Bara remained silent. He didn't give any answer-not because he didn't want to, but because he had no idea how to explain his situation. Yes, he was married, but the marriage was only ceremonial. Legally, it meant nothing. He hadn't signed a single document before or after the wedding. No marriage registration, no report to the Civil Registry Office, and no record at the Implementing Agency.

In other words, his marriage did not exist in the eyes of the law. And because of that, he wouldn't need a divorce certificate if he chose to separate from his so-called wife.

"Master Bara?" Doctor Lissa called when she noticed he was lost in thought.

"It's fine. I'm married," Bara finally replied flatly.

"Oh-my apologies. I didn't know. I've never seen your wife come here. In that case, you probably won't need a babysitter to help take care of your daughter," Doctor Lissa said gently. She sounded more concerned about the baby's future care than about Bara's personal life.

"Yes. Thank you again, Doctor, for taking such good care of my daughter. I'm sorry-I have to go," Bara said before quickly excusing himself.

He had already ordered an online taxi earlier. Now, with some difficulty, he got into the car while holding tiny Bellyca. Even though Bara had watched countless tutorials on Google-how to carry a newborn, how to care for one, what to prepare-everything still felt awkward and foreign to him.

After arriving at the small rented house, Bara paid the driver, stepped inside, and placed Bellyca gently into the crib he had bought the day before.

Only after making sure she was settled did he return to his laptop to resume his work.

But the moment he placed his hands on the keyboard, a small cry pierced the room.

Bara shot up and went to the crib. "What's wrong, Bellyca? Is Daddy's little girl hungry?" he asked softly, touching her tiny hand with gentle worry.

But the baby only cried louder.

Bara quickly prepared formula milk, glancing back and forth at her as she cried. Thankfully, he had placed all the supplies in his room to make feeding easier.

After shaking the bottle and checking the temperature-just like the nurse taught him-he lifted the baby again.

"The milk is ready. Come here, sweetheart," he whispered, placing the bottle at her lips.

Immediately, Bellyca latched on hungrily. Bara held the bottle patiently until she finished her fill and slowly drifted back to sleep.

"Are you full now? Daddy's going to get back to work, alright?" he whispered to the peacefully sleeping baby.

Bara washed the bottle in the kitchen before returning to the desk. He focused on his design work again.

But two hours later-

"Waaah...!"

The baby cried again.

Bara sighed softly, feeling both tired and amused. He rose, prepared another bottle, and fed her again. Once full, she slept once more.

However, the moment Bara sat down again-

"Waaah...!"

"What is it now, honey? Didn't you just drink milk?" he muttered, feeling his panic rise.

He immediately searched Google: Why does a baby cry even after feeding?

The answer was clear.

Bara quickly lifted her and placed her on the bed. When he opened her swaddle, he saw that the cloth underneath was already drenched.

"Oh gosh... your diaper is full. Daddy is so sorry, sweetheart. Daddy forgot to check," he said with an embarrassed smile as he changed her diaper.

Wrapping her back in a swaddle was another challenge. Bara tried several times, but no matter how he folded it, the wrap still looked messy and loose-even though the nurse had taught him yesterday.

"Bellyca, why is this so hard? Never mind... a little messy is okay. Daddy tried," Bara chuckled helplessly.

He cleaned the small carpet underneath her bed, then placed her back in the crib. Thankfully, Bellyca fell asleep again, breathing softly.

---

And that became Bara's life for the next two exhausting yet meaningful weeks-working while caring for his infant daughter day and night. Feed, clean, soothe, work, repeat.

Until one day...

His phone rang.

"Yes, hello?" Bara answered, seeing an unknown number.

"Are you the architect who goes by the name Bara Bellyca?" the caller asked.

The mention of his pseudonym immediately made Bara realize-this must be his first potential client from the website he had created yesterday.

"Yes, that's me."

"I am the Manager of The King Hotel. We've reviewed your portfolio and design capabilities. Our company has decided to use your services to design the new hotel we will be building. Are you available?" the man asked directly.

"The King Hotel..." Bara whispered. The name sparked a memory.

"Yes. We are partnering with Barcio Asian Corporate for construction. They do have their own in-house architect team, but after seeing your designs, our Young Lady was impressed and insisted on working with you personally. This hotel project will be her private property. So, are you ready, sir?" the manager asked.

"Oh-yes, I'm ready, sir!" Bara said, unable to hide his excitement.

"Then tomorrow, Mr. Bara-"

"Barbell," Bara corrected politely. "That's my nickname, sir."

"Very well. Mr. Barbell, could you spare some time to meet us in person as soon as possible?" the manager asked.

"Yes, of course, sir. I'll come tomorrow. Thank you," Bara said, smiling widely for the first time in a long while.

"Excellent. I'll send the address shortly. We look forward to meeting you, Mr. Barbell," said the manager warmly.

"Yes, sir. Thank you." Bara ended the call, his heart pounding.

He quickly opened his laptop and searched for The King Hotel.

"There it is... It's real!" Bara muttered, his eyes sparkling with disbelief and excitement.

The King Hotel was one of the establishments he had been investigating. Just yesterday, while out buying baby supplies, Bara had accidentally seen Uncle Burhan enter that very hotel-together with several associates, each with a woman in their arms.

...

"This is a golden opportunity for me. With this, I can investigate everything and finally find out what really happened. And... could it be that the owner of The King Hotel is also an ally of Mister Burhan?!"

That was what ran through Bara's mind, his chest trembling with rage as he remembered his uncle-whom he had caught countless times betraying his aunt behind her back.

"With this chance, I can also monitor my father's company. What exactly has Mister Burhan been doing all this time? Why does he always insist the company's finances are in trouble when everything seems perfectly fine?"

"Bellyca... Daddy is really happy today, Bell. This is all your luck, my little girl. I hope everything goes smoothly, sweetheart," Bara said, holding his tiny daughter close and gently brushing their noses together.

"Okay. Daddy needs to find a babysitter for you, dear. From now on, Daddy will be traveling a lot."

Bara paused, thinking over his options. A babysitter would probably take good care of his baby.

Suddenly, he remembered someone-Aunt Ming, his neighbor who had helped look after Bellyca the day before when he had to go out shopping.

Aunt Ming was a middle-aged woman in her fifties. She lived at her brother's house and had been alone ever since her husband passed away. Coincidentally, their houses were right next to each other.

Yesterday, when little Bellyca wouldn't stop crying, Aunt Ming knocked on Bara's rented house to check on them. She was able to calm the baby immediately. Bara had explained that the baby's mother had left, and he was taking care of his daughter alone, with no parents left to help him. Since then, Aunt Ming often stopped by whenever she heard Bellyca's loud, nonstop crying because she felt sorry for Bara doing everything by himself.

Because Aunt Ming was kind, gentle, and genuinely caring, Bara had begun asking her to watch his daughter whenever he needed to step out briefly.

After putting his little girl to sleep, Bara stepped out of his rented room and walked over to the neighboring house-Aunt Ming's brother's house. He knocked.

Soon, the door opened.

"Oh, Mister Bara, please come in," said the woman politely.

"It's alright, Ma'am. Is Aunt Ming home?" Bara asked politely. Despite his cool, intimidating appearance, he always spoke respectfully to older people.

"She's here. Wait a moment."

She went inside to call her, and soon Aunt Ming stepped out.

"What is it, Bara?" Aunt Ming asked warmly.

"Aunt Ming... starting tomorrow I'll begin working. Could you help take care of my daughter?" Bara asked.

"Oh, of course! Of course I can. Every morning, I'll come to your house to take care of her," Aunt Ming replied, clearly delighted.

"Thank you so much, Aunt Ming. I'll head home now," Bara said gratefully.

"Yes, dear," she replied gently.

Bara smiled all the way home. Finally, he had found someone he trusted to care for his daughter while he was away.

---

The next morning, just as promised, Bara prepared to leave for a well-known hotel-The King Hotel.

He tried to tidy himself and the room as much as possible. Bellyca had been fussy all night, leaving the room slightly messy.

Knock... knock... knock...!

Someone knocked on Bara's door.

Bara, carrying his daughter who had just finished drinking her milk, quickly walked to open it.

Click!

The door opened.

"Good morning, Bara," said Aunt Ming, already standing at the doorway.

"Good morning, Aunt Ming. Please come in. I was just about to head out," Bara said as he stepped aside. Aunt Ming followed him in.

"Aunt Ming, Bellyca just finished her milk. Later, please help bathe her, Aunt," Bara said softly, kissing his daughter's round chubby cheeks several times.

"Yes, don't worry, Bara. I'll take good care of her," Aunt Ming said reassuringly, stretching out her hands to take the baby.

"Bellyca, dear... Daddy's going now. Stay with Auntie, okay?" Bara whispered affectionately before gently handing her over.

"Alright, Aunt Ming. I'll go first. Please take good care of her," Bara said with a smile, picking up his bag containing his laptop.

He quickly got into the online taxi he had booked earlier and gave the address for his meeting with The King Hotel's Manager.

Brrrrt... brrrrt...

His phone vibrated.

"Hello, sir."

"Good morning, Mr. Barabell," said the voice on the phone. It was the Manager he was supposed to meet.

"Yes, Mr. Manager," Bara answered, not yet knowing his name.

"Just call me Erlang," the Manager replied with a light chuckle.

"Oh, yes, Mr. Erlang. I'll arrive shortly at our meeting point," Bara informed him.

"Actually, Mr. Barabell, our Young Lady suddenly requested to meet you as well. She wants to hear your presentation in person. So we'll be meeting at the hotel, Mr. Barabell. We'll be waiting for you in the meeting room."

"Oh, I understand. Alright, Mr. Erlang. I'll be there soon."

Bara hung up and quickly gave the taxi driver the updated destination.

Upon arriving, Bara stepped out and walked into the grand lobby of the luxurious hotel. With steady footsteps and full confidence, he entered carrying his laptop bag.

"This is my first real client. I must give them my best, convince them, and make sure they're satisfied with my presentation. If I succeed, everything else will become easier," Bara whispered to himself, steadying his slightly racing heart.

"Good morning," Bara greeted the reception desk.

"Good morning, sir. How can we help?" the hotel staff asked politely and in unison.

"I have an appointment with the Manager, Mr. Erlang. May I meet him?" Bara said. The women at the counter kept stealing glances at him.

"One moment, sir. May I know your name?" asked one of them.

"Barbell."

"Mr. Barabell? Please wait a moment," she said before making a call.

A few seconds later, she put down the phone.

"All right, sir. Please go up to the twentieth floor. Manager Erlang is waiting for you there."

"Thank you."

Bara walked past the employees, who continued to stare wide-eyed.

"Oh my gosh, he's so handsome!"

"Lord Barabell is exactly my type!"

"I think I've fallen in love!"

Their excited whispers were loud enough for Bara to hear, but he remained indifferent as he continued walking toward the elevator.

...

Bara immediately went up to the twentieth floor, following the employee's directions. Once he arrived, he stepped toward a room whose door was slightly ajar.

Knock... knock... knock...!

Even though the door was open, Bara still knocked politely.

"Good afternoon," Bara greeted as he stood straight in the doorway.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Bara. Please, come in," said a man who immediately stood up-clearly Mr. Erlang.

Bara entered quietly, then bowed respectfully to the several people seated inside.

"You're very young and quite handsome, Mr. Barabell. Let me introduce myself. I'm Erlang, the manager of The King Hotel," he said.

"This is Master Long, the owner of the hotel," he added. Bara quickly shook hands with the man who appeared to be in his fifties.

"Greetings, Master Long," Bara said politely.

"And this is our Young Lady-the only daughter of Master Long," the manager continued, introducing a young woman who had been staring at Bara without blinking.

"Greetings, Young Lady," Bara said as he shook the beautiful woman's hand.

"Just call me Liana," she said softly.

"All right, Miss Liana."

"Please, have a seat, Mr. Barabell," Manager Erlang gestured.

A discussion began, starting with small talk before moving to the main topic: the plan to build a luxury hotel. With his skills, Bara explained his presentation smoothly and clearly, leaving Master Long and his daughter amazed-especially at how young he was.

"Excellent. I really like your brilliant ideas, Barabell," Master Long praised.

"Actually, the construction company we're working with already has a talented architect team, but this time their concept is too ordinary. My daughter wanted a more competent and imaginative exterior-one that can bring out a unique character for the new hotel and attract future visitors."

"Thank you for the compliment, Master Long. We can discuss everything further later. This is just a temporary illustration. Everything depends on your final vision," Bara replied humbly.

"It's all up to my daughter, since this hotel is a birthday gift for her twenty-second birthday-just as she requested," Master Long said while glancing at Liana, whose face was turning red.

"I'll discuss everything with Master Barabell later, Papa. Will you agree with all my decisions?" she asked sweetly.

"Of course. Whatever you want," Master Long laughed heartily.

"That's right. I'll arrange a private meeting with Mr. Barabell. Would that be all right with you?" Liana asked, her eyes holding a certain meaning.

"Huh? W-well... just let me know the time. Mr. Erlang can contact me later," Bara replied nervously. The word private had startled him, and he deliberately directed the responsibility back to Erlang.

"No need. I will contact you directly, Mr. Barabell. Any objections?" Liana asked, emphasizing the question.

"No, of course not, Miss Liana. If there's nothing else, I'll excuse myself," Bara said politely.

"Go ahead," Master Long nodded warmly.

"Thank you for choosing me," Bara said while shaking the hotel owner's hand.

"Hopefully our cooperation goes smoothly," Liana said, extending her hand.

"Amen. Thank you for the trust, Miss Liana," Bara replied.

"See you later, Mr. Barabell," said the manager.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Erlang," Bara said sincerely, knowing the manager was the first person who had believed in his design.

Bara stepped out, then headed downstairs to return to his rented house-to his little daughter who had been left since morning.

---

At Delano's residence, Aunt Nay sat holding her phone, waiting anxiously for a call.

Ddrrzzz... ddrrzzz...

"Yes?" she answered quickly.

"Madam," said the man on the line.

"How is it?" she asked directly.

"I've monitored him for days, madam. Just as I reported yesterday, Young Master Bara has never been seen at his wife's residence. I've also been tailing his wife for days, but there's no sign they've met. Instead, it wasn't Young Master Bara who appeared with his wife... but M-Mr. Burhan Wiratama," the man said-Detective Li Bao Yu, Mr. Li's nephew.

"What?!" Nayzilla's brows knitted together tightly.

"Yes, madam. Mr. Burhan Wiratama has been seen in several places with Young Lady Morissa-Young Master Bara's wife," he explained in a low, hoarse voice.

"Where did they go?" Nayzilla asked, feeling as if sharp needles stabbed her chest.

"To her residence, to a shopping mall, and yesterday... to a hotel, madam."

"Good. Keep watching that woman-and Mr. Burhan. Are you absolutely sure about your report? Do you have evidence?" she demanded.

"Yes, madam. I've already sent it. It should arrive soon."

"Good. Continue your work. And find out where Young Master Bara lives now," she ordered coldly.

"Very well, madam."

The call ended. Nayzilla rubbed her forehead, tapping the table repeatedly.

We'll see what you're plotting, she thought bitterly.

I thought it was just my suspicion... turns out it was all your doing.

She snapped the pen in her hand.

"Madam, a package for you," the postman said.

"Thank you," she replied.

She took the brown envelope labeled for Mrs. Nayzilla. Her hands trembled slightly as she opened it. Inside was a white envelope. When she pulled out the contents-several photos spilled into her hands.

Photos of her husband... holding, embracing, even kissing the woman who should have been his nephew's wife.

"You bastard... traitor!" Nayzilla growled, crushing the photos.

---

Meanwhile, Bara had returned home. He and his little daughter were now sleeping soundly together. Bellyca had just finished drinking her milk-the bottle still held loosely in Bara's hand. He looked exhausted, having stayed up all night taking care of his fussy baby.

Aunt Ming had gone home earlier after helping a bit.

Father and daughter slept side by side, both with a hand resting on their foreheads.

A few hours passed.

Ddrrzzz... ddrrzzz... ddrrzzz!

Bara's phone vibrated loudly.

He didn't wake at first.

Ddrrzzz... ddrrzzz... ddrrzzz-

"Hello..." Bara finally answered in a groggy voice.

"Master Barabell, did I disturb your nap?" a familiar voice asked.

"Ah-no. Is this Miss Liana?" he asked, instantly awake.

"That's right. Besides being competent, you're also quick-witted, Mr. Barabell. Can we meet tonight?" she asked, twirling her short hair.

"T-tonight?!" Bara blurted.

"What business do we have at night?!" he wondered internally, frowning.

"Yes. Do you mind, Mr. Barabell?" Liana asked, pressing her tone.

"Ah-no. I'll try, Miss Liana," Bara answered, though he felt uncomfortable refusing.

"Good. I'll be waiting at Café Full of Love at eight tonight. Make sure you come, Mr. Barabell," she said with a mysterious smile.

"...All right."

Bara hung up and snarled in frustration.

"Damn! Why is this woman so pushy?!" he grumbled, tossing his phone onto the nightstand.

Oeekkk... oeekkk... oeekkk...!

Bellyca woke up from the noise of the phone hitting the table.

"Hey, hey... Daddy's beautiful girl, shh... I'm sorry, honey. Daddy didn't mean to," Bara soothed her gently.

"Are you hungry already? Hold on, Daddy will make your milk," he said, lifting his daughter and placing her gently in the crib.

...