Dinda stared at Panji. “Are you still defending her, honey?”
“Don’t bother Jesika.”
“I’m your wife!”
“I know!”
“If you know that, then why are you doing this?”
Panji roughly rubbed his face. “Because I’m already sick of you!”
Dinda froze.
“Sick of me?”
“Yes.”
Panji looked Dinda up and down. “I’m already sick of living with you, Dinda.”
Tears began pooling in Dinda’s eyes. “Why, honey?”
“Because you’re not attractive anymore,” Panji replied.
“You’re saying I’m not attractive anymore?”
“Look at yourself.” Panji pointed at Dinda’s simple clothes. “Your face is dull and unkempt. Your wrinkled skin makes you look old.”
Dinda stared at her husband through tear-filled eyes. “Remember, honey. Before I married you, I wasn’t like this,” Dinda said.
“That was then.” Panji laughed mockingly. “You’ve changed now.”
Dinda wiped her cheek. “Then who made me change into this, honey?”
Panji fell silent.
“All this time, I couldn’t buy skincare because the money you gave me was always barely enough. I worked washing and ironing clothes just to cover all the household expenses.”
“Din, no matter how much money I give you, you should be grateful.”
Dinda laughed bitterly. “How much more grateful could I be, honey? I always accepted whatever amount you gave me gladly. I never even questioned where part of your salary went.”
Mrs. Tika suddenly interrupted. “Don’t blame my son.”
Dinda turned toward her. “I’m not blaming anyone, Mom. I’m talking about the facts.”
“Oh, please. The truth is, you can’t take care of yourself,” Mrs. Tika interjected.
“Besides, no matter how expensive your skincare is, you’ll still never be as beautiful as Jesika,” Mrs. Tika added.
Mita snickered.
“Mom’s right. Dinda has always been plain. She’s not pretty,” Mita chimed in.
Dinda looked at her sister-in-law. “What are you looking at? You don’t accept the truth, Dinda? That’s just how things are.”
Mita looked Jesika up and down.
“Look at Jesika. She’s beautiful, fashionable, and knows how to take care of herself. But you?” Mita gave a little laugh.
“A poor country girl like you wouldn’t be able to outshine Jesika even if you wore the most expensive clothes,” Mrs. Tika added.
Dinda remained silent for a long time. Then her lips curved into a bitter smile.
“Hahaha…”
Mita frowned. “Why are you laughing? Have you gone crazy, Dinda?”
“I just realized something.”
“Realized what?”
Dinda looked at Panji’s entire family. “I’ve realized that I’ve truly been an idiot all this time.”
Mrs. Tika snorted.
“Don’t be dramatic.”
“Dramatic?”
Dinda wiped away her tears. “For two years, I devoted myself to your family. I took good care of the house. I did everything you wanted. But all I got in return was betrayal.”
Panji turned his face away. “That’s enough. Don’t drag this out! You’d better go home now.”
Dinda shook her head. “I’m not going home until you call off this engagement.”
“No.”
“Panji!”
“I’ve made my decision.”
Dinda stepped closer. “Panji, please.”
Panji frowned. “Don’t beg.”
“I’m carrying your child.” Dinda placed a hand on her stomach.
“I know,” Panji replied indifferently.
“If you don’t love me anymore, then at least think about our child.”
“I don’t care.”
Dinda stared at him in shock. “Panji…”
“I never asked you to get pregnant.” Those words drained the color from Dinda’s face.
“Don’t say things like that.”
“I already told you. I want to be with Jesika.”
Dinda shook her head over and over. “No.”
Dinda grabbed Panji’s arm. “Panji, please. Don’t do this.”
“Let go of me!”
“Please.”
“Dinda!”
Panji shoved Dinda roughly.
“Ah!” Dinda lost her balance.
Thud!
Her stomach slammed into the floor. Dinda immediately winced in pain.
“Ah… it hurts.” Dinda groaned as she clutched her stomach.
“Panji… it hurts…” Panji only stared at her.
Dinda tried to get up. “Panji, please help me. Take me to the hospital.”
No one moved. Then Dinda felt something warm running down her thigh. She looked down. Her face instantly went pale.
“Blood…”
Dinda stared at Panji in terror. “Panji… I’m bleeding.”
Panji merely let out an irritated sigh. “Dinda, don’t be so dramatic.”
Dinda shook her head. “I’m really in pain, honey.”
Mrs. Tika chimed in. “It’s probably only a little. You always love seeking attention.”
“I’m not like that, Mom.”
Mita snorted. “Don’t pretend to be so helpless, Dinda.”
Dinda looked at all of them. Her tears fell faster and faster.
“My baby…” She wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Please…”
But no one came to help. Dinda looked at Panji. For the first time since they married, she saw the true face of the man she had loved all this time. That man was no longer the husband she had once known.
Dinda bit her lip to endure the pain as the blood continued to flow. Meanwhile, right before her eyes, Panji simply sat back down beside Jesika. As if Dinda’s suffering had never meant anything at all. A few moments later, Dinda lost consciousness. Only then did everyone panic—including Panji.