Chapter 56: Chapter 56

Tonight, Fathia couldn't sleep again. Many nights had passed where Fathia chose to sit near the window. Staring at the clear sky from this corner of her room. The guest room window was large, designed like a cozy couch with lots of cushions nearby. Fathia simply pulled back the curtains, revealing the expanse of the night sky.

And she did that just to summon sleep, which stubbornly refused to come for two or three hours since she woke up. Just like now. Should she take a sleeping pill to finally doze off?

The book that was the reference for their planning was still lying on the table along with the nearly empty snack jar. They discussed like professional mystery solvers, connecting dots beyond Fathia's and Jess's thoughts. This made Fathia realize if the path she had to take to reach 'peace' had to be this complicated.

She let out a long sigh, moving down not to return to bed but to pick up the portrait she always carried. She gazed at it closely, as usual, her eyes becoming teary. She brought the portrait to where she had been sitting. Engaging with the darkening sky, which grew darker minute by minute.

"I just want to join you," she whispered. "If Jess hears this, she'd probably slap me. She'd say I'm not grateful for being given a chance to live. What's the concept of life like that, Mom? I need your answer because it’s very difficult to me," she whispered again.

"Tell me, what should I do?" She gently wiped the portrait she held in her hands. Drop by drop, her tears greeted the surface of the portrait framed with an ethnic style. "Why do I seem so blind to the Claire family?"

Until she drifted to sleep without intending to wipe away her tear marks. Clinging tightly to the portrait that was always close to her heart. Also hoping with all her heart that peace would start to greet her tomorrow. Maybe the path she was taking had to be steep. But truly, if she could choose, she wanted to be born into an ordinary family. Or maybe, she wished there were no accidents that befell her parents and her brother. Which, if they were still here, she would live with abundant love and a normal, simple life.

Yes. If her parents hadn't died in the accident. Which ... it's highly likely the accident was engineered for a specific purpose. True. This was what she had to uncover while peeling layer after layer and untangling this already messed up thread.

Carrying a load on her mind, Fathia didn't realize that morning was approaching. Although the sunlight was starting to disturb, Fathia was too deeply asleep with her eyes closed. When Jess woke up, she was quite surprised to find Fathia sleeping near the window. Curled up while hugging the portrait that was never far from her friend's reach.

There was a strong feeling of care and compassion that Jess felt for Fathia. Perhaps because they were both left behind by their parents. In Jess's opinion, this matter was different. Jess's parents died from illness while Fathia? It's cruel if there really was a mastermind behind the accident that took Fathia's parents and caused this situation. And Jess was sure, this person wasn't just anyone. Maybe their heart had been replaced with a demonic heart. That's why they heartlessly separated parents from their child. And then ... wanted to control the inheritance?

Somehow, Jess always leaned her suspicions toward Alef Walker. Although up to this moment, she had never met Fathia's uncle in person, her gut feeling strongly suggested that everything stemmed from there. She just had to find strong evidence on how to entrap him. Because one thing Jess was sure of, the person behind all this turmoil was ruthless. Uncompromising in their actions. Willing to go beyond human reason, including murder.

Leaving Fathia still asleep, Jess slowly closed the window curtains and left the room. She informed Naomi to prepare breakfast for Fathia. And today, Jess didn't want to be disturbed as she had to manage her café, Amorè, even though Asya reported it online. For Jess, Amorè was her life. For now, she had to help Fathia uncover everything. Not without reason, Jess still had recurring nightmares where Paulina's presence lingered.

There was a burden of her own in her mind, as if the incident at her campus wasn't resolved thoroughly. Perhaps, for her entire life, she would be haunted by uncomfortable feelings like this. No. No. She didn't want that. She had to help Fathia uncover everything. Maybe with this, Paulina could find peace.

Meanwhile, when Fathia woke up, she felt a slight dizziness and had some difficulty opening her eyes. When she glanced, the wall clock showed ten o'clock. Ah... she was very late waking up. Scanning around, she searched for Jess who wasn't in the room. Her bed had been neatly made. There was also a trolley with a variety of delicious-looking foods and fresh flower arrangements as decorations.

Still holding the portrait, "Mommy, I'm coming into the room, okay? Sorry if Fathia seems rude." She placed the portrait on the nightstand right next to the neatly laid notebook. Before she began her search, filling her stomach was the first thing she wanted to do.

****

"How's the café?" Fathia asked while stretching her legs on the long chair near the swimming pool. This afternoon, Fathia chose to spend time there while enjoying her strawberry smoothie. Jess had just finished swimming, who knew how many laps she had done.

She had said before plunging into the water, "This is crazy, seriously. Swimming here is so satisfying."

"Asya said everything's going well. New customers are visiting a lot. The new staff members are becoming dependable too. Sometimes Melly drops by the café."

Fathia nodded gently. "I told Melly that if things got too hectic, we could temporarily close it, but she didn't want to. She said she wouldn't be able to provide pocket money for Ica later."

"Oh my. But it's okay if your florist business keeps running. At least your loyal customers won't run away, Fathia."

"You're right." Fathia set down the half-empty smoothie glass gently. "Once everything is settled, I want to expand the flower shop."

"Group Azure?"

The shoulder-length-haired girl smiled slightly. "From the beginning, I never wanted to run Group Azure, you know. Once everything is in order, I just want to hire competent people who will provide monthly reports to me."

"Becoming a big boss at a young age, huh, Fathia?"

Fathia just chuckled. Her mind drifted back to her activities in her parents' room earlier in the afternoon. Nothing was strange there except she found a book that she thought belonged to her mother. It was inside a special safe where her mother's jewelry was neatly stored. She had trouble opening the combination lock after inserting the key. Many numbers were tried, and Fathia almost gave up.

She chose to lie on her parents' large bed. She closed her eyes briefly, inhaling the scent of lilies that she liked. Ah... she liked lilies because her mother did too. It brought back many sweet memories between her and her mother.

"Mom, why do you like Lilies?" Fathia asked one time. At that moment, both of them were sitting in the garden beside the house. Many flowering plants were thriving thanks to her mother's care. Young Fathia was wearing a dress with lace accents at the chest. Her long straight hair was tied into two ponytails like rabbits, complete with ribbons. And not to forget, Naomi had matched her outfit with shoes of the same color. Ivory yellow.

"Um... maybe because of their color?" A sweet smile formed on Rossie's face. Her eyes gazed at Fathia with affection, and a gentle caress was received by the girl who seemed to be swinging her legs, not yet understanding the meaning.

"But Sister Felice likes roses because of their beautiful colors." Fathia blinked softly, voicing things she remembered about her sister; her role model.

Still smiling and with her hand that kept lovingly patting the top of Fathia's head, her mother said, "True. But Mommy prefers Lilies, Fathia. For Mommy, Lilies are pure, graceful, elegant, and also... captivating."

"Really?"

Without hesitation, Rossie nodded.

"In that case, Fathia wants to be like a Lily. Captivating."

A small chuckle colored their light conversation. "Fathia certainly captivates anyone who sees her." Stroke after stroke, Fathia accepted Rossie's affectionate touch as she explained how to take care of the plants in their home garden. She also shared a small wish – that her mother wanted to have her own flower shop. Someday, when Fathia grew up. That's what she said.

"Mommy wants the flower shop's name to be...," Rossie tilted her head to gaze intently at Fathia, seeking consideration from the little Fathia who had begun to enjoy the blooming Lilies in front of her.

"According to Fathia, what should the flower shop be named?"

The girl turned and found her mother looking intently at her. Her gaze was so warm, greeting Fathia just like the sun greets her every morning. It always gave her encouragement, even though her mother often went on business trips with her father.

"Can Fathia give the flower shop a name for Mommy?"

"Why not?"

A radiant happiness enveloped Fathia mercilessly. "Fathia knows the name!" she exclaimed joyfully. "An Flower."

"An?"

"Yes. Mommy's name is in it, right? Anne."

Rossie burst into laughter. "It will become a famous flower shop in Indonesia someday."

The bubble of that memory burst as new hope came with the combination of numbers she would press for Clara. Taking her notes and a pen, she used the combination on the keypad of her old phone where numbers were also associated with some letters.

"An Flower," she whispered. "So... 2 for A. 6 for N. 3 for F. 5 for L. 6 for O. 9 for W. 3 for E. And 7 for R. GOTCHA!!!" Fathia shouted in delight. Clinging to high hopes for this combination had proven to be right.

And when she tried, the soft click of the safe opening sounded. Fathia's heart raced uncontrollably. "YES!!!"

"Fathia, you zoned out?" Jess gently nudged Fathia's arm, which was hanging by her side. Fathia's behavior this evening was somewhat suspicious. She seemed to be grinning to herself as if she had stumbled upon a precious treasure. "Don't tell me you just saw a ghost?"

"You're so off, seriously!"

Jess chuckled. "So?"

Fathia took another sip of her smoothie, savoring the tangy and refreshing taste on her tongue. "I don't know if this is considered theft or what, but I found a kind of notebook that belonged to Mommy, and there's also a folded file like that." Fathia glanced at Jess, who was now looking at her with keen interest. "Don't worry, I've safely kept them in my room. And I locked the room as well."

"Good." Jess, like Fathia, took a sip of her orange juice. "Just look at the contents, and then you can tell me."

Fathia's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Well... maybe that notebook is your Mommy's diary. I shouldn't read it. If there's a love story in there, it wouldn't be funny if I had to know about it."

Getting an answer from Jess made her chuckle. Their conversation shifted randomly to discussing the flower shop and café until silence enveloped them. Fathia chose to enjoy the evening while Jess untied her kimono robe. She put on a two-piece swimsuit that showcased her beautiful figure, even though there was a long scar on her upper arm. She performed slow stretches, loosening her muscles before deciding to dive into the pool.

"Are you sure, Jess?" Fathia asked hesitantly. She had her reasons for asking; she was worried that Jess's arm might not be able to support her weight later on. Jess, on the other hand, chuckled dismissively. Slowly, she paced around the pool area before descending the steps. Then she started gliding through the water, mastering the pool.

Fathia silently watched her. In her mind, she began to arrange the steps she needed to take later that night. Tomorrow would be Sunday. Maybe she should try to turn on her father's computer and tinker around, hoping for a stroke of luck to befall her again. Who knows, maybe inside it, they would find what they were looking for.

Until...

"OH, MY GOD! JESSLYN!!!"