Kaivan flinched, instinctively trying to stop her, but Thivi was quick, her movements full of reckless energy. "Thivi, don't, !" he protested, but it was too late. With one swift tug, the shirt came off.
Thivi's laughter vanished. Her eyes widened, frozen in shock as they met the sight of Kaivan's back. There, etched into his skin, was a large and terrible scar, a mark from a painful past. The wound had long healed, but its presence still screamed of suffering and survival.
Felicia, who also saw it, fell silent. The sharp red hue of her eyes softened, her gaze filled with sorrow and restrained anger. The playful night turned heavy; the air itself seemed to hold its breath.
Thivi stood speechless, her earlier boldness gone. "Kaivan... what happened to you?" she asked softly, her voice trembling with guilt and sympathy.
Kaivan didn't answer. His expression remained cold, though discomfort was clear in his eyes. Slowly, he turned toward the pool, watching the ripples spread over the water, saying nothing.
Then, a deep voice, heavy with regret, broke the silence.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't be here. This is all my fault..."
Everyone turned. Raphael stood by the edge of the pool, his face cast down. The dim villa lights traced the sorrow on his features, an expression they had rarely seen.
"I was the one who stabbed Kaivan in Purwakarta... back then, I was still... a terrorist."
The silence grew even heavier, pressing down like a weight. Felicia's face hardened. Her crimson eyes narrowed dangerously, and in the next instant, she surged out of the pool, water exploding around her.
In mere seconds, she stood before Raphael, her hand gripping his throat fiercely. "What did you do to Kaivan!?" she shouted, her voice echoing across the villa courtyard, filled with anger she had held back for far too long.
Felicia's grip on Raphael tightened, pulling him closer. Her breath was heavy, her chest rising and falling with anger that could no longer be contained.
But Raphael didn't resist. His gaze remained calm, accepting every ounce of her fury. "I know I deserve this," he murmured quietly. "I'm not asking for forgiveness. I just wanted you all to know."
From the edge of the pool, another voice finally broke the tense silence, soft yet commanding, like a whisper that carried a storm within it.
"Felicia, that's enough." Kaivan's voice was calm, but firm. His eyes locked onto hers. "Enough."
Felicia froze. Her crimson eyes glimmered, anger still smoldering within them. "But Kaivan, he, "
"I know," Kaivan cut her off gently but decisively. "But it's enough. I've already forgiven him."
Felicia stared at Kaivan, her emotions crumbling. Anger melted into doubt, and doubt into sorrow. Her hand weakened; the strength in her grip faded. Raphael dropped to his knees by the pool, gasping for air, clutching his chest.
Silence fell over them. Only the soft rippling of water and Felicia's unsteady breathing filled the air. Radit, Frans, Zinnia, Thivi, Ethan, and Isabel, all watched without a word.
Kaivan drew a deep breath, his gaze sweeping across their faces. He knew the weight of what he was about to say.
"It's true," Kaivan began, his tone clear yet heavy. "Back in Purwakarta, Raphael and I fought. He stabbed me… just like you saw."
He raised a hand, gesturing to the scar across his back, an old wound that still throbbed faintly, a lingering ghost of pain. "But when he fell, I saw something in his eyes. Not hatred… but despair. And in that moment, I chose to give him a chance."
Radit, who had been listening in silence, finally spoke up. "But why, Kaivan? Why bring him here? Is this the Tome Omnicent's command?"
Kaivan met his gaze, steady, calm, unshakable. "Because everyone makes mistakes. Just like me, he deserves a second chance. I believe in redemption, Radit. In change, if you give it space to grow."
Felicia, who had been standing still, finally found her voice again. But now, it wasn't anger that filled her words, it was sorrow. Tears streamed down her face, no matter how hard she tried to hold them back.
She stepped closer and rested her head against Kaivan's back, right over the scar Raphael had left. Her voice trembled, barely louder than the whispering wind. "I should've been there… I feel like I failed you. If I had gone with you back then, maybe your back wouldn't carry this wound."
Kaivan was silent for a moment, then slowly turned to face her. His hand found hers, his fingers brushing gently through her hair, as if soothing the storm within her.
"Felicia," he said softly but sincerely, "you've already done enough. You saved so many with Radit and Ethan. That's more than enough."
Felicia shook her head, tears still falling. "But I wanted to be by your side. I wanted to protect you, remember?"
Kaivan smiled, warm, calm, the kind of smile that didn't need defending. "I know. But we can't always be there for each other. What matters is that we're here now. Together. I've forgiven Raphael… and I want you to, too. This isn't about the past anymore, it's about how we survive, and keep moving forward."