Ryanthi: Sweet Cake, Bitter Reality
● TWENTY-ONE: Difficult Decisions

With a bowed step, Ryanthi opened the door of the house. He wanted to shower and change his clothes. Ryanthi couldn't bear to wear Adrian's shirt, which was too big for her. However, just entering, someone sounded out calling him. Ryanthi was stunned, then turned her head.

Surya stood up with a serious expression. Making Ryanthi take a deep breath. He was convinced that Vera must have complained about him. "Where have you been?" ask Surya. "You haven't been home all night?" surya asked as he walked closer. Ryanthi looks strange.

"Whose clothes are these?" ask Surya again.

Ryanthi did not answer. He just looked down.

Unexpectedly, Maya suddenly came and directly slapped Ryanthi's right cheek very hard.

"May! What are you doing?" surya Bentak.

"The slap was nothing, when compared to the pain Vera was experiencing!" Maya looks so angry.

"Papa saw for himself yesterday. Vera came home with a bloody nose and mouth because of Ryanthi! The girl who looks naive, but the original is nothing more than a delinquent!" caci Maya is full of emotions.

"So your mouth!" point Surya in front of Maya's face.

"About him your son, then you justify what he has done? Ryanthi didn't come home all night! Look at! I don't know whose clothes he's wearing right now?" maya protests.

Surya turned his attention to Ryanthi. "Go to your room" he said in a lower tone.

Ryanthi nodded, then passed from there.

Now there is Surya and Maya. "You've been acting so outrageous! I will never forgive you if you dare to do that again to my daughter!" threaten Surya firmly.

"Why is Papa defending her now?" maya protests again.

"If I don't defend him, then who else? Hear that! I loved Vera like my daughter. However, that doesn't mean I'll spoil her like you always do! Ask your daughter what makes Ryanthi that way. If Ryanthi is the one who started it and is found guilty, then I will punish him. Not you or anyone. Understand that!" surya firmly passed.

Ryanthi had finished her bath and changed into clothes. But he doesn't want to go anywhere. Ryanthi prefers to sit on the bed while pensive. She doesn't care about the bruises on her cheeks, as a result of Maya's hard slap. For a moment, Ryanthi thought of Arshan. I don't know what the man was doing.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door. Surya emerged from behind it. "Can I come in?" ask Surya. Without waiting for a response, the man stayed inside, then walked over to Ryanthi. "How are you doing now?"

"It's normal" Ryanthi replied lazily.

"What about the wound near your eye?"

"I won't die from just this small wound" Ryanthi replied flatly.

Surya let out a long sigh, then touched the tip of Ryanthi's head. He meant to caress her. However, the man's movements stalled, as Ryanthi complained. "Why?" tanyanya.

"My head hit the wall yesterday" Ryanthi replied.

Surya knitted his brows because he did not understand. "Tell me" he asked.

"Where did you learn to fight? I never imagined, you could hit Vera so badly."

Ryanthi smiled slightly. "I'm very happy to be able to do that. I was going to take out all of Vera's teeth, but I didn't have the heart" Ryanthi said.

"Yes, God." Surya clucked slowly.

"Good steps if you speak well. I don't know what's the matter between you two. However, it is not appropriate for someone to do so. Moreover, the two of you are grown up," he softly rebuked.

Ryanthi listens to all the advice of her father. He knew he had been very brutal. "Don't ask me to apologize to Vera." Ryanthi seemed to know the meaning of Surya's words.

"Don't apologize if you feel it'll lower your self-esteem. But what do you get? Does your self-esteem feel lifted after what you did to her?"

"Dad doesn't know what Vera's doing. She ...." Ryanthi did not continue her words. The girl chose h silence.

Surya mangosteen. "Dad will talk to him" Surya said as he got out of bed.

"Vera didn't tell me anything?" ryanthi asked curiously.

Surya shakes. "He just said you hit him." Surya laughed softly. "Remember! You look so tired." After kissing Ryanthi's forehead, Surya came out and closed the room door.

As usual, Ryanthi could not sleep that night. He went out and stood on the balcony. "Did you sleep at this hour?" ryanthi muttered softly. But it wasn't too late at the time.

"Verah!" call Ryanthi.

Vera's stunned. She's looking. His face looks nervous. Regardless of Ryanthi's call, he rushed into the room. Unexpectedly, Ryanthi follows him.

"Why follow me? Don't bother me!" sergeant Vera. He sat in a chair by the window.

Instead of going out, Ryanthi came closer. He looked at Vera with some bruises, making Ryanthi feel pity. "Sorry" Ryanthi said.

"I don't know why you should disturb my relationship with Arahan" Ryanthi said. "You've enjoyed everything that's rightfully mine. Home, dad, and happiness."

"Because she's your lover" replied Vera ketus. Ryanthi was silent at Vera's reply. "I don't understand why you have everything I don't have."

"You mean?"

"Yes. You have a very good father. Mother educated you properly. While me? At first I was just trying to tempt Arshan into leaving you. However, in a few days of knowing him, I think he is the right man for me" Vera explained.

"Well for you?" Ryanthi doesn't understand.

Vera did not answer. He just looked down, then sighed softly.

"Why? Why are you crying?" ask Ryanthi again.

Vera is still silent. His lips began to tremble holding back feelings that he could not express. However, it seemed too heavy if it had to be shouldered on its own. Finally, Vera gave up. "I'm pregnant" she replied in a trembling voice.

Ryanthi was aghast at the girl's shocking confession. "Are you sure?" ryanthi asked doubtfully. "But, you .. You just got to know Arshan yesterday. How did you get pregnant so soon?" Ryanthi really doesn't understand. A short complaint slid from Ryanthi's lips. It seemed, she indeed had to completely end the relationship with Arahan.

"I'm sorry Ryanthi." Unexpectedly, Vera embraces Ryanthi. She was crying in the arms of the girl.

"Is that really Arshan's baby?" ryanthi asked reassuringly. He also did not refuse to return Vera's embrace.

"No," Vera replied as she took off her embrace.

Ryanthi can breathe a little. "Then, who's the baby's father?" inquiringly.

Vera did not answer. He just sobbed. Vera looks very scared.

"Actually, I myself am not sure who the father of this baby in my womb." replied Vera who could only be bowed down in shame.

At once Ryanthi stood up and glared at the girl who was now hiding her face. "Litty girl! Where's your pride?" ryanthi. "What would happen if I found out about your situation? Why do you always think of yourself? Why don't you think about your parents' reputations?" Ryanthi is so enraged by Vera's behavior that she cannot keep her honor and family

"I beg you not to let me know about this. I didn't even tell mom. He would have burned me alive if he had known about this" Vera said. He is standing before Ryanthi.

Ryanthi felt bad to see it. However, he also felt very disgusted by what Vera had been doing all along.

However, compassion overcame all the anger in Ryanthi. Moreover, because Vera kept begging him. "I beg Ryanthi. Help me. Please persuade Arshan to marry me!" pinta Vera continues to sob.

Ryanthi is wide-eyed at Vera's crazy plea. "Don't be crazy! You want Arshan to be in charge of your pregnancy? How can you trap a man as good as him, to pay for your sins with another man? You don't even know who's responsible for your pregnancy!" Ryanthi returns unable to shake the emotions of Vera's crazy mind.

"It is precisely because Arshan is a good man that I want him so much. I beg Ryanthi. Arshan will be ready if you ask for it. I beg you, Ryanthi. Help me." Vera collapsed and sat on the floor. She kept crying.

Ryanthi looked at the girl who was standing before her. No more Vera who used to be haughty and arrogant. No longer seen Vera who always stood up while on her waist and raised her chin high. The girl who was in front of Ryanthi right now, was just someone who was desperate with the continuation of her life.

Ryanthi exhaled a heavy breath. He wants to end his relationship with Arshan. The reason was obvious, because the man had betrayed.

However, Ryanthi does not think that he should help Vera, dragging the man she once loved into the chaos that Vera created herself in her life.

"What am I supposed to do, God?" ryanthi muttered while looking up at the sky. He stared at the thick-colored night blanket.

"Should I help Vera? That way, the disgrace in the family will be covered. Then, what about Arshan and his family?" thought Ryanthi again.

"Mothers. What's going on in my life? Why does it feel so unfair." Ryanthi. She wanted to cry. However, a gentle touch on the shoulder had prevented it. Ryanthi immediately looked over. Right behind the girl, there stood a woman who was none other than Farida.

"Mother?" Ryanthi knitted her eyebrows. He was not sure that the woman was really in front of him. "How can I ...."

"Sometimes, life leads us to many difficult choices. However, you must still choose one and sacrifice the other. Right now, maybe it will look like a mistake. However, one day the wisdom of the wrong decision you take, you can get. You will feel grateful for it" Farida said.