The laughter of the Past Vione vanished in an instant, replaced by another question that arose in her mind. Were those tears really tears of amusement, or just the opposite? Maybe they were tears she had been holding back until she finally had a reason to let them fall.
“Vione?”
The past Vione stumbled over her words. “Y-yes, of course, Cora. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure?” Cora asked again, her voice sounding suspicious. “Because I feel differently. My intuition tells me something’s wrong.”
The Past Vione could only remain silent.
“So be honest with me. Are you having problems?” There was a slight pause, as if Cora needed reassurance to continue. “Is it to do with the recent rumors? The gossip about Alpha.”
There was a pang in The Past Vione’s heart, as if someone were squeezing it. She had suspected that the rumors about the forbidden relationship between Usher and Mireya had spread everywhere. After all, it was not unusual for them to openly flaunt their forbidden relationship in front of everyone.
However, The Past Vione had never expected Cora to bring up the subject without warning. Frankly, she was not ready to discuss such a sensitive topic, especially since she had just finished a heated argument with Usher and Mireya.
“It seems that my hunch was right.”
The Past Vione couldn’t help but let out a long sigh. “Cora.”
“I really couldn’t believe it when I heard the gossip, Vione. How could it be? It doesn’t make any sense. I know how much you love each other. I vividly remember the events of your coming-of-age ceremony. Alpha was so worried about you; he loved you so much.”
Cora’s words only stirred the sadness that The Past Vione had momentarily calmed. It reminded her of the past; Usher really did love her.
“I’m sure there’s something wrong here. I refuse to believe that Alpha would betray you like this, Vione. Even if he did betray you, it’s impossible that he would do it so openly.”
This time, The Past Vione could not help the bitter smile that appeared on her face. “Honestly, I don’t know, Cora. Whether he cheats on me discreetly or openly, it would be just as painful.”
“V-Vione, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”
“I know,” The Past Vione said with a heavy sigh. Then she felt that changing the subject brought another wave of exhaustion. So, she decided to end the conversation. “All right, Cora. I think there’s something I need to take care of. Enjoy your comedy series.”
The call ended and The Past Vione immediately lay down on the bed. Obviously, the conversation with Cora had not gone the way she’d hoped. Cora had brought up Usher, which only added to her confusion and sadness.
About fifteen minutes later, The Past Vione got out of bed. There was a place that came to her mind, a place where she was sure she could distract herself from the current situation. So, she got ready. She showered and prepared herself as best she could. She made sure that there were no traces of sadness on her face and appearance. Then she got into her car, unaccompanied by any guards. Her destination: the house of her parents.
As The Past Vione had suspected, her arrival was greeted with joy by Addy and Hilary. They both seemed delighted, considering they had not had much time to spend together since The Past Vione had become Luna. She had to stay at The Palace and deal with the various responsibilities that came with her position.
The Past Vione enjoyed the time with her parents as much as possible. She didn’t want a second to go by in vain. She enjoyed Hilary’s snacks and responded to Addy’s jokes, which reminded her of her days before she became Luna.
Unconsciously, The Past Vione was startled. A question filled her mind. If I hadn’t become Usher’s partner, would my life still be as happy as it is now?
Ironically, The Past Vione had once thought that being Usher’s partner was the greatest happiness she could wish for. However, it seemed that reality didn’t match her expectations. Usher had betrayed her. Usher had destroyed the happiness and love they had nurtured since their youth.
“Vione.”
Hilary’s laughter, which had stopped for a moment, resumed as she noticed something strange about the past Vione. Her gaze fell on a tear trickling down The Past Vione’s cheek-a tear.
The atmosphere suddenly changed. It wasn’t just Hilary who noticed the anomaly, Addy did too.
The Past Vione looked between her parents with a puzzled expression. A smile still adorned her face, but it seemed hollow. “What’s wrong? Why are Mom and Dad suddenly so quiet?”
“We should be asking you that, Vione,” Hilary said, concern evident in her eyes. “What’s happening to you? Is there a problem?”
The Past Vione shook her head, feeling a chill creep over her body. She didn’t want her parents to know. “Nothing, Mom. I’m fine. Everything is fine. There’s no problem at all. I-”
Hilary reached out and wiped the tear from her cheek, cutting off The Past Vione’s words.
The Past Vione realized that maybe it was a mistake to visit her parents. It hadn’t alleviated the sadness. Instead, she would have to show it, and as a result, her parents would share a similar sadness. Besides, it was a natural law for parents to feel the sadness of their child.
This time, The Past Vione couldn’t deny it, even though she couldn’t answer Hilary’s question. She couldn’t possibly reveal what she was going through, even though her parents might already know about her troubles.
“Vione,” Hilary called softly and reached for The Past Vione’s hand. She squeezed The Past Vione’s fingers gently. “Tell us. What’s happening to you?”
The Past Vione felt pressured by Hilary and Addy’s concern. But she couldn’t reveal everything. In the end, tears were the only answer she could offer.
*