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Chapter 13 - Chapter Thirteen : Absence Filled with Ambition

Fati quickly adapted to life in Berlin. Her studies became her only way to forget her sadness. However, she could not forget Jaguar's face; it was carved into her memory. Whenever she thought of him, she studied even harder to distract herself. She exhausted herself, barely sleeping or going out with friends. Her life was only about studying and her part-time job at a café near the university. Cailo visited her often, using his sister Mary as an excuse, but he truly liked her. Fati constantly turned him away; after what happened with Jaguar, she did not want another relationship.

Meanwhile, Jaguar spent years searching for her with no luck. He suspected her father was hiding her, but there were no calls or money transfers between them. Regret was eating him alive. He kept asking himself: How could I leave her like that? Why didn't I listen to her for even one minute? What was I thinking when I let her go?

Six years later, Fati returned home after finishing her studies with great success. She graduated at the top of her class in neurology with high honors. Many hospitals in Germany asked her to stay and work there, but she refused. She wanted to return to her country to help people, especially patients with chronic nerve diseases who needed medical aid.

But there was another reason for her return. She wanted to find Rosie, the servant. Deep inside, Fati felt that Rosie was not dead and that her father had lied about her death. She thought: "If Rosie truly died, why did my grandfather talk about her before he passed away?" This mystery made her want to find the truth.

When Fati returned, she was with Cailo. He had stayed extra years to finish his Master's degree and had moved to Berlin to be near her.

At the airport, she met an old friend who had attended her wedding to Jaguar. The friend was surprised to see Cailo and asked:

- Is this your bodyguard?

Fati replied shortly:

- No, he is a classmate.

She didn't even mention that he was Mary's brother. Her friend noticed that Fati had changed. She no longer laughed easily, the spark in her eyes was gone, and her face looked very thin. She asked:

- Fati, are you okay? Are you happy in your marriage?

- Yes, I am very happy,

Fati answered.

The friend left feeling confused. She couldn't understand why the girl who was once famous for her bright spirit now looked so tired and lifeless.

In the evening, Mary's family prepared a big dinner for Cailo and Fati's return. When Fati was finally alone with Mary, they started talking. Mary asked about her husband, but Fati stopped her and said,

- Please Mary, do not talk about him.

- Won't you tell me what happened between you two?

Mary asked.

- What happened is unforgivable, Mary,

Fati replied with a broken voice.

Then, she began to cry. For six years in a foreign country, her eyes were dry, but now she finally broke down in her friend's arms. To make her feel better, Mary joked:

- Okay, I won't ask about your husband. I will ask about my brother, Cailo!

Fati wiped her tears. Mary continued,

- Cailo used to visit us every holiday, but he stopped coming once he traveled with you! Is there a secret love between you two?

Fati knew her friend was trying to make her smile. She said,

- Trust me, there is nothing like that. But he was a great support and a dear friend to me. I will never forget how he stood by my side.

The next morning, Cailo insisted on driving Fati to the hospital. She finally agreed and got into his car. At the hospital entrance, Fati got out to go to the reception. She felt someone watching her from a distance with dark, intense eyes especially when Cailo stepped out to give her the lunch box his mother had made for her.

The day went well. She met the staff and visited the patients. In a quick meeting, they discussed difficult cases. Fati moved from room to room, giving her expert medical opinions. Before she finished her shift, the head of the medical team asked her:

- Doctor Fati, have you checked the coma patient in the VIP room? He has been here for six years.

Fati replied calmly,

- No, Doctor, I will check on him now.

The head of the team handed her the patient's file and said,

- If you can wake him up from his coma, you truly are the 'Miracle Doctor' I heard about.

- Thank you, Doctor. I will do my best,

She answered.

She didn't look at the file right away. She took the elevator to the 13th floor, the VIP section. When she arrived, she saw the room number was 1303. As she started to enter, she opened the first page of the file and saw the name. It was "The Grandfather."

She froze at the door, unable to move in or out, until the door closed by itself. She walked slowly toward him and looked at his face. It was Jaguar's grandfather. Had he been like this for six years? Only the machines kept his heart beating. She stood by his head, and a single tear fell from her eyes the eyes she had trained not to cry for this family. She whispered,

- I am sorry, Grandfather. I couldn't save you back then.

She held his hand gently. As her hand trembled, she remembered her late grandfather's hand; the veins and the details were so similar. She whispered sadly,

- I promise you, Grandfather Jack... I will do my best to wake you up. I want you to tell me the last words you heard from my grandfather. I want you to wake up and get justice for me from Jaguar.

She said this while remembering the last look the grandfather gave her. She was sure that look had no hate in it; it was the same kind look her own grandfather used to give her when she was a child. If she lost that look when her grandfather died, she was determined to find it again through Jaguar's grandfather, no matter what it cost.

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