Only I Love
Chapter 71

Ala felt hurt and was surprised to hear those harsh words. Tears began to flow down her cheeks, but she remained silent. He did not want to prolong this dispute or include himself in a complicated family drama.

Rafatar immediately approached them, trying to calm the situation. "What, Ama, come on. This is a precious moment for us as a family. Let's take that weird time off and focus on our happiness now. Ala is my wife and the mother of my children. I hope Ama respects and appreciates her as worthy of me being Ama's son."

Ummi, who realized that this feud would only ruin the atmosphere, nodded in agreement. "You're right, Rafatar. Let's reconcile and appreciate each other's roles in this family."

It still looked angry, but he finally relented. He knew that continuing this feud would only harm them all. "Alright, I'll try to forgive you, Ma. But never again hurt Fatar and his wife. You should be grateful that someone will take good care of your child. Don't you keep getting mad at me."

Venna nodded but was either completely sincere or not. "Thank you, Pa. Ama never meant to hurt anyone. Ama just hopes our family and our daughter-in-law are aligned. If the knowledge that Ama gives is well received, then the result will be good."

"But, Ma. What you think is good, not necessarily good for others. Everyone has their own condition, and as outsiders we cannot force what is on your mind."

Ama lowered her head. "Sorry, Pa" he said again.

Although the atmosphere was still tense, they all tried to continue this thanksgiving and aqiqah in a calmer manner. They spend time with the children of orphanages, playing and sharing happiness.

After all, everyone returned to their homes. Rafatar was holding his wife warmly. "Darling, once again I want to apologize for Ama's attitude towards you. Honestly, I feel very sad that Ama did not treat you like Ummi treated me well. But I'm sure, someday, Ama will definitely change."

Rafatar smiled gently. "I appreciate your uniqueness, dear. And I'm sure in your caring way, one day Ama will also be able to see your kindness. We need to stay patient and keep trying to mend this relationship."

Ala nodded in agreement. They both give each other support and promise to stay strong in the face of this challenge.

In the coming months, Ala and Rafatar continue to work towards building a better relationship with the Rafatar family. They engage in family activities and try to bond with Rafatar's in-laws and other relatives.

Slowly but surely, the atmosphere between them began to improve. Venna, though still skeptical, begins to see the positive side of Ala's role in their family. Although there is still a small friction between them, they learn to respect each other and find a middle ground.

What, though still sometimes not fully accepting of Ama, also begins to see Ama's efforts in building a harmonious relationship with Ala, their daughter-in-law.

For him, Ala is a loyal companion for Rafatar because it has clearly shown its determination in which Rafatar was imprisoned by a team of prosecutors when Ala was pregnant young. Ala is a loving mother to children, as it is evident that many orphanage children are close to her.

"Ma, you should have learned a lot from our daughter-in-law. He can still take care of the family even though he continues to live his career outside the home. In fact, he did not use ART services. That's really pretty amazing."

Venna snorted annoyedly to hear her husband continue to praise Ala. 'For a while, I'll say it first. When a Venna was told to learn from Ala? Too soon a thousand years, that!' inner Venna was upset.