Secrets of the Former (Love Left Behind)

Twenty Two

It's been more than half an hour Nevan flushed his body under the water. His mind is not calm. Today was so fucked up.

He came out of the bathroom wearing a black t-shirt and loose shorts and wet hair dripping down. Then, walk towards the nightstand and check the phone for a while. There were some missed calls from Shanessa's home phone. However, Nevan chose to put his phone back, but at the same time the phone rang again.

"Hello?"

"Mas Nevan," Bi Uti's voice sounded worried across the call.

Nevan grabbed the car keys after Bi Uti broke the news. He drove the speed of his car, not because he wanted to get to the destination quickly, but this is how he improved his mood.

Arriving in front of the fence Ardiwinata residence, apparently Bi Uti was waiting on the terrace of the house. Upon Nevan's arrival, he begins to tell her about the young lady's condition.

"From noon Non Shaness hasn't eaten yet, Mas. Crying continues in the room," he said.

"You did not meet Mr. Ardi, afraid to worry about the father again abroad. If the same Mr. Darya, Bibi does not dare," he added while opening the main door.

Nevan nodded in understanding, then made a faint smile at Ardiwinata's housekeeper. He knocked on Shanessa's bedroom door and there was no answer. After obtaining Bi Uti's approval, Nevan ventured into the room using a spare key. The door opened and she found Shanessa sitting on her knees on the floor with messy hair. Bi Uti peeked for a while, then went away.

Nevan walked over, then crouched down, aligned herself with Shanessa and tidied up the girl's hair. Shanessa looked up with puffy eyes and immediately hugged Nevan.

"You hate me, don't you?" ask Shanessa raucously.

Nevan rubbed Shanessa's hair back, then loosened her arms. He looked at Shanessa gently, then shook his head.

"I messed things up" Shanessa continued, pulling her own hair. "I broke Gantari's heart again" he continued.

Nevan sat on the floor next to Shanessa, leaning her head against the wall. To be honest there was a corner in his heart that wondered about what had happened to Gantari. About what made Gantari get into this family. About why Dihyan could turn into Gantari, and .... About the real cause that makes Gantari want to part with him. However, that curiosity he always held and disappeared.

Nevan breathed deeply. "Not that bad. It's just a misunderstanding. He must have understood," Nevan finally made a sound as well.

Shanessa shook her head strongly. "You don't understand" he said tearfully.

Nevan does not understand. Nothing he understands at the moment.

"She was hard-earned to heal her wounds, and I just crushed her again" he said bitterly.

Nevan chose silence, until both of them were stuck in silence long enough.

"Gantari was once so devastated when grandfather forced her to stay here," her gaze glared, and weightily continued, "With the assurance."

Nevan's face stiffened. His gaze turned empty.

A bail?

He closed his eyes several times, remembering something.

I want to be a rich doctor, so there's no need to expect money from the poor.

*I want ....

so doctors are rich, so there is no need to expect money from the poor*.

I. wan...

The sentence went back in circles on Nevan's head. He turned his head quickly to Shanessa, showering her with a look of disbelief. Breath choked. He got up and left Shanessa with shaky steps.

***

Nevan is missing today. He did not show up at the office and ignored dozens of calls from his employees.

Bi Murni was also worried since dawn, because the door still could not be opened even though the key had been rotated many times. He called Nevan's name, but it never got the word. Eventually he got stuck outside and decided to go back home.

Nevan was lying on the sofa in the same clothes. He heard the call of Pure Bi, but he needed time alone, then the door he accidentally locked from the inside.

All day he lay on the sofa with his hands folded on his head. His eyes kept on closing, but he did not fall asleep for a second.

He sat for a while on the sofa while massaging the temple, and then took his phone again. He ignored the row of notifications on his phone and immediately searched for a name, Darya Ardiwinata.

With a wry smile Grandpa met Nevan at night. He looked around, then nodded in amazement.

"I haven't been here for a long time" he said after being satisfied to observe the classic ornaments typical of Bumbu Moyang restaurant.

Nevan did not budge, his gaze still fixed on Darya.

"I used to come here and Irawan often" he recalls.

"Irawan Ardiwinata?" nevan asked without turning his eyes.

Darya nodded. "Father of Gantari," he added.

"By the way about Gantari, I was quite surprised because suddenly Shanessa had a cousin. I used to have none," Nevan said flatly.

Darya made a thin smile. "There, but don't live with us."

"I heard a lot of things you did to get Gantari to stay together" Nevan said.

Darya is quite disturbed, but she soon takes control of herself. "What's your goal?"

"Do you also know that Gantari has been married?"

Darya stared at Nevan. His face hardened not like it. "How far have you been looking?"

Nevan grunted, then raised the other end of her lips. "Core the building ...," Nevan paused his speech, briefly poring over Darya's widened eyes, only to continue, "is me."

Darya. He gripped tightly the handle of the chair until his knuckles turned white, while his chest went up and down.

Nevan got up, then bowed a little bit of a sign. He twisted his body and left Darya just like that.

Before long, Mr. Sarif went inside and asked Darya for news, then helped her to get back to the car. Nevan asked for it.

***

Nevandra Ardiona

20.45 PM

I'm out there.

Read

Gantari took a long breath. What else now?

He wears a gray knit sweater first, then goes out to meet Nevan.

The complex park not far from the Ardiwinata residence became where they met. There was a long brown wooden chair and that was where they sat.

Gantari tightened her sweater while waiting for Nevan to make a sound. Actually the air tonight is not so piercing, but the atmosphere Nevan brought was really cold.

"If there's nothing to talk about, I go home" Gantari said.

"What's the reason we split up because of your mother's accident?" ask Nevan at last.

Gantari turned her head, then immediately turned her gaze back on the garden lights.

"No," Gantari cleared her throat, then continued, "Mother was in an accident after we parted ways."

"Don't lie!" jolt Nevan. "Don't lie, again," he continued bitterly.

Gantari. He refrains from looking at Nevan, but fails. In the end, she turned her head and found that there was thin water covering her ex-husband's eyeball.