After saying those words, Bara immediately walked toward the hall, searching for his uncle and aunt. Still shaken and devastated, he looked around the crowded room until he finally spotted Burhan and Nay sitting in the front row. Bara quickly approached them.

"Come, sit here. The event will start soon," Aunt Nay said, pulling him closer.

Bara sat down without saying a word, which made his aunt suspicious.

"What's wrong, Bara? Are you feeling unwell?" she asked, placing her hand on his forehead.

"No, Aunt," Bara replied flatly, without even a hint of a smile.

Burhan's phone vibrated in his pocket, and he quickly took it out before stepping outside to answer the call.

"What?" Burhan asked coldly.

"What?! Are you insane?! I've paid you so much already, and at the final stage you dare ruin my plan on purpose?! Listen carefully-I won't pay the rest!" he hissed, eyes blazing.

Still fuming, Burhan immediately racked his brain, searching for another way to secure every bit of Bara's parents' inheritance.

Suddenly, an idea came to him. He quickly dialed a number and spoke for quite a while. When the call ended, Burhan smirked with satisfaction before returning to his seat as though nothing had happened.

The graduation Bara had imagined turned out to be far from what he expected. After witnessing his girlfriend making out with another man, Bara realized that life was not as beautiful as he once believed. One thing became painfully clear-most women only cared about money and status.

In college, every woman had chased after him the moment they learned he was the son of a billionaire who would inherit his fortune at the age of twenty. Only one woman didn't pursue him like the others-Claudia. Yet she turned out to be even worse than all of them.

After the photo session and gathering ended, Bara left the hall with his uncle and aunt, suppressing his deep disappointment.

"Bara, this is the son of a well-known contractor in our country," Burhan said, introducing him to a woman.

Bara, lost in thought, simply stared at her hand when she offered it to him. He didn't shake it.

"Bara, be polite! This woman will be your soulmate for the rest of your life," Burhan snapped angrily.

Bara froze at his uncle's words. Aunt Nay, too, frowned in disbelief.

"Who is this woman? Bara's girlfriend?" she asked.

"No. She's not his girlfriend. She's the daughter of my best friend, and I've agreed to match the two of them," Burhan replied sternly, though it sounded forced.

"What?! Bara just graduated-he's still so young. Let him choose his own partner someday! There's no need to rush," Aunt Nay argued, sounding upset. She clearly objected to her husband's decision, especially since he hadn't discussed it with her at all.

"Everything will go according to my decision!" Burhan insisted.

"No! Y-" Aunt Nay tried to protest, but Bara cut in.

"It's okay, Aunt. Just let it be. It's all up to Uncle. I'm going home first," Bara said, unable to handle the argument any longer. He knew that whenever Uncle Burhan didn't get his way, he would endlessly scold his aunt. Bara was tired of seeing her mistreated, but he felt powerless.

Bara walked out of the hotel and immediately took a taxi home. When he arrived, he locked himself in his room for the rest of the day.

When evening came, Aunt Nay knocked on his door.

"Bara, open the door, son," she called softly.

Click! Bara opened it.

"Come downstairs for dinner," she said gently.

"Okay. I'll be down in a minute. You go ahead first," Bara replied with a small smile.

He hated his uncle's behavior-the constant selfishness and pressure. But he couldn't oppose him openly, because his aunt would be the one to suffer.

Bara came downstairs and sat at the dining table without greeting his uncle or aunt. He quickly served himself food, wanting to finish early and escape the tense atmosphere.

But just as he stood up after eating, Burhan stopped him.

"Bara, sit down. I need to talk."

Bara froze, then reluctantly sat back down.

"Your wedding will be held tomorrow. Everything is already arranged," Burhan said casually.

"Burhan, have you lost your mind?! What are you doing? No! I don't agree!" Aunt Nay shouted, unable to tolerate her husband's outrageous behavior.

"This is all for the good of our company. You don't understand-our company is currently going through difficult times. Morissa's father has been helping us all this time," Burhan said seriously.

In reality, the wealth left by Mr. Delano wouldn't run out even after seven generations.

"You think Bara is a girl? What about his dignity? You're treating him like you're selling him!" Aunt Nay growled, shocked by her husband's heartlessness.

"That's enough. It's up to Uncle. I'm going to my room. Good night," Bara said quietly. His disappointment was obvious, but he hid his feelings as always.

He climbed the stairs and went into his room.

For a long time, Bara sat on his sofa, deep in thought, breathing heavily.

"If this is truly my destiny... then I'll accept it sincerely," he whispered before getting up and lying on his bed.

Exhausted, he eventually fell asleep.

---

The next morning, everything was ready. A white tuxedo complete with a tie had been placed at Bara's door.

Bara, who had been awake since early morning, sat on his bed wondering if it was really true-that he would be married at such a young age, without even inviting any of his friends.

Knock... knock... knock!

Click. Aunt Nay slowly opened the door.

"Son... are you really going to follow your uncle's one-sided decision? Auntie won't be angry if you reject this. Auntie will always support whatever you choose, Bara. So please... say no," she pleaded, standing at the doorway with a devastated expression.

...

"Yes, Aunt, it's okay. I am getting married," said Bara, making his aunt fall silent in disappointment for a moment.

They went to the church, and the bride was already there.

Burhan Wiratama walked forward, took Bara's hand, and led him to stand before the Pastor-right beside the bride, whose face was still covered by her veil. The Pastor immediately began the blessing ceremony.

The ceremony proceeded smoothly, and once it was over, they all went straight to Bara's father's hotel, The NaiLuo Hotel, built so luxuriously by Mr. Delano Mikhail as a gift for the fifth anniversary of his marriage to his beloved wife, Nai Xin Luo.

Bara's wedding reception was held at four in the afternoon. The large crowd made Bara visibly tense, but he tried to calm his pounding heart. He forced himself to act naturally as he slowly accepted the fact that he was now the husband of a beautiful woman named Morissa, who sat beside him.

After the extravagant reception ended, Burhan Wiratama-drunk and ranting-became uncontrollable. Aunt Nay finally decided they should stay at the hotel, and their room was not far from Bara's bridal suite.

Bara helped escort his uncle to his room on the third floor, and the two were seen going upstairs together.

After dropping off his uncle and aunt, Bara and Morissa went to their room. The moment the door closed, Morissa immediately stripped off her clothes in front of Bara and began touching him, even though he was still fully dressed in his black tuxedo.

Her aggressiveness shocked Bara.

How could a respectable woman act like this?! he wondered in disbelief.

"Sorry, Morissa. I want to go downstairs for a moment. I think I left my phone on the table," Bara said, grasping for an excuse.

"What?! Oh... whatever."

Bara hurried out of the room and went downstairs to get some fresh air in the front garden.

Meanwhile, an increasingly impatient Morissa sent a message to Burhan Wiratama:

"Come here, I'm left alone."

– MORISSA

Burhan, who had just awakened from thirst, immediately saw the message.

Glancing at his wife, Nayzilla, who was sleeping soundly, Burhan quietly slipped out of his room and walked toward the bridal suite of Bara and the woman he had paid.

When he opened the door and peeked inside, he confirmed that Bara was not there, even though it was already one in the morning.

He entered, closed the door slowly, and walked straight toward Morissa, who was lying on the bed, waiting for the middle-aged man who had paid her handsomely.

Without hesitation, Burhan stripped off his clothes and had intercourse with the woman who was now legally his nephew's wife.

Meanwhile, Bara-sleepiness finally creeping in-returned upstairs. He assumed his wife had already fallen asleep and thought he would be safe from her dangerous seduction, which contrasted sharply with her calm appearance.

As he approached his room, he faintly heard moans and gasps. He thought they came from another room.

But when Bara opened the door, the sounds grew unmistakably clear.

His eyes widened. His heart froze.

There, in plain sight, his wife Morissa was on top of Uncle Burhan-riding him relentlessly.

Bara's blood boiled instantly. Not out of anger toward Morissa-no. But because of the unbearable pain caused by his uncle's betrayal of Aunt Nay.

Questions exploded in Bara's mind.

Why would his uncle betray his aunt?

Why would Uncle Burhan have an affair with a married woman-one who was said to be the daughter of his best friend?

What exactly had Uncle Burhan been planning for his life?

If Bara confronted him now, how would Aunt Nay feel?

What if she went insane and killed herself?

What if the company collapsed due to the scandal-when his uncle was the one managing it all this time?

Dozens of questions surfaced in his mind, forcing Bara to hold himself back with all his strength so he wouldn't make a sound.

Bara rushed out of the place and took a taxi home. Throughout the ride, his thoughts were in chaos. As he replayed everything in his mind, Bara suddenly understood that his uncle had intended to trap him and ruin his life.

Or... was there another motive behind all of this?

I don't care if Uncle Burhan ruins my life! I don't care if he treats me like a tool or a puppet! I don't care if he wants to take all of my parents' inheritance-he can have it! But why... why did he have the heart to destroy Aunt Nay's life so cruelly?! Bara screamed inside his mind. His jaw tightened, and his fists clenched.

When he arrived home, the guards at the gate were startled to see their young master looking so unlike his usual self, but none dared to question him.

Bara went upstairs to his room. He packed his clothes and the belongings left by his parents that he had kept neatly all this time. Then he went downstairs, carrying two suitcases in his strong arms.

The usually obedient and gentle Bara had transformed entirely. Determination burned in his eyes, his jaw tightened, his posture straightened, and his body looked stronger. Yes-Bara had finally regained the courage buried deep within him since the day he watched his parents die before his eyes.

He left in the taxi that had waited for him. He had decided to leave home and seek the truth about his life. What had really been happening all this time?

Bara got out of the taxi and walked toward his parents' grave-a place that resembled a palace. It was his aunt who had ordered her people to build such a magnificent resting place, intending it to one day become a refuge for anyone lost or stranded at night. She had done it to honor her adoptive brother's kindness, for he had always been generous and loved helping others.

When Bara arrived, the clock had struck four in the morning. Unable to contain his anger and frustration any longer, he screamed out everything that had suffocated his heart.

"AHHH!!!"

"AAAHHH!!!"

After releasing his anguish, Bara walked inside and approached his parents' graves.

"Dad... Mom... I miss you-Bara really, really misses you," he whispered weakly, touching the tombstones of his parents standing side by side.

Bara sat quietly between their graves for a long time. When his eyelids began to droop and sleep crept in, he faintly heard the sound of someone crying.

He opened his eyes. He almost fell back asleep, but the sound came again.

Bara blinked several times and gently tapped his head, trying to pull himself out of what he thought was a hallucination.

...

"Oekkk...! Oekkk...! Oekkk...!"

The sharp cry echoed again in the stillness of the early morning.

"What was that? Is that... a human crying?" Bara muttered in shock as he abruptly stood up, his heart pounding. He strained his ears, trying to confirm the sound.

"Oekkk...! Oekkk...! Oekkk...!"

The cry grew louder-desperate, panicked, almost pleading.

Without wasting a second, Bara rushed outside and looked around the cemetery fence. His breath caught in his throat.

There-lying on a piece of thin cloth stained with fresh blood-was a newborn baby.

For a moment, Bara froze. His eyes widened when he saw the umbilical cord still attached to the baby's tiny stomach, the cord stretched and curled on the dirty ground. The baby's reddish skin and trembling limbs revealed that she had been born only moments ago.

Snapping out of his shock, Bara fumbled for his phone with trembling hands and ordered an online taxi. Then he sprinted to retrieve his two suitcases. He opened one, grabbed a towel, and carefully wrapped the crying baby who was shaking from the cold.

Still overwhelmed, Bara pulled the tiny infant into his chest. Miraculously, the baby's cries began to soften, as though she felt safer in the warmth of his embrace.

A car approached.

"Did you order a taxi?" the driver asked, stepping out.

"Yes, sir. Please help with my suitcase-and take me to the nearest clinic," Bara said, trying to steady his voice.

"Alright," the driver replied, loading the suitcase before driving off.

A shiver ran through the driver's body. Picking up a passenger at a cemetery before dawn was not something he experienced every day.

"Is that your baby?" he finally asked, glancing through the mirror.

Bara did not answer, still cradling the infant whose cries were fading into soft whimpers. He stroked her gently, trying to keep her warm.

"Is the baby sick?" the driver asked again, more concerned this time.

"Yes. Please hurry and find the nearest clinic," Bara said anxiously.

"Okay, sir. We'll be there soon."

All throughout the ride, Bara prayed silently-begging God to save this fragile little life he had stumbled upon.

Minutes later, the taxi stopped in front of Maternal Love Clinic. Bara didn't even bother taking his suitcase. He practically ran inside with the baby in his arms.

"Nurse! Nurse!" Bara called out desperately. The clinic was nearly empty-too early for most of the staff to arrive.

A security guard rushed over upon hearing his voice.

"What's wrong, sir?" the guard asked.

"Please call the doctor! This baby was just born and her umbilical cord is still attached!" Bara pleaded desperately.

"Alright, sir. Come with me!" The guard, now visibly panicked, led him to a room and pushed the door open.

"Doc, emergency patient!" he announced.

"A baby?!" the doctor exclaimed, immediately taken aback by the sight of the infant in Bara's arms.

"Yes, her umbilical cord is still attached," the guard explained.

"Bring her in, quickly!" the doctor said, hurrying toward the ICU room next door.

Following the doctor's instructions, Bara gently laid the weakening baby on the bed. Her tiny chest rose and fell unevenly.

"Doctor... please... save her," Bara begged, his voice breaking. He had never pleaded this hard for anything in his life.

"We'll do everything we can. Please wait outside," the doctor said as she pulled on her gloves.

Bara stepped out of the ICU, his hands trembling. He sank into a chair, clasped his hands tightly, and prayed again and again.

"Who could be heartless enough to throw away such an innocent child? What kind of devil would do that?!" Bara growled through clenched teeth, furious and shaken. His own problems were forgotten-overwhelmed by concern for the helpless baby fighting for life inside.

A moment later, the taxi driver appeared, carrying his suitcase.

"Sir, your suitcase," he said.

"Oh-yes, I'm sorry. Thank you," Bara said, taking out money for the fare. He handed the driver several bills.

"This is too much, sir," the driver said, startled.

"It's alright. Really. Thank you for helping," Bara said.

"Thank you so much, sir! I hope the baby recovers soon," the driver said gratefully before leaving with a brightened face.

Bara remained seated, hands clasped tightly, praying endlessly.

---

Two hours passed.

Finally, the emergency room door opened. The doctor emerged with two nurses. One nurse held a now-clean baby wrapped neatly in a soft pink cloth and immediately carried her into a clean room.

"Doctor... how is she?" Bara asked urgently as he jumped to his feet. His eyes stayed fixed on the tiny baby being taken away.

"She's been treated. Fortunately, you brought her in on time. If the placenta remains attached for too long after birth, it can rot and cause infection," the doctor explained thoroughly. "She's still not fully stable. Being left exposed for too long caused breathing problems. She needs to stay in an incubator for proper recovery."

"Please... do everything you can," Bara said helplessly. He knew nothing about babies, and all of this terrified him.

"Where is the baby's mother? She needs breast milk to support her recovery," said the doctor-her name badge showing Dr. Lissa.

"A-actually... I found her," Bara admitted honestly. "Before five this morning, I heard her crying. She was left on the open ground."

"What?" Dr. Lissa gasped.

"But... I want to take care of her," Bara continued earnestly. "I want to be the parent to this baby. Can you help me?"

"What do you mean, sir?" the doctor asked, shocked.

"Please... issue a letter stating that I found this child and that I will adopt her. I want to take care of all her paperwork properly," Bara said with deep sincerity.

The doctor studied him for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright. I'll help. But her official status will be recorded as a 'Found Child.'"

"I understand. My name is Bara," he said, offering his hand.

The doctor shook it firmly.

"Can I... see the baby?" Bara asked softly.

...