Part 105 # Apology
“Explain what, Ndre?” Shanon asked, raising an eyebrow. Andre just sighed heavily. He knew that his sister’s interference would only complicate the situation.
“How do you know all about this?” Andre was still puzzled. “Why did you deceive me? What’s so urgent?”
“Andre! Oh, Andre! What don’t you know? Especially after marrying this great man? Even ants whispering I can hear!” Shanon crossed her arms while looking at Andre with a strange gaze. Andre should know that Shanon wouldn’t let her only sibling suffer, especially after experiencing the ups and downs of their lives that shook their world.
“Hhh… Like, whatever. This isn’t a big deal. The problem is almost solved. The hospital’s CCTV footage is already in the hands of the prosecutor,” said Andre, glancing towards Miriam, who looked astonished.This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.
“Ho-how could that be?” Miriam’s eyes widened. She was very sure that the CCTV footage had been destroyed by her, or… someone had lied to her blatantly!
“Who do you think gave that CCTV footage?” Shanon asked with her typical smile. Andre knew very well that smile, the smile of a psychopath who would do anything to achieve their goals.
“Was it you who gave it to Lara’s lawyer?” Andre asked with a sudden realization. “Ho-how do Syou even know him?”
“No one I can’t handle, right, I’ve told you-”
“Alright… alright… Madam Director, now, let us go, please….” This time, the President Director-Miriam’s father-sounded pitiful. Andre was puzzled. Why did an arrogant man seem to sound like a beggar on the street when facing his sister?
“No! You have to do your last task after your tenure,” Shanon interjected, waving her hand vigorously.
“W-what? Why is the President Director’s task finished, Shanon? Explain all of this! I don’t understand!” Andre moved closer to his sister and now spoke directly in front of her.
Shanon stared at Andre with an intensity that made him feel like he was drowning in her eyes. There was something in Shanon’s gaze that made him feel worried, but also curious. What really happened behind all of this?
“Your sister reacquired this Andromeda Hospital, Andre, and that means the position of President Director now belongs to her,” explained Shanon’s brother-in-law, finally making Andre understand where all of this was heading.
“S-so-”
“That’s right. The CCTV footage or whatever it is, up to the former doctor’s location in this hospital, yes, I know. I’m the boss. Hahaha!” Shanon laughed lightly while pinching her husband’s cheek playfully. The bespectacled man just smiled tightly, holding back the pain on his cheek.
In contrast, Andre finally slapped his forehead and felt that all his thoughts were wrong. He thought his sister kidnapped and held the President Director and his daughter captive in their own room. Whether there were bomb traps or snipers prepared to threaten the two, Andre didn’t know.
“It turns out it’s bought again, huh?” Andre chuckled and kissed his sister’s cheek. “Turns out it’s useful to have a rich husband.” He whispered, flipping his sister’s hair that covered her face.
“What’s with you!” his sister grumbled while pinching Andre’s cheek as punishment. “There’s no connection!” she retorted, folding her hands across her chest.
The small squabble between siblings made Shanon’s husband smile thinly. He hadn’t seen Shanon’s face so happy in a long time. Indeed, returning to Indonesia could restore his mental condition. For some time now, Shanon had been seeing a psychiatrist for treatment, saying it was difficult to sleep.
Darren knew that the origin of his wife’s mental illness was worrying about her younger brother. Finally, with his initiative, Darren took Shanon on a vacation to Bali and then to Jakarta to meet her brother. Unfortunately, before happiness appeared, misfortune came first.
Shannon only found out that her brother had been fired from their family hospital. Whereas, the initial agreement with the Ramsey family allowed the hospital to be acquired with a fifty-fifty split. Shanon was very angry and asked Darren to reacquire the hospital if he truly loved her.
“So, that’s the short story, Ndre,” said Darren, looking straight at Andre, while Shanon just blushed, in contrast to Miriam and her father, who could only swallow their anger and frustration.
“Is the farewell session over? Let us go!” Miriam exclaimed, rising from her seat.
“Yes, wait, be patient….” Mr. Miriam tried to calm down his daughter’s anger. He knew that there was a bad fate looming over his daughter if she didn’t comply with Shanon’s words.
“Now, do your last task!” ordered Shanon, advancing towards the former President Director. The old man swallowed hard. He knew that this was the time he would be humiliated.
The former President Director looked at Shanon with disbelief and hatred. But in front of him, Shanon just smiled triumphantly, like a predator who successfully caught its prey.
“You can’t force me,” the former President Director said with a trembling voice, trying to hide his fear.
“Oh, but I can,” Shanon replied coldly, piercingly. “Or do you want to see power and influential money more clearly?”
The old man fell silent. He knew there was no way out for him. Shanon now had all the power, and he could only surrender to his fate.
“Alright, what do you want from me?” the former President Director asked with a voice that was almost choked.
“You know exactly what I want,” Shanon replied firmly. Her eyes pointed towards her brother with a loving gaze, but when she looked back at Mr. Miriam, her gaze changed like a wolf’s.
“Apologize to him!” Shanon commanded mercilessly.
“I-I-”
“Quickly!”
The former President Director fell silent for a moment, trying to swallow his saliva that felt like a stone. He felt like he was on the brink of ruin, caught between Shanon’s anger and the hope of saving whatever was left of his dignity.
“I apologize, Andre,” he said with a trembling voice, his eyes looking down at the floor, unable to meet Shanon’s disappointed gaze.
Andre was silent for a moment, stunned by the sudden apology. He could feel the pressure of all the regret and despair in the former President Director’s voice. But he also felt a deep relief in his heart, as if hearing the bell of resolution to a problem that had haunted him for so long.
“I…” Andre hesitated for
a moment, searching for the right words to respond. “I forgive you.”
“Wait! It can’t be like this. Come on, kneel!” Shanon tested the patience of the former President Director even more. Andre was also surprised, as was Miriam.
“Can’t you treat others more respectfully? He’s older than you, Ma’am!” Miriam shouted angrily. But Shanon just spat in her face.
“Look at yourself! So embarrassing! You’re a doctor sworn to save lives, but? What did you do? You conspired with criminals to kill someone!” Shannon raged. She tapped Miriam’s forehead angrily, and Darren immediately stopped her before the situation got worse.
“Bu-but-”
“Your father accused Andre wrongly, fired him unilaterally, and… harmed this hospital because of your foolish project with that killer businessman! Shameful! Both the daughter and father are the same!” Shanon couldn’t control her emotions.
“Darling! Stop….” Darren had to remind Shanon to be calmer as advised by the doctor. Shanon finally sighed and counted down to keep herself from losing control.
The former President Director’s face looked devastated by Shanon’s sharp words. He felt like he was drowning in the waves of anger that were overwhelming him.
“Okay, stop! That’s enough! I apologize, Andre,” he repeated in a softer voice. This time, his eyes radiated deep despair. “I truly regret everything that has happened.”
Andre was still silent, transfixed by the events that happened so quickly before him. He knew that the decision he made now would affect the future direction of them all. And amidst the tension that engulfed them, he had to find the strength to make the right decision.
“Alright, I forgive you,” Andre finally spoke, his face reflecting a deep sense of relief. But before he could continue his words, a loud voice broke the silence of the room.
“Stop! Dad! Where’s your dignity? Don’t let yourself be enslaved by her!” Miriam shouted angrily. She felt disappointed. Her eyes looked teary from the overflowing emotions. “You can fool my father, but not me!”
Miriam then ran through the door connecting the room to the hospital corridor. Unfortunately, her escape plan only led her to fall into a more deadly trap scheme.
“Good! I knew she would do that.”