Beranda / Emotional Realism Cerita Pendek / His Second Heart / Bab 1 - Bab 9

Semua Bab His Second Heart: Bab 1 - Bab 9

9 Bab

Chapter 1

"Jordan Salazar, do you have any idea what time it is? You're still in bed?!"My mother, Patricia Salazar's furious pounding on the door jolted me awake. I struggled upright and glanced at the clock on my nightstand.My heart dropped. I was five minutes late!I threw on my clothes and washed up as fast as I could. The familiar burning in my stomach followed me like a shadow, a ball of fire twisting deeper inside with every movement.I ignored it and hurried downstairs.The first thing that greeted me was my mother's dark expression.Her voice was sharp with anger. "How many times have I told you? You run at six o'clock every morning and eat breakfast at seven sharp."This is how you act as my son? This is how you're making up for what happened to your brother?"I lowered my head. My lips moved, but no words came out."Do you think we're hurting you?" She stood and walked toward me before pressing a finger against my chest, right above my heart."We're strict with you because

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Chapter 2

My cheek burned, and my ears rang."What did I tell you? I told you to study hard and pay attention in class!"This is how you repay me? This is how you make amends?"You woke up five minutes late this morning, and now you're zoning out in class too!"You're doing this on purpose! You're deliberately trying to upset me, Jordan Salazar!"My mother's furious voice echoed through the tiny office."What kind of sin did I commit in my past life? Your father and I worked so hard to raise you, and this is what we get in return? An ungrateful child like you!"Ms. Ramirez hurried over to hold my mother back, then shot me a look."Jordan, apologize to your mother. She's only doing this for your own good."The pain in my stomach and the pain in my face tangled together until I felt like I was on the verge of breaking down.I didn't even know what I'd done wrong this time, but like a puppet with its strings pulled, I instinctively repeated the words I'd said countless times before."Mom

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Chapter 3

I picked up a piece of fried chicken and took a big bite.The crispy coating and tender meat blended in my mouth. It was a flavor I'd never experienced before—sinful and satisfying all at once.Before I realized it, tears had slipped down my face and fallen onto my fries.I wolfed down the food, as if trying to fill the emptiness and grievances of the past ten years all at once.Then suddenly, a familiar figure appeared in my line of sight.It was my sister, Alyssa Salazar. She was dressed in plain clothes, her long hair flowing over her shoulders. There was nothing about her that looked like someone who had withdrawn from the world.She spotted me immediately. Her gaze crossed the crowded restaurant and met mine.My heart leapt into my throat. I lowered my head and froze, the piece of fried chicken still suspended in my hand.She didn't come over. Instead, she took out her phone and quickly made a call.I couldn't make out what she was saying, but a sense of dread seized my h

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Chapter 4

Every accusation cut into me like a knife.In that moment, all the numbness shattered, leaving behind nothing but overwhelming injustice and hurt.I looked at the lipstick. The tears I'd been holding back finally spilled over.My voice trembled as I explained quietly, "Today... It's your birthday, Mom. This was the birthday gift I bought for you."I'd saved that money little by little from my part-time jobs. It had taken me a long time to afford it.I thought that if my mother wore it, she would look beautiful.My mother's scolding stopped abruptly. She froze, and something flickered through her eyes. Sadly, it lasted only a second before the coldness returned.Without looking at me, she said stiffly, "We've discussed it. The surgery has been moved up to tomorrow. That way, you won't have the chance to cause any more trouble."Tomorrow.I felt nothing, not even fear. Only regret.Regret that I hadn't finished that piece of fried chicken, and that I hadn't been able to hand ov

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Chapter 5

The moment the words left my mouth, the anger on my parents' and Alyssa's faces froze. It was then replaced by shock, panic, and the embarrassment of being exposed."W-What nonsense are you talking about?" My mother was the first to react. Her voice faltered, and her eyes darted away.My father barked, "Jordan, have you lost your mind? Nathaniel died a long time ago—""Died a long time ago?" I cut him off and looked straight at the VIP room behind them. "Then who was the person in Room 301 two nights ago, clinging to Alyssa and saying he wanted my heart?"Alyssa's face turned deathly pale.They hadn't expected that I already knew the truth behind the lie they believed was flawless."You followed us?" My mother's voice trembled, but her anger quickly overwhelmed her guilt once again.I laughed until tears ran down my face. The pain in my stomach forced me to bend over."Yeah. I followed you. Otherwise, how would I have known that the reason I'm alive is to serve as a spare part

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Chapter 6

"Jordan, you're awake?" My mother's voice was hoarse and thick with tears. "How are you feeling? Are you hurting anywhere?"She reached out as if she wanted to touch my forehead, but her hand stopped halfway and never came down.I looked at them quietly and said nothing.The irony of it all was almost laughable.For ten years, they had beaten me, cursed me, treated me like a sinner, a tool.Now, a single cancer diagnosis had transformed them into loving parents and a caring sister. Apparently, my life only became precious when there was almost none of it left."Jordan... I'm sorry..." My father's voice broke. A man nearing fifty stood before me with tears running down his face. "Your mother and I were wrong. We're monsters. We had no right to treat you that way..."Alyssa stepped forward as well. Her lips trembled as though she wanted to say something, but not a single word came out. In the end, she dropped to her knees beside my bed in silent repentance.I looked up at the cei

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Chapter 7

I didn't go home. Instead, I rented a tiny apartment in the middle of the city.As I stood in that little space with my suitcase beside me, a sense of freedom I'd never experienced before wrapped itself around me.No more surveillance or scolding, no more shackles disguised as redemption.The first thing I did was take out a sheet of paper and write a list. Every item on it was something I'd been forbidden from doing for the past ten years and desperately wanted to do."1. Order a frappuccino with extra syrup."With the bank card in hand, I walked into the busiest coffee shop on the block and ordered the largest frappuccino on the menu.As the warm sweetness slid down my throat, I closed my eyes in happiness.So this was all it took to be happy."2. Go to an amusement park and ride a roller coaster."I went alone and bought an all-day pass.I rode the carousel, the bumper cars, and finally, after gathering all my courage, I climbed onto the roller coaster.When it plunged fr

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Chapter 8

The next day, I received a call from an unfamiliar number.On the other end was my mother's trembling voice. "Jordan, could you come home? Just once. I'm begging you."I wanted to refuse, but after thinking it over, I agreed.When I stepped through the doors of the Salazar house again, I was greeted by an absurd scene.Nathaniel was kneeling in the middle of the living room, crying so hard he could barely breathe. My parents and Alyssa stood around him coldly.The moment she saw me, my mother hurried over, grabbed my hand, and pointed at Nathaniel. She said in an almost fawning tone, "Jordan, today we're going to make him kneel and apologize to you!"My father immediately chimed in, "That's right! Jordan, don't worry. From this day forward, Nathaniel is no longer a Salazar! What he owes you, we'll make him repay a hundred times over!"Alyssa didn't say anything. She only looked at me with an unreadable expression.Nathaniel raised his tear-streaked face toward me. "Jordan, I'm

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Chapter 9

After leaving the Salazars, I went to the coast and rented a small guesthouse overlooking the ocean.Every day, I sat on the balcony, listening to the waves and watching the sun rise and set over the water.My body grew weaker with each passing day. The pain in my stomach had become so severe that I could no longer eat. I survived only on nutritional infusions.Yet mentally, I had never felt so peaceful and free.I crossed the final item off my list."Write a letter to myself."In it, I wrote about the places I'd seen, the flavors I'd tasted, and the happiness I'd found during this brief month of freedom.I told my future self that if there really was another life waiting beyond this one, I wanted to come back as a seagull, free to fly wherever the wind carried me.On the last day of my life, the weather was unusually beautiful. The setting sun turned the ocean into a sheet of brilliant gold, so beautiful it looked unreal.My parents and Alyssa still managed to find me. They d

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