Chapter 176 - 172 - Hope

After discussing our plan, the boys went out to talk further in Jayden's office while the girls stayed with me in our bedroom.

"Do you think it's a girl?" I asked while brushing my hands on my belly.

Nina and Sophie were smiling at me. Well, Alora's expression was still the same, her usual cold aura.

"Yes. And she will be like her mother. Selfless, kind and honest." Sophie commented.

I blushed. "Aren't we all like that? Nina agreed to marry Andrew to save her sisters. Alora saved us a lot of times even though it would ruin her reputation.. And you, you're the most selfless person I knew."

It's true. I think Sophie's past was the saddest one among all of us. Nina grew up in a simple and normal family but she was loved by them. Alora was an heiress, although she has a mental disorder, her family loved her and treasured her dearly. 

While I have never experienced the love from my foster father, he gave me everything I needed and made sure I was taken care of by servants. Unlike Sophie, she was neglected by her own parents and treated her differently from her twin sister. Her whole family looked at her in disgust, saying that she was a curse because she was born with different eye colors.

But Sophie was the kindest and calmest person we know. She looks like a doll, a very cute and special doll.

"By the way, how's your sister?" Nina asked Sophie.

Sophie sighed deeply but smiled afterwards.

"She's fine, I think. She was still so stubborn but she changed. We're okay now. I'm just worried she won't find a husband if she acts like that."

Alora held Sophie's hands and looked at her with her cold and serious face. She was more like an Ice Queen now than we were in high school. Her coldness and emotionless reaction will really creeped you out.

"Would you like me to take care of her?" She suddenly asked.

I glanced at Nina who was also making eye movement towards me. Then we laughed as hard as we could.

"Alora, stop it! My sister wasn't that bad, you know that!" Sophie exclaimed. 

Alora pouted which made me and Nina burst out laughing again.

"I was just kidding." She sighed.

I frowned. I don't think I saw her sigh before. 

"Is there something wrong, Alora?" I asked.

She sighed again while Nina and Sophie's faces became worried.

"I was trying to express my thoughts and emotions lately, but I always get the same reaction from people. They thought I'm always serious." She answered.

"But we didn't take it seriously. We know you were joking and Sophie was always like that. She takes everything seriously." Nina explained.

"Hey whatever it is. We love you. If you're doing that to please Luke then screw him!" I hissed.

She shook her head and explained further.

"It's for the kids. I wanted to smile for them more, laugh with them. At their age, Alira was becoming more like me. I'm scared that she would grow up without emotions. Lucas was like Luke but he was getting serious already, showing interest in the business. I wanted them to experience the fun side of being kids."

We didn't react for a moment. When I first saw Alira, I thought I was looking at a three-year old Alora. She was indeed like her mother, only softer. I can understand Alora's worries. She was suffering from her illness even after having a family and she didn't want her children to suffer like her.

"How about let Caden be with her more? When she's with him, she talks more and opens up with Caden. Maybe she needed a friend like him. Caden really likes her." I suggested.

I read Caden and Alira's conversation on his phone. She talks a lot from the text messages but in person she was quiet. I think she was just having a hard time expressing herself to her parents, especially to her mother since Alora couldn't express her true emotions.

"What about an arranged marriage?" Nina suddenly blurted.

"No!" Me, Alora and Sophie shouted in unison.

Nina was startled when we shouted. Then we laughed at our own reaction.

We came from families who believed in arranged marriage and we didn't like it. So we promised that our children will never experience something like that. It would be great if Caden would end up with someone like Alira, and I know Alora felt the same but we wanted them to fall in love and make a decision for themselves.

"They will have enough time to spend time together. We'll see if they cross the line from being more than friends, then maybe in the future they will marry. Let's just leave our kids alone when it comes to love. We're here to support and guide them in their journey to adulthood, not to make their lives harder." I commented.

We chat a little more about the kids and the like. We talked about Nina and Sophie's wedding plans as well.

"By the way, how's your father? I mean the real one. Are you on good terms with him now? How about him and Jayden?" Sophie asked.

"I still feel awkward sometimes and I know it's the same for him. I thought he was evil at first and hated him but in the end, it was all a misunderstanding." I sighed.

"But you do know that he still did a lot of illegal and bad things, right?" It was Nina, looking at me seriously.

I nodded and breathed deeply.

"Yes. I was preparing myself for the day that he would have to pay for his sins. We both knew that. Jayden, too. So I wanted him to stay with us until that day comes."

"How about Jayden? Is he okay about everything?" Alora asked this time.

I was staring at the ceiling, still on the bed. I tried a couple of times to at least sit on the bed, but it was really hard for me so they insisted that I should just lay down.

"We haven't talked about it. I was bedridden after and didn't have time to discuss it with him. I felt like we were running out of time and something bad would happen. But I couldn't tell him. I was anxious ever since my father told us that the Rossi's will attack the palace. I was so worried for Kyle and Emily. The fight with the Mafia, it's exhausting and terrifying. It hadn't started yet, but the thought of losing someone was always in my mind."

The girls suddenly laid down on the bed beside me. Nina was on my left while Alora and Sophie on the right, hugging me.

"Let's hope and pray that it will be over soon. For now, don't think of anything else but your baby. Our hope and strength lies on our kids." Alora said in a gentle voice.