Feud

"Aiden!" shouted Mrs. Bernita, opening the door to Aiden's hospital room in a hurry.

Ellie, sitting in a chair next to the gurney holding Aiden's hand, turned around in surprise. "Mom?"

But Mrs. Bernita's gaze was fixed on her son, who lay with several bruises on his face. Her tears instantly broke as she tried to bring her steps closer. Her trembling hands rose, wanting to touch the wounds but unable to, she could only hysterically call out his name.

Ellie was stunned and approached hesitantly. "Mom."

"Aiden is fine," she continued after a moment.

Mrs. Bernita's tears instantly subsided. She turned around quickly and snapped, "What's okay? He's hurt and unconscious!"

"Oh, my son!" Mrs. Bernita's body almost swayed if Ellie didn't grab her immediately. "My poor child. What happened to you, dear?"

"Mom, calm down. Aiden is fine. The doctor already told me that. He only has external injuries. There's nothing to worry about. Come on, you'd better sit down to calm down." Carefully, Ellie carried Madam Bernita's heavy body to the sofa.

However, having just landed on her buttocks, Madam Bernita had already turned her body around and held Ellie's arm tightly. Her gaze became intense. "Tell me, what really happened? Why did my son become like that? Who did this? How did this happen?"

With such continuous questions, of course, Ellie was unable to answer. She could only mumble, "I don't know anything either, Mom."

"What?" Mrs. Bernita's brow furrowed in dissatisfaction. "How can you not know anything when he's your husband? You must know a thing or two since you brought him here."

"Really, Mom. I don't know. When I called him to come home, he suddenly lost consciousness after getting out of the car. I don't know anything," Ellie said.

"Why did you tell him to go home?" 

Ellie instantly became nervous and turned her gaze in another direction.

"Honey."

As if she had found a savior, Ellie immediately turned to the gurney, where Aiden was staring at her with his other eye. She hurriedly approached and asked worriedly. "Honey, are you awake?"

Mrs. Bernita also approached on the other side and quickly hugged Aiden. "What happened? Why are you like this?"

Aiden did not answer immediately. He tried to change his position to sit up. Ellie and Mrs. Bernita quickly helped him carefully. 

"It's all because of that jerk!" he swore with clenched fists.

His hatred and anger towards Ethan was growing.

That despicable man had made him like this. His precious body was aching with several wounds adorning it. In his entire life, he had never been treated like this! Just that coward... all this, he would avenge many times over!

"Who are you referring to?" asked Mrs. Bernita.

"Aku akan menghancurkanmu sampai tak ada yang tersisa, sialan!" Namun Aiden terlalu tenggelam dalam emosinya.

"Katakan padaku siapa yang kau maksud, Aiden? Katakan padaku, aku akan membalaskan dendammu!"

"Tapi, bukankah Aiden tidak pernah punya masalah dengan orang lain?" jawab Ellie dengan bingung.

"Ethan," desis Aiden, menatap tajam ke arah Ellie, lalu menoleh ke arah Mrs. Bernita. "Si pecundang Ethan itu yang membuatku seperti ini!"

"Apa?" Tentu saja mereka terkejut.

"Bagaimana mungkin dia? Dia hanya pecundang yang tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa. Bagaimana mungkin dia melakukan ini padamu?" Ellie menjadi histeris.

"Dia penjahat! Dia punya banyak trik licik dan berhasil menyakitiku! Penjahat seperti dia, aku bersumpah akan menghancurkannya dengan tanganku sendiri! Dendam ini, aku jamin, akan segera terbalaskan tiga kali lipat!" Aiden mengepalkan tangannya dengan tekad. Hatinya semakin tenggelam ke dalam lubang hitam, dan dalam benaknya, banyak rencana jahat untuk membalas dendam Ethan mulai terbentuk.

Ellie mengangguk setuju. "Ya! Kau harus membalasnya! Aku tidak terima kau diperlakukan seperti ini oleh pecundang seperti dia!"

Nyonya Bernita tidak lagi peduli pada mereka. Dia menggertakkan giginya karena marah dan bergegas pergi.

Sesampainya di lobi, Ariana dan Alvina menemui dia dan Tuan Celeste yang datang dengan panik.

"Mama mau ke mana? Gimana keadaan Aiden?" tanya Alvina langsung.

"Tidak ada dendam yang tak terbalas." Namun, alih-alih menghentikan langkahnya dan menjawab pertanyaan Alvina, perempuan berpenampilan serba hitam itu justru melangkah cepat menuju mobilnya.

“Apa maksudnya?” Alvina menatap kepergian ibunya dengan bingung.

"Biarkan saja dia! Ayo kita masuk dan lihat bagaimana keadaan Aiden!" kata Tuan Celeste, yang tidak peduli dengan apa yang terjadi pada Nyonya Bernita.

Ariana mengikuti langkahnya tanpa melirik ibunya. Namun, Alvina masih di tempatnya, dan beberapa saat kemudian, dia melangkah keluar dari area rumah sakit.

"Apakah Anda tahu di mana Ethan tinggal?" tanya Nyonya Bernita kepada sopir.

"Maaf, Nyonya, saya tidak tahu."

"Dasar bodoh! Kamu kan temannya, mana mungkin kamu nggak tahu?" bentak Bu Bernita sambil memukul kursi pengemudi dengan marah dan membuat pengemudi itu terdiam.

Merasa bahwa dia menghadapi jalan buntu, Nyonya Bernita akhirnya menarik napas dalam-dalam, mencoba menenangkan diri, dan memberi perintah dengan tenang. "Pergilah ke keluarga!"

"Baiklah." Sang pengemudi mengangguk patuh dan memutar kemudi ke kiri, melewati jalan sepi yang pemandangannya berangsur-angsur berubah menjadi pepohonan.

Tidak ada rumah dan kendaraan.

Namun, setelah itu, semuanya berubah menjadi jalan kecil yang agak ramai. Rumah-rumah sederhana berderet rapat.

Alvina yang mengikutinya dari belakang mengernyit samar. "Bukankah ini jalan menuju rumah ibu Ethan? Kenapa Ibu datang ke sini?"

Tak lama kemudian mobil yang dikendarai Ibu Bernita pun berhenti di pinggir danau, membuat Alvina pun ikut menghentikan mobilnya.

"Pergi ke rumah pecundang itu dan suruh dia ke sini!" perintah Nyonya Bernita kepada sopir sambil melihat sekeliling dengan cemberut jijik.