[101]
Darren had already had enough time to spend with the beautiful woman who had captured his heart. As the night crept on, he had to let his beloved go home. Darren also needed to go home to release the fatigue and tiredness from his journey from Surabaya, which had drained his energy. However, in that state, he was still willing to endure more fatigue to get closer to Chloe.
The night air felt chilly, but Darren continued to smile as he walked along. He imagined Chloe’s sweet smile as if it didn’t want to leave his mind. That smile warmed his heart, calmed his mind, and lightened the burden Darren carried on his shoulders. When he thought about how Chloe still didn’t want to discuss marriage, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. However, he patiently tried to understand his beloved. “It’s not a big deal if I have to wait and wait again, Chloe. My heart belongs to you completely, and I will wait for you to open your heart without any doubts. And I will prove that I am different from your past. I will never betray you and do my best to avoid hurting you.” Though in a soft voice, his words were sincere from the depths of his heart.
Chloe, who had just arrived home, was also filled with joy. A light smile appeared on her face several times, a restrained one she didn’t want anyone else to see. Chloe was happy, and she had high hopes for the relationship she was currently in. She lay down on her bed slowly, then grabbed a pillow and hugged it with a smile. If anyone saw her, they would surely think she was crazy.
That smile lasted for a few seconds on Chloe’s face before it turned into a somber expression. The beautiful widow realized that her meeting with Darren earlier, while leaving behind happiness, also brought a hint of disappointment that Darren had hidden.
“Marriage? Can I do it? Am I capable? The wounds left by Leonel are not fully healed, and perhaps they will never disappear completely.” She spoke softly while staring blankly at the wall of her room. The painful memories of her marriage being tarnished by the presence of a third person were deeply ingrained in her mind. “Forget it? Maybe it will take a lifetime for me to forget. The pain still lingers,” Chloe said, pressing her chest firmly.
She let out a long sigh, and Chloe got up, heading to the bathroom to freshen up before bed. She didn’t want to dwell too much on things that would only weigh her down. Although she had tried to bridge the gap with Darren, she wouldn’t force herself to discuss marriage with him. Experiencing failure made her think a thousand times, making her feel like a wicked woman. On the one hand, she knew Darren was good, and she let him stay by her side, close to her. However, on the other hand, she didn’t dare to provide any certainty, like marriage. “I will think about it slowly. Rushing it and ending up as I did with Leonel yesterday would only cause even deeper pain. It’s better to prepare my heart with enough time; forcing it will never succeed.”
***
Morning arrived, and Darren stretched multiple times before finally opening his eyes after the third stretch. He heard his phone ringing, furrowing his brow as his hand reached for the vibrating object on the nightstand beside his bed.
Chloe’s name appeared on the phone screen, causing Darren to furrow his brow even more. “Hello, Chloe,” he greeted with a hoarse voice. “Why are you calling so early? Are you sick?” he asked, appearing impatient. He was curious why Chloe was calling him so early in the morning. It was a rare occurrence for the beautiful woman to do so.
“You’re still sleeping? Who’s sick? Are you hoping I’m sick? Don’t think just because you’re a doctor, you want me always to be sick.” Chloe’s voice came through loudly and straightforwardly, already sounding beautiful with an expanded smile.
“That’s not what I meant, Chloe. I’m just surprised; it’s not like you to call me this early. Yes, I just woke up. What’s going on?” Darren got up from the bed and stretched as much as he could.
Chloe smiled, although Darren couldn’t see it. “Hurry up and shower, then go to the airport. Let’s go on vacation.”
“Now?!” Darren’s eyes widened in shock mixed with disbelief. Last night, Chloe had mentioned that she would think about it, but suddenly, she invited him to go on a trip immediately in the morning.
“Yes. What do you think? Can you do it? You don’t have to work, right? It’s just for a day; we’ll be back tonight or tomorrow morning.” Chloe spoke confidently. She had booked tickets for a vacation that she had momentarily considered before going to sleep the night before. Stressing over marriage, she suddenly searched for some tourist destinations and spontaneously became enthusiastic about a trip that day.
“Where do you want to go?” Darren asked.
“Bali!” Chloe replied with excitement.
Darren furrowed his brow. “Bali?”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.
“Yes.”
“Why not Santa Monica instead? I could take you to my place,” Darren said jokingly.
“Don’t want to? Alright then, I’ll cancel this vacation.” Chloe pretended to pout, but Darren believed her right away.
“No! Who said I don’t want to? Okay, I’ll shower and head to the airport now. We’ll meet at the airport in an hour, darling.” Darren ended the call without waiting for Chloe’s response.
Chloe furrowed her brow as she looked at her phone screen, which had gone blank. “Darling? I should teach him a lesson for his cheesy remarks.” She smiled meaningfully, feeling as if she had heard a foreign word she secretly desired. Who wouldn’t want to be someone’s darling? Especially Chloe, as a woman, it would be hypocritical to say that she didn’t want to be loved and cared for.
Time passed, and now Chloe and Darren met at the airport. They both looked happy to be going on vacation together.
Bali is one of the most popular islands for tourists to visit. Chloe was also interested in going to that tourist destination, especially with the man who had played a significant role in helping her start her new business in Beverly Hills.
“My success, both in terms of material and mental well-being, is thanks to Darren’s kindness. It wouldn’t hurt to leave the café for a day to repay his kindness for always being good to me.” That’s what Chloe told herself before flying to Bali.
Just over an hour didn’t take long, and Chloe and Darren finally set foot in Bali. They could choose from many tourist destinations, but the central place Chloe wanted to visit was Nusa Dua Beach.
“The beach? At this hour? Wouldn’t it be better to go in the afternoon? We can see the sunset, Chloe.” Darren tried to suggest that Chloe immediately wanted to go to Nusa Dua Beach right away. They had yet to eat, and he hoped they could have a meal in a shaded place, like a restaurant or a hotel.
The atmosphere in Bali was very different from Beverly Hills, feeling much hotter for Chloe, who had been accustomed to the cold weather there for about a year. However, Darren didn’t feel the heat of Yogyakarta as much since he was already used to such weather, as Santa Monica was also known as a hot city. Still looking at Chloe, who insisted on going to the beach; despite only a few minutes in the open space, she was already sweating on her forehead, and droplets of sweat were visible under her nose. Seeing this, Darren wanted to wipe it for her, but he realized they were in a public place, so he held back.
“Are you sure you want to go to Nusa Dua Beach now?” Darren double-checked, and Chloe nodded.
“It’ll take about an hour to get there without traffic. We’ll arrive at noon, Darren. It’s not that I don’t want to, but I don’t want to see you getting overheated. If you’re sweating like this in a place, imagine how hot it will be at the beach,” Darren said, trying to persuade Chloe to change her mind.
Hearing Darren’s words, Chloe seemed to be thinking. She then wiped her sweat with her hand, realizing she was sweating a lot. She glanced at the man before her, feeling embarrassed and impressed. It was indeed pleasant to be someone who received such attention. “What about going to the beach in the afternoon?” she asked.
Darren chuckled for a moment, then gently stroked Chloe’s hair. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Let’s find a place to eat first. We can go to a shaded location, anywhere other than the beach, right?”
“To Denpasar?”
Darren sighed slightly, a little annoyed at the woman before him. “Denpasar is also hot, Chloe. Just check on Google for Bali tourist spots that aren’t too hot. We can go anywhere, as long as it’s not scorching hot. It would be best if you didn’t get overheated. I don’t want to carry you.” He spoke seriously but ended it with a joke that made Chloe grin irritably at him. Although she had listened carefully, trying to find a place that wouldn’t cause her to overheat in the scorching weather.
Chloe then brainstormed, choosing a place that might be better than going to the beach at that moment. Considering the distance and the time it would take, while both of them were hungry, she decided. “Let’s go to Canggu. I want to have goat steak.”
“Okay!” Darren enthusiastically agreed with Chloe’s choice.
The two of them then took a taxi to Canggu, a place in Bali known for its culinary tourism. Chloe and Darren enjoyed their impromptu vacation, indulging in Balinese cuisine, shopping for souvenirs, and even buying matching shirts to look like a couple of teenagers in love.
As the evening approached, Chloe and Darren finally went to Nusa Dua Beach after visiting several other tourist spots.
Chloe lifted the corners of her lips, feeling happy as she took a deep breath when she stepped out of the car, faced with a vast expanse of sea.
Darren also appeared pleased as he set foot on the warm sand.
“Do you like it?” Darren shouted, the seaside wind attacking them, making him raise his voice to match the sound of the coastal breeze.
Chloe nodded firmly. “Yes!” she exclaimed.
“There are many places in Bali, many beaches. Why were you so determined to come here?” Darren shouted, still trying to make himself heard. He and Chloe continued walking, approaching the shoreline to see and hear the crashing waves that pleased the eyes and ears.
“Nusa Dua Beach is like a must-visit place in Bali. If you don’t come here, it feels incomplete, like something is missing.” The woman answered with a smile on her lips.
Not only did they sit and wait for the sunset, but Chloe and Darren also enjoyed the attractions there, riding horses and ATVs, which made them even happier. Unlike the cold atmosphere in Beverly Hills the previous night, now they felt warm, accompanied by the beautiful golden light. They remembered to capture their happiness in photographs as a memento of their successful impromptu vacation.