Chapter 188: The Courage to Open

After leaving Farah behind bars with burning hatred, Kevan drove his car aimlessly. His feelings now felt empty and hollow, especially since a part of his soul seemed to be gone without Frel by his side.

In a state of despair, he stopped his car at a city park that looked rather quiet, with only a few people around. After parking the car, he got out and decided to calm himself for a moment. Sitting on a park bench while enjoying the gentle afternoon breeze.

Suddenly, he remembered the letter from Claretta that had been entrusted to his father. He reached into his jacket pocket and took out a white envelope whose surface was slightly damp from tears. For days, he had been carrying the envelope without intending to open it. Not because he was unwilling, but more because he was not ready to know the secret behind that letter.

For several minutes, he only stared at the letter, before finally taking a deep breath and trying to gather the courage to open it.

There were two letters inside. When the first letter was opened, the first sentence made him freeze.

"For my beloved child."

He knew the letter was meant to be read by Frel. But he was also sure there was a reason why the letter had reached him.

His hands trembled as each word touched his conscience. His chest ached as a truth was revealed one by one as if the scenes in the story were playing in his mind.

Kevan was stunned. Unconsciously, tears welled up in the boy's eyes. He looked up and blinked rapidly before the tears fell. He did not expect the path of fate between Claretta and Frel to be so full of wounds. He could not even imagine if he were in their position.

What hurt even more was that everything began from his own mother's selfishness. He realized that love had made them both blind to distinguish what was right and what was wrong.

Kevan lowered his head while one of his hands clenched tightly.

"I'm sorry, Frel," he whispered softly. "We are the ones who have destroyed your life all this time. The two of us took away all your happiness."

Kevan shut his eyes tightly while holding back the surge of guilt that kept increasing. "I know you must be even more shattered when reading this letter, Frel."

The guilt kept attacking him, until it hurt just to imagine it.

When his conscience seeped in and was broken by the facts, his logic instead demanded to open the second letter. He had to know everything before he could decide which path he should choose.

"Hello, Kevan.

Sorry, I intentionally sent two letters for you to read. The letter that should have been read by Frel, I also sent to you. I just want you to both know what really happened in our past, not to make you feel guilty, but so that you also understand that everything that has happened should not change the distance between you and Frel.

You are now siblings. I do not want you to hate each other just because of our mistakes as parents.

Don’t worry, I do not hate Viona. I have accepted all of this as part of God’s plan that we cannot refuse.

I know you need time to heal your own wounds, but I beg you, if those wounds have begun to dry, please do not ignore Frel anymore.

He needs a brother like you who can truly love him sincerely. Frel has suffered too much, please do not give him deeper pain so that he can endure and get through everything.

As his mother, I have failed to give him a whole family, the hope he has always secretly dreamed of. I do not want to see him suffer again.

And thank you for taking care of Frel all this time. I say this with all my heart sincerely, Kevan.

From Claretta."

Kevan gripped the edge of the paper until his fingers turned white. The sentences from Claretta were not just words, they were a kindness that felt sharper than a blade. How could that woman let everything go after all the suffering caused by his mother’s selfishness? How could she still entrust such a warm message to the child of the woman who had destroyed her life?

Kevan’s chest felt tight, as if the air in the park had suddenly disappeared. Every breath he took felt heavy and painful. He had to accept the fact that the blood flowing in his body was the blood of a woman who was the source of Frel’s suffering.

"I’m sorry, Frel ... forgive me. I’m truly sorry."

The tears he had been holding back finally fell, landing right on Claretta’s name. Kevan sobbed silently, his shoulders shaking violently. He felt unworthy of receiving such sincere gratitude from that woman.

"I don’t deserve any of this," Kevan thought with a hoarse voice in his own head. "I am someone who helped destroy her home."

Yes, Kevan realized that. His mother had taken Claretta’s place, separating their love, while also shattering Frel’s dream of having a complete and harmonious family.

Amid that devastation, a memory passed by. Frel’s faint smile that always hinted at pain whenever he saw warmth within a family, or when he watched other parents joking with their children in front of him. Maybe Frel often cried in silence or even more than that. Maybe behind his cheerful face, Frel hid many wounds that he kept to himself.

"Idiot! I’m really an idiot!" Kevan cursed himself.

Kevan realized one heartbreaking truth, Frel had never had anyone. And now, when all the secrets were revealed, Frel would be the one who would be the most shattered.

Kevan looked up, staring at the evening sky that was beginning to turn red, the same color as the wound now gaping in his heart.

His mother’s selfishness had taken everything from Frel, but he could not let his own selfishness take away his brother’s future. He did not want to be like Viona, who forced love until it destroyed other people’s lives. He had to let Frel go, not because he did not love him, but because that was the only way to love Frel properly as a brother.

Kevan leaned his back against the park bench, closing his eyes tightly as the images of Frel and Kenn filled his mind. He had to learn to heal his wounds first, to make peace with the reality that shattered his heart, before he was truly ready to make up for every second of happiness he had once taken from his brother’s life.

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