The grand lobby of the hotel was an orchestration of muted elegance, the soft lullaby of music and the rustle of refined fabrics creating a gentle lody that belied the storm brewing within Cecilia. The entire lobby seed empty, as if soone wanted it to be like that. Cecilia could guess it must have been Rachel since she had so stake in this hotel.
Her heels clicked a staccato rhythm on the polished marble floor as she hurried towards the figure seated on the plush sofa, her heart pounding in her chest like a trapped bird.
Rachel, her expression a mix of worry and accusation, looked up from her tablet as her mother approached. Cecilia's breath hitched as she sat down, her voice a nervous tumble of words, "Rachel...Please, let explain."
Rachel's gaze was steady, her voice a quiet, heavy whisper, "Mom...do you not like Dad anymore?"
Cecilia's eyes quivered, her head shaking frantically, a desperate denial that sent tendrils of blue hair dancing around her face, "O-Of course not. What you saw isn't true, okay? I was drunk, and nothing happened." Her voice was a flustered plea, her hands fluttering like anxious birds, "Nothing could have..."
Rachel's lips pressed together, her eyes never leaving her mother's face, "Are you sure? Because from what I saw, it didn't seem that way. You and Ash...Both of you spent the entire night naked and together. Do you really think that ans nothing happened?" Her voice was a chilled blade, cutting through Cecilia's protests with a calm, brutal efficiency.
Cecilia's breath hitched, her hand reaching out to grip Rachel's, a lifeline in the storm of accusations, "Honey, I know how it looks. But believe , I wouldn't cheat on your dad. I love him, and I love you. Why would I do anything to hurt you both? Ash just misunderstood, and once I sort through my mories, I can show you that I didn't do anything wrong. Okay?" Her voice was a desperate plea, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
Rachel's sigh was a heavy, weary sound, a burden too great for her to bear, "I don't think that's necessary, Mom. I already saw the CCTV footage of what happened last night. Since you don't seem to rember, you should see for yourself." She held out the tablet, her expression a mix of pity and concern.
Cecilia's hand trembled as she took the tablet, her fingers brushing against the cool screen. She tapped it, the video springing to life with a harsh, unforgiving clarity. Her eyes widened as she watched her drunken self stumble into Ash, his arms reaching out to steady her, to help her walk. She could see the concern etched on his face, the gentle way he guided her, and her heart sank like a stone in her chest.
Rachel's voice was a soft, distant murmur, a narration of the nightmare unfolding before Cecilia's eyes, "I was too busy so I couldn't co pick you up and only could leave you a voice ssage. After the first ti he called , I got missed calls from Ash, probably to tell to co and pick you up. But I missed them because of my work."
Cecilia's eyes darted to Rachel, a brief, anxious glance before turning back to the screen. Her fingers trembled as she tapped to the next clip, her breath hitching as she watched Ash help her through the corridor. And then, with a sense of dread that coiled like a snake in her stomach, she switched to the next clip.
Her eyes shook, her breath caught in her throat like a shard of glass as she saw herself engaged in a passionate kiss with Ash.
His hands were on her hands, as if trying to gently push them away from his face, but her lips were latched onto his, her body pressed against him with a desperate, drunken fervor.
She couldn't believe the woman passionately kissing a young man was actually her. "No...No...This can't be..." Cecilia's voice was a shaken whisper, her eyes wide with disbelief and horror. The tablet trembled in her hands, the video playing on, a cruel, unrelenting mirror that reflected a truth she could not bear to see.
Then, like a spark in the darkness, a mory surfaced. It was faint, like the last ember of a dying fla, but it was there. She rembered the mont when she had been passionately engaged in a kiss with Ash. The dizzying scent of his cologne, the warmth of his lips on hers, and the inexplicable electricity that surged through her body as if she had been struck by lightning. It was real, undeniable.
Her breath hitched as the realization sunk in, making her heart pound painfully in her chest. She had kissed another man who wasn't her husband. Then could she really have…
The sha was suffocating, her mind swirling with disbelief and regret. How could she have done sothing so unforgivable, especially with soone who was young enough to be her son? And yet, now that she rembered, she couldn't refute it. Even if she couldn't rember if she slept with Ash, she still crossed a line she never thought she would. If anyone else learned about it...she would be finished.
Rachel's gaze weighed heavily on her, like a judge waiting for a confession. Cecilia couldn't bring herself to et her daughter's eyes, her own filled with tears of guilt and sha. She felt like she was unraveling at the seams, every inch of her screaming to sohow make this right.
"I... I am sorry," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she tightened her grip on Rachel's hand, her knuckles white with the effort, "I don't know why I did this, but I didn't do it on purpose," Her eyes finally lifted to et Rachel's, desperate for understanding, for forgiveness. "Rachel, please. You have to believe . Please don't hate . I don't want you to misunderstand."
Rachel's face twisted with emotion, the struggle evident in her eyes as if she were battling against the torrent of feelings within her. She winced, her fingers trembling as she cupped her mother's hand, a gesture so tender it nearly broke Cecilia's heart.
"Mom... are you not happy with how things are right now? Are you not happy with Dad?" Rachel asked, her voice strained, as if the words themselves were painful to utter.
Cecilia's eyes flickered with confusion and denial. How could she answer that? How could she put into words the turmoil she had been suppressing for so long? "Of course, I—"
"No, Mom," Rachel interrupted, her tone firr now, her eyes hardening with resolve, "I want to hear the truth. You don't have to hide anything from . If you truly love , at least be open about your feelings before ."
Cecilia felt her heart tighten, Rachel's serious, almost intimidating look making her feel more vulnerable than she had ever been. It was as if the roles had reversed, and now Rachel was the one demanding answers, clarity.
Taking a deep breath, Cecilia averted her gaze, feeling the weight of the truth pressing down on her chest, "I... I don't know," she finally admitted, her voice a choked whisper, "I honestly don't. I thought I was happy... until I realized the people around were changing. I don't know when it started, but ever since that incident with Ced-the Corrupted Prince... everything seed to go wrong."
Her voice broke, the mory of Cedric's betrayal still a wound that had never truly healed, "He was the first to disappoint , making feel betrayed for trusting and loving him like family. I was so fond of him but he turned our trust and love against us, almost killing your dad and so many good Hunters in the process."
Rachel briefly clenched her fingers but she remained silent.
Cecilia went on, "And because of that, I made decisions that still haunt . Decisions I had to make for the sake of the world but didn't go right as I expected."
Rachel listened, her expression pained but determined as Cecilia continued, "Ever since that point, your dad began to change slowly. I never really noticed, or maybe I didn't want to. But now, when I think about it, he always seed... away. Not just physically but ntally. And then, after what happened with Hellbringer..." Her voice trembled as she looked at Rachel, tears welling in her eyes, "You changed as well. But I consider it my fault for not being able to protect you."
Rachel's grip on her mother's hand tightened, her eyes shimring with unshed tears, "Mom, you should never bla yourself for that. If anything, I'm thankful it happened because it made stronger and opened my eyes to a lot of truths. Before that, I was just a spoiled brat who saw the world in black and white. Without everything I went through, I wouldn't have known that there are many shades in between, be it the world or people."
Cecilia's expression contorted as Rachel's words washed over her, bringing both pain and comfort. Her daughter, who had suffered so much, was now the one offering her solace. Cecilia said with a look of guilt and apology, "I am sorry. I have never been a good mom to you, especially after what I did last night. But to answer your question…I don't know if I am happy. I miss who Derek once was…the man I married. But these days I…I can't recognize him and it could be because of the burden of being the president. Still, that doesn't excuse what I did, and I promise to make sure this won't happen ever again and right my wrongs," Cecilia said with a look of determination.
"Mom. Who said you did sothing wrong?" Rachel asked candidly.
"Eh?"
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