Bittersweet Arrangements : A Sugar Dady Affair

Vanessa got up from Jeremy’s lap while straightening her disheveled nightgown, leaving Jeremy still sitting there, puzzled.

“You, seriously!” Vanessa exclaimed, then hurriedly went inside the room to catch up with Elena, who had run to the bathroom.

Meanwhile, Jeremy rose from his seat, scratching his head in confusion. In his mind, various arguments were conflicting, debating whether Elena was vomiting due to illness or if she had witnessed the intimate scene with Vanessa on the balcony. If the former was true, he had nothing to worry about, but if it was the latter, he would have to explain to Elena until she fully understood.

The warm tea was ready, and now he just had to get Elena’s medicine from her room. After preparing the medicine, Jeremy went downstairs to return to their bedroom.

Elena, lying on the bed, looked at her parents alternately with a strange expression. Vanessa, realizing the meaning behind Elena’s gaze, immediately hid her blushing face by grabbing the warm tea Jeremy had just placed on the nightstand. Elena’s gaze had already provided the answer – she had indeed witnessed the mature scene between Jeremy and Vanessa.

Vanessa assisted Elena in taking her medicine and then tucked her into bed. Meanwhile, Jeremy remained silent, staring at his daughter, trying to find answers to his curiosity. His mind went blank, imagining the forthcoming barrage of questions from Elena. He needed to prepare logical answers so that Elena wouldn’t misinterpret what she had seen or heard.

“Why were Mommy and Daddy on the balcony?” Elena innocently asked, revealing her imitation of people kissing by intertwining her fingers.

“Thank goodness!” Jeremy unintentionally blurted out, feeling relieved. Vanessa also breathed a sigh of relief.

“Why ‘thank goodness’?” Elena was confused by Jeremy’s odd response, not matching her question.

“I felt relieved because you’re feeling better now, right?” Jeremy quickly improvised his response.

“I felt gross and nauseous seeing Dad and Mom…” Elena continued, mimicking the act of kissing with her fingers.

Cough… Cough… Cough… Jeremy immediately started coughing upon hearing Elena’s confession. Reflexively, his hand pounded his chest as if trying to make it easier to breathe. It was true; Elena had witnessed their intimate moment. Vanessa’s face turned pale as she couldn’t find words to say.

The next day, after visiting several of his cafes, Jeremy headed straight to Devan’s workshop. He needed to hear directly from Devan’s mouth if what Elena had said was true – whether they had just slept together or if there was more to it.

The glossy black Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport came to a stop right in front of an auto workshop with a sign that read “The Doctor’s Car.” Devan, who was earnestly inspecting a car engine belonging to one of his customers, didn’t notice that one of his friends had arrived, especially since Lucky hadn’t informed him. Devan waved his hand in greeting to Jeremy, paying no mind to his still dirty hands.

“Unusual for you to show up without notice,” Devan greeted with a broad smile.

“Do I have to give you notice every time I want to come here?” Jeremy countered with a smile.

“Lucky, you continue my work!” Devan ordered his employee. “Shall we go inside?” he invited Jeremy and walked towards his office.

Inside, Devan promptly headed to the sink to clean his hands. Jeremy took a seat on the comfortable sofa in Devan’s office, surveying the entire room that had been renovated just a week ago. The office, once cramped, now felt spacious with several new facilities, including a refrigerator, cozy guest sofas, neatly arranged automotive magazines and books on shelves in the corner, all complemented by a masculine white and silver interior design.

“Good!” Jeremy praised Devan for his new, comfortable office.

“Thanks, I used the interior design recommended by Arfan,” Devan explained, satisfied with the result. It was exactly what he had envisioned.

“If your office is this comfortable, it might become a problem, Devan…,” Jeremy teased intentionally. “You might end up enjoying the bachelor life even more,” he smirked, successfully dodging a retort from Devan. Jeremy was puzzled – he was the one living the bachelor life, yet his five friends were the ones making a fuss about his decision to remain single.

“Enough! Now, tell me what the problem is that made you bother to come to my workshop?” Devan said, placing two cold drinks on the table in front of them.

Devan looked at Jeremy, who seemed relaxed but observant. There were only two reasons why his friends would come without making an appointment: either for car service or due to an urgent issue. Jeremy didn’t immediately answer. The man with the left-parted hair, slightly long, reached for the bottle in front of him, opened it, and took a sip.

While still holding the bottle, Jeremy spoke, “Is it true that Elena slept with you?” His words were soft but firm and demanding. Now, Jeremy stared at Devan with a serious expression.

“Hahaha… I knew Elena would confess about us sleeping together to you and Vanessa,” Devan replied, laughing. However, Jeremy appeared tense instead.

“Isn’t it normal for me to sleep with my own daughter?” Devan responded, stopping his laughter, then threw a scrutinizing look. “Why would you suspect me of doing anything to Elena?”

That pointed question instantly left Jeremy stunned. Of course, Devan would never have any malicious intentions towards his daughter. He should know that.

“Not like that, Devan. I’m actually worried that Elena might be bothering you. You know how innocent she is,” Jeremy dodged, breathing a sigh of relief.

“It’s all because of your upbringing. You should give Elena a little freedom. It’s like flying a kite, Jem. There are times when we need to loosen or release the string so that the kite can fly freely. But when strong winds disturb its balance, we must quickly pull it back. So, we set it free but still under our close supervision. We are controllers but not dictators, you know, a give and take,” explained Devan, patting his troubled friend on the shoulder.

Jeremy fell silent, acknowledging all of Devan’s words. Now, his heart began to open, and he felt the urge to introspect.

***

Elsewhere, Elena observed Vanessa checking each flower in the garden. The garden, mostly dominated by orchid plants, was well-maintained. Vanessa entrusted its care to a family gardener.

Elena slowly moved the rattan swing she was on and lay down, enjoying the cool air, combined with the effects of the medicine that made her close her eyes. After ensuring all the flowers in the garden were in good condition, Vanessa left the garden. However, Vanessa burst into laughter when she saw Elena sound asleep on the swing. Not wanting to wake her, Vanessa decided to grab her phone, magazines, and catalogs for entertainment.

“Endah, please make me a cup of coffee,” Vanessa requested as one of her helpers passed by.

“Yes, Mrs. Vanessa,” Endah replied, heading to the kitchen, while Vanessa went into her room.

Vanessa returned to the garden shortly after with a cup of coffee, sitting in a wooden chair not far from Elena’s swing. At this time of the morning, the house was usually quiet. Her three children were at school, and she would go to the boutique, returning when school was out to spend time with the family. Jeremy’s work was always unpredictable-sometimes at the cafe, checking his villa on Watu Kodok Beach, or handling his business in Surabaya. Despite Jeremy’s busy schedule, he often found time to be at home with the family.

Vanessa was grateful because Jeremy always prioritized the family above everything else. The two assistants Jeremy had were helpful when they had to travel out of town, such as their recent trip to Kediri, East Java. They didn’t have to worry about work.

After sipping her coffee, Vanessa began to browse through the Muslim clothing catalog she held, selecting a few suitable models for her boutique collection.

From a distance, Jeremy, who had just returned home, smiled broadly at the sight of his two beloved women. After meeting Devan, he intentionally went straight home. His emotions were in turmoil, and the only remedy was to embrace his beloved wife.

“Feels so good,” Jeremy said, kissing Vanessa’s cheek.

“Why are you home at this hour?” Vanessa replied, surprised.

Suddenly, Jeremy grinned when he saw Elena sound asleep on the swing and whispered, “Want compensation for last night.” Vanessa immediately shook her head. Last night was enough, especially since they were caught by Elena.

But Jeremy didn’t care. He quickly took the catalog from Vanessa’s hand and placed it on the table. Then, he pulled Vanessa’s hand to leave the garden and go to their room. Jeremy continued to force Vanessa’s hand, still resisting until they reached the bedroom. Not wanting a repeat of last night, Jeremy promptly locked the door tightly, ensuring no one would disturb their activities.