Les Laches

52.

“I hope you do not aggravate the situation by forcing to continue to be near Adler. Because there's nothing you can do even if you're here.” A man who still looked handsome and dashing at his age who was already almost seven heads was staring deeply into Tian's eyes. 

The look in his eyes was indeed not as gleeful as Zaira, but Tian could clearly see the burning hatred there. As expected of one of the most influential millionaires in his country, Mathis Oberon, his gaze alone was enough to make his interlocutor depressed. However, Tian was not willing to give up so easily. Hence despite feeling intimidated, Tian returned the sharp gaze of the man.

“Not one person can do anything to help papa in this situation, Cake. We can only hope that papa will soon be aware of the condition of his coma,” said Tian.

Mathis looked at Tian and Bella alternately with a look of disdain. “As the one who caused all this mess, you guys are pretty shameless.”

Tian was already about to reply back when Bella held back her arm and gave herself a reprimanding look.

“I'm sorry, Pa. I know I have a hand in this situation, but at the moment what Adler needs most is the mental support of those closest to him,” said Bella as she grabbed the bodies of her other daughters to get closer to her.

“If what you mean by those closest to you is family, I hope you don't put yourself and your children into the count,” Mathis said.

“Then in the eyes of our Grandpa all what?” Joan, who had just been silent to see how her father's parents treated her mother and siblings, finally let out her heart.

“You're leeches, benalu. Ever since you guys came to our house, all the bad luck has come. Adler left home, removing his last name, withdrawing all shares he owned from the Oberon family business. He rarely even wanted to visit these two parents who had raised him. Now because of the wife who was not very good at looking after her husband, she lay dying here. What is family?!” maki Mathis makes Joan sob again.

“Where would you like to visit Grandpa and Grandma if every papa coming that you do is just degrading your business and family? You think it's easy for you to get out of the house and build your own business instead of working at an already big firm? Do you think you never worry that suddenly Grandpa interrupts your business with the power of the Oberon family? Papa's worried about all that, Cake. Not because papa is a coward and can not be responsible for his decision, but because papa is afraid that mom and her children will suffer.”

“But papa finally dared to pioneer his own business because we support papa. We are not afraid of living short of money as long as we can always be together. That's the family papa was looking for, Cake!” It was Lydia's turn to speak.

Tian looked at his sister with a look of disbelief. He knew that his sister was intelligent, but never thought that Lydia also had a mature mindset. Even Mathis repeatedly opened his lips. A rare sight of his usually authoritative figure and always leading the conversation.

However, the silence did not last long as the door of the room opened again. Several nurses entered the room and began struggling with medical equipment attached to Adler's body and pushing his bed towards the door. Zaira, who had kept her mouth shut since her husband's arrival, followed the nurses.

Tian, who was most aware of his confusion, moved to block the nurses' steps. “Where are you going to take my father?” 

“His family wants to move him into another hospital?” answer one of the nurses with perfect English pronunciation.

“There is no mistake here. Just move!” Mathis ordered the horde of nurses to leave with a movement of his head.

Tian intended to go back to chase after the nurse who was carrying his father, ignoring the pain felt in his right shoulder. However, a swarm of burly, black-clothed men stood right outside the room and closed the exit. Tian stared vexedly at the impossible wall of life, but of course his anger would not make his grandfather's men afraid.

“Go back to Indonesia now. I have prepared the cars and planes that will deliver your departure now,” Mathis said once again.

“If we refuse?” challenge Tian.

“Don't forget Marcela who is in another room,” Mathis said with a triumphant smile.

Tian did not have time to react when he saw his mother dropping down in front of Mathis in a kneeling position.

“Please don't involve Marcela here, Pa. Please.” Bella held onto the man's arm with tears.

“Go back to Indonesia, after that we will talk again.” Mathis brushes Bella's hand and walks past her guards.

Tian threw a blank look at the ceiling of the room. Her tears could no longer come out. What remained in his mind was anger. He was angry at everything. The insignificance of the great Oberon family, the helplessness of his family, also to the people who made himself feel alone in this situation. 

Meda. The name became one of the names that made his hatred of reality multiply. At times like this, he was not on Tian's side. He even refused to contact Tian prior to his departure for France. His ego which was too high to budge for the sake of making peace began to feel nauseating to Tian. Unfortunately, remembering Meda made Tian's tears come back to drip, but this time the tears were quickly wiped dry. 

Tian turned to Bella and pulled her mother up to get up from her position. “Let's go home now, Ma.”

“How are you, Tian?” ask Bella who is still hysterical.

“While we go back to Indonesia first. We'll see how far grandfather will take advantage of this papa absence. If grandfather does not keep his promise, I will ask Afgar for help to overcome this problem.” 

Tian conveyed his plan in a soft voice so that his grandfather's men who stood at the door of the room did not hear his words, while alternately rubbing the cheeks of his two younger brothers wet with tears. Tian guides the family members to follow the guard who directs their steps to a limousine waiting in front of the hospital building where Adler was previously treated.