Her long hair waved in the night wind. Her face and her eyes drew everyone's attention. When they all saw her ....
"Raya?" Hardinata called, a broad smile spreading across his lips. He walked right past Vivi, who stood there staring in shock. The petite middle-aged woman held back her anger.
When Vivi's eyes turned toward Raya, both her hands clenched into fists as she struggled to contain her emotions.
Raya was about to put down her full-face helmet when Hardinata approached her, followed by her aunt, Vivi. The two of them looked at the motorcycle—a bike more suited to a male racer.
After examining the motorcycle from top to bottom and taking in every detail, Vivi's eyes settled on Raya. A mocking smile curled across her lips.
"Where have you been? You come home late at night after causing trouble. Have you no shame?" Vivi scolded, pointing her slender finger at Raya's face.
Raya merely stared at her aunt with an impassive look, as if she were already fed up and didn't care.
"Auntie, put your hand down," Raya said casually.
Vivi slowly lowered her index finger. She smiled mockingly, without a trace of empathy.
"A woman disappearing all day and coming home at midnight. What are you trying to become? A prostitute?"
The word prostitute echoed in Raya's ears like a curse. When she heard it, Raya didn't answer or respond right away. She simply stared at her aunt with a sharp gaze.
"They say a filthy mouth reflects a filthy, rotten heart. Otherwise, how could words that foul come out of such a rotten heart? Your mouth is your own worst enemy. Are you scolding me, Auntie, or talking about yourself?" Raya shot back.
Vivi flew into a rage. Her eyes reddened and glistened with tears. Her face turned bright red, like a tiger about to pounce on its prey.
"You... you've already done something wrong and brought shame to the family name, and instead of apologizing, you come home at midnight and insult your aunt, who's older than you. What are you trying to become? Have you forgotten? After your parents died, I became your replacement parent. The least you could do is show me a little respect. Instead, you throw words like..." Vivi could no longer hold back her tears. She looked at her father, who was standing beside her.
"Dad, you heard that yourself, right? The way Raya treats me? She doesn't respect me as the person who took the place of her parents." Vivi's voice suddenly softened as she held back the sobs surging in her chest.
Raya only smiled at her aunt's words. She let out a long breath and held back her irritation.
"Enough, Auntie. I'm tired. I want to rest," Raya said as she walked away, leaving her aunt standing there with her grandfather.
As Raya passed them without another glance, Hardinata watched his granddaughter's back. Then he said, "What were you doing at the nightclub?"
The question made Raya stop in her tracks. Vivi was startled, too, when she heard him. Her lips then curled into a smile—a victorious smile. Inside, she thought, Good, Dad.
Raya, having stopped, let out a long breath after hearing her grandfather call her name. She didn't answer or turn around right away. But after thinking for quite a while, she finally turned and looked at her grandfather with a light, unconcerned gaze.
"Why are you asking me about this? Why don't you ask Aunt Vivi why she was able to pay someone to set me up?"
Vivi's triumphant smile slowly faded from her lips.