Anom didn't reply instantly. He stared at Loreana for a longer period than was considered appropriate before finally asking, "You did it again, didn't you? You should stop already."
"What are you talking about?" Loreana replied, maintaining a straight face.
Anom let out a sigh as he walked toward the beautiful mother, stopping in front of her. "You know, suppressing your feelings like this will hurt you more than you can imagine. Trust me, instead of relying on whatever drug you're using to numb your emotions, just share them with me."
"How do you...?" Loreana was startled, never imagining that he would know about it.
"Well, I sensed a peculiar substance suppressing your vitality. You know, when we were hugging earlier," Anom explained, chuckling.
Loreana blushed slightly, a trace of confusion flashing across her eyes.
"Ah, I'm referring to the time we hugged outside old Head Gamus's house."
This time, she turned completely red, not expecting to be read like an open book by someone younger than her.
"I... I just want to keep my mind clear. Otherwise, it'll be hard for me to focus," she explained, sounding like a child making excuses.
Shaking his head, Anom replied, "Screw that! First of all, tell me whether you believe in my ability to solve this mess or not."
Loreana stared at him, taken aback by his forcefulness. However, she mustered a simple reply without hesitation. "I do."
She added, "It's quite strange, isn't it? Even I can't believe that I can have this type of—although not entirely—unconditional trust in someone. I've only known you for a week, and yet here I am, placing my blind trust and the responsibility of saving my daughter and my family's fate in a stranger's hands... It's a mystical feeling, one that I can't explain." Wonder filled her face, and the more she thought about it, the stranger it felt.
Anom said, "That's also one of the topics I wanted to discuss with you."
"Do you know something about this... strange feeling?" Loreana asked, surprised.
"A little." Anom nodded before continuing, "We'll talk about that later. I also need to tell you about the plan I discussed with those girls from the capital. But before that, there's something more important we need to discuss."
Loreana wondered what he could have discussed with those girls when she heard his last sentence. "Something more important than that? What?"
Anom took hold of her hand and pulled her toward the bed. Making themselves comfortable, he finally answered, "We need to tell Crystal about her father."
"No!" Loreana refused, growing agitated. "You can't... At least not now."
"Calm down!" Anom tightened his grip as he spoke. "Listen to me first. You and I both know that the real reason behind your instability is Crystal, not... your husband's death. Whether you admit it or not, you're afraid to face the consequences of your daughter knowing the truth. But believe me when I say this: it will only get harder for you to tell her as time goes on. Even Crystal will struggle to accept the situation the longer you delay. You don't want to hurt her that much, do you?"
"Telling her the truth now will also hurt her!" Loreana was still clearly against the idea.
"Yes, she will be hurt, but that's only natural given the circumstances, and the pain will eventually fade. But if she finds out that her mother kept her unaware of her father's death while she was desperately searching for a way to heal him, it will hurt her even more. So you have two options: either wait for all of this to be over, which could take months, and then tell her, risking her developing resentment toward you, or tell her right now and be there to support her through this difficult time. An intelligent person like you doesn't even need to consider which option is right, do you?"
Loreana calmed down after hearing his words. She was a strong and independent woman, but the recent events had left her emotionally battered, making it difficult for her to gather the courage to tell her daughter the truth about her husband's demise. The fear of hurting and losing her daughter only intensified her struggle to cope.
With her head hanging low, she finally acquiesced in a low voice, "Fine."
Anom nodded in relief, but Loreana continued speaking.
"But I'm unable to tell her. I'm not sure how to approach her in case she blames me. I might not be able to handle it... Could you inform her on my behalf, please?"
Anom wanted to refuse, but when he saw the grief and pleading expression in Loreana's eyes, he changed his mind.
"Alright. Maybe you're not the best person to deliver this news. Okay, I'll tell her."
"Mm. Thank you very much."
Loreana fell silent, still deep in thought with her head bowed, unaware that she was clutching Anom's hand tightly. Anom enjoyed the softness and warmth of her delicate hand. Her supple and smooth skin turned slightly pink under the pressure. He found himself wanting to prolong this brief but pleasurable physical contact with his potential mother-in-law. He acknowledged his fondness for her, but he also understood her aversion to the subject. He had already labeled their previous encounter as a happy accident, something to be remembered but not repeated.
Yet, as if mocking his resolve, a glimpse of smooth white skin peeked out from the collar of her gown as Loreana leaned forward in thought. He tried his best to avert his gaze, but somehow his usually unwavering composure faltered this time.
'No! Don't stare, my eyes... Dammit! I said, don't! Both of you, stop it! How can I lose my unyielding temperament that didn't even waver while watching those ridiculous fan service episodes?'
As Anom struggled to regain control of his wandering eyes, Loreana finally decided to look up. Their gazes met, and Anom managed to regain his composure, acting as if he hadn't been caught staring.
Clearing his throat, he suggested, "Hmm, the girls from the capital are still waiting outside. Perhaps you should go and make some arrangements for them, and in the meantime, I'll talk to Crystal and do my best to comfort her, alright?"
Loreana didn't speak further and simply nodded, loosening her grip on his hands and standing up from the bed. She walked towards a cabinet, retrieving a robe to cover herself before heading towards the door. The silence in the room made Anom feel slightly awkward.
Just as he was about to break the silence, Loreana suddenly spoke: "Even if Crystal ends up hating me, make sure she doesn't feel the same way about you. She'll need someone to support her."
"Don't worry," Anom replied without turning towards her, unaware of the fading flush on Loreana's face.
With that, Loreana left the room and made her way to the entrance of her villa.
"I'll take it from here, Crystal. You go into my room. Anom has something to discuss with you," Loreana calmly addressed her daughter, though a trace of worry and unease briefly flickered across her expression.
"Okay, Mom." Crystal nodded and headed towards her mother's room.
As Loreana watched her daughter walk away, a hint of concern lingered in her eyes. However, she quickly composed herself and turned to the two girls who had been waiting outside.
With a warm smile, she greeted them, saying, "I apologize for keeping you waiting, my dear guests. Please come with me, and I'll show you to your rooms."
Kristin, still captivated by Loreana's elegant demeanor, responded absentmindedly before snapping out of her reverie. "Yes... Ah! Thank you, Madam Safaira!"
'Oh, how I wish I could possess the same elegance and charm as her someday. Hmph! If that were the case, none of those critical elders in the house would dare to oppose me!' Kristin daydreamed, her admiration for Loreana growing stronger.
Meanwhile, Nia had been stealing glances at Loreana's chest for quite some time. Eventually, she glanced down at her own bosom and couldn't help but let out a defeated sigh. Looking at her friend, she felt slightly reassured.
"Shall we take a stroll?" Loreana suggested. The two girls nodded, and the trio began walking towards the guest villas, with Loreana leading the way.
...
"What did you want to talk about, Anom? And you really have no shame, do you? Making my mother ask me to come to her room to meet you? Seriously?" Crystal feigned anger as she sat beside him on the bed.
Anom smiled at her attempt to look angry, finding that her expression only made her look cuter. Taking hold of her waist, he pulled her onto his lap.
Crystal made a half-hearted attempt to resist but soon gave in, finding comfort in his embrace.
"Hey now! Don't squirm like that... You might damage something valuable!" Anom teased, gripping her waist to draw her closer.
Crystal blushed at his remark and playfully hit him. "What are you talking about, you rascal? You're the one benefiting here. The least you could do is let me get comfortable."
Anom chuckled but remained silent. He leaned back, resting his head against the soft cushion of the headboard. Crystal followed suit, maneuvering her lithe body like a snake to settle her head on his chest. She didn't press him about the topic he wanted to discuss. Instead, she relished the calm rhythm of his heartbeat and the comforting warmth he exuded.
The quietude lingered for a while before Anom finally broke the silence. "Do you miss your father?"