
" Have you eaten? if not, let's eat first. My mom cooked it. "
" I am full, " he said as he walked to his room.
" Wait a minute, son, "he said stopping Zein's footsteps.
Zein's footsteps stopped and turned her body toward her stepmother.
" What's up? " answered Zein while putting on a flat face.
" Did you miss your mom? Don't you want to thank my mom for releasing you from the police station? "
Zein stepped up to approach her stepmom.
" Mama? A miss? Thank me? " he said as he approached.
" yes. I am, after all, the wife of your late father. You should also call me mama. " said her stepmother.
" I don't want to call you mama, because my mama's only one. It was my mother who gave birth to me. A miss? I didn't miss you. Not at all. How can I miss the woman who has made my father and mother separate? " zein said to his stepmother.
Mama was speechless hearing those words as if her heart was pelted by a hot stone. He heard clearly every word from Zein.
" And one more thing, if it wasn't papa's will, I wouldn't want to stay here with you either. I'd rather stay in Bali with my real mama. And also thank you for releasing me from the police station. Thank you aunt " said Zein again.
Her stepmother nodded.
After he finished speaking, Zein turned back to step into his room.
" Do you want me to change my mind so that all the assets of your late father's legacy fall into my hands? " said his stepmother made Zein's footsteps stop.
" Alright, what should I do now? " zein said as if afraid of the threat of his stepmom.
" Then let's eat first, after we finish eating we will discuss it again "he said as he put his feet on the dining table.
Zein looked at her stepmother.
Nino, do you feel it too? all those years you lived with him and you enjoyed it? Basic stepmom. It's just forcing.
the grumble in Zein's heart recalled his late twin brother.
Then Zein followed in her stepmom's footsteps and sat down at the dinner table. Her stepmother took good care of her. He took care of Zein with all his heart, but Zein did not believe him. Because Zein remembered the story of his friend at school, he often heard his friend's curses while living with his stepmother. His stepmother always forced him and had to obey him, if not obey ya got pinch on his thigh until reddened. And it happened to him too, he had to obey all the words of his stepmother. But Zein's stepmother did not pinch him but threatened to seize all of his late father's wealth assets to become his.
In Zein's heart and mind, as long as it's good, just obey what he wants. But if not, then Zein would have denied it.
They ate together at the dinner table. Both of them focused on their plates.
" Aunty, since my aunt died living here alone? " zein said as if melting the atmosphere in that place.
" Yes" he said while devouring food for the sake of the food on his plate.
" Why do you live alone? can aunty pay a housekeeper to help and accompany aunty here? "
" I don't want to use your papa's money just to spend on less useful things. As long as I can do it, I will not pay the maid and will not ask for help from others. "
Zein fell silent.
It's nonsense. He just wanted to take heart so I could have mercy on him. Stepmom