Part 33.


    The day has turned dark. The clock shows 7:50 PM WIB. ra and Joe are sitting together in the living room on the second floor.


    “Uncle,” ra called out, looking up at Joe who was sitting on the sofa.


    “Yes, dear,” Joe replied, diverting his attention from the sales graphs on his tablet screen. He met ra’s gaze.


    “After seeing this photo, I’m sure Uncle was very handsome back in high school!” ra eximed, examining a photo she got from Doctor Gaston.


    “Where did you get that photo?” Joe asked, observing ra who was busy exchanging messages with the doctor.


    “From Doctor Gaston!” ra replied honestly. “I asked for it!” she added.


    “Hmm… are you idolizing me that much, ra?” Joe asked, cing the sleek gadget he was holding down and leaning closer to look at ra’s phone screen.


    “Three M’s, Uncle!” ra replied, smiling, revealing her dimples that made her look very sweet.


    “Is that 3M? Health protocol?” Joe raised an eyebrow, gazing fondly at the 17-year-old girl.


    “Love,”


    “Caring,”


    “Desire for you!”


    ra bit her lower lip, watching Joe’s reaction. Joe pinched her cheek and then said, “I feel the same way!” The next moment, Joe nted a kiss on the lips of the girl he liked.


    ra pulled the corners of her lips when Joe released his lips.


    “Uncle,” ra whispered. She dared to ask about something that had been bothering her for a long time.


    “What?” Joe replied, returning ra’s gaze with love.


    “How many times has Uncle been in a rtionship?” ra asked.


    “Never, ra, but I’ve been married once!” he answered. “I used to admire Vivian, I was only focused on her and was going to make her my wife. But… you know how it is now, only disappointment I got!” he said.


    “How many women has Uncle kissed?” ra inquired. Her curiosity about the man was very high.


    “Two, my ex-wife and you!” Joe replied firmly.


    “Seriously? Isn’t a sessful businessman like Uncle Joe usually into one-night stands or something like that?” the girl forced her conversation partner to answer.


    “No, ra, I’m not like that, only two women I’ve kissed, my ex-wife and YOU!” Joe replied, looking at ra affectionately.


    Silence.


    They stared at each other and exchanged smiles. Long. Happiness filled their hearts, not wanting this moment to end. Simple, yet close. In Joe’s heart, there arose a desire to have ra soon, to marry her, and to express his love openly without hiding anymore.


    “ra.”


    “Yes, Uncle.”


    “I can’t wait to make you my wife, you’re obedient, so different from my ex-wife!” he said. “After the opening of the third Blue Jewelry branch, I’ll start seriously thinking about our rtionship. You don’t mind, right, still being in college but getting married?” Their eyes met.


    ra nodded. What else could she look for? Joe was everything to her. Her other dreams she could fulfill with him.


    “Before, I intended to be the guardian at your wedding, ra, and now I want to be your future husband!” Joe quipped with a chuckle. Unconsciously, he had fallen for ra too deeply.


    Tap.


    Tap.


    Tap.


    Footsteps could be heard, more than one person walking up the stairs. ra and Joe started to keep their distance. ra sat below, while Joe sat on the far end of the sofa.


    “Papa!” Kimmy called out cheerfully as she arrived home.


    “Yes!” Joe replied, opening his arms for his little daughter.


    “I’m happy, ying with Grandma and Grandpa!” she replied. Kimmy let go of the hug and hugged ra. “Big sister ra, this is for you!” Kimmy handed over a box containing several candies and snacks for children.


    “Thank you, Kimmy!” ra kissed the little girl’s cheek.


    “From now on, I will take Kimmy out more often to meet her Grandma and Grandpa!” Vivian said. She sat down and prepared to rest. Joe didn’t respond.


    Vivian’s gaze shifted to ra, who was joking around with her daughter. There was a sense of pity seeing the girl. For a moment, she agreed with Alex’s suggestion not to dirty her hands and do something bad with the girl. There were still other ways.


    Vivian nodded, ns and evil ideas crossed her mind.


    “Kimmy!” Vivian called out.


    “Yes, Mom!” the 4-year-old girl replied.


    “Mama will rest now, okay!” she said. She looked at Joe with an exhausted expression. However, her ex-husband seemed indifferent.


    “Sister ra, Kimmy will sleep now!” Kimmy asked for permission. She didn’t seem ready to part with ra.


    “Yes.” ra nted a kiss on Kimmy’s cheek again.


    Kimmy stood up and looked at Joe.


    “Papa!”


    “Yes.”


    “I want to sleep with Papa and Mama!” she requested.


    “Kimmy, you’ll sleep with Mama only!” Joe persuaded her. It was impossible for him to sleep in the same bed with Vivian again. He also wanted to respect ra’s feelings.


    “No, I don’t want to, I want to sleep with Mama and Papa!” she whined, her face turning red and tears welling up.


    Meanwhile, Vivian remained silent. It was the beginning of the scenario she had nned.


    “Don’t cry, Papa and Mama will apany you to sleep!” Joe coaxed her, then lifted Kimmy to her room.


    Vivian, who was walking at the back, turned to ra. “I won!” she whispered, raising her hand.


    ra snorted in annoyance. Especially when she saw the bedroom door closed. Her mind started to run wild with suspicions seeing Joe and Vivian in the same room.


    “Huufttt!”


    ra’s hand reached for the remote to turn off the TV. She walked angrily towards her room.


    He closed the door and immediatelyy down on the bed.


    “I should sleep too!” ra said tofort herself, feeling jealous. She widened the nket and hid under its wide fabric.


    One.


    Two.


    Three.


    ra opened her nket. She couldn’t sleep. Instead, she kept guessing what was happening inside Joe’s room.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    “Uncle Joe, Aunt Vivian, what are you doing in there! Hufft!” ra’s mind started to get chaotic.


    Her heart burned. Jealousy, suspicion, and bad assumptions overwhelmed her. She got up from her bed, pacing back and forth without finding a solution.


    “I’m jealous, Uncle!”


    Finally, ra decided to go to Kimmy’s room. She opened the door and walked down the hallway to Kimmy’s room.


    In front of Kimmy’s door.


    “Knock!”


    “No!”


    “Knock!”


    “No!” ra whispered as she kept thinking.


    And…


    Knock.


    Knock.


    Knock.


    ra knocked loudly on the door and quickly ran back to her room, afraid of getting caught.


    ==?==


    Kimmyy in Vivian’s embrace. Meanwhile, Joe just sat on the edge of the bed. There was no intention to talk to Vivian. His heart was already deeply wounded. There was no second chance for his ex-wife.


    “Joe,” Vivian called softly. She sat up, letting go of the hug as Kimmy had fallen asleep.


    “I’m leaving now because Kimmy is asleep!” Joe interrupted, not intending to engage in conversation with Vivian.


    “Wait!” Vivian insisted. Joe wouldn’t easily win back his heart; she needed a clear reason. Kimmy was the strongest reason.


    “What?” Joe stopped in his tracks, worried. Although he had sent a message to ra, the girl hadn’t read it yet.


    “Don’t you see!” Vivian walked closer to Joe.


    Joe stepped back, unwilling to be so close to his ex-wife.


    “Kimmy wants her parents to be together again, she wants us both to reunite!” Vivian said. “Let’s forgive each other and start over!” she urged.


    Silence.


    Joe clenched his fists. How could Vivian say that so easily after everything she had done?


    “We’re done! I’m not interested in going through it again!” Joe said tly. Disgusted! Disgusted with Vivian.


    “But…”


    “Enough!” Joe prepared to leave. However, Vivian swiftly hugged him from behind, preventing Joe from leaving.


    “I still love you, I beg you, I hope we can reconcile. This is for Kimmy, I beg you!” Vivian continued to hug Joe from behind, showing no intention of letting go.


    “Stop it!” Joe pushed away Vivian’s hands harshly and left Kimmy’s room.


    He decided to go to ra’s room.


    To be Continued.