Chapter 17
"Here, let Niken bring it, ma'am," he asked as he took the plate that Ati had brought.
 Niken was so sincere in helping Ati in the kitchen, making her mother-in-law feel happy and lucky, to have a daughter-in-law as beautiful and smart as Niken. Not only good, but Niken is also an obedient and caring child. He is also easy to adapt, so it doesn't take long for him to blend in.
 What good fortune brought Ardi to meet Niken? After all, this is God's destiny. He was the one who had planned everything. Ardi was dumped by Melati, but he immediately got a better replacement than Melati.
 Ati smiled gently, she let her daughter-in-law bring two plates containing side dishes. He walked first, then Niken followed behind him.
 Kang Asep and Ardi were waiting in the living room. The two of them were having fun chatting casually, exchanging stories. Kang Asep especially wanted to hear the entire chronology of his son's meeting with Niken.
 "Put off the conversation for now. Come on, let's eat first!" shouted Ati who came with food. Kang Asep became enthusiastic. No less than his father, Ardi couldn't wait to eat the food his mother made.
 If you do the math, it's been almost ten days since he ate his mother's food. During that time, Ardi felt that something was missing. The food at Niken's house is delicious, but the taste is very different from what her mother makes. After eating, he felt full, but not satisfied.
 One by one the food was served. Even though it is simple, it can whet your appetite.
 There are tamarind vegetables, tempeh and fried tofu. Fresh vegetables, salted fish and don't forget the shrimp paste chili sauce. Really, tempting faith.
 Niken was drooling when she imagined how delicious the food her mother-in-law made would be. He even took his place, then sat cross-legged with a plate waiting to be filled.
 "Come on, son, eat it! Sorry, there's only this food. I hope mother's cooking suits your taste," said Ati while putting a spoonful of rice on Niken's plate, not forgetting the side dishes too. Tempeh and fried tofu, as well as salted fish.
 "Don't say things like that, Mom. There's no food I don't like, except wood and stones because I don't eat all that," he replied jokingly.
 Not wanting to be outdone, Ardi also responded to Niken's words. "That's right, Mom. There's no food that Niken doesn't like, in fact she really likes eating grass. Like Moo..."
 He also imitated the sound of a cow to tempt his wife. Niken snorted in annoyance, meanwhile Ardi stuck out his tongue which annoyed his wife even more.
 "Mom, with his words, can I be compared to a cow? Am I that ugly?" he fought with Ati. His cheeks were puffed out, his arms were folded across his chest, his face was bent, his expression was as sour as a crumpled kite.
 Ardi laughed loudly innocently which annoyed Niken even more. "Mom... Dad!" he whined to his in-laws.
 Kang Asep pinched Ardi's waist, while Ati hit his naughty son's thigh.
 "Ouch. Why are you guys hurting me?" he grumbled as he was attacked at the same time.
 Niken smiled again. Seeing his wife laughing again made Ardi stunned. Her smile turned out to be able to hypnotize him.
 Ati and Kang Asep looked at each other. Seeing Ardi who has now forgotten Melati, the woman who had the heart to leave him on their wedding day.
 Ati couldn't sleep when she remembered how Melati had the heart to leave her son. However, all that painful past has gone and now Ardi has started his life again.
 Niken also looked like she was eating the food that Ati made. In fact, tamarind vegetables, salted fish, fresh vegetables, fried rice and chili paste have been able to change Niken's world.
 Ardi also stole glances, accidentally while eating he kept looking at God's most beautiful creation. The woman who is now legally his wife in the eyes of law and religion.
 It's only natural that Ardi admires Niken's beauty because she is his wife and Ardi can look at Niken as much as he likes, without feeling guilty.
 Niken's eyes rolled up, she found Ardi continuing to stare at her. Niken raised her eyebrows, "What?" he asked mentally.
 Ardi shook his head, he hastily accelerated his eating. "Ma'am, I want more," he asked as he handed me the plate which only had a few mouthfuls of rice left on it.
 Even though his lips were focused on Ati, his gaze remained on the woman who was legally his wife.
 Niken did not respond further. Instead of arguing with her husband, she should just eat something that not only makes her stomach full, but also makes her heart happy.
Leaving Ardi's small family together, which has now been reunited. In a separate place, still in the same village.
 PLAQUE...
 A hard slap was received by a beautiful woman who was approximately twenty-seven years old. There was a palm print on his cheek. His body fell on the floor. His gaze was pitiful at a middle-aged man, with hair that was partly white.
 "Dad... Dad, I'm sorry. Don't throw me out of here! Where will I live?!" he begged the man called father.
 "When you did this depraved thing to that man, did you think about how we would feel? Shame on you, Melati! We are ashamed of all the residents, including Ardi, who you lived with just for a bastard like him!" Pak Rudi snapped at his daughter, Melati.
 "Forgive Melati, Dad! Melati was wrong because she left Ardi for Samudra. Melati was wrong, Dad. Forgive Melati," he whispered, while holding Mr. Rudi's leg.
 As the head of the local village, Pak Rudi feels embarrassed and slapped because he has an insolent daughter like Melati.
 Since childhood, he taught Melati with love and never once did Melati feel deprived. He always met her needs. However, why does his behavior embarrass his family when he is an adult?
 "If you really love Samudra, then ask him for responsibility and not come to Dad!" snapped Mr. Rudi, who could no longer control his emotions.
 The bitter reality that a father receives is that he gets the news that his daughter is pregnant out of wedlock. Not only did his heart hurt, but his self-esteem was destroyed at that moment.
 What did people say when they heard the news that the village head's daughter apparently couldn't maintain her chastity? Her self-esteem was so low that she wanted to get pregnant by a man before marriage.
 People will speak ill of his family. What kind of father allows his daughter to sleep with a man who is clearly not yet her legal husband?
 Mr. Rudi kicked Melati to get her off her feet. Meanwhile, Astina could only cry when she saw her daughter suffering. Just like Pak Rudi, he felt disappointed in Melati. His beloved daughter, whom he had raised without any shortcomings, was unable to maintain her chastity.
 Melati continues to ask for forgiveness from her father. He cried loudly under his father's feet. Her mistake wasn't worth forgiving, but she didn't want to be kicked out of the house.
 When she found out about her pregnancy, Samudra left her at that moment. That bastard didn't even acknowledge the child in her womb. He argued that Melati was pregnant with Ardi's child and not his. Obviously, Melati only had sexual relations with Samudra and not Ardi.
 Melati returned home and told her parents about her pregnancy, at that time her father was furious.
 "You are no longer my child, Melati. You are no longer the daughter of this family. You have brought shame to the family," said Rudi softly, mixed with sadness.
 This fact really pinched his heart. Regret soared through his chest. His breathing became increasingly labored as he remembered his daughter's actions one by one. Starting from leaving home leaving only a letter behind, to the news of her pregnancy which made Rudi even more disappointed.
 "Get away from my house!" shouted Rudi, while dragging Melati.
 "No, Dad. Melati, please don't kick Melati out of the house. Where will Melati have to live later, Dad?!"
 Rudi doesn't care about his daughter's life anymore. He continued to drag Melati even though her daughter kept begging for forgiveness.
 His sin could no longer be tolerated. Not only was his good name tarnished, but the entire family had to accept the shame of his stupid actions.
 BRUCK..
 Melati's body was forced out. He slumped on the ground. Rudi looked at him full of anger. There was no longer any apology for his daughter.
 "Get out of my house! Don't ever come back here, you cheap woman!"
 Hearing this statement broke Melati's heart into pieces. His father mentioned that he was a cheap woman, and he didn't even want to see her face anymore.
 Rudi hurriedly entered the house and slammed the door until Melati flinched. Immediately he ran to the door, banging on the door so that Rudi would open the door again.
 Melati cried so loudly that people who happened to pass by were wondering.
 They saw that Melati had come home, but why was she crying and banging on her own door?
 "Are you guys looking around?!" Melati turned around and shouted at those who were talking bad things about her. Even though she was whispering, Melati could hear everything.
 They hurriedly left from there. Their gazes were cynical with jasmine pepper. However, the girl didn't care. Now he must try to regain his parents' trust.