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Nice people around

Lily's morning routine has changed. In the past, she used to love making Ryan's favorite breakfast. Preparing his work shirts, cleaning his shoes, and even putting on his tie was something she did every day.

Since one month ago, when she relinquished her status as Ryan's legal wife, her habit in the morning was to look at the photo of her late father that was neatly displayed in a gold frame. She misses her father.

She was not ready to be left behind, but fate seemed to force it. Lily always held the necklace her father gave her two years ago, before her marriage to Rayyan. It was a white gold necklace with a star and moon pendant, with her name engraved on one of the pendants.

Her father said the pendant had a philosophy. Be like a star, even though it is far away, but its light is bright to the earth, and be like the moon, which remains faithful to circling the earth even though it is sometimes neglected.

"Still thinking about Uncle Henry?" Sandy's hoarse voice startled Lily, who was still holding the necklace while staring at her father's picture frame. She turned her head and nodded. "Let it go; don't be sad; Uncle Henry will be sad too."

"I'm not sad. I just miss him."

Sandy gently rubbed Lily's arm and took her out of the room. It was time for breakfast. Lily followed Sandy and sat down to enjoy the nutritious breakfast that her best friend had made.

"Are you coming to the cafe today?" Lily nodded. She had a happy smile on her face because it had been a long time since she had accompanied her best friend to sell various foods and drinks. "How's your boutique?"

"It's already taken care of. I'll be there tomorrow," Lily replied. She already had a spoonful of her favorite porridge in her hand, ready to be devoured.

"But tomorrow is your appointment with the gynecologist. I'll take you there; I don't think Bagas can make it." Sandy opened her phone and looked at the calendar. He nodded, mumbling briefly in a low voice.

"Where is Steve?" Lily asked curiously. She had not seen Bagas at the café or Sandy's house for two days.

"He went out of town. He said he wanted to surprise you. Later, when he comes home, you pretend to be surprised," suggested Sandy, who was nodded by Lily. Her best friend loved to play pranks on Steve.

"Is it? How come the surprise is for me, not for you?" Lily quipped, which felt like a joke. Tya stopped eating. Her face was tense, as if she were thinking about something. Lily felt bad and corrected her words. "I mean, who knew the surprise would be for you?"

Lily smiled until all her white teeth were visible. Actually, Sandy was not angry; it was just that she was annoyed with Lily's attitude, which seemed to pretend to be tough and dislike Steve's figure.

"Ly, how long are you dodging? I've said many times that I don't like Steve. On the contrary, Steve likes you, Lily. Go back to him, like two years ago. He is still waiting for you."

Sandy grasped Lily's hand, who began to look down to avoid Sandy's gaze. Her hands were shaking, and so were her shoulders. Her breathing went up and down with a labored rasp.

"Steve deserves a better woman than me, Sandy."

"What if he wants you? Please forget your past with that brainless jerk," Sandy said emotionally.

Lily replied, "But he is the father of my child."

Sandy let out an annoyed sigh. She stood up from her seat and grabbed the plate that still had a third of the porridge left. Her mood had dropped again, but she couldn't vent. Lily was still very sensitive about discussing romance and relationships with new men.

"I'm going to take a shower. You just wait on the terrace."

Sandy left Lily is still sitting at the dining table with a huge sense of guilt. She had disappointed her best friend. She fully understood what she was talking about, but she couldn't deny that there was still a little love left in her heart for her ex-husband.

Sandy's café was quite busy. Even though it wasn't very big, the typical young people's nuance that it brought could make a lot of customers come. Especially students.

Lily, who came just to watch, now helps her best friend mix drinks and sometimes serves at the cash register. She is used to it. When Sandy first opened the cafe, she was the first person to help him.

"Welcome to M Cafe." What would you like to order, sis?" greeted Lily in her distinctively melodious voice. Her sweet smile spread gently across her face.

One customer, who was a frequent visitor to Sandy's cafe, ordered his favorite food and drink. He was surprised to see Lily, who was a stranger, in this cafe.

"You just started working here?" he asked. His hand pointed at Lily, making her nod with a friendly smile.

"Yes, I'm new here."

"May I introduce myself?"

Lily widened her eyes. It was not the customer who had ordered earlier, but someone standing behind him waving his hand.

"Scott?"

Lily hurriedly finished the order and left the cashier to one of the staff members there. Her face brightened as she saw the man who had greeted her earlier. Lily still remembered Scott, one of Ryan's cousins who lived in Paris. Whether she should cry or be happy, she could meet him in this place.

"How are you, Lily?" Scott extended his hand, and Lily welcomed it.

"Fine. How are you?"

Scott invited Lily to sit on one of the cafe chairs. He wanted to talk to Lily, whom he had not seen for a long time. Scott was grateful that his cousin's ex-wife looked beautiful and fresh.

"I am fine. I looked for you everywhere, but you were never there. You rarely go to the boutique?" Scott asked. In fact, he was a little suspicious of Lily's protruding belly under her loose dress. Lily's stature was also getting fuller.

"Yes, very rarely."

Scott reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a neat-looking invitation card. It was white and had a ribbon at the end. Instantly, Lily's heart beat faster and faster, almost making her fall as she felt it outside.

"Here is an invitation letter from Ryan. He's getting married next week. Earlier, he told me to go to your boutique, but since you weren't around, I came here. My memory is big enough to remember that you once invited me to hang out at this cafe after my breakup," she said while showing the invitation card.

"I-this..." Lily raised her face and looked at Abi with sad eyes.

"Please forgive Ryan's behavior. The Eldison family and I are actually very angry about how he treated you. Uncle gave him an ultimatum, but he ignored it. Now they're off the hook," Scott continued.

Lily grabbed the invitation and opened the pages. She slowly read Ryan's name next to Sarah's. She quickly closed it as a bead of clear water fell down her soft cheeks. Her teeth chattered, and her hands clenched tightly in annoyance. But the next second, she smiled. A forced smile.

"If there are no obstacles, I will probably come. Thank you in advance." Lily took the invitation and grasped it tightly.

"If you're not strong, don't come. Or if you want, being my partner for one day is fine too," Scott said, showing off his arm, and then added, "My arm is ready to hold you."

Lily smiled. Scott was indeed an outgoing and humorous person. He often comforted Lily when she was sad and even fought with Ryan during a dispute. Unfortunately, Lily lost Scott when he decided to help her father's company there. Lily felt like she had lost one of the people who encouraged her.

"Your girlfriend will get jealous."

"Says who? I'm still single. If you want, you can sign up," he joked.

Apparently, that remark made someone who was standing at the pantry table furious. Now that person walked over to the table where Lily and Scott were sitting and talking.

"You're Ryan's cousin, right?" Scott turned his head, frowning as he remembered who the woman who had just reprimanded him was. "Why are you here?"

"Yes. Oh, I'm here to give Lily an invitation. Whether you want to come or not, the important thing is that the mandate has been carried out," she said innocently.

Sandy snatched the invitation and read it. "Oh, that asshole is getting married? That's amazing. Lily, you just come with Steve and show off to the guests there."

Lily shook her head and said, "Steve is not a toy. Let it be; I'll come alone if possible."

Scott just remembered. The Steve that Lily and her best friend were talking about was Bagas, her ex-boyfriend before Lily married Ryan. Reportedly, he was also still waiting for Lily's status, who was still Ryan's wife at the time.

"The Steve who works at the law firm?" Scott asked. The two women in front of him turned their heads and nodded simultaneously.

"Do you know him?"

"Uhmm... I met him once or twice when I went to his office. When I took care of the transfer of heirs," Scott remembered that he talked with Steve.

They even had lunch together. It was clear from the look on his face that he still loved Lily.

Would his wait this time be fruitful? Scott was worried. Even after the separation and official widowhood, Lily still had many people after her. It was stupid of Ryan to let Lily go.

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