LOGINIn order to take care of my father, who got hurt from a fall, I gave up on my chance to get promoted and even took a week's leave. On the day he gets discharged from the hospital, my dad hands me a mysterious envelope with a wide smile on his face. "Thank you for your trouble over the past few days, Luther. This is a little token of appreciation from me. You can buy yourself a nice pack of smokes." I rub my hands together, feeling warmth surging into my heart. But when I open the envelope, all I see is seven dollars. Still, I comfort myself in thinking that the sum isn't important at all. It's the thought that counts, after all. But the next day, I come across a social media post of my younger brother, Felix Grayson, who never showed his face around the hospital during Dad's hospitalization. It features a photo collage of a luxurious villa, with a photo of the purchasing contract smack dab in the middle of collage. The caption writes, "I bought the top-tier riverside villa for seven million dollars! Thank you so much for your support, Dad!"
View More"Jangan!" Tiba-tiba pria itu berkata, seolah bisa membaca pikiran Clara.
"Jangan berteriak atau bergerak, kumohon.Atau mereka juga akan membunuhmu," katanya lagi.Clara menelan ludah, ngeri. Kepanikan kembali menyergapnya ketika tepat di samping mobilnya, berdiri dua orang pria dengan senjata api di tangan yang berusaha mereka sembunyikan di balik jas hitam yang mereka kenakan. Setidaknya, pria yang membuatnya kesulitan bernapas ini tidak berbohong. Setelah kedua orang bersenjata tadi pergi, barulah Clara berani bersuara."Kau membuatku tak bisa bernapas," protesnya.Pria itu mengangkat tubuhnya dan menggumamkan maaf. Pria itu kini berlutut di depan kursi kemudi, menjebak kaki Clara di sana. Pria itu beruntung karena tadi Clara sempat memundurkan kursinya untuk mencari sepatunya. Jika tidak, pria itu pasti sudah terjepit di sana, dengan tubuh sebesar itu."Jika kau macam-macam padaku, akan kuhajar kau," ancam Clara seraya berusaha menarik kakinya, karena jika Clara nekat duduk di kursi kemudi, situasinya akan semakin mengerikan.Clara menahan diri untuk tidak menendang pria ituketika tiba-tiba kakinya diangkat oleh pria itu, yang ternyata hanya berusaha membantu Clara.Begitu Clara bisa duduk di kursi penumpang, pria itu duduk di sampingnya, di kursi kemudi. Dan dengan sinar matahari menerangi pria itu, barulah Clara bisa melihat luka lebam yang parah di sisi kiri wajah pria itu. Darah yang mulai mengering juga tampak di lehernya, lalu lengannya. Kaos abu-abu dengan logo Nike di dada kiri yang dikenakannya pun sudah koyak dan penuh noda darah. Mendadak Clara merasa mual karena bau amis darah yang memenuhi mobilnya."Maaf, aku telah menyusahkanmu," kata pria itu pelan.Clara tak tahu harus berkata apa. Ia hanya memperhatikan bagaimana pria itu tampak mengawasi situasi di sekitar tempat itu. Ada beberapa orang yang lewat di jalan itu, tapi tak ada tanda-tanda kehadiran dua pria bersenjata tadi. Lalu pria itu membuka pintu mobil dan keluar.Clara masih tak dapat melakukan hal lain selain mengamati pria yang berjalan limbung di depan mobilnya itu. Clara menggigit bibir cemas ketika pria itu tampak nyaris jatuh. Clara terkesiap ketika pria itu akhirnya benar-benar jatuh. Bergegas Clara turun dari mobilnya dan menghampiri pria itu. Begitu membalikkan tubuh pria itu, Clara bisa melihat dengan jelas betapa parahnya keadaan pria itu.Sisi kanan wajahnya yang tadi tidak terlihat oleh Clara, tampaknya terluka parah dan masih basah oleh darah. Pria itu benar-benar babak belur. Tubuh pria itu pun tampaknya terluka parah. Luka goresan di lengan dan perutnya, tempat pakaiannya juga robek, membuat Clara mual.Ketika semakin banyak orang yang mengerumuninya, Clara meminta bantuan beberapa orang untuk mengangkat pria itu ke mobilnya. Clara hanya bisa berdoa agar pria itu tidak mati di mobilnya."Kumohon, tetaplah hidup. Siapa pun kau, kumohon…."Clara terus bergumam seraya menyalakan mesin mobil.Doa Clara dijawab erangan pelan pria itu."Tuan… kau baik-baik saja?" tanya Clara.Pria itu kembali mengerang. Clara menoleh ke belakang dan mengamati pria itu sekilas lalu menyimpulkan bahwa pria itu pastilah tidak membawa tanda pengenal apapun."Tuan… kau bisa mendengarku? Apa kau bisa menyebutkan namamu?" tanyanya lagi.Pria itu lagi-lagi mengerang, terdengar sangat kesakitan. Hati Clara mencelos mendengarnya. Ia kembali memanggil pria itu untuk menanyakan namanya dan akhirnya pria itu menjawab lemah, " Louis… …,"sebelum kembali tak sadarkan diri, membuat Clara semakin panik." Tidak, Louis, bangunlah…," teriak Clara seraya melajukan mobilnya dengan kecepatan penuh." Louis, jangan kau berani-berani mati di mobilku, kau dengar aku?!" teriak Clara panik seraya berusaha tetap fokus pada jalanan."Louis, kumohon… bertahanlah…." Clara terus bergumam memanggil pria itu sepanjang jalan, hingga akhirnya tiba di lobi rumah sakit.Clara bergegas keluar dan memanggil perawat untuk membantunya. Beberapa perawat datang dengan membawa ranjang dorong. Sementara mereka memindahkan Louis, Clara memberikan kunci mobilnya pada seorang valet parkir." Hubungi UGD." Seorang perawat berkata pada seorangperawat lain yang lalu pergi.Clara berdiri di antara para perawat di sisi ranjang dorong Louis yang bergerak cepat menyusuri lorong rumah sakit itu." Louis, apa kau bisa mendengarku?" Clara berbicara." Louis, bertahanlah, kumohon…,"ucap Clara pada sosokyang tak sadarkan diri itu.Clara tersentak kaget ketika tiba-tiba tangan Louis menggenggam tangannya. Ketika mereka sudah tiba di depan ruang UGD, seorang perawat memintanya agar menunggu di luar, tapi tangan Louis masih menggenggam erat tangannya. Para perawat menatap Clara yang hanya bisa menggeleng pasrah.Louis bahkan tidak sedikitpun melonggarkan pegangannya di tangan Clara meski para perawat sudah berusaha melepaskan tangannya dari Clara. Akhirnya salah seorang perawat menyuntikkan sesuatu di lengan Louis. Dan meski masih sedikit kesulitan, akhirnya mereka berhasil melepaskan tangan Louis dari tangannya." Kekasih Anda pasti sangat mencintai Anda, Nona," ucap salah seorang perawat sebelum mereka membawa Louis masuk ke ruang UGD.Selama beberapa saat Clara masih terpaku di depan pintu UGD, terlalu terkejut dengan reaksi Louis terhadapnya.I ignored Felix and walked to the bedside.When Dad saw me, a faint spark flickered in his cloudy eyes. He tried to speak, but only a small, rasping sound escaped his throat. Tears slid from the corners of his eyes and soaked into the pillow.I took an envelope from my bag and placed it on the bedside table.Felix's eyes lit up. He snatched the envelope immediately. "I knew you wouldn't dare ignore this! How much is it? Ten thousand dollars? 20 thousand?"He ripped the envelope open impatiently. Coins scattered across the floor, along with a crumpled bill that rolled under the bed. The total came to seven dollars.Felix froze. A harsh rasp came from Dad's throat, and the faint hope in his eyes instantly faded."Luther! Are you messing with me?" Felix roared in fury, raising his fist as he lunged forward.I looked at him coldly and raised my phone. "I recorded everything. If you try anything, I won't hold back. I've also consulted a lawyer. When parents abandon their children, th
I made a point of going to the scene. Felix was slumped on the roadside, his hair wild and unkempt, looking every bit the homeless man. Dad sat on the curb beside him, staring blankly at the massive riverfront villa.Now, it was all gone.As I stepped out of the car, Felix shot up and lunged at me, but the well-dressed bodyguards intercepted him easily, holding him several feet away."Luther! Are you satisfied now? You've ruined our family, and we've lost everything. Does that make you happy?" he shouted.Tears and snot ran down his face as he choked out, "I'm your brother! That little money your girlfriend gives me is all I have to live on! How can you be so merciless?"I removed my sunglasses and looked at my once-arrogant younger brother with nothing but pity. "Felix, the one who ruined you wasn't me—it was you and Dad. Your greed ruined you. All your life, Dad spoiled you and expected me to give up everything for you. He even nearly stopped me from attending school. "Did i
That evening, when I arrived home with my lawyer, the house was in chaos.Dad sat on the sofa, wiping tears, while Felix made desperate calls for money, only to be hung up on again and again.As soon as he saw me, Dad rushed over like a frantic child. "Luther! You're finally here! Call your girlfriend! Your brother can't be left jobless. As long as she doesn't fire Felix, I'll return that 500 thousand dollars to you! I'll sell everything I have!"I avoided his grasp and walked straight to the coffee table, slamming a lawyer's letter down. "That 500 thousand dollars was mine all along. If you still refuse to return it, the court will force you to return it. I didn't come for that today. I came to notify you of something else."I gestured toward the old house that had been in the family for decades. Though run-down, it was in the city center and was worth a fortune. "This house belonged to Mom. The deed may be in your name, but it is marital property. Mom didn't leave a will behind
Dad's eyes sparkled with greed and cunning as he grinned slyly. "Why worry about it? Your brother's about to marry into a wealthy family. Does a measly 500 thousand dollars really matter? That money's ours to keep—it'll be your ticket back on top. "If we play our cards right and make him feel generous, that money will be ours. Come on, let's go home! We need to plan how to use this cash cow of a son!"I watched them whispering by the roadside, then laughing as they flagged a cab and drove away. As I looked down from the floor-to-ceiling window, a chill ran down my spine.Gwendolyn stepped up behind me, handing over a cup of hot cocoa. "What's wrong?"I gripped it tightly. "Knowing them, they're up to something terrible."Gwendolyn sneered, and a sharp glint flashed in her eyes. "Let them be. Sometimes the sweetest revenge is letting your enemies think they've won, only to crush them completely afterward."The next morning, a video went viral. Dad wore a faded, threadbare shirt,
Three days had passed, and not a single cent had come my way. Instead, I was bombarded with endless abusive messages—from Dad, from Felix, and from those so-called relatives.I gathered all the evidence and sent it to my lawyer, ready to take legal action.Monday was crucial. I had a key meeting w
I stumbled back from the shove, but once I regained my footing, a calm settled over me. "Fine. I'm not eating."I pulled out my phone, switched on the recorder, and held it up for everyone to see. "Since you've taken things this far, let me be clear. First, the 500 thousand dollars I entrusted to
The moment I stepped in, the living room was already packed with relatives. My brother, Felix Grayson, stood in the middle, animatedly boasting, "Uncle Simon, you don't know how impossible it is to get into Beckett Group! Tons of people try every year, and most fail. But when I walked into the int
I called my father, Winston Grayson, directly, doing my best to keep my voice calm. "Dad, I saw Felix's post. He said he paid in full for a villa. Where did the money come from?"On the other end of the line, Dad sounded delighted. "Oh, Luther, you saw that too? It's wonderful news! Our family fina


















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