At the Imperial Garden.
Evan called Nicole and told her to eat lunch with the kids, as he had some business to attend to. So the woman had her lunch with Nina and Maya.
The atmosphere at the dining table was a little odd. Maya was the only one who talked to Nicole, while Nina was cold, looking like an ice sculpture, staying silent all the time. The girl didn’t bother interacting with any of them.
After she forced some food down her throat, the girl stood up, leaving for her bedroom upstairs.
Looking at her sister’s figure walking up the stairs, Maya sighed. “When will Nina feel better? I went to her room this morning to talk to her, but she wasn’t listening to a word I said! She was just fiddling with her skincare products while staring at them.”
Nicole felt melancholic upon seeing her daughter behave like this. “Nina’s hurt. Her heart’s bleeding.”
“Mommy, how about we think of some activities to do with Nina?” Maya blinked her eyes innocently.
I don’t think Nina will feel like doing them with us.
It’s hard to heal a heartbreak.
Nicole told her other daughter, “Mommy will go see her later.”
Maya suggested, “Mommy, if you need me to do anything, tell me. Should I make a sweet dessert for Nina? Maybe that will cheer her up.”
Nicole was happy that Maya cared about Nina so much, but she doubted anything could cheer the sad girl up. “No need. I think Nina won’t have the appetite. Maya, your Daddy said that he will hold a Gourmet Conference for you in two days. You should make some preparations when you have time so that you will be ready for it. Tell Mommy if you need anything, okay?”
“Alright, Mommy. I’ll make some preparations now. I won’t let you and Daddy down.”
Nicole looked at the young girl with anticipation. “Mommy believes in you.”
Upon receiving her mother’s support, Maya strolled to her test kitchen, brimming with confidence.
When that conversation ended, Nicole headed upstairs and knocked on Nina’s bedroom door. “Nina, it’s Mommy. Can I come in?”
Nina remained silent as she slowly got up and opened the door.
When she saw Nicole, she stepped aside. It was obvious that she was inviting her mother in even though she didn’t say a word.
Nicole entered the room and scrutinized the ingredients used in skin care products on the table. All things aside, the thick notebook which Nina used to record the proportions of ingredients for different skincare effects caught her eye.
She took the book and saw the words that stood out in the first sentence: Mr. Sanders said that…
Mr. Sanders? Chris?
To Nina, Chris must be her predestined fate.
Nicole closed the notebook and took Nina’s hands in hers while looking at her earnestly. “Nina, are you still thinking of him?”
Him? Chris?
The name of her love flooded her mind instantly. Nina wanted to shake her head, denying the fact she was thinking about him, but her tears kept streaming down her cheeks. All the emotions bottled up inside her burst out suddenly, and she felt like crying. “Mommy, I-I can’t forget about him! I really can’t!” After saying her words, sorrow soon overwhelmed her while her tears trickled down her cheeks.
Nicole gripped Nina’s hands tightly, her heart aching at the suffering of her daughter. “Nina, Mommy knows your pain. Vent it out. Holding it in will only make it worse.”
The girl sobbed while looking at her mother. “Mommy, do you think he will remember me after returning to K Nation… Will he miss me too?”
Nicole patted Nina’s back, trying to calm her down, but at the same time, she wished her daughter would get over the man. “Nina, I’ve told you this before. He was using you. Listen to me. He’s just a passer-by in your life to teach you to be careful in choosing whom to love and whom not to.”
Nina cried out as her tears rolled down fiercely. “But Mommy, I really like him! He made me feel something special. It’s like we’ve known each other a long time ago – maybe in our past lives. I don’t think he’s just a passer-by… He’s the one for me.”
