Forced to Be Stepmom
Solving Misconceptions of Zara And Mr. Zein

Lathan took Zara to a hill not far from where she lived. She let Zara cry to her fullest to calm her heart.

"Are you any better, honey?" Lathan asked Zara while thrusting a bottle of mineral water at her.

"Yes, I'm calmer. Thanks though. How do you know I came home? I didn't get to tell you when my papa came to pick me up". Zara spoke with a voice that was still a little hoarse and eyes that were careless from crying for too long.

"I'm worried about you, because it wasn't long after we got back in each of our rooms that I went back to your room to make sure you were. But I didn't get an answer when I knocked on the door many times, so I asked the hotel clerk to open your hotel with a spare key. At that time I knew you weren't in the room. Fandy and I saw on CCTV that you were going out with some men in uniform. If you are kidnapped, there is no way you can walk around casually. So from there we knew that you were in your parents' house" Lathan explained with a calm demeanor and a friendly smile. He also occasionally wiped away the traces of tears that still remained on Zara's cheeks.

"What makes you cry like this? Did you fight with your father?" ask Lathan again who wants to know about what happened to her lover.

"I ... said everything I wanted to tell Papa. Somehow he responded to me. Clearly, I've said it all" Zara explained the bowed-head incense.

"really? Nice work. I hope you no longer have any burden in your heart" Lathan said as she gently rubbed Zara's head.

"Do you think papa's going to get more and more angry with me? I was being rude to him. What if papa hates me more?". Zara asked Lathan with a sad look on her face.

Lathan gently pulls Zara into her arms to calm the lover.

"I'm sure your father won't be angry. She must love you so much. It's just that there might be something weighing on his mind" Lathan said in a soft tone.

"If they love me .. there's no way they've ignored me all these years. If there wasn't even a nanny aunt to take care of me and love me, I wouldn't know how I'd survive that house, so after the nanny's aunt died, I decided to move to Fandy's". Zara's tears flowed back as she told Lathan.

"Oh, don't think about it. It's good that you moved to Fandy's house, so we can meet. Now there is me who will love you completely". Zara nodded slowly in Lathan's embrace.

"What if we go home now?"

"I don't want to go home. I don't want to meet papa" Zara looked up at Lathan and shook her head.

"But I have to meet your papa. Especially because of the rumors. I don't want your dad to think negatively about me".

Zara was silent for a moment considering Lathan's words.

"Alright, but you should always be with me. I don't want to see papa alone".Zara sounded spoiled as she asked Lathan to always accompany her.

"alright. I will keep you company. You don't have to worry".

Zara nodded in agreement and left with Lathan.

...****************...

Moments later, Lathan and Zara arrive at Zein's house. They entered directly while holding hands. Zara looks hesitant when entering the house but Lathan strengthens her.

"Why?" ask Lathan curiously.

"I'm scared". Zara answered doubtfully.

"Zara! Honey!".

Zara gasped when she heard the voice of her father sitting on one of the couches. Mr. Zein got up from his seat and walked with quick footsteps approaching Zara.

Zara turned to Lathan as her father walked towards her.

"No papa" Lathan said with a gentle smile.

"I'm sorry Papa. Papa has sinned against you. Papa's really sorry. Papa knows with forgiveness alone will not be able to remove the wound in your heart, but Papa please .. give Papa the opportunity to correct all Papa's mistakes to you". Mr. Zein spoke to Zara while holding her hand, she lowered her head with tears that began to flow from both of her cheeks.

Zara looked at the father who was standing in front of her with tears flowing down.

"Papa, I never hated Papa. Papa doesn't have to apologize to me. Papa doesn't have to beg me like this". Zara spoke while crying tears.

"Thank you, sweetheart. Thank you for giving Papa the opportunity to correct Papa's mistakes all along". Mr. Zein immediately pulled Zara into his arms and held her tightly.

"Yes, Pah. I'm so happy. I love Papa hiks ... hiks .. hiks" Zara said as she clutched her father.

"Papa loves you very much too". Mr. Zein continued to hug Zara while continuing to kiss her head.

Lathan and Fandy who were there could only look at the father and son with a big smile on their faces.

"Darling, you're about to graduate school. Can you move back here and be next to Papa and Mama?". Mr. Zein broke his embrace and asked while looking into Zara's eyes affectionately.

"But, Pah …". Zara looked doubtful then she looked at Lathan as if asking her.

"Whatever your decision is, I will support you. If you want to continue your studies here, then I will not forbid. I can come here on vacation or maybe .. I can ask my parents for permission to continue my studies here as well" Lathan spoke softly to Zara.

"Yes, think about it. By the way .. You haven't introduced this young man to Papa".

"alright. Pah, this is Lathan. He's Fandy's best friend and also my girlfriend". Zara introduces Lathan timidly to her father.

"Hello, Om. It's nice to get acquainted with Om" Lathan said as she reached out to Mr. Zein

"Hello, if it wasn't for you being the subject of social media gossip, then I wouldn't have known that Zara was here. I'm Zein, Zara's father. Come on, let's sit down, but it's getting late. We'd better take a break and we'll talk again tomorrow. You guys move in here tomorrow. No need to stay at the hotel anymore" Mr. Zein spoke in a calm manner with a thin smile on his lips.

"Yes, Pah" Zara responded with a gentle smile and walked towards her room. Lathan and Fandy will be in the guest room.

"I did not expect, for many years the cold attitude of Zein on Zara turned out to be just a misunderstanding" said Fandy who spoke to Lathan while walking towards the room they were going to occupy.

"Yes, unfortunately, the misunderstanding becomes a deep wound for Zara" Lathan responds to Fandy with eyes that continue to look at Zara who is taken by her father to his room.