The air in the palace felt heavy, a silent witness to the secrets it held. As Ila Paseweng returned from his journey, he remained blissfully unaware of the profound betrayal that had taken root in his absence.
Ila Paseweng, weary from his long journey, stepped into his palace. The atmosphere, however, was not one of welcome but of unspoken strain. He found We White in her chambers, frail upon the bed. La Galigo, hidden, watched with a secretive smile.
La Galigo, emerging from the shadows, regarded We White with a possessive gaze. He felt a surge of triumph, convinced his plan to replace Ila Paseweng and claim his position was almost complete. His selfish desire blinded him to any sorrow.
A cold dread gripped We White as Ila Paseweng's footsteps drew nearer. "Please, you must go!" she whispered, panicked, desperate to avert disaster. Yet, La Galigo remained, a defiant smirk on his lips, eager for the revelation.
Ila Paseweng entered, his face softening as he embraced We White. "My love, you seem unwell," he murmured, unaware of the true reason for her distress.
Before leaving, La Galigo purposely placed his keris—a traditional dagger—on a nearby table, a clear sign of his presence. Soon after, Ila Paseweng noticed the ornate dagger. His eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in fury. He recognized it as La Galigo's. "Whose keris is this, We White?" he demanded, his voice sharp with betrayal. "Has La Galigo been here?"
We White's heart pounded. "It's not what you think, my love! It must belong to We Nyili' Timo," she cried, her voice trembling. But Ila Paseweng's face hardened. He saw no chance of her innocence, blinded by his rage. His honor felt shattered. The betrayal was too great to bear. "I cannot live with this dishonor," he declared, his voice cold and final. "I divorce you, We White."
We White stared, heartbroken. "How could you do this?" she whispered, tears streaming down her face. But his decision was fixed, and the divorce was carried out. A deep sorrow consumed We White. The thought of life without Ila Paseweng, without her home, felt too much. Her will to live began to fade.
La Galigo, hearing of the divorce, smiled. His clever scheme had worked, or so he thought, unaware of the tragedy to come. We White's health quickly worsened. Her spirit broken, her body followed. She died shortly after, a victim of despair.
News of her death struck La Galigo like a blow. His triumph turned to horror. He saw his own fault clearly, realizing his actions had led to her end. Outside the palace, Ila Paseweng heard the news. He wept openly, lamenting the bitter end to their love, a consequence of his hasty judgment.
Both men were left with immense sorrow and guilt, burdened by their roles in We White's tragic death. Their lives were forever marked by her passing, a sad result of their selfish desires and wounded pride.