Benjamin dropped Queenerra off at Aunt Clara's little tavern. He didn't even get out of the car and immediately left Queenerra standing on the side of the road. Queenerra didn't even dare wave her hand as she watched Benjamin's car disappear at the end of the road.
She took a deep breath, however hearing another woman trying to get into Benjamin's life made Queenerra feel uncomfortable. Although he is well aware that his position in Benjamin's heart may be nothing more than the woman who can give the satisfaction of sexual desire.
Aunt Clara who had seen a luxury car had stopped in front of her shop immediately looked through the window and she saw a woman with her back standing on the side of the road. When the woman turned, Clara was so surprised to see it was Queenerra, her niece. She looks so different, especially her dress style.
Clara rushed out of her small shop and walked over to Queenerra. "Mrs. Duncan." Clara called the Queenerra's name respectfully and immediately the Queenerra turned, "Aunt Clara." Queen's eyes filled with tears. She immediately walked to his aunt and hugged her tightly. "I miss you." They both even shed tears as they hugged each other.
"Come in." Aunt Clara immediately led Queen into her tavern. Meanwhile, Queenerra cast her gaze across the room. The shop looked much tidier.
"I feel like this shop has changed a lot." said the Queen.
Aunt Clara smiled awkwardly, "Yeah, I added some chairs and a table." The answer is awkward.
"You also changed the decor to be more modern Aunt." Praised Queenerra, "And I think that's great. Besides, it's a lot busier now, too." She added while looking at various corners filled with people enjoying their coffee and breakfast. Especially the workers on the surrounding plantations.
"I'm setting aside little by little to be able to do some minor renovations." Answered Clara. Queenerra watched her aunt as if something was different in the way she spoke and the look on her face.
"Auntie, are you all right?" Queenerra asked and Clara shuddered like she was trying to hide something.
Suddenly a man entered the coffee shop with a basket of groceries, he immediately grumbled when he entered the place. "All items have gone up in price, I'm really annoyed with the merchant." he cursed while continuing to walk into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Queenerra's eyes froze at the man who entered the tavern. She clearly recognized the man's face, even all her past memories seemed to be recalled.
He was Aunt Clara's ex-husband and the old woman looked frozen into Queenerra's eyes. Meanwhile, Queen swallowed hard, trying to moisten her throat before asking, "Is that your ex-husband?" Asked her while staring at aunt Clara.
Aunt Clara looked around and looked annoyed, "He came back a while ago and I thought he changed, so I gave him a place to stay." answered Clara.
Queenera took a deep breath. "Auntie is hiding something from me?" Queenera's brows furrowed, while the man who had just put down his basket looked out to meet Clara. He also looked very surprised to see Queenerra, and as if wanting to escape, he chose to go back into the kitchen.
Clara hurriedly led Queenerra out of the tavern, "We'll talk outside." Clara said as she dragged Queenerra out of the room. Meanwhile, Queenerra followed suit.
Their steps stopped at a bench near the tavern under a shady tree. Clara took Queenerra's hand and squeezed it gently, her eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I can not take it anymore," She said with a trembling voice. "I have to tell the truth." She added, while her tears start to fall down.
Queenerra looked at Clara with a confused face, "Auntie, I won't stop you from meeting that man. He's your husband after all. You have the right to live with him." Queen said, she hoped her words would calm Clara.
"Not like that." Clara said, "Maybe after I tell you everything, you won't want to call me aunty anymore." She whispered as his tears dwindled.
"Tell me, aunty," Queenerra whispered, her heart pounding, she was really nervous to hear the truth that her aunt was going to tell her, even though she had no clue as to what truth Aunt Clara was about to reveal to her.
Clara sighed deeply, "You remember the accident that happened to your parents?" asked Clara.
It was like a bolt of lightning striking right over Queenerra's head when one discussed the death of her parents for the first time in decades. "Yes," She answered curtly with a trembling voice. Her eyes also began to tear up, because the sad memory seemed to suddenly flash in her mind.
"We both planned it all." Clara said then fell to her knees, "I'm sorry ..." She said in tears as she hugged Queenerra's legs while the girl froze, as her life had just been released from her body. Her eyes didn't blink, but her tears fell, she even seemed to have difficulty breathing at once.
While Clara continued to cry, beg, plead for mercy from Queenerra, but the young woman didn't answer, she just got up from where she was sitting and dragged her wobbly steps away from where she was. Queen kept walking, she didn't even pay attention to her aunt's screams calling her name.
It wasn't hatred, revenge, anger, or whatever Queenerra felt when she heard the news. As an old rumor was confirmed, the suspicion that he had been harboring for so long was finally acknowledged by the perpetrator who was her own aunt. It tasted bland, floating, and unsteady. It was that feeling that dragged Queenerra and drowned her in a huge black hole in her chest. Meanwhile, she continued to drag his feet without looking back.
***
Meanwhile, at the plantation, Benjamin is busy with various problems that come down like water in a reservoir being splashed directly over his head. Starting from some parts of the garden that suddenly withered and dry, as well as some crops that have gone through a sudden drying stage such as being exposed to fungus, besides that it is also related to several obstacles in the production process.
"Everything happened like a sabotage, sir," said Marco, the foreman.
"I can't believe this is happening," Benjamin muttered. "Everything seems wrong." He said while checking the harvest that suddenly became moldy while all the handling of the harvest had been carried out according to the procedure.