Chapter 73: Chapter 73

Fathia pressed her lips together again, choosing to listen to the conversation dominated by Sebastian and his family's lawyer. She's gotten to know Ronald's face quite well, especially when he read the will, and she noticed his furrowed brows and frustrated sighs during their discussions.

Savoring a cup of warm hot chocolate, Fathia looked around the room, which was tastefully decorated in a modern style. She admired Ronald's sense of interior design.

"Fathia," Ronald finally called out. His old eyes carried a warm smile as they met hers. "Come here, dear."

The first time Sebastian pushed open the door to the room where Ronald Nasution was waiting for them, Fathia knew the old man was genuinely surprised by her presence. A warm embrace followed by several affirming pats confirmed that Ronald was satisfied with her except for... her face. But Ronald seemed to hold back from asking, perhaps because Sebastian told him not to pry too much.

"You've been listening to our conversation attentively, right?"

Fathia settled into the seat she had chosen next to Sebastian. "Yes, Uncle."

"What do you plan to do once you know all of this?"

The girl remained silent for quite a while. Before her lay stacks of documents, all pointing to one name: Alef Walker. The mastermind behind everything that happened in Fathia's life. The sweet memories with her family were now tainted by this revelation. Every single one of them, without exception.

She recalled Felice's laughter warning her not to spend too much time playing among the flower bushes. Her mother's gentle voice coaxing her to eat vegetables instead of chewing on cheese. Fathia would never forget the moment when her father, with a broad smile, hugged her so tightly after returning from work. Still in his formal suit and tie, his tired face lit up as Fathia showered it with countless kisses.

"Papa's weariness disappears when Fathia kisses Papa."

Then Felice pouted, saying that Papa wasn't being fair. This memory clearly captures how their father scooped them both up in one embrace, even though they were already quite big.

On the table, a secretly taken photo of her father looked so handsome. Walking out of the lobby door that Fathia believed led to the sedan that would pick him up. She recognized the car's license plate, a number she knew by heart. Its engine noise could make her abandon whatever she was doing. Taking the photo slowly, she touched it with deep emotion. Unconsciously, a tear fell from her eye.

There was no intention on her part to wipe away those tears. Then, in her slightly obstructed vision, a photo where her mother and sister sat together at a cafe. She wasn't sure where the background was, but truly, that photo held many stories. Felice laughed with a cup in her hand while their mother smiled softly. The photo was taken from an angle that was just right, like a professional capturing their moment very well.

Her shoulders shook even harder because now, the three of them could only be enjoyed through photos. It's been almost eight years since she lost them, yet the feeling of loss remains the same. Because it's true, there's never a simple word to represent loss. The tightness in her chest worsened until Fathia sobbed even deeper. She bowed her head, not caring that Ronald was watching her with a mournful look.

What she feels now is that Sebastian holds her gently. He envelops Fathia in his embrace, letting her cry. He soothes her with soft strokes on her hair and back.

It takes quite a while for Fathia to regain some composure. Fathia takes several deep breaths, inhaling the scent of Sebastian's cologne.

"Feeling better?" Sebastian asks in a soft whisper that gently touches Fathia's ears, prompting her to look up. She nods slowly while accepting the tissue he offers to wipe away the remaining tears.

"Thanks, Sebastian."

Sebastian simply places a comforting pat on the top of Fathia's head. "You're strong, Fathia," he says softly. Sebastian senses that their interaction is being scrutinized by a gaze as sharp as a dagger from across the room. And it's true. There, Ronald stares at him with an expression of disapproval, huffing and mumbling noticeably.

Sebastian wants to confront the matter, but not now. Fathia's well-being is more important than his own. He used to yield to Ronald's prohibitions and ponder what Fathia truly meant to him. But not this time, not after Sebastian spent so many nights regretting the possibility of losing Fathia's significance in his life. No, he doesn't want to waste the opportunity that's present, regardless of Ronald's objections.

Fathia pushes the tremor out of her voice and manages to say, "Earlier, Uncle asked what I wanted to do." She accepts a drink from Sebastian with a murmured thank you. After feeling a bit better, she turns her attention back to Ronald.

"True. What does Fathia want to do?" Ronald asks again. He knows what needs to be done, but he's asking this of Alvin's youngest child to gauge her thoughts. After everything that's unfolded within their family.

Ronald can clearly see every change in Fathia's expression. But God! He shudders at the scars she carries. What she went through in that horrifying event. Ronald can't even imagine.

"My children have Claire's blood flowing through their veins, Ron. You have to understand that. They're strong. Even Fathia, who may seem so different from Felice. I raised them to be tough women, Ron. You can rest assured."

The words echo strongly, bringing back memories of casual conversations, but deep inside Ronald, there's nothing casual about it. That moment when the will was drafted, a document Ronald strongly disagreed with, as if Alvin knew when his life would end. Cursedly, Alvin laughed. He said it so lightly, as if it were a normal matter.

"Being cautious is necessary, Ron."

Ronald huffs in disapproval.

"What will Fathia do after all of this?" Fathia asks, snapping Ronald out of his reverie. He clears his throat briefly to dislodge the memories that had occupied his mind. He refocuses on the girl who's now looking at him sharply. Her bright brown eyes, calm and serene like her mother's, that Ronald knows for sure. Even with her imperfections, Fathia's essence remains. But this time, those calm eyes are replaced with something different. The ember of vengeance burns so intensely within her.

"Settle all scores, Uncle. Without exception."

Ronald is taken aback. He blinks twice just to make sure that what he's hearing is indeed from the girl whose intense gaze he can't forget.

"And don't let Alan or Max achieve what they want. Those two, I'm sure they're the executors Alef ordered." The tone loses all semblance of politeness as she speaks Alef's name. Indeed, Fathia no longer needs that.

For her now, it's about ensuring that Alef faces his punishment. Prolonged suffering, the kind that Fathia has endured. Its revenge sparked by the bitterness inside her. Wrapped in years of accumulated resentment, this vengeance is the essence of Alef's blind heart and mind. The accumulation of all his discontent with life, fueling him to commit such heinous acts.

Maybe. Fathia was just speculating and drawing conclusions from everything Ronald and Sebastian had discussed earlier. How the plan was meticulously crafted and evidence as well as involved individuals were disappearing. Fortunately, there's Laras who gathered all the evidence before they vanished. Fathia has to express her special gratitude to her later.

Heartache. Wanting full control. Oh God! Fathia is sure her mother regrets ever loving a man like Alef Walker. But suddenly, she feels pity for her aunt, and maybe for Kenzo's life too. Who knows? What's clear for Fathia now is that all the evidence is more than enough, even more, to ensnare Alef in the defendant's chair.

No matter how many trials and legal processes lie ahead, Fathia wants justice.

"Don't let Alan and Max achieve their goals?" Ronald repeats to make sure.

"Yes. Both of them are after Alef, Uncle. I don't care about any grudges Alef's right-hand might have against his boss. I don't care. What I want is to see Alef get his punishment, but not through someone else's hands. My own hands will be the ones to punish him, Uncle."

Ronald nods slowly.

"If I have to kill Alef to end this revenge, I will."

"Not like that, Fathia," Sebastian warns. When they faced each other, Fathia's eyes were usually serene, but now they blazed with anger. There's a small smirk Fathia forms, not mischievous or playful, but a chilling smirk. Sebastian reaches for her fingers and gently strokes them, trying to immerse himself in the fire that's burning there. He's trying to dampen it as much as possible, because Sebastian never imagined Fathia could be like this.

"Do you really know me that well, Sebastian?"

Sebastian blinks softly.

"No. You only lost Felice. Me? Everything. Living for years in the memories I created myself just to stay sane. Left with someone unfamiliar in my life, where I had to quickly learn to accept this situation. What I do know and understand is that you care about me. Not to mention, left with so many responsibilities I don't understand. Made to understand because someone wanted to destroy what my parents had worked hard to build."

They all listen in silence to Fathia's words.

"What did Papa and Mommy do wrong? Felice either. Nothing. They didn't do anything wrong. But why did they become victims? So selfish to make them all targets. Leaving me alone." Fathia can't hold back her tears, much like Clara. "No one knows what it's like to be me. No one." She's once again overcome by tears.

"What's wrong with me, anyway? I even asked God many times, where's the fairness in life for me. Where?! There's none! And why didn't I just die right then? Why!"

"Fathia," Sebastian whispers. "Calm down."

"Calm down? After everything that happened and I know I'm being told to calm down? Can't, Sebastian. Can't." This time, Fathia challenges Sebastian with her gaze, those deep dark eyes. "Right here," Fathia points at her own chest. "It hurts so much, Sebastian. Uncle Alef should have been my family. A replacement for Papa. Not someone behind Papa's absence. Because why? Money and love that never arrived." Fathia chuckles, but it sounds so eerie.

"And I'm going to return this pain I have. Until I'm satisfied. If possible, I want to be the judge of it all, Sebastian. If possible." Her tears flow in front of Sebastian. For years, she endured the loss of her parents on her own.

Upon discovering the many secrets behind it, Fathia couldn't bear it. They were deliberately and systematically murdered. And her life was also targeted. She doesn't care about the gentle comfort Sebastian offers. She wants to cast it aside, but she needs an anchor to keep her emotions from overflowing too much. "That's my desire, Uncle. Settling all scores. But I'll be the one pulling the trigger. Not someone else. Make sure it happens, Uncle."

Ronald stares at Fathia without a pause. He sighs softly and then nods slowly. "I have all the documents that are enough to keep Alef in prison for a long time."

The girl, who's once again shedding tears, chooses to nod slowly.

"Keep a close watch on Alef, Sebastian. I don't want him executed by Alan, Max, or whoever. The one who should execute him is me. Just me."