Chapter 9 : Karma
1636 Words
Livia stood in front of the mirror. Her face was pale, like she hadn’t eaten in a week. The little suitcase in her hand felt insanely heavy, like it carried every single sin she’d ever done. Her breath was shaky, eyes glued to the window where the rain poured hard. That night, Bandung looked like it was angry too.
Raka?
That guy wasn’t with her. He was still hanging on to his family in Bekasi.
“No. I can’t lose. I have to escape,” Livia whispered, clutching the suitcase handle tight.
Her phone suddenly rang. The name Uncle Herman popped up. Her hands trembled as she answered.
“Livia… I heard the news. The cops are looking for you,” Herman’s voice was deep, calm, but sharp like a threat.
“Uncle, please… I need your help right now. I’ll do whatever you want, just don’t let me rot in prison,” she begged in panic.
Silence. Then, Herman chuckled.
“You think I’ll let myself get dragged into your mess? I’ve got a name, a billion-dollar business. I can’t destroy it because of you. But… I’ll give you an option. Tonight, my car will pick you up. Don’t bring too much. Just remember… once you get in that car, your life’s no longer yours.”
Livia swallowed hard. But she had no choice.
“Alright, Uncle. Pick me up.”
---
Meanwhile, across town, Aruna sat with the police inside the investigation room. A laptop screen showed Livia’s phone GPS, already tapped. Every move she made was being tracked.
“She’s panicking. People like her never think straight when they’re cornered. She’ll try to run, and that’s when she’ll fall into her own trap,” the officer said.
Aruna nodded, heart pounding. She never thought Livia could sink this low.
“Please… let this end soon,” she whispered.
---
Late that night, a black luxury car stopped in front of Livia’s apartment. The driver, in a neat suit, stepped out—expression cold as ice.
“Get in. We don’t have much time.”
Without thinking twice, Livia got in. The car sped through the rain, leaving the city lights behind. She glanced back nervously, afraid someone was tailing her.
She didn’t know… an unmarked police car was following close.
“Uncle Herman will protect me. I’ll start a new life. Aruna may be happy now, but one day I’ll come back,” Livia muttered to herself.
Then, the driver suddenly spoke.
“Miss Livia, we’re not heading to the airport.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?!”
“Orders from the boss. We’re going to his private villa first. From there… he’ll decide what happens next.”
Her heartbeat went wild. Something felt off. She tried opening the door, but it was locked.
“Let me out! I said take me to the airport!” she screamed.
The driver smirked coldly. “You’re not the boss here anymore.”
---
Behind them, the cops sped up.
“Target is heading north, most likely Herman’s villa. We’ll take them tonight,” the radio crackled.
Aruna, sitting in the police car, clenched her fists tight.
“God, please… don’t let us be late.”
---
Half an hour later, the black car rolled through a lonely pine forest road, rain still pouring hard.
At the villa, the gates opened. Several big men were already waiting. Livia was dragged out, her suitcase snatched away.
“Where’s Uncle Herman?! Where is he?!” she shouted in panic.
One of the men laughed. “He’s done with you. His words were clear: Get rid of her if she’s a problem.”
Her eyes widened in terror. She struggled, screamed, but two men quickly tied her hands.
“No! Please! I can still be useful to him! Don’t do this!!!”
No one cared. They forced her down, rough hands everywhere, until she was barely conscious.
Then—bright lights cut through the rain. Sirens roared.
“POLICE! DON’T MOVE!”
Chaos broke out. Herman’s men scattered but were quickly taken down. The driver was arrested on the spot.
Livia collapsed on the ground, soaked hair sticking to her face, sobbing hysterically.
“No… no… I almost made it… why is everything falling apart like this…”
Aruna stepped out of the police car. For a moment, their eyes met.
Aruna’s voice was soft, but it cut deep.
“Livia… everyone reaps what they sow.”
The police handcuffed Livia and dragged her away. Her screams mixed with the raging storm.
That night, her escape ended for good.
---
Days later, the headlines spread like wildfire.
“CONFIDENT MASTERMIND EXPOSED: Livia Otaki Behind Attempted Attack on Aruna.”
Raka, who once hoped Livia could save him, was left behind—drowning in alcohol, debt, and misery. Meanwhile, his sister Anisa was sinking deeper into Herman’s world.
Aruna?
She stood at the peak of her career. Not because of revenge, but because she chose to stay true even when life threw storms at her.
On national TV, Aruna said,
“When life punches you in the face, don’t hit back with hate. Prove instead that you can rise stronger, kinder, and worth so much more.”
Her words went viral, inspiring thousands.
---
But behind prison bars, Livia faced another blow. Her body was weak, but her belly started showing signs. Prison doctors confirmed: she was pregnant.
The news spread quickly among the inmates.
“That sly mistress… pretty, but trashy,” one whispered.
“Whose kid is that? Her affair guy? Or someone else?” another mocked.
Livia bit her lip, humiliated and furious. She begged her lawyer to contact Raka.
But when Raka heard, he immediately scoffed.
“That’s not my kid!” he snapped.
“Sir, she insists it’s yours,” the lawyer pressed.
“Oh please! She’s been with God knows how many men. Don’t drag me into her mess again!” Raka barked, storming off.
In her cell, Livia cried harder than ever. For the first time, she truly felt abandoned.
---
Meanwhile, another storm hit Raka’s family. His mother, Ratna, caught his dad cozying up with a young woman in a café.
“What the hell is this?!” Ratna screamed, shaking.
The father panicked, jumped up, while the girl bolted. Ratna ran after them, but fate struck—she was hit by a speeding motorbike.
BANG!
She flew across the road, blood everywhere. People rushed to help.
When Raka got the call, he ran to the hospital.
“Mom! Mom!!!” He clung to her unconscious body, tears streaming down.
The doctor came out, face grim. “She’s critical. We’ll do our best.”
Raka begged Anisa for help with the bills—he was broke. Anisa, now spoiled by Herman, paid everything without hesitation.
But Raka froze when he noticed her belly.
“You’re pregnant?”
“Yeah. It’s Uncle Herman’s kid,” Anisa said proudly.
Raka just stood there, like life had slapped him over and over. He had failed—as a son, a brother, and a husband.
---
From then on, Raka spiraled. At work, he messed up tasks, snapped at coworkers, lost focus. People started talking.
“Raka’s not the same. Totally lost it,” one staff whispered.
“Yeah, he’s dragging the whole team down,” another replied.
Finally, Davin, the boss, called him in.
“Raka, I’ve been patient. But this is too much. You’re wrecking the company.”
Raka hung his head. “I’m sorry, sir… my mom’s in an accident. My life’s falling apart.”
Davin sighed. “I get it. But you can’t bring your chaos here. Projects are stalling, people are uncomfortable. So… I have to let you go.”
Boom.
The words hit like a bullet. His world collapsed. He walked out of the office, lost and broken.
“Is this the end… or just the beginning of something worse?” he thought.
---
At the hospital, Tania sat in the waiting room, still stunned by the office gossip.
“Aruna, did you hear? Raka got fired,” she whispered when Aruna arrived.
Aruna’s eyes widened. “Fired?”
Tania nodded. “Yep. His work’s a mess. Honestly, I’m relieved. He deserves it.”
Aruna exhaled deeply—part relief, part sadness. Then she spotted a familiar figure. Raka.
He looked awful. Disheveled hair, messy clothes, eyes hollow. Nothing like the proud man he once was.
“Aruna…” his voice cracked.
Aruna blinked, pity flashing in her eyes. But Raka straightened, his gaze turning cold.
“So this is it, huh? All because of you?!” he snapped.
Aruna frowned. “What are you talking about, Raka?”
“Don’t play innocent! If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have fallen this far! I got fired! Everyone left me! My mom’s sick! It’s all connected to you somehow!”
Tania jumped in. “Hey, Raka, stop blaming her! Everything that’s happening to you is your own fault! Aruna hasn’t meddled in your life at all!”
But Raka kept glaring at Aruna.
“You happy now? Enjoying this? Watching me crumble?”
Aruna looked straight into his eyes. Her voice was calm, but sharp as a knife.
“Raka… don’t you get it? None of this is because of me. It’s the consequences of your own choices. Lies, betrayal—they all come back around. This isn’t me punishing you. This… is karma.”
For a moment, Raka froze. His eyes were red, but pride still chained him. He scoffed and walked away, stumbling.
Aruna just watched his back fade into the distance. There was pity in her heart, but also certainty: it was finally time for Raka to face the price of everything he’d done.
- Writer
