HATE Before LOVE
Sadness Elif.

After finishing with the dinner menu that could not be ordered even though Ardan was the son of the owner of the hospital, he got out of his bed, his head was no longer dizzy. His blood pressure had returned to normal, and his arm was not too sore. Fadil told him that the wound needed 15 stitches. And Fadil told him in front of Hanna that he had hit Ardan's leg because the boy claimed his injury was not serious.

"Where are you going?" Ask Hanna who is wearing facial serum, while massaging slowly upward so that her facial skin remains tight.

"To Fadil's room, want to revoke the right of permission to practice because it has taken me to the hospital" replied Ardan origin.

"Oh, yes, after that also revoke your position as CEO." Sahut Hanna while still doing her night skincare routine.

"Hahahaha, kidding dear Mama." Ardan laughs. "I'm going to Elif's room. I miss."

"Basic bucin." Cetus Hanna's. "Don't be long, so that Elif won't be bothered with your purity."

"okay." Ardan took along his infusion pole.

Ardan opened the door of his room, he walked normally, at a glance unlike a person who was sick or almost lost a lot of blood. Just one step he moved from the door of his room, the door of the next room opened as well. Zehra came out from there with a panicked expression.

Ardan came over, "Mother Zehra? What's up?"

"Son Ardan... Elif... Can you call doctor Fadil? Can Elif be given another tranquilizer?"

"What's? Why why?"

Zehra just shook her head rubbing her face, "As soon as she woke up from her sleep, she just kept crying."

"Well, can I see Elif first before I call Doctor Fadil?"

"Can Son Ardan help calm the Elif?"

"We'll try it first, okay, Mom?"

Zehra nodded then let Ardan in.

True as Zehra said, on the hospital bed Elif curled up, his body trembling along with the sound of his sobs that sounded so bitter.

"Defuse me..." Call Ardan very gently. He gently touched Elif's arm to make the woman look at him. His eyes were very red and wet, the pillow sheets were also wet from his spilled tears.

"Cand..." Elif said, his voice soft and weak. He's still curled up. "I'm scared..."

"Shhhh..."Ardan sat right in front of the bed, in front of Elif. He rubbed Elif's hair, removing the strands of hair that covered part of her face. "Don't be afraid anymore, I'm here, there's Mom too, no one will ever hurt you again."

"really? I'm not alone anymore?"

"No. I'm not leaving you alone anymore." He now rubbed the face of Elif.

"Why does everyone want to hurt me?" Elif was still crying. "What's my fault?" The question was heartbreaking for Zehra who held back her own crying voice by covering her mouth with her hands.

"Not so Elif. Everybody loves you. Mom, Adit, me, Mona, Yura, Gavin, Sonya, Mama and my Papa, even Teddy."

"really? Everyone loves me?"

"of course. My mama would even scratch anyone to protect you with her sharp fake nails" Ardan said, trying a little to insert humor to divert Elif's grief.

"But why did Dad hurt me... beat me... hate me.... What's my fault? What's?" Elif is sobbing.

Elif shaking. He further curled his body until making the blanket covering his body wrinkle. "You lied... Dad never loved me. Dad hates me. Why? Why does Dad hate me? Wh why? Dad hit me, too.... Aaaa! Nah! No!" Suddenly Elif sat down and cried hysterically while wagging his hands, like a third survivor was about to be attacked.

"Eliff! Elif! Calm down." Ardan tried to reach both hands of Elif, ignoring the pain in the wound behind the bandage on his arm. He managed to catch both hands of Elif and immediately took the woman into his arms. Letting Elif wriggle there and then crying again.

"Don't leave me. Don't leave me..." Pinta Elif in between her tears. His hand squeezed the hospital clothes that Ardan was wearing. "I'm afraid Dad's coming. I'm afraid Dad's mad again." Elif raised his head, looking at Ardan with his wet eyes. "I hit Dad, I made his head bleed. I'll punish you for sure..." Elif shook his head quickly. "I don't want to be punished by you..."

"Sshhhh. Relax, I'm not going anywhere. You're gonna stay in my arms like this, okay? Relax, you don't have to worry about your dad or anything. They won't be able to touch you again. I promise." Ardan kisses the top of Elif's head with a pity. His heart was completely sliced to hear Elif's cry, the sadness that he had longed for and he swallowed himself.

Zehra could no longer hold back her cries. He came out of that room. Just like Ardan sure, his heart was not only sliced apart, but also shattered. This is all his fault. She let Elif be harmed by her husband. He let the Elif only know that the father figure was Yanuar. It's all his fault for having let all this go for years. All her fault for choosing to hang on with a man who never accepted her what else was her daughter.

"I'm sorry, Elif... Forgive Mommy...."

***

Morning came to greet the entire surface of the earth he saw. His light peeked out from behind the gap of the VVIP window curtain occupied by Elif. Zehra's mother slept on the sofa there, while Elif slept according to Ardan's promise, continuing to be in the man's arms, until finally Elif was tired and asleep. Bed in the hospital, especially the VVIP room is enough for two people. So, not too narrow occupied Ardan who was asleep as well.

Zehra woke up when a nurse came, the nurse smiled to see how Elif was curled up in Ardan's arm. The nurse came to replace the bottle of infusion that was already running out.

"Morning, Sister." Sapa Zehra's.

"For Mom." Greet the nurse very kindly. "What about Miss Elif, Mom? Don't you cry anymore?"

"Oh, last night I actually wanted to ask for another sedative, because Elif was hysterical. But Son Ardan can calm him down." Zehra replied, throwing a relieved smile at the two people who were still asleep on the bed.

"Thank God then. I'll replace Mr. Ardan's infusion bottle as well then."

"Good Sister."

When finished with his job. The nurse came out of there. Zehra was unceasingly smiling considering how Ardan calmed Elif overnight. The man was so patient and affectionate that he calmed Elif down until his daughter fell asleep in Ardan's arms and Ardan fell asleep.

Very happy to see both. So grateful in the midst of this storm, Elif found a place to shelter that could protect her.

The door was knocked back, Zehra hurriedly opened the door worried that the sound of knocking would wake Ardan and Elif.

"Ah, Lady Hanna" said Zehra as soon as she saw Hanna at the door in a style that had fallen this early.

"Don't call me, Madam, Miss Zehra. Just call Hanna" said Hanna.

While letting Hanna in, Zehra naturally refused to call the big madam by name alone. "What if, Mama Hanna?"

"Ah, I may." replied Hanna. "So here's this kid." Omel Hanna in a soft voice. "I told you not to take long so Elif can rest, uh, he even sleeps there, making Elif a narrowness!" Hanna was about to wake Ardan, but Zehra quickly held him back.

"Sorry, Mama Hanna, if you don't mind, just let them fall asleep first. I'm actually very grateful that Nak Ardan came last night and helped calm down Elif who was crying all night."

"Ah. pity my man-to-be... May he be able to quickly go through all the sadness of anything that keeps him from stopping crying like that."

"Ca-candidate ghost?" Zehra.

"Yes, prospective ghosts. Aren't we gonna make a message soon, Miss Zehra?"