Flashback…
Slap!!!
"Ungrateful child! I'm your father! How dare you refuse to give me money, huh?! You think you can study in a fancy school because of who?!"
Srrk!
A middle-aged man slapped a young girl and snatched her wallet. He pulled out all the money inside and stuffed them into his pocket.
"Hah… lucky you got that scholarship. Hahaa. But I'm using this money to pay my gambling debt—"
"Dad… please… don't take everything… ukhh… that's for my tuition…" the girl whispered, hugging her father's leg, begging.
Thud!
One kick to her chest sent her flying back. Fresh blood spilled from her mouth.
"Ukhh… d-dad… it… hurts…" She gasped for air, her vision spinning.
The man only snorted coldly. "Just die already, useless child—"
Bang!!
"ARGHH—!!"
The middle-aged man collapsed when his leg got shot. He glared forward, but his expression turned stunned—several police officers stood at the door of his rented room.
Thud!Thud!
"You're under arrest for assaulting a minor!"
He couldn't fight back, not with the pain in his leg. The officers dragged him out.
A woman who had come along with them rushed to the barely conscious girl.
"Luna! Luna, hey… stay with me!" She gently tapped Luna's bruised cheek, trying to wake her.
Luna's eyes opened a little at the familiar voice.
"S-senior…" she whispered. She was grateful—her senior who always helped her was right in front of her.
"Come on, we need to treat you immediately. From now on, don't think about your father anymore! You're staying with me," her senior said, supporting Luna's fragile body out of the cramped room.
---
A few years later…
"You rarely visit home lately, why? Dewi's been asking about you too. Don't you miss us, hm?"
A woman dressed like a secretary smiled guiltily. She was holding a little girl on her lap, gently stroking her long black hair.
"Mira, I'm really busy these days. And the annual event for Andri's company is coming soon," she explained softly.
Mira only huffed and turned around, carrying a tray of dishes she had cooked.
"Ever since you graduated and moved into your apartment, you barely contact me anymore. I only hear about you from Andri, hmm…" she pouted.
Mira set plates and glasses on the dining table. Lunchtime was soon, and her husband always came home, so she made time to cook before returning to work.
"Yeah, Sis… I'm sorry…" Luna lowered her head, feeling bad.
Click!
"Honey? Mom, where are you? I'm home."
Tap… tap…
A man walked in confidently and hugged Mira from behind, giving her a small kiss on the head—his usual habit.
"Oh, Daddy's home already? Hehee, sorry, I didn't hear you. I was talking with Luna." Mira smiled warmly at her husband, Andri.
"Huh? Luna?" Andri turned, surprised—and yes, Luna was there, sitting with their little daughter on her lap.
"Yes, babe. Go wash your hands, okay? I'll get your lamb soup, like you requested."
Without Mira noticing, Andri and Luna exchanged a brief look. Silent words passed between them, but Luna immediately looked away when Mira returned with a bowl of soup.
"Come on, lunchtime!" Mira said cheerfully.
"I can eat here too? Are you sure it's okay?" Luna asked, nervous under Andri's intense gaze.
Mira scoffed lightly. Why not? It had been a while since she met her junior.
"What are you saying? Of course it's fine! Don't you miss my cooking, hm?" she said proudly, handing Luna a plate.
"Ahh, mommy's cooking is the best, right, sweetheart?" Andri chimed in, ruffling little Dewi's hair.
The five-year-old nodded eagerly and gave a thumbs-up, agreeing with her father.
That afternoon passed with laughter and warm conversation. A small, happy family.
Who would've thought a storm was coming to destroy it all?
---
Skip to December 3rd — Jeffrey's Company, 10:45 PM
Music blasted loudly through the company's main hall. People danced or simply enjoyed the beat.
"Ukh…" thud
Luna, Jeffrey's secretary, swayed unsteadily after downing several glasses of alcohol.
Srrk!
"You drank too much—"
Someone came—Andri—and tried to take the glass from her hand, but she slapped his hand away.
"Tch… you—what? Want to play with me again, huh? You… ukhh…"
She stumbled forward, but Andri caught her.
"Let go, tch—"
"Don't embarrass yourself here, Luna!" Andri snapped. He led her away to a quiet corridor outside the hall.
"Let me go!"
Srrk!
Luna pushed herself free and stood a little distance away. Her unfocused eyes glared at the man she loved.
"WHY DID YOU BREAK UP WITH ME?!"
Andri's eyes widened.
"I told you… Mira is getting suspicious, and I can't leave her. I'm sorry… let's just forget—"
"NO! NO, I WON'T!!!"
"You promised… hikss… you said we wouldn't break up—"
Tring!
Andri's phone rang. He answered, and his expression instantly turned worried.
"Yes, I'm coming… wait for me, okay? I won't be long…" click
He hung up and tried to leave, but Luna grabbed him.
"Where are you going? You can't leave, we're not finished, Andri!" Her tears fell endlessly. No, not like this…
Andri didn't say anything. He removed her grip and walked away, leaving Luna collapsing to the floor, crying.
"Cruel… hikss… SO CRUEL!!!" Her scream echoed down the corridor. Her shoulders trembled as pain stabbed her chest.
"Crying over a man who has a wife and kid… how foolish of you, hm…"
Luna's sobs stopped. She looked up and saw a man with brown eyes—eyes exactly like Andri's—staring down at her calmly.
He crouched and wiped her tears.
"Let's go home. Mr. Andri already left first, so I'll take you—"
Hug!
The man froze when Luna suddenly wrapped her thin arms around his neck. The stench of alcohol was strong.
"Luna—" he tried to pull away, but her desperate whisper stopped him.
"Satya… make me yours tonight… hikss… please… help me forget…"
Satya hesitated, silent for a long moment—but then, his arms slowly pulled her close.
"…Alright."
Flashback End…
●●●●●●●
"Two weeks after that… I tested positive. I… I asked Satya to take responsibility, but he refused. He chose to marry the woman his family arranged for him instead. I was scared… so scared! Who could I turn to? I couldn't askAndri… and definitely notyou…"
Luna lowered her head deeply. The frail woman pressed her hand to her chest, breathing unevenly.
Mira, Andri, their daughters Dewi and Merry, and their son-in-law Topan listened in silence. Their faces showed different emotions—shock, anger, disbelief, heartbreak.
Luna lifted her face again, looking at all of them. Her gaze finally stopped on the young woman who had grown into such a beautiful girl.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I— I had no choice but to leave Merry with Andri… I'm sorry… hikss…"
Tears streamed down Luna's thin cheeks. She didn't want pity—she just needed to tell the truth buried for so many years.
"But youdid cheat on me, didn't you?! Even if Merry isn't Andri's child, it doesn't erase the fact that you two betrayed me behind my back!"
Mira shot up from the seat, her whole body trembling. She swallowed hard—her husband's infidelity had always been her worst fear.
"Mira—"
"S...sis—"
"STOP!!!"
Mira glared at both of them, her eyes burning with pain—especially at Andri.
"I… I thought… y-you were sincere… I believed you… Stupid! Hikss… STUPID! I HATE YOU, ANDRI!!!"
Thud...Thud..
It hurt too much. The pain she had held for years finally burst out. Mira ran—leaving everyone behind. She was trying so hard to be strong, but she was breaking inside.
"Mommy! Mom, please come back!"
Dewi's voice rang louder than anyone's. The woman couldn't stand seeing her mother shattered like that. She rushed after her.
Hug!
"Mom… don't go… please… don't leave me… hikss… I—I…"
"D-Dewi…"
Mira's legs gave out. She collapsed into her daughter's arms. The two of them didn't care that they were now sitting right on the asphalt outside—crying their hearts out.
"I hates yourdad!… hikss… I hate him so much! My heart hurts…hikss… What— what did I do wrong all this time?! Hikss…"
Dewi sobbed as she held her mother tighter. Her hands trembled as she tried to soothe the woman who had carried her into this world.
"I'm… I'm here, mom…I'm always here… right beside you…" she whispered.
---
Meanwhile...
Andri, 54 years old, sat frozen in place. His eyes stared blankly at nothing. His wife's words echoed painfully in his head. Not once during their fights had Mira ever said she hated him. His heart felt crushed—violently squeezed.
Not far away, a young woman sat quietly on the other bench, watching the frail woman before her. Luna wiped her tears while her shoulders shook. Merry didn't know what she was feeling anymore—everything was tangled inside her.
Part of her wanted to run after her mommy. But another part of her knew the truth now. Could she still call that woman "mommy"?She didn't know.
Then she saw Luna coughing violently—blood spilling from her mouth.
"M-Ma… Mama!" Merry cried out, snapping Andri out of his daze.
Thud!
"Luna—"
Uhuk!!!
A harsh cough—then fresh blood splattered across Merry's clothes. More blood dripped from Luna's nose, thin but alarming.
"M-mama… kyaaa…daddy, help—!"
Merry panicked. She wasn't disgusted—not at all. She was terrified. Terrified of losing her.
"Luna, hold on… we're going back to the hospital. Now!"
Andri grabbed his phone to call Satya, but before he could dial, someone already lifted Luna into their arms.
"Satya!" Andri snapped.
The 45-year-old man nodded quickly.
"The car is ready outside, sir. Mrs. Mira and Miss Dewi left earlier with Mr. Topan," he explained before rushing ahead with Luna.
Andri followed with Merry clinging beside him, terrified. He prayed Luna's condition wouldn't worsen.
---
Moments later...
The three of them hurried through the hospital lobby, searching for the ER.
Nurses who spotted them immediately prepared a bed. One of them ran to call the doctor assigned to handle emergency cases.
"Please… save her…" Satya muttered, placing Luna gently on the ER bed.
Thud...Thud
The doctor rushed in. Everyone stepped aside—except Luna, who grabbed Satya's hand weakly. She smiled faintly through the pain twisting her face.
"I… I… won't… last long… ughh…"
Another violent cough—more blood. Her eyes drifted toward Merry and Andri—the man she once loved.
"D-don't go… stay… h-here… ughh…"
Her vision blurred. Seeing this, the doctor stepped back, giving space. He could only do so much—life and death were beyond him.
Merry, the young girl, already sobbing, felt her heart crumble. She had only reunited with her mother… and now, this was probably the last time.
"Mer-ry… sweet-heart… my… little girl… c-come here…" Luna whispered, reaching out a trembling hand.
Hesitant at first, Merry looked at Andri. He gently patted her back and nodded with a small, warm smile. So, Merry stepped forward and took Luna's hand.
"I'm… sor-ry… mama… was… bad… ughh… but mama… loves you… so… so much… Mer-ry… don't… hate… mama…" she whispered, kissing her daughter's small hand with trembling lips.
"Ma—"
Uhuk!!
Her coughing grew harsher, ripping her lungs inside. The lung cancer she'd fought for so long finally overtook her.
"S-sweetheart… I'm… sor…ry…"
Luna's hands—the one holding Satya's and the one holding Merry's—fell limp.
No amount of calling or tapping on her cold cheeks woke Luna again. She was gone.
Gone with all her pain, leaving only a peaceful smile on her face.
"No! NO! MAMA!!! MAMA!!!"
Merry screamed from the depths of her chest. She should have yelled at her mother. She should have been angry. She should have been upset at being left behind for years.
But now…
She fell—collapsed over her mother's cold body, hugging her tightly.
She cried, tasting the bitterness of loss for the first time in her life.
TO BE CONTINUED…