BXBX NOVEL Chapter 176 When Women Decide
"Mother, Father! It's me!!" Alicia realized that she had startled the old couple and shocked them with her rushing figure. She immediately stopped her approach at a certain distance and introduced herself in an apologetic tone.
She looked guiltily at the old couple who were still shaking in shock and surprise.
Poor elderlies, their hearts couldn't take the scare!
"Mother, Father. Breathe slowly.." Alicia tried to calm them down by reminding them to breathe.
"Heavens Alicia! How many times do I have to say that you are no longer a child! A lady should not run around like that!!!" Count Cross exclaimed aggrievedly and started to reprimand Alicia while his eyes were on his beloved wife, who was still taking deep breaths.
"Aiyooo! Please next time, go easy on your mother! She couldn't take the scare anymore.. Eh, who are you? Where's my daughter??!"
Just as he was about to continue his sermon, he was shocked to see a person with a different hair color than his daughter. His hands froze in the air as he pointed in Alicia's direction with great confusion.
"You… Alicia? My daughter??" Madame Cross had just recovered when she was yet again shocked at the person before them.
"Yes... Mother, Father... I visited the salon today and had my hair colored. I'm sorry. I was so excited to let you see the new appearance that I had startled you to this extent." Alicia replied rather awkwardly. She was indeed excited earlier, but now she felt guilty for scaring the old couple.
"..." The two paused for a long while slowly taking in the information they received.
The first one to recover was Alicia's mother. She was actually shocked to see Alicia's transformation.
"My daughter! Your new look really made you into a different person! You've become more dazzling and captivating!" She exclaimed in a proud tone while she stretched out her arms and hugged Alicia warmly.
"Indeed! I didn't know that my daughter hides this much beauty! I like this look of yours! I like that you are finally spending time on yourself!" Count Cross supported his wife and daughter.
"Uhn... I realized that there's more for me than being cooped up in the academy. I love teaching, but I also have to love myself more. Mother, Father... I no longer desire to advance in my career by doing favors for the Empress or to anyone. I want to stay here in the capital and not go to the Vanderford Institute. I'll take whatever comes my way." Alicia said in one breath.
The old couple was then again startled. They knew their daughter well, she was someone who won't give up on her career advancement. That was why they were constantly racking their brains and wagging their tails to the Vesalas and the Empress in order to get an opportunity for their daughter.
Yet now, their daughter was actually declaring that she would stop pursuing her dream of getting a higher position. This worried them to the extreme. How can she be happy now if she would give up?
"Mother, Father… Don't think too much. I am completely happy with my decision. Lately, I realized that I kept on pursuing something that made me lose myself. I don't want that kind of journey! So this time, I'll take it slow and enjoy the road!" Alicia could clearly see the thoughts behind her parents' worried expression.
"I will still continue to teach. Only this time, I would spend more time taking care of myself, meeting new friends, and maybe I'll get a husband too.." Alicia carefreely explained. However, her eyes were filled with hope for the journey ahead.
Alicia's persuasive words finally made the old couple awake. They realized that Alicia was determined to take a pause and start her life anew. They let out a helpless sigh and held Alicia's hands.
"All we want is to see you happy." They said, full of love in their eyes.
Yes, they loved their daughter dearly. But as a parent, they regret spoiling her so much that she became unprepared in taking on the hardships of life. They know that this was the biggest parenting mistake they had committed, and that is why they decided to support her until they can.
"Now that you have figured out what would really make you happy, then we will also support you as long as we can. Alicia, mother and father love you dearly." They continued, looking at Alicia with teary eyes.
"I love you dearly too.. Mother... Father!! I love Little Brother too." Alicia couldn't help but quiver as she said these words.
Her heart was so moved as she remembered all the things they did for her. Yet she kept on giving them trouble despite knowing that they were already getting old.
Now that she was already clear-headed, it was time for her to properly love them back.
"Oh, speaking of your little brother! They'll be coming back soon! I'd like the two of you to attend the winter banquet alright?" Madame Cross took out a golden envelope that was addressed to the Cross Family.
Looking at the envelope with understanding, Alicia nodded and expressed her willingness to join.
The trio then enjoyed tea time together. Although the winter was cold, the warmth around the three of them has made the usually desolate and solemn estate turn into a loving one.
At the same time on Eli's side, while on the way to the Farauld Estate, she was absentmindedly looking at the winter snow.
Her mind kept on thinking about when Leon would come back.
Eli spent months going back and forth figuring out her feelings towards Leon.
She kept on stalling time in order to delay confronting her feelings towards him, only to finally conclude one thing - Leon had long taken a special place in her heart.
What she was actually worried about was just her way of denying things, being the overthinker that she is.
It wasn't even the case of being helpless because she was living in Elise's stead. It was the case of her running away because she was too scared to admit it. Too scared to enter into something she never had any knowledge about.
However, the past few days when the two agreed to frequently call each other, made her heart finally surrender.
Yes, she was finally willing to act like a young lady coquettishly in love.
Although deeply embarrassed, she couldn't hide the fact that she would now always look forward to Leon's call at the end of every day. Like two young people in love, they would talk until late at night about things that sometimes weren't even important.
Yet even those things would not even make them grow tired of hearing each other's voices.
Eli felt really helpless about this matter. It was her first time being in love, it was also her first time discovering this side of herself.
She never thought that she, a twenty-seven-year-old soul from modern earth would act like a teenage girl by just exchanging a call from Leon. It seems like being in love would really make you into a different person.
This time, Eli felt that hiding and worrying no longer hold any meaning to her, Leon, and Little Han.
Whether she gets together with Leon or not, the complications around her would still be the same, she would still need to solve it anyway.
So whenever she looked back at the past months when she mundanely scared herself from entering a relationship with Leon, she would always shake her head reprimanding her past self.
Why was she so indecisive when it came to the matter with Leon?
Didn't she promise to herself and to the Great One that she will be living her life fully?
Why did she allow her worries and thinking to hold back her life?
Now that her mind is clear, she is no longer worried.
She decided in her heart that it was time!
She will answer Leon's feelings properly and personally. She would face him head-on.
She would no longer deny herself. Nor would she overthink things.
She would no longer waste time worrying about the complication of things, she had already wasted the past few months.
This time, since they are a family, Leon, Little Han, and her.
She will make it true to the highest level!
A true family filled with love!
While she was fueling her desire to finally accept Leon's feelings, the teleportation in the cottage suddenly activated.
Two good-looking young men appeared on the cottage with travel-worn expressions. One of them with golden hair and deep green eyes - it was Kayden in his original appearance.
The second one, was a man with blood-red hair and cold crystal blue eyes, the man whom Eli longs for deeply at the moment. The one whom Eli was preparing to confess to - Leon!