"Dad."
Seated on the couch of her apartnt, she greeted the familiar sight of her Father who had just arrived.
Though he looked more like Amy, as his hair was blonde, the resemblance was still there.
Adorning a business suit, Rafael glanced around first before eventually, his gaze landed on his daughter.
"Rachel, I thought there was an ergency?"
"There is."
She solemnly spoke. At the mont, the lively deanor of Rachel Asami was nowhere to be seen.
"Can you sit down? This will take a while."
Noticing the seriousness in his daughter's tone, Rafael resigned himself and sat beside her on the couch.
Shortly after, he asked.
"What's all this about?"
"Dad, why did you and Mom divorce?"
"...Is this what all of this is about? I thought I'd already told you. There was a disagreent--"
"Then why didn't you agree?"
"It's my company, Rachel. The Ashfields should've respected that."
She understood that.
However, she was well aware of what her father was hiding.
Clearly, it seed like he planned on hiding it until the end.
But she knew she shouldn't blurt out information that she wasn't supposed to know.
Which is why she wanted to hear it from his own mouth.
But leading the conversation to that was the hard part.
"Why did you and Mom divorce?"
"...."
"Tell the truth, Dad."
The truth was basically what her father had just said, a disagreent.
"Rachel, you're young, so you don't know much about business. But as a businessman, protecting one's company always cos first."
"Even if it ant the family falling apart?"
"...."
"What are you, Dad? A businessman, or a father?"
"...."
"Was the company really that much more important than our family?"
"...."
"Why aren't you saying anything?"
That...
He was utterly speechless.
He seed to struggle articulating his words as his eyes squinted with an agonizing look.
It was a confrontation.
No, at this point, this was an interrogation.
She wanted to ask him.
Ask him everything, about the truth.
She gritted her teeth.
But shortly after, her father finally spoke as he t her gaze.
"...I did it to protect you, Amy... and Samantha."
Rachel's eyes shot wide open at the sudden revelation.
She didn't see this coming at all.
Did that an that her father still loved her mother?
The way he spoke, there was a tinge of sorrow in his tone.
Clearly, there was sothing amiss. Sothing that deeply held her father amidst everything.
However, she needed to confirm her conjectures.
"...What do you an?"
Slowly, Rafael stood up.
"I have to go."
"Dad...!"
She reached out to him.
He walked ahead, but turned his head slightly to look at his daughter.
"Just know that everything that's happened, was all for our family's sake. Even if the Ashfield's may resent for it."
"...."
Utterly speechless.
Staring at her father's departing back, Rachel couldn't find a way to articulate her words at all.
All she could do was grit her teeth and silently watch her father walk away.
But...
"Dad, look at ."
Rafel paused and turned around, eting her gaze. The look on his face told Rachel everything she needed to know.
Her father was clearly being held against his will. To be forced to distance himself from his family.
"...I love you."
Rafael's eyes shot wide open. But all of a sudden, his expressions broke.
His mouth began trembling, and his fist clenched tightly.
Without even realizing it, a single tear trickled down Rachel's cheek.
Drip.
All of a sudden, Rachel stood up. Running towards her father, she hugged him tightly as he returned her embrace.
"Rachel..."
Rafael's voice cracked.
But he continued.
"Daddy's doing everything he can. Just continue with your studies. Be a good girl as always."
"...Yes."
She agreed as she buried herself in his chest.
She was well aware that her father couldn't tell her anything.
No, everything.
But it was for her sake.
Now everything made sense.
Why her father had given her an apartnt of her own.
She could well agree that the apartnt was well guarded. The staff treated her well, and was often there, in place of her father's absence.
Usually, she would only et him during the weekends. Which was why Rachel was usually gone during those days.
Sob. Sob.
She sobbed as her father caressed her hair gently.
However, Rachel began to ponder.
It made no sense that the Ashfield's would resent and cast him away, just because he wouldn't allow his company to get absorbed.
From what she knew, there was a disagreent between her father and her grandfather on her mother's side.
But those were nothing but rumors.
Rumors she had often heard from the maids of the Ashfield residence.
But now that she was old enough, she knew she couldn't believe those rumors anymore.
Her father wouldn't tell her anything, and she was well aware that he had his reason.
Then...
Would she find sothing out if she visited the Ashfield estate...?
***
Next day.
Students gathered around the combat area as they awaited Evelyn's instructions.
Today was the day for the Teamfight Tactics session.
In the morning, Brandon went to the academy with Rachel. For so reason, Rachel wouldn't tell him the reason for her absence on the day before.
Due to her absence, she wasn't allowed to participate as she sat down on the spectator aisle.
But as he looked at her from down below, he could see how she wasn't bothered by it at all.
In fact, she seed to be lost in deep thoughts as she stared blankly at the entire scene.
Clearly, she had her own internal issues to resolve, and Brandon respected that.
He would have to wait for her to tell him everything.
In the novel, Rachel's family issues were never resolved, as far as what he could rember.
However, things were now different.
She was now aware of her father's current predicant.
But truth be told, he didn't want to involve himself in others' family matters.
...But Rachel.
She was precious to him.
Even if he had such thoughts, if she asked for his help, he would offer his assistance in a heartbeat.
But for now, he had to wait out.
Clearing his thoughts, he redirected his attention back to Evelyn.
Her instructions were more or less simple.
A typical capture the flag ga.
The two opposing groups would work together to defend their flag, and capture the enemy's flag in the process.
However, her next words were what made things seem even more complicated.
"Instead of using actual flags. A person would take that role instead."
"...."
So that ant...
"I can see the visible shocks in your faces. That's right, you will each select a single mber of your group to act as a flag. The first one to take down the opposing team's flag wins."
All of a sudden, soone raised their hand.
Nodding, Evelyn called upon the student's na and allowed him to pose a question.
"Are the flags allowed to join the battle?"
"Yes."
Evelyn nodded.
Looking around, it seed like no one had any other questions left as they all stood in silence.
"Okay, if there are no other questions, I'll give you five minutes to choose who would act as your respective flags."
At her instructions, all the groups present quickly huddled up and began their discussions.
And for Brandon...
There was no need for a discussion.
He didn't even need to et their gaze, to know that Julie and Cyrus were already looking at him.
Stifling a laugh, he nodded.
"Alright."
At that, five minutes went by in a flash and each group had selected their teammate, to act as their group's corresponding flags.
Shortly after, Evelyn's voice rang in the air as she instructed each flag to step forward.
Students imdiately followed suit and Brandon stepped forward.
Looking around, he could see the familiar figure who was already looking at him.
With a smile, Brandon nodded at Raven.
"As expected."
And as he turned his head to the left, another familiar figure was looking back at him.
With the sa nod he gave to Raven, Brandon nodded his head at Reinhard.
Shortly after, Evelyn began the draws for the upcoming matchups.
Squinting his eyes, he could definitely see mana slightly pouring out of Evelyn's hand.
It was subtle. But spending ti with Evelyn, he could more or less tell when Evelyn would use mana, according to her gestures.
And as expected...
"For the first match..."
A tentative silence lingered as Evelyn paused.
But unknowingly, the corner of Brandon's lips pulled up to a smile.
"Raven Blackheart's team."
And if his conjectures were correct, the next words that Evelyn would utter would undoubtedly be his na--
"Reinhard Van's team."
"...."
Oh.
Guess he was wrong.
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