On the night of March 8, Jakarta glowed brightly.
From Menteng to South Jakarta, couples walked hand in hand, carrying flowers and small gifts for the women they loved.
But in a quiet apartment on the edge of the city, one woman sat alone — Clara Mendoza, 32 years old.
Beside her was a dining table gone cold — a bowl of soto ayam and a plate of rendang she had spent all afternoon preparing for her husband, Adrian.
She had sent their six-year-old son to her mother’s house in Depok, hoping for a peaceful, private evening together.
She wore the red dress Adrian had given her on their anniversary and sprayed his favorite jasmine perfume on her wrists.
In her mind, she imagined him walking through the door, smiling, saying: “Happy Women’s Day, my love.”
But it remained only a dream.
