Is this some sorta karma?
Altezza gazed at his sleeping wife, deeply asleep. The doctor managed to save her. Save their baby.
After experiencing a heart attack and losing a lot of blood, his wife could finally return to them. Even though his wife is now declared in a coma, just like himself.
Oh God. Is this my payback for all my past mistakes?
Why are You like this to me?
"Wake up, Darling. Please wake up quickly. Don't you have pity on our two children? I haven't even been able to give them names yet." Altezza whispered to his wife's hand.
That hand was so small and weak. The hand that had been holding his all this time. The hand that had always touched him gently. Regardless of what Altezza had ever done to her.
Altezza reluctantly rose from his seat. "I'll be right back, hurry and wake up." Altezza kissed his wife's forehead. He bid farewell to his mother and mother-in-law before leaving the hospital.
He still limped, his leg condition worsening as he carried Adaline back then, but Altezza paid it no mind. When the doctor ordered him to use crutches as walking aids, Altezza refused. He wouldn't return to being disabled just because he didn't use a walking aid.
Altezza got into the taxi he had hailed. He gave an address to the driver and asked him to drive quickly.
The car drove in silence. Until about twenty minutes later, Altezza was already in front of a two-story building with ivory-yellow paint and a police logo at the top of the building.
Duncan and Antony were already there waiting for him. "How's it going?"
Antony shook his head. "Something's wrong, Al." Altezza looked at his cousin and his assistant in confusion. "You can conclude it if you see it firsthand." Altezza furrowed his brow even more. But he followed along as Antony led him to a room the size of two by two meters with an iron door.
The woman who used to be his wife was sitting hugging her knees in the corner of that small room. Her eyes seemed unfocused, and her lips kept murmuring unclearly. Her body swayed back and forth, and occasionally she bit her fingernails.
"What happened to her?" Altezza looked at Antony, confused.
"She never wanted to talk to anyone. She only called out your name. I think she's starting to lose her mind a bit, Al," Antony said, causing Altezza to stare at Antony.
"Are you sure she's losing her mind? Or is she actually pretending to be crazy?" Altezza replied sarcastically.
"I know you really hate her right now, Altezza. But this time, I'm sure she's not acting. Try approaching her and ask her nicely," Antony suggested. Altezza still looked at Antony with disbelief. But at least, he would try.
Altezza gripped the cell door tightly. "Jovanka?" Altezza called her. The woman continued to shake her head. "Jovanka, look at me."
"Altezza..? Altezza.. is that you?" The woman asked uncertainly. Her head turned, searching for the sound.
"Jovanka, it's me. Will you talk to me?" Altezza was so surprised when the woman moved so quickly towards him. Her hands grabbed Altezza's hands clutching the bars. Her eyes looked at Altezza with adoration. He could see there was so much different about her. Her gaze, her face, everything seemed different.
"Altezza, you've really come back to me, haven't you?" The woman asked while holding Altezza's hand tightly. "Cindy said you would come back to me if I managed to get rid of that obstacle," she continued quickly.
"Cindy? Obstacle? What do you mean?" Altezza asked back, puzzled.
"Yes, Cindy. You know her. My assistant. She said I should be angry if she calls me sister in front of anyone else.
"She said she would help me bring you back.
"She said you would come back if I removed the barrier between us. You still love me, right? She said that woman has stolen you from me. You will truly come back to me, won't you?"
Altezza remained silent. He wouldn't make any promises to the woman in front of him. Even though now he was starting to believe that she really was not in her right mind, as Antony had said.
Altezza walked back, leaving the woman behind. Meanwhile, the woman kept calling out his name. Her hand reached out from behind the bars, trying to reach Altezza. But Altezza ignored her. The pity he felt for the woman had disappeared.
"Find Evans. And also the woman named Cindy. I think one of them is the reason Jovanka ended up like this," Altezza sat down on the long brown-painted wooden chair wearily. He rubbed his knees, which were starting to ache.
Antony made a call, as did Duncan.
An hour later, they were on their way to Evans' place. The man was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and boxer shorts. He welcomed them casually as if he had no worries at all.
"I knew you'd finally come," he said flatly. Evans gestured for his guests to sit. He himself sat down without intending to offer drinks, even just as a formality. "What do you want to know?" he asked directly.
"What really happened to Jovanka? You've been with her for the past few years. Even when I wasn't around, you spent more time with her," Altezza said, getting straight to the point.
Evans looked at Altezza. "Let me start from the beginning," he replied. His gaze was fixed on Altezza.
"I met Jovanka when she joined the agency. She was a kind and friendly girl who loved her family very much," Altezza nodded. Because that was the Jovanka he knew. "Until about four years ago, her sister Cindy showed up.
"At first, I thought their relationship was fine. And honestly, I'll admit that I loved that woman. That's why I never suspected her.
"Jovanka funded all of that girl's needs. Until a few months ago when she completed her education in psychology. But I was late to realize something was wrong with that woman.
"Jovanka's change happened because of Cindy's presence. I eventually found out that Jovanka was just an adopted child in her family. She was an orphan found by that family when she was young. And the couple who worked at the house you provided turned out to be Jovanka's adoptive parents.
"Jovanka loved them as if they were her own parents. She treated them very well. I don't know how they ended up being servants and gardeners while Jovanka could give them anything.
"Turns out, I finally realized it was all a facade. They didn't want anyone else interfering with how they were exploiting Jovanka.
"And when Jovanka started having frequent hysterical episodes, I thought it was because she was exhausted from her hectic schedule. So every time she had a fit, I gave her sedatives. I did everything as per the doctor's advice.
"But I was wrong.
"I didn't realize why suddenly Cindy, who graduated from a prestigious university, chose to become Jovanka's assistant instead of working independently. And I was late to realize that the girl was using hypnotherapy to control Jovanka."
Altezza, Antony, and Duncan were stunned. "I truly feel guilty," Evans said. "Jovanka never wanted to sign the work contract that came to her two years ago. She did it after being incited by Cindy.
"That woman constantly brainwashed Jovanka. And I realized it when Jovanka had a fit upon hearing about your engagement. She forgot that you had already broken up with her. And Cindy wasn't with us at that time, because whenever she was there, Jovanka was always under control.
"Jovanka's mind was shattered. Her memory fragmented. And without Cindy's knowledge, I sought consultation."
The doctor performed hypnotherapy again, and everything was revealed. But it was too late. Jovanka couldn't differentiate between reality and Cindy's manipulations anymore.
"When we came back here, Jovanka wasn't herself anymore. She couldn't distinguish between her own desires and Cindy's obsessions. Cindy was so eager to get rich. She used Jovanka as a money-making tool.
"I warned her. Warned them both. But it didn't work.
"I gave up, especially after Mrs. Brianna severed all ties.
"Cindy went berserk. She used Jovanka again to try to get you back, and she failed. She tried again by hurting Adaline."
Altezza frowned in confusion. Evans's explanation was beyond belief. Then the man continued.
"She made Jovanka seem like she wanted to commit suicide on the rooftop. And she recorded it secretly. I knew when she just returned from Adaline's room.
"I wanted to tell everything to Adaline, but you came that morning. I confined her until I heard she was missing.
"I wanted to expose her, but again I was late because I had to plead with some authorities to grant dispensation for Jovanka. Until I found out she was trying to kill you.
"I wanted to get her medical help, Al. But Cindy stopped me. I had no power. Because even if I contacted the mental hospital, she wasn't under my guardianship. I couldn't do anything."
Evans truly felt remorseful. He felt like a terrible friend. So did Altezza. Because all this time, he had neglected the woman he once loved. He hadn't realized that there were reasons behind every change in his ex-wife's behavior.
"We have to find Cindy. She's the main suspect in this case," he finally replied.
Time seemed to slow down for them. Altezza reported Cindy and her parents to the police on charges of human trafficking, manipulation, and being the mastermind behind all the crimes against Altezza and Adaline.
Amazingly, within a matter of hours, they managed to apprehend Cindy and her family as they were about to embark on an inter-island journey to Kalimantan by watercraft, with the police intercepting them.
Cleverly, Cindy denied everything. She refused to admit to any of the accusations leveled against her, continuing to feign innocence and claiming that Jovanka had been the one treating her harshly all along. She even mentioned names of individuals whom she believed could testify in her favor. However, her mother's testimony shattered all her alibis.
They also managed to secure other witnesses. Several parents of Cindy's malpractice victims also reported her, leading to her eventual punishment.
Cindy went into hysterics, blaming her parents for their inability to be proper parents and provide her with happiness.
Meanwhile, they took Jovanka to a rehabilitation center, hoping that under proper care, she could regain her former self. Because despite her wrongdoing, Altezza knew that Jovanka wasn't entirely to blame.
And Adaline?
It's been five days since she remained unconscious.
Altezza sat faithfully by her side. Their two babies had returned home with their grandmother and nanny. So far, they had been calling the babies "Teteh" and "Dede" because the baby girl was born before the baby boy.
Altezza hadn't given them names yet. He wanted his wife to wake up first and name them.
He remained optimistic that his wife would wake up. No matter how long it took, he would wait.
"Darling, don't you miss me? Don't you miss our children? They miss you," Altezza continued to kiss the back of his wife's hand. His angel.