Chapter 22: He's A Killer?

It's still weird seeing him treat me this gently. I didn't expect an apology from him for chaining me like a criminal. I understand if he had to.

"Read it." Keenan held out a map folder in front of me.

Ignoring his still awkward attitude, I accepted the map folder and started to open it.

On the first page, what I saw was … Gosh … My bio.

Full name, date of birth, address, education history, account number, student card, height, weight. Hell, almost everything is here. I looked at Keenan, asking for an explanation.

"Read until the end," he said.

I read it from top to bottom. There are several compilations of my photos in the map folder. Pictures at various events. There is a photo of me having dinner at a five-star hotel with my Dad, which, as I recall, this event took place when I was 13 years old. There are more photos of me with my school friends, pictures of me from when I was a kid until now, all of them are here.

I opened the second sheet. The second sheet in this map folder is about … Who is this? I don't know him.

It stated Mario Shabir and Cleo Shabir here.

I paused and read it. There is the same bio as mine. There are also two photos of a man and a woman who may be around their thirties. In this section, it is written that Mario Shabir is the owner of the company named Shabir Inc. in Boston, America. Meanwhile, his wife, Cleo Shabir, has a daughter named...

Minka Lillian Shabir.

That's… my name … with a different last name…

I looked at the third sheet. This sheet contains the biodata of … My Mom and Dad!

The biodata written here is the same as the fact that I know. My father's name is Tama Dinata and my mother's name is Arum Dinata. Their addresses, occupations, phone numbers, hobbies, and child's name is…

Wait a minute…

Tiffany Dinata.

Who is Tiffany Dinata?

I think I read wrong.

I rubbed my eyes and reread it. Right. Here it says Tiffany Dinata, not Minka Lillian Dinata. Was there an error in the compilation of the data?

Under the biodata of my father and mother, there is a brief note about Tiffany Dinata.

It is written here that Tiffany Dinata was born on February 18, 1999. She is the only daughter of Tama Dinata and Arum Dinata. She was born prematurely in the womb at 6 months and…

She died when she was 2 weeks old.

There is a photo of a tiny baby sleeping in an incubator. The baby was tiny and looked fragile. I flipped the picture and found the handwriting of Tiffany Dinata's name engraved in blue ink.

What on earth is this?

I hastily closed the map folder.

"What…" I covered my mouth again. Don't know where to start. "What does all this mean?" I finally asked.

Keenan did not immediately answer my question. He was silent for a moment and stared at the map folder. His brow furrowed, he massaged it briefly.

"I don't even know how to explain it," he said.

I tried to organize my question. I have hundreds of questions to ask him. Of the hundreds of questions that are ready to pop up, the first one that comes out is…

"Who is Tiffany Dinata?"

Keenan answered slowly, "The biological daughter of your parents."

I stuttered. That tiny baby in the incubator is my parents' child? Why don't I know at all?

"So, she's my sister?"

Keenan scratched his chin. "You can say that." He added, "But she's not your biological sister."

I gaped and closed my mouth.

"Who are Mario Shabir and Cleo Shabir?" I asked.

Keenan sat on the arm of the rocking chair I was sitting on. I looked up and found Keenan was silent for a moment and didn't immediately answer my question. His hazel eyes looked at me with a worried look.

"They're your real parent."

Silence. No sound. I couldn't get a word out.

Almost a full minute passed. I swallowed my saliva before continuing my question. "How did you know all this?"

"I'm looking for information, Minka. From the information I received, Tama and Arum are just your adoptive parents."

Silence again. I looked at him, confused. I suddenly felt dizzy.

"So, I'm just the adopted daughter of my father and mother, who I've known all my life?" I asked.

"Yes."

This is ridiculous. It does not make sense. I laughed and stood up and walked to and fro.

How do I absorb all this information? I can't believe it. All of this has to be proven.

"I want proof," I said. "Prove me all your bullshit," I added.

"This isn't bullshit, Minka."

I laughed even louder. "All of this is ridiculous! You tried to trick me, and I don't know why you did that to me!" I snapped at him.

Keenan stood up and touched my shoulder. His eyes stared at me intensely.

"I have never deceived you or lied to you. I just want to help you see the truth, Minka," he muttered.

"But this isn't true! My parents are my real parents. I don't know Mario Shabir, Cleo Shabir, or Tiffany Dinata. My last name is Dinata, not Shabir!"

"You were adopted when you were 1 year old. Obviously, you don't remember your birth parents." Keenan held my hand. "Your father and mother were successful import-export entrepreneurs here and in The United States of America. Your father is a business partner with Tama. In the past, they had businesses in the same field. Unfortunately, because of their disagreements, they became enemies. A truly deadly rival."

I brushed his hand away.

"Listen to the story first, Minka," Keenan ordered. He grabbed my hand so I wouldn't let go of him. "Based on the news, when their business was at its peak, Mario and Cleo gave birth to a daughter they named Minka. At the same time, the dispute between Mario and Tama escalated. They bring each other down."

"Two years before adopting you, Tama and Arum had a child named Tiffany. As you read, Tiffany was born 6 months premature, then died. The depressed Arum feels depressed over the death of her first daughter and ends up committing suicide."

"Not long after Tama's wife died, there's news that your biological father, Mario Shabir, was reportedly murdered at his house. Your biological father died when you were one year old."

Keenan took a slow breath while I was still seriously listening to him.

"From the information, I know he was killed by..."

"Who?"

"Your adoptive father, Tama Dinata," he concluded.