Part 02 # Thorn of Roses

The yellowing dusk bestowed a natural beauty that should have been enjoyed, but not by Lara. Olivia's sudden appearance, after the confrontation she had, was the biggest insult to her.

"That woman! How dare she!" Lara slumped weakly after the series of events she experienced felt like shaking her world. Suddenly, her stomach felt painful, her muscles tensed again. Yet, she had just promised the doctor to take care of this nearly 6-month-old pregnancy well, after almost experiencing a miscarriage before.

Seno hadn't come home for several days, claiming overtime, over and over again. Now she knew why there were some properties held in his name, secretly. Did Seno buy Olivia an apartment or a house? Imagining that, her head started to ache. How dare they play with fire behind her back!

"Madam!" Bi Yani called out, Lara could hear her voice faintly. But, she was still struggling to breathe.

Seno's drastic increase in wealth prevented her from interrogating him like at the beginning of their marriage. The man had changed.

Seno, who used to be sweet and caring, now became an angry man. Now, Lara could only knit their marital home together with a mediocre companionship. She couldn't even feel disappointed because she had experienced this for a long time.

Somehow, she managed to endure.

Whether it's because of innocence, foolishness, or because of the life principles she had enforced subconsciously.

She grew up in an incomplete family, and she didn't want her child to experience the feeling of being abandoned like she did.

"Bi... Bi..."

Lara finally called Bi Yani. It felt like she couldn't bear it anymore.

Crash!

"Madam! Oh my God!" Bi Yani screamed, even slamming the tray containing freshly cut fruits, to quickly run towards Lara.

"Madam!" she called again, with unparalleled panic, when she saw Lara seemingly bleeding, starting to seep between her legs.

"Bi—Bi..."

"I'll call the doctor! Madam! Please hold on!"

Lara almost fainted, luckily she could still adjust and position her body properly. Bi Yani helped her to the nearby sofa from where she stood earlier, and she was gently laid there temporarily.

Bi Yani looked confused because she had never experienced such a shocking event before.

Her breath was rushing as she tried to find the contact of the doctor or hospital that Lara usually visited in her handbag.

"Where... where is the doctor's business card? Oh my God!"

Bi Yani continued to search for the contact number of the doctor or the hospital that Lara usually visited. But, she couldn't find it.

The maid then spilled everything from Lara's bag while praying that the business card of the obstetrician or midwife she usually visited would be found soon.

"I will call Mr. Seno!"

"No ... don't."

"But, Madam!"

Lara just shook her head slowly and started to lie down. She felt drowsy but the pain also started to spread through her body.

"Oh no!" Bi Yani panicked. She looked confused and ransacked the items to find something. Moments later, Bi Yani picked up the phone and called someone.

"Hello? Andromeda Hospital? Please send an ambulance now! My madam is bleeding!" Bi Yani started talking to the operator on the other end. Her voice sounded panicked and cries could be heard.

Lara was still whimpering in pain, but this drowsiness didn't seem to disappear.

Bi Yani was a new maid. A servant chosen by Lara. She had fired all the servants employed by Seno. This was because none of the servants answered when she asked about Seno. They even conspired to hide the traces of her husband's affair for various reasons.

Lara only found out and had evidence of her bad feelings from an unknown person. An anonymous message sent shocking pictures showing her husband with a naked woman.

Her heart broke when she saw that message. Without hesitation, she immediately headed to her husband's office and found the bitter truth that she had been unaware of.

***

"Hello?!"

"Yes? Andromeda Hospital speaking, how can I assist you?"

"Help! Ambulance! My employer is bleeding! Please, Miss!"

"What? Ma'am! Calm down! Give me your address."

"West Avenue resident block GG no. 7, Menteng. Please! Hurry!"

"All right! Please wait and make sure the patient is conscious!"

***

As Bi Yani continued to frantically communicate with the hospital, Lara struggled to stay conscious. The pain was unbearable, and each passing moment felt like an eternity. Her mind raced with thoughts of Seno and Olivia, of betrayal and deception.

Suddenly, amidst the chaos, Lara felt a sharp pang of fear. What if Seno arrived home before the ambulance? What if he found out about the situation? Would he even care? The uncertainty gnawed at her, adding to the agony of the physical pain.

Bi Yani's voice wavered as she relayed their address to the hospital, her hands trembling as she clutched the phone. Lara could hear distant sirens approaching, a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness that threatened to consume her.

But just as relief began to wash over her, there was a sound. Was it Seno? Gosh!

Lara couldn't check; she was about to lose consciousness. The world around her blurred, sounds melding into a cacophony of chaos. Bi Yani's panicked voice faded into the background as darkness encroached on her vision.

Through the haze, she felt a hand grasp hers—a familiar touch amidst the turmoil.

"Stay with me, Ma'am!" Bi Yani pleaded. "Stay with me, Ma'am!" Bi Yani's voice cut through the fog of Lara's fading consciousness, grounding her in the present moment.

Lara tried to muster the strength to respond, to reassure her that she was still there, still fighting. But the pain engulfed her like a suffocating blanket, rendering her speechless and powerless.

Bi Yani's grip tightened around Lara's hand, her desperation palpable as she pleaded with her to hold on. Tears welled in her eyes, mirroring the turmoil raging within Lara. But even as she teetered on the brink of oblivion, a surge of determination coursed through her veins. She couldn't give up—not now, not when her child's life hung in the balance.

With a herculean effort, Lara forced her eyes open, willing herself to remain conscious despite the overwhelming agony. Bi Yani's face swam into focus, etched with concern and fear.

"Ma'am, please, you have to stay awake," Bi Yani implored, her voice trembling with emotion.

Lara nodded weakly, a silent promise to fight until the very end. Together, they clung to hope amidst the chaos, awaiting the arrival of the ambulance that would carry them to safety and salvation.

As the distant wail of sirens grew louder, Lara closed her eyes and braced herself for the journey ahead. Whatever lay on the other side, she would face it with courage and determination—for the sake of her child, and for the shattered remnants of her fractured heart.

***

"That's the ambulance!"