Forced to endure

Chapter 76

My maid is done preparing the food. I took Eva to the dining room, while her son fell asleep in Kirana's bed.

"Let's eat ... You must be hungry" take me.

Eva nodded.

He immediately took out a plate of rice and side dishes and ate them voraciously, like a man who had not eaten for days. Plus his pale face made me sure he hadn't eaten since when.

I just looked at him.

I wonder, is it true that Mas Adji did everything that Eva said? Is it true that he beat up Eva, while with me even though he was often drunk and we fought a lot he never flirted with me. Never once did he hit me. Then why would he be this brutal to Eva?

"Slow down Eva," I said.

Eva started to eat.

"Why do you eat like that?"

"I haven't eaten since yesterday morning" Eva replied flatly.

Oh my God, it's past noon! I can't believe what I heard.

"Since Mas Adji knew everything, he locked me in the house. I can't go out. He also confiscated my phone. I only eat if Mas Adji buys me a meal. At first I could still cook using the ingredients in the refrigerator. But long ago the food stock ran out."

Eva's eyes were back in tears. While continuing to feed food into his mouth he continued to tell stories.

"Mas Adji just bought me a meal in the morning, before he left for work. At night, he came home at what time. Like it's been for almost two weeks. When Kenzie's milk runs out, I can only give him sweet tea because Mas Adji doesn't want to know about Kenzie."

I put down my spoon, I couldn't afford to continue eating. I don't feel my eyes go glazed over. Just hearing the story I wanted to cry, what if I experienced it.

I've been through the worst thing of my life, but I think what Eva's been through is a lot worse. I felt sorry to see him, despite what he had done to me.

Eva wiped her tears.

"Then how did you get out?"

"I don't know. Suddenly Mas Adji kicked me out. I am so happy that my suffering is finally over. Can you imagine how I felt when I was locked up by Mas Adji? I always feel anxious. Every time I hear Mas Adji's motorbike coming home, it feels like my heart has stopped beating, I'm scared. Is Mas Adji going to beat me up again? Is this the end of my life? In slap and hit it becomes commonplace. That's what I feel every day."

"The first thing I want to do after getting out of that house is to go to the police station. I want to report what Mas Adji did to me. This remains as evidence." Eva again showed her bruises and scars.

"But before I left Mas Adji warned me, if I report to the police he will also report me with a fraud charge. He said I tricked him for saying that Kenzie was his son when he wasn't." Eva started sobbing.

"You know Win, I'm a fool. Threatened like that, I was definitely scared. I was confused, I had no one and had nothing because of that I went straight to Haris' house. He's my only hope. I think he wants to take responsibility after finding out I was kicked out by Mas Adji. But you saw for yourself how he behaved."

"Didn't you have a motor? Why did you walk to Likha's house? You bring a baby?"

"Mas Adji took my bike. He said it was in exchange for the money he spent to finance me and Kenzie all this time."

I can only stroke the chest to hear Eva's story. How Mas Adji could be so evil. She is exactly like her mother. I remember when I got divorced from Mas Adji my mother-in-law came to ask for compensation because during the Mas Adji household that financed my life.

"I don't have anything Win .... " Eva is back sobbing.

I was silent and could not say anything more. My heart came back to see how much Eva was suffering. I stood up and approached him in his seat.

Without saying anything Eva immediately hugged me and cried bitterly.

I could only raise my head, look up at the ceiling of the dining room so that my tears would not flow. The one who ruined my life is now crying in front of me and apologizing.

Should I forgive him?

I returned Eva's embrace. Then I rubbed his back and I let him cry.

"Eat a lot" I said after Eva let go of her hand.

Eva nodded. She wiped her tears and continued eating. I felt like a brother was calming his sister. There was no more awkwardness like he used to call me "Jeng Winda" and I also called him "Jeng Eva".

I left Eva alone in the dining room and walked towards my room. Up in the room my tears were dripping unstoppably.

Should I be happy or sad? Happy because the people who have damaged my household are now suffering, but sad because if Eva does not claim to be pregnant with her child Mas Adji maybe I will think to maintain my household. But the rice has become porridge. Everything that has happened cannot be returned.

I wiped my tears and came out of my room. I looked for Eva to the dining room but she was no longer there. Apparently he was accompanying his son who was still asleep.

"Do you want to take a shower or clean your body? You can shower here. I'll take care of your son if you want."

Eva seemed to doubt.

"Why?"

"I didn't bring a change of clothes."

I just realized since then Likha has brought nothing but her son.

"Then where's your stuff?"

"I left it at the contract. Everything I left behind on the contract. I was so happy that I didn't care about everything. I just want to get out of that house not thinking about anything else."

I could only endure my grief in front of Eva.

"I'll find my old clothes. Maybe you can wear it." Eva nodded.

After finishing the bath Eva looks fresher. He was wearing an old shirt I didn't wear. His face was not pale because he had eaten.

Eva approached me and Kirana in the living room and sat down next to her son again.

Eva kept looking at Kirana.

"True Mas Adji."

"What?"

"Your children are beautiful, and they all look like their mother."

"really? He said that to you?" I smiled as I looked at Kirana. "But I think he looks a little more like Mas Adji." I kept looking at Kirana's face.

"Every day there's only you Win, he married me because ... " Eva stopped her sentence.

"Because what?"

"Because I'm asking him to take responsibility. Because status is not out of love," Eva replied in a regretful tone.