33-1

The Office Phone Rings

The office phone suddenly rang, making her flinch. She stared at the screen for a moment before finally sighing and picking it up.

"Hello?"

"Ayla, the client from the head office renovation project wants to move the meeting to Thursday. Is that okay?" her assistant's voice came from the other end.

Ayla closed her eyes for a moment, trying to refocus.

"Yes, that's fine. Please rearrange the schedule."

"Will do. Oh, and a new courier just arrived with a package. I've put it on your desk."

"Thank you."

Once the call ended, Ayla looked back at the document in front of her. She let out a long sigh before finally tidying up the papers and slipping them back into the envelope.

This was not the time to get emotional. She had to stay rational.

But one thing she couldn't ignore...

If Evan really had forgotten everything, why did he send this to her now?

What was he looking for?

Ayla grabbed her phone, searched for Evan's contact. Her fingers hesitated above the screen before she exhaled and pressed the message button.

Ayla: I've received your envelope.

Ayla: What do you want, Evan?

Sent.

It didn't take long before the message was marked as read. But the reply didn't come.

Ayla waited, her heart beating faster than usual.

If Evan truly wanted to reopen the past, then she had to be ready to face it all.

But the real question was… was she ready?

—

Ayla's Worry – Raka Has a Fever

Ayla's phone suddenly vibrated on the table. Sari's name—Raka's nanny—appeared on the screen.

Her heart sank. Sari rarely called unless it was urgent. She quickly picked it up.

"Hello, Mbak Sari? What is it?"

A worried voice came from the other end. "Mrs. Ayla, Raka has a fever. Since earlier this afternoon his temperature has gone up. I've given him medicine, but he still seems weak."

Ayla immediately stood up, pressing the envelope of medical records down on her desk. Raka was sick.

"What's his temperature now?" she asked quickly while packing up her things.

"Last time I checked, it was almost 39 degrees. He's been lying down, won't eat."

"Oh God... Okay, I'm coming home now."

Without a second thought, Ayla grabbed her bag and the large envelope. She left her office in a rush, nodding briefly at her assistant.

"Tasya, I have to go home. My child's sick. Please handle everything here."

"Understood, Ms. Ayla. Hope he gets better soon."

Ayla just nodded and rushed to the parking lot. Once in the car, she started the engine and drove as fast as she could toward home.

In her mind, all sorts of worst-case scenarios spun. Raka rarely got sick, but when he did and the fever was this high…

She bit her lip, trying to calm herself. No, don't panic yet. Get home first, check on him.

But deep down, Ayla knew one thing—for all her strength, she would never be calm when it came to Raka.

—

Donor Match Test Results

Sitting on a hospital waiting room chair, Ayla clenched her fingers anxiously. Her eyes were fixed on the doctor's office door, waiting for the donor test results.

Not long after, the doctor came out with a cautious expression. "Ms. Ayla, could you come in for a moment?"

Ayla stood up right away, heart pounding, and entered the room.

"We've checked the compatibility of several donor candidates you registered," the doctor began, opening a folder. "Unfortunately… none of them are a match for Raka."

Ayla exhaled deeply, a cold sensation creeping through her body.

"Then... is there any other option?" she asked with a trembling voice.

The doctor nodded. "The next best option is his biological father."

Ayla fell silent. She had expected this, but it still hit hard.

"If possible, you should contact him as soon as possible to undergo a compatibility test," the doctor continued.

Ayla bit her lip. Evan.

The man who once gave her the deepest wounds. The man who didn't even remember what he had done.

But this wasn't about her. This was about Raka.

"Okay, Doctor," she finally said. "I'll contact him."

Her steps out of the doctor's room felt heavy. She looked at her phone screen, her fingers hesitating over the contact name: "Nathaniel Evan."

At last, she took a deep breath and pressed the call button.

The call connected.

"Ayla?" Evan's voice sounded on the other end, slightly surprised.

Ayla closed her eyes briefly, gathering courage.

"We need to talk."

—

The Inevitable Meeting

Evan stared at his phone screen after the call ended. Ayla's voice had sounded different—not cold like before, but also not familiar. There was something in her tone that unsettled him.

He glanced at his watch. Ayla had told him to meet her at a café near the hospital within an hour. Without thinking much, Evan grabbed his car keys and drove.

When he arrived, Ayla was already waiting at the far corner table, sipping a glass of water. As Evan pulled out the chair and sat down across from her, he could clearly see her expression—serious and weary.

"What's this about?" Evan asked right away.

Ayla looked at him for a few seconds, as if weighing something, then finally said, "I need your help."

Evan leaned back. "What kind of help?"

Ayla took an envelope from her bag and handed it to Evan. "Read this first."

Evan took the envelope, opened it, and found several sheets of medical test results. His brow furrowed as he read.

"This..." Evan looked up, confused. "Raka?"

Ayla nodded slowly. "He's sick. And he needs a donor."

Evan swallowed. "And I'm supposed to get tested to be the donor?"

"Yes," Ayla's voice was almost a whisper.

Evan rubbed his face, feeling a tightness in his chest. "Hold on. Ayla, this is serious. Why me?"

Ayla clasped her hands tightly on the table, as if trying to steady herself. "Because... you're his father, Evan."

The world seemed to stop for Evan. His breath caught. The noise of the café disappeared from his awareness.

"What?"

Ayla looked him straight in the eye. "You're Raka's biological father."

Evan let out a short laugh, though there was nothing funny about this. "No, that... that doesn't make sense. I never even—"

"You did, Evan," Ayla cut in sharply. "You might not remember, but I remember everything."

Evan fell silent. His brain worked hard to process it all.

"I know it's a lot, but I have no other choice," Ayla continued, her voice beginning to shake. "I just want to save my child—our child."

Evan stared at her in silence. There was so much he wanted to say, so many questions. But for now, only one thing mattered.

"Okay," he finally said. "I'll take the test."

—

Hospital – Ayla's Confession

Inside the car, the silence was cold. Ayla sat with her hands folded in her lap, while Evan focused on driving, though his mind was far more chaotic than he let on.

At a red light, Evan finally spoke. "How long have you known?"

Ayla didn't answer right away. She sighed before finally saying quietly, "Since I got pregnant."

Evan gripped the steering wheel tighter. His breath hitched. "And you never told me?"

Ayla turned to look at him. "How could I, Evan?" Her voice was calm, but the pain was evident. "Back then, you—" She stopped, swallowing her words. "You didn't even care."

Evan frowned. "I don't remember ever leaving you like that."

Ayla let out a bitter laugh. "Of course not. Because you don't remember anything."

The light turned green. Evan started driving again. "So you went abroad back then not for school?"

Ayla shook her head. "I left because I had no other choice. I had to save my child."

Evan didn't respond. Ayla's words echoed in his head. My child.

He was still trying to process it all when they arrived at the hospital. Evan parked and got out first. Ayla followed silently.

Inside the hospital lobby, Ayla spoke with the admin staff while Evan stood behind her, still trying to piece together a past that felt unfamiliar.

A nurse approached them. "Please follow me for the sample collection," she said politely.

Evan turned to Ayla. "After this, we talk."

Ayla didn't answer, just looked at him briefly before walking ahead to follow the nurse.

Evan took a deep breath. Today was the beginning of something big—something he didn't yet know if he was ready for.

—

Unexpected Encounter at the Hospital

Evan walked down the hospital corridor quickly, his mind still filled with worry about Raka's condition. As he turned a corner, his eyes landed on a teenage girl sitting in the waiting area. Their eyes met, and Evan instantly recognized her face—Sienna, Hendra's daughter.

Sienna looked at him sharply, her expression a mix of hatred and pain. Evan stopped, sensing something unresolved between them.

"Sienna?" Evan called softly.

The girl stood, approaching defensively. "Uncle Evan? What are you doing here? Who's sick?" she asked, her tone flat but piercing.

"It's not me," Evan replied, trying to stay calm. "My son is being treated."

Sienna raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Good," she said coldly. "Hope you stay healthy. Don't die yet—so I can be the one to kill you."

The words hit Evan like a blow. He stared at Sienna, seeing the flicker of vengeance in her eyes. "Sienna, I..."

"Don't say my name like we're close," Sienna cut in sharply. "You might've forgotten, but I remember everything. I remember what my dad... what you did to him..."

Evan felt a wave of guilt crash over him. "I never meant to—"

"You never meant to?" Sienna laughed bitterly. "You ruined my father's life. And now you're here, pretending to care about your own kid?"

Evan was speechless. He wanted to explain, to apologize, but the words felt empty.

"I hope your kid gets better," Sienna continued coldly. "But don't ever think I'll forgive you."

Without waiting for a response, Sienna turned and walked away, leaving Evan frozen in place, haunted once again by ghosts of the past.

—