38.

AMBER'S POV. "AMBER! How could you not tell me that you were getting married together... to the CEO of Handerson Group?!" In the women's groom's room, Pevita and Ruth-two of Asleena's friends, suddenly exclaimed enthusiastically after learning the news of my marriage. They would have squealed out loud had Asleena not immediately stopped them. I immediately looked around first, making sure no one heard the squeals of her two female friends. Once she felt the room was safe, Asleena looked at Ruth and Pevita with an exasperated look. "Why are you screaming like that?" I asked in a voice that was almost a whisper, but full of emphasis. Ruth and Pevita looked at each other with guilty expressions. They covered their mouths in embarrassment, occasionally looking around with cautious gazes. "Okay, fine, we won't yell," Ruth said after lowering her hands. "Why didn't you tell us that you were married to Vincent?!" "Since when were you two close?" Pevita interrupted the conversation, her gaze very serious as she approached Asleena. "Damn, you secretly got a man from a conglomerate family and didn't tell us?" "And you didn't tell us that you're from a conglomerate family, too!" chimed in Ruth, her tone irritated and emphatic. Asleena was at a loss to answer Ruth and Pevita one by one. On the other hand, Asleena tried to calm her two friends down through hand gestures. "Calm down first, don't get excited like that," Asleena replied in the midst of calming Ruth and Pevita. Ruth and Pevita's gazes at that moment seemed to challenge Asleena to explain in detail. Meanwhile, Asleena began to look for ways to explain to Ruth and Pevita. "Alright... I'll explain slowly and one by one." Asleena lowered one of her palms and looked at her two friends in turn. After things started to get serious, Asleena recounted what had happened since she woke up from the accident. Asleena told the story in less detail but in a sequence that Ruth and Pevita understood quickly. While listening to Asleena's explanation, Ruth and Pevita just nodded their heads repeatedly. Ruth and Pevita still let out a rough sigh in unison when Asleena's story was finished. "Still. You should have told us that you were close to Benny," Ruth said with an almost sullen expression on her face. Agreeing with Ruth, Pevita nodded emphatically. "That's right. You've been through a lot of confusing things lately, you shouldn't have to bear them alone." Pevita's words touched Asleena. Asleena's facial expression immediately turned pitiable as she stretched her hands forward. When Pevita was about to hug Asleena, Asleena's eyes suddenly caught the presence of another woman. Asleena frowned in astonishment and her attention was distracted from Pevita who stood waiting for her to hug her. "Asleena?" called Pevita, confirming what had happened to Asleena. Asleena remained silent. Pevita looked at Asleena in more detail, then began to realize that something was bothering her friend. After Pevita's gaze followed where Asleena's gaze was directed, she understood why Asleena looked so confused. There was a woman who looked like she was wearing a bright red dress - really striking. Her gaze was straight at Asleena without a smile or friendly facial expression. Just from that intense gaze, Asleena immediately felt an uncomfortable feeling. For some reason Asleena realized that the woman in front of her seemed to have anger towards her. Even though Asleena had never actually met the woman. "Are you Asleena?" The woman asked after arriving in front of Asleena. Asleena nodded slightly. She felt even worse as the woman's gaze in front of her became more cynical. "Who are you?" Asleena asked. "Excuse me, Miss, if you come but don't know the bride and only want to do harm, you'd better—" Pevita's speech was interrupted after Asleena immediately gave the code to stop talking. Pevita protested to Asleena through facial expressions. But Asleena ignored her. Her gaze remained fixed on the strange woman who had arrived at that moment, and Asleena seriously tried to remember if there had ever been a meeting between them. "Tell me, who are you?" Asleena asked later with a wary expression. "Bella," the woman replied. "And, I know you. I'm not who your friend says I am. I have no evil intentions." "Okay. Then, you can directly explain why you are looking at me like that," Asleena said rather cautiously. She also occasionally looked at other parts of Bella's body, making sure Bella was not someone who hid a weapon behind her back. Bella curved a smile, but somehow there was a cynical aura about her. There was neither warmth nor friendliness on Bella's face. Realizing she was under blatant suspicion, Bella spread her hands out in front of her. "I'm not holding a weapon or anything dangerous," said Bella, who could already read the meaning of Asleena's gaze. In front of Bella, Asleena frowned in surprise that her thoughts could be known. "If you know, we never met, but I know you. More precisely, I know Benny and he introduced you to me," Bella continued. 'What? Benny introduced me to him?' Asleena was confused. "Can we just talk alone?" Bella asked without taking her eyes off Asleena. But her tone was clearly offensive to Ruth and Pevita. Ruth and Pevita were of course surprised that they were referred to in such an unfriendly tone of voice. They wanted to reply to Bella's words, but Asleena again held back. Asleena made gestures of facial expressions, interacting with Ruth and Pevita as if telling them to get out of the way for a while. Meanwhile, Asleena continued to try to convince the two of them to leave this room. Not because Asleena did not appreciate Ruth and Pevita's presence. But because Bella's arrival provoked her curiosity. Unfortunately, Asleesa couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer. Finally, Ruth and Pevita agreed to Asleena's request. With a cautious and annoyed look at Asleena, they walked away. They repeatedly looked back with concern to make sure Asleena was okay. After the room was only left with Asleena and Bella, there was silence for a few seconds. The two looked at each other with expressions that did not show friendliness. "Why did you come here?" Asleena asked. If Bella mentioned Benny's name, it was a sign that she knew Benny. Asleena's hunch suddenly told her that Bella was a woman who had been close to Benny for a long time. "To see how Asleena was finally chosen by Benny," said Bella. In contrast to her words, Bella did not look happy. Asleena could feel Bella's cynical aura. Just from her frown of displeasure, Asleena knew Bella had a special purpose in coming here. "Do you already know who I am?" Bella seemed to be deliberately insinuating Asleena. She raised one eyebrow, provoking Asleena. "I think I know," Asleena replied. She tried to remain calm. "Judging from the way you're talking to me now, you've probably been close to Benny for a long time, right?" Bella was a bit surprised when Asleena managed to guess. But her surprise didn't last long. Bella quickly normalized the look on her face and pretended that she didn't feel anything. "If you already knew, why did you continue the marriage with Benny?" Asleena's eyebrows shot up instantly. She was astonished. "What do you mean?" "You know there was already a woman close to Benny before you. Why continue this marriage?"