---

Wendy twisted the ends of her hair that had just been curled. The brunette color that decorated between her short strands now seemed to make the owner's face brighter than before. Smiling, Wendy continued to look at herself in the mirror.


"How is it, ma'am? Is it okay?" asked a woman dressed all in gray behind her.

The woman with a silver piercing in her right ear then turned around and nodded her head. "It's perfect. Thank you, ma'am."

"Okay, I'll leave, ma'am. He's already inside with the photographer." The woman with a nameplate that read Audy then left Wendy who was still amazed by her own appearance in front of the mirror.


Wendy then got up from the chair. The dressing table provided by Forever Studio, a photo studio in the South New York area, is equipped with light bulbs that adorn the mirror so that anyone standing in front of it gets the best spot to see himself.

Without waiting for long, Wendy immediately left the dressing table and walked out of the room to enter the photo room. As Audy said earlier, her boyfriend, RYan, was already there and seemed to be chatting with a young photographer who was none other than Alan, Ken's best friend.


Technically, Wendy and Alan were not that close. They just knew each other without really getting along.

"How is it? Is it good?" Wendy approached Ryan, then lifted her dress up a little and turned around to show the entirety of her body that looked graceful in the outfit. "This is my favorite color, you know."

Ryan, who was chatting with Alan, turned her head briefly and nodded, before going back to talking to the photographer. Seeing that, Wendy then frowned her face, she felt annoyed. But the short-haired woman chose to wait until Alan finally gave the signal. "Since everything is ready, can we start the photo session now?"

"Of course." asked Wendy to Alan, to which Ryan again only responded casually.

Alan looked at Wendy and Ryan in turn as he noticed the awkwardness. But instead of discussing it, the tall man chose to continue his work. Alan directed some styles for Wendy and Rian who deliberately needed his services to make a couple of photos as a keepsake.

The man who had been Ken's best friend for several years had also heard that the results of today's photo would be used by Wendy as a display during their proposal ceremony. But for some reason, it was Alan's side that said otherwise.

"Okay we're done."

Rian suddenly approached Alan and said, "I'll choose the photo with my girl. I'm going to the toilet."

"Okay," Alan replied simply.

Instead of waiting for Wendy, Rian left the photo room first to go to the studio. Meanwhile, Alan waited for Wendy to come to him. He then showed her some shots from his camera and said, "Do you want to print this out or just want the soft file?"

"Prints are fine, but I ask for soft files too for uploading on social media," Wendy replied.

"Anyway, your dress is nice. It fits you perfectly," Alan praised while looking at Wendy from top to bottom, then smiled, "Did you make it yourself?"

Wendy's eyes widened, gasping slightly because Alan was paying attention to her. In stark contrast to Rian who looked indifferent to her. "Are you paying attention? I swear, I designed this a few weeks ago, I chose the sewer myself, and I also chose the materials myself to make it perfect. How is it? The color isn't too flashy, right?"

Alan nodded his head. "That's good."

"Thank you, Al. Uh, but how come Rian hasn't come back yet?" Wendy looked around the room to make sure that her boyfriend had returned, but unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found. "He said he went to the toilet earlier?"

"Hm, yes."

"Actually, today he promised to pay for all the photos, I usually spend money on him."

Hearing Wendy's story made Alan even more convinced that something was wrong with Rian. He mumbled for a while, before finally saying, "I'll print this down first. You can change first in the powder room if you want."

"Ooh okay."

"You can go downstairs later."

"Okay, ready."

Alan took his camera and left the photo room, which was filled with many interesting props. He had intended to print some of his shots as requested by the client that day, but something caught his eye. When Alan reached the middle of the stairs, a familiar voice greeted his senses.

"Yes, dear. When I'm done here and I get the money from him, I'll definitely go there." Alan's brow furrowed. "Tsk, you don't know, I have to accompany him first if I want to get money. I'll ask for the money first, then I'll go there."

Wow, this is not right!

The footsteps that had previously stopped, now resumed. Alan pretended not to listen to the conversation between Rian under the stairs and immediately entered the printing room on the first floor.

---

"Why are you going home? Did you say you paid for this?" Wendy's voice burst into Alan's senses. He was busy tidying up the soft photo files when Wendy and Rian argued in front of him. "And now you want to ask for more money? You already spent a million yesterday. What was that for, I ask?"

"Honey... it's for me and my siblings to eat at home. How could you bear to see me not eat?" Rian held Wendy's hand and rubbed it gently. "I need money today because I want to pay my younger brother's tuition fees, later if there is money, I will immediately replace it."

Hearing that, made Alan feel disgusted with Rian's attitude. He then pulled the flash drive Wendy had given him from the CPU and cleared his throat. "It's done."

Wendy looked at Alan, her annoyed-looking face couldn't be lied to at all. "So how much is the total?"

"The same total as the printing and makeup service, five hundred thousand rupiah," Alan said frankly. "Do you want cash or debit?"

"Debit," said Wendy quickly. She then took out one of her debit cards and gave it to Alan. "Here."

"Honey," Rian interrupted suddenly. "What about my money? I have to go to my sister's school now, you know."

Furious, Wendy pushed Rian's hand away from her. She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest after Alan accepted her debit card. "Can't you wait until the photo is printed? You can go to the school later. Or tomorrow morning."

"Duh, I have to go to school now, honey," Rian said forcefully. The man's hand pulled Wendy's arm and kissed the back of her hand gently. "Please, huh?"

Wendy chuckled, then took out some money from her bag, and gave it to the man who kept forcing her. "Here."

"Muah!" A peck landed on Wendy's cheek, before the man finally got up and said, "I'll go first, darling."

Rian left without further ado. Making the twenty-seven-year-old woman continue to pucker her lips forward.

"Are you sure he's faithful?" said Alan suddenly.

Wendy looked up, seeing Alan who was now staring at her. "What do you mean?"

---