Why turn back?

Glara stood in front of the towering building before her, feeling like it had been so long since she set foot in it. Awkwardness and embarrassment crept into Glara's mind. However, Glara had no other choice for the sake of her son's safety.

Before entering the building, Glara took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. Her arrival was sweetly welcomed by a line of women behind the reception desk. "Welcome, Miss Glara. The big boss has been eagerly awaiting your arrival. Allow me to escort you."

Glara just smiled and nodded, following the steps of the slender woman in front of her. Until her steps halted right in front of the closed elevator door. Shortly after, the elevator door opened, and the slender woman gestured for Glara to enter. After that, she pressed the highest floor number in the building.

Glara's heart raced even more irregularly, a mix of nervousness and restlessness swirling within her. She was afraid that the person she sought might refuse to lend a helping hand to Glara and her only son.

"Sorry, Miss, I can only escort you this far. After this, you just need to walk ten steps forward. The Big Boss's room is at the far end of this floor," the woman said politely, looking at Glara with respect.

"Thank you," Glara replied, returning her smile.

Glara followed the receptionist's instructions and, at the tenth step, stopped in front of a tall door with a sign that read 'President and Chief Executive Officer.' She closed her eyes for a moment, repeatedly touching the doorknob, but each time, she hesitated.

"Tsk!" Glara clicked her tongue and turned around, intending to leave the room in front of her.

"Why turn back?" a man's voice, one she recognized well, asked.

Glara lifted her ash-gray eyes, looking straight at the old man standing with several bodyguards behind him. "Come in."

Glara stood still, unable to evade or avoid the man. Reluctantly, she followed his steps into the extra-large room.

"So, what does my grandson need?" the man asked as they entered the ash-toned room.

Glara shook her head softly. "Grandfather, forgive me. I didn't heed your advice and got carried away by love. Grandfather, I really don't know where else to turn."

The man chuckled lightly, sitting in his throne-like chair as he gazed at Glara with warmth. "Why so formal? I'm your biological grandfather, the only family you have left, right? Why be hesitant? Sit down."

Glara remained bowed; she was truly embarrassed in front of her own grandfather. "Come on, Glara Latusha Seraphine. You're just like everyone else. Sit down; I already know what happened to you. And well, everything has happened, and nothing can be changed, right?"

Glara stayed put. "Grandfather, aren't you even a bit nostalgic about me? After five years of being away, don't you miss me at all?" the man continued, extending his hand as he walked towards Glara.

Glara shed tears, not expecting her grandfather to welcome her so warmly after what she had done to him years ago. "Grandfather," Glara whispered, hugging her grandfather tightly.

"Forgive me, Glara, forgive me." Glara kept repeating those words in the warm embrace of her grandfather, full of the love and affection from her childhood.

"It's okay, Glara. Everything has happened, and now you know why I always opposed your relationship, right?" Glara nodded within the embrace.

They hugged for quite some time, resolving the longing between parent and child. Now, Glara and Louis – her grandfather – sat side by side on the sofa in his room.

"So, what can I help you with?" he asked after Glara finished sipping the cold drink he had offered.

Glara took a deep breath and said, "Grandfather, Gama. He is—"

"Your son, right?" Grandfather interrupted.

Glara nodded, reluctant to ask how Louis knew about her son's identity. Because Glara was sure of who was sitting in front of her. Louis would know even if ants gave birth. "He suffers from chronic liver failure, and his condition..."

"We'll take Gama to a bigger hospital. I will find a suitable and good donor for Gama. But before that, I have one request that I really hope you won't refuse."

"What is it?" Glara asked, and Louis smiled, looking at Glara with hope.

∞

Glara stared at her son's frail body lying with a series of life-supporting medical equipment. The words and request of her grandfather kept echoing in her mind like a broken tape. Glara could agree to her grandfather's wish, but she wasn't too confident in her ability.

She kept daydreaming until a soft voice echoed in her ears. "Good afternoon, ma'am. The doctor would like to meet with you. Let me take you there." Glara nodded and followed the footsteps of the young nurse in front of her.

Upon arriving in front of a room surrounded by white surroundings, the nurse pushed the door and gestured for Glara to enter. "Hello, Mrs. Glara, please have a seat," greeted the doctor, now standing facing Glara.

Glara shook hands with the doctor and then sat in front of her. "What's wrong, doc?"

"Well, Mrs. Glara, I want to discuss your son's condition. Based on the examination we conducted earlier, we obtained less favorable results."

Surprised, Glara inquired about the doctor's explanation. "Gama's liver functions only at 50 percent. Because the damage has spread for quite some time. Delayed treatment and Gama's imperfect growth have caused this virus to spread faster than usual."

Glara's breath caught, feeling as if she were losing oxygen around her. "But, can Gama still recover, doc?"

The woman in white smiled and said, "There is a possibility of Gama recovering, of course, if... Gama receives prompt further action like a liver transplant operation. But to get that, there is a process to go through. Besides, we also need to find a good and suitable liver condition for a toddler like Gama."

Glara felt weaker; she didn't expect her only son to face such a dire fate. "And, as a consideration, Mrs. Given Gama's young age, he certainly has a much higher risk factor. So, you must find a hospital with more advanced equipment and treatment. Glara just stayed silent, listening to every word the woman said.

Now Glara looked back into Gama's room. She closed her eyes for a moment and then reached for her phone, sending a message to someone.