Franklin limped down the dark and deserted street, each step feeling like an unbearable weight. The night wind blew cold, piercing his scarred skin and weakening his already fragile body. She knew, beyond the darkness of this night, there was danger lurking. Amanda's men could be looking for her, chasing her mercilessly. The thought kept looming over him, forcing Franklin not to stop, even though his body was about to give out.He didn't know where he was going, there was only one thought that kept pushing him: to get as far away from the hospital as possible. Every shadow, every little sound around made him jump, like a ghost hunting from behind. Franklin kept walking, sometimes almost tripping over tree roots or rocks along the way. His legs had long been numb, and the pain in his arms was getting unbearable, but he didn't care. He had to keep moving, keep walking, despite the darkness covering him from all directions.The path he walked on turned rougher, filled with twigs and dry
Amanda received the report with a tense face, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. Someone had let her down, and anger was starting to creep into her. Her men who had been assigned to keep an eye on Franklin in the hospital had failed, and now, Franklin had disappeared without a trace."How could this happen?!" exclaimed Amanda in a sharp voice, her eyes staring intently at the man giving the report. Her men stood before her, trying to hold back the tremors of fear that crept through her body."We... we don't know, Ms. Amanda," the man stammered. "When we went back to check, she was gone. We searched around the hospital, but there was no trace of her."Amanda stared at him with a piercing gaze, as if she could burn him with just her eyes. "You guys dare to disappoint me so much," she said coldly. "This isn't just a failure. You've made a big mess!"The man felt the coldness of Amanda's anger, and he lowered his head, not daring to look directly at the woman. Amanda was someone who
Gita had just gotten off the public transportation when she saw her family's small but warm home in the distance. She took a deep breath, feeling the cool village air fill her lungs, a feeling she always longed for whenever she was in the city for college. It was the day she had been waiting for, when the semester break arrived and she could finally go home.As soon as she took her first step on the porch, the front door opened and Pak Gunawan, her father, appeared with a big smile on his face. "Gita, son! Have you arrived?" Pak Gunawan called with a warm voice that always made Gita feel comfortable."Daddy!" Gita exclaimed as she ran to him, hugging her father lovingly. "I miss you so much. It's been a long time since we last met."Pak Gunawan patted Gita's back gently. "I missed you too, son. Come on, come on in. Mom has prepared your favorite food."However, as Gita stepped into the house, she suddenly stopped. Her eyes fell on a man lying weakly on the living room sofa. The man's
After a few days, Franklin began to feel better. His body, which had been weak, slowly regained its strength. Meanwhile, he also began to feel a heavier burden on his heart. Despite being under the protection of Gita and mr Gunawan's family, Franklin's thoughts kept drifting to his family who must be in deep grief right now. His fake death, which had been arranged by Amanda, had left them grieving, and he felt guilty for letting his family continue to believe that he was dead.One afternoon, as the sun began to set in the western horizon, Franklin decided to talk to Gita about his true situation. They both sat on the back porch of the house, enjoying the cool afternoon breeze. Pak Gunawan was busy in the fields, while Gita faithfully accompanied Franklin."Gita," Franklin began in a soft voice, looking at the girl with deep respect. "I have to tell you something."Gita, who had sensed from the start that Franklin had something to say, looked at him attentively. "What is it, Franklin?"
Franklin was confused when he saw the change in Pak Gunawan's attitude. Previously, Pak Gunawan seemed so friendly and caring, but now there was something strange in the way the man looked at him. Pak Gunawan approached him with slow steps, as if he was carrying a heavy burden."Franklin," Pak Gunawan began to speak in a soft yet firm voice, "You said you wanted to return to the city, but I'm afraid if you return too soon, it will be dangerous for you."Franklin frowned, not understanding. "Mr. Gunawan, I truly appreciate your help and hospitality. But I feel quite recovered, and my family must be very worried. I need to go back."Gunawan nodded slowly, as if considering Franklin's words. "I understand, Franklin. But before you go, let me tell you something."Franklin looked at the man seriously, waiting for what he would say."We live in this village away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Here, life goes on peacefully, and people look out for each other," Pak Gunawan said as he
Franklin approached Gita with slightly heavy steps. His mind was constantly filled with the desire to return to the city and find out what had happened to his family, especially Clara. However, Gita and Pak Gunawan's increasingly alarming demeanor made him feel compelled to speak directly with Gita to ensure that they understood her true situation."Gita," Franklin called softly as he approached the girl in the backyard. Gita turned her head, and her face momentarily looked cheerful before she quickly put on a forced smile."Franklin, what's wrong? You should be resting," Gita said in a worried tone, though in her heart she hoped Franklin wouldn't bring up the idea of returning to the city."I feel much better now. I know you and your father are very kind to take care of me, but I really need to go home. My family must be very worried," Franklin said, trying his best not to offend Gita.Gita's face changed instantly. She tried to hold back the disappointed expression that crept onto h
Franklin stood still when he saw Clara in front of him. His face was filled with shock, as if he couldn't believe that Clara was really here, in this remote village. After everything that had happened, this meeting felt like a miracle. Meanwhile, Clara looked at Franklin with a mixture of relief, anger, and anxiety. The tears she had been holding back now began to well up in her eyes."Franklin... Are you okay?" Clara's voice sounded hoarse, full of emotion. She came closer, almost wanting to hug Franklin, but something held her back. Maybe it was the feeling that this was too surreal, or maybe it was the haunting sense of dread.Franklin nodded slowly, still rooted to the spot. "I... I didn't expect us to meet here. Clara, I really don't know how to explain everything. It's like a nightmare."Clara reached out and took Franklin's arm. "We'll get through this together, Franklin. I won't let anyone hurt you again."However, the moment was suddenly interrupted by a rustling sound around
After a long and tense journey, Clara finally arrived in front of the Franklin family home. She glanced at Franklin in the passenger seat, who still looked tired and shaken by all the events they had just gone through. Although Franklin was trying to remain calm, there was obvious worry in his eyes. They had just escaped Amanda's clutches, but what awaited at home might be no less nerve-wracking."Franklin, we're here," Clara said softly, breaking the silence. Franklin nodded, trying to compose himself for a moment before getting out of the car.When Franklin and Clara got out of the car, the front door of the house was wide open. Sarah, Franklin's mother, and Vina, his younger sister, stood in the doorway. Their faces instantly changed from shocked to full of emotion when they saw Franklin. Vina immediately ran to her brother, hugging him tightly."Brother Franklin! You're alive! We thought you were...," Vina's voice was cut off by the sobs she couldn't contain. She had been devastat
Franklin was finally allowed to go home after a few weeks in the hospital. His condition was improving, and although he was still tired, Franklin was relieved to be back home. Clara, who faithfully accompanied him during his recovery, prepared to take Franklin home.Just as Franklin was ready to be discharged, the hospital room door suddenly opened and Selena appeared. She was carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers in her hand. She smiled when she saw Franklin, "Hi, Franklin. I'm glad to see you're better. I came to see you."Franklin smiled slightly and nodded, "Thank you, Selena. I'm glad to be home too."Clara, who was standing beside Franklin, felt something strange when she saw Selena. Although she tried hard not to show her feelings, her heart was filled with jealousy. Selena always seemed to be close to Franklin, and even though they were just friends, Clara couldn't help but feel uncomfortable every time she saw their closeness.Seeing the change in Clara's expression, Sarah, who
Charles felt increasingly desperate. Despite all his efforts to separate Clara and Franklin, he couldn't accept the reality that Franklin would remain in Clara's life. The long-suppressed jealousy and hatred in his heart reached a boiling point, finally pushing him to take more drastic action.That night, Charles entered the hospital with cautious steps. He hid his evil intentions behind a calm facade. After ensuring the hallway where Franklin was being treated was empty of nurses or visitors, he approached Franklin's room door.With trembling hands, Charles opened the door and saw Franklin lying weakly in the hospital bed. His face looked peaceful, seemingly unaware of the deadly threat approaching him. Charles walked slowly to the bedside, trying to calm his mind filled with various considerations. However, one thought kept dominating him—that Franklin must be eliminated so Clara would no longer be bound to him.Charles reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pillow. He was c
After waking up, Sarah felt dizzy and confused. The world seemed to be spinning around her, and it took a while for her to realize where she was. Slowly, the memory of Franklin's accident hit her again. Suddenly, her heart was filled with deep worry, and she immediately asked to be escorted to the hospital, where Franklin was being treated.When Sarah arrived at the hospital, she found it very quiet. Family and neighbors sat anxiously in the waiting room. As her eyes fell on Clara, who sat quietly by Franklin's bedside with eyes puffy with tears, Sarah felt something different in her heart.All this time, Sarah had always objected to Franklin and Clara's relationship. Not because of Clara, but because of the dark past, where Clara's brother Charles was allegedly involved in the death of her husband, Franklin's father. The wound was still too deep for Sarah to heal, and it made it difficult for her to fully accept Clara.However, now, seeing Clara faithfully stand by Franklin's side, h
That morning, the atmosphere in Franklin's house was calm and peaceful. After going through the trials that almost separated him from Clara, Franklin was feeling more optimistic about his future. Although there was still a lot to sort out, especially in his relationship with his family, Franklin was confident that he could get through this with Clara.He got ready to go to the office as usual. As he left the house, Clara walked him to his car with a gentle smile. "Be careful on the road, Franklin. I'll be waiting for you at home," Clara said as she kissed his cheek.Franklin smiled back and closed the car door. No bad thoughts crossed his mind as he started the engine of his car and started driving down the highway. However, what Franklin didn't know was that Charles and Ronald had executed their latest plan to ruin Franklin's car.Somewhere hidden, Charles and Ronald were watching from a distance. They had sabotaged the brakes of Franklin's car, ensuring that the accident would happe
Charles sat in his magnificent study, with a large window overlooking his back garden. However, the beautiful view outside the window could not ease his anger. His face was tense, and his mind was filled with plans on how to separate Franklin from Clara. To Charles, Franklin was a threat he couldn't ignore, especially since Clara loved the man so much.Just then, the door to his study opened slowly. Ronald, his best friend and ally, entered with steady steps. Charles looked at him with eyes that implied tension, then invited him to sit down."Ronald, I can no longer allow Clara to be with Franklin," Charles began in a flat, but firm tone. "We have to separate them, no matter what we have to do."Ronald nodded slowly, although in his heart there was hesitation. He understood that Charles had personal reasons to hate Franklin, but Ronald also knew that Clara was a strong woman and not easy to manipulate. However, his feelings of love for Clara made him willing to do whatever it took to
A few days had passed since the last conversation between Franklin and Clara. Although they had decided to distance themselves from each other, their feelings still bubbled beneath the surface. Franklin felt lonely and restless. Every night, his mind was filled with images of Clara, wondering if the decision to stay away was the right one. However, doubts and insecurities continue to plague his mind, the result of Charles' manipulations poisoning his mind more and more.Meanwhile, Clara cannot fully accept the fact that her relationship with Franklin has been fractured. In the midst of her turmoil, she realizes that there are many things that Franklin doesn't know, and that makes her feel even more guilty. However, she knew that she was not guilty in any way. Clara tried to focus on her work, but the feeling of missing Franklin always loomed over her.One afternoon, Clara received a call from one of her men, Toni. Toni was the person she trusted to investigate more about what happened
Charles and Ronald were both upset to hear the news that Franklin was back. For Charles, Franklin's return was a nightmare that shouldn't have happened. He feels that Franklin is an obstacle in his quest to control everything, including Clara's relationship. Meanwhile, Ronald, who has long harbored feelings for Clara, is now burning with jealousy. Franklin's return means Clara will refocus on her lover, making Ronald feel even more distant from her expectations.At a café, Charles and Ronald meet to discuss their next plans. Charles sipped his coffee with a serious face, his eyes staring straight ahead, trying to devise a strategy."We can't let this continue," Charles said, his voice low but determined. "Franklin needs to get out of Clara's life, or at the very least, Clara needs to get out of Franklin's life."Ronald nodded, though inwardly he felt anxious. "But how? They seem so close now, especially after this incident."Charles furrowed his brow, thinking hard. "We'll have to sep
After a long and tense journey, Clara finally arrived in front of the Franklin family home. She glanced at Franklin in the passenger seat, who still looked tired and shaken by all the events they had just gone through. Although Franklin was trying to remain calm, there was obvious worry in his eyes. They had just escaped Amanda's clutches, but what awaited at home might be no less nerve-wracking."Franklin, we're here," Clara said softly, breaking the silence. Franklin nodded, trying to compose himself for a moment before getting out of the car.When Franklin and Clara got out of the car, the front door of the house was wide open. Sarah, Franklin's mother, and Vina, his younger sister, stood in the doorway. Their faces instantly changed from shocked to full of emotion when they saw Franklin. Vina immediately ran to her brother, hugging him tightly."Brother Franklin! You're alive! We thought you were...," Vina's voice was cut off by the sobs she couldn't contain. She had been devastat
Franklin stood still when he saw Clara in front of him. His face was filled with shock, as if he couldn't believe that Clara was really here, in this remote village. After everything that had happened, this meeting felt like a miracle. Meanwhile, Clara looked at Franklin with a mixture of relief, anger, and anxiety. The tears she had been holding back now began to well up in her eyes."Franklin... Are you okay?" Clara's voice sounded hoarse, full of emotion. She came closer, almost wanting to hug Franklin, but something held her back. Maybe it was the feeling that this was too surreal, or maybe it was the haunting sense of dread.Franklin nodded slowly, still rooted to the spot. "I... I didn't expect us to meet here. Clara, I really don't know how to explain everything. It's like a nightmare."Clara reached out and took Franklin's arm. "We'll get through this together, Franklin. I won't let anyone hurt you again."However, the moment was suddenly interrupted by a rustling sound around