I Will Remember

"Mother, don't worry. I will remember all of this until the day I die!"

"Good, dear! That's what I want. Now, you must promise me that you will return to campus and exact all our revenge there,"

Maya nodded at the soft but painful words from her biological mother.

Though they sounded harsh, the sweet girl knew that every word she just heard came from the deep hurt of a woman rightfully seeking vengeance.

With a firm nod, Maya approached Mr. Winata and sat beside the bed, her face tense. "I won't forget this, Father! I will avenge you, our family, and my love that they tore apart!"

After Maya finished expressing all her thoughts, Mala, Maya's mother, smiled happily. She knew that only her daughter could give her the chance to reclaim everything after Maya's biological father fell ill.

Maya stared at her father for a long time, hoping the middle-aged man would open his eyes for just a moment.

"He's sleeping! I believe he will open his eyes tomorrow or the day after, Maya," Mala said softly.

"Yes, I know. Waiting for Father to wake up will take time," Maya touched the back of her father's hand and smiled at the middle-aged man. "Sleep well, Father. You must wake up before I leave for college tomorrow!"

Maya then stood up and moved away from Winata's frail body. Occasionally, she looked back, hoping for a sign or a groan from her father's old body that would give her hope again.

"Don't worry. My trusted doctor has confirmed that your father is in stable condition. He will wake up, even though we don't know when that will be,"

Maya nodded again, closed the door to her father's room, and climbed the stairs to follow Mala.

"Do you still remember this house? This was our home until your father won the tender and we moved to that frightening luxury residence,"

"No! I don't remember, Mother. It's a pity, there must be many stories in this house,"

"Yes, it's okay. You were a toddler back then. You must have forgotten when you were learning to walk and trying to hold your sister lovingly, even though you sometimes quarreled," Mala reminisced with teary eyes.

"Mother!" Maya hugged her mother from behind, hoping her memories of their past wouldn't hurt the middle-aged woman even more.

"Why? It's alright! I always cherish those happy times, even though sometimes I don't know how to accept our current reality,"

"I know! I'm being too much!"

"Hehehehe! That's enough! Now, go to your room, and we will talk after dinner!"

Mala then opened a white-painted door to reveal the bedroom where her daughter would stay.

The same room Maya had lived in, though it had been repainted, considering the walls were aged.

Maya stepped inside and waved to Mala before closing the door.

Her eyes wandered around the room, still looking grand despite some walls appearing weathered with time.

That night, they spent it with joy, even though they had to leave Winata in his room.

Mala kept sharing stories about Maya's lively and cheerful childhood, contrasting with Miya, who was more reserved.

The middle-aged woman also mentioned that she had sent money to Maya through an ATM card now held by Maya because she didn't want her daughter to lack money, even though she knew her father indeed provided for her daily needs.

After a long conversation, the rare mother-daughter meeting finally ended due to the late hour.

Maya had to sleep early to avoid being late for college the next day.

Yes, Maya had to return to that prestigious college to show Inaya, her stepmother, that leaving home was not the end of everything.

***

The Next Day.

Maya woke up feeling more refreshed than before. Her eyes immediately glanced at the bedroom window, realizing the sky was not fully bright yet.

Even though it was still early, the lovely house full of memories was already bustling.

"Why is it so noisy?" Maya grumbled, getting out of bed and stepping out of her room to see what was happening outside.

"Miss, you're up?" Ray asked who was helping tidy up the house.

"Uh, why are they here?" Maya asked, pointing to two maids from her old house who were busy cleaning with Ray.

"They are helping Mother Mala clean up. You know this house has been empty for a long time,"

"No, I mean, won't Mother Inaya be angry if they moved here?"

"No!" the two maids replied, bowing their heads. "She fired us, Miss. That's why we chose to stay here, as Mother Mala suggested!"

"Oh my! She fired you?"

"Yes, we were all fired. She called us traitors, even though she was the one who betrayed the master,"

"How outrageous she is. Yesterday she kicked my father out of the house, and now you all are affected. She's truly heartless!"

"Yes, you must avenge us, Miss!" insisted one of the maids with a clenched fist.

"Uh! What did you say?"

"I know you will take revenge on that wicked woman. She is heartless, her mind is only filled with money, money, and money, not realizing that karma will burn her alive until she dies standing with her greed!"

"Uh!" Maya stared at the maid's serious face, not expecting her mother's vengeance to be even deeper in the hearts of the maids, who were relatively new to her father's service.

"Yes, I will definitely avenge you all," Maya replied, patting the tense maid's shoulder.

"You made me feel relieved, Miss. One more thing you should know. Actually, Miya is not really pregnant, Miss. That was just Mike's story to deceive your sister!"

"What?! Are you sure about what you're saying?"

"No, Miss! I am willing to swear multiple times to make you believe me. That was just Mike's fabrication to execute Inaya's annoying plan!"

"Oh my! So he lied to Miya too. Poor my sister, I have to go to college immediately and tell her this truth! She must not fall too deeply,"

Maya then ran back to her room and got ready. Soon, she was at the dining table, grabbing a piece of bread, and hurriedly left for college with Ray.

When she arrived at the campus, Maya's eyes immediately spotted her sister sitting lost in thought in front of the basketball court, where Mike often performed in front of his friends.

"There she is!" Maya pointed to Ray, who was still sitting in the car.

"You go first, I'll park your car!"

"Okay!" Maya called out, ready with the words she was going to say to her twin. "Miya!" Maya called loudly.

Mike, hearing his ex-girlfriend's voice, hurriedly approached Maya to keep Miya, who was already deceived, away from her twin.

"Hey, what do you want?!" Mike shouted as if warning Maya not to get closer to her sister.