Chapter 24: The Final Disturbance
The evening breeze was gentle when Saraswati received an unexpected message. Her phone buzzed once, displaying a notification from an unknown number. With a hesitant thumb, she tapped it open.
"Are you sure Boase is that honest? Ask him about Livia, and his past in Bandung. Sometimes, love that arrives too sweetly… hides wounds you never expected."
Saraswati froze. Her fingers turned cold. She read the message again and again, trying to convince herself it was just a sick prank. But uneasiness began to creep in like a slow, cold wind pressing on her chest.
Moments later, an anonymous social media account posted a series of photos—Boase with a woman. The timestamp showed they were taken years ago, with a caption accusing him of once destroying another woman's marriage.
Saraswati's name appeared in the comments.
"Isn't he with Saraswati now? Poor woman... hope she's not the next victim."
Saraswati stood from the couch. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. In a blink, her thoughts were invaded by every worst-case scenario. Could it be true? Was Boase hiding something from her? Or was this merely a cruel attack from the past?
That night, Boase arrived with a storm in his eyes. His voice, laced with urgency, broke the silence the moment he stepped in.
"I know you've seen it all."
Saraswati looked at him, her face tight with restraint. "Who's Livia?"
Boase drew a deep breath and sat across from her. "She's from my past. We got close while I was in Bandung. Nothing official, but she had... expectations. When I decided to leave that life behind and start fresh... she couldn't accept it."
"You never told me about her," Saraswati replied, her voice calm but trembling with disappointment.
"I was afraid," Boase admitted. "Afraid that my past would ruin what we have now. I thought if I just stayed quiet, stayed away, it would all be behind me."
Saraswati lowered her eyes. "But it's not behind you. It's here. Exploding in my face. Just when I was beginning to believe in happiness again... I get hit by this. You know how hard I've worked to rebuild my life, Boase. And now, I don't even know what to believe."
Boase stayed silent. He could feel the weight of her words. This wasn't mere anger—it was pain unhealed, now torn open again.
"I understand your doubts," he finally said. "But please let me tell you everything. No filters. No lies."
"I don't want a half-truth," Saraswati said. "Tell me everything. What really happened with her? Why does she hate you so much?"
Boase met her eyes, steady and sincere. "Livia and I were friends for a few years. We grew close—we worked on some projects together, confided in each other. I cared about her, but not in the way she wanted. When she confessed her feelings, I was honest. I told her I didn't feel the same. She said she understood. But then... she began inserting herself into my personal life. Sending texts at odd hours, showing up uninvited, causing scenes at work."
"And you just let her?" Saraswati cut in.
"I tried to end things gently. But when I moved to Jakarta, she followed—virtually. She kept messaging from fake accounts. I changed numbers, blocked everything. I thought it was over. I really did. But clearly... it wasn't."
Saraswati closed her eyes. A part of her wanted to believe him. Another part recoiled in fear—fear that she was being drawn into another web of betrayal.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Boase exhaled heavily. "Because I wanted you to see me as who I am now—not the man I was when I was still figuring life out. But that was wrong of me. I should've been honest from the start."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Saraswati stood, walked slowly toward the window. "I need time," she said quietly. "Not because I don't love you, but because I'm scared that love is making me blind."
Boase rose too, but kept a respectful distance. "Take all the time you need. But let me prove myself. I'll file a report for defamation. I'll show you all the messages, every record I have from the past. You can see it all for yourself."
Saraswati turned to him, her eyes glistening. "That's not what I need most. What I need… is your honesty."
Boase gently reached for her hand. "And that's what I'll give. No masks. No defenses. If I have to lay bare every piece of my past to show you how deeply I care for you—I will."
***
Two weeks passed.
Livia finally admitted she had fabricated the accusations out of bitterness. A public apology was posted from her account, though not everyone was quick to forgive or forget.
But for Saraswati, those two weeks were sacred space. She had watched Boase carefully. Not his words—but his actions.
He didn't retreat. He stayed. He helped Amara with her homework. He brewed her favorite tea each morning. He was there—not as a perfect man, but as a man who never ran away when things got hard.
One quiet afternoon, sitting in the small garden behind their house, Saraswati took his hand and said softly, "I used to think true love came without wounds. But now I know... true love stays standing, even after the storm."
Boase looked at her, his eyes misty with gratitude. "And I'll always stand by you. No conditions."
She smiled, gently squeezing his hand. "I believe you now. Not because you denied the rumors. But because when it would've been easier to run, you chose honesty."
In the glow of the setting sun, they sat together—side by side. Amidst the pain that was slowly healing, they found something stronger than before.
And in Saraswati's heart, for the first time in a long while… there was no more doubt. Only certainty—that love, when guarded with truth, will always find its way home.