Lily's gaze darted between her parents, her mind racing to understand the implications as she inquired them "But how do you both know about this? And from when?"
Mark's gaze met Lily's, and he hesitated before responding, "We knew from the start, the day you made the deal with him, he called us and told us everything."
Mark's words left Lily stunned. "Dad, wait... Grandpa talked to you?" she questioned, her voice barely above a whisper. "Sweetie, My Dad's always been in touch with us, and he wasn't actually angry on us." Selina replied calmly. However, this revelation shook Lily to her core. For years, she'd believed her grandfather's disapproval of her parents' elopement had driven them apart and that was the reason why he announced to the kingdom that her parents were died. But now, it seemed, her grandfather had been in touch with her parents all along. Lily's mind was flooded with questions. Why had her parents kept this secret? What else didn't she know? And why did Grandpa behave like he was angry with them before me?
Lily's mind was reeling with questions. "Why?" she demanded, her voice laced with bit of frustration. "If grandpa was not really angry at you then Why did you both stay away from Lina?" Her eyes narrowed, her gaze darting between her parents. She felt a mix of emotions, confusion, anger, and a hint of hurt. Her voice trembled slightly as she struggled to process the revelations. The questions swirled in her head, each one more pressing than the last. Why had they kept her grandfather's involvement a secret? Why had they stayed away for so long?
Mark sighed and began explaining the situation. "It all started when Lina was born. After we came to this country, it was tough for us to survive in this foreign land. As we told you before, our money was robbed. We struggled to find work, and there were days when we went hungry. That's when a kind lady, Alicia Allen, helped us. From then on, things started to fall into place. A few months later, you were born. We were overjoyed, and our modest salary was enough for us to live like an ordinary happy family.
Then, one day, your grandfather found us and came to our little home. You were only one year old at the time. He asked us to come back, but Selina and I both felt content with our life here and mostly we felt shame to go back like nothing happened after we eloped from there, so we didn't want to go back. So, he went back to the kingdom without us.
After that, your mother got pregnant again. When Lina was born, we discovered she had a condition – cystic fibrosis, caused by a de novo mutation in her genes."
Mark paused, memories of his younger daughter's birth flooding back. His chest tightened, his eyes welled up, and tears streamed down his cheeks. He wiped them away, his voice cracking as he continued. "We.. We were devastated. Our life turned up.. upside down. They said she'd... she'd die." His words trailed off, and his body shook with sobs.
Selina, tears streaming down her own face, quickly passed him tissues and gently rubbed his back, trying to soothe him. "Please, stop crying, Mark. Lina's fine now," she pleaded softly.
Nearby, Lily squeezed her eyes shut, fighting to control her own emotions. The room fell silent, except for Mark's ragged breathing and Selina's gentle murmurs of comfort. Mark nodded and tried to control himself "Yes, she's fine. she's fine."
Mark took a deep breath, composing himself before continuing. He cleared his throat, his voice still laced with emotion. "We don't know how Uncle Riette found out about Lina's situation, but he appeared at the hospital the day after she was born. He spoke with the doctors, inquired about her condition, and listened intently as they explained the lifelong treatment she'd need to survive – and the care she needed to fight with her life."
Mark's eyes clouded over, recalling the painful conversation. "After hearing the doctors' words, Uncle Riette gave us an ultimatum," he said, his voice laced with emotion. "He'd take Lina back, provide her with the necessary care. With her life at stake, we agreed – we knew we couldn't afford the treatment, and Uncle Riette's offer was our only hope."
Mark's expression softened, nostalgia creeping in. "We returned to the kingdom, and Lina's treatment began. Everyone welcomed us back with open arms, no questions asked. It was as if we'd never left. The palace staff bustled around us, familiar faces smiling warmly. Lina's health began to stabilize, and I started working on kingdom affairs with your uncles' again."
A faint smile crossed Mark's face. "Life fell into place once more. And you know with our big family, and watching all your little ones playing together, we were finally at peace. You were happy with your cousins, Lina's treatment was going well... everything seemed perfect again. However ~"
Mark's faint smile vanished as he continued, his voice laced with anguish. "But then, one day, Uncle Riette summoned all our family members into a room and dropped a bombshell. He told us to leave the kingdom, to go back to the life we'd built before and live there. He said he'd take care of you and Lina, but we had to go."
The room seemed to darken, as if the memory itself was suffocating. "Everyone in the family was stunned, We asked why, but he just said it was final. And he'd created a scenario to make it seem like we were leaving for a vacation, like an actual vacation. But after leaving the palace, we'd never be allowed to set foot in the Hyla Kingdom again. He'd announce to the kingdom that we'd died in an accident in our vacation, erasing us from existence."
Mark's voice dropped to a whisper, the weight of the memory crushing him. "I was torn, I don't understand why Uncle Riette was creating all this and why he wants to separate us from my daughters? I was unsure what to do. If we decided to leave, we'd have no choice but to leave Lina behind. Because she wouldn't survive without treatment. Anger and helplessness consumed me. I lashed out at him, demanding to know why he was doing this. Was he seeking revenge on me for marrying his daughter?"
17 YEARS BACK,
In a family chamber, the Lellen family gathered together, surrounded by an air of heavy tension. No outsiders or workers were present, only family members. The room was thick with anticipation, the atmosphere charged with the weight of their discussion.
They were not any ordinary people. They were members of the LELLEN'S Royal family. They're inexplicably exude an aura of authority and power, their presence commanding respect. King Riette Lellen, seated in his place, radiated an intense and suffocating energy. A single glance from him, especially when facing disobedience, was enough to make the people tremble.
Seated around him were his family members. His wife, Queen Norma Lellen, sat beside him, her presence calm and composed. Their three children, each with their respective spouse, were also present. Callum Lellen, the eldest, sat with his wife, Diana Lellen. Melissa Lellen, the middle child, was sat beside her husband, George Lellen. And Selina Lellen, the youngest, sat their like a statue, like she lost her soul and her husband, Mark Lellen standing before King Riette.
The room seemed to grow even quieter, the tension palpable. King Riette's eyes flashed with a fierce intensity, expression twisted in a cold snort. "Revenge?" he repeated, his voice dripping with disdain. "I'm just letting you face the consequences for what you've done." His words hung in the air, heavy with menace, leaving Mark and Selina feeling trapped and helpless, as he leaned back in his throne-like chair.
Mark stood there, his mind reeling in turmoil. Moments ago, he'd lashed out at King Riette in desperation, but now he was lost in thought, unable to respond. The king's demand to leave with his wife, Selina, felt like a cruel joke. Mark didn't mind leaving the kingdom itself, but the thought of being separated from his children was unbearable.
How could he walk away from his own flesh and blood? They were his children, the love of his life, the precious gifts Selina had given him. The thought of living without them, of not being able to see them grow, to protect them, to love them, was suffocating. And what about Selina? She'd be devastated if they were torn apart. Mark couldn't bear the thought of seeing his wife's sadness, her tears, her pain.
A lump formed in his throat as he thought about the impossibility of leaving his children behind. No, no way. It's impossible. He couldn't do it. He wouldn't do it. Mark's resolve hardened, his heart racing with determination. He couldn't leave without his children. He wouldn't leave them to face whatever lay ahead without him.
As Mark stood lost in thought, gathering his courage to fight for his family, Selina who''d been sitting like a statue, without even made an attempt to wipe her tears streaming down her face slowly rose from her chair. With a quiet determination, she walked towards her father, her eyes locked on his, Selina kneeled before her father King Riette, her voice trembling as she spoke. "We're... we're sorry, Dad. We're truly sorry." Her words were laced with desperation, her apology sincere.
Mark's thoughts shattered as he heard Selina's apology, his gaze snapping to his wife. Seeing her like this, tears streaming down her face, felt like losing a part of himself. Tears welled up in the eyes of everyone in the family, their faces etched with desperation.
They wanted to talk, to plead, to urge the king to reconsider, but Riette's earlier declaration hung in the air like a challenge "No one is allowed to talk. It's better for all of you to follow my orders without question." The weight of his words was crushing.
The family knew the king was dead serious, his resolve unshakeable. Even their mother Queen Norma who was seated beside him, didn't oppose his decision. She was extremely calm but sadness clearly shone in her eyes, but her silence was enough for acceptance of the king's order. The room was heavy with the unspoken understanding that resistance was futile.
King Riette's expression flickered with surprise at Selina's apology, but his resolve remained unshaken. His voice dropped to a low, cold tone that sent shivers down their spines. "What? Why apologizing?" he asked, his words dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, now you're feeling the pain of leaving your daughters behind, so you realised your mistake and want to apologize, huh?"
The room seemed to grow even colder, the air heavy with the weight of the king's unyielding determination as the king's words hung in the air. His tone was biting, his gaze piercing through Selina and Mark.
"Yes, we made a mistake," Selina sobbed, her voice cracking with emotion. "We chose the wrong way to be together. Dad, Mom, we're sorry. Please forgive us. Please, please don't make us separate from them – and from all of you." Her body trembled, her words dissolving into uncontrollable sobs.
Mark's heart wrenched as he watched his wife plead, her vulnerability tearing him apart. He clenched his fists, feeling helpless, and then strode towards her. Kneeling beside her, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her close to his chest. He held her tightly, trying to absorb her pain, as she buried her face in his shoulder.
Selina's tears soaked through Mark's clothes, her sobs shaking her entire body. Mark's grip tightened, his own eyes welling up with tears as he whispered softly, trying to calm her down. The sound of her despair was almost too much for him to bear.
Mark's gaze locked onto King Riette's, his eyes pleading with desperation. "Uncle Riette, please," he begged, his voice cracking with emotion. "I'm the one who took your daughter away from you. I really did chose the wrong way. Maybe I should wait for your acceptance. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I'll do whatever you want, just please don't do this to us. We're your children, aren't we?"
His words tumbled out in a rush, each one laced with anguish. Mark's eyes burned with tears as he implored the king, his face twisted in a plea. "Please don't give us this unbearable punishment. I beg you... PLEASE." His voice broke on the last word, the sound echoing through the silent room.