Chapter 18: The Shocking Fact

I woke up feeling hot on my body.

I removed the blanket covering my body. My hand also removed the fever-relief plaster that was attached to my forehead. My body feels a little better than before. It seems the effects of paracetamol are working well on my body. The fever has now gone down, and the headache that has been whacking has disappeared.

I looked around the room. There's no one. I thought Zo was here. Last night, it felt like that man came and lay down next to me.

Where is he? Or am I just dreaming? It felt real.

My eyes caught on a t-shirt, pants, and underwear neatly stacked on the table. Someone must have put it while I was sleeping. Was it Zo or the middle-aged woman who put it?

I ignored my own question and got up to take a shower.

Under the splashing water, my head felt a little lighter. I remember what happened last night. I remember I had a bad dream, and Zo came to wake me up. He then accompanied me to sleep next to me and … hugged me.

I hit my head lightly.

It must be a dream. It must be because I've seen his face so many times that I can dream of it. There's no way I'd let that bastard sleep with me. That person was the jerk who raped me twice and put a gun to my head. How can I let my guard down and let him hug me in my sleep?

I cleared my foggy mind. It seems I was too carried away to be able to drag that person into my cradle. I quickly finished cleaning myself and rushed out of the bathroom. How surprised I was when I found Zo sitting on my bed. I walked over to him.

Zo stood holding out his hand. I raised an eyebrow and looked at him, confused. What does it mean?

"Sweaters."

I blinked once and nodded awkwardly. I held out the sweater that I wore. The man grabbed his sweater and put it in the pocket he was carrying.

"Loko can't know you're wearing my sweater."

"Okay," I replied. Feeling nervous, I looked anywhere but at him.

"Do you feel better?" he asked.

I nodded once. "Thanks for the medicine and the plaster."

"Try to relax before bed, so you don't have nightmares again."

My eyes widened when I heard the words that came out of his mouth.

"So ... you … came?"

Now it was Zo's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"I mean, you were really … in my room last night?"

"I slept with you last night."

I subconsciously opened my mouth wide, then hastily closed it with a fist before looking strangely into his eyes. My eyes glared at the innocent floor. Damn, last night wasn't a dream. Zo did come and sleep next to me.

So the hug was … real?

"I'm not messing with you, remember," he said. Zo took the food tray and placed it next to me. He sat beside the tray and looked at me meaningfully. "In fact, you sleep better after I accompany you, right?"

What an asshole.

But unfortunately, what he said was also true.

The night after he accompanied me, I could feel a much more restful sleep than before. Somehow the physical touch made me feel safe and protected. Somehow I believe that he won't hurt me or force me anymore. And I don't know what got into him that made him act like that.

I can't fault what he said.

"What?" he demanded again.

I opened my eyes. I don't know when they were closed. "I thought I was just dreaming it. Turns out you did come last night."

The owner of the hazel eyes reached out his hand to me and gently stroked my hair. "That's because I heard you scream and cry loudly. I thought something happened to you."

"I screamed and cried?" I asked in disbelief.

He nodded. "You sound terrified. I thought Loko came to you and hurt you again, but you were just dreaming," he explained.

The memory of the dream that came to me last night pops up.

My Dad.

He looked so miserable and in pain. His body is bound, and no one can help him, including me. I felt so useless and so scared. That's why I screamed and cried.

"What did you dream about?"

"My father," I replied.

I stared at Zo's fingers, twirling my hair in silence.

"In my dream, Dad was tied to a big tree. I was in front of him, but my legs were cuffed, and I couldn't move. Suddenly he struggled and screamed in pain. I wanted to help him, but there was nothing I could do. My voice can't come out, and I can't help him." I lowered my gaze. "He looks so scared," I added.

"Hey." Initially, on my hair, Zo's hand now lightly touches my cheek. After I felt I didn't give a rejection, his hands now fully embraced my face so that I could clearly see his face. Especially his hazel eyes. He said in a firm voice, emphasizing each word, "It was just a dream."

"I know," I replied.

We stood facing each other, and I couldn't help but close my eyes to absorb the man's touch, which was too warm. I thought I was crazy for finding comfort in someone who harmed me. However, for some reason, my little heart rejected the fact that this man in front of me was a cruel demon who had once hurt me.

I thought about his attitude towards me, which had recently changed. He became friendlier to me since Loko beat me. His nature is so inversely proportional to the nature of his crazy boss. They are both evils, but their personalities don't seem to match. Zo looks calmer and uses his conscience more since the violent incident a few days ago.

He didn't even make his threats to me like he did the other day. Not like Loko, who constantly threatened to kill Dad and me. Am I abnormal for feeling so much more comfortable when he's around me? Have I lost my mind?

Speaking of threats, I remember what Loko said to me. When he hit me yesterday, Loko had been told that my parents were not my real parents. His words echoed in my ears for a while. I thought that what he said was nonsense, but I couldn't deny it if I couldn't help but ponder what he said.

Zo took his hands off my face. We were stopped by a sense of awkwardness when we realized that our faces were too close. The man leaned back and held out a glass of water for me. "What do you think?" he asked to shake off the awkwardness.

I straightened my legs and took the glass from him. "Nothing," I replied.

"You're not very good at lying." He is now holding out a piece of toast to me. "Tell me," he repeated.

Fine, I'll tell him.

"When Loko beat me yesterday…." I saw Zo tilt his head and listen to me seriously. "He had said that my parents were not my real parents. I know he must be just talking nonsense, but I thought about those words."

The figure I spoke to was silent and looked like he was thinking about something.

"I know I shouldn't have thought about his bluff, but what he said bothered me enough," I added.

He got up from the bed and walked towards the bedroom window. My eyes followed in his footsteps. He looked outside and was silent for a few moments. What is it?

"Zo?" call me.

He turned to me and looked at me with an undefined look. After a while, he said pretty quietly, "I think that's true."

"What do you mean?" I asked frantically. I headed toward him and stood right in front of him. Zo lowered his head and didn't want to look at me.

"Zo," I called, and he didn't budge.

"Zo," I said again.

He finally lifted his head. There was a doubtful look before he answered my question.

"I read some of your files," he said.

I furrowed my brows, not understanding what he was saying.

"Everyone Loko ordered to be brought here must have files, including you. The file contains data about you, everything about you. Loko also explained to me the reason why I had to kidnap you. I can't tell you."

"There are written the names of your parents. And that name is not Tama Dinata and Arum Dinata."

I looked at him flatly.

"Could it be a typo, right?" I argued.

Zo shook his head. "That's not a typo, Minka. They are not your real parents."