Best Defense

Talk to her.

"He's at Ease Corner" my mother said. That's the term to name the terrace behind the house that is full of plant collections. But my brother and I call it hidden jungle. "Talk to him for a while. For years, you had to give him a chance, at least once" he said again because he saw me not moving a bit.

"He had a lot of chances, mom. But why did it only appear after decades?" my sahut holds back the growl.

"Something happened to him, sweetie. Please, talk to him, just this time." My mother begged again.

I groaned helplessly in my heart, it is impossible to refuse her request if she pleads like this.

I forcefully walked away from the living room in my mother's house, slowly down the hallway next to the house that led to the back porch. It feels like I've been on the hardest journey of my life. Not for my body, but my heart.

Then I saw her sitting on one of the armchair logs that led to the large green plants my mother had planted. His gaze was blank, as if he was deep in thought. Her hand held a full glass of cocktail and she did not move at all. Just like a statue.

Then suddenly as if realizing that he was being noticed, he turned his head until our gaze met. I could see a ray of relief emanating in his eyes, his lips drawn upwards, curling a smile.

I didn't return her smile. A smile or anything will not be enough to fix everything. This is the second time I saw his face after a few days ago we accidentally met and he forced me to talk. But I turned it down and it ended up messy as soon as I got home.

Does he now want to try to fix the mess he made?

"You're coming, Franda" he said in a hoarse voice. "I'm glad to see you again."

I snorted rudely. "It'd be more fun if you hadn't left me long ago."

He stood up and approached me. Instantly made me recall my painful childhood. I could see everything clearly in my mind. All those painful shadows just flashed by as I looked at his face.

"Franda, I know this may have been too long," he murmured. "But I want to apologize for everything, and for the time you've missed without my being around you."

If only he had come to me after five or ten years of disappearing, I might have forgiven him. But now his words no longer mean anything to me. "You left me when I was four years old, and then you came back when I had a kid that looked like me back then. What do you think you'll get after we talk?" I said cynically.

I saw his body trembling like it was holding back the pain, but I couldn't stop.

"Frand..."

"I'm not finished!" I rebuked him harshly. "How does it feel to be the only person who can run away from it all? You live your life as if nothing happened. And while you're having fun with your new husband while celebrating my papa's death, I've spent hours every day for years stuck with a psychiatrist." I muttered impassively.

"I'm surprised because you look so calm and so good after what you did. Have you ever thought about me? Did you ever find out about my life once?" I said add.

He was silent, his entire body trembling while his tears started to pool. If she wasn't the one who abandoned me, maybe I'd hug her now. But I can't afford to forget the terrible reality that she threw at me.

"Why did you leave me?" ask me with a sharp tone.

He smiled at me, trying to ignore my question. "You look fine now, at least it can treat my guilt."

I snorted cynically. "You never know what I've been through until I get to this place, but I think now I should be grateful that you left me. Thank you for that, and for letting me live without a woman like you." I replied sharply.

"Franda, mama didn't really leave you, baby."

"Omong empty!" sambark. "You clearly left and never intended to see me. Do you know how I've lived all this time? You don't understand what it's like to be ignored, because you only think of yourself."

He looked down, he looked very pitiful, but I didn't want to feel pity, not until I revealed everything. "Is mom that bad for you?"

I laughed softly, then grinned at him. "Bad words aren't even right enough to describe you. You're horrible. You monster! You must kill your husband and leave your only son. You're the worst human of all the people I've ever met."

"Franda, you don't understand why I did that, baby. I'm sorry for leaving you but. I have no regrets about killing him. He deserves it."

I nodded in disbelief at his words. He even looked very calm saying that. Is this woman really my birth mother? He killed and did not feel guilty. "Does killing someone make you feel better?" I said insinuate.

"No, but I'll never regret it. What happened between us has nothing to do with you, you can't blame me for him forcing me to do that, Franda."

"But I suffer because of what you did! What was on your mind when you left me? I'm so wrong that you feel you deserve to do that to me? Oh my..." I took a breath while calming down my heartbeat, then continued. "I cry over your death almost every day, I blame myself for the accident. I spent years relieving the trauma, not to mention crying over the grave of a woman I didn't know. God, I'm really stupid for doing that."

"Franda, you're my son, there's no way I'd intentionally abandon you." her voice trembled. "My life isn't as easy as you might think, I'm sorry I left you. But that was the only option at the time."

"Is there no choice you can consider for my life? You said I was your son, but the truth is you dumped me. What kind of mother would do that to her child?" My eyes began to blur with tears, but I did not want to cry in front of him. I have had too many tears to cry over his fake death.

"I'm happy with my life now and I don't need your presence anymore. My husband and my family took good care of me all this time while you were enjoying your life out there. So, you don't have to apologize just for missing the best part of my life." I said ending sarcastically.

I can't bear to talk to him any longer, the effect can be much worse than I thought. I clenched my hands that started shaking and turned around to walk away leaving her. The only thing I want is to get out of this place as soon as possible.

I saw my mother passing through the living room and she came straight to me as soon as I saw her. "I shouldn't have come here, mom." I muttered while trying to hold back my voice that was vibrating with emotion.

My mother looked at me with a sad look while shaking her head. "I know it's gonna be hard on you, but just stay a little while,"

My mother's eyes started to glow. "My brother-in-law has made a terrible mistake with you and your father, let me take his place to apologize..."

"No," I clasped his hand to stop him talking. "Please, don't do that." The body of my mother and I hugged her tightly, feeling her vulnerable body tremble in my arms. My poor mother, who was always tormented by feelings of guilt, even by something she didn't do at all. "I love you, mom. You're my only mother. She did give birth to me, but you raised me and took care of me all this time." I said in her ear before letting go.

I forced my way out of my mother's house without looking back again while struggling to harden my heart as I vaguely heard my mother's heartbreaking cry.

"Ke Warner Enterprise, Black." I muttered as soon as I entered the car.

I grabbed a water bottle from the passenger seat next to me, gulping down the contents a lot as if my mood could improve by doing that. Then I leaned back and closed my eyes.

Talking to my birth mother was the last thing I wanted to happen in my life. The effects of his actions were too cruel to hit me, breaking me to pieces, and somehow I couldn't accept the reason. Am I a bad kid for punishing him? If so, what about his actions?

I took a deep breath and threw away all the bad thoughts that were lodged in my head. There are still many things that need my attention other than that woman. I don't know if I'm going to hate him for the rest of my life or someday I can forgive him, two possibilities that can happen and I don't want to choose one of them. Let time answer.

I unknowingly fell asleep in the car and Black's voice called out to me. "Ma'am, we've arrived." I rubbed my eyes and looked around. We were in front of the lobby of my husband's office.

With a better feeling, I got out of the car and went straight into the building. Some people seemed to greet me with a smile, just a small talk knowing I was their boss's wife. Classically. But I keep nodding my head.

"Hi, Selena! How are you, gorgeous?" sweep me with a cheerful tone. The woman always looks admirable, there is almost no flaw in her appearance. I'm sure her beauty won't wear off even if her face is covered in mud. Really, she's the only woman I can envy.

Selena looked up at me. "Ma'am! Geez, I haven't seen you in a long time." He stood up and approached me. "By the way, I'm good. How are you, ma'am?" he returned while hugging me.

I smile. "Always amazing." I said. "Is my husband inside?"

"Yes, he's inside with Dean."

"Okay, thank you." Selena nodded.

I turned around, then walked into Sean's room and immediately saw the handsome sexy man sitting in his chair. Just looking at it is enough to make me forget what happened today. Ah, he's the most potent sedative.

I watched his serious-looking face as he moved closer, and as soon as I saw him his eyes instantly emitted a dazzling radiance. "Hey, angel!" Uuh, my mood is getting brighter hearing her soft voice.

I smiled at him. "Hi, Samson!" I said hello, then I said hello to Dean. "Hi, the sister-in-law who failed to tease me." I said jokingly. Dean pouted at a glance but then smiled in response to my joke.

"Please don't reveal the embarrassing incident, or I'll disappear now" Dean said shyly. I giggled amusedly as the memories of the day we first met at WE Fashion's building flashed through my mind.

"Ah, that would be good. Come out, I must welcome my angel for a moment" Sean said as he extended his hand to me.

I grabbed his hand. "I don't want to disturb. Just continue if it's not finished, I'll wait on the couch."

Sean wrapped his arms around my waist. "Oh, no, honey. You're more important than anything." He turned his head towards Dean. "We'll continue later, okay?"

Dean raised an eyebrow while shrugging, then stood up. "I'll send the file to you." he muttered before turning around and stepping away from us.

"Sorry!" I yelled at him, he held up one hand before disappearing behind the door.

"So, what made you come to my battlefield this afternoon, bad girl?" sean said in a flirtatious tone. His hand rubbed gently on my hip.

I turned my face to look at him. Staring at every corner of his handsome face while tidying up his hair. "There is no specific reason. I just miss you."

"Aw, suddenly my heart exploded." He touched his chest with an expression as if I had just thrown a spear there. Then suddenly his eyebrows wrinkled. "Wait, am I in heaven? Why is there a fairy in front of me?"

The sound of my laughter echoed throughout the room. I cupped her face and ducked down to kiss her lips at a glance. "You're a master seducer, Warner." I kissed her again.

Sean's lips curved high. "That's because you're easily tempted, Franda."

"Have you renovated your secret room behind that shelf?" I said while pointing at the bookshelf that was behind him.

He's nodding. "Hm, why?"

"Can we use it now?" I whispered wildly as I exhaled in her ear.

Sean's eyes glared, making me laugh watching his surprised face. "Franda, you really are...." He shook his head several times before reaching out to the phone on his desk, then pressing one of the buttons there.

"Selena, don't bother me for the next two hours." I laughed again and my body instantly floated as Sean lifted me up.

What a great life is this!