The atmosphere in the restaurant was stifling, heavy like the burden Chintya carried. Naufal watched as the woman devoured her food, as if wanting to swallow all the sadness and despair that had befallen her. Her hunger for the food was evident, reflecting a thirst for something greater—freedom from the shackles of debt and life's suffering. The traces of tears were still visible in the corners of her eyes, silently telling of the heavy burden she had borne for the past two years. The burden of Raisa, her daughter's, medical expenses, and the endless spiral of debt. Naufal felt sympathy, mixed with heartache over Chintya's betrayal of Adelia, his mother.
Chintya raised her head, her gaze meeting Naufal's cold and calculating stare. Behind that cold gaze, Naufal harbored a million questions, a million doubts.
"Aren't you eating?" she asked, her voice soft but slightly trembling, revealing the exhaustion and inner burden she carried.
Naufal shook his head. "I already ate at Mama's house," he replied briefly, trying to maintain emotional distance, avoiding the emotional traps Chintya might set.
"Your Mama... is she healthy?" Chintya continued, her voice sounding more hesitant, showing hidden doubt and regret.
"Yes," Naufal replied, his gaze fixed on Chintya, searching for honesty in her eyes, trying to read the heart of the woman who had hurt his mother.
"I really want to apologize to your Mama," Chintya said, her voice almost inaudible, just a whisper that barely pierced the silence of the restaurant. An apology that felt empty, unable to erase the deep wounds Chintya had carved in his mother's heart. An apology that felt late and insufficient to atone for her mistakes.
Naufal changed the subject, trying to control his emotions, seeking a way to understand the real situation. "Who does Raisa stay with when you work?"
"I leave her with a neighbor in the rented house," Chintya replied. "A kind woman, she often helps take care of Raisa." Her voice sounded a little nervous, showing doubt and fear of Naufal's reaction.
Naufal looked at Chintya again. The woman had finished her meal. A waiter came carrying a package.
"Take away order, Sir," said the waiter.
"Thank you," Naufal replied.
After the waiter left, Naufal looked at his watch. He sighed deeply, trying to gather the courage to tell the truth. "I don't have as much money as you need," he said, his voice sounding soft but firm, showing his sincerity even though he couldn't give much. "But I'll try to give money for Raisa as much as I can."
He took out a few bills from his wallet. Before coming to the restaurant, he had taken the time to withdraw some money from the ATM.
"Naufal..." Chintya called his name, her voice trembling, her eyes filled with tears. Were those tears because of regret, or because of the heavy economic burden? Naufal himself was still unsure.
Naufal looked at Chintya thoughtfully. He saw sadness and regret radiating from the woman's eyes, but he also couldn't forget the betrayal Chintya had committed.
"Regardless of how evil your actions were towards Mama," Naufal continued, his voice sounding more confident, showing his firmness. "Raisa is not at fault. And I can't deny that Raisa is my sister." He emphasized the word 'sister', showing that there was a blood tie that could not be denied, a bond that connected them even though they were separated by wounds and betrayal.
Chintya was silent, sobbing. The tears streamed down her cheeks, pouring out her pent-up regret.
"I... I know," Chintya finally said, her voice broken, showing how broken her heart was. "I have hurt your mother, your family. I am very sorry."
Naufal sighed. He saw the sincerity of Chintya's regret, but the wound in his heart had not fully healed. "I'll take you home," he said, his voice sounding softer. He took the take away package and gave it to Chintya. "This is for Raisa, eat it at home later."
He placed the money he had prepared next to the food package.
The journey to Chintya's rented house felt short. Arriving there, Chintya opened the door, and there stood Raisa, a five-year-old girl with big, round eyes. Her hair was a little messy, wearing simple but clean clothes. Seeing Raisa, Naufal was stunned. At a glance, he could see the resemblance in Raisa's face to his own. Their faces inherited almost eighty percent of Fatar's face. He had never met Raisa before. The little girl looked at him with a naive and slightly fearful gaze. Naufal's expression changed drastically. His firmness and arrogance disappeared, replaced by astonishment and a little awkwardness. He didn't know how to react. This was their first meeting.
Chintya, realizing the tension between them, said softly, "Raisa, this is Abang Naufal."
Raisa was silent, looking at Naufal with an unreadable gaze. A mixture of fear and curiosity was visible in her eyes.
Naufal tried to smile, but his smile looked stiff and awkward. He bent down slightly, trying to get closer. "Hi, Raisa," he greeted, his voice sounding a little nervous.
Raisa was still silent, only looking at Naufal with her big, round eyes. She did not respond to Naufal's greeting.
Naufal extended his hand slowly, carefully. "Raisa," he called. his voice soft, trying to calm the little girl.
Raisa looked at Naufal's hand, then slowly reached for it. The touch of Raisa's small hand felt soft in Naufal's hand. For a moment, Naufal felt something strange, a mixture of emotion and tightness in his chest. This was his sister, the sister he had just met, the sister born from his father's betrayal.
Chintya, seeing their interaction, said, "Raisa, this is a food package from Bang Naufal. Say thank you."
Raisa, with a little hesitation, said, "Thank you, Bang Naufal." Her voice was still a little stuttering, but it sounded clear.
Naufal smiled, this time his smile looked more sincere. "You're welcome, dear," he said, his voice soft. He felt an undeniable blood tie, a bond that connected them even though they were separated by wounds and betrayal.
Ikhwan looked at Naufal who was sitting in front of him. That night, after coming home from the office, Naufal came to his grandfather's house to pick up Adelia and Akhzam. It had been a week since the incident of the thugs who came to his house, he always took his mother and sister to stay at his grandfather's house if Naufal had to struggle with his work.
And it had also been a week since his unexpected meeting with Chintya and Raisa that day. Naufal deliberately came to share the story with his grandfather, a story that he couldn't share with his mother, Adelia.
"Chintya..." Ikhwan's voice sounded heavy, but a faint smile was visible on his face. "She has paid for what she did to Adelia."
"Maybe that's true, Grandpa. But we can't close our eyes to Raisa."
"Don't think about it. That woman should be taking care of her daughter's illness. It's none of our business."
"But, Grandpa..."
"Don't be weak! That cunning woman is making another drama to win your mother's heart again. With you as the bridge!"
"But Raisa is my biological sister, Grandpa."
"No! There are only you and Akhzam, understand??"