Chapter 137: Cruel Denial

All this time, my hand had been busy pressing the buttons on the television remote control. I kept searching for a channel worth watching, or at least, a channel that was not broadcasting news about her anymore.

“Stop appearing in front of me, damn woman,” I muttered softly at the screen that kept showing her face.

For six consecutive days, television programs had continuously reported everything about Claretta Maharani. It made me sick of it.

As if it had become an endless main topic, all kinds of information and speculation poured from the mouths of the broadcasters without any clear proof. Even until now, Claretta had remained silent whenever there were questions about Abel and Reno’s status.

I snorted cynically. She claimed to regret it, but where was the proof?

“What kind of regret is kept only in silence?” I asked rhetorically to the quiet living room walls.

I pressed the power button hard and threw the device onto the wooden table in front of me. My mood always worsened whenever I thought of that woman, especially when I remembered the video that had been widely circulated on various television stations and social media lately. The video that recorded me screaming hysterically while cursing at Claretta.

I didn’t know where they got the recording of the hospital incident. Because of that video, for the past few days I had often become the target of reporters who were hungry for information about her.

I had been forced to run to avoid their pursuit. “Move aside! I don’t know anything!” I shouted repeatedly in my memories as they shoved microphones right in front of my face.

Often, when my patience ran out, I would turn into a starving lion, grabbing anything around me and throwing it in any direction until they left.

Don’t expect those reporters to get even a shred of information from me. I was not the one who had the right to tell the real story. Only that woman, the only person worthy of exposing her own disgrace.

I exhaled harshly. I stood up and took wide steps into the bedroom. I immediately sat down, burying my face in the crook of my arms on the study table.

Memories of Abel after Reno’s funeral resurfaced in my mind. After Abel was told the truth about Reno’s death, as if he didn’t care, every day he kept looking for his brother to play with. When night came, Abel often woke up from his sleep, crying hysterically while calling Reno’s name.

“Where is Reno? Where is Reno? I want to be with Reno,” he whimpered, always making my heart shatter into pieces.

There was a time when Kenn and I received a call from Mrs. Eka asking us to come to the orphanage immediately and asking us to persuade Abel to eat.

And I also still remember how fragile Abel was when he asked me, “Where is Reno? Mrs. Siti said Reno passed away, went far away, and will not come back again. That’s all not true, right? Reno loves Abel so much. Reno wouldn’t leave me like Mom, who chose to leave me and Reno.”

Do you want to know what I did after that? I couldn’t do anything except cry and cry.

“Forgive me, Abel. I’m really sorry for not being able to bring him back,” I sobbed in front of him.

When I was alone with Kenn, I had also once recklessly thrown out a question—ah, no—maybe it could be called a blind accusation.

Shamelessly, I spat out cruel words, “You too, Kenn. You have a lot of money, so why didn’t you take Reno to the hospital for treatment from the beginning? You could buy land for the orphanage, you could fix the building, but why couldn’t you treat Reno’s illness with your money? You jerk, Kenn. Turns out you didn’t love Reno that much. You’re a slow guy, you—”

“Enough, that’s enough!” At that time, Kenn shouted right in front of my face, making me instantly step back. “How many times have I told you, don’t keep thinking badly about me. All this time I have—”

“Have done what, huh?! Say it! What have you done besides showing off your wealth?!” I challenged him with rising anger.

“DON’T INTERRUPT ME, CAN’T YOU, NO!!” Kenn shouted even louder.

I flinched. My eyes immediately welled up, and the next second I covered my face with my palms. I cried uncontrollably.

Kenn suddenly pulled me into his embrace. “I’m sorry.” He kissed the top of my head. “I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

In his arms, I sobbed loudly.

“Don’t cry anymore,” he whispered in my ear. “I’m sorry, I was wrong. I just want you to listen to my explanation first.”

At that time, I shook my head hard, unable to speak. Kenn shouldn’t have apologized. It was all purely my fault. I missed Reno too much. To be honest, like Abel, I still couldn’t let go of Reno’s departure.

I could feel a heavy sigh leave Kenn’s lips. After that, he released his embrace. Carefully, Kenn took both of my hands, then held my shoulders, creating some distance between us. He stared intently into my eyes.

“Listen, Reno never wanted to be away from Abel, even if it was just for treatment at the hospital. All this time, I was the one who asked my family’s private doctor to come to the orphanage to examine Reno. The problem was...,” Kenn paused, looking deeply at me as if making sure I was ready to hear his next words, “the medicines we gave were not enough to cure his illness. We tried everything, I swear to God.”

And at that very moment, I regretted all the accusations I had thrown at Kenn.

“Forgive me, Kenn. I just... I just don’t know who else to blame,” I whispered softly.

Yeah, those were some of the fragments of events that had been torturing me lately. Until now.

I roughly rubbed my face. Now my gaze fell on the gossip magazine in front of me, the magazine Dara had given me this morning. Before going to school, she had stopped by my house, and until now I hadn’t even opened the magazine at all.

“Read this if you want to know the true face of your idol,” Dara had said sharply as she placed the magazine on the table.

She said that only in this magazine was Claretta willing to give some answers to their questions.

I picked up the magazine. Honestly, I hesitated, especially after remembering Dara’s words that there was shocking news about Claretta inside.

“Don’t be shocked when you see the contents,” Dara warned me once again before leaving.

Dara had forced me to know and read it myself.

I let out a long breath. Maybe, there was nothing wrong with reading it for a while.

As soon as I opened the first page, my eyes widened as I read the large, bolded headline in front of me.

THIS BEAUTIFUL MODEL WHO HAS MADE IT TO INTERNATIONAL CATWALKS FINALLY SPEAKS OUT!

CLARETTA MAHARANI DENIES THAT THE LATE RENO IS HER CHILD!

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