The old lady looked at the source of the voice and her eyes flickered with not so much surprise as Alcina entered the room. When she entered the room, the woman from earlier left to give both of them so privacy.
"I assu you recognize ," Alcina said as she noticed the old lady's gaze.
The old lady scoffed. "As if I can ever forget these eyes."
"Why are you here, Alcina?" The old lady asked her with a sigh. Of course, she recognized her. "If you expect answers which you most likely will, you won't be getting any from ."
"How are you so sure that I'm Alcina? I could be an imposter," Alcina said, cocking a brow.
The old woman sneered. "This cockiness and arrogance. You inherited from your father." At the ntion of her father's, there was a flicker of disdain in the old lady's eyes. It slowly turned into gentleness though. "And your facial features, especially your unique eye color, you inherited from your mother. Your mother has the most beautiful eyes. Although you got the sa color, but yours could hold a single drop of gentleness and benevolence such as hers."
"Where did her gentleness and benevolence take her?" Alcina said in an indifferent manner, her tall fra leaning against the door. "In the end, she died. Her story ended. The selflessness that she bestowed on that family didn't even let her die in peace. What would you do with so-called benevolence and gentleness if it ends up killing you?"
"You can't be like her even if you try, " the old lady said with a shake of the head. However, she couldn't hate Alcina, given how she knew how Alcina had survived the twenty-eight years of her life on her own. But was it too selfish of her to see a little of Elena in her?
"I don't want to be like her in the first place, " Alcina said. "Love destroyed her, Mrs. He. She let love weaken her. She died the worst death a mother could ever imagine. Without seeing the face of her child for the one last ti. Her selfishness, benevolence, and kind heart took her life in the end." She paused and then added in a defeated voice. " I've been searching for you for years now. Since I ran away from that place, I knew that I had to find you. Please, I need answers. I need to know everything. I need to know what made my father fake his own death. I need to know why everything happened in the first place?"
The old lady was put in a dilemma as she saw Alcina's glassy eyes. She could read the desperation and helplessness inside her eyes. But she didn't want her to burn her life with vengeance. Those who had died couldn't return but those who were still alive could be saved. It was what Alcina's father had begged her to do before his death. He was right that one day his daughter would co knocking at her door, demanding answers and she ca.
"Co here," the old woman said to Alcina.
Alcina walked to her side and sat on the stool placed near the bed. The old lady caressed her face with her callous and old hands and whispered, "Sweet Ali, you have grown very beautifully and courageously. Let tell you one thing, your mom and dad are so proud of you wherever they are today." She paused and her eyes turned wet with unshed tears. She continued, "Your parents knew that you would co to one day. They made promise to never tell you anything that will put your life in danger. You were their treasure. Knowing your nature, how can I give you answers? You will wreak havoc and won't co out unscathed. Go back. Live a happy and peaceful life. Don't look for . Find yourself a good man if you haven't until now. It was my wish to see you once before dying and perhaps, this was what kept alive till now. Go ho, Ali. I don't think I can bear to be the reason for another war. Last ti, it was the war of love. This ti, it will be the war of vengeance."
The old lady recalled how Elena destroyed her own life for love. What she didn't do for her so-called love? And Alcina, she could recognize the sa passion in her eyes that she once saw in Elena's. Both would forget themselves for sothing they at
were passionate about.
"It's not the war of vengeance, " Alcina whispered back. "It's the war of survival. And we do everything to survive in this ugly world. They are after my daughter. My only family in this world. You know my grandfather, he won't stop until he achieves what he wants. Mom was the collateral damage. Dad was his enemy. He thinks dad destroyed his daughter. He won't stop until he destroys everything including his own great-granddaughter. He didn't know that she existed. If he ever did and whose daughter she is …. He would kill her…. Grandma, tell what secrets my mother and father died protecting. Tell , what my grandfather wants… what made him so desperate. He knows that he is reaching the end of his life, he will do everything in his power to achieve it…"
"Alcina, stay away from the big families in the capital city and you will be fine," The old lady said imdiately. "Promise , you will never ask questions."
Alcina didn't know how to make the old lady understand about what she was talking about. "Seeing your loyalty to the dead, I don't know whether to applaud you or shake you hard to let the gravity of the situation sink in your old brain. I do not care about vengeance. All I care about are those who are alive. You all are selfish. Mom, dad, and now even you. Your selfishness will cause great harm to the only family I'm left with."
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