Chapter 9 — Leaving Before It's Too Late
That night, Alya couldn't sleep.
The image of Adrian standing in front of the store kept replaying in her mind.
He had really come.
And earlier, he had been only a few yards away.
Alya closed her eyes and drew a deep breath.
"I have to leave."
The decision felt heavy.
It had only been a few days since she'd begun to enjoy a peaceful life.
Only a few days since she'd started getting used to her new job.
And yet she had to leave everything behind again.
For the sake of something far more important.
Alya got out of bed.
She pulled a small suitcase from underneath it.
She put her clothes inside one by one.
There wasn't much.
Just like when she had left Adrian's home.
Only this time, her heart felt much heavier.
Bu Sari suddenly knocked on the door.
"Alya?"
Alya quickly wiped away her tears.
"Yes, Bu."
The door opened.
Bu Sari saw the suitcase on the bed.
"Are you leaving?"
Alya nodded.
"Tomorrow morning."
"Why?"
Alya fell silent.
"Adrian has found this town."
Bu Sari's expression changed.
"Your husband?"
"Yes."
Bu Sari sat down beside her.
"Are you sure you want to keep hiding?"
Alya lowered her face.
"I'm not afraid to see him, Bu."
"Then what is it?"
Alya clenched the hem of her shirt.
"I'm afraid he'll find out the real reason I left."
Bu Sari stared at her for a long time.
"You're still keeping that secret?"
Alya nodded.
"He can't know."
"Why?"
Alya's tears fell.
"Because if he finds out..."
She stopped.
"He might come back not because he loves me."
Bu Sari fell silent.
Alya touched her stomach.
"I don't want my child to be the reason Adrian comes back to me."
On the other side of town, Adrian was still at the hotel.
He hadn't slept yet.
On the table lay a photograph of Alya that had been found among some old documents.
Adrian stared at it for a long time.
"Why did you go so far away?"
For the first time, he truly questioned himself.
For two years, Alya had always been by his side.
Yet he had never really seen her. He had never asked if she was all right. He had never asked what she wanted. Even when Alya asked for a divorce, he had still assumed she was merely angry. Now he was beginning to understand. Alya really did want to leave him.
His phone rang. "Sir."
His assistant's voice came through.
"The car we used earlier to look for Mrs. Alya has been checked. There's footage from the terminal."
Adrian immediately sat up straight. "Show me."
His assistant sent him a video.
Adrian played it. In the footage, Alya could be seen boarding a bus a few days earlier. Adrian paid close attention to the bus number.
"Where does this bus go?"
"We're looking into it, sir."
"Find out."
"Yes, sir."
Adrian ended the call.
His gaze returned to Alya's photograph. "This time, I won't lose your trail."
The next morning.
Alya left Bu Sari's house before sunrise. She didn't want anyone to see her leave.
Bu Sari hugged her tightly. "Be careful."
Alya nodded. "Thank you for everything, Bu."
"Where are you going?"
Alya gave a small smile. "I don't know."
She had no definite destination. She knew only one thing: she had to get as far away from Adrian as possible.
Alya boarded the first bus that stopped at the terminal. Before the bus started moving, she looked out the window. The small town slowly receded into the distance.
Tears fell from her eyes. "Goodbye."
Several hours later...
Adrian's car entered the small town. He got out and strode forward. But when he reached Bu Sari's house, there was no one there.
Adrian knocked on the door.
There was no answer.
He knocked again.
Finally, a neighbor came out of the house next door.
"Excuse me, who are you looking for?"
"I'm looking for Alya."
The woman fell silent for a moment, then said, "If you mean the young woman who was staying with Bu Sari..."
Adrian turned to her immediately. "Where is she?"
"She left this morning."
Adrian's chest tightened. "Where did she go?"
"I don't know."
Adrian stared at the empty road ahead of him.
Once again.
He was too late.
He pulled out his phone. "Check every bus that left the terminal this morning."
His assistant answered, "Yes, sir."
Adrian ended the call.
Before getting into the car, something near the fence caught his eye—a small hair ribbon. Adrian picked it up. He recognized it as Alya's.
His hand curled into a fist. "I will find you."
Meanwhile, the bus carrying Alya continued on its way. Alya sat alone in the very back seat. She held her bag tightly in her arms. She didn't know where she was going. But this time, she felt a little relieved. At least for now, Adrian had failed to find her again.
Alya gazed out the window. But without realizing it, inside her bag was a document that would change everything if it ever fell into Adrian's hands.
And the farther the bus carried her, the closer Alya came to a truth she could no longer hide forever.