That morning at the dinner table…
"Thalia, hurry up and finish your breakfast. It's already noon. I have to meet your grandparents at their house. But first, I'll take you to school first. Hurry up."
"Let me take Thalia. If you really want to see your parents, then just go."
Sarah, who was busy loading Thalia's lunch, immediately stopped her activities. She wondered why her husband suddenly wanted to take their daughter to school.
"B-but … Mitchell, don't you have to go to the office too? I-let me drive Thalia. I don't want to make you late."
Sarah finds an excuse to keep Mitchell from dropping Thalia off. She was so afraid that her husband would accidentally meet Deswita, her daughter's homeroom teacher, who looked like Mitchell's ex-fiancé.
"Are there any new rules? As a father it's forbidden to send your own child to school?"
Sarah saw Mitchell's piercing gaze on her. She did not understand, since last night her husband's behavior was so different. Mitchell was disgusted when he passed her and tried to walk away.
Even more surprising, her husband asked the butler to prepare breakfast for him. In fact, Sarah always got up first just to make breakfast for Thalia and Mitchell.
"N-that's not what I meant, Mitch. Don't get me wrong. I just..."
"You said you were in a hurry to meet your parents? Why haven't you gone yet? Don't worry about us when it comes to parents. Go, we will also be ready soon. Thalia, daddy is waiting in the car. Hurry up and finish the bread and drink the milk. ."
"Mitch, Y-aren't you eating the breakfast I made?"
"No. I'm full."
Sarah just stared at the departure of her husband, who was walking towards the car. After that, Thalia was followed, who was very happy that Mitchell wanted to take her to school after whining for so long.
"Dad, wait for me. Mom, where's lunch? Why are you pensive? I'm leaving… bye."
"Be careful and take care of yourself, Thalia. I'll pick you up later."
"No need, last night dad promised to take and pick me up today for a walk. Mom, have fun with grandpa and grandma today."
Thalia's words really hurt her ears. Mitchell didn't say anything about his plans for today with Thalia.
"Wait a minute, Thalia said they were going for a walk? Are the two of them going with the new teacher? No! This can't be allowed. I won't let Mitchell and Thalia spend time with that woman."
Sarah really wanted to cancel plans to meet her parents at their residence. However, she had already said yes when her mother called Sarah out of the blue.
Sarah finally gave up and still chose to meet her parents. Looks like they have something important to talk about. Actually, this sounds weird. Because they don't usually call and ask him to meet him.
"We have something important to ask you. So don't say no, Sarah. I'm waiting for you tomorrow."
And here she is now. Sarah immediately got out of the car and took out the cake she had bought before going to her parents' house. The butler seemed to be waiting at the entrance and immediately directed her to the family room where her father and mother were waiting.
Sarah intended to go over to the two and greet and hug them first as she always did. But, how surprised Sarah was when her father actually told her to sit on the sofa.
"Dad … Mom… What's the matter? Why are you two looking like this? Did something happen?"
"Explain what this is? You are such a disgrace, Sarah! How dare you embarrass our family's name?"
Sarah was approaching the table when her father tossed a brown envelope and opened it. How surprised Sarah was when she saw dozens of photos containing pictures of her with Abraham in a coffee shop at lunch time.
"W-what does all this mean? I-daddy… th-it's not what y-you guys think. I-I can explain."
"So explain now! Shame on you! What if your husband and in-laws find out about this? You're risking our pride as your parents!"
A high-pitched voice filled with anger filled the living room. Meanwhile, her mother could only wipe the tears that had begun to well up in her eyelids. Shaking her head in disappointment when Sarah's and her mother's eyes met.
In her heart she hoped that Mitchell and her in-laws didn't know about the photos. She would be in serious trouble if that happened. However, she was very confused about who had taken a picture of her with Abraham(?)
"Sarah! Are your ears deaf!? Explain what all this means? How can you still be in touch with a lowly man who is only an employee in my office? What does all this mean? Explain!"
"My husband. Please, control your anger. Remember your heart disease. I don't want anything to happen to you, honey."
"Let me die instead of being humiliated like this by Sarah. I really can't believe how she can be this cruel to her family. Now explain to me or never again call us your parents!"
"Dad …"
"My husband … Oh my God, everyone, please help my husband! Take him to the hospital."
The shock was so severe that Sarah's parents had to be taken to the hospital. Her mother did not let Sarah approach her husband. She was disappointed in Sarah, who had given her husband a heart attack.
"If anything happens to your father, I will never forgive you, Sarah! Stay away from us!"
"Mom … I'm so sorry. Please, don't do this to me. I-I can explain."
"There's nothing more to explain. Nervousness is the answer. You and Abraham… get out of here!"
Sarah burst into tears when her birth mother violently pushed her to the ground. She could only watch as people carried her father's frail body out of his parents' mansion to the hospital by car.
Sarah immediately put all the photos back into the brown envelope then put it in her bag and walked away. She had to catch up to the hospital and find out her father's condition.
"Mitchell… Dad's in the hospital."
Sarah typed a message and sent it to Mitchell. She was so cowardly to contact her husband. Fear made him think Mitchell already knew.
"Does Mitchell's transformation into me last night have anything to do with these photos? No way. Mitchell definitely wouldn't have forgiven me last night if he had found out. God, who exactly did this? Abraham? Did he do it? Damn! I'll have to make calculations with him if this is really what he's doing."
PING!
A reply to a message from Mitchell made Sarah decide to go to the hospital immediately. She didn't want Mitchell to think she didn't care. However, on the other hand, Sarah was so afraid that the secret would be exposed.
"Hopefully Mitchell doesn't find out about these photos. I'd be crazy if he found out about this affair. Argh, who wants to destroy my household with Mitchell?"
***
Mitchell was rushing to the hospital when Sarah informed her father-in-law of his condition via text. Not to forget, he contacted Devan and asked him to help him pick up Thalia at school and take her daughter to the hospital.
"Something has happened to my father-in-law. Help me pick up Thalia and we'll meet at the hospital."
"What happened? Did Sarah..."
"I didn't know it either. We'll find out as soon as we get to the hospital. Hurry up! We'll see you there."
"All right, Mitch. Calm down. Nothing will happen to your father-in-law. Trust me."
Mitchell hopes Devan's words come true. Because, after all, he was his father-in-law. If anything happened, this would definitely make his mother-in-law sad.
"Do they know anything about Sarah and her mistress?"
Mitchell didn't want to promote prejudice. He focused on driving. Arriving there, he went straight to the ICU room where his father-in-law had been transferred.
Her mother-in-law immediately hugged Mitchell when she saw him coming. He was very confused by this situation. Meanwhile, Sarah was crying in the corner of the bench and covering her face. Really, right now, he wanted to give Sarah strength. However, when remembering the affair that was committed right before his eyes, Mitchell gave up that intention and chose to accompany his mother-in-law.
"What really happened? Why did dad have a heart attack? Is dad thinking about something about why he doesn't take care of his health?"
Mitchell didn't get all the answers from his mother-in-law's lips. All the old woman could do was cry and hug Mitchell tightly. However, she felt strange when suddenly her mother-in-law said softly in her sobs.
"Forgive us, Mitchell…"
Mitchell also tightened the hug of the old woman who had been very kind to him. Maybe something happened to them when Sarah went to her parents' house.
And it's Devan's job to find out. He called Devan and asked where his best friend was. He was too curious to know what happened to the butler who happened to be standing not far from his master.
Mitchell let go of the hug and reasoned he wanted to buy a drink for his mother-in-law. He had seen Sarah glancing at him, and after that, refocused on her crying. While walking slowly, he half whispered for the butler to follow him.
"I need to talk to you. Now!"
"All right, Mitchell."
This is where Mitchell and the butler, who have been serving Sarah's parents so loyally. Without further ado, Mitchell asked for the chronology of events until his father-in-law had a heart attack.
Mitchell listened to everything without intending to interrupt the butler's words. He just let the old man speak. Every now and then, his brow furrowed when the man told how his master's anger at Sarah had made his mother-in-law push his wife to the ground.
"That's all I can tell you, Mr Mitch. I really didn't know what they were talking about in the living room. The master asked us not to approach the living room when Miss Sarah arrived."
"All right, I trust you. You'd better go back there and get this drink. Give it to my mother-in-law as well as Sarah. Don't tell them you've already told me this. I'll be right back."
"Very well, Mr Mitchell. Then I shall excuse myself to see the Old Lady."
Mitchell just nodded his head and let the old man pass in front of him. He chose to remain in the hospital cafeteria while waiting for Devan's arrival.
Mitchell was surprised when Mitchell saw the arrival of Devan and his daughter. Because, beside Thalia, stood the woman who was her daughter's homeroom teacher, holding Thalia's hand tightly.
"Deswita …"