Aster Veren
Episode 84

- Claretta

"To the end he won't listen to me" I muttered, recalling Albert's indifferent expression before leaving the restaurant.

I even signed her farewell without telling her about my pregnancy.

All this time he was looking forward to it. I continued in my heart while stroking my stomach with my tears that came back to drip.

What does that word mean? Why is he talking like that? I ... and mom planned the murder of Miss Marta? My mind again wondered at what Albert said while wiping away my tears.

To escape my curiosity, I decided to go to my mother's residence after signing the farewell letter. I want to confirm the truth of what I heard from Albert. The words that accuse me and my mother of premeditated murder on Marta's mother Ansel.

***

Arriving at the mother's house, the driver of the Albert family immediately returned to his residence according to the orders received by him after delivering me to the mother's house.

Then I quickly went into the house to see my mother. I saw my mom watching television in the living room playing her phone.

"Explain everything to me, mother!" My words made him jump in shock at my presence.

"You're! Why didn't you tell me you were coming to visit?"

"What are you secretly planning behind me?" I asked again while sitting on an empty sofa beside a large sofa occupied by my mother.

"What did you say?"

"Don't pretend to be stupid anymore. You know what I got for mom's stupidity?"

"So your words are Claretta! How dare you call your mother a fool!"

"Just tell me the truth. Is it true that you've planned the murder of Miss Marta?" My question surprised him with his rounded eyes, focused on me.

There was no answer, but I knew from her silence that there was a definite answer that made me believe that she was actually planning the murder without my knowledge.

"Why did you do it without my knowledge? You know what I got out of the trouble you made? And again why should I do that sagil*la thing? Didn't I ever ban you and ask you to stop taking our revenge?" I rubbed my face in frustration.

"How can you stop avenging your mother against those who have ruined our family like this?" It made me look back at him.

"But we've been able to rise again because of my marriage to Albert ma'am, but because of mom. I have to part with my husband."

"What's? What did you say?"

"The man knows my past and all my crimes. Even she also learned the truth from the death of Madame Marta and asked for a divorce from me. Did you never think about my feelings? As a result of what you do if it gets known to everyone?" I raised my tone slightly as I got up from my sitting position.

"You kidding? How can your husband–"

"Did my face look like I was joking?"

"That ...,"

"... when I decided to forget everything. But because of my mother, I had to divorce my husband while I was pregnant with his child. Now mom is satisfied? Satisfaction ruined my happiness?!" Continue before going to my room.

"Wait on! Claretta, are you pregnant?" Shouts mom I don't listen to.

***

- Esther

The time is 07:00 p.m. But Kalea was still busy studying at her study desk, as was me.

Dreet...

Shaking my headphone dissipates my learning concentration. I quickly grabbed a flat object beside my right, adjacent to a thick package book of considerable size.

Papa's. My mind when I see my father's name on it.

How was school today? Have you made new friends as you expected? I continued in my heart while reading the contents of the message from my father.

"New friends huh?" I muttered imagining my classmates who couldn't get along with me because they were afraid and reluctant to approach me.

I didn't do anything, why were they afraid of me? My mind wondered while holding my chin with my other hand while my right hand was busy holding my headphone.

"I hear you're in class with Nadin, right?" Kalea's voice surprised me.

"Yes, that's it. I was surprised to have another class with him." I answered while turning my study chair to see the figure of Kalea who is still focused on her books.

... By the way, is Kalea okay? Does he have any close friends in his class? I continued in my heart when I remembered how hard it was to make new friends.

Compared to me, isn't Kalea's position harder now? Especially when everyone knows that he's done something bad to me in the past. No one wants to be his friend.

"Aster, your headphone rings." Kalea's voice came back to wake me from my daydream when I saw her turn to me. I quickly picked up the incoming call I received.

"Why not return my message?"

"Papa?" I muttered while watching the name on my headphone screen that I had neglected.

"Sorry, Aster was busy studying. How's papa doing?" I try to switch the conversation.

***

-Sean

I threw my body on my bed after receiving a call from my father. A call that surprised me when I heard my father divorced Aunt Claretta from her own mouth.

"Why did he suddenly get a divorce?" I muttered while watching the ceiling of my room.

I don't think you're going to divorce that woman, because she looks so in love with her. But, why did you take such a big decision without discussing it first? Did you know dad's divorce? I continued in my heart while grabbing the pillow beside me and hugging it tightly.

Although I don't like my stepmother, I have many good memories with her. Even gradually I started to accept her as my mother. But, why was it when I started to open my heart that Dad divorced her? He begged me and my sister to bless his relationship with Aunt Claretta. But now, he had easily divorced the person he was fighting for? Is it that easy for her love to disappear?

"... it turns out I really don't like it." I muttered remembering my father's face when he divorced my mother when I was seven years old. Although the shadow at that time was not very clear, but I can still remember that sad day.

When my sister hugged my body tightly under the heavy rain and prevented me from chasing my mother who left the house by using a taxi. Though that day, I was very sure that mother also did not want to part with father.

"I won't be a man like you!" I continued determined along with the sound of the room door opening from the outside, featuring the figure of Hendric.

"You're back?" I continued asking while rising from my newest position and pulling my hair back as I felt my hair interfere with my vision.

"Yes, haven't you changed your uniform yet?" He continued while throwing a can of drink at me, I quickly caught the can before noticing my school uniform that I had not changed.

"I'll replace it in a minute. But why did you just bring me a canned drink? Is there no food I can eat?"

"Go to the cafeteria. The canteen is open until nine o'clock at night, right?"

"You're out of there, right? Why don't you bring me some food?" My grunts were irritated by his calculating nature. A child who is unreliable.

He really doesn't like to do things willingly huh? I continue in my heart.

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Thanks for reading...