The reunion between a mother and daughter who hadn’t seen each other for many years should have been exceedingly touching. However, even Isabelle herself could sense the distance between us. Not only did her feeble consolation and words that cut me to the quick fail to reduce the distance between us, but they had blood gushing from my wound instead.
After she had left, and the family had an addition of a stepmother and her daughter, how good would my life be as a child with no mother? Had she never considered all that? I just wanted a hug from her and for her to tell me how much she missed me and console me for having suffered in her absence while sobbing. But she didn’t say that to me. She merely uttered vapid words of how Nathan took good care of me!
I didn’t stay at the party. Christopher kept comforting me after returning to the hotel, but I remained despondent.
“Since you missed her so much, why didn’t you talk to her nicely? You really should have kept a tight rein on your temper. Look, you only caused yourself to be so crestfallen and regretful instead. I’ve truly pampered you too much,” Christopher lamented with a sigh as he hugged me.
“Perhaps I expected too much.” I rubbed my red and swollen eyes before forcing a chuckle. “Chris, I really wanted to throw myself into her arms and exclaim for joy that I’ve finally found her and now have a mother at long last. But I truly couldn’t bring myself to do so anymore at her feeble words of consolation. Do you think I went overboard?”
“You only did something many people will do, so it’s human nature. When you see her next time, talk to her nicely.”
Talk to her nicely? I inwardly heaved a sigh. I’m afraid that I might not know what to say to her.
“She might still put in an appearance at the party tomorrow, so communicate with her properly then.”
“Okay,” I answered wanly. Instead of anticipating meeting her again, I was instead filled with apprehension.
On the second day of the party, a charity auction was held at the Pelagic Museum. Ansley donated an old painting from his collection and declared that he would be channeling the proceeds from the auction of the painting to impoverished areas. Likewise, the rest of us could also donate the proceeds from the auction of our paintings to the country on the spot.
Entering the banquet hall with Christopher, we sat in the seats arranged by the organizer. I immediately started searching the place, but I saw no signs of my mother. Instead, I only saw Mark sitting in the frontmost seat alone.
“That’s the patriarch of the Goldstein family, yes?” I asked Christopher.
Christopher cast a glance at the elegant man in front before nodding. “Yup, he’s Lucas’ uncle and has been recuperating in Anglandur all these years. Rumor has it that his health isn’t all that great.”
“Does he have any children?” I inquired in a whisper. Would I have other siblings? If Mom has other children, I think I’d be a good sister.
“There haven’t been any rumors about that matter,” Christopher explained.
Back then, there was a very fierce internal strife in the Goldstein family in a bid to vie for power. In the end, the position of the patriarch fell to Mark. His uncles, who fought him for the position, all ended up in bad shape. It was said that his poor health was due to someone else setting him up. For that reason, he entrusted Lucas’ father to manage the Goldstein family.”
Perhaps I was staring too hard that Mark abruptly turned and looked at me. Then, he even flashed me an amicable smile and beckoned at me, saying, “Why don’t you come over and sit here?”
Forcing a smile, I politely declined.
I was looking forward to my mother’s appearance the entire night, but she never turned up. Finally, I gave up.
The host of the auction was skilled at making the atmosphere lively. As such, painting after painting was auctioned off at high prices. Just then, the host on the stage suddenly cried out, “The next painting to be auctioned off is a painting known as Autumnal Panorama, the work of Hawen’s new school artist, Crystal Yates! She’s an apprentice of Oliver Horne, and Mr. Horne has had high praises for this painting! Now, let’s all enjoy the autumnal feeling of the painting…”
