C2 The Beginning of Suffering Part 1

Clara blinked, adjusting her vision to the sunlight that hit her irises. She looked around and found herself in an unfamiliar room. She rushed to her feet.

"Uh," she groaned when she felt pain and tenderness in the area around her groin.

"Aw, what happened to me? Why does it hurt so much?" She could hear her muttering because no one else was in the room. Slowly, she tried to walk, but her attention was distracted when she saw a purple flower lying not far from the door. Seeing the plant, she also remembered the incident she experienced when she intended to look for the plant in the forest. But strangely, she didn't remember anything after that. She didn't even remember why she was in that room that seemed so foreign.

Clara took the plant with a twinkle on her face and limped out of the room. Once outside, Clara finally realized she had fallen asleep in a hut far from the forbidden forest. Clara thought maybe she was attacked by a wild animal in the forest and someone had saved her life. She just tried to think positively about this strange event that she experienced.

Step by step, she waded until she arrived in front of her house. She ran into her home, ignoring the pain she felt.

However, her steps stopped when she saw many people gathered in her house. People dressed in black with their faces filled with grief and sorrow.

"Clara, where have you been, girl? It's been three days since you disappeared. We were apprehensive about you." A beautiful middle-aged woman said so when she saw Clara's figure—the figure of a woman who was not Clara's biological mother.

"Three days I disappeared," Clara muttered in disbelief.

"Yeah, where have you been for the past three days?" Clara didn't say anything. Her eyes were still blank. Then she raised her right hand, holding the legendary medicinal herb. Looking at it made her mother gasp in shock. She knew what herb her daughter was bearing because her mother, who was none other than Cleo Huston, had once told her about this magical herb.

"Did you go to the forbidden forest to look for this plant?!" Asked her mother, snapping a little. Clara just nodded.

"It's for Grandma," she answered sadly, realizing what was going on in her house after seeing a large photo of her grandmother sitting on a table with a bouquet. Clara could no longer hold back her tears.

"Grandmother is resting in peace now. She won't be in pain anymore." The medicinal plants that she had been holding in her hands were now drooping on the floor. Her mother picked them up, realizing that they were precious.

"When did Grandma die?"

"This morning. Her funeral has just finished."

Clara's body is limp. Her struggle was in vain. She was too late to save her grandmother.

***

One month has passed since the incident in the forest. Clara always thought about what had happened to her, but seeing nothing strange about her body, she stopped thinking about it.

She also decided to stop crying over her grandmother's departure. After almost a month, she often spent time in her grandmother's room because she could not accept that her grandmother was gone forever. She realized it was time to rise from her grief, especially considering she was only one month away from getting married.

"Clara! Maxy is waiting for you. Come out quickly, are you still dressed up inside?"

Her mother's voice made Clara realize she was making up in her room. Today, she had promised to go on a date with her fiancé.

Clara felt her face was ashen these past few days, so she applied a little makeup to cover it up. Usually, she does not like to dress up.

After feeling her appearance was perfect, she left the room to meet her beloved man. A smile tugged at Clara's lips when her gaze met her male gaze.

"Today, you look amazing," Maxy said, blushing at Clara's beautiful face.

"Are you ready to create beautiful memories today?" Clara just nodded, and then they walked away holding hands. Making both of Clara's parents see her blush and, at the same time, relieved to know that their relationship looked delicate and more romantic.

However, for Clara's father, his daughter's marriage is essential. Max comes from a famous family in the village of Tussand. Even though Clara's family is quite famous, according to him, if the two prominent families unite, they will become a big family that all villagers respect.

Clara and Maxy decided to go to their favourite place, none other than a garden whose beauty always managed to hypnotize them. They will arrive at the park momentarily, but something strange happens.

In his hand, Maxy felt Clara's hand was icy, and suddenly her body shook. Maxy swiftly restrained her, and her action was spot on when Clara almost fell if Maxy didn't catch her in time.

The makeup that adorned Clara's face could not hide her increasingly pale face, which made Maxy anxious to see her.

"What happened to you? If you're sick, you should refuse a date from me," said Maxy, looking annoyed but implied by great anxiety. Realizing that Clara's body was getting weaker and her face was getting paler, Maxy decided to pick her up and take her for treatment to one of the most famous healers in the village.

The healer carefully examined Clara's condition when the lovers arrived at her clinic.

"How is the condition?" Asked Maxy with a face that started to panic. He looked astonished to see the healer's face furrow her brows without saying anything while checking Clara's pulse and heart rate. Maxy's worries peaked when he saw the shocked look on the healer's face when she examined Clara's stomach.

"What is it? She's fine, right?" Maxy asked again with a worried tone that now turned into a tone full of fear.

"You two are married?" Instead of answering, the healer asked a question that made Maxy stunned for a moment.

"Not yet, our new wedding will take place next month," Maxy answered honestly.

"Hurry up and get married before her stomach grows bigger, it will be a big problem if the villagers find out that your future wife is pregnant out of wedlock." Like being struck by lightning, that's a picture of Maxy's feelings right now. According to the doctor's words, it is very impossible. How could Clara be pregnant, considering they had never had intercourse even once?