At Lily's home, she and her parents were having breakfast while conversing. "Dad, Mom, how about you two come with me to ALHAI Country tomorrow?" Lily thought it would be great for her parents to visit different places. They had never taken a vacation for enjoyment, except for the 20 days they spent with Lina. They always cited various reasons to avoid it. But now, Lily understood why, perhaps it was because of her Grandpa Riette's instructions to keep a low profile when he exiled them.
As she pondered, Lily thought to herself 'Hmph, I need to talk to Grandpa after I return from ALHAI Country. Interestingly, he wasn't angry with her parents, and he had been secretly keeping in touch with them, a fact unknown even to the rest of the family. Maybe Grandma was aware, Lily speculated.'
"We'd love to join you, my princess, but you know we need to inform them a week in advance for long leaves," Lily's father, Mark, replied. Lily snapped out of her thoughts, sighing as she expected their rejection. Selina noticed her daughter's sullen face and tried to reason with her in a coaxing tone. "If it's just one or two days, they might manage, sweetie. But you're planning to stay for five days. It's tough for them if we take leave without prior notice. Maybe next year, we'll definitely come with you."
"Fine. Then, it's a promise. You'll attend the anniversary next year, and no more excuses," Lily said, a smirk playing on her lips as she thought to herself that at least it was a good thing to get their approval, even if it was for next year.
"Okay, we promise. Next year, it is, princess," Mark replied, assuring her with a helpless smile. As Lily happily continued eating her breakfast, her mother called out to her softly, her voice laced with mischief and curiosity. "Sweetie, don't you have a boyfriend yet?" At her mother's question, Mark's eyes narrowed slightly, and he leaned in, his ears perked up to hear his daughter's response.
Lily easily picked up on her mother's curiosity and her father's sudden interest, she rolled her eyes in response as she chewed her toast. "There's nothing to be curious about, Mom. There's no one. And I don't have the energy for dating. I don't know why, but the idea of dating drains me." she replied nonchalantly, her voice flat.
Selina's shoulders drooped in disappointment as she listened to her daughter's answer, the sound of her fork clinking against the plate filling the silence. "Come on, sweetie, don't always be so busy with work," she said, her voice tinged with a mix of amusement and concern. "When I was your age, I was already expecting you. And look at you now, thinking about having a boyfriend is like distress of going to a war." Her eyes sparkling with playful exasperation as she continued. "If you're this slow, when will your father and I get to see our grandkids and play with them? Just relax and be a girl for once, sweetie, enjoy life a bit."
Mark sat back in his chair, watching the exchange while chewing his toast, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he felt amused of hearing about grandkids.
Lily's eyes widened in surprise at her mother's words. "Seriously, Mom? You're already thinking about grandchildren?" She paused for a second, her eyes narrowing as she inquired with a snort, "And what do you mean by 'be a girl'? Of course, I'll chill out with my friends whenever we're free. I don't need a boyfriend to relax." She said and smirked playfully at the end.
Mark, thoroughly entertained by his daughter's response, let out a hearty laugh and gave her a thumbs-up. However, Selina's eyes narrowed, and she shot him a warning glance, as if daring him to laugh again. Mark's laughter quickly vanished, and he pursed his lips, focusing on his food.
Satisfied that Mark had been silenced, Selina turned back to Lily and tried to probe further. "Sweetie, hasn't any guy you've met made an impression on you?" Lily sighed and shook her head in response, her expression unchanged.
A strange thought suddenly occurred to Selina, and she blurted out the question, "What about towards a girl, sweetie?" Her unexpected query caught the other two off guard. Mark, who had just taken a forkful of food, choked and coughed violently, "Cough, cough, cough~" Meanwhile, Lily's eyes went wide with shock as she stared at her mom, her expression frozen in surprise, as if she was gazing at something unbelievable.
The reason of the chaos, Selina quickly moved to soothe her husband, rubbing his back. "Easy, easy, Mark," she said, handing him a glass of water. Mark took the glass and drank it, his coughing gradually subsiding. Once he was okay, Selina chided him, "Can't you eat in small bites? Look, how you're choked."
Mark glanced at his wife, his expression complicated, as if asking, "Are you serious? You're not the reason I choked?" Selina avoided his gaze, turning instead to Lily. "Sweetie?" she called out, her voice calm once again.
Lily's gaze remained fixed on her mother, her eyes wide with surprise as she replied, "Yeah, Mom, I'm alive... I mean, I'm listening." Her words tumbled out in a slightly disjointed manner, reflecting her shock. Mark glanced at his daughter and gave her a sympathetic look for facing his wife's question.
Selina, however, didn't seem to notice her daughter's tone and pressed on, "You didn't answer my question. Did you feel anything towards girls?" Lily let out a heavy sigh, shutting her eyes before slowly opening them again. "Sigh~ No, Mom. I'm not into girls. It's just that I haven't found anyone who makes me feel romantically connected. And I'm still young, Mom. I have a long way to go to find someone." She paused, her voice taking on a cautionary tone. "Please don't get any ideas in your head."
Selina's expression still conveyed a hint of disbelief, and she pressed on, "Are you sure, Lily? You know, we wouldn't mind whether it's a girl or a guy. What matters is your happiness. You don't have to feel awkward about it."
Lily's face grew hot with embarrassment, and she felt like disappearing into thin air. She wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. Her discomfort evident, she replied hurriedly, "Mom, I'm serious. And if I were really into girls, I would have told you both, I don't feel ashamed about that. But I'm not, and if you continue to ask again, I'll really feel awkward." Her words tumbled out in a rush, her tone laced with a mix of frustration and embarrassment.
Selina's face fell slightly, her eyes revealing a hint of disappointment that her daughter wasn't romantically involved with anyone yet. She replied with a dramatic sigh, "Ooh, fine. I believe you, sweetie." Her tone was laced with a mix of resignation and curiosity. "Why don't you tell me what kind of guy you prefer? Maybe if I see anyone, I'll let you know."
Lily knew her mother wouldn't drop the subject unless she provided a satisfactory answer. She thought for a moment before responding nonchalantly, "Honestly, nothing more, Mom. Just a straightforward guy and a direct proposal, no annoying dates just to get to know each other. If anyone proposes to me directly, and if his feelings and intentions are real, and most importantly, if I feel the same way about him... then I'll say okay." She paused for a second, a hint of mischief in her eyes, and added, "Maybe I'll even go and get a marriage certificate with him. I hope you won't get angry at that time. What do you say, Mom?"
Selina's eyes sparkled with excitement as she replied, "Of course, we won't. I believe in your decision. And if you really do marry, I know he'll definitely be a great guy. What do you say, Mark?" A wide smile spread across her face, her happiness palpable.
Mark forced a smile, trying not to reveal his true feelings. "Yes, he'll definitely be a great guy," he agreed, his voice measured. But inside, he was thinking, 'How could anyone be worthy of my daughter?' He pictured Lily in his mind; his precious daughter, the princess of Hyla Kingdom and Chairwoman of Knights Empire. No one, in his opinion, could match up to her.
Mark's thoughts were filled with skepticism. 'Hmph, I highly doubt any great guy is really out there for her.' He preferred the idea of keeping his daughter close, safe with him and Selina, rather than sending her off to some unknown stranger. He snorted thought internally, 'No hurry, Lily's not interested in relationships yet. Let's think about this when the time comes. For now, he'd enjoy having his daughter all to himself.'
Little did he know his daughter will really going to marry a guy she just met. Even if he miraculously know about this, he can't do anything because it's fated and the time is not so far away.
••••••
Eli and his third uncle arrived at the hospital and made their way to Grandfather Felix's ward. Upon seeing his third son enter with Eli, Grandfather Felix's voice boomed, stern and commanding. "Why have you come today? Didn't I tell you yesterday that your presence isn't needed here?" His eyes narrowed, and his tone dropped to a low and menacing growl that sent a shiver down uncle William's spine. "Or are you trying to defy my words now?"
Eli, unbothered by his grandfather's burst out, replied nonchalantly, "I asked Third Uncle to come with me, Grandfather. I need to leave for a mission." His calm demeanor was a stark contrast to the tension in the air.
Grandfather Felix turned to Eli and said, "That's not an issue. You can go for your mission. David will look after me. I don't need any noisy son to disturb my rest." His words cut deep, aimed at William, who stood speechless once again. Bitterness welled up inside him as he thought to himself, "Noisy? Me? When did you ever give me a chance to speak in front of you, Father? Don't you think you're being too blunt?" The urge to question his father's harsh words burned within him, but he knew better than to challenge him. If he tried, William was certain his father wouldn't hesitate to dismiss him, leg surgery or not. The memory of past outbursts made him swallow his retort, and he bit his tongue, choosing silence over confrontation.
Eli handed the food to Butler David and calmly asked his grandfather, "Do you want me to stay or will you let Third Uncle stay? Choose one, Grandfather." Grandfather Felix's expression turned perplexed, his grandson was too smart. By presenting him with a choice, Eli had outmaneuvered him, forcing him to decide between his own preference and the circumstances. With a glare at William, Grandfather Felix grudgingly replied, "Fine, I'll let him stay."
Eli nodded, his voice firm but polite. "Good. Then I'm leaving." Before turning to go, he added, "Don't bully him." The warning was clear, and Grandfather Felix snorted in response, his displeasure evident.
As Eli turned to leave, he caught Uncle William's gaze and said softly, "Third Uncle, take care of yourself." The unspoken understanding between them was palpable. Eli's words were a reminder for William to protect himself from their grandfather's grumpiness towards him.
Uncle William forced a smile and nodded, telling Eli to be careful during the mission. Eli nodded in response and turned to leave. As he reached the door, his grandfather called out to him, "Eli~" Eli stopped and turned back, curious about what his grandfather wanted. Grandfather Felix asked, "Did you call my savior, the one who helped me?" Eli replied without hesitation, "No, I sent their number to Third Uncle. Third Uncle will contact them. If Grandfather wants to meet them, Uncle will arrange."
Grandfather Felix's face furrowed into a frown, and he seemed about to say something but hesitated. After a moment's pause, he decided to speak his mind. "Why don't you contact her? If possible, why don't you meet her?" His words hung in the air, laced with an unspoken significance that Eli couldn't ignore.
Eli's gaze locked onto his grandfather's, his eyes searching for something unspoken. His voice dropped to a chilling tone, and the atmosphere in the room shifted palpably. Grandfather Felix, sensing the tension, hastened to clarify, "I didn't remember the faces of the family who saved me vividly, but the young lady was familiar. Honestly, her face was still blurry in my mind, but I remember her voice, and it was too familiar. She might be ~~"
Grandfather Felix trailed off, his gaze lingering on Eli's face, the unspoken implication hanging heavy in the air. Eli's expression remained unreadable, but the silence that followed spoke volumes.
Eli's body stiffened at the door as he grasped the understanding of his grandfather's words. Without a word, he pulled out his phone and unlocked the screen, his hands trembling slightly as he searched for the contact he had saved from the officer the day before. He dialed the number, but it wasn't connected. Undeterred, he tried again, only to face the same result. Frustration etched on his face, he dialed once more. This time, the call connected, and a middle-aged man's voice answered, "Hello~"