Her inner wounds of a dozen years will not heal just by the apology that her mother always says. An apology would not easily make up for the pain that had been taught in her heart.

Elle looked at Carla, as if asking her grandmother not to give in to what Jolly was trying to do.

"We have always tried to survive in our own way, Grandma. How we have to survive amidst the insufficiency that has always been present in our days. Where we always go around from house to house begging for work so that we can eat."

"Ellea, enough! I know I'm wrong, honey. Please forgive me... "

"You don't know, when we had to tie our stomachs because we were hungry, and water was all we could take in because we had nothing to eat? You don't feel how all these days we couldn't sleep because of our empty stomachs! Hahhhh!"

"Ellea enough! I was wrong, honey. I'm sorry..."

"Where were you all this time? Where was your compassion when you were so willing to abandon the flesh and blood you were supposed to protect. Not for a year or two. Not for a year or two. Not for a dozen years, and now you come to me as if you're sorry? You think I believe you? NO! Throw away your fake cries! I don't need your fake tears!"

"Sorry... I'm sorry..." Anjani was getting more and more naive.

"Without you saying you're wrong, everyone in their right mind already knows you're wrong. There's no need to make it clear!" Ellea reproached.

Jolly still felt his son's rejection. Carla, meanwhile, could not do much about it. She knew Ellea's character very well, when she was angry no one could calm her down.

"Go away!"

Jolly rounded her eyes when she heard Ellea say those words.

"Honey, are you kicking me out? Kicking out your mother?"

"Yes! Didn't you hear her?"

"Honey..."

"This is my house! I have the right to decide who can and cannot enter this house. You may leave! If you don't want to, let me go!"

Carla also shed tears. She understood the pain her granddaughter was feeling. Anger, disappointment, those feelings were all mixed together in her heart. But on the other hand, she honestly couldn't bear to kick her own child out of the house.

"I count to three, if you don't leave, I'll be the one to leave this house!" Ellea continued to threaten. There was not the slightest sympathy in her heart for her own biological mother.

"One... two... ti... "

"Okay, honey!" Jolly stood up straight. Mom is leaving. I know I was wrong. My mistakes are even harder to forgive. But I will keep trying to get that forgiveness from you, son. I know you are a very good boy. I know that."

"Should I count again?" Ellea threatened again.

Anjani shook her head. "I'm leaving, honey!"

With a heavy heart, Jolly finally left the house. Before he actually left, he was still hoping that his daughter would hold him back. But alas, her hopes were dashed when Ellea closed the main door quite hard. It was as if the door would never open for her again.

Jolly was really gone. Ellea bowed her head, dropping her body to the chair.

"I hate her. She has no shame. Coming out of nowhere, as if her mistakes are worth forgiving!" she lamented.

Carla sat down next, stroking her granddaughter's shoulder, trying to calm her down.

"Where was he all this time? Where was he when we were hungry? Where was he when we had no food for three days and could only drink water? Did he forget, grandma? Or pretended to forget? Hehhhh?"

Carla could only nod, and continued to stroke her granddaughter's shoulder, letting her vent all her emotions.

***

Arriving home, Ethan immediately cleaned up and re-decorated himself in preparation for the office.

Ethan smiled slightly as he straightened the tie wrapped around the collar of his shirt. Imagining Ellea's face that looked so beautiful last night. A girl whose age was far below him. But her thinking was quite mature compared to his wife, Amy.

"Jasmine. Why am I missing you like this all of a sudden? Oh my!"

Finished with his makeup, Ethan was ready to leave for the office. But before leaving the house, he first said goodbye to his only daughter who was enjoying morning air in the park with the babby sitter.

Ethan entered his car, fastening the seat belt before starting the engine.

"Jasmine..." Ethan smiled. He grabbed his cell phone from his briefcase. Searching for Jasmine's contact and sending her a message.

[Good morning, have a nice day.]

Ellea checked her vibrating cell phone. She was worried that if Alex suddenly contacted her and didn't respond immediately, everything would go wrong.

Ellea's forehead pursed, opening a message notification that turned out not to be from Alex, but from Ethan. Her annoyance suddenly turned into a slight smile that graced the corners of her lips.

"Ethan... " she whispered.

Ellea swung her fingers to reply to the message to the man who already had a wife.

The feeling of annoyance because of her mother's actions who suddenly appeared in front of her, felt a little less. I don't know, the tightness in her chest now feels lighter.

Ellea chose to lock her room. She did not want to leave the room before Jolly left the house.

Carla and Jolly, who were still in the living room, could not do anything.

Jolly continued to wail endlessly. It hurt her to see such a strong rejection from her own biological daughter.

"I was wrong, mom. But can't I make up for everything? Don't I deserve forgiveness from my mother and daughter?" he sobbed.

"It's not like that! What mother wouldn't forgive the mistakes of her own biological child? What mother? Even this mother of yours has never put the slightest grudge in this heart. Ever since you left, I've been praying for you to be okay out there."

"But what about Ellea? Will she never forgive me, Mom?" interrupted Jolly, looking at Carla's eyes pleadingly.