Chapter 134: The Price of Success

“Frel,” Mrs. Siti called.

She immediately hugged me as soon as she realized my arrival. The sound of sobbing was clearly heard between her cries.

“Does Abel know about Reno, Ma’am?”

Mrs. Siti shook her head and tightened her embrace around me. “Abel only knows that Reno went to buy a new doll for him.”

Oh God, I could not bear to imagine how shattered Abel would be if he knew that his brother was fighting for his life behind the operating room door.

Tears began to wet my cheeks. I tried desperately to hold back my sobs so they would not burst out. However, my gaze suddenly fell on a woman sitting on a chair not far from me.

She was wearing a luxurious maroon dress. Her fair skin, neatly styled wavy hair, and an elegant bag from a well-known international brand completed her appearance. The woman looked very restless, tears continuously streaming down her face.

My forehead furrowed. I observed her more closely. It felt like I had seen that face before.

I released Mrs. Siti’s embrace and asked in a soft voice, “Who is she, Ma’am?”

I was sure that something was being hidden. Instead of answering, Mrs. Siti turned her face toward Mrs. Eka with a questioning look, as if asking for permission.

“She is Abel and Reno’s biological mother,” Mrs. Siti answered after receiving a nod from Mrs. Eka.

I was stunned. Biological mother? Had I heard that wrong? It felt as if a heavy burden had struck my chest.

Why did that woman only appear now? Had she repented, or did she merely want to see Reno’s critical condition?

I walked closer to the woman, who was now bowing her head while squeezing her own fingers. The closer I got, the clearer her heartbreaking sobs became. She looked as if she were the most tormented person among us.

She hugged the bag on her lap and murmured softly, “Reno, forgive Mama, darling. Mama begs you.”

“So, it’s true that you are Reno’s biological mother?” I asked, no longer able to hold back my curiosity and anger.

The woman flinched. When she lifted her head and looked at me, her eyes widened instantly. Not only was she shocked, I also froze after seeing her face clearly.

“You?”

I found it hard to believe that the woman in front of me was Reno’s biological mother. I swallowed hard, even saying her full name felt extremely heavy.

The rumbling in my chest grew more suffocating.

“Is your career really that important that abandoning your own children became your main choice?” I crossed my arms in front of my chest with my chin held high. “How does it feel, Ma’am? It must be very enjoyable to have fun on top of your own children’s suffering. Isn’t that right, Mrs. Claretta Maharani?”

The woman was taken aback and slowly shook her head. Tears flowed even more heavily from her eyes. I was sure it was nothing but an act.

Mrs. Siti was about to step closer, perhaps to stop me from scolding the woman, but Kenn signaled for her to stay where she was.

I snorted with a bitter, crooked smile. “You know, all this time I have admired you so much as a talented, successful model who is always friendly in public. I thought all the good news about you was the truth, but I was too foolish to believe it all.” I stared at her coldly. “I should have realized that there is always a price to pay for success, and you chose to sacrifice Abel and Reno to achieve everything.”

Her expression changed. There was a look of disappointment and disbelief in her eyes. She wiped her tears roughly, as if preparing to pour out her pent-up emotions.

“You don’t know anything about me. I’m not as evil as you think,” she said as she sobbed again. “All this time, I have always been watching over my children. I never truly abandoned them.”

“A cliché excuse. If that’s the case, why did you leave them at an orphanage? Why didn’t you take care of them yourself?”

“I was forced to. Circumstances compelled me to separate from them.” Claretta looked at me with panic in her eyes. “Please, don’t think badly of me. I love them very much.”

“You think I’ll believe that? What kind of parent has the heart to abandon their child, especially after knowing that their child is suffering from a tumor like this?”

“For God’s sake, I didn’t mean it that way. At that time, my life was truly shattered. I had no choice but to leave them at the orphanage. Truly.” She covered her wet face and cried uncontrollably.

Instead of feeling sorry, I grew even angrier. “Stop making excuses and justifying yourself! Aren’t you ashamed to bear the status of a mother? Don’t you know what real parental responsibility is?”

I clenched my fists tightly. “I may not be related by blood to Abel and Reno, but the three of us share the same fate, abandoned children. You parents, who do you think you are, that you can throw us away like useless trash? Do you think you are equal to God? Have you ever felt what we went through? Can you replace the time we lost without love? You can’t, can you?”

Seeing her crying even harder made me feel sick.

My breath came fast, my eyes staring at her sharply. “You are the cruelest woman I have ever met. Do you know how painful it is to be abandoned by your own parents? Have you ever felt it? Answer me!”

The woman could only cover her mouth, crying while nodding slowly.

“Nonsense!” I shouted while kicking the long bench she was sitting on, making Claretta jump in shock. My patience had run out.

Kenn suddenly stepped forward and stood between us. He tried to pull me back, while Mrs. Eka immediately came closer to hug Claretta, who was becoming more shaken.

I kept struggling and screaming wildly. “Don’t lie! I’m sure you have never felt our suffering. You are an evil woman!”

“Control your emotions. This is a hospital,” Kenn whispered in a firm yet patient voice.

“I regret ever admiring you. From this moment on, I truly hate you, Ma’am!”

I ignored Kenn’s warning. I kept shouting without caring about the crowd of people who were starting to pay attention to us.

“That’s enough. Stop. You’re becoming the center of attention!” Kenn stared at me sharply. “We’re going to the garden now. You need to calm down.”

“No, Kenn! I don’t want to go!”

I stubbornly struggled, even hitting Kenn’s chest wildly, even though my strength was no match for his. Kenn remained silent, then grabbed both my hands and wrapped an arm around my waist, dragging me away from there.

I cursed my own weakness. With the little strength I had left, I turned back and shouted as loudly as I could, “If something happens to Reno, it will be your fault, Ma’am! Remember that well, Ma’am! Remember it!”

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