to be a bakery looking for an employee.”
Alya's eyes brightened slightly.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“At the edge of town.”
Alya smiled.
“Maybe I can give it a try.”
That afternoon, Alya walked to the bakery.
She wore simple clothes and covered part of her face with a mask.
Not because she was afraid of being recognized.
But because she wanted to truly become someone new.
When she arrived, the shop's owner welcomed her right away.
“You're Alya?”
“Yes, ma'am.”
“I heard you're looking for work.”
Alya nodded.
“I can cook and help with the shop.”
The woman smiled.
“Luckily, we do need someone.”
Alya could hardly believe it.
“So I got the job?”
“Starting tomorrow.”
Alya smiled in relief.
“Thank you, ma'am.”
For the first time since leaving Adrian's home, she felt she had something worth fighting for.
A new life.
A new place.
And new hope.
Meanwhile...
A black car sped out of town.
Adrian sat silently in the back seat.
His assistant had just received word that there was no trace of Alya to be found in the area.
“Should we return to Jakarta, sir?”
Adrian gazed out the window.
After a while, he nodded.
“For now.”
The car continued on.
Without Adrian knowing...
The home he was searching for was actually only a few kilometers from where he had stood that morning.
Even the bakery where Alya had started working was on the same street as the hotel where Adrian had been staying.
It was just that...
One small decision kept them from ever meeting.
That night, Alya sat on the porch of Ms. Sari's home.
In her hands was a medical examination photo kept inside an envelope.
She stared at it for a long time.
Then she smiled through tear-filled eyes.
“I'll protect you.”
She gently stroked her stomach.
“I don't know what the future holds for us.”
“But I promise...”
Alya drew a breath.
“We won't go back to the life we had before.”
In the distance, the sound of a vehicle grew fainter and fainter.
Alya didn't know that Adrian had already left town.
And Adrian didn't know that the woman he had been searching for was starting a new life only a few kilometers from where he was.
For now, fate was still keeping them apart.
And Alya had managed to disappear once again.