Sonata of The Shattered | Book 2

Fatherly Instinct

9 September 2022

"Papa! Papa, help me!"

"Anderson, do something! Our child is hurting!"

"Papa— it's so painful!"

"ANDERSON RHEE!"

The man was suddenly awakened by the nightmare he had. Traces of sweat could be seen on his temples and palm. His eyes shed tears for the first time. It was something he never had before; a dream that felt so real, he never thought he would experience a dream such like that. His eyes were red, again, from the horrible things he had in his sleep.

Quickly, the richest man across Singapore wiped his sweat away and walked out from the bed, straight to the bathroom to clean himself up. Somehow, deep inside his heart, he felt something uncomfortable. He brushed his teeth and looked into the reflection in the mirror. The reflection of himself while questioning what dream he just had.

It was clear that the two women he saw were his late wife that he accidentally killed in the garage, Amarylis Hendrawan and his daughter whom he disowned sixteen years ago, Fransesca Adelaidine. The two that were no longer there, resulting in this feeling of emptiness and a gap he could never be able to explain. The kind of gap that felt so intense these days, yet too shy to admit.

The only thing he couldn't understand from his dream was why. Why would he dream of them both again after years? The last time he saw his daughter was during Amarylis's funeral in Jakarta and never again. Why would his late wife and child cry for help? It was clear that Ama, how he called his late wife, was trying to ask him to help their daughter.

"Perhaps it's only a dream.." he mumbled as he finished rinsing his mouth. He put the toothbrush back into its place and walked out from his bedroom. Dressing himself in formal attire as always. For a man in his seventies, he looked pretty healthy and young indeed. Money talks, that's for sure.

He sprayed his perfume before finally starting his day with breakfast on the big dining table, all alone. His secretary, Elliot, walked towards the man and stood next to him, ready to inform the man regarding his schedule for the day.

"Tell me, Elliot. What's for today?"

"You'll have a meeting with the tech company from nine to twelve, a lunch with Mrs Godfrey from one to three, and a visit to the factory from five to six. Just as you asked yesterday, Mr Rhee."

Anderson nodded his head and continued his breakfast. But, after some spoonful of cream soup, Elliot still stood there. Usually, he left soon after the man continued his breakfast. He turned his head to him and wondered why he looked pretty unsure of what to say next.

"What is it now? Something's wrong with Mr John again?"

Elliot shook his head. "It's about your daughter, Mr Rhee. There's a talk in the hospital yesterday. She came with her husband and mother-in-law, Mr Clayton Nicholas Kingsley and Mrs Gertrude Henrietta Kingsley. I thought this would be a concern to you as well."

"What for? She's now settled already with the man she hid from me. Must've been nice now to live a great life with the Kingsleys." Anderson responded coldly but Elliot shook his head. "She fell unconscious as she accompanied Mrs Gertrude for a medical check-up and started to bleed a lot. Her legs were full of blood, they said." Elliot reported.

Anderson put down his cutleries as he heard the news. He never reacted this way when he heard any news about Fransesca but this time, it felt different. His heart stopped beating suddenly as his mind went blank. The loud 'clang' sound from the silver cutleries that hit the table and the plate itself startled Elliot. He paused as he waited to see what the man would say; either he was doomed or perhaps the opposite.

"What did the doctors say?"

"Doctor Lee was there and it was confirmed that Mrs King— I mean Miss Fransesca, had a heavy bleeding from her early pregnancy. The baby and the mother were confirmed to be well after being rushed into the ICU and got treated by the best doctors available."

So this is what the dream means? She's sick and suffered from her early stage of pregnancy.

The man sighed as he bit his lower lips. He rubbed his palms nervously against each other as he heard the matter.

Something's not right. Something is bothering me and I don't know why. This kind of feeling has never happened before.

Anderson took a deep breath and sighed. "Keep me updated with everything about my daughter. Make sure that you'll take care of whatever she needs in the hospital. I only want the best and do it in secret. I don't want her to know that I'm helping or whatever she might call it..."

Elliot nodded before he bowed and took some steps backward, leaving the dining room soon after. Anderson rested his back on the chair and shook his head as he closed his eyes. He never thought that this kind of feeling emerged out of sudden. This fatherly instinct that he had deep inside his heart, he never thought would resurface.

I only wish... this is the best I can do to ease these uneasy feelings I have of Fransesca these days.

to be continued.