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Chapter 36 - Ending

Priska sat with her head bowed, staring at her fingers as they intertwined and clenched tightly, damp with sweat. Everything that had happened over the past few weeks had been terrifying, like a never-ending nightmare. She never expected it to end so abruptly, right before the new semester began. And yet, what she regretted the most was her own foolishness—trusting someone like Aldo, a man with two faces. Priska’s view of the world had completely changed; to her, everyone was cruel.
Could she really return to the orphanage and resume her daily routines? Everything she had just gone through had left deep scars, making it even harder to trust people again. She wasn’t sure if love still existed in this world. Her shoulders shook violently as she sobbed, the pain so raw that the taxi driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror. Feeling sorry for her, he handed her a box of tissues.
“What’s wrong, Miss? Please don’t cry… There’s always a silver lining to everything. Whatever it is you’re going through, I’m sure everything will be okay,” said the middle-aged driver kindly.
Priska couldn’t find the words to respond. She simply nodded in gratitude. When the taxi stopped in front of the orphanage, Priska nearly tripped over her own feet, hesitating to go inside and face Mother Shinta. But she couldn’t just stand there and risk drawing suspicion from the neighbors.
Summoning every ounce of courage, she forced herself to take slow, deliberate steps toward the front door. Before knocking, she wiped away the lingering traces of her tears. If Mother asked why her eyes were swollen, she’d just say she had the flu or a fever. With trembling hands, Priska knocked on the door. A few moments later, Mother opened it, her face filled with concern.
“My dear, what’s wrong?”
Mother could clearly tell that Priska had been crying. Unable to hold back any longer, Priska threw herself into Mother’s embrace and broke down in uncontrollable sobs. She had no parents, no memory of their faces—Mother was everything to her.
“I feel like I just want to die,” she choked out between her sobs.
“I’m here, sweetheart. Don’t be afraid. Come, tell me everything,” Mother soothed, gently rubbing Priska’s back even though she had no idea what had happened. The last time they had spoken, Priska had seemed fine.
“Come inside. It’s not good to be out here where the neighbors can see,” Mother said softly.
They walked together into the house. Mother gave Priska some time alone while she went to prepare a warm drink. As Priska sat on her bed, she suddenly noticed something strange—where were the other children? The place was eerily quiet.
“Where is everyone?” she murmured, scanning the room. None of the children’s belongings were there.
A moment later, Mother returned with a cup of hot tea. Priska took it, blowing gently before taking a cautious sip.
“Where are the kids?” Priska asked, puzzled.
Mother smiled warmly, taking Priska’s hand in hers. “They’ve been adopted. While you were away, an NGO came and offered to help speed up the adoption process. I carefully looked into each adoptive family’s background and their willingness to care for the children. Some of them were even taken abroad. I’m so happy that they finally have families of their own,” Mother explained, her face glowing with joy.
Priska was happy for the children too, though something about it felt too sudden. “Then what will happen to the orphanage?”
“It’s going to be torn down and replaced with a supermarket. You’ll be living here alone from now on. As for me… I need to undergo cancer treatment, and I’ll be in the hospital for a long time,” Mother admitted, sadness flickering in her eyes.
Priska knew Mother had always been sickly, but she had never imagined it was something this serious. And now, out of nowhere, an NGO had taken an interest in the orphanage after all these years? And the land was no longer theirs? It couldn’t just be a coincidence. Priska was certain Indra had a hand in this.
***
One month later.
Priska rented a small house on the outskirts of the city. It was spacious enough for a small family, surrounded by a lush garden full of blooming flowers, and enclosed by a high fence. Her classes hadn’t started yet, but she wasn’t sure whether she should even go back.
The guilt and shame of using the money from those five despicable men weighed heavily on her. It felt like she was profiting off her own disgrace, like she had sold herself. But she wasn’t a prostitute. She had merely allowed herself to be touched by two different men in a short span of time.
Nearly every night, she couldn’t sleep. She spent her days lost in thought, crying endlessly. More than once, she had contemplated ending her life—wandering barefoot through the streets at midnight or pressing a cutter to her wrist.
There were days she didn’t eat for so long that she collapsed from exhaustion. But in the end, she was too much of a coward to go through with it. Deep down, a part of her still wanted to live, even though she had no idea how to move forward. She felt filthy. She felt damned.
Each evening, Priska sat on the front steps of her house, gazing at the flowers in her yard. She still wanted to see them bloom, to witness their beauty. Suddenly, a taxi stopped on the street outside. A man stepped out, carrying a suitcase and a sling bag. From a distance, their eyes met—both startled, both strangers to each other. After a long moment of staring, the man took long strides toward her.
“Huh? Who is he?” Priska mumbled, confused.
The man approached, and Priska stood up, her legs stiff from sitting too long.
“Who are you?” he asked, his tone filled with curiosity.
Priska wasn’t comfortable meeting new people, especially men. She was afraid of being deceived and used again.
“Who are you? I’m the tenant of this house,” she replied defensively.
The man let out a small chuckle, massaging his temples. “Hmm… but I’m the owner of this house. And as far as I remember… I never rented it out,” he stated confidently.
Priska frowned, disbelief written all over her face. “That’s impossible. I signed a contract with some old guy… I forgot his name.”
“Was it Mr. Joko? Damn, that guy is at it again,” the man muttered angrily.
He walked into the house, and Priska followed. He said he would show her the property deed to prove his claim. He opened a safe, rummaging through a stack of documents until he found what he was looking for.
The man crouched down, sorting through the papers patiently, while Priska stood anxiously nearby, hoping he was wrong. Truth be told, she was afraid of being touched again—afraid of this stranger in her house. The 21-year-old girl kept her distance but didn’t take her eyes off him.
“Here, read it carefully,” he said, handing her the document.
Priska read the information on the certificate. He then unzipped his sling bag, pulled out his wallet, and took out his ID card for her to examine. Now, standing face to face, Priska’s breath hitched as she saw the name on both documents.
“Satria Pamungkas?” she whispered hesitantly. Priska stood frozen in shock.
Satria nodded, confirming his identity. “Where did you find this house listing? Mr. Joko loves scamming people desperate for a place to live. This isn’t the first or second time this has happened while I was away. He usually lurks near real estate agencies or just preys on gullible people like you. I’m sorry… but I can’t return your money. Mr. Joko probably already gambled it away on slot machines,” Satria explained in one breath.athy. He had tried to warn him.

Book Comment (10)

  • avatar
    Eduardo

    ótimo

    19/03

      0
  • avatar
    AraújoLuciana

    muito interessante o livro, a história perfeita. ótimo contexto e bem escrito

    17/03

      0
  • avatar
    EnegidoSomto

    Prince

    17/03

      0
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