He descended the stairs, the soft murmur of his mother's voice drifting from the kitchen.
"Yes, sir. I'll bring him to meet you this afternoon. I'm sorry. Yes, please forgive me."
Hearing her words, Dara felt a pang of pity for his mother. A wave of guilt washed over him as he reflected on his actions, the ones that had caused her so much pain.
Slowly, he walked toward the kitchen. As she hung up the phone, her weary eyes met his. Her face, etched with sorrow, betrayed the sleepless night she'd endured.
Dara saw the depth of her sadness, a sadness that seemed to weigh her down, as if it had lifted the very light from her eyes.
"Oh, son! You're awake?" Saroath's voice was soft, laced with exhaustion. He nodded, then hesitated before speaking. "Mom..."
She looked at him expectantly. "What?"
"I... I'll sort it out. I promise I won't make the same mistake again."
She nodded faintly, her eyes reflecting a mix of relief and concern.
"Okay. I feel you." She paused for a moment before adding, "Let's have breakfast, and then be ready to see your father."
"Just the three of us?"
"Yes, only us."
***
As the afternoon light waned, Dara and her mother entered a private dining room at a restaurant. They sat side by side, the silence between them thick with anticipation, both waiting to meet Dara's biological father.
Suddenly, Dara's phone rang, the caller ID flashing Sethya's name. He had to answer it immediately. At the same moment, the door creaked open, and in walked Mr. Han BunHeng—Dara's father, an old man in his late 50s who had arrived.
Panic surged through Dara as he found himself caught between two worlds—his father, Mr. Heng, who had just arrived, and Sethya, whose call he couldn't ignore after waiting so long. His heart raced, torn. Standing abruptly, he stepped away from the table as Heng calmly took his seat, oblivious to the storm of emotions swirling inside Dara.
Saroath rose, her posture stiff with respect for Heng, but Dara trembled.
"Where are you going?" Heng asked, his gaze shifting between Dara's face and the phone in his hand.
Saroath's frustration deepened at her son's defiance. "Dara, stay seated! Your father has arrived."
"I... I'm sorry, I just need to take this call for a moment," Dara mumbled, his voice strained.
Heng stood silent, unable to find the words, while a deep sadness washed over Saroath.
Heng and Saroath remained frozen in their seats, watching in silence as Dara quietly exited through the door.
"He's so rude and arrogant, acting like this," Heng muttered, his voice tight with frustration.
***
Dara stood at the edge of the exterior corridor, his phone pressed to his ear as he spoke to Sethya.
"Why haven't you contacted me in so long?" he asked, concern thick in his voice.
Sethya's voice came through faint and weak. "Are you alright?"
"I'm not," Sethya murmured. "And you?"
"Same. I'm sorry, Dara."
"No, don't apologize. When can we meet?"
There was a long silence before Sethya spoke again, his voice tinged with unease.
"Dara... I reported it to the police. The video is removed."
"Alright..." Dara replied, but a sense of unease crept over him as Sethya's words lingered in the air.
"But...Dara."
"What…? What are you going to say, say it."
Dara's heart sank as his words pierced through the air.
"But... dear, I think we should stop seeing each other for a while."
Dara's chest tightened. "Why?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Seth's voice seems hesitant,
"I... I think things are getting worse. I'm sorry, but I can't be there for you when you're in pain."
"No," Dara replied, his voice trembling. "Why did you decide to give up so easily?"
"I'm sorry,"
His frustration boiled over. "Then let's meet and talk properly. Are you really breaking up with me over the phone?"
"Dara, I think our relationship isn't working. Let's end it here. I'm sure everything will settle down. Just stay calm, stay low-key, and this will blow over soon. People will forget about it quickly, and we have to move on separately. Okay?"
Dara stood frozen, speechless, his mind racing as the connection abruptly cut off, leaving him in stunned silence.
***
Dara returned to the dining room, where his parents sat, clearly displeased. His father, Heng, frowned, shaking his head.
"Such a rude son!" he muttered as Dara apologized, his voice heavy with regret.
Saroath remained silent, her gaze downcast, a subtle unease settling over her. She felt the weight of her son's actions more deeply, but chose not to speak, the tension thick in the air.
Heng, shook his head in disbelief.
"I can't believe you're so useless," he snapped, his voice laced with frustration. "Your mother has sacrificed everything—her own well-being, her every cost—to protect and raise you, and this is how you repay her?"
Dara lowered his face, a pained expression clouding his features.
"You guys asked me to bring you into the family, to accept you as my son. Your mother and I worked tirelessly to make it happen, but it was as if you didn't care at all."
Heng took a deep breath, his voice steady but tinged with frustration. "Now, what do you plan to do? The video is spreading, and it's even affecting our company. Harsh comments, mockery—people are laughing at you. Do you feel any shame? Do you even feel sorry for your mother?"
Dara could barely catch his breath, a heavy weight pressing on his chest as his heart ached with silent sorrow.
Saroath wept silently, her tears falling unnoticed, as if the weight of her grief was unbearable.
Heng's voice was firm, his words cutting through the tension.
"I can't have you join our company right now. Stay away from this for the time being. I don't know when we'll discuss it again."
Saroath was stunned, the shock evident on his face. "No... You promised me you'd bring Dara to work with the management team of your car import company."
Heng's gaze hardened. "Yes, I promised. But you failed to keep your word about raising him well. My daughter, Monica, is the CEO. She's the one who decides."
Saroath's face fell into hopelessness, while Dara stood quietly, his sadness a silent weight between them. Heng rose from his seat, his tone cold but not unkind.
"Take your time to reflect," he said. "The world is cruelest. Don't expect everything to come easy." With that, he turned and left, the words lingering in the air like a final, unspoken judgment.
Heng's voice grew sharper as he turned to Saroath.
"And don't force me to be a nice father to a useless, troublemaker son like you." His words were like a sting, echoing in the silence as he walked away, leaving behind a trail of bitterness and unspoken regret.
With one last cold glance, Heng stepped toward the door. As it closed behind him, his figure faded out of sight.
Saroath's cries pierced the air, her pain raw and desperate. Dara, his own heart heavy with anguish, rose to his feet, his voice soft yet firm.
"Mom... I'm sorry. Please, don't cry. It's okay. We'll survive this."
His mother closed her eyes, taking slow, trembling breaths as she tried to steady her racing thoughts, seeking solace in the quiet moments between the storm of emotions.
"I promise, Mom," Dara said, his voice steady despite the tremor in his chest. "I will be a good son and take care of you. I swear it."
"That's okay, son. People make mistakes, but if we learn from them and take responsibility, it's all right. I'm fine. Seeing you reflect on yourself brings me peace," she said, her voice gentle.
They hugged each other softly, the warmth of the moment filling the space between them.