At the Crossroads of the Heart

Chapter 1: Caught Between Expectations

That morning, Dika felt as though the world was pressing down on his chest with an unbearable weight. At 30 years old, he felt old enough to think about his future, but not yet ready to make major decisions—especially about marriage. Around him, his friends were starting families, having children, and building their lives. Meanwhile, he was still caught in confusion that seemed to grow deeper.
Three choices lay ahead of him, each carrying its own hopes and tensions. Laili, the woman his parents—especially his mother—had accepted with open arms. But in Dika's heart, Laili didn’t feel like the right one. He felt trapped by the obligation to meet family expectations, while his heart still lingered on other options.Atiqoh, the second choice, caught Dika's attention with her beauty and warm demeanor. However, there was a major issue haunting him—the promise made by Atiqoh’s family, a promise his late father had made that they would marry after finishing college. Now that his father was gone, only his mother remained to bear the disappointment. Atiqoh had broken that promise, and Dika was torn. Love or duty?Then there was Bella, who he didn’t know well yet. Bella was someone Dika felt drawn to, though they hadn’t had much interaction. But with all the complications surrounding the situation, Dika wasn’t ready to let Bella into his life.

Chapter 2: The Tension at Home

Every night, Dika woke up from restless sleep. Sleeping had become his best escape, but even when he closed his eyes, the pressure never really went away. Out there, the world continued to move on, and his friends stepped into their happiness, while Dika was stuck in confusion and fear about the decision ahead.
His mother, the one who had always supported him, was now the only one hoping his happiness would come from Laili. Dika knew that Laili was the choice his mother accepted with an open heart, but he couldn’t pretend. Laili wasn’t the woman he had envisioned sharing his life with. Dika felt like he was running down a path he hadn’t chosen, and that only added to his pressure.

Chapter 3: Self-Reflection

One afternoon, Dika sat on the porch, gazing at the evening sky. He wondered whether the feelings he was experiencing were truly his own, or just the result of the external pressures around him. He wanted to be true to himself, to find a partner who aligned with his vision of life, but at the same time, he knew how important his mother's approval was.

Laili was accepted by his parents, Atiqoh had a history with an unfulfilled promise, and Bella, though he felt a connection, was still too distant to be fully understood. Dika felt anxious, afraid of making the wrong choice, afraid of disappointing his parents, and afraid of feeling lonely in the future.

"Am I being selfish?" Dika asked himself.

"What's more important—following my parents' wishes, or finding my own happiness?

Chapter 4: Crossroads of the Heart
As time passed, Dika increasingly realized that this decision wasn’t just about choosing who would be his wife, but about how he wanted to live his life. He wanted to find someone to share the journey, not just follow the expectations placed upon him. But how could he face this if his parents didn’t approve?
One day, after months of hesitation, Dika decided to speak with his mother again. He knew it wouldn’t be an easy conversation, but he felt it was necessary to free himself from the confusion.
"Mom," Dika said, his voice a bit shaky, "I know you want me to be happy, and I truly appreciate that. But I also want you to know that what's most important to me is following my heart. I don't just want to make you proud. I want to live with someone I love, someone I feel truly connected to.

Chapter 5: A Path Opened

That conversation wasn’t easy, but after days of reflection, Dika’s mother began to see the other side of her son’s struggles. Dika didn’t want to just fulfill family expectations; he also wanted to live with integrity to himself. Slowly, his mother began to understand that Dika’s happiness was more important than keeping promises made by others.
Now, Dika found himself at a clearer crossroads. He was no longer trapped by fear or the weight of expectations. Though this journey was full of uncertainty, Dika knew he had to make his choice with his heart, not just based on what others wanted