The Enchantment of My Son's Father

"Huh!"

The soft sound immediately jolted a beautiful girl from her sleep. With a throbbing head, Kara struggled to rise. She blinked for a moment, looking around at the unfamiliar surroundings until her eyes widened in shock when she felt a strong hand encircling her waist possessively.

"Oh my! What happened? Who is he? Why is he sleeping here with me? What has ..."

Ringg!

"Dad?"

Not yet recovered from her surprise, the girl was suddenly rendered helpless once again by the ringing of her phone. Her father was calling, leaving her even more confused about what to do next.

Kara's breath caught, unable to fathom her father's expression when he found out she was waking up in the arms of a stranger, with her clothes scattered who knows where.

"Forgive me, Dad! I'm sorry for disappointing you!" She whispered, almost inaudibly.

Gripping her phone tightly, Kara's tears finally broke loose. Her eyes grew warmer as the nightmare before her became increasingly vivid. She never expected the purity she had guarded so carefully to be snatched away in a single night.

"Are you sure you won't regret it? If that's what you want, I'll gladly grant it!" A man's voice echoed in her mind.

Afterward, Kara could once again feel the tender kiss and touch that had entranced her. The vision somehow still felt so real. Kara could still feel it, her tears flowing more heavily with each passing moment.

If only she hadn't impulsively accepted her friends' invitation to party, none of this would have ever happened in her life.

"I need to get out of here! He's not a good man, taking advantage of me like this last night!" The girl whispered, cautioning herself.

Clutching tightly the blanket that had borne witness to their lovemaking, Kara finally attempted to rise. She quickly wiped away her tears and moved, but unfortunately, her movements woke someone she didn't expect.

The man's eyes instantly narrowed at her. Kara felt incredibly frightened, and a moment later, she felt the man's strong hand pulling her closer.

"Where do you think you're going, darling? After you got your satisfaction from me last night, now you want to leave just like that?" The man asked, one thick eyebrow raised.

Though just awakened, the man's intimidating aura was palpable. His sharp gaze made Kara bite her lip in fear, her heartbeat quickening with sweat starting to dampen her body.

"I beg you! Please let me go! This is a mistake! I shouldn't be here!" She whispered, her voice barely audible as tears streamed down her face again.

Kara bit her lip hard, continuing to grip the blanket next to her. She tried to hold back her sobs and avoid the man embracing her. But unfortunately, all her efforts seemed futile. Her strength was far weaker than the man's, bringing her even closer to him.

"Do you think you can just leave me like this?" The man's heavy voice whispered afterward.

"I beg you, let go ..."

Before Kara could finish her words, the man had already moved forward and captured her red lips. He continued to kiss her without pause as if addicted to sweet candy, and he kept silencing her until she almost ran out of breath.

"You surely won't be able to leave me just like that, darling! You've entered the life of a Barra Piterson! And you won't be able to leave without my permission!" The man pressed again, making Kara's whole body shiver.

Barra Piterson? Kara thought she had heard that name before. She couldn't remember exactly where, but the name seemed to have appeared on several news portals.

Without giving Kara a moment to think, Barra immediately moved to once again softly kiss her tempting lips. He continued to do so with great enthusiasm, as if not wanting to miss a single part.

Barra was no ordinary man. His face and physique were like perfect sculptures depicting the gods, but unfortunately, his character and behavior were like demons who knew no mercy.

"Return my kiss like last night! I prefer your wild side to this timid one!" Barra ordered, forcing himself upon her slightly as he pressed his sturdy body against hers.

"Barra! Please! I need to go home! My father is ..."

Kara couldn't finish her words, as once again Barra did everything he desired. All her resistance was futile. The man relentlessly made her powerless, causing her trembling body to grow even more fearful.

"Enough with your charade! Do you think I'll be fooled by your acting? Hmm?" Barra growled once again, making Kara shake even more in fear.

"Last night, you came and seduced me yourself, but now? Why has your attitude suddenly changed, as if I was the one who forced you first? What dream has changed you like this?" Barra continued, tightening his grip on Kara's rebellious hand.

Breathing heavily, Barra stared sharply into Kara's black eyes. He suddenly felt strange, and then one of his strong hands immediately grasped her beautiful face roughly.

"Are you one of my enemies' minions sent to tarnish my reputation? What is your name? And who is the person who sent you to ..."

Bam!

"Damn! You ...."

Barra was speechless after Kara bumped her forehead against his pointed nose. His blood boiled, making his jaw tense. But when he tried to grip her again, the figure that had warmed his bed agilely slipped away.

Kara forcibly grabbed a blanket to cover herself, then quickly grabbed some of her clothes scattered on the floor. She ran into a room she believed to be the bathroom, before ...

"Ouch!"

The girl slipped, feeling a sharp pain around her upper thigh area. Kara winced in pain, and then a moment later, she felt herself being lifted into the air by the strong hand on her shoulder and the bend of her knee.

"I told you, didn't I? You won't be able to leave me just like that! Do you forget what you did last night? You've awakened a savage lion that has long been asleep! So now, explain to me who you are?"

"No! This can't be happening!"

Kara Isabelle, the beautiful-faced girl, was frozen, staring at the two clear red lines in front of her.

Today, Kara should have been at the campus. Fulfilling her new task as a teaching assistant, and completing several of her courses well so that her full scholarship status could be approved soon. But unfortunately, in reality, she found herself trapped in her bathroom with a very surprising test result.

"Oh God, what should I do now?" She muttered in frustration, massaging her temples.

Never did Kara imagine that the one-night stand she had desperately tried to forget a month ago would result in this.

Kara wasn't ready to face this reality. She thought everything was over, after successfully escaping from Barra's clutches. She hadn't even bothered to find out the clear identity of the man who had taken her purity because, to her, that night was just the first and last time she would meet him.

Kara's shattered world was now even more unformed! Slowly, her tears began to fall, along with her inability to contain her suffering.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Kara! Open the door quickly!"

Kara's cries stopped instantly when she heard her foster mother's voice. With her increasingly irregular heartbeat, Kara panickedly turned towards the door, which was shaking more and more. She immediately tried to hide the evidence of her pregnancy before wiping away her tears and moving to open the door.

Slap!

"What is this, Kara?! Explain everything to me!" Helena-her foster mother-exclaimed, holding a pharmacy receipt in her hand.

"That ..."

Helena's glaring eyes made Kara's breath catch. Her pale lips couldn't continue the words, because everything she had hidden had been exposed due to carelessness she never expected.

"Why did you buy that thing?!" Helena asked abruptly, without bothering to look at her foster daughter, who had been kneeling before her.

Fear, worry, and various emotions were now raging inside Kara. They all appeared at once, as if not giving her a moment to think even for a second.

"Explain everything, Kara! Is that for you? What's the result?!" Helena demanded, her veins bulging visibly on her neck.

With just one pull, the woman managed to make Kara whimper in pain. She then mercilessly pulled the hair of her foster daughter, who had been bowing her head all this time, before quickly grabbing the small chin that had been lowered.

"Mom, forgive me! I did buy it for myself, but please! Please don't tell Dad about this! I-"

Slap!

"You shameless child! Disgraceful!" Helena exclaimed with increasing anger.

"Mom, please! I don't want to make my dad's condition worse!"

Ignoring her continued assault, Kara only hoped that this news wouldn't reach her father's ears. She didn't want to make him even sicker, so without hesitation, she immediately moved to prostrate herself before her foster mother.

"I admit my mistake, Mom. I have done something very shameful so now I'm pregnant! But please, please keep this a secret from my dad!"

Bam!

"You idiot!" Helena cursed even more emotionally.

With her foster child now pregnant, she didn't want to listen anymore. With heartlessness, the woman kicked Kara's limp body until she fell backward, her cries sounding painful.

"How dare you say that when I'm struggling to take care of your sick father?!" Helena yelled uncontrollably. "Who's the father of the baby in your womb? Your boyfriend? Your friend? Or some other man out there? Speak up, so he can take responsibility!"

"I'm sorry, Mom. That ... That's not possible," Kara answered resignedly, tears streaming down her face.

The girl curled up in fear as Helena approached. Kara was afraid of her foster mother, but she couldn't answer the question either. She certainly didn't want to encounter Barra again, as the man who planted the seed in her womb was cruel and heartless.

Bam!

"Idiot! If it's not him who's responsible, then who else?! Do you think I'd want this? Huh?" Helena shouted, now unhesitatingly slamming the head of her foster child.

A drop of fresh blood began to trickle down Kara's forehead. She felt the pain, but unfortunately, all the physical suffering she felt now was nothing compared to the pain in her heart.

"Terminate the pregnancy!"

"But, Mom-"

"I said terminate it right away!"

Crash!

"Ouch!"

"Dad!"

Kara jerked, right after seeing her father fall from his wheelchair. Immediately, she rose, trying her best to lift the figure that had raised her onto the bed, and laid him down carefully there, her face swollen with tear marks.

"Ra? You ...."

"I'm sorry! Forgive me, Dad! I'm sorry because your child made a very fatal mistake!" Kara blurted out, unable to bear the reality anymore.

Quickly, she embraced her father's frail body. Ignoring her increasingly bleeding forehead, Kara pressed her father's hand to it even more. She begged for forgiveness from the figure who had loved her so much, not realizing that he was becoming more breathless with each passing moment.

"Dad! Wake up, Dad!"

Kara's breath became more labored, unable to continue her speech. She had checked everything, from his breathing, and heart rate, to his pulse. She wanted to ask her foster mother, to convince herself that what she saw was just a glimpse of a bad shadow. But unfortunately, it seemed impossible.

"No! Dad must have just fainted, right?" The girl murmured finally, her lips trembling more.

As much as possible, Kara denied the reality that deeply pierced her heart. She still hadn't accepted her father's sudden departure. Slowly, her limp hands moved to caress his expressionless face.

"Now you see, don't you? This is the result of your shameful act!" Helena hissed, staring at her lifeless husband.

"Mom, I'm sorry! I believe Dad can still wake up! He just-"

"Enough, Kara! Stop your nonsense and leave this house immediately! It's useless for you to cry over your father's death because you're the one who caused your father to be like this! You killed him! And no matter what, I will never be willing to see you again! You're just a burden to the family, disgracing your family!"

"Mommy! Come on, Mommy! Wake up!"

A bright smile instantly lit up Kara's beautiful face as she was awakened by the tiny figure that morning. Eagerly, she hugged and planted a few quick kisses on the adorable little one, causing the curly-haired figure to pull back and pout cutely.

"Mommy hasn't bathed yet! Mommy shouldn't kiss Arka!" The little child protested, his chubby cheeks puffing up even more.

"If mommy hasn't bathed, has Arka bathed already?"

"No! Not yet, mommy! Arka will bathe later, waiting to be bathed by mommy. Mommy said Arka is still small. If Arka bathes alone, the water turns into soap!"

Kara laughed again at the antics of the little angel she never expected. She never imagined that the figure she once despised three years ago would now bring her such simple happiness that could sustain her until now.

"Mommy! Why is mommy daydreaming? Come on, mommy! We need to get ready! We're going to the market, mommy!"

With hurried steps, Kara navigated through the market with Arka in her arms. Although only 23 years old, her skill in shopping and taking care of her child was commendable. She was adept at handling everything herself because, after reluctantly abandoning her studies and avoiding everyone she once knew, this became one of her routine activities, aside from making and selling bread.

"Arka! Why are you only with your mom? Where is your dad?" asked a vendor who was already familiar with Kara's son.

"My daddy is working, Auntie. Mommy said Dad is earning lots of money for Arka's school later!" The little child replied innocently, making Kara smile briefly before resuming her shopping activities.

"What does Arka's dad do? Auntie has never seen him. Is Arka's dad a sailor?"

Arka's round eyes blinked after that. He looked puzzled at his mother. "Mommy, what's a sailor? Daddy isn't a sailor, right?"

"Ma'am, how much is the total for all of this?"

"Oh, just 55. I'm still using the old stock," replied the merchant, quickly grabbing another plastic bag.

Kara had to ignore Arka's question and keep walking out of the market area. She certainly didn't want to create new lies because it would only add to the pain that had never healed in her heart.

"Arka, would you like some candy? Or ice cream?" Kara offered to cover up her guilt towards her son.

"No, Mommy. Arka just wants to know when Daddy will be home. Does daddy's work never finish until he's never with us here?"

Boom!

For anything, Kara thought she could avoid questions like this. But unfortunately, as Arka grew older and smarter, her son became more critical and continued to seek clear answers until all his curiosity was satisfied.

"Arka, sweetheart. Try to remember mommy's words. Mommy once said that Daddy's workplace is far away, right?" Kara said, bowing her head and trying to hold back the tremors in her lips.

"Yes, mommy. But can't Daddy come home for a while to meet us? Arka just wants to see Daddy, mommy! Arka has never seen daddy, while other kids often play with their dads!" The tiny figure now stared at the asphalt of the street he was walking on with his already cloudy eyes and a few teardrops starting to fall.

Kara never expected that all those words could easily escape from her son's tiny lips. She didn't know when all those things had been buried by Arka, so now she could see the disappointment and sadness reflected in her son's face.

No matter what, it's truly painful for Kara to see this. She can't bear to see her child sad, but unfortunately, she also can't do anything for the little one she loves so much.

"Arka, can you hug mommy? I'm sorry because I can't answer all of your questions," Kara whispered, trying to hold back her tears.

Even with his gloomy face, the tiny figure still approached and hugged his mother's body. Kara and Arka finally hugged each other, with emotions raging in their hearts. Undeniably, both of them always easily became fragile when discussing this issue.

The presence of a father figure is indeed very important for Arka. Like in any typical family, a father figure has a significant influence. Not much different from Kara, she also acknowledges that she needs a husband who can take care of her and help her raise their child.

"If Daddy is still busy working, it's okay! Mommy doesn't need to cry anymore, okay? Arka will always be here with Mommy! I still want to accompany and help you every day, until Daddy comes home and takes turns taking care of you!"

The child's tears quickly subsided. Kara didn't know what he was thinking right now, but it certainly made her heart ache even more. Never anticipated her, the tiny figure who was only three years old could behave like an adult like this.

"I'm sorry too, mommy. I'm sorry because Arka's questions made you sad!"

With his tiny fingers, Arka moved to wipe away a few tears that had wet his mother's face. He even stooped down, just to align his head with the figure who had given birth to him.

"It's okay, sweetheart!" Kara replied with a smile while hugging the tiny figure again.

Kara couldn't deny that Arka's embrace was indeed powerful in making her heart strong again. No matter how hard the events that had made her shattered were, Arka always managed to make her calm and enthusiastic about life.

"Love you, Mommy!"

"Love you too, sweetheart!"

Once again, Kara held Arka's tiny body tightly. She hoped her son could be strong in facing all these heavy realities. Suddenly, her cell phone rang, and immediately made her step back, creating a distance when she saw the name of the landlord on her phone screen.

"All right, sir. I'm asking for a little more time. I will try to pay the rent as soon as possible, but ...."

"No, Kara! There is no more time! You have to pay now or you can't stay in my house anymore!" cut off the homeowner in a fit of rage

"Okay, sir. I'll do my best as soon as possible!"

With difficulty, Kara moistened her throat. She tried to calm down before she met Arka again. Several times, she took a deep breath to calm her cluttered mind. Suddenly, her heart seemed to stop, when she realized that she couldn't find her son anywhere around her.

"Oh my God! Where's my son?! Arka! Arka! Where are you, sweetheart?"