The day I escaped death.
Mellisa said the sentence in a calm and even voice, but it actually sent chills to her listeners. Only someone who had a close call with death could speak of it so calmly.
Lilia's gaze was fixed on Mellisa, as if she was afraid that the woman would disappear if she blinked. Even Jean forgot his jealousy, and only kept quiet and tolerated Lilia's attitude.
"Can you tell me about the accident in more detail?" Lilia spoke up for the first time since they arrived at this apartment, "What happened that day?"
Mellisa didn't answer immediately, but her expression was filled with conflict. Lilia knew that it must not be easy for Mellisa to talk about it. Yet she wanted this woman to share the burdens and secrets she had endured alone over the years. As her younger sister, Lilia just wanted to lighten Mellisa's burden.
"Sister Mellie, please tell me!" Lilia took one of the woman's hands and gave her a pleading look.
Lilia's bold action made Mellie choke on her cigarette smoke. She coughed and dropped her cigarette in the ashtray. Couldn't Lilia's deed be considered cheating?! How could Mellie resist those adorable puppy eyes?!
"Ah ... do you really want to hear it?" Mellie asked after she stopped coughing, "Actually I don't want to tell anyone, but ... I'll make a special exception for you!"
Jean and Andrew exchanged amused looks. Mellisa sounded like a flabby man who couldn't refuse his lover's request. However, Mellisa's next words made their amusement disappear.
"If you want to hear my story, these two men must leave first!" Mellisa gave Jean and Andrew a mischievous look.
Lilia let go of Mellisa's hand and turned towards them, "Jean, Brother Andrew, will you give us some time together? Please?" She pleaded.
The two men exchanged glances again, but this time their gazes were tinged with bitterness.
Andrew stubbed out his cigarette with a sigh, ??Jean, how about we discuss in my study? Recently, the government has issued a new policy regarding the real estate industry in Jakarta. I want to hear your opinion on that." He invited him.
Jean nodded and got up from his chair. The man stroked Lilia's head briefly before leaving the living room with Andrew.
*****
Mellisa made sure that the two men had left and finally let out a long sigh. She turned to the living room's table. There were several bottles of drinking water neatly arranged on the table. Next to the water bottles was Andrew's cell phone. Mellisa grabbed a bottle of water and handed it to Lilia. Then she took another bottle for herself.
"Hmm ... where should I start my story?" Mellisa muttered as she opened the bottle cap, "As you have heard, I almost died five years ago. But somehow, I managed to escape death. Until now, I still remember the heat of the fire that surrounded me. I thought that I would die, but someone saved me from the burning car."
Mellisa took a sip of water from her bottle before continuing her story.
"To be honest, I don't really remember the details of the accident. I fainted when my car engine suddenly exploded, then the heat of the fire made me wake up. But I guess I ran out of oxygen, so I fell unconscious again."
Mellisa frowned and tried to explain the incident as best as she could from the fragments of her memory.
"When I woke up, I found myself lying on the riverbank several kilometers away from the crash site. But…" Mellisa lowered her face, "… Until now, I don't know who helped me. I also don't know why there were other bodies in the car, or why the corpse was wearing my clothes and rings."
At that time, Mellisa didn't even think about investigating the accident. Her mind was filled with how she could survive alone. Mellisa knew that someone tried to kill her by accident. Whoever the culprit was, they were brave enough to attack the Irwan Family's eldest daughter.
If Mellisa returned to her family, they wouldn't be able to protect her. And if the culprit found out that she was still alive, they would surely come back to finish the job. Mellisa didn't want to drag her family into this problem.
Lilia listened to Mellisa's story silently. She didn't want to bother the woman with her questions, but Lilia's mind continued to move at high speed. Who was brave enough to go against the Irwan Family, one of the richest families in Jakarta? And who saved Mellisa five years ago?
Lilia's mind was torn apart by a scraping sound. She looked up and saw Mellisa shift her sitting position to face Lilia. The short-haired woman reached out to touch the model's smooth face. Mellisa's fingers moved along Lilia's eyebrows and eyes, as if she was touching some fragile object that was very precious.
"As soon as I saw you that night ..." Mellisa said with a dreamy gaze, "… I'm becoming more and more convinced that my sister isn't Leila, but you!"
Lilia's heart pounded when she heard the confidence in Mellisa's voice. Was she really the daughter of the Irwan Family?
The words 'getting more and more convinced' in Mellisa's words just caught Lilia's attention. Did that mean Mellisa had suspected Leila beforehand, so her meeting with Lilia reinforced that suspicion?
"Our thick eyebrows are similar to Grandpa's. Our eyes are exactly the same as Mom's, while your nose is more like Dad's." Mellisa said that while touching every part of Lilia's face that she spoke of. Her expression looked very emotional and nostalgic. Lilia was sure that this woman must have missed her family for the past five years.
"What ..." Those words escaped Lilia's lips without her noticing.
"What's wrong?" Mellisa cocked her head.
Lilia bit her lip with a hesitant expression. After hearing Mellisa's words just now, Lilia should be relieved. She finally found the truth she had been looking for all this time. But her heart was filled with doubt and fear. Lilia gripped her drinking bottle tighter and dared to voice her doubts.
"... Are you sure that I am your sister?" Lilia lowered her head, didn't dare to look at Mellisa when she asked that.
Her mind was chaotic and her emotions were mixed. It all started with Lilia's wish to confirm her blood relationship with Sylvia. But the further she investigated, the bigger the problem had become than she thought.
Before this, Lilia had never thought that she wasn't the real daughter of the Pangestu Family. Even though Sylvia had treated her badly all this time, she was trying to excuse her attitude. Maybe that woman didn't like Lilia, no matter how hard she tried to please Sylvia.
But now Mellisa, the Irwan Family's eldest daughter, stated with complete confidence that she was her sister— in other words, Lilia was the Irwan Family's daughter. Mellisa's words turned her world upside down and made Lilia doubt everything she knew so far.
Mellisa smiled and nodded when she heard Lilia's question. She understood why the woman had a hard time believing her words. Lilia was raised as the daughter of the Pangestu Family for 24 years of her life. There was no way she could accept the fact that she had been living a lie all this time.
"Based on the similarity of our appearance, I believe that you are my sister.." Mellisa replied calmly, "But I think it would be better if we did a DNA test. That way, you won't hesitate anymore, right?"
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om