I wonder if she’s in the greenhouse. Claire went to the greenhouse and heard sounds of conversation coming from one of the rooms, so she approached it.
Ruka and Ren were inside the room. She was feeling better after that little counseling session Ren gave her. They were sitting face to face. Claire looked in and heaved a sigh of relief. I finally found her. So she was meeting Ren.
Just when she was about to call out to her daughter, Ruka spread her arms and hugged Ren. She even stood on tiptoes and kissed his cheek.
Claire’s eyes went wide with shock. What is she doing? She can’t do that to Ren! She couldn’t see the look on Ren’s face, since his back was turned to her. However, she did see how impertinent Ruka was, and then the girl actually
smiled shyly. Ren said, “I think we should head back now.”
“Sure.” Ruka nodded.
Claire thought her heart would burst from her chest. She quickly went to the garden in case Ruka and Ren found out she was eavesdropping, even though she didn’t mean to eavesdrop.
Claire was trying to cool down with the breeze, but to no avail. I can’t believe she just kissed Ren! She felt like she didn’t know her daughter. What Ruka did just crossed all the boundaries she set for Ruka ever since Ruka was a child.
How did this happen? Where did I go wrong? She can’t kiss her own elder. Her chest was heaving. Ruka’s gone too far, but I guess it’s my fault.
Every mother had great expectations for their children, including Claire. She didn’t need Ruka to be successful or anything, but at least she had to be an upright lady.
“That is not how we raised you, Ruka!” Claire felt like she could cry.
At the same time, Ruka and Ren had come back to the dining room, but she was still too nervous to go inside. She said, “I’ll need to use the bathroom.”
Ren knew she was still anxious, so he went inside without her. The moment he took his seat, Sophie looked at him sheepishly. Ren ignored her. He had decided to make it clear that he wasn’t dating Sophie. He didn’t want his parents to keep misunderstanding them.
Sophie shot Ruka a jealous look when she came back. Ruka took her seat, and to her surprise, she didn’t see her mother. Where did she go?
The dinner got a little glum since everyone, apart from Walter, Robert and Harold, was weighed down by their own thoughts. They were having a good time drinking and didn’t get weighed down by anything, maybe except for the booze.
Ruka was halfway through her meal when Claire came back. She was looking happy a while ago, but now it was obvious she was troubled.
Ruka noticed that, of course. She looked at her, and Claire turned around to meet her gaze as well. She heaved a big sigh. “Finish your food. We’re going home soon.”
Ruka was surprised. We’re going home after this?
They were almost done with their meal after a while. Charlotte invited everyone for tea, but Claire was already saying goodbye. Scarlet wanted them to stay, but Claire insisted on leaving.
“We really have to go, Scarlet. Thanks for inviting us.”
She dragged her tipsy husband out. Ren knew they were leaving, so he came over and said, “Mr. Singed is drunk. I’ll get someone to take you home.”
Claire quickly said, “It’s alright, vice president. Ruka will drive. We’ll go slow.”
Ruka looked at Ren. She was reluctant to leave, but her parents insisted, so she couldn’t stay. “I’ll be going home then.”
“Drive safely. Text me when you get home,” he whispered.
