"What have I done? I have struck this woman… The very woman responsible for everything."
"She is the one who, whether by divine design or cruel irony, has granted me this second life. Oh, Lord, what am I to make of this?"
"Your ways are beyond mortal grasp. Oh, Lord! I beseech You, grant me clarity."
"Nuriana… So she was the one. The driver who struck down my parents, condemning them to a tragic fate in my past life."
"And yet, it was she who, in a way I could never have foreseen, set my own fate into motion. Their deaths steered me down the path of ruin, a life swallowed by crime and despair."
"And then… thirty years later, I stole her handbag. The very same woman. The irony is almost laughable."
"The crowd descended upon me in a storm of fists and fury. And thus, I met my end."
"Her prayers… It was her ceaseless prayers, whispered into the silence of night and the glare of day, that wove a new thread into the tapestry of fate."
"Oh, Lord! Have You placed Nuriana's destiny upon my shoulders as well? Is that the purpose of this second life You have bestowed upon me?"
"Not only must I carve a new path for myself, but now You ask that I reshape the fate of my… saviour?"
"Or is she not my saviour at all, but rather my destroyer?"
Havi remained kneeling, his gaze fixed upon his trembling hands, the very hands that had just struck Nuriana's cheek.
The world around him seemed to fade. The voices of his parents, of Yono, of Diana, all melted into silence.
Slowly, he lifted his head. There she stood before him, Nuriana, her beauty untouched by time.
Yet beneath the delicate features, he saw something else, worry, a flicker of unease as their eyes met.
Then, from nowhere, a soft white light enveloped him.
The figures around him blurred, their outlines dissolving like mist. A moment later, darkness took him.
His body crumpled. Unconscious, he fell at Nuriana's feet, his arms draped over them, as though clinging to some unspoken truth.
"Hey… Hey! Are you alright? Hello..?!" Nuriana's voice rang with urgency, her hands shaking him gently.
"Havi!!" Diana's cry followed, her steps swift as she rushed to his side.
Behind her, his parents and Yono moved in haste, concern etched upon their faces.
A man from the gathering crowd stepped forward, pressing his fingers to Havi's wrist. A brief pause, then he exhaled in relief, offering a reassuring smile.
"He has merely fainted. Perhaps the shock was too much for him. You must take him to the hospital at once."
He turned to the others, his voice steady, "Come, let's lift him into a car."
Then, his gaze fell upon Nuriana, "Miss, I heard your car had trouble earlier. Is it fit to drive now?"
"Use mine instead!" Diana interjected without hesitation.
"No!" Nuriana's voice cut through the moment, sharp and unyielding. Her eyes locked onto Diana's with quiet defiance. "This is my doing. I shall take him in my car."
Diana's jaw tightened, "You…!"
"Enough of this!" Yono's voice rang with authority, slicing through their bickering. "Both of you are coming. I shall go with Havi in her car. Diana, you take Uncle and Auntie in yours."
"But..." Diana began, only to be gently silenced by Saras, Havi's mother.
"Yono is right, my dear," she said with quiet wisdom. "We will go with you. Best not to waste any more time."
With no further protests, they moved swiftly, urgency pressing upon them as they made their way to the nearest hospital in the heart of Telaga City.
The car surged forward, slicing through the evening air as it carried the unconscious Havi towards the nearest hospital.
He lay sprawled across the back seat, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, while Yono sat beside him, his expression unreadable.
At the wheel, Nuriana's fingers tightened around the steering, her knuckles turning white.
Moments passed in silence before she finally spoke, "Tell me… do either of you know me?" Her voice, though composed, carried a hint of unease.
Yono cast her a measured glance in the rearview mirror, "I'm afraid not, miss. I have never seen you before. And as for my friend here, Havi, I doubt he has either."
A frown flickered across Nuriana's face, "Then explain this to me. Why does he know my name? Not just my first name, but my full name. Is that not… rather peculiar?"
Yono exhaled, his gaze shifting to Havi's unconscious form, "We will have our answers soon enough, once he wakes. Until then, keep your focus on the road."
"I'd rather you not lose control again, you nearly ran down my friend's parents just moments ago." His tone, though even, bore a quiet reprimand.
Nuriana swallowed, her grip easing slightly, "I… I understand. I'm sorry," she murmured, returning her attention to the road.
Yono peered ahead, "There's an intersection just up ahead. Turn right. If I recall correctly, there's a newly established hospital in that direction, Hadiyaksa Hospital."
Nuriana gave a curt nod, "Hadiyaksa Hospital, you say? Very well. I have heard of it before."
With that, she pressed her foot against the accelerator, propelling the vehicle forward with renewed urgency.
From the back seat, a faint whisper broke the tension. A name, uttered like a prayer, barely audible yet laden with meaning.
"Mrs Nuriana… Mrs Nuriana… Forgive me… Forgive me…"
A chill swept over Nuriana as she flicked a glance towards the rearview mirror.
Havi's lips moved soundlessly, his face still pallid with unconsciousness, but the weight of his words unsettled her.
She inhaled sharply, "You heard him, did you not?" Her voice was softer now, tinged with something unreadable.
"He spoke my name. And another thing, he called me 'Mrs.' I am not married yet."
Yono let out a low chuckle, shaking his head, "Perhaps he simply assumed you were, miss."
Nuriana did not reply. Instead, she merely rolled her eyes, though Yono remained blissfully unaware.